[hitch one’s wagon to a star] {v. phr.} To aim high; follow a greatambition or purpose, In trying to be a famous pianist, Mary hadhitched her wagon to a star. John hitched his wagon to a star anddecided to try to become President.
[short list] or [short-listed] {v. phr.} To place on the list ofselect finalists for a job. Only three of the twenty-sevenapplicants were short-listed for the assistant professorial vacancy inour department.
Идиома: come to think of it Перевод: вводная фраза, использующаяся, когда говорящий только что вспомнил что-либо, относящееся к обсуждаемому вопросу, когда обсуждаемому есть, что добавить по обсуждаемой теме; часто переводится, как «Кстати», «Между прочим», «А ведь», и т. п. Пример: I was going to help him with his math homework, but come to think of … Читать далее
[over the hill] {adj.}, {informal} Past one’s prime; unable tofunction as one used to; senile. Poor Mr. Jones is sure not like heused to be; well, he’s over the hill.
[far afield] {adj. phr.} Remote; far from the original startingpoint. When we started to discuss theology. Jack was obviouslygetting far afield from the subject at hand.
Идиома: wear thin Перевод: 1. истончаться, становиться тонким; 2. истощаться, кончаться, иссякать Пример: The silver dollar began to wear thin after it was in use for many years. Серебряный доллар становился все тоньше после того, как им пользовались уже много лет. After a long wait in the line, his patience began to wear thin and … Читать далее
[lick one’s chops] {v. phr.}, {informal} To think about somethingpleasant; enjoy the thought of something. John is licking his chopsabout the steak dinner tonight. Tom is licking his chops about thelifeguard job he will have at the beach next summer. Our team islicking its chops because we beat the champions last night. Compare: LOOK FORWARD … Читать далее
[off the top of one’s head] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal}Without thinking hard; quickly. Vin answered the teacher’s questionoff the top of his head. When Lorraine was asked to recite, shetalked off the top of her head.
Идиома: bring home the bacon Перевод: 1. зарабатывать на жизнь, обеспечивать семью 2. преуспеть, добиться успеха Пример: My friend works hard to bring home the bacon for his family. Мой друг много работает, чтобы обеспечить свою семью. Yesterday their powerhouse basketball team brought home the bacon one more time. Вчера их энергичная баскетбольная команда еще … Читать далее
[parade rest] {n.} A position in which soldiers stand still, withfeet apart and hands behind their backs. The marines were at paraderest in front of the officials’ platform. Compare: AT EASE.
[clean hands] {n. phr.}, {slang} Freedom from guilt or dishonesty; innocence. John grew up in a bad neighborhood, but he grew up with clean hands. There was much proof against Bill, but he swore he had clean hands.
[give-and-take] {n. phr.} 1. A sharing; giving and receiving backand forth between people; a giving up by people on different sides ofpart of what each one wants so that they can agree. Jimmy is tooselfish. He has no notion of give-and-take with the other children butwants everything for himself. There has to be give-and-takebetween two … Читать далее
Идиома: take offense (at someone or something) Перевод: обижаться на кого-либо или что-либо Пример: The audience took offense at the remarks by the comedian. Зрители обиделись на комментарии комика.
[safety island] or [safety zone] {n.} A raised area in a highway orroad to be used only by people walking. John was half-way acrossthe street when the light changed. He stayed on the safety islanduntil it changed again.
Идиома: last but not least Перевод: последний по порядку, но не по важности Пример: Last but not least the boy came up to the front of the class to receive his report card. Последний по порядку, но не по важности, мальчик вышел, чтобы получить свой табель успеваемости.
[pin curl] {n.} A curl made with a hair clip or bobby pin. Marywashed her hair and put it up in pin curls. All the girls hadtheir hair in pin curls to get ready for the party.
