Идиома: batten down the hatches Перевод: готовиться к худшему; закрывать все люки на лодке перед штормом Пример: A big storm was coming so we decided to batten down the hatches and stay home. Надвигался сильный шторм, так что мы решили подготовиться к худшему и остаться дома.
Идиома: by the way Идиома: by the way разг. Перевод: кстати, между прочим Пример: By the way, could you please bring your computer tomorrow? Кстати, ты не мог бы завтра принести свой компьютер?
[howling success] {n.}, {informal} A great success; something thatis much praised; something that causes wide enthusiasm. The partywas a howling success. The book was a howling success.
[outside of] {prep.} 1. Not in; outside. I would not want tomeet a lion outside of a zoo. Contrast: INSIDE OF. 2. Except for; notincluding. Outside of Johnny, all the boys on the basketball teamare over six feet tall. Mrs. Cox had no jewelry outside of herwedding ring. Syn.: APART FROM.
[matter of opinion] {n. phr.} Something that may or may not betrue; something that people do not all agree on. Whether or not hewas a good general is a matter of opinion. Compare: MATTER OF FACT.
Идиома: be up to no good Перевод: замышлять что-то недоброе Пример: The boys were up to no good after school. Мальчики замышляли что-то нехорошее после школы.
Идиома: not believe one’s eyes Перевод: не поверить своим глазам Пример: I did not believe my eyes when my father gave me a television set for my birthday. Я глазам своим не поверил, когда отец подарил мне телевизор на день рождения.
[ugly duckling] {n.} An ugly or plain child who grows up to bepretty and attractive. Mary was the ugly duckling in her family, until she grew up.
[come down] {v.} 1. To reduce itself; amount to no more than. — Followed by «to». The quarrel finally came down to a question of which boy would do the dishes. Syn.: BOIL DOWN. 2. To be handed down or passed along, descend from parent to child; pass from older generation to younger ones. Mary’s … Читать далее
Идиома: as one Перевод: как один; если бы группа была одним человеком Пример: The crowd stood up as one and began to cheer for the team. Толпа стояла, как один, и стала приветствовать команду.
[clear-eyed] {adj.} Understanding problems or events clearly; being able to tell very well the results of a way of acting. Tom is very clear-eyed. He knows he doesn’t have much chance of winning the race, but he will try his best. He is a clear-eyed and independent commentator on the news.
Идиома: on schedule Перевод: по расписанию Пример: The train arrived on schedule and we found our friend easily. Поезд прибыл по расписанию, и мы легко нашли нашего друга.
[hand something to someone on a silver platter] {v. phr.} To give aperson a reward that has not been earned. The lazy student expectedhis diploma to be handed to him on a silver platter.
Идиома: be up and running Перевод: работать, функционировать, как следует, без сбоев Пример: The equipment is not ready yet, but next week it will be up and running. Оборудование еще не готово, но на следующей неделе оно будет работать, как надо.
[blow the gaff] {v. phr.} To open one’s mouth to reveal a secret. When Al cheated on his wife, his younger brother blew the gaff on him.
[you can’t teach an old dog new tricks] It is very hard or almostimpossible to train an older person to acquire some new skill. — Aproverb. You’ll never teach your grandfather how to do his incometax on a personal computer. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
[spin out] {v. phr.} 1. To go out of control. The bus spun outon the icy road and fell into the ditch. 2. To make something go outof control. Tom stepped on the brakes so fast that he spun his carout of control and went off the road.
Идиома: keep in touch (with someone) Перевод: держать связь, поддерживать связь Пример: I have always tried to keep in touch with my friends from high school. Я всегда пытаюсь поддерживать связь со своими друзьями из школы.
[nobody home] {slang} 1. Your attention is somewhere else, not onwhat is being said or done here; you are absent-minded. The teacherasked him a question three times but he still looked out the window. She gave up, saying, «Nobody home.» 2. You are feeble-minded orinsane. He pointed to the woman, tapped his head, and said, … Читать далее
[up-and-coming] {adj. phr.} Bound toward success; upwardly mobile;progressive; ambitious. The newly elected state senator is anup-and-coming young politician who is expected to be highly successfulin national politics in the future.
Идиома: back to square one / back to the drawing board Перевод: вернуться к началу чего-либо Пример: The city was back to square one in their effort to build a new bridge. Город начал пытаться построить новый мост снова с самого начала.
Идиома: on call Перевод: готовый к работе или выполнению чего-либо по вызову, по звонку Пример: I’m sorry, but I can’t go out tonight. I’m on call at the hospital. К сожалению, сегодня вечером я не смогу никуда пойти. Меня могут вызвать на работу в больницу.
[in case of] also [in the event of] {prep.} In order to meet thepossibility of; lest there is; if there is; if there should be. Take your umbrellas in case of rain. The wall was built along theriver in case of floods.
