[keep a stiff upper lip] {v. phr.} To be brave; face troublebravely. He was very much worried about his sick daughter, but hekept a stiff upper lip. Although he was having some trouble withthe engine, the pilot kept a stiff upper lip and landed the planesafely. Compare: KEEP ONE’S CHIN UP.
[stick around] {v.}, {informal} To stay or wait nearby. John’sfather told him to stick around and they would go fishing. Afterwork Mr. Harris stuck around to ride home with his friend.
[steal a march on] {v. phr.} To get ahead of someone by doing athing unnoticed; get an advantage over. The army stole a march onthe enemy by marching at night and attacking them in the morning. Jack got the job by getting up earlier than Bill. He stole a march onhim. Compare: GET THE JUMP … Читать далее
[shut off] {v.} 1. To make stop coming. Please shut off the hose before the grass gets toowet. Compare: TURN OFF. 2. To be apart; be separated from; also toseparate from. Our camp is so far from the highway we feel shut offfrom the world when we are there. The sow is so bad tempered … Читать далее
[burn rubber] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To start up a car or a motorcycle from dead stop so fast that the tires leave a mark on the road. The neighborhood drag racers burned a lot of rubber — look at the marks on the road! 2. To leave in a hurry. I guess I am … Читать далее
[to the wall] {adv. phr.} Into a place from which there is noescape; into a trap or corner. — Usually used after «drive» or asimilar word. John’s failing the last test drove him to the wall. The score was 12-12 in the last minute of play, but a touchdownforced the visitors to the wall. Bill … Читать далее
[cross street] {n.} A street that crosses a main street and runs on both sides of it. Elm Street is a cross street on Main Street and there is a traffic light there. Compare: THROUGH STREET.
[fair catch] {n.} A catch of a kicked football by a player after heholds up his hand to show that he will not run with the ball. Hesaw that he would not be able to run with the ball, so he signalledfor a fair catch.
[call the tune] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be in control; give orders or directions; command. Bill was president of the club but Jim was secretary and called the tune. The people supported the mayor, so he could call the tune in city matters. Syn.: CALL THE SHOTS.
Идиома: absent-minded Перевод: забывчивый Пример: My grandfather is very absent-minded and he often forgets his keys. Мой дедушка очень забывчив, и он часто забывает свои ключи.
[blow one’s top] {v. phr.} To become very excited, angry, hysterical, or furious. «No need to blow your top, Al,» his wife said, «just because you lost a few dollars.»
[yeoman service] {n. phr.} Help in time of need; serviceable andgood assistance. Sam was pressed into yeoman service in organizingour annual fundraiser for cerebral palsy victims.
[room service] {n.} Service provided to hotel guests in theirrooms. Also: The hotel workers who give this service. We called forroom service when we wanted ice. Room service will install a TVset in your room upon demand.
[trump card] {n.} Something kept back to be used to win success ifnothing else works. The coach saved his star pitcher for a trumpcard. Mary had several ways to get Joan to come to her party. Hertrump card was that the football captain would be there.
Идиома: a shoo-in Идиома: a shoo-in разг. Перевод: бесспорная кандидатура, определенный победитель (на выборах, в соревнованиях и т. п.) Пример: The university president is a shoo-in to win another term in office. Президент университета определенно победит на еще один срок.
[spin one’s wheels] {v. phr.} 1. Said of cars stuck in snow or mudwhose wheels are turning without the car moving forward. There wasso much snow on the driveway that my car’s wheels were spinning in itand we couldn’t get going. 2. To exert effort in a job without makingany progress. I’ve been working for … Читать далее
[last out] {v.} 1. To be enough until the end of. There isenough food in the house to last out the snowstorm. Our candieswon’t last out the night. 2. To continue to the end of; continue tolive after; live or go through. The old man is dying; he won’t lastout the night. This car will … Читать далее
[good evening] {interj.} Hello or goodbye. — Used as a formalgreeting or salute when you meet or leave someone in the evening. When the TV program began, an announcer appeared and said, «Goodevening, everyone.» Finally Aunt May stood up and said, «I willnot sell the house. Good evening, Mr. Flynn. «
Идиома: one’s hair stands on end Перевод: волосы встали дыбом; испугаться чего-либо Пример: My hair stood on end when I saw the scene after the automobile accident. У меня волосы встали дыбом, когда я увидел место аварии.
[prey on] or [prey upon] {v.} 1. To habitually kill and eat; catchfor food. Cats prey on mice. 2. To capture or take in spoils ofwar or robbery. Pirates preyed on American ships in the years justafter the Revolutionary War. 3. To cheat; rob. Gangsters preyed onbusinesses of many kinds while the sale of liquor … Читать далее
Идиома: (not) one’s cup of tea Перевод: (не) то, что нравится, (не) быть по вкусу Пример: It is not my cup of tea so I think that I will stay home and not go to the art gallery. Мне это не по вкусу, так что, наверное, я останусь дома и не пойду в художественную галерею.
Идиома: leave someone holding the bag / leave someone holding the baby Перевод: переложить на кого-либо ответственность, вину; сделать крайним кого-либо Пример: My friend left me holding the bag when he left the accident. Мой друг переложил всю вину на меня, когда покинул место происшествия.
[ride the brake] or [ride the clutch] {v. phr.}, {informal} To keepyour foot on the pedal. Riding the brake is a bad habit for adriver to form.
[bring to light] {v. phr.} To discover ; find out about; expose. Many things left by the ancient Egyptians in tombs have been brought to light by scientists and explorers. His enemies brought to light some foolish things he had done while young, but he was elected anyway because people trusted him. Compare: COME TO … Читать далее
[jack up] {v.} 1. To lift with a jack. The man jacked up his carto fit a flat tire. 2. {informal} To make higher; raise. Just before Christmas, some stores jack up their prices.
