Английские идиомы

[washed out] {adj.} Listless in appearance; pale, wan. Smallwonder Harry looks so washed out; he has just recovered from majorsurgery.

[take after] {v.} To be like because of family relationship; tohave the same looks or ways as. He takesafter his father in mathematical ability. She takes after herfather’s side of the family in looks. Compare: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON;RUN IN THE FAMILY.

[forget oneself] {v. phr.} To do something one should haveremembered not to do; do something below one’s usual conduct althoughone knows better; let one’s self-control slip. He forgot himselfonly once at dinner — when he belched. He knew he should hold histemper, but because of the trouble he forgot himself and began toshout.

[leave in the lurch] {v. phr.} To desert or leave alone in trouble;refuse to help or support. The town bully caught Eddie, and Tomleft him in the lurch. Bill quit his job, leaving his boss in thelurch. Compare: LEAVE FLAT, HIGH AND DRY, WALK OUT.

[namedropper] {n. phr.} A person who is always mentioningwell-known names. Since her move to Hollywood she has become aregular namedropper.

[time] See: ABOUT TIME, AGAINST TIME, AT A TIME, AT ONE TIME, ATTHE SAME TIME, AT TIMES, BEHIND THE TIMES, BEHIND TIME, BIDE ONE’STIME, BIG TIME, EVERY TIME ONE TURNS AROUND, FOR THE TIME BEING, FROMTIME TO TIME, GIVE A HARD TIME, HAVE A TIME, HIGH TIME, IN GOOD TIME, IN NO TIME, IN THE … Читать далее

[pack rat] {n.}, {informal} A person who cannot part with old, useless objects; an avid collector of useless things; a junk hoarder. «Why are there so many things in this room?» John asked. «It is mybrother’s room, and he is a pack rat; he is unable to throw stuffaway.»

Идиома: down in the dumps Перевод: несчастный, печальный, угнетенный, подавленный Пример: The girl has been down in the dumps since her boyfriend moved away. Эта девушка очень несчастна, с тех пор, как ее молодой человек переехал.

[step into] {v.} 1. To come or go into. The taxi stopped, and westepped into it. Mr. Jones called to his secretary to step intohis office. 2. To begin to do, undertake. When the star becamesick, his understudy stepped into his part. When Bill graduatesfrom college, he will step into a job in his father’s … Читать далее

[get off one’s case] or [back] or [tail] {v. phr.} To stopbothering and constantly checking up on someone; quit hounding one. «Get off my case!» he cried angrily. «You’re worse than the cops.» Contrast: ON ONE’S CASE.

[fun house] {n.} A place where people see many funny things andhave tricks played on them to make them laugh or have a good time. The boys and girls had a good time looking at themselves in mirrorsin the fun house.

[out-and-out] {adj.} Extreme; complete; thorough. The candidatewas an out-and-out conservative. It was out-and-out robbery tocharge twice the usual price for eggs just because they were scarce. Compare: THROUGH AND THROUGH.

[know one’s own mind] {v. phr.} To no( hesitate or vacillate; bedefinite in one’s ideas or plans. It is impossible to do businesswith Fred, because he doesn’t know his own mind.

Идиома: no wonder Перевод: что-либо, что не вызывает удивления Пример: No wonder he is so tired after staying up all night. Неудивительно, что он так устал после того, как не спал всю ночь.

[turn] See: AT EVERY TURN, BLOOD RUN COLD or BLOOD TURNS TO ICE, BYTURNS, CALL THE TURN at CALL ONE’S SHOTS, EVERY TIME ONE TURNSAROUND, IN TURN, NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN, OUT OF TURN, TAKE A TURN, TAKE TURNS, TO A T or TO A TURN.

Идиома: apples and oranges Перевод: совершенно разные вещи; небо и земля (часто используется при сравнении двух противоположных и совершенно непохожих вещей) Пример: It was like comparing apples and oranges when we compared our new boss to our old boss. Сравнивать нашего нового начальника и нашего старого начальника почти то же, что сравнивать небо и землю.

