[lip service] {n.} Support shown by words only and not by actions;a show of loyalty that is not proven in action. — Usually used with»pay». Bv holding elections, communism pays lip service todemocracy, but it offers only one candidate per office. Somepeople pay lip service to education, but don’t vote taxes for betterschools.
[neither rhyme nor reason] {n. phr.} No emotional or intellectualsubstance. As far as I am concerned, his proposal makes no sense;it has neither rhyme nor reason.
[in half] {adv. phr.} 1. Into two equal parts. The ticket takerat the football game tore the tickets in half. Mother cut theapple in half so each child could have an equal share. Syn.: IN TWO.2. To half the size before; to one half as big. As a punishment, Father cut Bob’s allowance in half.
[cause eyebrows to raise] {v. phr.} To do something that causes consternation; to shock others. When Algernon entered Orchestra Hall barefoot and wearing a woman’s wig, he caused eyebrows to raise.
[get to] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To begin by chance; begin to. — Used with a verbal noun or an infinitive. George meant to save hisdollar, but he got to thinking how good an ice cream cone would taste, and he spent it. On a rainy day, Sally got to looking around inthe attic and … Читать далее
[in force] {adj. phr.} 1. To be obeyed. New times for eatingmeals are now in force. Syn.: IN EFFECT. 2. In a large group. People went to see the parade in force. Syn.: EN MASSE.
Идиома: have a green thumb Перевод: иметь талант к садоводству, к выращиванию растений Пример: My sister has a green thumb and has a beautiful garden. У моей сестры хорошо получается все выращивать, и у нее красивый сад.
[squeak through] {v.}, {informal} To be successful but almost fail;win by a small score. Susan squeaked through the historyexamination. The football team squeaked through 7-6. Compare: BYTHE SKIN OF ONE’S TEETH.
[hole up] also [hole in] {v.}, {slang} To take refuge or shelter;put up; lodge. After a day’s motoring, Harry found a room for rentand holed up for the night. The thief holed up at an abandonedfarm. «Let’s hole in,» said Father as we came to a motel thatlooked good.
[cut the mustard] {v. phr.}, {slang} To do well enough in what needs to be done; to succeed. His older brothers and sisters helped Max through high school, but he couldn’t cut the mustard in college.
[what have you] or [what not] {n. phr.}, {informal} Whatever youlike or want; anything else like that. The store sells big ones, small ones, medium ones, or what have you. We found suits, coats, hats and what not in the closet. Syn.: AND SO FORTH.
Идиома: at someone’s service Перевод: к услугам кого-либо, к чьим-либо услугам Пример: A member of the hotel staff was at our service during our visit. Во время нашего пребывания один из работников гостиницы всегда был предоставлен к нашим услугам.
[know one in high places] {v. phr.} To be connected with people inpower. Ted’s grandfather was the mayor of Chicago so he knowspeople in high places.
[go for nothing] also {formal} [go for naught] {v. phr.} To countfor nothing; be useless; be wasted. What the teacher said went fornothing because the pupils did not pay attention. I hope that allyour good work doesn’t go for naught. Compare: IN VAIN.
[burn a hole in one’s pocket] {v. phr.} To make you want to buy something; be likely to be quickly spent. Money burns a hole in Linda’s pocket. The silver dollar that Don got for his birthday was burning a hole in his pocket, and Don hurried to a dime store.
[strike a bargain] {v. phr.} To arrive at a price satisfactory toboth the buyer and the seller. After a great deal of haggling, theymanaged to strike a bargain.
[clear up] {v.} 1. To make plain or clear; explain; solve. The teacher cleared up the harder parts of the story. Maybe we can clear up your problem. 2. To become clear. The weather cleared up after the storm. 3. To cure. The pills cleared up his stomach trouble. 4. To put back into a … Читать далее
[big as life] or [large as life] {adj. phr.} 1. or [life-size] The same size as the living person or thing. The statue of Jefferson was big as life. The characters on the screen were life-size. 2. or [big as life and twice as natural] {informal} In person; real and living. I had not seen … Читать далее
[make a pig of oneself] {v. phr.}, {informal} To overindulge; eattoo much. Mary said, «This dessert is so delicious that I am goingto make a pig of myself and have some more.»
Идиома: the squeaky wheel gets the grease Перевод: кто громче жалуется или требует, быстрее добьется результата Пример: No matter what table they give her, Samantha generally insists on a better one and gets it-the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Неважно, какой столик ей дадут, Саманта всегда настаивает на лучшем, и получает его — кто громче … Читать далее
[take out] {v. phr.} 1. To ask for and fill in. Mary and Johntook out a marriage license. 2. To begin to run. When the windowbroke, the boys took out in all directions. When the wind blew theman’s hat off, Charlie took out after it. See: TAKE IT OUT ON.
[have it over] or [have it all over] {v. phr.} To be better than;be superior to. Anne has it all over Jane in looks and charm. Aprofessional golfer usually has it all over an amateur. A jeep hasit over a regular car on rough mountain trails. Compare: BEAT ALLHOLLOW.
[have a way with] {v. phr.} To be able to lead, persuade, orinfluence. Dave has such a way with the campers that they doeverything he tells them to do. Ted will be a good veterinarian, because he has a way with animals.
Идиома: grist for the mill / grist to the mill Перевод: что-либо, что может оказаться полезным, нужным, что может пригодиться Пример: The information was grist for the mill of the salesman. Информация давала продавцу преимущество.
[carry the ball] {v. phr.}, {informal} To take the most important or difficult part in an action or business. None of the other boys would tell the principal about their breaking the window, and John had to carry the ball. When the going is rough, Fred can always be depended on to carry the ball.