[never say die] {v. phr.} Don’t quit; don’t be discouraged. «Never say die!» John said, as he got on his feet and tried to iceskate again.
[in part] {adv. phr.} To some extent; partly; not wholly. — Oftenused with «large» or «small». We planted the garden in pan withflowers. But in large part we planted vegetables. Tom was only insmall part responsible.
[upper hand] or [whip hand] {n.} Controlling power; advantage. In the third round the champion got the upper hand over his opponentand knocked him out. The cowboy trained the wild horse so that hefinally got the whip hand and tamed the horse.
Идиома: run hot and cold Перевод: иногда быть хорошим, добрым, полезным, уверенным, и т. д., а иногда нет Пример: The reviews of the new movie are running hot and cold and I do not know if I will go to see it. Рецензии на новый фильм то хорошие, то плохие, и я не знаю, пойти … Читать далее
[live off someone] {v. phr.} To be supported by someone. Although Eric is already 40 years old, he has no job and continues tolive off his elderly parents.
[in public] {adv. phr.} 1. In a place open to the people; in such away that the public may see, hear, or know; not secretly; openly. Two boys down the street are dancing in public for pennies. Actors are used to appearing in public. The mayor has told hisfriends that he is sick but will … Читать далее
[in respect to] or [with respect to] In connection with; relatedto, about; on. The teacher told stories about Washington andLincoln in respect to the importance of being honest. In respectto your visit with us, we hope you can come before September. There was no shortage in respect to food. Compare: AS TO, INREFERENCE TO, IN … Читать далее
Идиома: run of the mill / run-of-the-mill Перевод: рядовой, ординарный, заурядный, обычный (буквально: общего помола) Пример: The restaurant was in a run-of-the-mill building but the food was superb. Ресторан находился в заурядном здании, но еда была великолепна.
[man of parts] {n. phr.}, {literary} A man who has severaldifferent skills, talents, or qualities. The pianist is a man ofparts. He wrote the piece he played, and he also plays the organ andpaints well.
[piece out] {v.} 1. To put together from many different pieces; puttogether from odd parts; patch. They pieced out a meal fromleftovers. He pieced out the machine with scrap parts. Thedetective pieced out the story from a stray fact here, a clue there, and a hint somewhere else. 2. To make larger or longer by … Читать далее
[higher-up] {n.}, {informal} One of the people who has one of themore important positions in an organization; an important official. The teacher’s problem was discussed by the higher-ups. The localofficers of the scout group approved the plan, but the statehigher-ups did not accept it.
Идиома: pour out one’s heart to someone Перевод: излить свою душу кому-либо, рассказать все о чем-либо кому-либо Пример: The girl poured out her heart to her mother when she returned home from work. Когда девушка вернулась домой с работы, она обо всем без утайки рассказала матери.
Идиома: keep one’s hands off (someone or something) Перевод: не прикасаться, не трогать кого-либо или что-либо Пример: My aunt asked her nephew to keep his hands off her furniture. Моя тетя попросила своего племянника не трогать ее мебель.
[pull up] {v.} 1. To check the forward motion of; halt; stop. Hepulled up his horse at the gate. 2. To tell to stop doingsomething; say is doing wrong and must stop; scold. Jimtalked rudely to Mother, and Father pulled him up. Ann said in herreport that America was discovered in 1634, and the teacher … Читать далее
[hate one’s guts] {v. phr.}, {slang} To feel a very strong dislikefor someone. Dick said that he hated Fred’s guts because Fred hadbeen very mean to him.
[win in a walk] or [win in a breeze] {v. phr.}, {informal} To winvery easily; win without having to try hard. Joe ran for classpresident and won in a walk. Our team won the game in a breeze. Compare: HANDS DOWN.
Идиома: bear a grudge (against someone) / have a grudge (against someone) / hold a grudge (against someone) Перевод: иметь зуб против кого-либо, держать злобу на кого-либо Пример: The woman continued to bear a grudge against her friend for many years. Женщина много лет держала злобу на свою подругу.
[put on the map] {v. phr.} To make well known. Thefirst successful climb of Mount Matterhorn put Zermatt, Switzerland, on the map. Shakespeare put his hometown of Stratford-on-Avon onthe map.
[know something inside out] {v. phr.} To be extremely wellconversant with something; be an expert in; have thorough knowledgeof. Tom knows the stock market inside out.
Идиома: reach an impasse Перевод: зайти в тупик Пример: The negotiations on where to build the new bridge have reached an impasse. Переговоры о том, где построить новый мост, зашли в тупик.
[get one’s number] or [have one’s number] {v. phr.}, {informal} Tofind out or know what kind of person somebody is. The boys soon hadthe new student’s number. The girls got their new roommate’snumber the first week of school.
[in the saddle] adv. or {adj. phr.} In command; in control; in aposition to order or boss others. Mr. Park was in the saddle whenhe had over half the company’s stock. Getting appointed chiefof police put Stevens in the saddle.
Идиома: shoot from the hip Перевод: говорить честно, прямо, открыто; рубить с плеча Пример: Dylan often shoots from the hip and gets into trouble over what he says. Дилан часто рубит с плеча, и попадает в неприятности из-за того, что говорит.
Идиома: pay one’s dues Перевод: заработать право на что-либо усердной работой или страданиями Пример: The young athlete worked hard to pay his dues in order to get on the best team in the city. Этот молодой спортсмен много работал, чтобы попасть в лучшую команду в городе.
[at a loss] {adj. phr.} In a state of uncertainty; without any idea; puzzled. A good salesman is never at a loss for words. When Don missed the last bus, he was at a loss to know what to do.