Английские идиомы

[mind one’s own business] {v. phr.} To not interfere in the affairsof others. He finally got tired of her criticism and told her tomind her own business.

[give one’s word] {v. phr.} To seriously promise. «You gave meyour word you would marry me,» Mary bitterly complained, «but youbroke your word.»

[into thin air] {adv. phr.} Without anything left; completely. When Bob returned to the room, he was surprised to find that hisbooks had vanished into thin air. Compare: OUT OF THIN AIR.

Идиома: over and over Перевод: снова и снова, повторяющийся много раз Пример: I told my friend over and over that I do not want to go to that restaurant again. Я опять и опять говорил своему другу, что не хочу снова идти в тот ресторан.

[see to] also [look to] {v.} To attend to; take care of; dowhatever needs to be done about. While Donna bought the theatretickets, I saw to the parking of the car. Compare: SEE ABOUT.

[on schedule ] {adv. phr.} As planned or expected; at the righttime. The school bus arrived at school on schedule. The fourseasons arrive on schedule each year. Compare: ON TIME.

[blip out] or [bleep out] {v. phr.}, {informal} To delete electronically a word on television or on radio either because it mentions the name of an established firm in a commercial or because it is a censored word not allowed for television audiences, resulting in a sound resembling the word «bleep.» What was the old … Читать далее

Идиома: win hands down / win in a walk Перевод: победить без труда, выиграть сходу, запросто выиграть Пример: She won the debate hands down. Она без труда выиграла дебаты.

Идиома: fight tooth and nail Перевод: бороться всеми средствами; сражаться не на жизнь, а на смерть; сражаться до последнего Пример: Canadian women fought tooth and nail for the right to vote. Канадские женщины сражались до последнего за право голосовать.

[big top] {n.} The main tent under which a circus gives its show; the circus and circus life. Lillian Leitzel was one of the great stars of the big top. The book tells of life under the big top.

[cold cash] or [hard cash] {n.} Money that is paid at the time of purchase; real money; silver and bills. Mr. Jones bought a new car and paid cold cash for it. Some stores sell things only for cold cash. Compare: CASH ON THE BARRELHEAD.

[all roads lead to Rome] {literary} The same end or goal may be reached by many different ways. — A proverb. «I don’t care how you get the answer,» said the teacher, «All roads lead to Rome.»

[take by surprise] {v. phr.} 1. To appear in front of someonesuddenly or to suddenly discover him before he discovers you; comebefore is ready; appear before unexpectedly. The policeman took the burglar by surprise as he opened the window. When Mrs. Green’s dinner guests came half an hour early, they tookher by surprise. 2. To … Читать далее

[tear down] {v.} 1. To take all down in pieces; destroy. Theworkmen tore down the old house and built a new house in its place. 2. To take to pieces or parts. The mechanics had to tear down theengine, and fix it, and put it together again. 3. To say bad thingsabout; criticize. «Why do … Читать далее

Идиома: man about town Перевод: светский человек Пример: Andrew’s too much of a man about town to go to a football game. Эндрю слишком уж светский человек, чтобы пойти на футбол.

Идиома: tit for tat Перевод: ответное действие, отплата; зуб за зуб Пример: The government policy was tit for tat to any attacks against its territory. Политика правительства была ответной за любую атаку против их территории.

[get off the ground] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make a successfulbeginning; get a good start; go ahead; make progress. Our plans fora party didn’t get off the ground because no one could come.

[shore leave] {n.} Permission given to a man in the Navy to leavehis ship and go where he wants for a certain length of time. Jimwent to visit New York when he was given three days’ shore leave. The ship did not dock long enough for the sailors to get shoreleave.

Идиома: go on a diet Перевод: сесть на диету Пример: I plan to go on a diet at the beginning of the year. Я собираюсь сесть на диету в начале года.

Идиома: get a checkup Перевод: пройти врачебный осмотр Пример: I go to the doctor every year to get a checkup. Каждый год я хожу к врачу на осмотр.

Идиома: a hot potato Идиома: a hot potato разг. Перевод: щекотливый, спорный вопрос; острый вопрос; щекотливая тема Пример: The issue of part-time workers is a hot potato that we must deal with. Вопрос с рабочими, работающими на неполную ставку, очень щекотливый, и мы должны решить его.

[think tank] {n.} A company of researchers who spend their timedeveloping ideas and concepts. The government hired a think tank tostudy the country’s need for coins, and was advised to stop makingpennies.

[ring in] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To bring in from the outside dishonestly or without telling; often:hire and introduce under a false name. Bob offered to ring him inon the party by pretending he was a cousin from out of town. Nowonder their team beat us; they rang in a professional to pitch forthem under … Читать далее

[scale down] {v.} To make smaller or less; decrease. John scaleddown each boy’s share of food after a bear robbed the camp. Tombuilt a scaled down model of the plane. Compare: CUT DOWN.

[grandstander] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} A showoff, a person wholikes to engage in histrionics. Many people think that Evel Knievelis a grandstander.

[plug in] {v. phr.} To connect to a powerwire by putting its plug into a receptacle or hole. The integratedcircuit has multiplied the number of small radios that need not beplugged in.

[Think big!] {v. phr.}, {informal} To believe in one’s ability, purpose, or power to perform or succeed. Be confident; be positive;tell yourself you are the greatest; above all, think big!

