Английские идиомы

Идиома: right on time Перевод: точь-в-точь в назначенное время Пример: The train arrived at the station right on time. Поезд прибыл на вокзал в точно назначенное время.

[bear in the air] or [bear in the sky] {n. phr.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band jargon} A police helicopter flying overhead watching for speeders. Slow down, good buddy, there’s a bear in the air.

Идиома: eagle eye Перевод: орлиный взгляд; с проницательным взглядом, проницательный Пример: The woman watched her young child with an eagle eye. Женщина проницательно следила за своим ребенком.

[right field] {n.} The part of a baseball outfield to the batter’sright. Left-handed batters usually hit to right field. Compare:CENTER FIELD, LEFT FIELD. — [right fielder] {n.} The outfielder inbaseball who plays in right field. The batter hit a high fly balland the right fielder caught it easily.

Идиома: once or twice Перевод: несколько раз, пару раз Пример: We went to the new restaurant once or twice but we quickly became tired of it. Мы пару раз ходили в новый ресторан, но он нам быстро надоел.

Идиома: in the long run Перевод: в конце концов, в конечном счете, в длительной перспективе, в конечном результате Пример: For now he is losing money on his stocks but in the long run he should make money. В настоящий момент он теряет деньги на своих акциях, но в конечном итоге, он должен получить деньги.

[run-off] {n.} A second election held to determine the winner whenthe results of the first one were inconclusive. The senatorial racewas so close that the candidates will have to hold a run-off.

[feel] or [look small] {v. phr.} To have the impression that one isinsignificant, foolish, or humiliated. «I feel small next toHemingway,» the young student of creative writing said.

[get through one’s head] {v. phr.} 1. To understand or believe. Jack couldn’t get it through his head that his father wouldn’t lethim go to camp if his grades didn’t improve. At last Mary got itthrough her head that she had failed to pass the test. 2. To makesomeone understand or believe. I’ll get it … Читать далее

[speak with a forked tongue] {v. phr.}, {literary} To lie; to sayone thing while thinking of the opposite. I have learned not totrust Peter’s promises because he speaks with a forked tongue.

Идиома: money burns a hole in someone’s pocket Перевод: деньги жгут карман; деньги у кого-либо, которые не лежат подолгу; деньги, которые тратятся сразу, как получаются Пример: If money burns a hole in your pocket, you never have any for emergencies. Если деньги у вас не задерживаются, у вас никогда их не будет на крайние нужды.

[hem and haw] {v. phr.} 1. To pause or hesitate while speaking, often with little throat noises. The man was a poor lecturerbecause he hemmed and hawed too much. 2. To avoid giving a clearanswer; be evasive in speech. The principal asked Bob why he waslate to school, and Bob only hemmed and hawed. Compare: … Читать далее

[grow on] or [grow upon] {v.} 1. To become stronger in; increase asa habit of. The habit of eating before going to bed grew uponJohn. 2. To become more interesting to or liked by. The more Jacksaw Mary, the more she grew on him. Football grew on Billy as hegrew older.

[sit up for] {v. phr.} To wait until after the usual bedtime forsomeone’s return. Mrs. Smith always sits up for her two daughters, no matter how late it is.

[keep up with the Joneses] {v. phr.} To follow the latest fashion;try to be equal with your neighbors. Mrs. Smith kept buying everynew thing that was advertised, finally Mr. Smith told her to stoptrying to keep up with the Joneses and to start thinking for herself.

Идиома: out-of-date Перевод: старый, устаревший Пример: Computer equipment becomes out-of-date very quickly. Компьютерное оборудование очень быстро устаревает.

Идиома: best part of something / better part of something Перевод: большая часть чего-либо Пример: We spent the best part of a day trying to fix the vacuum cleaner. Большую часть дня мы пытались починить пылесос.

[on the road] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Traveling; moving from oneplace to another. When we go on vacation, we take a lunch to eatwhile on the road. Mr. Smith is on the road for his insurancecompany. 2. Changing; going from one condition to another. Marywas very sick for several weeks, but now she is … Читать далее

[hard-hitting] {adj.} Working hard to get things done; strong andactive; stubbornly eager. The boys put on a hard-hitting drive toraise money for uniforms for the football team. He is ahard-hitting and successful football coach.

Идиома: get rid of someone or something Перевод: избавиться от кого-либо или чего-либо Пример: I bought a new television set so now I want to get rid of my old one. Я купил новый телевизор, так что теперь я хочу деть куда-нибудь старый.

[get off] {v.} 1. To come down from or out of. The ladder fell, and Tom couldn’t get off the roof. The bus stopped, the dooropened, and Father got off. 2. To take off. Joe’s mother told himto get his wet clothes off. 3. To get away; leave. Mr. Johnsongoes fishing whenever he can get … Читать далее

[dash light] {n.} A light on the front inside of a car or vehicle. Henry stopped the car and turned on the dash lights to read the road map.

[draw a line] or [draw the line] {v. phr.} 1. To think of as different. The law in this country draws a line between murder and man slaughter. Can you draw the line between a lie and a fib? 2. To set a limit to what will be done; say something cannot be done. We … Читать далее

Идиома: get dressed up Перевод: наряжаться, надевать свою лучшую одежду Пример: I usually get dressed up when I go to a nice restaurant. Обычно я получше одеваюсь, когда иду в хороший ресторан.

[one-two] {n.} 1. A succession of two punches, the first a shortleft, followed by a hard right punch, usually in the jaw. Ali gaveFrazir the one-two. 2. Any quick or decisive action which takes theopposition by surprise, thereby ensuring victory. He gave us theold one-two and won the game.

