[state-of-the-art] {adj. phr.} The best and — the latest any fieldof research can offer; modern; the latest; the most advanced. State-of-the-art personal computers may cost a little more than oldermodels, but may be worth the cost for those who need them. Compare:UP TO DATE.
[double duty] {n.} Two uses or jobs; two purposes or duties. Matthew does double duty. He’s the janitor in the morning and gardener in the afternoon. Our new washer does double duty; it washes the clothes and also dries them.
[scrape the bottom of the barrel] {v. phr.}, {informal} To use ortake whatever is left after the most or the best has been taken;accept the leftovers. At first they took out quarters, but they hadso little money that they had to scrape the bottom of the barrel andpaid with nickels and pennies for their lunch. … Читать далее
[in return] {adv. phr.} In order to give back something; aspayment; in recognition or exchange. — Often used with «for». Budgave me his knife and I gave him marbles in return. The ladyhelped Mother when she was sick and in return Mother often invited herto dinner. How much did John give you in return for … Читать далее
[up in arms] {adj. phr.} 1. Equipped with guns or weapons and readyto fight. All of the colonies were up in arms against theRedcoats. Syn.: IN ARMS. 2. Very angry and wanting to fight. Robert is up in arms because John said he was stupid. Thestudents were up in arms over the new rule against … Читать далее
Идиома: on someone’s behalf / on behalf of someone Перевод: от чьего-либо имени Пример: I was able to sign for the registered letter on my wife’s behalf. Я смог расписаться за зарегистрированное письмо от имени моей жены. The lawyer went to the meeting on behalf of his client. Адвокат пошел на собрание от имени своего … Читать далее
[favorite son] {n.} A man supported by his home state forPresident. At a national convention, states often vote for theirfavorite sons first; then they change and vote for another man.
[straw poll] {n. phr.} An informal survey taken in order to get anopinion. The results of our straw poll show that most facultymembers prefer to teach between 9 and 11 A. M.
[pull one’s teeth] {v. phr.} To take power away from; makepowerless. The general pulled the teeth of the rebel army byblocking its ammunition supply line. The student governmentcouncil was so irresponsible that the principal pulled its teeth.
[speak of the devil and he appears] A person comes just when youare talking about him. — A proverb. We were just talking about Billwhen he came in the door. Speak of the devil and he appears.
[save the day] {v. phr.} To bring about victory or success, especially when defeat is likely. The forest fire was nearly out ofcontrol when suddenly it rained heavily and saved the day. Theteam was behind, but at the last minute Sam saved the day with atouchdown.
[from scratch] {adv. phr.}, {informal} With no help from anythingdone before; from the beginning; from nothing. Dick built a radiofrom scratch. In sewing class, Mary already knew how to sew alittle, but Jane had to start from scratch. Compare: FROM THE GROUNDUP.
[made of money] {adj. phr.} Very rich; wealthy. Mr. Jones buyshis children everything they want. He must be made of money. Compare:MONEY TO BURN.
[delta wave] {n.}, {informal}, {semi-technical} A brain wave 1-3 cycles per second, associated with very deep sleep. Good night, honey, I’m off to produce some delta waves. Compare: CATCH SOME Z’S, HIT THE HAY or HIT THE SACK.
[look bleak] {v.} To indicate misfortune; appear threatening orruinous. As prices dropped lower and lower, things looked bleak forHenry’s company. Many witnesses gave testimony against Jerry andhis case looked bleak. The future looked bleak when Father gothurt and could not work.
[not to give quarter] {v. phr.} 1. To be utterly unwilling to showmercy; not to allow a weaker or defeated party the chance to savethemselves through escape. The occupying foreign army gave noquarter — they took no prisoners, shot everyone, and made escapeimpossible. 2. To argue so forcefully during a negotiation or in acourt of … Читать далее
[man in the street] {n. phr.} The man who is just like most othermen; the average man; the ordinary man. The newspaper took a pollof the man in the street. Compare: JOE DOAKES, JOHN Q. PUBLIC.
[in case] {adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. In order to be prepared; as aprecaution; if there is need. — Usually used in the phrase «just incase». The bus is usually on time, but start early, just in case. The big dog was tied up, but John carried a stick, just in case. 2. [in case] or … Читать далее
[walking encyclopedia] {n. phr.} A polymath; a person very wellversed in a number of different disciplines. My uncle is averitable walking encyclopedia when it comes to the history of WorldWar II. Contrast: WALKING DICTIONARY.
[pay through the nose] {v. phr.}, {informal} To pay at a very highrate; pay too much. He had wanted experience, but this job seemedlike paying through the nose for it. There was a shortage of cars;if you found one for sale, you had to pay through the nose.
[leak to] {v. phr.} To purposely let a secret be known, as ifconveying it in the strictest confidence. The movie star’s secretdivorce was leaked to the tabloids by her housekeeper.
[run around in circles] {v. phr.} To waste time in repetitiousmovements; be confused. There was such a crowd in the lobby that Iran around in circles trying to find my group.
[shout from the housetops] or [shout from the rooftops] {v. phr.},{informal} To tell everyone; broadcast, especially one’s own personalbusiness. Mr. Clark was so happy when his son was born that heshouted the news from the housetops. When Mary bleached her hair, her neighbors shouted it from the housetops.
[eat high on the hog] or [eat high off the hog] {v. phr.} To eat or live well or elegantly. For the first few daysafter the check arrived, they ate high on the hog. Compare: IN CLOVERor IN THE CLOVER, ON EASY STREET.
