[grasp at straws] or [clutch at straws] {v. phr.} To depend onsomething that is useless or unable to help in a time of trouble ordanger; try something with little hope of succeeding. To depend onyour memory without studying for a test is to grasp at straws. Therobber clutched at straws to make excuses. He said … Читать далее
[kick up] {v.}, {informal} To show signs of not working right. John had had too much to eat and his stomach started to kick up. After working well for a year the air conditioner suddenly startedkicking up.
Идиома: very thing Перевод: то самое, что нужно Пример: The new sofa was the very thing that we needed to make our house comfortable. Новый диван был тем самым, что требовалось, чтобы сделать наш дом уютным.
[keep abreast someone] or [something] {v. phr.} To be informedof the latest developments. It is difficult to keep abreast of allthe various wars that are being waged on planet Earth. Compare: KEEPSTEP WITH.
[right out] or [straight out] {adv.} Plainly; in a way that hidesnothing; without waiting or keeping back anything. When Motherasked who broke the window, Jimmie told her right out that he did it. When Ann entered the beauty contest her little brother told herstraight out that she was crazy.
[sure thing] 1. {n.}, {informal} Something sure to happen;something about which there is no doubt. It’s no fun betting on asure thing. 2. {adv.} Of course; certainly Sure thing, I’ll beglad to do it for you. Compare: FOR SURE, SURE ENOUGH.
[count on] {v.} 1. To depend on; rely on; trust. The team was counting on Joe to win the race. I’ll do it; you know you can count on me. The company was counting on Brown’s making the right decision. Syn.: BANK ON. 2. See: FIGURE ON.
Идиома: lie through one’s teeth Перевод: бесстыдно лгать, врать Пример: The woman will lie through her teeth in order to get what she wants. Эта женщина будет бесстыдно лгать, чтобы получить то, что она хочет.
[bad news] {n.}, {slang} An event, thing, or person which is disagreeable or an unpleasant surprise. What’s the new professor like? — He’s all bad news to me.
[run ragged] {v. phr.} To tire out; make nervous by too much worryor work. Trying to keep up with too many clubs, sports, andactivities in addition to his homework ran Tom ragged. On a rainyday the children sometimes ran Mother ragged. Compare: WEAR OUT.
[have the laugh on] {v. phr.} To emerge as the victor. We weretrying to fool Paul by setting him up with a blind date who wasreportedly unattractive, but he had the laugh on us when this girlturned out to be beautiful.
[every cloud has a silver lining] Every trouble has somethinghopeful that you can see in it, like the bright edge around a darkcloud. — A proverb. The doctor told Tommy to cheer up when he hadmeasles. «Every cloud has a silver lining,» he said. Compare: IT’S ANILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD.
[big wheel] {n.}, {informal} An influential or important person who has the power to do things and has connections in high places. Uncle Ferdinand is a big wheel in Washington; maybe he can help you with your problem.
Идиома: read between the lines Перевод: читать между строк; найти скрытый смысл в чем-либо Пример: I can read between the lines and I know what my friend was trying to say. Я умею читать между строк, и я знаю, что пытался сказать мой друг.
[wouldn’t put it past one] {v. phr.} To think that someone is quitecapable or likely to have done something undesirable or illegal. Congressman Alfonso is insisting that he didn’t violate congressionalethics, but knowing both his expensive habits and his amorousescapades, many of us wouldn’t put it past him that he might havehelped himself to funds … Читать далее
[not the only fish in the sea] {n. phr.} One of many; not the onlyone of the kind; not the only one available. He said he could findother girls — she was not the only fish in the sea. Compare: NOT THEONLY PEBBLE ON THE BEACH.
[thing] See: A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING, DO ONE’STHING or DO ONE’S OWN THING, FIRST THINGS COME FIRST, FOR ONE THING, SEE THINGS, SURE THING, TAKE IT EASY or TAKE THINGS EASY, TELL A THINGOR TWO.
Идиома: pay someone respect Перевод: показывать уважение кому-либо, относиться к кому-либо с уважением Пример: The children refuse to pay their teacher respect. Дети отказываются относиться к своему учителю с уважением.
[light up] {v.} Suddenly to look pleased and happy. Martha’sface lit up when she saw her old friend. Tom will really light upwhen he sees his new bike!
[have it made] {v. phr.}, {slang} To be sure of success; haveeverything you need. With her fine grades Alice has it made and canenter any college in the country. The other seniors think Joe hasit made because his father owns a big factory.
Идиома: ready, willing, and able Перевод: быть охотно готовым сделать что-либо Пример: Everybody in the small village is ready, willing, and able to help the family who lost their house in the fire. Все в этой маленькой деревне охотно готовы помочь семье, которая потеряла свой дом во время пожаре.
[press conference] {n. phr.} A meeting with news reporters. Thereporters questioned the president about foreign affairs at the pressconference. The press conference with the senator was broadcast ontelevision.
[as usual] {adv. phr.} In the usual way; as you usually do or as it usually does. As usual, Tommy forgot to make his bed before he went out to play. Only a week after the fire in the store, it was doing business as usual.
[fool away] or [fritter away] {v.}, {informal} To waste foolishly. Paul failed history because he fooled away his time instead ofstudying. The man won a lot of money, but he soon frittered itaway and was poor again.
Идиома: about to (do something) Перевод: быть готовым сделать что-либо; что-либо, что вот-вот будет сделано Пример: I was about to leave my house when the phone rang. Я уже почти вышел из дома, когда зазвонил телефон.