[in the bargain] or [into the bargain] {adv. phr.} In addition;besides; also. Frank is a teacher, and an artist into the bargain. The heat failed, and then the roof began to leak in the bargain. Compare: TO BOOT, FOR GOOD MEASURE.
[come from far and wide] {v. phr.} To originate or hail from many different places. The students at this university come from far and wide and speak many languages.
[beside the point] or [beside the question] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} Off the subject; about something different. What you meant to do is beside the point; the fact is you didn’t do it. The judge told the witness that his remarks were beside the point. Compare: BEAT AROUND THE BUSH, NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
[close its doors] {v. phr.} 1. To keep someone or something from entering or joining; become closed. The club has closed its doors to new members. 2. To fail as a business; go bankrupt. The fire was so damaging that the store had to close its doors. Business was so poor that we had to … Читать далее
[search one’s heart] or [search one’s soul] {v. phr.}, {formal} Tostudy your reasons and acts; try to discover if you have been fair andhonest. The teacher searched his heart trying to decide if he hadbeen unfair in failing Tom. — [heart-searching] or [soul-searching]{n.} or {adj.} After much heart-searching, Jean told Beth she wassorry for the … Читать далее
[The cat did it!] A humorous and convenient way to pass the blame. «My vase is broken!» Mother shrieked in horror. «Well,» Dad smirkedcynically, «I guess the cat did it!»
Идиома: have a right to do something / have the right to do something Перевод: иметь право на что-либо Пример: The apartment manager does not have the right to tell the tenants when they must leave the building. Управляющий домом не имеет права говорить съемщикам, когда они должны выселяться.
[get the feel of] {v. phr.} To become used to or learn about, especially by feeling or handling; get used to the experience orfeeling of; get skill in. John had never driven a big car, and ittook a while for him to get the feel of it. You’ll get the feel ofthe job after you’ve … Читать далее
[lay hold of] {v. phr.} 1. To take hold of; grasp; grab. He laidhold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore. 2. To get possession of. He sold every washing machine he could lay hold of. 3. {ChieflyBritish} To understand. Some ideas in this science book are hard tolay hold of.
[in charge of] {prep.} 1. Responsible for; having supervision orcare of. Marian is in charge of selling tickets. The girl incharge of refreshments forgot to order the ice cream for the party. When our class had a play, the teacher put Harold in charge of thestage curtain. 2. or [in the charge of] Under the … Читать далее
[after a while] {informal} or [in a while] {adv. phr.} Later, at some time in the future; after a time that is not short and not long. «Dad, will you help me make this model plane?» «After a while, Jimmy, when I finish reading the newspaper.» The boys gathered some wood, and in a while, … Читать далее
[come to pass] {v. phr.}, {literary} To happen; occur. Strange things come to pass in troubled times. It came to pass that the jailer visited him by night. His hopes of success did not come to pass. Compare: BRING TO PASS, COME ABOUT.
[stab in the back ] {v. phr.}, {slang} To say or do somethingunfair that harms. Owenstabbed his friend Max in the back by telling lies about him.
[part company] {v. phr.} 1. To part with someone; leave each other;separate. The boys parted company as they came from the park. George parted company with the others at his front door. 2. To bedifferent from someone in opinion or action; follow your own way;disagree; differ. They parted company on where the new highwayshould be … Читать далее
Идиома: sleep tight / sleep well Перевод: (употребляется как пожелание на ночь) спокойной ночи, хороших снов Пример: Sleep tight, Bobby. See you in the morning. Хороших снов, Бобби. Увидимся утром.
Идиома: blow hot and cold Перевод: быть непостоянным, переменчивым; постоянно менять точку зрения Пример: He blows hot and cold about this issue. I wish he’d make up his mind. Он постоянно меняет свою точку зрения на этот вопрос. Решился бы он уже.
[flying tackle] {n.}, {informal} A tackle made by jumping throughthe air at the person to be tackled. Most football coaches don’twant their players to make flying tackles. The policeman stoppedthe burglar with a flying tackle.
