Английские идиомы

[be on the outs with] {v. phr.} To not be on speaking terms with someone; be in disagreement with someone. Jane and Tom have been on the outs with one another since Tom started to date another woman.

[at it] {adj. phr.} Busily doing something; active. His rule for success was to keep always at it. The couple who owned the little cleaning shop were at it early and late. Mr. Curtis heard a loud crash in the next apartment — the neighbors were at it again.

[catch sight of] {v. phr.} To see suddenly or unexpectedly. Allan caught sight of a kingbird in a maple tree. Contrast: LOSE SIGHT OF.

[have the guts to do something] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be braveenough to do something difficult or dangerous. Jack wants to marryJilt, but he doesn’t have the guts to pop the question.

Идиома: come with the territory / go with the territory Перевод: что-либо ожидаемое, учитывая обстоятельства; что-либо, что нужно принять как часть чего-либо другого, даже если это что-либо неприятное Пример: The fact that the man has no free time comes with the territory with his work as a news reporter. То, что у этого человека нет … Читать далее

[for short] {adv. phr.} So as to make shorter; as an abbreviationor nickname. The boy’s name was Humperdink, or «Dink» for short. The National Broadcasting Company is called NBC for short.

Идиома: meant to be Перевод: предназначенный, предначертанный для существования, для бытия; быть суждено Пример: It was not meant to be that I would win some money in the lottery. Мне не суждено было выиграть деньги в лотерею.

Идиома: other fish to fry / bigger fish to fry Идиома: other fish to fry / bigger fish to fry разг. Перевод: другие дела, вещи, о которых нужно позаботиться (как правило, более важные) Пример: I think that the man has other fish to fry and will not be happy to continue with his present job. … Читать далее

Идиома: do a job on someone or something Идиома: do a job on someone or something Разг. Перевод: сильно отделать кого-либо, избить; испортить, повредить Пример: Someone sure did a job on this table — there are scratches all over it. Кто-то очень неплохо поработал над этим столом — на нем повсюду царапины.

[why and wherefore] {n.} The answer to a question or problem. Usually used in the plural. Father told him not to always ask thewhys and wherefores when he was told to do something.

[take note of] or [take notice of] {v. phr.} 1. To look carefullyat; pay close attention to; observe well. A detective is trained totake note of people and things. 2. To notice and act in response; payattention. Two boys were talking together in the back of the roombut the teacher took no notice of them. … Читать далее

[run] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD, END RUN, CUT AND RUN, FIRST-RUN, HOMERUN, IN THE LONG RUN, IN THE RUNNING, ON THE RUN, OUT OF THE RUNNING, SECOND-RUN.

[snap out of] {v.}, {informal} To change quickly from a bad habit, mood, or feeling to a better one. — Often used with «it». Mary wasunhappy when her fiance abandoned her, but she snapped out of it whenshe met a new young man. The coach told the lazy player to snapout of it.

[set one’s heart on] {v. phr.} To want very much. He set hisheart on that bike. Also: To be very desirous of; hope very much tosucceed in. — Used with a verbal noun. He set his heart on winningthe race.

[carry a torch] or [carry the torch] {v. phr.} 1. To show great and unchanging loyalty to a cause or a person. Although the others gave up fighting for their rights, John continued to carry the torch. 2. {informal} To be in love, usually without success or return. He is carrying a torch for Anna, … Читать далее

Идиома: keep up appearances Перевод: продолжать показывать свою состоятельность, процветание или хорошее поведение (особенно если создается лишь видимость этого) Пример: He is trying to keep up appearances even though he has lost his job. Он пытается казаться преуспевающим, хоть он и потерял работу.

[pick out] {v.} 1. To choose. It took Mary a long time to pickout a dress at the store. 2. To see among others; recognize; tellfrom others. We could pick out different places in the city fromthe airplane. We could not pick Bob out in the big crowd. Syn.:MAKE OUT. 3. To find by examining … Читать далее

[make a pass at] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} Make advancestoward a member of the opposite sex with thegoal of seducing the person. We’ve been dating for four weeks butJoe has never even made a pass at me.

[high and dry] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Up above the water; beyondthe reach of splashing or waves. Mary was afraid she had left hertowel where the tide would reach it, but she found it high and dry. When the tide went out the boat was high and dry. 2. Without anyoneto help; alone and … Читать далее

Идиома: someone’s jaw drops Перевод: раскрыть род от удивления; быть очень удивленным Пример: My jaw dropped when I heard she’d been admitted to Harvard. У меня челюсть отпала, когда я услышала, что ее приняли в Гарвард.

[cold] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD, BLOW HOT AND COLD, CATCH COLD or TAKE COLD, IN COLD BLOOD, OUT COLD, OUT IN THE COLD, PASS OUT, STONE-COLD, STOP COLD, THROW COLD WATER ON.

[take one at one’s word] {v. phr.} To naively lend credence to whatone tells one. It’s a bad idea to take street vendors at their wordin large, crowded cities.

Идиома: see red Перевод: выходить из себя, прийти в ярость Пример: My friend saw red last night when I told him about the broken DVD player. Мой друг вышел из себя вчера вечером, когда я рассказал ему про сломанный DVD-плеер.

[miles away] {adj. phr.} Inattentive; not concentrating. WhenBetty said, «We have theater tickets for tonight,» Ken didn’t react ashis mind was miles away.