[have a snowball’s chance in hell] {v. phr.} To be condemned tofailure; enjoy a zero chance of success. Pessimists used to thinkthat we had a snowball’s chance in hell to put a man on the moon; yetwe did it in July, 1969.

[do a double take] {v. phr.}, {informal} To look again in surprise; suddenly understand what is seen or said. John did a double take when he saw Bill in girls’ clothes. When Evvie said she was quitting school, I did a double take.

[take hold of] {v. phr.} To grasp. The old man tried to keephimself from falling down the stairs, but there was no railing to takehold of.

[all set] {adj. phr.} Ready to start. «Is the plane ready for take-off?» the bank president asked. «Yes, Sir,» the pilot answered. «We’re all set.»

Идиома: be on the mend Перевод: поправляться, выздоравливать Пример: He’s still a bit tired but he’s definitely on the mend. Он все еще немного уставший, но он определенно поправляется.

[battle of nerves] {n. phr.} A contest of wills during which the parties do not fight physically but try to wear each other out. It has been a regular battle of nerves to get the new program accepted at the local state university. See: WAR OF NERVES.

[burnt child dreads the fire] or [once bitten, twice shy] A person who has suffered from doing something has learned to avoid doing it again. — A proverb. Once Mary had got lost when her mother took her downtown. But a burnt child dreads the fire, so now Mary stays close to her mother when … Читать далее

[nest egg] {n.} Savings set aside to be used in the future. Herbsays he doesn’t have to worry about his old age because he has a nestegg in the bank.

[heart of gold] {n. phr.} A kind, generous, or forgiving nature. John has a heart of gold. I never saw him angry at anyone. Mrs. Brown is a rich woman with a heart of gold. Compare: GOOD AS GOLD, HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

[check-up] {n.} A periodic examination by a physician or of some equipment by a mechanic. I am overdue for my annual physical check-up. I need to take my car in for a check-up.

[which is which] {n. phr.} Which is one person or thing and whichis the other; one from another; what the difference is betweendifferent ones; what the name of each one is. Joe’s coat and mineare so nearly alike that I can’t tell which is which. Mr. Hadleyhadn’t seen his friend’s daughters in such a long … Читать далее

[filthy rich] {adj. phr.} Extremely rich but without culturalrefinement; nouveau riche. «The Murgatroyds are filthy rich,» Tedcomplained. «They are rolling in money but they never learned how tobehave properly at a dinner table.»

[kiss someone] or [something goodbye] {v. phr.} To lose or give upsomeone or something forever. «If you won’t marry Jane,» Peter saidto Tom, «you might as well kiss her goodbye.» People who bet on alosing horse at the races might as well kiss their money goodbye.

Идиома: rub shoulders with somebody Перевод: общаться, встречаться, вращаться в обществе; находиться бок о бок (с кем-либо) Пример: At the party we were able to rub shoulders with many important people. На вечере мы смогли пообщаться с многими важными людьми.

Идиома: every minute counts / every moment counts Перевод: каждая минута дорога; время очень важно Пример: Every minute counts when the fire department goes to fight a fire. На счету каждая минута, когда пожарники отправляются тушить огонь.

Идиома: take a shot at something Идиома: take a shot at something Разг. Перевод: попытаться сделать что-либо, попробовать, сделать попытку Пример: I wasn’t sure of the answer, but I thought I’d take a shot at it anyway. Я не был уверен в ответе, но я подумал, что все равно попробую.

[up in the air] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} 1. {informal} In great angeror excitement. My father went straight up in the air when he heardI damaged the car. The Jones family are all up in the air becausethey are taking a trip around the world. Compare: HIT THE CEILING, BLOW A FUSE. 2. also [in … Читать далее

[stand up for] or {informal} [stick up for] {v.} To defend againstattack; fight for. John always stands up for his rights. WhenMary was being criticized, Jane stuck up for her. Compare: BACK UP, GO TO BAT FOR, STAND BY, STAND ONE’S GROUND, STICK TO ONE’S GUNS, GOTO BAT FOR.

Идиома: a nail in someone’s coffin Перевод: что-либо, ускоряющее чью-либо смерть, гибель; что-либо, что сильно вредит кому-либо Пример: Fighting with his boss was a nail in my friend’s coffin. He will not get a promotion now. Спор со своим начальником сильно повредил моему другу. Теперь он не получит повышения.

Идиома: wash one’s hands of someone or something Перевод: снять с себя ответственность, отказаться от кого-либо или чего-либо, умыть руки Пример: He washed his hands of the problem after the others refused to deal with it. Он умыл руки и не стал решать эту проблему, когда все остальные отказались заниматься ей.

[old guard] {n. phr.} People whose ideas may be out of date, butwho have been in power for a long time. There will not be anychange in policy at the company, as long as the old guard still workshere.

[pass up] {v.} To let go by; refuse. Mary passed upthe dessert because she was on a diet. John was offered a good jobin California, but he passed it up because he didn’t want to move. Compare: TURN DOWN.

[look down one’s nose at] {v. phr.}, {informal} To think of asworthless; feel scorn for. The banker’s wife has beautiful chinacups, and she looked down her nose at the plastic cups that Mrs. Brownused. Harry has never had to work, and he looks down his nose atpeople in business. Jerry was the athlete who looked … Читать далее