[white-collar workers] {n. phr.} Workers employed in offices and atdesks as opposed to those who work as manual workers; the middleclass. It is a well-known fact that white-collar workers are lesswell organized than unionized manual workers. Contrast BLUE-COLLARWORKERS.
[hold all the trumps] {v. phr.} To have the best chance of winning;have all the advantages; have full control. Most of the team wantsJohn for captain and he is the best player. He will he elected captainbecause he holds all the trumps. Freddy has a quarter and I haveno money, so he holds all the … Читать далее
Идиома: start over with a clean slate / start off with a clean slate Перевод: забыть о прошлом и начать все с начала Пример: The young man broke the law several times but he was able to start over with a clean slate when the judge decided that he would probably not do anything wrong … Читать далее
[loan shark] {n. phr.} A money lender who charges excessiveinterest. Why go to a loan shark when you can borrow from the bankat the legal rate?
[top banana] or [top dog] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} The head of anybusiness or organization; the most influential or most prestigiousperson in an establishment. Who’s the top banana in this outfit? See: MAIN SQUEEZE.
[out of the frying pan into the fire] Out of one trouble into worsetrouble; from something bad to something worse. — A proverb. Themovie cowboy was out of the frying pan into the fire. After he escapedfrom the robbers, he was captured by Indians.
[up to one’s neck] {adv. phr.} Overwhelmed with; submerged in. «During the summer season in our cottage by the lake,» the Allenscomplained, «we are usually up to our necks in uninvited guests.» Compare: UP TO ONE’S EARS.
[sock it] {v. phr.}, also {interj.}, {slang}, {informal} To giveone’s utmost; everything one is capable of; to give all one is capableof. Right on, Joe, sock it to ’em! I was watching the debate ontelevision and more than once Bill Buckley really socked it to them.
Идиома: torn between (two things) Перевод: быть в нерешительности, не знать, что выбрать Пример: I was torn between going to the library and going to a movie. Я не мог решиться, пойти в библиотеку, или пойти в кино.
[arm] See: GIVE ONE’S RIGHT ARM, KEEP AT A DISTANCE Or KEEP AT ARM’S LENGTH, SHOT IN THE ARM, TAKE UP ARMS, TWIST ONE’S ARM, UP IN ARMS, WITH OPEN ARMS, COST AN ARM AND A LEG.
Идиома: give something a shot Перевод: попытаться, попробовать что-либо Пример: I plan to give golfing a shot during my summer holidays. Я собираюсь попробовать поиграть в гольф во время своего летнего отпуска.
[at the same time] {adv. phr.} 1. In the same moment; together. The two runners reached the finish line at the same time. Syn.: AT ONCE, AT ONE TIME. 2. In spite of that fact; even though; however; but; nevertheless. John did pass the test; at the same time, he didn’t know the subject very … Читать далее
[still waters run deep] Quiet people probably are profoundthinkers. — A proverb. He doesn’t say much, but he sure lookssmart. Well, still waters run deep, isn’t that true?
[bad trip] {n.}, {slang}, {also used colloquially} A disturbing or frightening experience, such as terrifying hallucinations, while under the influence of drugs; hence, by colloquial extension any bad experience in general. Why’s John’s face so distorted? — He had a bad trip. How was your math exam? — Don’t mention it; it was a bad … Читать далее
Идиома: come out of nowhere Перевод: появиться внезапно, неожиданно Пример: The eagle came out of nowhere and captured the small mouse. Внезапно появился орел и поймал маленькую мышь.
[hide or hair] or [hide nor hair] {n. phr.}, {informal} A sign ortrace of someone that is gone or lost; any sign at all of somethingmissing. Usually used in negative or interrogative sentence. Tommyleft the house this morning and I haven’t seen hide or hair of himsince. A button fell off my coat and I … Читать далее
Идиома: go belly up Перевод: обанкротиться, разориться (обычно употребляется по отношению к бизнесу, предприятиям, и т. п.; также может употребляться без глагола, как прилагательное — Belly up) Пример: Four car dealers went belly up during the recession. Во время рецессии обанкротилось четыре автосалона.
Идиома: jump to conclusions Перевод: делать поспешные выводы; решать, не подумав, не раздумывая Пример: Please don’t jump to conclusions over who broke the computer. Пожалуйста, не делай поспешных выводов о том, кто сломал компьютер.
[rub off] {v.} 1. To remove or be removed by rubbing; erase. Theteacher rubs the problem off the chalkboard. After Ann shook handswith the president, she would not shake hands with anyone else becauseshe thought that the good luck would rub off. 2. To stick tosomething touched; come off. Don’t touch that charcoal, it will … Читать далее
[gung-ho] {adj.}, {colloquial} Enthusiastic, full of eagerness inan uncritical or unsophisticated manner. Suzie is all gung-ho onequal rights for women, but fails to see the consequences.
Идиома: safe and sound Перевод: целый и невредимый Пример: We arrived at our destination safe and sound after a long journey. После долгого путешествия мы прибыли в пункт назначения целыми и невредимыми.
[cover a lot of ground] {v. phr.} To process a great deal of information and various facts. Professor Brown’s thorough lecture on asteroids covered a lot of ground today.
[my lips are sealed] {informal sentence} A promise that one willnot give away a secret. «You can tell me what happened, » Helensaid. «My lips are sealed.»
Идиома: blue in the face Перевод: выдохнуться, обессилеть, изнемогать Пример: You can argue with him until you are blue in the face but you will never change his mind. С ним можно спорить до потери голоса, но его невозможно переубедить.
