Идиома: alive and kicking Перевод: быть в хорошем здравии, иметь хорошее здоровье Пример: My aunt is 87 years old and she is very much alive and kicking. Моей тете 87 лет, и у нее очень хорошее здоровье.
[plain] or [smooth sailing] {n. phr.} An uncomplicated, unhampered, or easy course. For a graduate of such a famous university as hewas, that assignment was plain sailing.
Идиома: short for something Перевод: что-либо, являющееся сокращенной формой чего-либо Пример: The woman’s nickname is short for her name which is very difficult to pronounce. Прозвище этой женщины является сокращением от ее имени, которое очень трудно произнести.
[going to] Can be expected to; planning to. — Used after «is» , with an infinitive, in the same way «will» is used, toshow future. Some day that big tree is going to rot and fall. Look at those dark clouds. It’s going to rain. The boys are goingto practice football this afternoon. For a … Читать далее
[in the mood ] {adj. phr.} 1. Interested in doing something. Sorry, I’m just not in the mood for a heavy dinner tonight. 2.Feeling sexy. I am sorry, darling, I am just not in the moodtonight.
[eye to] 1. Attention to. — Usually used with «have» or «with». Have an eye to spelling in these test papers. 2. Plan for, purposeof. — Usually used with «have» or «with». Save your money now withan eye to the future. John is going to college with an eye tobecoming a lawyer.
Идиома: too good to be true Перевод: слишком хорошо, чтобы быть правдой Пример: The offer was too good to be true and I did not believe that it was possible. Предложение было слишком хорошим, чтобы быть правдой, и я не поверил, что такое возможно.
[small fry] {n.} 1. Young children. In the park, a sandbox isprovided for the small fry. 2. Something or someone of littleimportance. Large dairies ignore the competition from the small frywho make only a few hundred pounds of cheese a year.
[break-even] {n.} The point of equilibrium in a business venture when one has made as much money as one had invested, but not more — that would be «profit.» «We’ve reached the break-even point at longlast!» — Max exclaimed with joy.
Идиома: sleep on it Перевод: принять решение о чем-либо после сна, обычно, на следующий день Пример: Should we settle this question now or should we sleep on it? Нам сейчас принять это решение, или займемся этим завтра?
[stack the cards] {v. phr.} 1. To arrange cards secretly anddishonestly for the purpose of cheating. The gambler had stackedthe cards against Bill. 2. To arrange things unfairly for or againsta person; have things so that a person has an unfair advantage ordisadvantage; make sure in an unfair way that things will happen. — Usually … Читать далее
[hold water] {v. phr.} 1. To keep water without leaking. Thatpail still holds water. 2. {informal} To prove true; stand testing;bear examination. — Usually used in negative, interrogative, orconditional sentences. Ernest told the police a story that wouldn’thold water.
[salt of the earth] {n. phr.}, {informal} One who helps to makesociety good and wholesome; a basically good or valuable person. Everyone here considers Syd and Susan the salt of the earth becausethey are so generous.
[cut into] {v.} 1. To make less; reduce. The union made the company pay higher wages, which cut into the profits. The other houses got old and shabby, and that cut into the value of his house. At first Smith led in votes, but more votes came in and cut into his lead. 2. To … Читать далее
[minority leader] {n. phr.} The leader of the political party thathas fewer votes in a legislative house. The minority leader of theSenate supported the bill. The minority leader in the House ofRepresentatives held a caucus. Compare: MAJORITY LEADER.
[chip off the old block] {n. phr.} A person whose character traits closely resemble those of his parents. I hear that Tom plays the violin in the orchestra his father conducts; he sure is a chip off the old block.
[go around] {v.} 1a. To go from one place or person to another. Mr. Smith is going around looking for work. Don’t go aroundtelling lies like that. Chicken pox is going around theneighborhood. A rumor is going around school that we will get theafternoon off. 1b. To go together; keep company. — Usually used with»with». … Читать далее
[draw fire] {v. phr.} 1. To attract or provoke shooting; be a target. The general’s white horse drew the enemy’s fire. 2. To bring criticism or argument; make people say bad things about you. Having the newest car in your group is sure to draw fire.
[boil down] {v.} 1. To boil away some of the water from; make less by boiling. She boiled down the maple sap to a thick syrup. The fruit juice boiled down until it was almost not good for jelly. 2. To reduce the length of; cut down; shorten. The reporter boiled the story down to … Читать далее
[double nickel] {adv.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} The nationally enforced speed limit on some highways — 55 MPH. We’d better go double nickel on this stretch, partner; there’s a bear in the air.
[big deal] {interj.}, {slang}, {informal} Trifles; an unimportant, unimpressive thing or matter. So you became college president — big deal!
[add up to] {v.} 1. To make a total of; amount to. The bill added up to $12.95. 2. {informal} To mean; result in. The rain, the mosquitoes, and the heat added up to a spoiled vacation.
[offhand] {adj.} 1. Informal; casual; careless. Dick found Bob’soffhand manner inappropriate for business. 2. In an improvisedfashion. Offhand, I would guess that at least five thousand peopleattended the festival.
Идиома: lead the way Перевод: идти вперед, показывая путь; показывать пример Пример: I had to lead the way because nobody knew where the new office was located. Я показывал всем дорогу, потому что никто не знал, где находится новый офис.
