[the tracks] {n.} The line between the rich or fashionable part oftown and the poor or unfashionable part of town. The poor childrenknew they would not be welcome on the other side of the tracks. Mary’s mother did not want her to date Jack, because he came fromacross the tracks. — Often used in the … Читать далее
Идиома: the writing / handwriting on the wall Перевод: (зловещее) предзнаменование; письмена на стене Пример: The handwriting is on the wall. Business conditions are bad so nobody will get a bonus this year. Предзнаменования уже появились. Условия для бизнеса плохие, поэтому никто не получит бонуса в этом году.
Идиома: pull a stunt on (someone) / pull a trick on (someone) Перевод: выкидывать какой-либо трюк, обмануть кого-либо Пример: If the boy pulls a stunt like he did last weekend he is going to be in much trouble with his parents. Если мальчик снова выкинет такой трюк, как в прошлые выходные, у него будут сильные … Читать далее
Идиома: carry the day Перевод: выиграть, одержать победу, достичь успеха Пример: The sales manager’s fine performance carried the day for us. Хорошая работа менеджера по продажам помогла нам добиться успеха.
[set one’s teeth on edge] {v. phr.} 1. To have a sharp sour tastethat makes you rub your teeth together. The lemon juice set myteeth on edge. 2. To make one feel nervous or annoyed. She looksso mean that her face sets my teeth on edge.
[played out] {adj. phr.} Tired out; worn out; finished; exhausted. It had been a hard day, and by night he was played out. For awhile, at least, it seemed the interest in great speed was playedout. Compare: ALL IN.
[out of tune] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Out of proper musical pitch;too low or high in sound. The band sounded terrible, because theinstruments were out of tune. 2. Not in agreement; in disagreement;not going well together. — Often used with «with». What Jack saidwas out of tune with how he looked; he said he … Читать далее
[at loose ends] {adj. phr.} Without a regular job or settled habits; uncertain what to do next; having nothing to do for a while; undecided; unsettled; restless. Feeling at loose ends, I went for along walk. He had finished college but hadn’t found a job yet, so he was at loose ends.
Идиома: fill someone’s shoes Перевод: занять чье-либо место, заменить кого-либо Пример: Although he is a good supervisor, he is unable to fill the shoes of those who came before him. Хотя он и хороший надзиратель, он не в состоянии заменить тех, кто был до него.
[have one’s ear] {v. phr.} To have access to someone in power;receive audiences rather frequently. The national security advisorhas the president’s ear.
Идиома: castles in the air Перевод: воздушные замки, мечты Пример: My sister is always building castles in the air and is very unrealistic. Моя сестра постоянно строит воздушные замки, она совсем не реалистка.
Идиома: dog eat dog / dog-eat-dog Перевод: волчьи законы; ситуация, при которой человек человеку волк; ситуация, в которой для того, чтобы добиться успеха, нужно идти по головам других Пример: It is dog-eat-dog world in the advertising and public relations business. Чтобы добиться успеха в области рекламы или связей с общественностью, нужно идти по головам других.
[explain away] {v.} To explain so that it does not seemtrue or important. John explained away his unfinished homework byshowing the teacher his broken arm in a cast. It is hard toexplain away Abraham Lincoln’s dream about being dead, which he had afew days before he was shot. The man could not explain away thegun … Читать далее
[bargain for] or [bargain on] {v.} To be ready for; expect. When John started a fight with the smaller boy he got more than he bargained for. The final cost of building the house was much more than they had bargained on. Compare: COUNT ON.
Идиома: take a hint / take the hint Перевод: понять намек Пример: The man is unable to take a hint and does not notice when people are angry at him. Этот человек совершенно не понимает намеков, и не замечает, когда на него злятся.
[whitewash] {n.}, {informal} A soothing official report thatattempts to tranquilize the public. Some people believe that theWarren Commission’s report on the Kennedy assassination was awhitewash.
[for the worse] {adj. phr.} or {adv. phr.} For something that isworse or not as good, with a worse result. He bought a new car butit turned out to be for the worse. The sick man’s conditionchanged for the worse. Compare: TAKE A TURN. Contrast: FOR THEBETTER.
[sit tight] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make no move or change; staywhere you are. — Often used as a command. Sit tight; I’ll be readyto go in a few minutes. The doctor said to sit tight until hearrived. The gangsters sat tight in the mountains while the policelooked for them. Compare: STAND PAT.
[rule of thumb] {n. phr.} A simple and practical method that hasproven successful or useful in the past. It is a very good rule ofthumb to look up all unfamiliar words in a good dictionary.
Идиома: second wind Перевод: второе дыхание Пример: After we got our second wind we continued our hike up the mountain. После того, как к нам пришло второе дыхание, мы продолжили восхождение в гору.
[tell one where to get off] or [tell one where to head in] {v. phr.}, {informal} To talk angrily to; speak to or answer with roughlanguage; scold. Bob told Ted to get out of his way. Ted told Bobwhere to get off. Mary laughed at Barbara’s hairdo. Barbara toldMary where to head in. Compare: TELL … Читать далее
[lap up] {v.} 1. To eat or drink with the tip of the tongue. Thekitten laps up its milk. 2. {informal} To take in eagerly. Sheflatters him all the time and he just laps it up. William isinterested in rockets and space, and he laps up all he can read aboutthem. Syn.: EAT UP.
[save one’s breath] {v. phr.}, {informal} To keep silent becausetalking will not help; not talk because it will do no good. Saveyour breath; the boss will never give you the day off.
