Английские идиомы

[calm down] {v. phr.} To become quiet; relax. «Calm down, Mr. Smith,» the doctor said with a reassuring smile. «You are going to live a long time.»

[nose out of] {informal} Curious attention; bothering. — Usuallyused with a possessive and usually used with «keep». When Billyasked his sister where she was going she told him to keep his nose outof her business. Contrast: NOSE IN.

[have it out] {v. phr.} To settle a difference by a free discussionor by a fight. Joe called Bob a bad name, so they went back of theschool and had it out. Joe got a bloody nose and Bob got a black eye. The former friends finally decided to have it out in a freeargument … Читать далее

[alpha wave] {n.} A brain wave, 8-12 cycles per second, associated with a state of relaxation and meditation and, hence, free of anxieties. Try to produce some alpha waves; you will instantly feel a lot better.

[wet behind the ears] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Not experienced; notknowing how to do something; new in a job or place. The new studentis still wet behind the ears; he has not yet learned the tricks thatthe boys play on each other. Compare: DRY BEHIND THE EARS.

Идиома: heart and soul Перевод: всей душой, всеми силами; полностью отдаваясь, вкладывая всю душу Пример: My friend is putting his heart and soul into his new job. Мой друг всю свою душу вкладывает в свою новую работу.

[in a nutshell] {adv. phr.}, {informal} In a few words; briefly, without telling all about it. We are in a hurry, so I’ll give youthe story in a nutshell. In a nutshell, the car is no bargain. Compare: IN SHORT.

Идиома: go ahead (and do something) Перевод: продолжать, сделать что-либо Пример: Let’s go ahead and start now. We can’t wait any longer. Давайте начинать. Мы больше не можем ждать.

Идиома: throw (some) light on something / shed (some) light on something Перевод: пролить свет на что-либо, прояснить ситуацию Пример: The investigation did not throw any light on the problem with food safety. Расследование не прояснило ситуацию с проблемой сохранности продуктов.

[take pity on] also [take pity upon] {v. phr.} To feel sympathy orpity and do something for. Mary took pity on the orphan kittens. The farmer took pity upon the campers, and let them stay in his barnduring the rain.

[swear in] or [swear into] {v.} To have a person swear or promiseto do his duty as a member or an officer of an organization, government department, or similar group. — «Swear into» is used whenthe name of the group is given. Mary and Ann will be sworn into theclub tonight. Fred was sworn in … Читать далее

[what’s up] or [what’s cooking] also [what’s doing] {slang} What ishappening or planned; what is wrong. — Often used as a greeting. «What’s up?» asked Bob as he joined his friends. «Are you going tothe movies?» What’s cooking? Why is the crowd in the street? What’s doing tonight at the club? Hello Bob, what’s up? … Читать далее

[upside down] {adv. phr.} Overturned so that the bottom is up andthe top is down. The ladybug lay upside down in the sand and wasunable to take off. The problem with this company is thateverything is upside down; we need a new C. E. O.

[swallow one’s words] 1. To speak unclearly; fail to put enoughbreath into your words. Phyllis was hard to understand because sheswallowed her words. 2. See: EAT ONE’S WORDS.

[stars in one’s eyes] {n. phr.} 1. An appearance or feeling of verygreat happiness or expectation of happiness. Mary gets stars in hereyes when she thinks of her boyfriend. 2. A belief in the possibilityof quick and lasting reforms in people and life and an eagerness tomake such changes. Some inexperienced people get stars in … Читать далее

[on the other hand] {adv. phr.} Looking at the other side; fromanother point of view. — Used to introduce an opposite or differentfact or idea. Jim wanted to go to the movies; his wife, on theother hand, wanted to stay home and read. Mr. Harris may stillwant a boy to mow his lawn; on the … Читать далее

Идиома: wake-up call Перевод: предупреждение, предостережение; событие, которое заставляет задуматься о чем-либо, пересмотреть что-либо, и т. п. Пример: «I got a D on my English test!» «Is it a wake-up call to work harder?» Я получил двойку за контрольную по английскому! — Ну хоть это заставит тебя заниматься усерднее?

[in person] also [in the flesh] {adv. phr.} Yourself; personally. A TV actor appeared in person today in school. The governorcannot march in the parade in person today, but his wife wilt march. Compare: FACE-TO-FACE. Contrast: INSTEAD OF.

[pan gravy] {n.} Gravy made with meat drippings with seasoning andoften a little water. His wife liked cream gravy, but he preferredpan gravy. Pan gravy from country ham is often called red-eyegravy.

Идиома: grab a bite (to eat) Перевод: перекусить немного Пример: We stopped at a small restaurant to grab a bite to eat. Мы остановились в небольшом ресторане, чтобы немного перекусить.

[charge off] {v.} 1. To consider or record as a loss, especially in an account book. The store owner charged off all of the last season’s stock of suits. Syn.: WRITE OFF. 2. or [charge up] {informal} To accept or remember as a mistake and not worry about it any more. — Often used with … Читать далее

[and all] {informal} And whatever goes with it; and all that means. We don’t go out much nowadays, with the new baby and all. Jack’s employer provided the tools and all.

Идиома: street smarts Идиома: street smarts Перевод: житейская хватка, ловкость, житейский ум; знания и опыт, необходимые для того, чтобы справиться со сложными ситуациями в городе, на улицах Пример: The kids around here may not be much good at reading or writing, but they sure have a lot of street smarts. Ребятишки здесь может быть и … Читать далее

[break off] {v.} 1. To stop suddenly. The speaker was interrupted so often that he broke off and sat down. When Bob came in, Jean broke off her talk with Linda and talked to Bob. 2. {informal} To end a friendship or love. I hear that Tom and Alice have broken off. She broke off … Читать далее

[reckon with] {v.} To consider as one of the things which maychange a situation; consider that will make a differencein the results. The coach said the opposing pitcher had a fast ballto be reckoned with. Syn.: TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.

