Идиома: twiddle one’s thumbs Перевод: бездельничать, ничем не заниматься, бить баклуши Пример: I arrived early for the meeting so I was twiddling my thumbs for half an hour. Я рано прибыл на собрание, поэтому полчаса я бездельничал.
Идиома: at this juncture Перевод: в настоящее время Пример: At this juncture there is no point to have the meeting. В настоящее время нет смысла проводить собрание.
[pride must take a pinch] One must endure the minor pains andhardships one encounters while being made pretty. — A proverb. «Mother,» Sue cried, «stop pulling my hair!» «Just a moment, younglady,» the mother answered, while combing her hair. «Don’t you knowthat pride must take a pinch?»
[leave behind] {v. phr.} 1. Abandon. Refugees on the run mustsometimes leave old and sick people behind. 2. To forget; go awaywithout. We had reached our car when we noticed that we had leftour keys behind.
[rough up] {v.} To attack or hurt physically; treat roughly; beat. Three boys were sent home for a week because they roughed up aplayer on the visiting team. While Pete was walking in a strangepart of town some boys roughed him up and told him to stay out oftheir territory.
Идиома: get to the bottom of something Перевод: добраться, докопаться до истины чего-либо Пример: The government wants to get to the bottom of the financial problems in the company. Правительство хочет добраться до истинной причины финансовых проблем в компании.
[gun for] {v.}, {informal} 1. To hunt for with a gun; look hard fora chance to harm or defeat. The cowboy is gunning for the man whostole his horse. Bob is gunning for me because I got a higher markthan he did. 2. To try very hard to get. The man is gunning forfirst prize … Читать далее
[pick the brains of] {v. phr.} To get ideas or information about aparticular subject by asking an expert. If you have time, I’d liketo pick your brains about home computers.
Идиома: in someone’s shoes / in someone’s place Перевод: на чьем-либо месте, на месте кого-либо Пример: I wish that my father could see some of my difficulties at work in my shoes. Хотел бы я, чтобы мой отец увидел некоторые мои трудности на работе с моей позиции.
Идиома: to put it mildly Перевод: мягко выражаясь, мягко говоря Пример: To put it mildly the food at the restaurant was some of the worst that I have ever tasted. Еда в ресторане, мягко говоря, была чуть ли не худшей, которую я когда-либо пробовал.
Идиома: strike a chord (with someone) Перевод: затрагивать чувствительную струну; вызывать у кого-либо какие-либо воспоминания; напоминать кому-либо о чем-либо; быть известным, знакомым кому-либо Пример: The song on the radio struck a chord with me and reminded me of my university days. Песня по радио навеяла на меня воспоминания о моих днях учебы в университете. The … Читать далее
Идиома: put oneself in someone’s place Перевод: представить себя на месте другого, поставить себя на чье-либо место Пример: It was difficult to put myself in the woman’s place after she had lost her only child. Мне было трудно представить, что чувствовала эта женщина, когда она потеряла своего единственного ребенка.
[stick in one’s craw] or [stuck in one’s crop] {v. phr.} To makeyou angry; bother you; annoy you. His parents’ praise of hisbrother stuck in Jerry’s craw. Sue’s failure to get a better gradethan Ann stuck in her crop.
[short and sweet] {adj.} Brief and to the point. Henry’s note tohis father was short and sweet. He wrote, «Dear Dad, please send me$5. Love, Henry.»
Идиома: yellow-bellied Перевод: трусливый Пример: He is a yellow-bellied person who is not good to have as a friend. Он очень трусливый человек, и с ним не хочется дружить.
[blow over] {v.} To come to an end; pass away with little or no bad effects. The sky was black, as if a bad storm were coming, but it blew over and the sun came out. They were bitter enemies for a while, but the quarrel blew over. He was much criticized for the divorce, … Читать далее
[race to stand still] {v. phr.} To be so far behind in one’s workthat one must exert an effort similar to that needed to win a race inorder simply not to fall even further behind. «Could you reviewthis book for us, Professor Brown?» the editor asked. «Unfortunately, no,» the professor answered. «I’m so behind in … Читать далее
[man-to-man] {adj.} Honest and full in the telling; not hidinganything embarrassing. Tom and his father had a man-to-man talkabout his smoking pot. Compare: HEART-TO-HEART.
[have one’s head screwed on backwards] {v. phr.} To lack commonsense; behave in strange and irrational ways. Henry seems to havehis head screwed on backwards; he thinks the best time to get a suntanis when it is raining and to sleep with his shoes on.
Идиома: take steps / take measures Перевод: принимать меры Пример: Our company has begun to take steps to stop people from smoking in the office building. Наша компания начала принимать меры, чтобы отучить людей от курения в здании офиса.
[right down] or [up one’s alley] {adv. phr.} In accordance withone’s specialty or predilection. This kind of preclassical music isright up Bill’s alley; after all, he wrote his Ph. D. on Bach.
[facts of life] {n. phr.} 1. The truth which we should know aboutsex, marriage, and births. His father told him the facts of lifewhen he was old enough. 2. The truths one learns about people andtheir good and bad habits of life, work or play. As a cub reporterhe would learn the facts of life … Читать далее
Идиома: in the middle of nowhere Перевод: в очень отдаленном месте, очень далеко Пример: We stopped in the middle of nowhere to have a picnic. Мы остановились очень далеко и устроили пикник.
[chew the fat] or [chew the rag] {v. phr.}, {slang} To talk together in an idle, friendly fashion; chat. We used to meet after work, and chew the fat over coffee and doughnuts. The old man would chew the rag for hours with anyone who would join him.
Идиома: every other Перевод: через один, каждый второй Пример: I have to work every other Saturday evening. Мне приходится работать каждую вторую субботу по вечерам.