[fish for] {v.}, {informal} To try to get or to find out, by hinting or by a roundabout way to try to lead someoneelse to give or tell you what you want by hinting. Jerry was alwaysfishing for an invitation to Bob’s house. Near examination time, some of the students fish for information.
Идиома: throw a fit / have a fit Перевод: очень разозлиться, прийти в ярость Пример: The boy’s mother threw a fit when she heard about his problems at school. Мать мальчика очень разозлилась, когда узнала о его проблемах в школе. Promise me you won’t have a fit if I fail math. Пообещай, что не взбесишься, … Читать далее
Идиома: fit to be tied Перевод: взбешенный, все себя (от возмущения), в ярости Пример: My boss was fit to be tied when he heard that I was going to take a month off from work this summer. Мой начальник взбесился, когда услышал, что я собирался взять месяц отпуска этим летом.
[throw up one’s hands] {v. phr.} To give up trying; admit that youcannot succeed. Mrs. Jones threw up her hands when the childrenmessed up the living room for the third time. When Mary saw thenumber of dishes to be washed, she threw up her hands in dismay.
[drown one’s sorrows] or [drown one’s troubles] {v. phr.}, {informal} To drink liquor to try to forget something unhappy. When his wife was killed in an auto accident, Mr. Green tried to drown his sorrows in whiskey. When Fred lost his job and had to give up his new car, he tried to drown his … Читать далее
[from hand to hand] {adv. phr.} From one person to another andanother. The box of candy was passed from hand to hand. Janebrought her engagement ring, and it passed from hand to hand until allthe girls had admired it.
[liquid assets] {n. phr.} Those belongings that can be easilyconverted into cash. Herb asked for a loan and the bank managertold him to bring in proof of all his liquid assets.
[weigh in] {v.} 1a. To take the weight of; weigh. The man at theairport counter weighed in our bags and took our plane tickets. Adoctor weighed in the wrestlers. 1b. To have yourself or somethingthat you own weighed. — Often used with «at». I weighed in at 100pounds on the scale today. We took our … Читать далее
[in the same breath] {adv. phr.} 1. At the same time; withoutwaiting. John would complain about hard times, and in the samebreath boast of his prize-winning horses. Jane said Bill wasselfish, but in the same breath she said she was sorry to see himleave. 2. In the same class; in as high a group. — … Читать далее
[to one’s name] {adv. phr.} In your ownership; of your own; as partof your belongings. David did not have a book to his name. Edhad only one suit to his name.
[for dear life] {adv. phr.} As though afraid of losing your life. He was running for dear life toward town. When the horse began torun, she held on for dear life.
[layout] {n.} General situation; arrangement; plan. The layoutof their apartment overlooking Lake Michigan was strikingly unusual. Compare: LAID OUT.
[weasel word] {n.}, {informal} A word which has more than onemeaning and may be used to deceive others. When the thief was beingquestioned by the police, he tried to fool them with weasel words.
[follow one’s heart] {v. phr.} To do what one wishes to do ratherthan to follow the voice of reason. Instead of accepting alucrative job in his father’s business, Jim followed his heart andbecame a missionary in the jungle.
[on the cuff] {adj.} or {adv. phr.}, {informal} Agreeing to paylater; to be paid for later; on credit. Peter lost the money thatMother gave him to buy meat, and the store would not let him have meaton the cuff. Many people buy cars and television sets on thecuff.
[chum around with] {v. phr.} 1. To be close friends with someone. They have been chumming around with one another for quite some time. 2. To travel around with someone. Jack is planning to chum around with Tim in Europe this summer.
[new broom sweeps clean] A new person makes many changes. — Aproverb. The new superintendent has changed many of the schoolrules. A new broom sweeps clean.
[come hell or high water] {adv. phr.}, {informal} No matter what happens; whatever may come. Grandfather said he would go to the fair, come hell or high water. Compare: COME WHAT MAY, THROUGH THE MILL.
Идиома: behind someone’s back Перевод: за спиной, тайком Пример: The man is very angry because his friend borrowed his car behind his back. Он очень зол, так как его друг взял его машину без его спроса.
[leave at the altar] {v. phr.} 1. To decide not to marry someone inthe last minute; jilt. Ed left poor Susan at the altar. 2. Tooverlook and skip for promotion; not fulfill deserved expectation. Once again I didn’t get my promotion and was left at the altar.
[too big for one’s breeches] or [too big for one’s boots] {adj. phr.} Too sure of your own importance; feeling more important than youreally are. That boy had grown too big for his breeches. I’ll haveto put him back in his place. When the teacher made Bob a monitor, he got too big for his … Читать далее
[cross swords] {v. phr.}, {literary} To have an argument with; fight. — Often used with «with». Don’t argue with the teacher; you’re not old enough to cross swords with her.
[out of kilter] {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Not balanced right; notin a straight line or lined up right. The scale must be out ofkilter because when I weighed myself on it, it said 300 pounds. The wheels of my bicycle were out of kilter after it hit the tree. Contrast: IN BALANCE. 2. Needing repair; … Читать далее
[down-and-outer] {n. phr.} A person who has lost everything and is penniless. Joe goes from shelter to shelter asking for food and a place to sleep; he’s become a regular down-and-outer.
[in deep] {adj. phr.} Seriously mixed up in something, especiallytrouble. George began borrowing small sums of money to bet onhorses, and before he knew it he was in deep. Compare: DEEP WATER, UPTO THE CHIN IN.