Идиома: make the best of something Перевод: мужественно переносить затруднение, несчастье; не унывать в беде Пример: He made the best of his time working in the department that he hated. Он мужественно отработал в этом отделе, который он терпеть не мог.

[charge something to something] {v.} 1. To place the blame on; make responsible for. John failed to win a prize, but he charged it to his lack of experience. The coach charged the loss of the game to the team’s disobeying his orders. 2. To buy something on the credit of. Mrs. Smith bought a … Читать далее

[quarterback sneak] {n.} A football play in which the quarterbacktakes the ball from the center and dives straight ahead in an attemptto gain a very short distance. Johnson took the ball over on aquarterback sneak for a touchdown.

[snail’s pace] {n.} A very slow movement forward. Time moved ata snail’s pace before the holidays. The donkey on which he wasriding moved at a snail’s pace.

[not to get to first base] {v. phr.} To fail to make initialprogress; have no success at all. I tried various ways to make Maryinterested in me as a potential husband, but I couldn ‘t even get tofirst base.

Идиома: make a scene Перевод: устраивать сцену; выяснять отношения на глазах у других людей Пример: The woman made a scene in the supermarket when she saw the liquid soap on the floor. Женщина устроила сцену в супермаркете, когда увидела жидкость для мытья посуды на полу.

[go off the deep end] or [go overboard] {v. phr.}, {informal} Toact excitedly and without careful thinking. John has gone off thedeep end about owning a motorcycle. Mike warned his roommate notto go off the deep end and get married. Some girls go overboardfor handsome movie and television actors.

Идиома: be game Перевод: быть готовым к действию, или согласным принять участие в чем-либо Пример: All of the students were game to go to the science exhibition. Все ученики были согласны пойти на научную выставку.

[bet one’s boots] or [bet one’s bottom dollar] or [bet one’s shirt] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To bet all you have. This horse will win. I would bet my bottom dollar on it. Jim said he would bet his boots that he would pass the examination. 2. or [bet one’s life]. To feel very sure; … Читать далее

[tempest in a teapot] {n. phr.} Great excitement about somethingnot important. Bess tore her skirt a little and made a tempest in ateapot.

[take the words out of one’s mouth] {v. phr.} To say what anotheris just going to say; to put another’s thought into words. «Let’sgo to the beach tomorrow.» «You took the words right out of my mouth;I was thinking of that.» I was going to suggest a movie, but shetook the words out of my … Читать далее

Off (one He She It) goes! [off (one He She It) goes!] {v. phr.} Said of a person, a vehicle, or a memorable thing who Which has started leaving or moving, both asa statement of fact or as a command. When the boat hit the water in the formal launchingceremony, they cried out simultaneously, «Off … Читать далее

[by choice] {adv. phr.} As a result of choosing because of wanting to; freely. John helped his father by choice. Mary ate a plum, but not by choice. Her mother told her she must eat it.

[shop around for] {v. phr.} To make the rounds of variouscommercial establishments in order to find the most economical answerfor one’s needs. We’ve been shopping around for a largercondominium that is affordable, and near the university.

Идиома: take effect Перевод: вступить в силу, в действие Пример: The new traffic laws took effect early last month. Новые правила дорожного движения вступили в силу в начале прошлого месяца.

[fall out] {v.} 1. To happen. As it fell out, the Harpers wereable to sell their old car. Compare: TURN OUT. 2. To quarrel;fight; fuss; disagree. The thieves fell out over the division ofthe loot. 3. To leave a military formation. You men are dismissed. Fall out! Contrast: FALL IN. 4. To leave a building … Читать далее

[buy off] {v.} To turn from duty or purpose by a gift. When the police threatened to stop the gambling business, the owner bought them off. The Indians were going to burn the cabins, but the men bought them off with gifts. Compare: PAY OFF.

[hold good] {v.} 1. To continue to be good; last. The coupon onthe cereal box offered a free toy, but the offer held good only tillthe end of the year. Attendance at the basketball games held goodall winter. 2. To continue; endure: last. The demand for newhouses held good all that year. The agreement between … Читать далее

Идиома: here and there Перевод: в разных местах Пример: We went here and there during our holidays. Мы много где побывали во время нашего отпуска.

[belabor the point] {v. phr.} To overexplain something to the point of obviousness, resulting in ridicule. «Lest I belabor the point,» the teacher said, «I must repeat the importance of teaching good grammar in class.»

Идиома: drop the ball Перевод: сделать ошибку или промах; неправильно справиться с ситуацией, с положением Пример: The government dropped the ball with its decision to expand the airport runway without consulting the local residents. Правительство сделало промах, когда приняло решение расширить взлетную полосу аэропорта, не спросив местных жителей.

[fish for a compliment] {v, phr.} To try to make someone pay acompliment. When Jim showed me his new car, I could tell that hewas fishing for a compliment.

[chain gang] {n.} A group of convicts or slaves in the old South who were chained together. Chain gangs are no longer an acceptable way of punishment, according to modern criminologists.

Идиома: pale around the gills / blue around the gills / green around the gills Перевод: побледневший, выглядящий нездоровым Пример: My colleague was looking a little pale around the gills when he came to work today. Мой коллега выглядел немного нездоровым, когда он пришел сегодня на работу.

[grease-ball] {n.}, {slang}, {derogatory} An immigrant froma southern country, such as Mexico, Italy, or Spain; a person withoily looking black hair. Mr. White is a racist; he calls Mr. Lopezfrom Tijuana a grease-ball because he has dark hair.