[walking papers] or [walking orders] also [walking ticket] {n.},{informal} A statement that you are fired from your job; dismissal. The boss was not satisfied with Paul’s work and gave him his walkingpapers. George is out of work. He picked up his walking ticketlast Friday.
[break one’s neck] {v. phr.}, {slang} To do all you possibly can; try your hardest. — Usually used with a limiting adverb or negative. John nearly broke his neck trying not to be late to school. Mother asked Mary to go to the store when she was free, but not to break her neck over … Читать далее
[make way] {v. phr.} To move from in front so someone can gothrough; stand aside. The people made way for the king. Whenolder men retire they make way for younger men to take their places.
[feel in one’s bones] or [know in one’s bones] {v. phr.} To have anidea or feeling but not know why. I feel in my hones that tomorrowwill be a sunny day. I know in my bones that God will protect us.
[open its doors] {v. phr.} 1. To allow someone or something toenter or join; become open. That college was started for womenonly, but a few years ago it opened its doors to men. 2. To begindoing business; open. Proffitts Department Store is having abirthday sale; it first opened its doors fifty years ago this month. … Читать далее
[babe in the woods] {n. phr.} A person who is inexperienced or innocent in certain things. He is a good driver, but as a mechanich is just a babe in the woods. Compare: OVER ONE’S HEAD, BEYOND ONE’S DEPTH.
[inasmuch as] {conj.} 1. See: INSOFAR AS. 2. also [for as much as]{formal} Because; for the reason that; since. Inasmuch as this isyour team, you have the right to choose your own captain. Inasmuchas the waves are high, I shall not go out in the boat.
[cub scout] {n.} A member of the Cub Scouts, the junior branch of the Boy Scouts for boys 8-10 years of age. Jimmie is only seven, too young to be a Cub Scout.
[go with] {v.} 1. To match; to look good with. A yellow blousegoes with her blonde hair. The woman bought a purse to go with hernew shoes. 2. To go out in the company of. Tom goes with the girlwho lives across the street.
[get the breaks] {v. phr.} To be fortunate; have luck. That fellow gets all the breaks! He’s been working here only sixmonths, and he’s already been promoted to vice president!
[go haywire] {v. phr.}, {informal} Mixed-up, out of order, not inregular working condition. My electric typewriter has gone allhaywire; I have to call the repair man.
[clean] See: COME CLEAN, KEEP ONE’S NOSE CLEAN, MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF, NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN, TAKE TO ONE’S HEELS, also SHOW A CLEAN PAIR OF HEELS.
Идиома: keep one’s feet on the ground Перевод: твердо стоять на ногах; оставаться спокойным, уравновешенным, здравомыслящим Пример: My friend has lost his job but he is trying hard to keep his feet on the ground. Мой друг потерял работу, но он очень старается сохранять спокойствие и уверенность.
[half-baked] {adj.}, {informal} Not thought out or studiedthoroughly; not worth considering or accepting. We wish Tom wouldnot take our time at meetings to offer his half-baked ideas. Wecannot afford to put the government in the hands of people withhalf-baked plans.
[eyes in the back of one’s head] {n. phr.}, {informal} Ability toknow what happens when your back is turned. Mother must have eyesin the back of her head, because she always knows when I do somethingwrong.
[underway] {adv. phr.} In progress; in motion. The yearlyfund-raising campaign for the renovation of our university campus isalready underway.
[get an earful] {v. phr.}, {informal} To hear more than one expects or wishes to hear. I asked how Timand his wife were getting along, and I certainly got an earful. Contrast: SAY A MOUTHFUL.
[majority leader] {n.} The leader of the political party with themost votes in a legislative house. The majority leader of the Houseof Representatives tried to get the members of his party to supportthe bill. Compare: MINORITY LEADER.
[bark up the wrong tree] {v. phr.}, {informal} To choose the wrong person to deal with or the wrong course of action; mistake an aim. If he thinks he can fool me, he is barking up the wrong tree. He is barking up the wrong tree when he blames his troubles on bad luck. The … Читать далее
Идиома: under construction Перевод: в процессе строительства, строящийся Пример: The hotel was still under construction, two years after it began. Через два года после начала строительства, гостиница все еще строилась.
[know-how] {n.}, {slang} Expertise; ability to devise andconstruct. The United States had the know-how to beat the SovietUnion to the moon in 1969.
[kindled spirits] {n. phr.} People who resemble each other innumerous ways, including their ways of thinking and feeling. Theyare kindred spirits; they both like to go on long walks in theforest.
[scream bloody murder] {v. phr.}, {informal} To yell or protest asstrongly as one can. When the thief grabbed her purse, the womanscreamed bloody murder. When the city doubled property taxes, homeowners screamed bloody murder.
[one] See: AT ONE, FOR ONE, GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER, HANGONE ON, HOLE IN ONE, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, NUMBER ONE, SIX OFONE AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER, SLIP ONE OVER ON, TEN TO ONE, TWOTO ONE, WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE.
[speak volumes] {v. phr.} To tell or show much in a way other thanspeaking; be full of meaning. The nice present she gave you spokevolumes for what she thinks of you. A child’s choice of hobbiesspeaks volumes. Compare: READ BETWEEN THE LINES.
[soak up] {v.} 1. To take up water or other liquid as a spongedoes. The rag soaked up the water that I spilled. 2. To use asponge or something like a sponge to take up liquid. John soaked upthe water with the rag. 3. {informal} To take up into yourself in theway a sponge takes … Читать далее
Идиома: sow / plant dragon’s teeth Перевод: «сеять зубы дракона», создавать предпосылки для новых неприятностей Пример: We thought that this would solve all our problems, but instead it sowed dragon’s teeth. Мы думали, что это решит все наши проблемы, но, вместо этого, появились предпосылки для новых неприятностей.
