[land on one’s feet] also [land on both feet] {v. phr.}, {informal}To get yourself out of trouble without damage or injury and sometimeswith a gain; be successful no matter what happens. No matter whattrouble he gets into, he always seems to land on his feet. Marylost her first job because she was always late to … Читать далее
[take off one’s hands] {v. phr.} 1. To abdicate one’sresponsibility of a person or matter. «I am herewith taking my handoff your affairs,» Lou’s father said. «See how you succeed on yourown.» 2. To buy; relieve someone of something. He offered to takemy old car off my hands for $350.
Идиома: agree to disagree Перевод: фраза, означающая, что каждый остается при своем мнении Пример: We have accomplished nothing except that we agree to disagree. Мы ничего не добились, и каждый остался со своим мнением.
[poison-pen] {adj.} Containing threats or false accusations;written in spite or to get revenge, and usually unsigned. Mrs. Smith received a poison-pen letter telling her that her husband wasuntrue. To get revenge on Mary, Alice wrote a poison-pen letter tothe teacher and signed Mary’s name to it.
[stick-in-the-mud] {n.}, {informal} An overcareful person; someonewho is old-fashioned and fights change. Mabel said her mother was areal stick-in-the-mud to make a rule that she must be home by 10o’clock on weeknights and 11:30 Saturdays. Mr. Thomas is astick-in-the-mud who plows with mules; he won’t buy a tractor.
[John Q. Public] {n.} A name used informally for the averagecitizen. It is John Q. Public’s duty to vote at each election. Compare: JOE DOAKES.
[small-time] {adj.}, {informal} Unimportant; minor; with littlepower or importance. He has a job as a drummer with a small-timeband. It is a small-time business, but it may grow. Contrast:BIG-TIME.
[rattle off] or [reel off] {v.} To say quickly without having tostop to think; recite easily and rapidly. When Roger was seven hecould rattle off the names of all the states in alphabetical order. Joan memorized the «Gettysburg Address» so well that she could reelit off. We asked the waitress what flavors of ice cream … Читать далее
[swear out] {v.} To get byswearing that a person has broken the law. The policeman swore outa warrant for the suspect’s arrest. The detectives swore out asearch warrant.
Идиома: pay someone or something a visit / pay a visit to someone or something Перевод: навести визит кому-либо или чему-либо, посетить кого-либо или что-либо Пример: I paid the tax office a visit to try and resolve my tax problem. Я посетил налоговую службу, чтобы попытаться решить свои проблемы с налогами.
[horsefeathers!] {n. phr.}, {slang} 1. Not true; I don’t believewhat you’re saying. «Horsefeathers!» Brad cried. «I can’t believe aword of what you said about Jessica.» 2. Exclamation of disgust. «Horsefeathers!» Fred cried. «We’ve just missed the bus.» Compare:FIDDLESTICKS, BULLSHIT.
[beat up] {v.}, {informal} To give a hard beating to; hit hard and much; thrash; whip. When the new boy first came, he had to beat up several neighborhood bullies before they would leave him alone. — Used with «on» in substandard speech. The tough boy said to Bill, «If you come around here again, … Читать далее
[make tracks] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go fast; get a speedy start;hurry. Man, it’s time we made tracks! The boys made tracks forhome when it began to get dark. Compare: GET GOING, MAKE HASTE.
[take by storm] {v. phr.} 1. To capture by a sudden or very boldattack. The army did not hesitate. They took the town by storm. 2.To win the favor or liking of; make like orbelieve you. The comic took the audience by storm. John gaveJane so much attention that he took her by storm, and … Читать далее
[sing a different tune] or [whistle a different tune] also [sing anew tune] {v. phr.}, {informal} To talk or act in the opposite way;contradict something said before. Charles said that all smokersshould be expelled from the team but he sang a different tune afterthe coach caught him smoking. Syn.: CHANGE ONE’S TUNE, DANCE TOANOTHER TUNE. … Читать далее
[such as] {conj.} 1. Of a kind or amount shown or named; of a kindlike. The explorer took only such men and things as he reallyneeded into the jungle with him. They felt such heat in the jungleas they had never felt before. Many different pies were in thebakery such as apple, cherry, and blueberry … Читать далее
[at least] {adv. phr.} 1. or [at the least] At the smallest guess; no fewer than; no less than. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day. At least three students are failing in mathematics. Mr. Johnson must weigh 200 pounds at least. Compare: ALL OF. 2. Whatever else you may say; anyhow; … Читать далее
[hinge on] or [hinge upon] {v.} To depend on as decisive: bedecided by. In a dictatorship, everything hinges on one man. Atobacco grower’s income for the year may hinge on what the weather islike in a few summer weeks.
