Английские идиомы

[watch it] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be careful. — Usually used as acommand. You’d better watch it. If you get into trouble again, you’ll be expelled. Watch it — the bottom stair is loose!

[open question] {n. phr.} A debatable issue. Whether assistedsuicide is legal and moral or not is still an open question, recentpublicity on the matter notwithstanding.

[nothing succeeds like success] Success in one thing makes successin other things easier; people like a successful person. — A proverb. The girls all like Bob because he is football captain. Nothingsucceeds like success.

Идиома: at heart Перевод: в глубине души Пример: The woman is a nice person at heart although many people dislike her. В глубине души эта женщина — хороший человек, хотя многие ее не любят.

[keep one’s distance] {v. phr.} To be cool toward someone; avoidbeing friendly. Mary did not like her co-worker, Betty, and kepther distance from her. Compare: KEEP ONE AT A DISTANCE.

[slow down] {v. phr.} To go more slowly than usual. The road wasslippery, so Mr. Jones slowed down the car. Pat once could run amile in five minutes, but now that he’s older he’s slowing down. Compare: LET UP. STEP DOWN. Contrast: SPEED UP.

[open secret] {n.} Something that is supposed to be a secret butthat everyone knows. It is an open secret that Mary and John areengaged. Who will be appointed as the next president of thecollege is an open secret.

Идиома: off the wagon Перевод: начать снова пить, удариться в запой (обычно употребляется с глаголами Be и Fall) Пример: The man is off the wagon again. I saw him yesterday and I am sure that he had been drinking. Этот мужчина снова ударился в запой. Я видел его вчера, и я уверен, что он выпивал.

[in a lather] {adj.}, {slang} In great excitement; all worked up;extremely agitated. I couldn’t get across to Joe, he was all in alather.

[first things first] Other things must wait until the mostimportant and necessary things are done. Study your lessons beforeyou go out to play. First things first.

[rotten egg] {n.}, {informal} A person whose character or way ofacting is not good. His friends have all learned he is a rottenegg. Often used by children in fun, as of someone who is slow indoing something. The boys ran to the river to go swimming and Dickcried, «Last one in is a rotten egg!»

[lose one’s grip] {v. phr.} To fail in control or command; loseyour strength, force, or ability to lead. Mr. Jones began to losehis grip: he no longer wanted the hard jobs, and he left decisions toothers. When a locomotive engineer loses his grip, he is no longertrusted with express runs.

Идиома: first of all Перевод: прежде всего, во-первых Пример: First of all we prepared the garden before we planted the seeds. Прежде всего, мы подготовили сад, перед тем, как сажать семена.

Идиома: (not) have a clue (about something) Перевод: (не) иметь представления о чем-либо, (не) знать о чем-либо Пример: I do not have a clue who took the laptop computer. Я не имею ни малейшего представления, кто взял ноутбук.

Идиома: avail oneself of (something) Перевод: пользоваться, воспользоваться чем-либо доступным Пример: We availed ourselves of the office space to prepare for the school festival. Мы воспользовались офисным помещением для подготовки к школьному фестивалю.

[pitch a curve] or [a curve ball] {v. phr.} To catch someoneunawares; confront someone with an unexpected event or act. Myprofessor pitched me a curve ball when he unexpectedly confronted mewith a complicated mathematical equation that was way over my head.

Идиома: blow the whistle (on someone or something) Перевод: 1. разоблачить; покончить; 2. донести властям (на кого-либо или что-либо), выдать; настучать, заложить (кого-либо) Пример: She was fired for blowing the whistle on the bank’s mismanagement of accounts, but she then sued the bank. Она была уволена из-за того, что разоблачила неправильное управление банка счетами, но … Читать далее

Идиома: on good terms (with someone) Перевод: быть в хороших, дружеских отношениях с кем-либо Пример: We have always been on good terms with our neighbors. Мы всегда были в хороших отношениях с нашими соседями.

[in hopes] {adj. phr.} Hopeful; hoping. The Mayor was in hopesof having a good day for the parade. Mother was in hopes that thecake would be good to eat.

[highway robbery] {n. phr.} 1. A hold-up of or theft from a personcommitted on an open road or street usually by an armed man. Highway robbery was common in England in Shakespeare’s day. 2. Anextremely high price or charge; a profiteer’s excessive charge. Tosomeone from a small town, the prices of meals and theater tickets … Читать далее

Идиома: meet someone halfway Перевод: пойти кому-либо навстречу, найти компромисс Пример: He is very stubborn and is never willing to meet his friends halfway. Он очень упрямый и никогда не хочет пойти навстречу своим друзьям.

Идиома: clean up one’s act Идиома: clean up one’s act разг. Перевод: изменить свое поведение, отношение к чему-либо в лучшую сторону Пример: The mayor will have to clean up his act if he wants to get elected again. Мэру придется начать лучше делать свои дела, если он хочет, чтобы его снова выбрали.

[out of place ] {adv. phr.} Not in the right or usual place orposition. Harry fell and knocked one of his teeth out of place. The teacher lined up the class and told them not to get out ofplace. Compare: OUT OF ORDER. Contrast: IN PLACE.

[closed-door] {adj.} Away from the public; in private or in secret; limited to a few. The officers of the club held a closed-door meeting. The committee decided on a closed-door rule for the investigation. Compare: IN PRIVATE.

[foul shot] {n.} A free throw given in basketball to a player whohas been fouled. Tony was given two foul shots when he was fouledwhile trying to shoot. Compare: FIELD GOAL 2, FREE THROW.