[make good] {v. phr.} 1. To do what one promised to do; makesomething come true. Mr. Smith borrowed some money. He promised topay it back on payday. He made good his promise. Joe made good hisboast to swim across the lake. John’s mother promised to take himand his friends to the zoo on Saturday. She … Читать далее
Идиома: break a law / break the law Перевод: нарушать закон Пример: The young man broke the law when he drove his friend’s car without a proper license. Молодой человек нарушил закон, когда водил машину друга без разрешения на право вождения.
[lose one’s temper] {v. phr.} To lose control over one’s anger; toget angry. He lost his temper when he broke the key in the lock. Compare: BLOW A FUSE, FLY OFF THE HANDLE. Contrast: HOLD ONE’S TEMPER.
[all hours] {n. phr.}, {informal} Late or irregular times. The boy’s mother said he must stop coming home for meals at all hours. He stayed up till all hours of the night to finish his school work.
[run in the blood] or [run in the family] {v. phr.} To be a commonfamily characteristic; be learned or inherited from your family. Agreat interest in gardening runs in his family. Red hair runs inthe family.
Идиома: get something straight Перевод: ясно, четко, правильно понять что-либо Пример: I could not get what my friend was trying to tell me straight. Я не совсем понимал, что мой друг пытался мне сказать.
[have a hand in] {v. phr.} To have a part in or influence over; tobe partly responsible for. Sue’s schoolmates respect her and shehas a hand in every important decision made by the Student Council. Ben had a hand in getting ready the Senior play. Compare: FINGER INTHE PIE.
[miss the point] {v. phr.} To be unable to comprehend the essenceof what was meant. The student didn’t get a passing grade on theexam because, although he wrote three pages, he actually missed thepoint.
[stone’s throw] or [within a stone’s throw] {adv. phr.} Within avery short distance. They live across the street from us, justwithin a stone’s throw. See: HOP, SKIP AND A JUMP.
[get it] or [something in] or [into one’s head] {v. phr.} To becomepossessed of an idea; develop a fixed idea. Jack got it into hishead to become a marine and nothing we could say would make him changehis mind.
[head over heels] also [heels over head] 1a. In a somersault;upside down; head first. It was so dark Bob fell head over heelsinto a big hole in the ground. Compare: UPSIDE DOWN. 1b. In greatconfusion or disorder; hastily. The children all tried to come inthe door at once, head over heels. Compare: TOPSY-TURVY. 2.{informal} Completely; … Читать далее
[cut one’s throat] {v. phr.}, {informal} To spoil one’s chances; ruin a person. He cut his own throat by his carelessness. The younger men in the company were cutting each other’s throats in their eagerness to win success. John cut Freddie’s throat with Mary by telling her lies.
[nail down] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make certain; make sure;settle. Joe had a hard time selling his car, but he finally nailedthe sale down when he got his friend Sam to give him $300. The NewYork Yankees nailed down the American League Championship when theybeat the Red Sox 3 to 0 on September 15.
[catch some rays] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To get tanned while sunbathing. Tomorrow I’ll go to the beach and try to catch some rays.
Идиома: vim and vigor Перевод: энергичность и энтузиазм Пример: Our great aunt is always full of vim and vigor when we see her. Наша тетя всегда полна энергии и энтузиазма, когда мы с ней видимся.
[bring home] {v.} To show clearly; emphasize; make realize; demonstrate. The accident caused a death in his family, and it brought home to him the evil of drinking while driving. A parent or teacher should bring home to children the value and pleasure of reading.
[do one good] or [do one’s heart good] {v. phr.} To give satisfaction; please; gratify. It does my heart good to see those children play.
[track] See: COVER ONE’S TRACKS, IN ONE’S TRACKS, INSIDE TRACK, JUMP THE TRACK, KEEP TRACK, LOSE TRACK, MAKE TRACKS, OFF THE BEATENTRACK, ON THE TRACK OF, THE TRACKS.
[girl Friday] {n.} A very dependable and helpful female officeworker; especially a secretary. Miss Johnson is the manager’s girlFriday. There was an advertisement in the newspaper for a girlFriday.
[sink or swim] {v. phr.} To succeed or fail by your own efforts, without help or interference from anyone else; fail if you don’t workhard to succeed. When Joe was fourteen, his parents died, and hewas left by himself to sink or swim. Tom’s new job was confusingand no one had time to help him … Читать далее
[in bad form] {adv. phr.} Violating social custom or acceptedbehavior. When Bob went to the opera in blue jeans and without atie, his father-in-law told him that it was in bad form. Contrast: INGOOD FORM.
[sit by] {v.} 1. To stay near; watch and care for. The nurse wastold to sit by the patient until he woke up. Mother sat by hersick baby all night. 2. To sit and watch or rest especially whileothers work. Don’t just sit idly by while the other children areall busy.
[out of action] {adv. phr.} Useless; crippled; damaged so as to bequiescent. American bombers put Nazi heavy industry out of actionduring World War II. When I broke my leg I was out of action forthe entire football season.
Идиома: to top it all Перевод: самое худшее, хуже всего (используется при описании какой-либо плохой ситуации для завершения описания, и чтобы показать, что то, что будет сказано далее, было хуже всего остального) Пример: The washing machine flooded, my car broke down, then to top it all I locked myself out of the house. Стиральная машина … Читать далее
Идиома: (not) in so many words Перевод: (не) совсем верно, (не) вполне так, (не) подробно Пример: My teacher told me about the problems in our class but not in so many words. Мой учитель рассказал мне о проблемах в нашем классе, но не очень подробно.
[take for granted] {v. phr.} 1. To suppose or understand to betrue. Mr. Harper took for granted that the invitation included hiswife. A teacher cannot take it for granted that students always dotheir homework. Compare: BEG THE QUESTION. 2. To accept or becomeused to without noticing especially or saying anything. George took for granted all … Читать далее