[steer clear of] {v.} 1. To steer a safe distance from; go aroundwithout touching. A ship steers clear of a rocky shore in stormyweather. 2. {informal} To stay away from; keep from going near. Fred was angry at Bill, and Bill was steering clear of him. Somewords Martha always spells wrong. She tries to steer … Читать далее
[blow up in one’s face] {v. phr.}, {informal} To fail completely and with unexpected force. The thief’s plan to rob the bank blew up in his face when a policeman stopped him.
Идиома: cast one’s vote Перевод: голосовать Пример: We arrived early to cast our vote in the election. Мы прибыли пораньше, чтобы проголосовать на выборах.
Идиома: in any case / in any event Перевод: в любом случае; как бы то ни было Пример: I may not be able to meet you next week but in any case I will still give you the books before then. Может быть, я не смогу встретиться с тобой на следующей неделе, но в любом … Читать далее
Идиома: cast aspersions on someone Перевод: оклеветать кого-либо; говорить обидные вещи про кого-либо Пример: The woman is always casting aspersions on her colleagues at work. Эта женщина всегда говорит нехорошие вещи про своих сослуживцев.
[go over] {v.} 1. To examine; think about or look at carefully. The teacher went over the list and picked John’s name. The policewent over the gun for fingerprints. 2. To repeat; do again. Don’tmake me go all over it again. We painted the house once, then wewent over it again. 3. To read again; … Читать далее
[wheelhorse] {n. phr.} A reliable and industrious worker on whomone may depend. Jake is such a good worker that he is thewheelhorse of our tiny firm.
[in the middle of nowhere] {adv. phr.} In a deserted, farawayplace. When my car stopped on the highway in the middle of nowhere, it took forever to get help.
[bow and scrape] {v.} To be too polite or obedient from fear or hope of gain; act like a slave. The old servant bowed and scraped before them, too obedient and eager to please.
[up and at them] 1. {adv. phr.} Actively engaged in a task as ifdoing combat. «You want to know whether he will make a diligentworker?» Dick asked. «Well, I can tell you that most of the time he isup and at them like no one else I know.» 2. {v. phr.} To becomeaggressively engaged in … Читать далее
Идиома: get down to business Перевод: перейти к делу Пример: When the meeting began everybody got down to business and began to discuss the important issues. Когда началось собрание все перешли к делу и начали обсуждать важные вопросы.
[close ranks] {v. phr.} 1. To come close together in a line especially for fighting. The soldiers closed ranks and kept the enemy away from the bridge. 2. To stop quarreling and work together; unite and fight together. The Democrats and Republicans closed ranks to win the war. The leader asked the people to close … Читать далее
[loaded for bear] {adj. phr.}, {slang} Ready for action; preparedand eager. Frank liked the new merchandise and as he set out on hisrounds as a salesman, he felt really loaded for bear. The footballteam arrived Friday noon, loaded for bear.
[under one’s own steam] {adv. phr.}, {informal} By one’s ownefforts; without help. The boys got to Boston under their own steamand took a bus the rest of the way. We didn’t think he could doit, but Bobby finished his homework under his own steam.
[hot under the collar] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Angry. Mary getshot under the collar if you joke about women drivers. Tom got hotunder the collar when his teacher punished him.
[serve one right] {v. phr.} To be what really deserves asa punishment; be a fair exchange for what has done or saidor failed to do or say. He failed his exam; it served him rightbecause he had not studied. Bob said it served Sally right whenshe cut her finger; she had taken his knife without … Читать далее
[make much of] {v. phr.} To make something seem of more worth orimportance than it really is; praise. Visitors made much of the newcollie. The boy made much of the hard things of his mountainclimb. Contrast: MAKE LIGHT OF, MAKE LITTLE OF.
[get down to] {v.}, {informal} To get started on, being on. Joewasted a lot of time before he got down to work. Let’s get down towork. Compare: GET AT, GET GOING, GET TO.
