[down on one’s luck] {adj.}, {informal} Having bad luck; having much trouble; not successful in life. Harry asked me to lend him ten dollars, because he was down on his luck. The teacher is easy on Jane because Jane has been down on her luck lately. Compare: HARD ROW TO HOE, HARD SLEDDING, ON ONE’S … Читать далее
[string] See: FIRST STRING, LATCH STRING, ON THE STRING or ON ASTRING, PULL STRINGS, PURSE STRINGS, SHOE-STRING CATCH, TIED TO ONE’SMOTHER’S APRON STRINGS.
Идиома: let the genie out of the bottle Перевод: выпустить джина из бутылки; допустить что-либо плохое, нежелательное, чего уже не остановить Пример: Now the press has let the genie out of the bottle, the question is what happens next. Пресса выпустила джина из бутылки, вопрос теперь в том, что будет дальше.
[about to] 1. Close to; ready to. — Used with an infinitive. We were about to leave when the snow began. I haven’t gone yet, but I’m about to. Compare: GOING TO, ON THE POINT OF. 2. {informal} Having a wish or plan to. — Used with an infinitive in negative sentences. Freddy wasn’t about … Читать далее
[beat the bushes] also [beat the brush] {v. phr.}, {informal} To try very hard to find or get something. The mayor was beating the bushes for funds to build the playground. Contrast: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH or BEAT AROUND THE BUSH.
Идиома: leave no stone unturned Перевод: приложить все усилия, сделать все возможное, использовать все возможности, испробовать все средства Пример: The police left no stone unturned when they were looking for the lost girl. Полиция приложила все усилия, когда они искали пропавшую девочку.
Идиома: put up a fight / put up a struggle Перевод: сильно стараться, бороться Пример: We put up a good fight but we were unable to win the game. Мы сильно постарались, но не смогли победить в игре.
[less than] {adv.} Not; little. We were busy and less thandelighted to have company that day. The boys were less than happyabout having a party. Contrast: MORE THAN.
[stick to one’s knitting] or [tend to one’s knitting] {v. phr.},{informal} To do your own job and not bother other people. Thetrouble with Henry is that he is always telling other people what todo; he can’t stick to his knitting.
Идиома: on a shoestring Перевод: с небольшими, скудными средствами Пример: The man started his new company on a shoestring. Мужчина начал свою новую компанию со скудными средствами.
[pick a pocket] {v. phr.} To steal by removing from the pocket ofanother. While in the train, somebody picked his pocket and tookthe last dollar he had.
Идиома: in dribs and drabs Перевод: по крохам, по мелочам; маленькими порциями, по чуть-чуть Пример: Many came to the sale, but they arrived in dribs and drabs. Многие пришли на торги, но они прибывали по чуть-чуть.
Идиома: play second fiddle (to someone or something) Перевод: играть вторую скрипку; играть на вторых ролях, занимать не важное положение Пример: The man has been playing second fiddle to his boss for many years and has finally decided to change jobs. Этот человек уже долгое время играл вторую скрипку для своего начальника, и вот, наконец, … Читать далее
[ring out] {v.} To ring a special clock that records the time youleave work. Charles can’t leave early in his new job; he has toring out.
Идиома: off the beaten track / path Перевод: 1. вдали от больших дорог, уединенный; 2. отличающийся от общепринятого, малоизвестный, необычный Пример: Last night, we went to a small restaurant that was off the beaten track. Вчера вечером мы отправились в небольшой уединенный ресторан. Her tastes in reading tend to be off the beaten track. Ее … Читать далее
Идиома: run out of patience Перевод: иссякать (о терпении); стать раздраженным после того, как какое-то время быть терпеливым Пример: The mother has run out of patience with her son. Мать больше не могла быть терпеливой со своим сыном.
[find it in one’s heart] {v. phr.} To be able or willing because ofyour nature. He could not find it in his heart to tell her abouther mother’s death. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me? He could never find it in his heart to be mean to a dog.
