Английские идиомы

[first and foremost] {adv. phr.} As the most important thing;first. First and foremost they needed food. I want you toremember to pay that bill first and foremost. First and foremost, we must keep America free.

Идиома: get a dirty look (from someone) Перевод: получить от кого-либо неприязненный, неодобрительный взгляд Пример: I got a dirty look from the man who was sitting next to my crying child. Мужчина, который сидел рядом с моим ребенком, когда тот плакал, взглянул на меня с неодобрением.

Идиома: first and foremost Перевод: первое и самое важное Пример: First and foremost we need a new computer for our office. Первое и самое важное, нам нужен новый компьютер для нашего офиса.

[nose in ] or [nose into ] {informal} Prying or pesteringinterest in; unwelcome interest in; impolite curiosity. He alwayshad his nose in other people’s business. Contrast: NOSE OUT OF.

Идиома: all talk (and no action) Перевод: пустые разговоры; говорить о том, чтобы сделать что-либо, но так и не делать этого Пример: Our boss is all talk and no action and nothing new is ever done in our department. Наш начальник постоянно ведет пустые разговоры, и в нашем отделении никогда не делается ничего нового.

[stuffed shirt] {n. phr.} A pretentious bore; a pompous, emptyperson. I think that Howard is a terrible stuffed shirt with nosense of humor.

[to a degree] {adv. phr.} 1. {Chiefly British} Very; to a largeextent. In some things I am ignorant to a degree. 2. Somewhat;slightly; in a small way; rather. His anger was, to a degree, aconfession of defeat. To a degree, Mary was to blame for Bob’sfailing mathematics, because he spent much time with her when … Читать далее

[free and easy] {adj.} Not strict; relaxed or careless. Theteacher was free and easy with his students. He had a free andeasy way of acting that attracted many friends. They were free andeasy with their money and it was soon gone.

[to the effect that] {adj. phr.} With the meaning or purpose; tosay that. He made a speech to the effect that we would all keep ourjobs even if the factory were sold. The new governor would do hisbest in the office to which he had been elected.

[hang ten] {v.}, {slang} 1. To be an outstanding performer on asurfboard or on a skateboard. Ibet I am going to be able to hang ten if you let me practice on yourskateboard. 2. To be a survivor despite great odds. Don’t worryabout Jack, he can hang ten anywhere!

Идиома: have what it takes Перевод: иметь способность или смелость сделать что-либо Пример: I don’t believe that my friend has what it takes to be a good teacher. Я не думаю, что мой друг способен стать хорошим учителем.

[misty-eyed] or [dewey-eyed] {adj. phr.} 1. Having eyes damp withtears; emotional. The teacher was misty-eyed when the school gaveher a retirement gift. 2. Of the kind who cries easily; sentimental. The movie appealed to dewey-eyed girls.

[sweep the city] or [country] or [nation] or [world] {v. phr.} Togain great attention or popularity throughout the city, country, etc. Pavarotti’s unmatched tenor voice swept the world in anunprecedented manner.

[have in the palm of one’s hand] {v. phr.} To completely control;have a project finished, all wrapped up. Our boss felt that if hecould calm his critics he would soon have the entire factory in thepalm of his hand.

[grace period] or [period of grace] {n.} The time or extra timeallowed in which to do something. Most insurance companies have agrace period of one month for payments. The teacher gave the classa week’s period of grace to finish workbooks.

[on the sly] {adv. phr.} So that other people won’t know; secretly. The boys smoked on the sly. Mary’s mother did not approve oflipstick, but Mary used it on the sly.

[water down] {v.} To change and make weaker; weaken. The Senatorargued that the House should water down the bill before passing it. The African American did not accept watered down Civil Rightslegislation. After talking with the management about theirdemands, the workers agreed to water them down. The teacher had towater down the course for a … Читать далее

Идиома: throw / pour cold water on something Перевод: не поддерживать; отнестись с недоверием, ставить под сомнение; встретить без энтузиазма, отбить охоту; ставить под удар Пример: My boss poured cold water on my idea to change the time of our coffee break. Мой начальник не поддержал мою идею изменить время нашего перерыва на кофе. Don’t … Читать далее

[absent without leave ] {adj.} Absent without permission; used mostly in the military. Jack left Fort Sheridan without asking his commanding officer, and was punished for going AWOL.

[wear blinders] or [blinkers] {v. phr.} To refuse or be unable toconsider alternative ways of thinking or acting. Anybody whodisputes the importance of learning languages is wearing blinders.

[think on one’s feet] {v. phr.} To think quickly; answer or actwithout waiting; know what to do or say right away. A goodbasketball player can think on his feet. Our teacher can think onhis feet; he always has an answer ready when we ask him questions.

Идиома: fish in troubled waters Перевод: удить рыбку в мутной воде; вовлечься в трудную или опасную ситуацию с целью получения выгоды Пример: The politician was fishing in troubled waters in order to gather information about the scandal. Политик удил рыбку в мутной воде, чтобы получить информацию о скандале.

[live in an ivory tower] {v. phr.} To be blind to real life; livean unrealistically sheltered existence. Professor Nebelmacher hasno idea of the cost of living; he lives in an ivory tower.

Идиома: get busy Перевод: заняться делом; перестать бездельничать Пример: We have a lot of work to do, let’s get busy. У нас много работы, давайте приниматься за дело. «Stop dawdling! Get busy!» Хватит бездельничать! Займись делом!

