Английские идиомы

[pull the plug on] {v. phr.}, {slang} To expose secretactivities. The citizens’ committee pulled the plug on the mayor, and he lost his election.

[map out] {v. phr.} To arrange; lay out; plan. The candidatewill meet with his campaign manager tomorrow to map out his campaignstrategy.

[sign on] {v. phr.} 1. To sign an agreement to become an employee. The new cowboys signed on with the wealthy rancher in Nevada. 2.To start a radio or television broadcast. Station WLAK signs onevery morning at 6 A. M. Contrast: SIGN OFF.

Идиома: get / sink one’s teeth in(to) something Перевод: серьезно заняться чем-либо, погрузиться, окунуться с головой Пример: The problem is difficult and is very hard to sink your teeth into. Эта задача сложная, и очень трудно окунуться в нее с головой.

[fill the gap] {v. phr.} To supply a missing piece ofinformation; provide a clue during the course of solving a mystery. Sherlock Holmes said, «These fingerprints are bound to fill the gapin our investigation.»

[poor-mouth] {v.} To be constantly complaining about one’s poverty;keep saying how one cannot afford the better things in life. UncleJack indulges in an awful lot of poor-mouthing, but we know that hehas half a million dollars stashed away in a secret savings account.

Идиома: pull (some) strings Перевод: потянуть за ниточки, тайно использовать свое влияние и власть Пример: Our boss was able to pull some strings and get his son a job for the summer. Наш начальник сумел посодействовать, чтобы его сын получил работу на лето.

Идиома: put right Перевод: исправить, поправить; вернуть, как было Пример: You should put right everything that you did wrong. Вам следует исправить все, что вы сделали неправильно.

Идиома: let go of something Перевод: отпустить что-либо Пример: He let go of the rope and the suitcase fell off the luggage rack. Он отпустил веревку, и чемодан упал с сетки для багажа.

[left-wing] {adj.} That which is or belongs to a group of people inpolitics that favors radical change in the direction of socialism orcommunism. The left-wing faction called for an immediate strike.

[possessed of] {adj. phr.}, {formal} In possession of; having;owning. He was possessed of great wealth. He was possessed ofgreat self-confidence.

Идиома: to the teeth Перевод: полностью, целиком Пример: Obviously new to skiing, they were equipped to the teeth with the latest gear. Очевидно, что они новички в езде на лыжах, и они были полностью оборудованы последними приспособлениями.

Идиома: in turn Перевод: по очереди Пример: We went up to the front of the class in turn in order to pick up our diplomas. Мы по очереди подходили за нашими дипломами.

[seize the opportunity] {v. phr.} To exploit a chance. Hiswealthy uncle offered to send him to Harvard and he wisely seized theopportunity.

[China syndrome] {n.}, {informal} From the title of the movie with Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon. The possibility that an industrial nuclear reactor might explode, literally affecting the other side of the planet. Antinuclear demonstrators are greatly worried about the China syndrome.

[take leave of one’s senses] {v. phr.} To go mad; become crazy. «Have you taken leave of your senses? «Jake cried, when he saw Andyswallow a live goldfish.

[clean out] {v.} 1. {slang} To take everything from; empty; strip. George’s friends cleaned him out when they were playing cards last night. The sudden demand for paper plates soon cleaned out the stores. 2. {informal} To get rid of; remove; dismiss. The new mayor promised to clean the crooks out of the city government.

Идиома: next of kin Перевод: ближайший родственник Пример: The police notified the dead woman’s next of kin after the accident. После несчастного случая полиция уведомила об этом ближайшего родственника погибшей женщины.

Идиома: by the dozen Перевод: десятками, дюжинами Пример: We usually buy bottles of water by the dozen. Обычно мы покупаем бутылки с водой десятками.

[fizzle out] {v.}, {informal} 1. To stop burning; die out. Thefuse fizzled out before exploding the firecracker. 2. To fail after agood start; end in failure. The power mower worked fine for a whilebut then it fizzled out. The party fizzled out when everyone wenthome early.

[free throw] {n.} A shot at the basket in basketball withoutinterference from opponents. Mike scored the winning point on afree throw. Compare: FIELD GOAL, FOUL SHOT.

Идиома: free hand (with someone or something) Перевод: большая свобода действий (обычно используется с глаголами Get, have, give) Пример: We had a free hand to design the sports program for the university. У нас была полная свобода действий при разработке спортивной программы для университета.

[bust up] {v. phr.}, {slang} To terminate a partnership, a relationship, a friendship, or a marriage. If Jack keeps drinking the way he does, it will bust up his marriage to Sue.

[home plate] {n.} The base in baseball where the batter stands andthat a runner must touch to score. The runner slid across homeplate ahead of the tag to score a run.

Идиома: strings attached Перевод: обязательства, условия Пример: My friend was able to borrow the money for the furniture with no strings attached. Моему другу удалось занять денег на мебель без обязательств. There were several strings attached to the offer. В предложении было несколько условий.