[in full swing] {adj. phr.} Actively going on; in full action. The Valentine party was in full swing. All of the children wereplanting seeds; the gardening project was in full swing.

[at one’s feet] {adv. phr.} Under your influence or power. She had a dozen men at her feet. Her voice kept audiences at her feet for years. Compare: THROW ONESELF AT SOMEONE’S FEET.

Идиома: have to live with something Перевод: быть вынужденным терпеть что-либо, мириться с чем-либо Пример: Although the house is very cold we will have to live with it. Хоть в доме и очень холодно, но нам придется мириться с этим.

[natural-born] {adj.} 1. Being a because you were born inthe country. Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt came to the United States fromGermany and are naturalized citizens but their children arenatural-born citizens. 2. Born with great ability to become ; having great ability almost fromthe start. Joe had never played baseball before trying out for theteam but … Читать далее

[leave open] {v. phr.} To remain temporarily unsettled; subject tofurther discussion. Brad said that the question of health insurancewould be left open until some future date.

[take one’s life in one’s hands] {v. phr.} To face great danger ortake great risk. Driving that car with those worn tires would betaking your life in your hands. He took his life in his hands whenhe tried to capture the wild horse.

[in progress] {adj. phr.} Going ahead; being made or done;happening. Plans are in progress to build a new school next year. A dog ran out on the playing field while the game was in progress. Contrast: IN CHECK.

Идиома: all day long Перевод: весь день Пример: The girl is happy to wait all day long for the mail to arrive. Девочка рада весь день ждать прибытия почты.

[witch-hunt] {n. phr.} A hysterical movement during which peopleare persecuted for having views considereddifferent or unpopular. During the McCarthy era many innocentAmericans were accused of being Communists, as Republican patriotismdeteriorated into a witch-hunt.

Идиома: give someone a piece of one’s mind Перевод: сказать, выложить все, что говорящий о ком-либо или чем-либо думает; высказать свое недовольство Пример: When I met my friend yesterday, I gave her a piece of my mind. Когда я встретила вчера свою подругу, я высказала ей свое недовольство.

Идиома: that makes two of us Перевод: и я тоже, я согласен, и т. п.; фраза, выражающая согласие с только что сказанным Пример: «I’m sure it’s going to rain.» «That makes two of us.» Я уверен, что пойдет дождь. — Да, я тоже.

[writer’s cramp] {n.} Pain in the fingers or hand caused by toomuch writing. Holding your pencil too tightly for too long oftengives you writer’s cramp. Often used humorously to stress the ideathat you have been doing a lot of writing. By the time Maryfinished her Christmas cards she complained of writer’s cramp.

Идиома: from the bottom of one’s heart Перевод: с настоящими, неподдельными чувствами; искренне Пример: I thanked the doctor from the bottom of my heart for helping my daughter when she was sick. Я искренне поблагодарил врача за то, что он помог моей дочери, когда он была больна.

Идиома: all the rage / all the thing Перевод: быть в моде в данный период времени Пример: The new sneakers were all the rage during the summer. Новые кроссовки летом были в моде.

Идиома: miss the boat / miss the bus Перевод: упустить шанс, упустить возможность, «опоздать на поезд» Пример: I must hurry and get my application in or I will miss the boat and not get the job. Мне нужно поторопиться и поскорей подать заявление, или я упущу возможность и не получу этой работы.

Идиома: (every) now and then / (every) now and again / (every) once in a while Перевод: иногда, время от времени Пример: I like to go to that restaurant now and then. Время от времени мне нравится ходить в этот ресторан.

[body English] {n.}, {informal} The wishful attempt to make a ball move in the right direction after it has been hit or let go, by twisting the body in the desired direction. He tried to help the putt fall by using body English.