[good and —] {adv.}, {informal} Very; completely. John’sfather was good and mad when John came home late. Jack knew goodand well that Tom had thrown the snowball at him. I pushed Billgood and hard. Susan wouldn’t come out till she was good andready. I beat Joe good and proper in the game of marbles.
Идиома: once in a blue moon Перевод: очень редко, почти никогда; раз в год по обещанию Пример: I only go to that restaurant once in a blue moon. Я очень редко хожу в этот ресторан. «Have you heard from Paul?» «Once in a blue moon he calls, maybe once a year.» С тобой связывался Пол? … Читать далее
[make for] {v.} To go toward; start in the direction of. Thechildren took their ice skates and made for the frozen pond. Thebee got his load of pollen and made for the hive.
[paint oneself into a corner] {v. phr.} To get oneself into a badsituation that is difficult or impossible to get out of. Bypromising to both lower taxes and raise the defense budget, thepresident has painted himself into a corner.
[bet on the wrong horse] {v. phr,}, {informal} To base your plans on a wrong guess about the result of something; misread the future; misjudge a coming event. To count on the small family farm as an important thing in the American future now looks like betting on the wrong horse. He expected Bush to … Читать далее
[happy hunting ground] {n. phr.} 1. The place where, in AmericanIndian belief, a person goes after death; heaven. The Indiansbelieved that at death they went to the happy hunting ground. 2.{informal} A place or area where you can find a rich variety of whatyou want, and plenty of it. The forest is a happy hunting … Читать далее
[blow in] {v.}, {slang} To arrive unexpectedly or in a carefree way. The house was already full of guests when Bill blew in. Compare SHOW UP.
[single out] {v. phr.} To select or choose one from among many. There were a lot of pretty girls at the high school prom but Donimmediately singled out Sally.
[weather the storm] {v. phr.} To survive some disaster. WhenPeter and Sue started their business they had very little money, butin a year they weathered the storm.
[see one’s way clear] {v. phr.} To know no reason for not doingsomething; feel that you are free. John finally saw his way clearto help his friends. Mary had to do her homework and help hermother before she could see her way clear to go to the movies withJane.
[take apart] {v. phr.} To dismantle; disassemble. Boys liketaking radios and watches apart, but they seldom know how to put themback together again.
[do tell] {interj.}, {informal} An inelegant expression used to show that you are a little surprised by what you hear. «You say George is going to get married after all these years? Do tell!» said Mrs. Green. Syn.: YOU DON’T SAY.
[C. E. O.] {n.} Abbreviation of «Chief Executive Officer.» The head of a company, factory, firm, etc. We are very proud of the fact that our C. E. O. is a young woman.
[chicken out] {v. phr.}, {informal} To stop doing something because of fear; to decide not to do something after all even though previously having decided to try it. I used to ride a motorcycle on the highway, but I’ve chickened out. I decided to take flying lessons but just before they started I chickened out.
[whipping boy] {n. phr.} The person who gets punished for someoneelse’s mistake. «I used to be the whipping boy during my early daysat the company,» he musingly remembered.
[as best one can] {adv. phr.} As well as you can; by whatever means are available; in the best way you can. The car broke down in the middle of the night, and he had to get home as best he could. George’s foot hurt, but he played the game as best he could. The … Читать далее
[take the law into one’s own hands] {v. phr.} To protect one’ssupposed rights or punish a suspected wrongdoer without reference to acourt. — An overused expression. When the men of the settlementcaught the suspected murderer, they took the law into their own handsand hanged him to a tree. His farm was going to be sold … Читать далее
[black out] {v.} 1. To darken by putting out or dimming lights, In some plays the stage is blacked out for a short time and the actors speak in darkness. In wartime, cities are blacked out to protect against bombing from planes. 2. To prevent or silence information or communication; refuse to give out truthful … Читать далее
[eat away] {v.} 1. To rot, rust, or destroy. Rust was eatingaway the pipe. Cancer ate away the healthy flesh. See: EATOUT. 2. To gradually consume. The ocean waves were graduallyeating the volcanic rocks until they turned into black sand.