[at liberty] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} Free to go somewhere or do something; not shut in or stopped. The police promised to set the man at liberty if he told the names of the other robbers. I am sorry, but I am not at liberty to come to your party. Compare: AT LARGE.
[pave the way] {v. phr.} To make preparation; make easy. Aviation paved the way for space travel. A good education pavesthe way to success.
[pull out of a hat] {v. phr.}, {informal} To get as if by magic;invent; imagine. When the introduction to a dictionary tells youhow many hours went into its making, these figures were not pulled outof a hat. Let’s see you pull an excuse out of your hat.
[hold a brief for] {v. phr.} To argue in support of; defend. — Usually used with a negative. I hold no brief for John, but I donot think he was responsible for the accident. The lawyer said heheld no brief for thievery, but he considered the man should he givenanother chance.
[quite a little] or {informal} [quite a bit] also {formal} [not alittle] {n.} or {adj. phr.} Rather a large amount; rather much; morethan a little. We are not finished; quite a little is left to do. Cleaning the backyard needed quite a little work. — The phrase»quite a bit» is used like an adjective only … Читать далее
Идиома: as dull as dishwater / as dull as ditchwater Идиома: as dull as dishwater / as dull as ditchwater разг. Перевод: крайне неинтересный Пример: The speakers at the conference were as dull as dishwater. Выступающих на конференции было очень неинтересно слушать.
[shorthanded] {adj.} Understaffed; short on workers. Withseveral employees gone for the holiday weekend and two dozen people inline, the rent-a-car agency suddenly found itself terriblyshorthanded.
[fire] See: BALL OF FIRE, BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEAor BETWEEN TWO FIRES, BUILD A FIRE UNDER, BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE, CATCH FIRE, DRAW FIRE, FAT’S IN THE FIRE, FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE, HANGFIRE, HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON ONE’S HEAD, HOLD ONE’S FIRE or HOLD FIRE, IRON IN THE FIRE, … Читать далее
Идиома: eat one’s heart out Перевод: изводить себя из-за переживаний (печали, горя, злости, зависти, и т. п.) Пример: «You can eat your heart out — I am going to Hawaii for three weeks!» Можешь помирать от зависти — я еду на Гавайи на три недели!
[put out of the way] {v. phr.} To kill. When people spokeagainst the dictator, he had them put out of the way. The old dogwas very sick, and Father had the animal doctor put him out of theway.
[work on] also [work upon] {v.} 1. Have an effect on; influence. Some pills work on the nerves and make people feel more relaxed. 2.To try to influence or convince. Senator Smith worked on the othercommittee members to vote for the bill.
[make merry] {v. phr.}, {literary} To have fun, laugh, and behappy, In Aesop’s fable the grasshopper made merry while the antworked and saved up food. In the Bible story a rich man ate anddrank and made merry.
[liquor up] {v. phr.}, {slang} To drink an excessive amount ofliquor before engaging in some activity as if comparing oneself to acar that needs to be filled before a journey. Joe always liquors upbefore he takes Sue for a dance.
[That’s the story of my life…] Usually spoken when something goeswrong. I spent seven years writing a novel, but no publisher wantsto accept it. That’s the story of my life.
[go like clockwork] or [go off like clockwork] {v. phr.},{informal} To run smoothly and regularly like the workings of a clock;go smoothly and without difficulty; go on time or as planned. Thecar’s motor went like clockwork after Bob fixed it. The birthdayparty went off like clockwork and everyone had a good time.