Идиома: play it by ear Перевод: поступать согласно обстоятельствам; решать вопросы по мере их поступления, не планируя заранее Пример: «Let’s play it by ear and decide where to eat after we see the movie.» Давай решим вопрос о том, где поесть, после того, как посмотрим кино.
[vote in] {v. phr.} To elevate to the status of «Law of the Land»by special or general ballot. Congress has finally voted in theBrady Law that requires that prospective gun owners wait a specialperiod of time before making their purchase.
[in the pink] or [in the pink of condition] {adj. phr.}, {informal}In excellent health; strong and well; in fine shape. Mr. Merrickhad aged well; he was one of those old men who always seem in the pinkof condition. After a practice and a rubdown, Joe felt in thepink.
[settle on] {v. phr.} To decide which one to choose among variousalternatives. My parents have been debating what kind of a car toget and have finally settled on a BMW from Germany.
[drop by] or [stop by] {v.} 1. or [drop around] To make a short or unplanned visit; go on a call or errand; stop at someone’s home. Drop by any time you’re in town. My sister dropped around last night. Don’t forget to stop by at the gas station. Syn.: DROP IN. 2. or [drop … Читать далее
[know a thing or two about] {v. phr.} To be experienced in; have afairly considerable knowledge of. Tom has dealt with many foreigntraders; he knows a thing or two about stocks and bonds.
Идиома: short and sweet Перевод: короткий и приятный Пример: My visit with my parents was short and sweet. Мой визит к родителям был коротким и приятным.
[drown out] {v.} To make so much noise that it is impossible to hear. The children’s shouts drowned out the music. The actor’s words were drowned out by applause.
Идиома: (to be) hand in hand Перевод: держаться за руки Пример: I walked to the movie hand in hand with my girlfriend. Я пошел в кино, держась за руку со своей девушкой.
[hang in effigy] or [burn in effigy] {v. phr.} To hang or burn afigure, usually a stuffed dummy, representing a person who is dislikedor scorned. When the high school team lost the championship game, the coach was hung in effigy by the townspeople. During World WarII, Hitler was sometimes burned in effigy in the United … Читать далее
[gay nineties] {n.} The years between 1890 and 1900; remembered asa happy exciting time. Ladies wore large hats in the gay nineties. Picnics were popular in the gay nineties.
[look for] {v.} 1. To think likely; expect. We look for John toarrive any day now. The frost killed many oranges, and housewivescan look for an increase in their price. Bob wouldn’t go for aride with the boys because he was looking for a phone call fromJulie. 2. To try to find; search for; hunt. … Читать далее
[make a long story short] {v. phr.} To summarize a lengthynarrative. «So, to make a long story short,» he said, «I made akilling on the stock market.» Compare: IN A NUTSHELL.
[itching palm] {n.}, {slang} A wish for money; greed. He wasborn with an itching palm. The bellboys in that hotel seem alwaysto have itching palms.
[arm in arm] {adv. phr.} With your arm under or around another person’s arm, especially in close comradeship or friendship. Sally and Joan were laughing and joking together as they walked arm in arm down the street. When they arrived at the party, the partners walked arm in arm to meet the hosts. Compare: HAND … Читать далее
[lay low] {v.} 1. To knock down; to force into a lying position; toput out of action. Many trees were laid low by the storm. Janewas laid low by the flu. 2. To kill. The hunters laid low sevenpheasants. 3. See: LIE LOW.
[in effect] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. The same in meaning or result. The teacher gave the same assignment, in effect, that she gaveyesterday. Helping your mother with the dishes is in effectearning your allowance. 2. Necessary to obey; being enforced. Thecoach says that players must be in bed by midnight, and that rule isin … Читать далее
[shake off] {v.}, {informal} To get away from when followed; getrid of; escape from. A convict escaped from prison and shook offthe officers trying to follow him. Tom could not shake off hiscold.
[round-eyed] or [wide-eyed] also [large-eyed] {adj.} Very muchsurprised; astonished; awed. The people were round-eyed when theylearned what the computer could do. The children were wide-eyed atthe sight of the Christmas tree and didn’t make a sound.
Идиома: so far Перевод: до сих пор, до настоящего момента Пример: До сих пор, до настоящего момента So far no one has entered the speech contest at the television station. Пока что никто не принял участие в конкурсе речей по телевидению.
[cut a swathe] {v. phr.} 1a. To mow a path through a field. The farmer cut a swathe through the high grass with his scythe. 1b. To cut down as if by mowing. The machine gun cut a swathe in the lines of enemy soldiers. 2. {informal} To attract notice; make an impression; seem important. … Читать далее
Идиома: burn one’s bridges / burn one’s boats Перевод: сжечь мосты; принять решение, исключающее возможность возвращения; сделать поступок, который нельзя будет изменить или исправить в будущем Пример: The man burned his bridges behind him and is unable to work in the same industry again. Этот человек сжег за собой мосты, и сейчас больше не может … Читать далее
[knuckle under] {v. phr.} To do something because you are forced todo it. Bobby refused to knuckle under to the bully. Compare: GIVEIN.
[vanity case] {n.} 1. A small case containing face powder, lipstick, and other things and usually carried in a woman’s handbag; acompact. She took out her vanity case and put lipstick on. 2. Ahandbag or a small bag carried by a woman and holding various toiletarticles. She had the porter carry her big bags and … Читать далее
[take aim] {v. phr.} To get ready to hit, throw at, or shoot at bysighting carefully. When the captain orders «Take aim,» raise yourgun to your shoulder and sight along the barrel at the target. Before the hunter could take aim, the deer jumped out of sight.