Идиома: have a soft spot for someone or something Перевод: питать слабость к чему-либо или кому-либо из-за чувства сильной привязанности Пример: He’s always had a soft spot for his youngest son. Он всегда испытывал особую привязанность к своему младшему сыну.
Идиома: in the near future Перевод: в ближайшем будущем Пример: In the near future I plan to move to a smaller apartment and try to save some money. В ближайшем будущем я собираюсь переехать в квартиру меньших размеров и попытаться скопить немного денег.
[spring a leak] {v. phr.} 1. To develop a hole through which water can enter, threatening the boat to sink. Whenour small boat sprang a leak, we rapidly returned to shore to fix it. 2. To be threatened by some oncoming danger. Our firm sprang a leakwhen the vice president suddenly died of a heart … Читать далее
[on the bandwagon] {adj. phr.}, {informal} In or into the newestpopular group or activity; in or into something you join just becausemany others are joining it. — Often used after «climb», «get», or»jump». When all George’s friends decided to vote for Bill, Georgeclimbed on the bandwagon too. See: JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON.
Идиома: feel free (to do something) Идиома: feel free (to do something) разг. Перевод: свободно делать что-либо, как если бы на это было дано разрешение Пример: Everybody felt free to walk around the restaurant after the party started. Когда начался вечер, все свободно ходили по ресторану.
[for one thing] {adv. phr.} As one thing of several; as one in alist of things. The teacher said, «You get a low mark, for onething, because you did not do your homework.» The house was poorlybuilt; for one thing, the roof leaked. Compare: FOR EXAMPLE, IN THEFIRST PLACE.
[now or never] {adv. phr.} Exclusively at the present time. Mikesaid, «Now that Paul has resigned, there is a perfect place for you. It is now or never!»
Идиома: for the birds Перевод: бесполезный, негодный, ненужный; скучный, неинтересный Пример: Look, this meeting is for the birds. Let’s leave it at once. Послушай, это сборище совершенно бесполезное. Давай уйдем сразу же. This television programs is for the birds. Эта телевизионная передача скучная.
Идиома: run a fever / run a temperature Перевод: иметь высокую температуру, иметь жар Пример: The little boy was running a fever so his parents decided to call the doctor. У маленького мальчика был жар, поэтому его родители решили позвонить врачу.
[hair] See: CURL ONE’S HAIR, GET GRAY HAIR or GET GRAY, GIVE GRAYHAIR, HANG BY A THREAD or HANG BY A HAIR, HIDE OR HAIR or HIDE NORHAIR, IN ONE’S HAIR, LET ONE’S HAIR DOWN, OUT OF ONE’S HAIR, SPLITHAIRS, TEAR ONE’S HAIR.
[louse up] {v.}, {slang} To throw into confusion; make a mess of;spoil; ruin. When the man who was considering John’s house heardthat the basement was wet, that was enough to louse up the sale. Fred’s failure in business not only lost him his business but lousedhim up with his wife. The rain loused up the … Читать далее
Идиома: carry the ball Перевод: быть ответственным; взять ответственность на себя Пример: The vice-president was asked to carry the ball while the president was away. Вице-президента попросили стать во главе пока президент отсутствовал. Jerry just isn’t reliable enough, we can’t let him carry the ball. Джерри не очень-то надежен, мы не можем дать ему взять … Читать далее
[get out of] {v. phr.} 1. To be excused from; avoid. He got outof jury duty because of his illness. 2. To gain from; extract from. Tom complained that he didn’t get anything out of the course ongrammar.
[start out] {v.} 1. To begin to go somewhere. Bill started outfor school on his bicycle. Art started out on a voyage around theworld. Compare: SET OUT. 2. To begin a career or life. Harrystarted out as an errand boy in a business office. We all startout in life as helpless infants. Syn.: START IN. … Читать далее
[sit through] {v.} To watch or listen until isfinished. The show was so boring that we could hardly sit throughthe first act. Elaine liked the movie so much that she sat throughthree showings.