Идиома: everything humanly possible Перевод: все, что в человеческих силах Пример: The doctors did everything humanly possible to save the man after the accident. Врачи сделали все, что было в человеческих силах, чтобы спасти мужчину после несчастного случая.

Идиома: pie in the sky Перевод: рай на небесах; что-либо неосуществимое, утопическое Пример: The boy’s plans for his summer were pie in the sky. He would never complete them. Планы мальчика на лето были раем на небесах. Он бы никак не смог осуществить их.

[blow up] {v.} 1a. To break or destroy or to be destroyed by explosion. He blew up the plane by means of a concealed bomb. The fireworks factory blew up when something went wrong in an electric switch. 1b. {informal} To explode with anger or strong feeling; lose control of yourself. When Father bent the … Читать далее

[sign off] {v.} 1. To end a program on radio or television. ThatTV newscaster always signs off by saluting. 2. To stop broadcastingfor the day. That TV station always signs off after the latemovie.

[according as] {conj.} 1. Depending on which; whichever. You may take an oral or written exam according as you prefer. 1. Depending on whether; if. We will play golf or stay home according as the weather is good or bad.

[with bad grace] or [with a bad grace] {adv. phr.} In an unpleasantor discourteous way; unwillingly, Fred takes defeat with badgrace. Tom shouted «Hello» to Bill. Bill was in a sour mood andreplied with a bad grace. Contrast: WITH GOOD GRACE.

[more often than not] {adv. phr.} More than half the time;fifty-one or more times out of a hundred; not quite usually, butfairly regularly. Nancy comes over on Saturday more often thannot. Ben is a fairly good runner. He wins more often than not.

[bring to pass] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make happen; succeed in causing. By much planning, the mother brought the marriage to pass. The change in the law was slow in coming, and it took a disaster to bring it to pass. Compare: BRING ABOUT, COME TO PASS.

Идиома: put one’s best foot forward Перевод: стараться произвести хорошее впечатление на других, быть на высоте, показать себя с лучшей стороны Пример: I tried to put my best foot forward during the job interview. Во время собеседования при приеме на работу я старался показать себя с лучшей стороны.

Идиома: in one’s right mind Перевод: в здравом уме Пример: The girl was not in her right mind to quit her job right now. Девушка была не в своем уме, раз решила сейчас бросить работу.

Идиома: make oneself scarce Идиома: make oneself scarce разг. Перевод: быстро уйти, удрать, улизнуть, ретироваться Пример: I think that I will make myself scarce and go to the beach for the day. Я думаю удрать отсюда, и пойти на пляж на весь день. «If you see a bull in the pasture, make yourself scarce.» Если … Читать далее

[off the hook] {adv. phr.} Out of trouble; out of an awkward orembarrassing situation. Thelma found she had made two dates for thesame night; she asked Sally to get her off the hook by going out withone of the boys.

Идиома: open fire (on someone) Перевод: начать стрелять, открыть огонь; начать задавать вопросы или начать критиковать кого-либо Пример: The police opened fire on the man with the gun. Полиция открыла огонь по человеку с оружием.

[lucky star] {n.} A certain star or planet which, by itself or withothers, is seriously or jokingly thought to bring a person good luckand success in life. John was born under a lucky star. Ted wasunhurt in the car accident, for which he thanked his lucky stars.

Идиома: short-listed Перевод: попавший в список финалистов (при приеме на работу, при присуждении премии, и т. п.) Пример: Five candidates were short-listed for the job opening. На эту вакансию в список финалистов попали пять кандидатов.

[by word of mouth] {adv. phr.} From person to person by the spoken word; orally. The news got around by word of mouth. The message reached him quietly by word of mouth.

[on account] {adv. phr.} As part payment of a debt; to lessen theamount owed. John paid $10 down and $5 on account each month forhis bicycle.

[good day] {interj.} Hello or goodbye. — Used as a formal greetingor salute when you meet or leave someone during the day. MissRogers said, «Good day!» when she met her friend on the street. Mr. Lee said «Good day!» and left the office.

Идиома: keep abreast of (something or someone) Перевод: 1. идти в ногу, идти вровень, не отставать 2. быть в курсе последний событий, новостей, быть осведомленным о последних известиях (вместо глагола Keep также могут употребляться глаголы Be, Get, Stay) Пример: I had to run fast to keep abreast of other runners. Мне пришлось быстро бежать, чтобы … Читать далее

[short shrift] {n.} Little or no attention. — Usually used with»get» or «give». In books about jobs, women’s work is consistentlygiven short shrift.

Идиома: not take no for an answer Перевод: не принять чей-либо отказ, не принять «нет» в качестве ответа Пример: My aunt would not take no for an answer when I said that I would not eat dinner at her house. Моя тетя не хотела принимать мой отказ поужинать у нее дома.

[third degree] {n. phr.} A method of severe grilling used toextract information from an arrested suspect. «Why give me thethird degree?» he asked indignantly. «All I did was come home latebecause I had a drink with my friends.»

Идиома: air one’s grievances Перевод: жаловаться (часто публично) Пример: We aired our grievances during the monthly meeting. Мы пожаловались во время одного из наших ежемесячных собраний.

[conk out] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To fall asleep suddenly with great fatigue or after having drunk too much. We conked out right after the guests had left.

[feel up to something] {v. phr.}, {informal} To feel adequatelyknowledgeable, strong, or equipped to handle a given task. Do youfeel up to jogging a mile a day with me? Contrast: BE UP TOSOMETHING.