[cross up] {v.}, {informal} 1. To block or upset; throw into confusion or disorder. We were going to catch him at the gate, but he crossed us up by going in the back way. Father crossed up the surprise party we had planned for him by not getting back in time. 2. To deceive or … Читать далее
[shoulder] See: CHIP ON ONE’S SHOULDER, COLD SHOULDER, GOOD HEAD ONONE’S SHOULDERS, HEAD AND SHOULDERS, PUT ONE’S SHOULDER TO THE WHEEL, ON ONE’S SHOULDERS, RUB ELBOWS or RUB SHOULDERS, SQUARE ONE’SSHOULDERS, WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON ONE’S SHOULDERS.
[hand over] {v.} To give control or possession of; give to another person. When the teacher saw Johnny reading a comic bookin study period, she made him hand over the book. When Mr. Jonesgets old, he will hand over his business to his son. Syn.: FORK OVER, GIVE UP, TURN OVER.
[play safe] or [play it safe] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be verycareful; accept small gains or none to avoid loss; avoid danger forthe sake of safety. He got tired as the game went on, and began toplay safe. Tom didn’t know what the other driver would do, so heplayed it safe and stopped his own … Читать далее
[enjoy oneself] {v. phr.} To have a good time; be happy; feelpleasure. Mary enjoyed herself at the party. «Enjoy yourselves, children,» Mother urged the guests at our party.
[stem the tide] {v. phr.} To resist; hold back something of greatpressure or strength. The way to stem the tide of juveniledelinquency is to strengthen education and to pass a stiff gun controllaw.
[flower power] {n.}, {slang} The supposed power of love andnonviolence as intended to be used by members of the anti-culture tochange American society. The young people were marching for flowerpower.
Идиома: cut no ice (with someone) Перевод: не производить никакого эффекта, никак не повлиять на кого-либо, не иметь значения для кого-либо Пример: The girl’s excuses cut no ice with her teacher or the principal. Оправдания девушки не произвели никакого эффекта на ее учителя или директора.
[hang on] {v.} 1. To hold on to something, usually tightly. Jackalmost fell off the cliff, but managed to hang on until help came. Syn.: HOLD ON. 2a. To continue doing something; persist. Thegrocer was losing money every day, but he hung on, hoping thatbusiness would improve. Compare: HOLD OUT, STICK OUT. 2b. To hold … Читать далее
[subject to] {adj. phr.} 1. Under the government or control of; inthe power of. The English colonies in America were subject to theEnglish king. The principal and the teachers of a school aresubject to the school board. 2. Likely to get or have; liable. John is in rather poor health and is subject to colds. … Читать далее
[shoot from the hip] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To fire a gun held atthe hip without aiming by aligning the barrel with one’s eye. Inmany Western movies the heroic sheriff defeats the villains byshooting from the hip. 2. To speak sincerely, frankly, and withoutsubterfuge. «What kind of an administrator will Mr. Brown be?» thehead of … Читать далее
[keep one’s shirt on] {v. phr.}, {slang} To calm down; keep fromlosing your temper or getting impatient or excited. Bob got veryangry when John accidentally bumped into him, but John told him tokeep his shirt on. — Usually used as a command; may be consideredimpolite. John said to Bob, «Keep your shirt on.» Contrast: GETONE’S … Читать далее
[high-class] {adj.} Of the best quality; very good; superior. — Avoided by many careful speakers. When Mr. Brown got a raise inpay, Mrs. Brown started to look for a high-class apartment. Mrs. Smith always gets her clothing at high-class shops. Mr. Jonesalways gets his office workers from Burns Agency because they havehigh-class help. Compare: FIRST-CLASS.