Английские идиомы

[double-park] {v.} To park a car beside another car which is at the curb. Jimmy’s father double-parked his car and the police gave him a ticket. If you double-park, you block other cars from passing.

Идиома: on the wagon Перевод: воздерживаться от спиртного, лечиться от алкоголизма, бросить пить, завязать (обычно употребляется с глаголами Be и Go) Пример: The man has been on the wagon for seven months now. Этот мужчина не пьет вот уже несколько месяцев.

Идиома: not worth the candle Перевод: не стоит свеч; не стоит затрачиваемых усилий (обычно употребляется в выражении The game is not worth the candle — игра не стоит свеч) Пример: The office he is running for is so unimportant that the game’s not worth the candle. Позиция, на которую он баллотируется, такая незначительная, что игра … Читать далее

Идиома: go out of fashion / go out of style Перевод: выйти из моды, устареть Пример: Striped pants have recently gone out of fashion. Полосатые брюки недавно вышли из моды.

[off base] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Not agreeing with fact; wrong. The idea that touching a toad causes warts is off base. When Tomsaid that the teacher’s explanation did not agree with the book, theteacher was embarrassed at being caught off base.

Идиома: lose face Перевод: упасть в грязь лицом; потерять уважение, репутацию, статус Пример: Our boss lost face when his employees decided not to support him during the meeting. Наш начальник упал в грязь лицом, когда его служащие не поддержали его на собрании.

Идиома: at last Перевод: наконец Пример: I waited all morning for my friend’s call until at last it came. Я все утро ждал звонка моего друга, пока он, наконец-то, не позвонил.

[stuck on] {slang} Very much in love with; crazy about. Judythinks she is very pretty and very smart. She is stuck on herself. Lucy is stuck on the football captain.

[comings and goings] {n. pl.}, {informal} 1. Times of arriving and going away; movements. I can’t keep up with the children’s comings and goings. 2. Activities; doings; business. Mary knows all the comings and goings in the neighborhood.

[under age] {adj. phr.} Too young; not old enough; below legal age. He could not enlist in the army because he was under age. Rosewas not allowed to enroll in the Life Saving Course because she wasunder age. Contrast: OF AGE.

[where the shoe pinches] {n. phr.}, {informal} Where or what thediscomfort or trouble is. Johnny thinks the job is easy, but hewill find out where the shoe pinches when he tries it. The coachsaid he wasn’t worried about any position except quarterback; that waswhere the shoe pinched.

[what of it] or [what about it] {interj.}, {informal} What is wrongwith it; what do you care. Martha said «That boy is wearing a greencoat.» Jan answered, «What of it?» «John missed the bus.» «What ofit?» Syn.: SO WHAT.

[draw a long breath] or [take a long breath] {v. phr.} To breathe deeply when getting ready to speak or act. Father asked who broke the window. Jim drew a long breath and admitted that he had done it. The salesman took a long breath and started his talk.

[minutes of the meeting] {n. phr.} The notes taken by the recordingsecretary; of an official body or an association recording of what wassaid and transacted during the given session. «Shall we accept theminutes of our last meeting as read by the secretary?» the chairmanasked.

[come off second best] {v. phr.} To not win first but only second, third, etc. place. Our home team came off second best against the visitors. Sue complains that she always comes off second best when she has a disagreement with her husband.

[have a say in] or [a voice in] {v. phr.} To have the right toexpress one’s opinion or cast a vote in a pending matter. Our bossis friendly and democratic; he always encourages us to have a say inwhat we will do next.

Идиома: with flying colors Перевод: с большим успехом, с блеском Пример: I was able to pass my final exams with flying colors. Я смог сдать последние экзамены с блеском.

[live in the fast lane] {v. phr.}, {informal} To live a full andvery active life pursuing wealth and success. They have been livingin the fast lane ever since they arrived in New York City.

[spine-tingling] {adj.} Very exciting; thrilling. Our ride upthe mountain in a chair lift was spine-tingling. The children’splane ride was a spine-tingling adventure to them.

Идиома: armed and dangerous Перевод: вооружен и опасен (обычно употребляется по отношению к преступнику) Пример: The criminal was armed and dangerous when the police arrested him. Преступник был вооружен, когда полиция арестовала его.

Идиома: in honor of someone or something Перевод: в честь кого-либо или чего-либо Пример: The dinner was in honor of the first principal of our school. Ужин был устроен в честь первого директора нашей школы.

[smoke screen] {n. phr.} A camouflage; a veil; something used tocover or hide something. June hides her commercial interests behinda smoke screen of religious piety.

Идиома: take part (in something) Перевод: принимать участие в чем-либо Пример: Are you planning to take part in the seminar next week? Ты собираешься принять участие в семинаре на следующей неделе?

Идиома: out of control Перевод: быть неконтролируемым, выйти из подчинения Пример: The soccer fans were out of control after their team won the championship. Футбольные фанаты были неконтролируемы, когда их команда выиграла чемпионат.

[come into one’s own] {v. phr.} To receive the wealth or respect that you should have. John’s grandfather died and left him a million dollars; when John is 21, he will come into his own. With the success of the Model T Ford, the automobile industry came into its own.

Идиома: the villain of the piece Перевод: главный виновник происшествия, главный злодей Пример: Mother couldn’t think who had broken the vase. Our kitten turned out to be the villain of the piece. Мама не могла догадаться, кто разбил вазу. Наш котенок оказался виновником происшествия.