[sack] See: GET THE SACK at GET THE BOUNCE, GIVE THE SACK atGIVE THE BOUNCE, HIT THE HAY or HIT THE SACK, LEAVE HOLDING THE BAGor LEAVE HOLDING THE SACK.
[labor under] {v. phr.} To be the victim of; suffer from. Ken isobviously laboring under the delusion that Jennifer will marry him outof love.
[made-to-measure] or [tailor-made] {adj.} Made to fit a special setof measurements or needs. John has a new made-to-measure suit. The club is tailor-made for Jane. Syn.: MADE TO ORDER.
[in a flutter] {adv. phr.}, {informal} In a state of nervousexcitement. Whenever Norm and Cathy are near one another, both arein a flutter; they must be in love.
Идиома: take attendance Перевод: проверить посещаемость, сделать перекличку Пример: Our teacher always takes attendance when we arrive in the morning. Наш учитель всегда, когда мы приходим утром, проверяет посещаемость.
[tight end] {n.} An end in football who plays close to the tacklein the line. The tight end is used to catch passes but most oftento block. Contrast: SPLIT END.
[dumbwaiter] {n.} A small elevator for carrying food, dishes, etc., from one floor to another in hotels, restaurants, or large homes. The banquet was delayed because the dumbwaiter broke down and the food had to be carried upstairs by hand.
[by fits and starts] or [jerks] {adv. phr.} With many stops and starts, a little now and a little more later; not all the time; irregularly. He had worked on the invention by fits and starts for several years. You will never get anywhere if you study just by fits and starts. Compare: FROM TIME … Читать далее
[set one’s mind at rest] {v. phr.} To relieve someone’s anxieties;reassure someone. «Lef me set your mind at rest about theoperation,» Dr. Vanek said. «You’ll be back on your feet in a week.»
Идиома: cream of the crop Перевод: лучший из лучших; наилучший выбор, лучший образец Пример: When our company hires new employees we look for the cream of the crop. Когда наша компания нанимает новых работников, мы ищем только лучших из лучших.
Идиома: blow one’s own horn / toot one’s own horn Перевод: хвалиться, хвастаться, нахваливать себя Пример: My friend is always blowing his own horn and is very annoying at times. Мой друг постоянно хвалится, и иногда он очень действует на нервы.
[hoist with one’s own petard] {adj. phr.} Caught in your own trapor trick. Jack carried office gossip to the boss until he washoisted by his own petard.
[snug as a bug in a rug] {adj. phr.} Comfortable; cozy. «Are youwarm enough?» the boy’s mother asked. «Yeah,» he replied, «I’m snug asa bug in a rug.»
[double back] {v.} 1. To turn back on one’s way or course. The escaped prisoner doubled back on his tracks. 2. To fold over; usually in the middle. The teacher told Johnny to double back the sheet of paper and tear it in half.
[rate with someone] {v. phr.} To be esteemed highly by another. The professor really rates with both the graduate students and theundergraduates.
Идиома: send someone packing Перевод: велеть кому-либо уходить, уезжать; прогонять кого-либо Пример: The company sent the man packing because of his bad attitude to his job. Компания уволила этого человека из-за плохого отношения к своей работе.
[lowbrow] {n.} A person of limited culture; a nonintellectual. Some people claim that only lowbrows read the comics. Contrast: HIGHBROW.
[lay-away plan] {n.} A plan for buying something that you can’t paycash for; a plan in which you pay some money down and pay a littlemore when you can, and the store holds the article until you have paidthe full price. She could not afford to pay for the coat all atonce, so she used … Читать далее
[sit on a bomb] or [bombshell] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be inpossession of anything that is potentially disastrous or dangerous. The finance department will be sitting on a bomb unless it finds away to cut overhead expenses.
[pull up short] {v. phr.} To suddenly stop. He pulled up shortin his red car at the corner when he saw a pregnant lady crossing. When Mark saw that he was hurting Jill’s feelings, he pulled up shortand started to talk about something entirely different.
[look to] {v.} 1. To attend to; get ready for; take care of. Plans had been prepared that looked to every possibility. Thepresident assigned a man to look to our needs. 2. To go for help to;depend on. The child looks to his mother to cure his hurts. 3.See: SEE TO.
Идиома: in bad taste / in poor taste Перевод: в плохом вкусе; грубый; непристойный Пример: The jokes that the man told at the dinner were in very bad taste. Шутки, которые этот человек рассказывал за ужином, были очень грубые и непристойные.
[nigger in the woodpile] {n. phr.}, {slang} Something unexpectedthat changes a situation; a hidden factor or trick. — Racist andoffensive, but commonly used in the past. I knew there had to be anigger in the woodpile, because the man was being much too generous. When the salesman gave him an extra tire for his bike, … Читать далее
[rave about] {v. phr.} To talk very enthusiastically about someoneor something. Hank praised the new TV show very highly but wedidn’t think it was anything to rave about.
Идиома: head hunt Перевод: «охотиться за головами»; заниматься поиском высококвалифицированных специалистов, узконаправленных работников Пример: The headhunters are looking for good computer programmers. Охотники за головами ищут хороших программистов.
[get under one’s skin] {v. phr.} To bother; upset. The studentsget under Mary’s skin by talking about her freckles. Children whotalk too much in class get under the teacher’s skin.