[give to understand] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To make a personthink that something is true but not tell him; suggest; hint. Mr. Johnson gave Billy to understand that he would pay him if he helpedhim clean the yard. 2. To make a person understand by telling himvery plainly or boldly. Frank was given to understand … Читать далее
Идиома: be up against Перевод: иметь дело, противостоять кому-либо или чему-либо (как правило, сложному, трудному, опасному, и т. п.) Пример: I just wanted to find out what I was up against. Я только хотел узнать, с чем имею дело.
[take a shot at] {v. phr.} To try casually; attempt to do. «Canyou handle all these new book orders?» Tom asked. «I haven’t done itbefore,» Sally replied, «but I can sure take a shot at it.»
Идиома: not for anything in the world Перевод: ни за что на свете Пример: I will not for anything in the world go to the restaurant with that woman. Я ни за что на свете не пойду в ресторан с этой женщиной.
[hard-nosed] {adj.}, {slang} Tough or rugged; very strict; not weakor soft; stubborn, especially in a fight or contest. Joe’s fatherwas a hard-nosed army officer who had seen service in two wars. Pete is a good boy; he plays hard-nosed football. Compare:HARD-BOILED.
[keep one’s hand in] {v. phr.} To keep in practice; continue totake part. After he retired from teaching, Mr. Brown kept his handin by giving a lecture once in a while. Mr. Smith left theplanning of the trip to his wife, but he kept his hand in, too. Compare: KEEP UP.
[a little knowledge is a dangerous thing] {literary} A person who knows a little about something may think he knows it all and make bad mistakes. — A proverb. John has read a book on driving a car and now he thinks he can drive. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
[polish the apple] {v. phr.}, {slang} To try to make someone likeyou; to try to win favor by flattery. Mary polished the apple atwork because she wanted a day off. Susan is the teacher’s petbecause she always polishes the apple. — [apple polisher] {n.},{slang} A person who is nice to the one in charge in … Читать далее
[talking point] {n.} Something good about a person or thing thatcan be talked about in selling it. The streamlined shape of the carwas one of its talking points. John tried to get Mary to dateBill. One of his talking points was that Bill was captain of thefootball team.
[no-show] {n.}, {informal} A person who makes a reservation, e. g.,at a hotel or at an airline, and then neither claims nor cancels it. The airlines were messed up because of a great number of no-showpassengers.
Идиома: catch one’s breath Перевод: восстановить дыхание (после физической нагрузки) Пример: After running from the station it took a moment to catch my breath. После пробежки с вокзала я мигом отдышался.
Идиома: on someone’s account Перевод: из-за кого-либо, ради кого-либо Пример: We went to the children’s festival on our daughter’s account. Мы пошли на детский фестиваль из-за нашей дочери.
[as well as] {conj.} In addition to; and also; besides. Hiking is good exercise as well as fun. He was my friend as well as my doctor. The book tells about the author’s life as well as about his writings.
Идиома: find fault (with someone or something) Перевод: придираться к кому-либо или чему-либо Пример: My boss finds fault with everything that I do. Мой начальник придирается ко всему, что я делаю.
[take a load off one’s feet] {v. phr.} To alleviate one’s fatigue By sitting down during some taxing work. «You’ve been standingthere for hours, Jake,» John said. «Why don’t you take a load off yourfeet?»
[spaced out] {adj.}, {slang}, {informal} Having gaps in one’s trainof thought, confused, incoherent; resembling the behavior of someonewho is under the influence of drugs. Joe’s been acting funny lately — spaced out, you might say.
Идиома: all set Перевод: все готово; все сделано и решено для чего-либо Пример: We were all set so we began the meeting. Все было готово, и мы начали собрание.
[fall off the wagon] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {alcoholism and drugculture} To return to the consumption of an addictive, such as alcoholor drugs, after a period of abstinence. Poor Joe has fallen off thewagon again — he is completely incoherent today.
[jump at] {v.} To take or accept quickly and gladly. Johnnyjumped at the invitation to go swimming with his brother. Compare:TAKE UP.
[verbal diarrhea] {n. phr.} The inability to keep silent;over-talkativeness. Archibald is a nice guy but he’s got verbaldiarrhea and he can’t shut up for a single minute.
[yellow-bellied] {adj.}, {slang} Extremely timid, cowardly. JoeBennett is a yellow-bellied guy, don’t send him on such a toughassignment!
[two-faced] {adj.} Insincere; disloyal; deceitful. Don’t confidetoo much in him as he has the reputation of being two-faced. Compare:SPEAK WITH A FORKED TONGUE.
Идиома: rest assured Перевод: быть уверенным Пример: You can rest assured that I will be at work early every morning this week. Можешь быть уверен, что на этой неделе я каждый день буду приходить на работу рано утром.
[be in labor] {v. phr.} To be in parturition; experience the contractions of child birth. Vane had been in labor for eight hours before her twin daughters were finally born.
[run out] {v.} 1a. To come to an end; be used up. Jerry almostgot across the brook on the slippery stones but his luck ran out andhe slipped and fell. We’d better do our Christmas shopping; timeis running out. Syn.: GIVE OUT. 1b. To use all of the supply; betroubled by not having enough. The … Читать далее
[not so hot] or [not too hot] {adj. phr.} Ineffective; not verygood. His plans to rebuild the house in a hurry obviously weren’tso hot.