[call it quits] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To decide to stop what you are doing; quit. When Tom had painted half the garage, he called it quits. 2. To agree that each side in a fight is satisfied; stop fighting because a wrong has been paid back; say things are even. Pete called Tom a … Читать далее

[make a fuss over] {v. phr.} 1. To quarrel about something orsomeone. I want you kids to stop fussing about who gets thedrumstick. 2. To he excessively concerned about someone or something;worry. Let’s not fuss over such an insignificant problem! 3. Toshow exaggerated care or preoccupation about a person or an animal. Aunt Hermione is … Читать далее

[what’s the big idea] or [what’s the idea] {informal} What is thepurpose; what do you have in mind; why did you do that; what are youdoing; how dare you. — Often used to question someone or somethingthat is not welcome. The Smith family painted their house red, white, and blue. What’s the big idea? What’s … Читать далее

[sell out] {v.} 1a. To sell all of a certain thing which a storehas in stock. In the store’s January white sale the sheets andpillowcases were sold out in two days. 1b. To sell all the stock andclose the store; go out of business. The local hardware store soldout last month and was replaced by … Читать далее

[put wise] {v.}, {slang} To tell facts that will give himan advantage over others or make him alert to opportunity or danger. The new boy did not know that Jim was playing a trick on him, so Iput him wise. — Often used with «to». Someone put the police wiseto the plan of the bank … Читать далее

Идиома: ipso facto Перевод: в силу самого факта, самим фактом, существом дела Пример: Whatever the captain does on board ship is right ipso facto. Все, что капитан делает на борту корабля, самим фактом является правильным.

Идиома: something else Перевод: быть настолько хорошим, что не поддаваться описанию; быть чем-либо совершенно другим Пример: The movie was something else. It was the best movie that I have seen in many years. Фильм — это что-то. Это самый лучший фильм, который я видел за много лет.

[put all one’s eggs in one basket] {v. phr.} To place all yourefforts, interests, or hopes in a single person or thing. Goingsteady in high school is putting all your eggs in one basket toosoon. To buy stock in a single company is to put all your eggs inone basket. He has decided to specialize … Читать далее

[spread oneself too thin] {v. phr.} To try to do too many things atone time. As the owner, chef, waiter, and dishwasher of hisrestaurant, Pierre was spreading himself too thin.

Идиома: no hard feelings Перевод: без злобы, возмущения, негодования, или каких-либо отрицательных чувств Пример: There were no hard feelings between the two women after they got into a fight at work. Между этими двумя женщинами не было никакой злобы после того, как они поссорились на работе.

[beat to] {v.}, {informal} To do something before someone else does it. I was waiting to buy a ticket but only one ticket was left, and another man beat me to it. We were planning to send a rocket into space but the Russians beat us to it. Compare: GET THE JUMP ON.

Идиома: able to breathe easily again / able to breathe freely again Перевод: вздохнуть с облегчением: суметь расслабиться, оправиться после какого-либо напряженного события, случая Пример: My friend was able to breathe easily again when his company did not go bankrupt. Мой друг вздохнул с облегчением, что его компания не обанкротилась.

[free hand] {n.} Great freedom. The teacher had a free hand inher classroom. Bob put paint on the fence with a free hand. Compare: FREE REIN.

[in cold blood] {adv. phr.} Without feeling or pity; in a purposelycruel way; coolly and deliberately. The bank robbers planned toshoot in cold blood anyone who got in their way. The banditsplanned to murder in cold blood all farmers in the village by theriver.

Идиома: monkey business Перевод: 1. валяние дурака, шутливая выходка; 2. незаконная деятельность, жульничество Пример: The kids were involved in some monkey business when the window was broken. Дети валяли дурака, когда разбилось окно. The company was involved in some monkey business with the tax department and has hired a lawyer to defend themselves. Компания была … Читать далее

[light on] also [light upon] {v.} To pick out by sight from amongothers; see; notice. His eyes lighted on the cookies and heremembered how hungry he was. Her eyes lighted upon the row ofboxes, and she asked what was in them.

Идиома: speak for itself / speak for themselves Перевод: не требующий объяснений Пример: The actions of the men speak for themselves and there is no point talking about it. Действия этих людей говорят сами за себя и нет смысла говорить об этом.