[give the shirt off one’s back] {v. phr.}, {informal} To give awaysomething or everything that you own. He’d give you the shirt offhis back.
[out on bail] {adv. phr.} Released from prison because a securitydeposit known as «bail» has been put up by an individual or a bailbond broker. The murder suspect was out on a one million dollarbail awaiting trial.
[no sooner — than] As soon as; at once when; immediately when. No sooner did he signal to turn than the other car turned in front ofhim. No sooner were the picnic baskets unpacked than it began torain.
Идиома: break the ice Перевод: растопить лед; сказать или сделать что-либо, чтобы сделать ситуацию менее напряженной, более непринужденной Пример: Andy likes to tell a joke to break the ice — to help everybody relax. Энди любит пошутить, чтобы растопить лед — помочь всем расслабиться.
[pin one’s ears back] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To beat; defeat. After winning three games in a row, the Reds had their ears pinnedback by the Blues. 2. To scold. Mrs. Smith pinned Mary’s ears backfor not doing her homework.
[lace into] or [tie into] {v.}, {informal} To attack physically orwith words; begin to hit or criticize. The boxer laced into hisopponent. The critics laced into the new movie. Syn.: LAY INTO, RIP INTO. Compare: GIVE IT TO.
[pull one’s chestnuts out of the fire] To do someone else a greatfavor which they don’t really deserve, doing oneself a disfavor in theprocess. Small countries often have to pull the chestnuts out ofthe fire for their more powerful neighbors.
[up against] {prep. phr.} Blocked or threatened by. When sheapplied to medical school, the black woman wondered whether she was upagainst barriers of sex and race prejudice.
Идиома: make peace with someone Перевод: заключить мир с кем-либо, перестать ссориться с кем-либо Пример: The two sisters were finally able to make peace with each other. Две сестры, наконец, смогли перестать ссориться друг с другом.
[have nothing to do with] {v. phr.} To not be involved with; notcare about. Our firm has nothing to do with oil from the Near East;we are interested in solar energy.
[set one’s sights] {v. phr.} 1. To want to reach; aim for. Johnhas set his sights higher than the job he has now. 2. To wish to getor win. Owen set his sights on the championship.
[lock the barn door after the horse is stolen] To be careful or tryto make something safe when it is too late. — A proverb. After Maryfailed the examination, she said she would study hard after that. Shewanted to lock the barn door after the horse was stolen.
Идиома: in good time Перевод: заранее, заблаговременно Пример: I will try and get the information to you in good time so that you will be able to decide what to do. Я попытаюсь достать тебе информацию заблаговременно, чтобы ты смог решить, что делать.
[look like a million dollars] {v. phr.}, {informal} To look welland prosperous; appear healthy and happy and lucky; look pretty andattractive. John came back from Florida driving a fine new car, tanned and glowing with health. He looked like a million dollars. Dressed in the new formal and in a new hairdo, Betty looked like … Читать далее
[hold on to] {v. phr.} 1a. or [hold to] To continue to hold orkeep; hold tightly. When Jane played horse with her father, sheheld on to him tightly. The teacher said that if we believedsomething was true and good we should hold on to it. The old manheld on to his job stubbornly and would … Читать далее
Идиома: pay through the nose Идиома: pay through the nose разг. Перевод: платить втридорога, переплачивать, платить гораздо больше, чем нужно Пример: My uncle always pays through the nose when he buys a new car. Мой дядя всегда переплачивает, когда покупает новую машину.
Идиома: hold one’s breath Перевод: задержать дыхание Пример: I had to stop and hold my breath while I was waiting for the announcement of the winning name. Я задержал дыхание, пока ждал объявления победителя.
[to that effect] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} With that meaning. Shesaid she hated spinach, or words to that effect. When I leave, Iwill write you to that effect so you will know.
[foot] See: AT ONE’S FEET, COLD FEET, DEAD ON ONE’S FEET, DRAGONE’S FEET, FROM HEAD TO FOOT, GET OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT, GET ONE’SFEET WET, HAND AND FOOT, KEEP ONE’S FEET, KNOCK OFF ONE’S FEET, LANDON ONE’S FEET, LET GRASS GROW UNDER ONE’S FEET, ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE, ON FOOT, ON ONE’S FEET, … Читать далее
[go about] {v.} 1. To be busy with; keep busy at or working on;start working on; do. Bobby is going about his homework veryseriously tonight. Just go about your business and don’t keeplooking out of the window. How will you go about building the birdhouse? Syn.: GO AT. 2a. To move from one place or … Читать далее
Идиома: come clean Перевод: рассказать правду, сказать все как есть Пример: The president of the company was forced to come clean and tell what really happened to the business. Президенту компании пришлось сказать правду и объяснить, что на самом деле случилось с предприятием.
[live from hand to mouth] {v. phr.} To live on little money andspend it as fast as it comes in; live without saving for the future;have just enough. Mr. Johnson got very little pay, and the familylived from hand to mouth when he had no job. These Indians livefrom hand to mouth on berries, nuts, … Читать далее
Идиома: keep the home fires burning Перевод: поддерживать огонь в домашнем очаге, сохранять семью; поддерживать порядок вещей, пока кто-либо в отъезде Пример: «Don’t worry about anything. I will stay home and keep the home fires burning while you are on your holiday.» Ни о чем не беспокойся. Я останусь дома, и буду за всем приглядывать, … Читать далее
[push-up] {n.} An exercise to build strong arms and shoulders, inwhich you lie on your stomach and push your body up on your hands andtoes. At the age of seventy, Grandpa still does twenty push-upsevery day. The football team does push-ups every day.
[come about] {v.} To take place; happen, occur. Sometimes it is hard to tell how a quarrel comes about. When John woke up he was in the hospital, but he didn’t know how that had come about.