[beyond the pale] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} In disgrace; with no chance of being accepted or respected by others; not approved by the members of a group. After the outlaw killed a man he was beyond the pale and not even his old friends would talk to him. Tom’s swearing is beyond the pale; no … Читать далее

Идиома: none of someone’s business / nobody’s business Перевод: дело, которое никого не касается, которое никого не должно волновать Пример: My personal financial situation is none of my friend’s business. Моя ситуация в финансовом плане не должна волновать моего друга.

[off the wagon] {adj. phr.}, {slang} No longer refusing to drinkwhiskey or other alcoholic beverages; drinking liquor again, afterstopping for a while. When a heavy drinker quits he must reallyquit. One little drink of whiskey is enough to drive him off thewagon. Contrast: ON THE WAGON.

[agree with] {v.} To have a good effect on, suit. The meat loaf did not agree with him. The warm, sunny climate agreed with him, and he soon grew strong and healthy.

[talk out of] {v.} 1. To persuade not to; make agree or decide notto. — Used with a verbal noun. Mary’s mother talked her out ofquitting school. Contrast: TALK INTO. 2. To allow to go or get out bytalking; let escape by talking. Johnny is good at talking his wayout of trouble. Contrast: TALK INTO.

Идиома: brain drain Перевод: утечка мозгов; эмиграция, выезд интеллектуальных сил страны Пример: If Canada’s best professors move away, it’s called a brain drain. Если лучшие профессоры Канады уедут из страны, это будет зваться утечкой мозгов.

[see to it] {v. phr.} To take care; take the responsibility; makesure. — Usually used with a noun clause. We saw to it that thechild was fed and bathed.

Идиома: back to the drawing board Перевод: вернуться и начать что-либо (проект, мысль, и т. п.) с начала Пример: The boss does not like our idea so we must go back to the drawing board. Начальнику не понравилась наша мысль, так что нам придется начать обдумывать все с начала.

[shortcut] {n.} A road shorter than the one that people normallytake. We can save twenty minutes if we take this shortcut over thehill.

[mop up] {v. phr.} To disperse or liquidate isolated groups ordetachments of opposing forces. Our forces won the basic battle butthere still remain pockets of resistance they must mop up.

Идиома: have a word (with someone) Перевод: переговорить с кем-либо Пример: I will have a word with my boss before he goes home tonight. Я поговорю со своим начальником перед тем, как он уйдет домой.

Идиома: behind the scenes Перевод: за кулисами, тайно Пример: The diplomats worked behind the scenes to try and solve the crisis. Дипломаты работали за кулисами, пытаясь разрешить этот кризис.

Идиома: to the gills Идиома: to the gills разг. Перевод: максимально полный (обычно употребляется в выражениях Stuffed to the gills, packed to the gills, fed to the gills) Пример: By the time the fourth course was served, I was stuffed to the gills. К моменту, когда подали четвертое блюдо, я уже полностью наелся. The restaurant … Читать далее

[cut out ] {v.}, {slang} 1. To stop; quit. All right, now — let’s cut out the talking. He was teasing the dog and Joe told him to cut it out. Compare: BREAK UP. 2. To displace in favor. Tony cut Ed out with Mary. John cut out two or three other men in trying … Читать далее

Идиома: fly the coop Идиома: fly the coop Перевод: сбежать, убежать, выбраться Пример: The prisoner was able to fly the coop when the guard was not looking. Заключенному удалось сбежать в тот момент, когда охранник на него не смотрел.

[grind to a halt] {v. phr.}, {informal} To slow down and stop likea machine does when turned off. The old car ground to a halt infront of the house. The Cardinals’ offense ground to a halt beforethe stubborn Steeler defense.

[on top] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} In the lead; withsuccess; with victory. The horse that everyone had expected wouldbe on top actually came in third. Although John had been afraidthat he was not prepared for the exam, he came out on top.

[lovers’ lane] {n.} A hidden road or walk where lovers walk or parkin the evening. A parked car in a lonely lovers’ lane often is achance for holdup men.

[bear down on] or [upon] {v. phr.} To draw constantly nearer with great speed and force. The police cars were bearing down on the bank robbers’ get-away car.

[make the feathers fly] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To enjoy working;be strong and work hard. When Mrs. Hale did her spring cleaning shemade the feathers fly. 2. See: MAKE THE FUR FLY.

[kick over] {v.} 1. Of a motor: To begin to work. He had notused his car for two months and when he tried to start it, the motorwould not kick over. 2. {slang} To pay; contribute. The gangforced all the storekeepers on the block to kick over $5 a week. 3.{slang} To die. Mrs. O’Leary’s … Читать далее

[pick and choose] {v.} To select with much care; choose in a fussyway; take a long time before choosing. He was never one to pick andchoose. Some people pick and choose to get something perfect, andsome just because they can’t make up their minds.

Идиома: think out loud Идиома: think out loud разг. Перевод: думать, рассуждать вслух Пример: I am sorry. I was thinking out loud. Прошу прощения, я рассуждал вслух.

[draw a conclusion] {v. phr.} To make an inference. After he failed to keep an appointment with me for the third time, I drew the conclusion that he was an unreliable person.

[as regards] {prep.} Regarding; concerning; about. You needn’t worry as regards the cost of the operation. He was always secretive as regards his family.