Английские идиомы

[gut reaction] {n. phr.} A mental or physical response that springsfrom one’s depths. My gut reaction was to get out of here as fastas possible.

[foot in the door] {n. phr.}, {informal} The first step towardgetting or doing something; a start toward success; opening. Don’tlet Jane get her foot in the door by joining the club or soon she’llwant to be president.

Идиома: keep pace (with someone or something) Перевод: не отставать, идти в ногу с кем-либо или чем-либо Пример: It is difficult to keep pace with the other students but somehow I manage. Трудно не отставать от других учеников, но у меня это как-то получается.

Идиома: in one’s shoes Перевод: на чьем-либо месте, на месте кого-либо Пример: I wish that I was in his shoes with his great job and new car. Хотел бы я оказаться на его месте с его отличной работой и новой машиной.

Идиома: have a good command of something Перевод: хорошо знать что-либо, хорошо владеть чем-либо Пример: The girls have a good command of French. У этих девушек хорошее знание французского.

[raise eyebrows] {v. phr.} To shock people; cause surprise ordisapproval. The news that the princess was engaged to a commonerraised eyebrows all over the kingdom.

[behind time] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1a. Behind the correct time; slow. That clock is behind time. 1b. Behind schedule; late. The train is running behind time today. 2. Not keeping up; not at the proper time; overdue. Your lessons are good, but why are you behind time? We are behind time in paying the … Читать далее

[soft touch] {n.} A person with a sympathetic disposition from whomit is easy to get help, primarily money. My Uncle Herb is a softtouch; whenever I’m in need I ask him for a quick twenty bucks.

Идиома: take someone or something seriously Перевод: относиться к кому-либо или чему-либо серьезно Пример: The principal did not take the suggestion of the teacher seriously. Директор несерьезно отнесся к предложению учителя.

[running start] {n. phr.} Good progress at the beginning. Theteam was off to a running start, having won the first two games. Contributions of $5000 before the drive began gave the charity fund arunning start. Compare: HEAD START.

[chisel] or [muscle in on] {v. phr.} To illegitimately and forcefully intrude into someone’s traditional sales or professional arena of operation. Tim has a good sales territory, but he is always afraid that someone might chisel in on it. Las Vegas casino owners are concerned that the Mafia might muscle in on their territory.

Идиома: without so much as Перевод: даже не (сделав что-либо) Пример: Julie borrowed Ian’s car without so much as asking his permission. Джули взяла машину Иана, даже не спросив его разрешения.

Идиома: all in one piece Перевод: благополучно, без ущерба, без повреждений Пример: Our furniture arrived all in one piece after we moved. После нашего переезда наша мебель прибыла без повреждений.

[countdown] {n.}. {Space English}, {informal} 1. A step-by-step process which leads to the launching of a rocket. Countdown starts at 23:00 hours tomorrow night and continues for 24 hours. 2. Process of counting inversely during the acts leading to a launch; liftoff occurs at zero. 3. The time immediately preceding an important undertaking, borrowed from … Читать далее

[pay up] {v.} To pay in full; pay the amount of; pay what is owed. The monthly installments on the car were paid up. He pays hisdues up promptly. He gets behind when he is out of work but alwayspays up when he is working again.

[sound off] {v.} 1. To say your name or count «One! Two! Three! Four!» as you march. — Used as orders in U. S. military service. «Sound off!» said the sergeant, and the soldiers shouted, «One! Two! Three! Four!» with each step as they marched. 2. {informal} To tellwhat you know or think in a … Читать далее

[fresh from] {adj.} Recently returned from; experienced in. Tomwas fresh from two years in Paris and was very condescending inmatters pertaining to cuisine and wines.

Идиома: sling / throw mud at someone Перевод: поливать грязью, оскорблять Пример: Companies should think carefully before slinging mud at someone who may respond with a libel action costing millions of dollars. Компаниям следует хорошенько подумать, перед тем, как поливать грязью тех, кто может ответить на их клевету, что будет стоить им миллионы долларов.

[sand-lot] {adj.} Of the kind seen on sand lots; not professional. The professional football team was so confused by their opponents’fast play that they acted like a bunch of sand-lot amateurs.

[road test] {n.} 1. A test to see if you can drive a car. Jimtook the road test and got his driver’s license last week. 2. A testto see if a car works all right on the road. Most new cars aregiven road tests before they are put on the market. After herepaired the car, … Читать далее

[hard up] {adj.}, {informal} Without enough money or some otherneeded thing. Dick was hard up and asked Lou to lend him a dollar. The campers were hard up for water because their well had run dry. Compare: UP AGAINST IT.

Идиома: as far as I know Перевод: насколько мне известно, насколько я знаю Пример: As far as I know the movie will start next week. Насколько мне известно, фильм начнется на следующей неделе.

[jailbird] {n.}, {informal} A convict; someone who is in jail orhas been recently released from prison. Because Harry was ajailbird, it was understandably hard for him to find a job after beingimprisoned.

[get down to business] or [work] {v. phr.} To start being serious;begin to face a problem to be solved, or a task to be accomplished. Gentlemen, I’m afraid the party is over and we must get down tobusiness.

[life of the party] {n. phr.} A person who makes things enjoyableor interesting for a group of people. Bill is the life of the partyat school. He is always making us laugh.

[heave in sight] {v. phr.} To seem to rise above the horizon at seaand come into sight; come into view; become visible. — Usually used ofships. A ship hove in sight many miles away on the horizon.

