Английские идиомы

[with might and main] {adv. phr.} With full strength or completeeffort. The sailors pulled the rope with might and main. Johntried with all his might and main to solve the problem.

[out of line ] {adv. phr.} Not in a straight line; away from atrue line. The two edges were out of line and there was a spacebetween them. The sergeant ordered the soldier who was out of lineto get properly lined up.

[at once] {adv. phr.} 1. Without delay; right now or right then; immediately. Put a burning match next to a piece of paper and it will begin burning at once. Mother called the children to lunch, and Paul came at once, but Brenda stayed in the sand pile a little longer. Syn.: RIGHT AWAY or … Читать далее

[shore up] {v.} To add support to where weakness isshown; make stronger where support is needed; support. When the flood waters weakened the bridge, it was shored up withsteel beams and sandbags until it could be rebuilt. The coach sentin a substitute guard to shore up the line when Fitchburg began tobreak through.

[speak for] {v.} 1. To speak in favor of or in support of. Atthe meeting John spoke for the change in the rules. The othergirls made jokes about Jane, but Mary spoke for her. 2. To make arequest for; to ask for. The teacher was giving away some books. Fred and Charlie spoke for the … Читать далее

Идиома: lose weight Перевод: терять вес, худеть Пример: I want to lose weight so I have stopped eating sweets. Я хочу похудеть, поэтому я перестал есть сладкое.

[mind] See: CROSS ONE’S MIND or PASS THROUGH ONE’S MIND, GIVE APIECE OF ONE’S MIND, HALF A MIND, IN MIND, IN ONE’S MIND’S EYE, MAKEUP ONE’S MIND, NEVER MIND, ON ONE’S MIND, OUT OF ONE’S HEAD or OUT OFONE’S MIND, PUT IN MIND OF, READ ONE’S MIND.

[band together] {v. phr.} To join a group to exert united force. The inhabitants of the ecologically threatened area banded together to stop the company from building new smokestacks.

[chicken feed] {n.}, {slang} A very small sum of money. John and Bill worked very hard, but they were only paid chicken feed. Mr. Jones is so rich be thinks a thousand dollars is chicken feed.

Идиома: break a leg! Перевод: желаю удачи! ни пуха ни пера! (обычно желают актеру перед выходом на сцену) Пример: «Break a leg!» the director called to the lead actor. «Ни пуха ни пера!», крикнул режиссер ведущему актеру.

[in poor shape] {adv. phr.} In a bad condition. Most of thestreets of Chicago are in poor shape due to the heavy snow and frostduring the winters.

[crow before one is out of the woods] {v. phr.} To be glad or brag before you are safe from danger or trouble. — Usually used in negative sentences, often as a proverb, «Don’t crow before you are out of the woods.» John thought his team would win because the game was almost over, but … Читать далее

[beat all hollow] also [beat hollow] {v. phr.}, {slang} To do much better than; to beat very badly. We beat their team all hollow. As a speaker, he beats us all hollow.

[hole in one] {n. phr.} A shot in golf that is hit from the tee andgoes right into the cup. Many golfers play for years before theyget a hole in one.

[out of commission] {adj. phr.} 1. Retired from active militaryservice; no longer on active duty. When the war was over, manywarships were placed out of commission. Contrast: IN COMMISSION.2. Not in use or not working; so that it cannot work or be used. The strike put the airline out of commission for a week. Johnwill … Читать далее

[buttonhole] {v.} To approach a person in order to speak with him or her in private. After waiting for several hours, Sam managed to buttonhole his boss just as she was about to leave the building.

Идиома: in due course Перевод: своевременно, в свое время Пример: We will send the information to you in due course. Мы своевременно отправим вам эту информацию.

Идиома: as opposed to something Перевод: по сравнению с чем-либо, в противоположность чему-либо Пример: I like pro basketball, as opposed to the college game. Мне больше нравится профессиональный баскетбол, по сравнению с матчами между колледжами.