Идиома: lay an egg Перевод: провалиться; плохо выполнить что-либо; плохо выступить перед публикой Пример: The performance by the magician was terrible. He laid an egg with the audience. Выступление иллюзиониста было отвратительным. Он оскандалился перед публикой.

[pressure group] {n. phr.} An organization whose goal it is tocreate changes by lobbying for the benefit of its own members. Certain unscrupulous pressure groups stop at nothing to achieve theirselfish aims.

[vote one out] {v. phr.} To terminate one’s elected office bycasting a negative vote about that person, mostly so that someone else might occupy the same position. Congressman Smith was voted out last November in favor ofCongresswoman Bradley.

[bandy about] {v. phr.} To spread rumors or whisper secrets. The news of Jim and Mary’s divorce was bandied about until everyone at the office had heard it.

[throw off the scent] {v. phr.} To mislead; confuse. The robberswent different ways hoping to throw the sheriff’s men off the scent. Syn.: THROW OFF.

Идиома: in the face of something Перевод: перед лицом чего-либо; несмотря на трудности, затруднения, неприятности Пример: She left home in the face of strong opposition from her parents. Она ушла из дома, несмотря на сильные возражения ее родителей.

[read one like a book] {v. phr.}, {informal} To understand someonecompletely; know what he will think or do at any time. John’sgirlfriend could read him like a book. Compare: READ ONE’S MIND.

[polish off] {v.}, {informal} 1. To defeat easily. The Dodgerspolished off the Yankees in four straight games in the 1963 WorldSeries. 2. To finish completely; finish doing quickly, often in orderto do something else. The boys were hungry and polished off a bigsteak. Mary polished off her homework early so that she couldwatch TV.

[slip off] {v. phr.} 1. To slide off something. The childrenclimbed up the hill but when it was time to come down, they didn’twalk, but slipped off the smooth, old ledges. 2. See: SLIP AWAY.

[money is no object] {informal sentence} The price of something isirrelevant. Please show me your most beautiful mink coat; money isno object.

[thumb a ride] {v. phr.}, {informal} To get a ride by hitchhiking;hitchhike. Not having much money, Carl decided to thumb a ride toNew York.

[count heads] or [count noses] {v. phr.}, {informal} To count the number of people in a group. On the class picnic, we counted heads before we left and when we arrived to be sure that no one got lost. The usher was told to look out into the audience and count noses.

[go to the dogs] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go to ruin; to be ruinedor destroyed. The man went to the dogs after he started drinking. After the death of the owner, the business went to the dogs. The team went to the dogs when its best players got hurt. Compare:GO TO POT.

Идиома: the like Перевод: подобное, аналогичное, похожее Пример: There are many different animals there: deer, foxes, and the like. Там много разных животных: олени, лисицы, и тому подобные.

[paddy wagon] {n.}, {informal} A police van used for transportingprisoners to jail or the police station. The police threw thedemonstrators into the paddy wagon.

[far gone] {adj. phr.} In a critical or extreme state. He was sofar gone by the time the doctor arrived, that nothing could be done tosave his life.

Идиома: in accordance with something Перевод: в соответствии с чем-либо Пример: In accordance with the wishes of my grandfather we did not sell the family farm. Мы не продали семейную ферму, потому что такого было пожелание моего дедушки.

[equal to the occasion] {adj. phr.} Capable of handling thesituation. Although he had never before assisted in childbirth, thetaxi driver proved equal to the occasion and helped deliver the babyin his cab.

[have to do with] {v. phr.} 1. To be about; be on the subject of orconnected with. The book has to do with airplanes. 2. To know orbe a friend of; work or have business with. — Usually used in negativesentence. Tom said he didn’t want to have anything to do with thenew boy. I … Читать далее

[bail out ] {v.} 1. To secure release from prison until trial by leaving or promising money or property for a while. When college students got into trouble with the police, the college president would always bail them out. 2. {informal} To free from trouble by giving or lending money. He started a small business, … Читать далее

[par for the course] {n. phr.}, {informal} Just what was expected;nothing unusual; a typical happening. — Usually refers to things goingwrong. Mary is very clumsy so it was par for the course when shebumped into the table and broke the vase. When John came lateagain, Mary said, «That’s par for the course.» Compare: ALL IN … Читать далее

[get in] {v. phr.} 1. To be admitted. Andy wants to go tomedical school but his grades aren’t good enough for him to get in. 2. To arrive. What time does the plane from New York get in? 3. Toenter. «Get in the car, and let’s go,» Tom said in a hurry. 4. Toput in … Читать далее

[in a way] {adv. phr.} 1. also {informal} [in a kind of way] or{informal} [in a sort of way] To a certain extent; a little; somewhat. I like Jane in a way, but she is very proud. Compare: AFTER AFASHION, MORE OR LESS. 2. In one thing. In a way, this book iseasier: it is … Читать далее

[baby grand] {n.} A small grand piano no longer than three feet, maximally four feet. This apartment can’t take a regular grand piano, so we’ll have to buy a baby grand.

Идиома: sweep something under the rug / carpet Перевод: пытаться скрыть что-либо (постыдное), держать в тайне, пытаться избежать огласки; «замести под ковер» Пример: The couple always sweep their problems under the rug and never want to discuss them. Эта пара всегда скрывает свои проблемы, и никогда не хочет обсуждать их.

[go Dutch] {v. phr.}, {informal} To go out for fun together buthave each person pay for himself. High school students often goDutch to basketball games. Sometimes boys and girls go Dutch ondates. The girl knew her boyfriend had little money, so sheoffered to go Dutch. Compare: DUTCH TREAT.