[big daddy] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} The most important, largest thing, person or animal in a congregation of similar persons, animals, or objects. The whale is the big daddy of everything that swims in the ocean. The H-bomb is the big daddy of all modern weapons. Al Capone was the big daddy of organized crime in … Читать далее
[fold up] {v.}, {informal} To collapse; fail. The team folded upin the last part of the season. The new restaurant folded up inless than a year. Compare: FALL APART.
[have a care] {v. phr.}, {formal} To be careful what you do. Jane, have a care what you’re doing with that valuable glass. Thejudge told him to have a care what he said in court.
[nervous breakdown] {n.} A mild or severe attack of mental illness;a collapse of a person’s ability to make decisions and solve problemsbecause of overwork, great mental strain, or the like. When themother saw her baby run over, she suffered a nervous breakdown.
[on the wrong track] {adv. phr.} Lost; pursuing the wrong lead. Professor MacAlister confessed that his chemical experiments were onthe wrong track. Contrast: BARK UP THE WRONG TREE.
[foul out] {v.} 1. To make an out in baseball by hitting a foul flyball that is caught. He fouled out to the catcher. 2. To be forcedto leave a basketball game because of getting more than the limitnumber of personal fouls. A professional basketball player isallowed six personal fouls before fouling out.
Идиома: in one’s mind’s eye Перевод: мысленно, в воображении Пример: In my mind’s eye I tried to imagine that I was on a nice sunny beach. Мысленно я пытался представить, что нахожусь на солнечном пляже.
[whistle in the dark] {v. phr.}, {informal} To try to stay braveand forget your fear. Tom said he could fight the bully with onehand, but we knew that he was just whistling in the dark.
Идиома: to top it all off / to top it off Идиома: to top it all off / to top it off Перевод: самое лучшее или самое худшее (используется при описании какой-либо ситуации для завершения описания, и чтобы показать, что то, что будет сказано далее, было лучше всего остального или хуже всего остального) Пример: Students … Читать далее
[in the know] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Knowing about things thatmost people do not know about; knowing secrets or understanding aspecial subject. Tina helped Professor Smith make some of the examquestions, and she felt important to be in the know. In a printshop, Mr. Harvey is in the know, but in a kitchen he can’t even … Читать далее
Идиома: the warp and woof Перевод: основа, суть Пример: He foresaw great changes in the warp and woof of the nation’s economy. Он предвидел большие изменения в основе экономики государства.
Идиома: shake a leg Перевод: поспешить, поторопиться Пример: You will have to shake a leg if you want to arrive at the movie on time. Придется поторопиться, если ты хочешь успеть в кино вовремя.
Идиома: play fast and loose (with someone or something) Перевод: действовать безответственно, легкомысленно Пример: The witness began to play fast and loose with the facts of his case and was criticized by the judge. Свидетель начал пренебрегать фактами своего дела, и его упрекнул судья.
Идиома: as such Перевод: как таковой, по существу Пример: As such, I will not be able to approve your application for a loan. По существу, я не смогу одобрить ваше заявление на заем.
[get a word in] or [get a word in edgewise] also [get a word inedgeways] {v. phr.} To find a chance to say something when others aretalking. The little boy listened to the older students and finallygot in a word. Mary talked so much that Jack couldn’t get a wordin edgewise.
Идиома: Johnny-come-lately Перевод: вновь прибывший, новичок Пример: He’s a Johnny-come-lately and doesn’t really know what he is talking about. Он еще новичок и он не понимает, о чем говорит.
[raise the devil] or [raise heck] or [raise hob] or [raise ned] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make trouble; start a fight or an argument. Mr. Black raised heck when he saw the dented fender. He blamed theother driver. Some teenage boys raised the devil in town onHalloween night and damaged a lot of property. Compare: … Читать далее
Идиома: pick up the tab / check (for something) Перевод: оплатить счет (за что-либо), взять на себя расходы Пример: I picked up the tab for the dinner at the restaurant. Я оплатил счет за ужин в ресторане.