[in the dark] {adj. phr.} 1. In ignorance; without information. John was in the dark about the job he was being sent to. If thegovernment controls the news, it can keep people in the dark on anytopic it chooses. Mary had a letter from Sue yesterday, but shewas left in the dark about Sue’s plans … Читать далее

[show the door] {v. phr.} To ask to go away. Ruth wasupsetting the other children, so I showed her the door. Ourneighbors invited themselves to the party and stayed until Harryshowed them the door.

[out of fashion] {adj. phr.} Having passed from vogue; out of thecurrent mode. The miniskirt is now out of fashion in most quarters, but it may very well come back some day.

[slow up] {v.} 1. To go more slowly. The truck slowed up as itapproached the toll gate. Construction on the road slows uptraffic. 2. To become less busy. Business slows up at the storesafter Christmas.

Идиома: at the eleventh hour Перевод: в самый последний момент Пример: The company and the union settled the strike at the eleventh hour. Компания и союз урегулировали стачку в самый последний момент.

Идиома: not born yesterday Перевод: не вчера родиться; понимать, как устроен мир Пример: I was not born yesterday and I do not believe what the woman is saying. Я не вчера родился, и я не верю тому, что говорит эта женщина.

Идиома: out of a clear (blue) sky Идиома: out of a clear (blue) sky Перевод: неожиданно, внезапно; словно из ниоткуда Пример: The boy asked his girlfriend, out of a clear blue sky, to get married. Парень внезапно попросил девушку выйти за него замуж.

Идиома: close one’s eyes to something Перевод: закрывать глаза на что-либо; не обращать внимания, игнорировать что-либо Пример: The teacher closed her eyes to the misbehavior of the students. Учительница закрывала глаза на плохое поведение учеников.

[line one’s pockets] also [line one’s purse] {v. phr.}, {informal}To get a lot of money unfairly; get rich by being dishonest. Thepoliceman lined his pockets by taking bribes. The inspector linedhis pockets by permitting contractors to use poor building materials. Compare: FEATHER ONE’S NEST.

[as well] {adv. phr.} 1. In addition; also, too; besides. The book tells about Mark Twain’s writings and about his life as well. Tom is captain of the football team and is on the baseball team as well. 2. Without loss and possibly with gain. After the dog ran away, Father thought he might as … Читать далее

[look as if one has come out of a bandbox] {v. phr.}, {informal} Tolook very clean and fresh; look as if you had just had a bath and puton all-new clothing. In spite of the long, hot train ride, Jodyarrived looking as if she had come out of a bandbox. After a dayat the rodeo … Читать далее

[lay of the land] also [how the land lies] {n. phr.} 1. The naturalfeatures of a piece of land, such as hills and valleys. The styleof house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land. 2. The way something is arranged; the important facts about something;how things are. The banker wanted to … Читать далее

[darken one’s door] or [darken the door] To appear, as in a doorway; enter someone’s home or establishment. — Used in negative imperative sentences especially with «never» and «again». If you leave this house now, never darken my door again. After a son shamed his father by having to go to prison, the father told … Читать далее

[bird watcher] {n.} A person whose hobby is to study birds close-up in their outdoor home. A bird watcher looks for the first robin to appear in the spring.

[flying visit] {n. phr.} A visit of very short duration. Tomcame to New York for only a flying visit. We had hardly eaten lunchwhen he had to leave.

Идиома: hitch a ride / thumb a ride Перевод: попросить бесплатно подвезти, довезти (обычно употребляется по отношению к автостопу) Пример: I’ve got no car, can I hitch a rice home with you? У меня нет машины, можешь довезти меня домой?

Идиома: make a long story short Перевод: короче говоря; укоротить историю, рассказ, опустив некоторые детали Пример: I had to make a long story short in order to finish my story and leave to catch my train home. Мне пришлось опустить некоторые детали своего рассказа, чтобы закончить его и успеть на свой поезд.

[tough cookie] {n. phr.} An extremely determined, hardheadedperson, or someone with whom it is unusually difficult to deal. Marjorie is a very pretty girl, but when it comes to business shesure is one tough cookie.