[mail order] {n. phr.} A purchase made by mail. If you don’thave a chance to go to a store, you can sometimes make a purchase bymail order.

[up to the last minute] {adv. phr.} Until the last possible moment;until the very end. When I try to send in an important eyewitnessreport from the scene of a major accident, I must keep working up tothe last minute. Compare: TO THE BITTER END, UNDER THE WIRE.

[talk back] also [answer back] {v.} {informal} To answer rudely;reply in a disrespectful way; be fresh. When the teacher told theboy to sit down, he talked back to her and said she couldn’t makehim. Mary talked back when her mother told her to stop watchingtelevision; she said, «I don’t have to if I don’t want … Читать далее

[dead as a doornail] {adj. phr.} Completely dead without the slightest hope of resuscitation. This battery is dead as a doornail; no wonder your car won’t start.

[hit the bull’s-eye] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go to the importantpart of the matter; reach the main question. John hit thebull’s-eye when he said the big question was one of simple honesty.

Идиома: until the cows come home Идиома: until the cows come home разг. Перевод: допоздна, до бесконечности, до конца Пример: It is my birthday today so I plan to stay out and party until the cows come home. Сегодня мой день рождения, поэтому я собираюсь гулять и праздновать допоздна.

[heart in one’s mouth] or [heart in one’s boots] A feeling of greatfear or nervousness. — Often considered trite. Charles got up tomake his first speech with his heart in his mouth. My heart was inmy mouth as I went into the haunted house. When the bear came outof the woods towards us, our hearts … Читать далее

Идиома: raise Cain Перевод: поднять переполох, устроить много шума, устроить скандал Пример: The boys began to raise Cain at the dance and were asked to leave. Мальчики начали сильно шуметь на танцах, и их попросили уйти.

Идиома: the glass ceiling Перевод: барьер при продвижении по службе (чаще всего из-за дискриминации, по отношению к женщинам и меньшинствам) Пример: She shattered the glass ceiling for female producers when she became the company’s executive producer. Она преодолела ограничивающий барьер, существующий для женщин-продюсеров, когда стала исполнительным продюсером компании.

[on foot] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. By walking. Sally’s bicyclebroke and she had to return home on foot. 2. Being planned. Thereporter said that a civil rights demonstration was on foot. Planshave been set on foot for a party for Miss Jackson, because she isretiring.

[boss one around] {v. phr.} To keep giving someone orders; to act overbearingly toward someone. «If you keep bossing me around, darling,» Tom said to Jane, «the days of our relationship are surely numbered.»

[beauty sleep] {n.} A nap or rest taken to improve the appearance. She took her beauty sleep before the party. Many famous beauties take a beauty sleep every day.

[as if] or [as though] {conj.} 1. As would if; in the same way one would if seeing to show. The baby laughed as if he understood what Mother said. The book looked as though it had been out in the rain. The waves dashed on the rocks as if in anger. 2. That. It … Читать далее

Идиома: have something in common with someone or something Перевод: иметь что-либо общее с кем-либо или чем-либо Пример: I have much in common with a girl in my class. У меня много общего с одной девочкой в нашем классе.

[many a] {adj.} Many — Used with a singularnoun. Many a boy learns to swim before he can read. I havespent many a day in his home.

[with the best] or [with the best of them] {adv. phr.} As well asanyone. Bob could horseback ride with the best of them, but henever boasted about it. John can bowl with the best of them.

[skin] See: BY THE SKIN OF ONE’S TEETH, GET UNDER ONE’S SKIN, JUMPOUT OF ONE’S SKIN, KEEP ONE’S EYES PEELED or KEEP ONE’S EYES SKINNED, SAVE ONE’S NECK or SAVE ONE’S SKIN, WITH A WHOLE SKIN or IN A WHOLESKIN.

[hand] See: AT HAND, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH, BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS ONE, CLEAN HANDS, DIRTY ONE’S HANDS, EAT OUTOF ONE’S HAND, FORCE ONE’S HAND, FREE HAND, FROM HAND TO HAND, GLADHAND, HAM-HANDED, HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE’S HANDS, HAT INHAND, HAVE A HAND IN, HAVE … Читать далее

[put to rights] or [set to rights] {v. phr.}, {informal} To put ingood order; clean up. It took the company a long time to put theoffice to rights after the fire. It took Mrs. Smith an hour to setthe room to rights after the party.

[have qualms about] {v. phr.} To feel uneasy about; hesitate aboutsomething. Mike had no qualms in telling Sue that he was no longerin love with her.

Идиома: in one’s opinion Перевод: по чьему-либо мнению Пример: In my opinion, my aunt is the best cook in the world. Мо моему мнению, моя тетя готовит лучше всех в мире.

Идиома: shoot straight Перевод: вести честную игру, поступать порядочно, справедливо Пример: The salesman always shoots straight when he is dealing with his customers. Этот продавец все поступает порядочно, когда работает со своими клиентами.

[Christmas club] {n.} A plan for putting money in the bank to be saved for Christmas shopping. John deposits $10 each week in the Christmas club. The woman will get her Christmas club money on December 10.

Идиома: a copycat Перевод: подражатель; кто-либо, кто подражает, имитирует действия, поступки других Пример: The little boy was accused of being a copycat by the other children. Дети обвинили маленького мальчика в том, что он подражает им.