Идиома: come as no surprise Перевод: не вызывать удивления, не быть удивительным Пример: It came as no surprise when the government decided to have an election. Никто не удивился, когда правительство решило провести выборы.
Идиома: keep a straight face Перевод: стараться не улыбнуться или не засмеяться Пример: It was difficult to keep a straight face when the man fell off his chair into the grass. Трудно было не рассмеяться, когда мужчина упал со стула в траву.
[sail through] {v. phr.} To conclude easily and rapidly;finish something. The bright young man sailed through the bar examin record time.
[to the kings taste] or [to the queen’s taste] {adv. phr.}Perfectly; just as anyone could want it; very satisfactorily. Therooms in her new home were painted and decorated to the queen’staste. The soldiers dressed and marched to the king’s taste.
[heel] See: AT ONE’S HEELS, COOL ONE’S HEELS, DOWN AT-THE-HEEL orDOWN-AT-HEEL, DRAG ONE’S FEET or DRAG ONE’S HEELS, HEAD OVER HEELS, KICK UP ONE’S HEELS, ON ONE’S HEELS or ON THE HEELS OF, SET BACK ONONE’S HEELS or KNOCK BACK ON ONE’S HEELS, TAKE TO ONE’S HEELS alsoSHOW A CLEAN PAIR OF HEELS, TO HEEL, … Читать далее
[on account of] {prep.} As a result of; because of. The picnicwas held in the gym on account of the rain. Compare: ON ONE’SACCOUNT, OF ONE’S OWN ACCORD.
[tight-lipped] {adj.} A taciturn person; one who doesn’t say much. The witness was tight-lipped about what she saw for fear ofphysical retaliation by the mob.
[plain white wrapper] {n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon}Unmarked police car. There’s a plain white wrapper at your reardoor! See: BROWN PAPER BAG.
[shake the dust from one’s feet] {v. phr.} To depart or leave withsome measure of disgust or displeasure. Jim was so unhappy in oursmall, provincial town that he was glad to shake the dust from hisfeet and move to New York.
[come round] or [come around] {v.} 1. To happen or appear again and again in regular order. And so Saturday night came around again. I will tell him when he comes round again. 2. {informal} To get back health or knowledge of things; get well from sickness or a faint. Someone brought out smelling salts … Читать далее
[ear] See: ABOUT ONE’S EARS or AROUND ONE’S EARS, BELIEVE ONE’SEARS, DRY BEHIND THE EARS, FLEA IN ONE’S EAR, GIVE AN EAR TO or LENDAN EAR TO, GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER, JUG-EARED, LITTLE PITCHERSHAVE BIG EARS, MUSIC TO ONE’S EARS, PIN ONE’S EARS BACK, PLAY BY EAR, PRICK UP ONE’S EARS, … Читать далее
Идиома: have the best of / have the better of / get the best of / get the better of (someone or something) Перевод: взять верх, одержать победу, выиграть, одолеть Пример: We had the best of the opposite team by the end of the first half. Мы одержали победу над командой противников к концу первого … Читать далее
[big head] {n.}, {informal} Too high an opinion of your own ability or importance; conceit. When Jack was elected captain of the team, it gave him a big head. Compare: SWELLED HEAD.
Идиома: pull up stakes Перевод: сняться с места; собрать пожитки; смотать удочки Пример: We have decided to pull up stakes and move to London. Мы решили собрать пожитки и переехать в Лондон.
Идиома: so help me Перевод: обещаю, клянусь Пример: So help me, if you do not pay me back my money I will phone your company and tell them. Я тебе обещаю, что если ты не вернешь мне деньги, я позвоню в твою компанию и расскажу им.
[out of the hole] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1a. With ascore better than zero in a game; especially a card game, to a scoreabove zero. It took us a long time to get out of the hole in thecard game. 1b. Even with an opponent after being behind; out oftrouble in a sport or … Читать далее
[pot call the kettle black] {informal} The person who iscriticizing someone else is as guilty as the person he accuses; thecharge is as true of the person who makes it as of the one he makes itagainst. When the commissioner accused the road builder of bribery, the contractor said the pot was calling the kettle … Читать далее