[run the gauntlet] also [gantlet] {v. phr.} 1. To be made to runbetween two lines of people facing each other and be hit by them withclubs or other weapons. Joe had to run the gauntlet as part of hisinitiation into the club. 2. To face a hard test; bear a painfulexperience. Ginny had to run … Читать далее

Идиома: for kicks Идиома: for kicks разг. Перевод: для забавы, ради развлечения Пример: «What do you do for kicks?» «I play computer games.» Что ты делаешь ради развлечения? — Я играю в компьютерные игры.

[cool one’s heels] {v. phr.}, {slang} To be kept waiting by another’s pride or rudeness; be forced to wait by someone in power or authority; wait. He cooled his heels for an hour in another room before the great man would see him. I was left to cool my heels outside while the others went … Читать далее

Идиома: hem and haw Перевод: избегать прямого ответа, говорить уклончиво, колебаться Пример: Ronald hemmed and hawed when I asked him if he knew where the missing money was. Рональд начал мяться, когда я спросил его, не знает ли он, куда пропали деньги.

[catch cold] {v. phr.} 1. or [take cold] To get a common cold-weather sickness that causes a running nose, sneezing, and sometimes sore throat and fever or other symptoms. Don’t get your feet wet or you’ll catch cold. 2. {informal} To catch unprepared or not ready for a question or unexpected happening. I had not … Читать далее

Идиома: out of the woods Идиома: out of the woods разг. Перевод: выйти из трудной ситуации, из затруднительного положения Пример: It is true that the economy is getting stronger, but we are not out of the woods yet. Экономика, действительно, улучшается, но трудности еще не закончились.

[head] See: ACID HEAD, BEAT INTO ONE’S HEAD, BEAT ONE’S HEADAGAINST A WALL, BIG HEAD, COUNT HEADS, EYES IN THE BACK OF ONE’S HEAD, FROM HEAD TO FOOT, GET THROUGH ONE’S HEAD, GOOD HEAD ON ONE’SSHOULDERS, GO TO ONE’S HEAD, HANG ONE’S HEAD, HAVE ONE’S HEAD IN THESAND, HAVE ROCKS IN ONE’S HEAD, HEAP COALS … Читать далее

[give thought to] {v. phr.} To consider; think about. Have yougiven any thought to the question of how to sell Grandpa’s old house? Contrast: GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT.

Идиома: drag one’s feet / drag one’s heels Перевод: медлить, тянуть время; делать что-либо преднамеренно медленно, делать что-либо с неохотой Пример: The man is dragging his heels about whether or not to take the job. Человек не торопится с принятием этой работы.

Идиома: nip something in the bud Перевод: подавить что-либо в зародыше, пресечь в корне; остановить что-либо в самом начале Пример: If the students plan a revolt, we’ll nip it in the bud. Если студенты задумают протестовать, мы пресечем протест в самом начале.

[beat one’s gums] {v. phr.}, {slang} To engage in idle talk, or meaningless chatter; generally to talk too much. «Stop beating your gums, Jack,» Joe cried. «I am falling asleep.» Compare: CHEW THE FAT or CHEW THE RAG, SHOOT THE BREEZE or BAT THE BREEZE or FAN THE BREEZE or SHOOT THE BULL.

Идиома: ahead of one’s time Перевод: идеи, мысли, позиция, которые более передовые, в отличие от идей, мыслей других Пример: The ideas of the politician were ahead of his time. Идеи политика были передовыми. Идиома: ahead of time Перевод: раньше, чем планировалось Пример: We started the meeting ahead of time so that we could go home … Читать далее

[edge in] {v.} To move slowly; get in quietly, especially with somedifficulty, by force or without a big enough opening. People hadcrowded around the senator, but Don succeeded in edging in. Harryedged the book in on the shelf.

Идиома: worth its weight in gold Перевод: ценящийся на вес золота Пример: The advice of my supervisor is always worth its weight in gold. Я всегда ценю советы моего менеджера на вес золота. Идиома: worth one’s / its weight in gold Перевод: ценящийся на вес золота Пример: The advice of my supervisor is worth its … Читать далее