Идиома: think on one’s feet Перевод: думать, планировать, решать что-либо прямо во время разговора, на ходу Пример: My boss can think on her feet and she can easily handle most problems. Моя начальница умеет думать прямо на ходу, и она легко решает большинство проблем.

[beef up] {v.}, {informal} To make stronger by adding men or equipment; make more powerful; reinforce. The general beefed up his army with more big guns and tanks. The university beefed up the football coaching staff by adding several good men.

Идиома: about time Идиома: about time разг. Перевод: давно пора; с большим запозданием, очень поздно Пример: It is about time that you returned that book to me. Тебе давно пора вернуть мне эту книгу.

Идиома: get the message Перевод: ясно, четко понимать смысл чего-либо Пример: I told my friend to be quiet but I do not think that he got the message. Я велел своему другу молчать, но мне кажется, он не понял меня.

Идиома: in detail Перевод: детально, подробно, обстоятельно Пример: I told the police about the events in detail. Я подробно рассказал полиции о случившемся. I explained how to fix the computer in detail. Я детально объяснил, как починить компьютер.

Идиома: take the edge off (something) Перевод: уменьшить, ослабить, смягчить что-либо, действие чего-либо Пример: We had a drink of hot chocolate to take the edge off the cold weather. Мы выпили горячего шоколада, чтобы хоть немного согреться.

[feel like a million] or [feel like a million dollars] {v. phr.},{informal} To be in the best of health and spirits. I feel like amillion this morning. He had a headache yesterday but feels like amillion dollars today. Compare: LOOK LIKE A MILLION.

[put in an appearance] also [make an appearance] {v. phr.} To bepresent, esp. for a short time; visit; appear. He put in anappearance at work, but he was too ill to stay. The president putin an appearance at several dances the evening after he was sworn in.

[skeleton in the closet] {n. phr.} A shameful secret; someone orsomething kept hidden, especially by a family. The skeleton in ourfamily closet was Uncle Willie. No one mentioned him because he dranktoo much.

[hang out] {v.} 1. {slang} To spend your time idly or loungingabout. The teacher complained that Joe was hanging out in poolroomsinstead of doing his homework. Compare: HANG AROUND. 2. {slang} Tolive; reside. Two policemen stopped the stranger and asked himwhere he hung out. 3. To reach out farther than the part below. The branches … Читать далее

Идиома: never in one’s life Перевод: что-либо, что никогда не происходило в жизни кого-либо Пример: I have never in my life seen such a strange person. Никогда в своей жизни я не видел такого странного человека.

Идиома: not hurt a flea Перевод: никого не обидеть, не обидеть и мухи Пример: My mother would not hurt a flea and she is very kind to everyone who she meets. Моя мать и мухи не обидит, и она очень добра ко всем, с кем знакомится.

Идиома: able to do (something) standing on one’s head Перевод: суметь сделать что-либо легко и быстро Пример: The boy is good at fixing his bicycle. He can do it standing on his head. У этого мальчика хорошо получается ремонтировать свой велосипед. Он делает это легко и быстро.

[kick down] {v. phr.}, {slang} To shift an automobile, jeep, ortruck into lower gear by hand-shifting. Joe kicked the jeep downfrom third to second, and we slowed down.

[life] See: BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, BIG AS LIFE, CAT HAS NINELIVES, CHARMED LIFE, COME ALIVE OT COME TO LIFE, FACTS OF LIFE, FORDEAR LIFE, FOR THE LIFE OF ONE, LEAD A DOG’S LIFE, NIGHT LIFE, NOT ONYOUR LIFE OR ONE’S LIFE, TAKE ONE’S LIFE IN ONE’S HANDS, TIME OF ONE’SLIFE, YOU BET or YOU … Читать далее

Идиома: go to waste Перевод: быть истраченным понапрасну, быть испорченным Пример: I did not want the extra food to go to waste so I invited my friend to visit. Я не хотел, чтобы испортилось еще больше еды, поэтому я пригласил своего друга.

Идиома: in the flesh Перевод: собственной персоной Пример: I have never had the chance to meet the president of our university in the flesh. У меня не было возможности увидеть ректора нашего университета собственной персоной.

Идиома: split something fifty-fifty Перевод: разделить что-либо пополам, поровну Пример: I decided to split the prize fifty-fifty with my friend. Я решил разделить свой выигрыш поровну со своим другом.

[safety in numbers] {n. phr.} Protection against trouble by beingin a group. Peter said, «Stay in a group; there is safety innumbers.»

[pound out] {v. phr.} 1. To play a piece of music very loudly on apercussion instrument. The boy was pounding out the tune «Mary hada little lamb» on the marimba. 2. To flatten something with a hammer. The bodyshop uses special hammers to pound out the indentations inthe bodies of cars. 3. To produce a … Читать далее

Идиома: decide in favor of someone or something Перевод: решить в пользу кого-либо или чего-либо Пример: The city decided in favor of building a new bridge over the river. Город решил вопрос в пользу постройки нового моста через реку.

[by heart] {adv. phr.} By exact memorizing; so well that you remember it; by memory. The pupils learned many poems by heart. He knew the records of the major league teams by heart.

Идиома: yellow streak Перевод: трусость Пример: He has a yellow streak and will not help defend his friends. Он трусоват, и он не поможет защитить своих друзей.

[set to music] {v. phr.} To compose a musical accompaniment toverse. Schubert and Beethoven both set to music many a famous poemby Goethe and Schiller.