Идиома: have one’s hands tied Перевод: быть не в состоянии сделать что-либо Пример: I had my hands tied and was unable to help my friend with his request. У меня были связаны руки, и я не мог помочь своему другу с его просьбой.

Идиома: slowly but surely Перевод: медленно, но верно Пример: Slowly but surely we are preparing for our holiday next month. Медленно, но верно, мы готовимся к нашему отпуску в следующем месяце.

[get at] {v.} 1. To reach an understanding of; find out themeaning. This book is very hard to get at. 2. To do harm to. The cat is on the chair trying to get at the canary. Compare: GETBACK AT. 3. To have a chance to do; attend to. I hope I have timeto get … Читать далее

[read up on] {v. phr.} To study carefully in preparation for anexamination or other special purpose. Since Mr. and Mrs. Lee aregoing to take their American citizenship exams soon, they must read upon the Constitution and the three branches of government.

Идиома: thin edge of the wedge Перевод: первый шаг на пути к чему-то большему, особенно чему-то нежелательному Пример: If we bend the rules for him this time, it will be the thin edge of the wedge. Если мы нарушим ради него правила в этот раз, это будет лишь первым шагом.

[question] See: BEG THE QUESTION, BESIDE THE POINT or BESIDE THEQUESTION, BEYOND QUESTION also WITHOUT QUESTION, CALL IN QUESTION, INQUESTION, INTO QUESTION, OUT OF THE QUESTION, POP THE QUESTION.

[go down the drain] {v. phr.} To be lost or wasted forever. Ifhe doesn’t pass the bar examination tomorrow, his best efforts tobecome a lawyer will go down the drain.

[cows tail] {n.}, {dialect} A person who is behind others. John was the cow’s tail at the exam. Fred was always the old cow’s tail for football practice.

[put one through one’s paces] {v. phr.} To train and disciplinesomeone; test one’s abilities. The new recruits were certainly putthrough their paces by the drill sergeant.

[potshot] {n.} A direct shot at an easy, stationary target frombehind a protected position or camouflage; criticism. Modernjournalists like to take potshots at the president of the UnitedStates.

[pan out] {v.}, {informal} To have a result, especially a goodresult; result favorably; succeed. Suppose the class tried to makemoney by selling candy. How would that pan out? Edison’s effortsto invent an electric light bulb did not pan out until he usedtungsten wires.

[far-out] {adj.} 1. Very far away; distant. Scientists areplanning rocket trips to the moon and far-out planets. 2. {informal}Very different from others; queer; odd, unusual. He enjoyed beingwith beatniks and other far-out people. Susan did not like some ofthe paintings at the art show because they were too far-out for her.

Идиома: sooner or later Перевод: рано или поздно Пример: Sooner or later you must give me my money so you should do it soon. Рано или поздно тебе придется отдать мне деньги, поэтому лучше сделать это пораньше.

[read into] {v. phr.} To attribute extra meaning to; deduce from;consider to be implicit in. Just because Fred’s letters sounded sofriendly Mary was wrong to read anything serious into them.

[drive a bargain] {v. phr.} 1. To buy or sell at a good price; succeed in a trade or deal. Tom’s collie is a champion; it should be easy for Tom to drive a bargain when he sells her puppies. Father drove a hard bargain with the real estate agent when we bought our new … Читать далее

[earn one’s keep] {v. phr.} To merit one’s salary or keep byperforming the labor or chores that are expected of one. Johnearned his keep at the music conservatory by dusting off all themusical instruments every day.

Идиома: at loggerheads (with someone) Перевод: быть в ссоре, несогласии с кем-либо, противостоять кому-либо Пример: We are at loggerheads with the company over their plans to build a new factory. Мы не согласны с планами компании построить новый завод.

[leave a bad taste in one’s mouth] {v. phr.} To feel a badimpression; make you feel disgusted. Seeing a man beat his horseleaves a bad taste in your mouth. His rudeness to the teacher lefta bad taste in my mouth.

[walk over] or [walk all over] or [step all over] {v. phr.}{informal} To make do whatever you wish; make selfish useof; treat like a slave; impose upon. Jill is so friendly andhelpful that people walk all over her. We wanted the man’sbusiness, so we let him step all over us. Compare: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

[carry away] {v.} To cause very strong feeling; excite or delight to the loss of cool judgment. The music carried her away. He let his anger carry him away. — Often used in the passive, She was carried away by the man’s charm. He was carried away by the sight of the flag.

[weight of the world on one’s shoulders] or [world on one’sshoulders] or [world on one’s back] {n. phr.} A very heavy load ofworry or responsibility; very tired or worried behavior, as ifcarrying the world; behavior as if you are very important. Don’tlook as if you had the weight of the world on your shoulders, Henry, … Читать далее

[got a thing going] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To be engaged ina pleasurable or profitable activity with someone else as a partnereither in romance or in mutually profitable business. «You two seemto have got a thing going, haven’t you?» «You’ve got a good thinggoing with your travel bureau, why quit now?»

[bear down] {v.} 1. To press or push harder; work hard at; give full strength and attention. She is bearing down in her studies to win a scholarship. The baseball pitcher is bearing down. The pitcher bore down on the star batter. Teachers of the deaf bear down on English. The sergeant bears down on … Читать далее

[out of luck] {adj. phr.} Being unlucky; having bad luck; havingsomething bad happen to you. Mr. Jones missed his train and was outof luck in getting to the ball game on time. All of the girls haddates so Ben was out of luck.

[land-office business] {n.}, {informal} A great rush of business. It was a hot day, and the drive-ins were doing a land-office businessin ice cream and cold drinks.