[in Dutch] {adj. phr.}, {slang} In trouble. George got in Dutchwith his father when he broke a window. John was in Dutch with hismother because he tore his new jacket.
[lump in one’s throat] {n. phr.} A feeling so strong that you almost sob. John’s mother had a lump in herthroat at his college graduation. All during her husband’sfuneral, Aunt May had a lump in her throat. The bride’s mother hada lump in her throat.
Идиома: put your money where your mouth is / put its money where its mouth is Перевод: поддержать свои слова чем-либо, особенно, деньгами; действовать, вместо того, чтобы просто говорить Пример: The government might be obliged to put its money where its mouth is to prove its commitment. Правительству, возможно, придется доказать свои слова делом, чтобы … Читать далее
Идиома: go easy on someone or something Перевод: быть мягким, добрым по отношению к кому-либо или чему-либо; хорошо обращаться с кем-либо или чем-либо Пример: I asked my friend to go easy on my car when he borrowed it. Я попросил своего друга хорошо обращаться с моей машиной, когда я ему ее одолжил.
[trump up] {v.} To make up ; invent in the mind. Every time Tom is late getting home he trumps up some new excuse. The Russians were afraid he was a spy, so they arrested him on atrumped-up charge and made him leave the country.
[no end to] or {informal} [no end of] So many, or so much of, as toseem almost endless; very many or very much. There was no end tothe letters pouring into the post office. Bob and Dick becameclose friends and had no end of fun together.
[for days on end] {adv. phr.} For a long time; for many days. The American tourists tried to get used to Scottish pronunciation fordays on end, but still couldn’t understand what the Scots weresaying.
[tuck in] {v. phr.} To place the covers carefully around the person in bed. When I was a child, my mother used totuck me into bed every night.
[leave one’s mark] {v. phr.} To leave an impression upon; influencesomeone. Tolstoy never won the Nobel Prize, but he left his mark onworld literature. See: MAKE ONE’S MARK.
[kill time] {v. phr.} To cause the time to pass more rapidly; wastetime. The plane trip to Hong Kong was long and tiring, but wemanaged to kill time by watching several movies.
[knock out] {v. phr.} To make helpless, unworkable, or unusable. The champion knocked out the challenger in the third round. Thesoldier knocked out two enemy tanks with his bazooka.
[high fashion] or [high style] {n. phr.} The new style in women’sdress set each season by designers in Paris or other fashion centersand accepted by fashionable women. The high styles designed inParis are often quickly copied by makers of cheap clothing.
[grab bag] {n.} 1. A bag from which surprise packages are chosen; abag in which there are many unknown things. The woman paid aquarter for a chance at the grab bag. The children broughtpackages to be sold from the grab bag at the school carnival. 2. Agroup of many different things from which to choose; … Читать далее
[handwriting on the wall] {n. phr.} A sign that something bad willhappen. When Bill’s team lost four games in a row, he saw thehandwriting on the wall. John’s employer had less and less workfor him; John could read the handwriting on the wall and looked foranother job.
[heads-up] {adj.}, {informal} Wide-awake; alert; watchful;intelligent. You must play hard, heads-up baseball to win thisgame. Compare: ON ONE’S TOES, ON THE BALL.
[below the belt] {adv. phr.} 1. In the stomach; lower than is legal in boxing. He struck the other boy below the belt. 2. {informal} In an unfair or cowardly way; against the rules of sportsmanship or justice; unsportingly; wrongly. It was hitting below the belt for Mr. Jones’s rival to tell people about a … Читать далее
Идиома: get a grasp of something Перевод: начать понимать что-либо Пример: I am beginning to get a grasp of how to operate the new computer system. Я начинаю понимать, как работать с новой компьютерной системой.
Идиома: hands down Перевод: легко, непринужденно Пример: Our team won the game hands down over the other team. Наша команда легко одержала победу над другой командой.
[walls have ears] Sometimes one’s most confidential conversationsare overheard. «Be careful what you say,» he whispered. «Rememberthat walls have ears.»
[no picnic] {n. phr.} Something arduous; something that requiresgreat effort to accomplish. It is no picnic to climb MountEverest. Contrast: A PIECE OF CAKE, A CINCH, EASY AS APPLE PIE.
[line drive] {n.} A batted baseball that is usually hit hard andtravels in the air not far above the ground. The batter hit a linedrive to left field for a single.
[out of the running] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} Having no chance to win;not among the real contenders; not among those to be considered. John had been out of the running since his first date with Mary, buthe didn’t realize it. Jones’s horse was put out of the runningearly in the race. Contrast: IN THE RUNNING.
[C. O. D.] {n. phr.} Abbreviation of «cash on delivery.» If you want to receive a piece of merchandise by mail and pay when you receive it, you place a C. O. D. order.
[keep plugging along] {v. phr.}, {informal} To continue to workdiligently and with great effort, often against hardship. Bob wasnot particularly talented but he kept plugging along year after year, and eventually became vice president.
[give one the eye] {v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To look at, especiallywith interest and liking. A pretty girl went by and all the boysgave her the eye. 2. To look or stare at, especially in a cold orunfriendly way. Mrs. Jones didn’t like Mary and didn’t speak. Shejust gave her the eye when they met … Читать далее
Идиома: blow something out of (all) proportion Перевод: раздувать что-либо чрезмерно, несоизмеримо; делать из мухи слона Пример: The problem was very small but the manager blew it out of all proportion. Проблема была очень не серьезной, но менеджер сделал из мухи слона.
[drag on the market] {n. phr.} An article for which the demand has fallen off thus causing an oversupply. Your type of word processor went out of style and is now a drag on the market.