Идиома: take advantage (of someone or something) Перевод: воспользоваться кем-либо или чем-либо ради своей выгоды Пример: We took advantage of the beautiful weather and went to the beach. Мы воспользовались хорошей погодой, и пошли на пляж.
[rid of] Free of; away from; without the care or trouble. Thepuppy is finally rid of worms. If I could be rid of the childrenfor the day, I would go. I wish you’d get rid of that cat! Compare: DO AWAY WITH, THROW AWAY, THROW OFF.
[spring on one] {v. phr.} To approach someone unexpectedly with anunpleasant idea or project. Our firm was merely six weeks old whenthey sprang the news on me that I had to go to Algiers to open a newbranch there.
Идиома: with all due respect Перевод: при всем уважении Пример: With all due respect, I think there are facts you have not considered. При всем уважении, мне кажется, вы рассмотрели не все факты.
Исключительно для удобства наших посетителей, мы выставляем здесь подборку идиом английского языка, имеющихся на нашем ресурсе. Чтобы вам проще было приступить к изучению идиом и аббревиатур английского языка мы разместили их в алфавитном порядке. Так гораздо легче отыскивать необходимое устойчивое выражение в процессе учебы. К тому же, к каждой идиоме прилагается описание на английском языке … Читать далее
[press one’s luck] or [push one’s luck] {v. phr.} To depend toomuch on luck; expect to continue to be lucky. When John won hisfirst two bets at the race track, he pressed his luck and increasedhis bets. If you’re lucky at first, don’t press your luck.
[roughneck] {n.} A low, coarse fellow. The only boys in theneighborhood are a bunch of roughnecks, and Mrs. Smith is unhappyabout the fact that her son is rapidly becoming one of them.
[nail one’s colors to the mast] {literary} To let everyone knowwhat you think is right and refuse to change. During the electioncampaign the candidate nailed his colors to the mast on the questionof civil rights.
[race against time] {v. phr.} To be in a great hurry to finish agiven project by a specified deadline. The workers were racingagainst time to finish the campus modernization project.
[take root] {v. phr.} 1. To form roots so as to be able to live andgrow. We hope the transplanted apple trees will take root. 2. Tobe accepted; to be adopted; to live and succeed in a new place. Many European customs failed to take root in the New World. Theimmigrants to our country took … Читать далее
[say uncle] also [cry uncle] {v. phr.}, {informal} To say that yousurrender; admit that you have lost; admit a defeat; give up. Bobfought for five minutes, but he had to say uncle. The bullytwisted Jerry’s arm and said, «Cry uncle.» The other team wasbeating us, but we wouldn’t say uncle. Compare: GIVE IN.
[gain ground] {v. phr.} 1. To go forward; move ahead. Thesoldiers fought hard and began to gain ground. 2. To become stronger;make progress; improve. The sick man gained ground after being neardeath. Under Lincoln, the Republican Party gained ground. Contrast: LOSE GROUND.
[ask for one’s hand] {v. phr.} To ask permission to marry someone. «Sir,» John said timidly to Mary’s father, «I came to ask for your daughter’s hand.»
[eat out] {v.} 1. To eat in a restaurant; eat away from home. Fred ate out often even when he wasn’t out of town. 2. To rust, rot, or be destroyed in time. Rust had eaten out the gun barrel. See:EAT AWAY.
[in order to] or [so as to] {conj.} For the purpose of; to. — Usedwith an infinitive. In order to follow the buffalo, the Indiansoften had to move their camps. We picked apples so as to make apie. Compare: SO THAT.
[stuck with] {adj. phr.} Left in a predicament; left having to takecare of a problem caused by another. Our neighbors vanished withouta trace and we got stuck with their cat and dog.
[new blood] {n.} Something or someone that gives new life or vigor, fresh energy or power. New blood was brought into the companythrough appointment of younger men to important positions.