[rack and ruin] {n. phr.} Complete decay; condition of decline. The entire house had been so neglected that it had gone to rack andruin.
[finger] See: BURN ONE’S FINGERS, CROSS ONE’S FINGERS or KEEP ONE’SFINGERS CROSSED, LAY A FINGER ON, LIFT A FINGER, PUT ONE’S FINGER ONalso LAY ONE’S FINGER ON, SLIP THROUGH ONE’S FINGERS, SNAP ONE’SFINGERS AT, STICKY FINGERS, TWIST AROUND ONE’S LITTLE FINGER, WORKONE’S FINGERS TO THE BONE.
[be up to something] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To feel strong enough or knowledgeable enough to accomplish a certain task. Are you up to climbing all the way to the 37-th floor? Are we up to meeting the delegation from Moscow and speaking Russian to them? 2. Tendency to do something mischievous. I’m afraid Jack … Читать далее
[hit the dirt] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {military} To take cover undergunfire by falling on the ground. We hit the dirt the moment weheard the machine gun fire.
[utility room] {n.} A room in a house or building for machinery andother things important in the daily use of the building and the workof the people in it. There is a utility room upstairs where Motherdoes the laundry. The oil burner is kept in the utility room inthe basement.
Идиома: fire a gun Перевод: выстрелить из оружия Пример: I fired a gun for the first time at my uncle’s farm. Я впервые выстрелил из оружия на ферме моего дяди.
Идиома: many a time Перевод: много раз Пример: I’ve told you many a time not to ride your bicycle on the pavement. Я же много раз тебе говорил не ездить на велосипеде по тротуару.
[in the black] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} In a successful orprofitable way; so as to make money. The big store was running inthe black. A business must stay in the black to keep on. Contrast: IN THE RED.
Идиома: get mad (at someone or something) Перевод: разозлиться на кого-либо или что-либо Пример: I often get mad at my friend when he is late. Я часто злюсь на друга, когда он опаздывает.
[walk the plank] {v. phr.} 1. To walk off a board extended over theside of a ship and be drowned. The pirates captured the ship andforced the crew to walk the plank. 2. {informal} To resign from a jobbecause someone makes you do it. When a new owner bought the store, the manager had to … Читать далее
[rank and file] {n. phr.} Ordinary people; the regular membershipof an organization; the enlisted privates in the Army. The generalusually inspects the rank and file on specific national holidays. The secretary of the association sends letters annually to the rankand file.
[take five] {v. phr.} To take a five-minute break during some workor theatrical rehearsal. «All right, everyone,» the director cried.»Let’s take five.»
Идиома: wee hours (of the night / morning) Перевод: часы, следующие непосредственно после полуночи; предрассветные часы Пример: I read my book into the wee hours of the morning. Я читал книгу до рассвета.
Идиома: wake the dead Перевод: разбудить мертвого Пример: Our neighbors told us that our stereo was so loud that it would wake the dead. Наши соседи сказали нам, что у нас такая громкая музыка, что она и мертвого разбудит.
[scratch one’s back] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do something kind andhelpful for someone or to flatter him in the hope that he will dosomething for you. Usually used in the expression «You scratch my backand I’ll scratch yours.» Mary asked Jean to introduce her to herbrother. Jean said, «You scratch my back and I’ll scratch … Читать далее
Идиома: lock horns (with someone) Перевод: сталкиваться лбами; конфликтовать, спорить с кем-либо Пример: I locked horns with a woman who I work with when we had an argument last week. Мы столкнулись лбами с одной женщиной, с которой я работаю, когда у нас был спор на прошлой неделе.
[There] or [here you are!] 1. Informal way to say, «Here is whatyou wanted.» The doorman politely opened the door of the taxi andsaid, «There you are, sir!» The clerk wrapped up the package andhanded it to the customer saying, «Here you are, ma’am!» 2. You havefound the correct answer; you are correct. «The reason … Читать далее
[give one a ring] also {informal} [give a buzz] To call on thetelephone. Mrs. Jacobs promised to give her husband a ring in theafternoon. Alice will give her friend a buzz tonight.
[a hell of] a [or one hell of a] {adj. or adv. phr.}, {informal} Extraordinary; very. He made a hell of a shot during the basketball game. Max said seven months was a hell of a time to have to wait for a simple visa. The fall Max took left one hell of a bruise … Читать далее
[cart off] or [cart away] {v.}, {informal} To take away, often with force or with rough handling or behavior. The police carted the rioters off to jail. When Bobby wouldn’t eat his supper, his mother carted him away to bed.
[pay the piper] or [pay the fiddler] {v. phr.} To suffer theresults of being foolish; pay or suffer because of your foolish actsor wasting money. Bob had spent all his money and got into debt, sonow he must pay the piper. Fred had a fight, broke a window, andquarreled with his counselor so now he … Читать далее
Идиома: nobody’s fool Перевод: неглупый человек; тот, кто далеко не дурак Пример: She is nobody’s fool. You will not have to worry about her at all when she starts her new job. Она совсем неглупа. Тебе не придется волноваться о ней, когда она начнет новую работу.
[run off at the mouth] {v. phr.} To talk too much; be unable tostop talking. «Shut up, John,» our father cried. «You are alwaysrunning off at the mouth.»