[shoot off one’s mouth] or [shoot off one’s face] {v. phr.},{slang} To give opinions without knowing all the facts; talk as if youknow everything. Tom has never been to Florida, but he’s alwaysshooting his mouth off about how superior Florida is to California. I want to study the problem before I shoot off my face. … Читать далее

[pick one’s way] {v. phr.} To go ahead carefully in difficult orunfamiliar places; advance with care. After nightfall we droveslowly along, picking our way until we found the right turn. Hepicked his way across the rough and rocky hillside.

Идиома: no trespassing Перевод: вход воспрещен; запрет входить, заходить куда-либо (обычно используется на табличках, в виде надписей, в устной речи используется редко) Пример: There was no trespassing on the field next to the large oil tanks. На поле рядом с нефтяными цистернами никто не проникал.

[under wraps] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} Not allowed to be seen untilthe right time; not allowed to act or speak freely; in secrecy;hidden. — Usually used with «keep». We have a new player, hut weare keeping him under wraps until the game. What the President isplanning will be kept under wraps until tomorrow. The spy … Читать далее

[sound sheet] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} A thin low-qualityphonograph recording frequently bound into books and magazines for useas promotional or advertising material; it may have either a spoken ora musical message. Don’t throw that away; Sue is collecting soundsheets for her market research course.

[kind of] or [sort of] {adv. phr.}, {informal} Almost but notquite; rather. A guinea pig looks kind of like a rabbit, but it hasshort ears. Bob was kind of tired when he finished the job. The teacher sort of frowned but then smiled. Mary wouldn’t tellwhat she wanted to be when she grew up; it … Читать далее

[hightail it] {v. phr.}, {slang} To travel fast; move rapidly. After school, Frank would hightail it home. The two men who heldup the bank hightailed it out of town.

[color scheme] {n.} A plan for colors used together as decoration. The color scheme for the dance was blue and silver. Mary decided on a pink and white color scheme for her room.

Идиома: play the fool Перевод: валять дурака Пример: My friend forced me to play the fool when he left me waiting in the supermarket for two hours. Из-за моего друга мне пришлось валять дурака, когда он оставил меня ждать его в супермаркете два часа.

[blow a fuse] or [blow a gasket] or [blow one’s top] or [blow one’s stack] {v. phr.}, {slang} To become extremely angry; express rage in hot words. When Mr. McCarthy’s son got married against his wishes, he blew a fuse. When the umpire called Joe out at first, Joe blew his top and was sent … Читать далее

Идиома: at odds (with someone) Перевод: в ссоре с кем-либо, иметь разногласие с кем-либо Пример: The man has been at odds with his boss over his new sales territory. У него разногласия с начальником по поводу его новой сферы продаж.

[put forth] {v. phr.} To produce; issue; send out. In the springthe apple trees put forth beautiful white blossoms. The chairmanof the board put forth an innovative proposal that was circulated bymail.

[at cross purposes] {adv. phr.} With opposing meanings or aims; with opposing effect or result; with aims which hinder or get in each other’s way. Tom’s parents acted at cross purposes in advising him; his father wanted him to become a doctor; but his mother wanted him to become a minister.

[eating one] {v. phr.} To cause someone to be angry or ill-humored. We can’t figure out what’s eating Burt, but he hasn’t spoken onepleasant word all day.

[stand up to] {v.} To meet with courage. Mary stood up to thesnarling dog that leaped toward her. A soldier must stand up todanger.

[sonic boom] {n.} A loud noise and vibration in the air, made whena jet plane passes the speed of sound. Fastjet planes sometimes cause a sonic boom, which can break windows andcrack the plaster in houses below them. We thought there was anexplosion or earthquake, but it was only a sonic boom that shook thehouse.

Идиома: catch someone off guard Перевод: застать кого-либо врасплох Пример: I was caught off guard when the teacher asked me about my homework. Учитель застал меня врасплох, когда спросил о домашнем задании.

[skip it] {v. phr.}, {informal} To forget all about it. WhenJack tried to reward him for returning his lost dog, the man said toskip it. I asked what the fight was about, but the boys said toskip it.

[green with envy] {adj. phr.} Very jealous; full of envy. Alice’s girlfriends were green with envy when they saw her newdress. The other boys were green with envy when Joe bought asecond-hand car. Compare: GREEN-EYED MONSTER.

[each and every] {adj. phr.} Every. — Used for emphasis. Thecaptain wants each and every man to be here at eight o’clock. Theteacher must learn the name of each and every pupil. Syn.: EVERYSINGLE.

[Indian sign] {n.}, {informal} A magic spell that is thought tobring bad luck; curse; jinx; hoo-doo. — Used with «the», usually after»have» or «with»; and often used in a joking way. Bill is a goodplayer, but Ted has the Indian sign on him and always beats him. Father says that he always wins our checker … Читать далее

[take a dig at] {v. phr.} To attack verbally; offend; denigrate. If you keep taking digs at me all the time, our relationship will bea short one.

[coop up] {v. phr.} To hedge in; confine; enclose in a small place. How can poor Jane work in that small office, cooped up all day long?

[dead pedal] {n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} A slow moving vehicle. Better pass that eighteen wheeler, Jack; it’s a dead pedal.

[fast and furious] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} Very fast; with much speedand energy. He was mowing the grass at a fast and furious rate. When I last saw her she was driving fast and furious down thestreet. Compare: GREAT GUNS.

Идиома: play cat and mouse with someone Перевод: играть в кошки-мышки с кем-либо Пример: The boxer was playing cat and mouse with his opponent although he could have won the match easily. Боксер играл со своим противником в кошки-мышки, хотя он бы мог уже давно легко выиграть матч.