[shot through with] Full of. His speech was shot through withpraise for the president. Jane’s letter was shot through withhints for a pony.
Идиома: a sure thing Перевод: что-либо, что обязательно произойдет; что-либо, в чем нет сомнений Пример: My promotion to manager is a sure thing according to the president. По словам президента компании, меня обязательно повысят до менеджера.
[rake in] {v. phr.} To realize great profits; take in money. Because of the heavy snowfall, ski lodge operators in the RockyMountains have been raking in the dough this winter season.
[on one’s coattails] {adv. phr.} Because of another’s merits, success, or popularity. Bob and Jim are best friends. When Jim wasinvited to join a fraternity, Bob rode in on his coattails. Manypeople vote straight for all the candidates in the same politicalparty. Most people voted for President K., so Governor B. rode in onK.’s coattails.
[make one’s mouth water] {v. phr.} 1. To look or smell very good;make you want very much to eat or drink something you see or smell. The pies in the store window made Dan’s mouth water. The pictureof the ice cream soda made his mouth water. 2. To be attractive; makeyou want to have something … Читать далее
[how’s that] {informal} What did you say? Will you please repeatthat? «I’ve just been up in a balloon for a day and a half.» «How’sthat?» «The courthouse is on fire.» «How’s that again?»
[on the face of it] {adv. phr.} Apparently; as it seems. On theface of it, Joe’s claim that he can swim five miles is true. Hisstatement that he is a millionaire is, on the face of it, false.
[throw a party] {v. phr.}, {informal} To hold a party; have aparty. The club is throwing a party in the high school gym Saturdaynight. The Seniors threw a masquerade party on Halloween.
[hit the jackpot] {v. phr.}, {slang} To be very lucky orsuccessful. Mr. Brown invented a new gadget which hit the jackpot. Mrs. Smith hit the jackpot when she got Lula for a maid.
[play second fiddle] {v. phr.}, {informal} To act a smaller part;follow another’s lead; be less noticed. His wife had the strongermind and he played second fiddle to her. During the tournament, lessons played second fiddle to basketball.
[unbosom oneself] {v. phr.} To confess one’s personal thoughts orfeelings; disclose private information to a confidante. Once shewas at home with her mother, she unbosomed herself of all hertroubles.
[let grass grow under one’s feet] {v. phr.} To be idle; be lazy;waste time. — Used in negative, conditional, and interrogativesentences. The new boy joined the football team, made the honorroll, and found a girlfriend during the first month of school. Hecertainly did not let any grass grow under his feet.
[in time] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Soon enough. We got toWashington in time for the cherry blossoms. We got to the stationjust in time to catch the bus. John liked to get to work in goodtime and talk. to the man who worked on his machine before him. 2. Inthe end; after a while; … Читать далее
[harum-scarum ] {adv.}, {informal} In a careless, disorderly orreckless way. Jim does his homework harum-scarum, and that is whyhis schoolwork is so poor.
[long shot] {n.} 1. A bet or other risk taken though not likely tosucceed. The horse was a long shot, but it came in and paid well. Jones was a long shot for mayor. The business long shot thatsucceeds often pays extremely well. 2. See: BY A LONG SHOT.
[next to nothing] {n. phr.} Very little; almost nothing. Theygave me next to nothing for my old car when I traded it in for a newone. When he first started to work, Mr. Black earned next tonothing.
Идиома: for starters Перевод: для начала, первым делом Пример: If you want to help us, you could do the dishes, for starters. Если хочешь нам помочь, то для начала можешь вымыть посуду.
[fall behind] {v.} To go slower than others and be far behind them. When the campers took a hike in the woods, two boys fell behind andgot lost. Frank’s lessons were too hard for him, and he soon fellbehind the rest of the class. Mary was not promoted because shedreamed too much and fell behind … Читать далее
[out of one’s shell] {adv. phr.}, {informal} Out of one’sbashfulness or silence; into friendly conversation. — Usually usedafter «come». John wouldn’t come out of his shell and talk to theboys and girls at the party. The other girls tried to draw Ellaout of her shell, but without success. Contrast: IN ONE’S SHELL.
[like water off a duck’s back] {adv. phr.}, {informal} Withoutchanging your feelings or opinion; without effect. Advice andcorrection roll off him like water off a duck’s back. Many peopleshowed him they didn’t like what he was doing, but their disapprovalpassed off him like water off a duck’s back.
Идиома: sell someone or something short Перевод: недооценивать кого-либо или что-либо Пример: My friend is selling himself short when he thinks that he will not be able to find a good job. Мой друг недооценивает себя, когда думает, что он не сможет найти хорошую работу.
[break away] or [break loose] {v. phr.} To liberate oneself from someone or something. Jane tried to break loose from her attacker, but he was too strong.
[at first blush] {adv. phr.} When first seen; without careful study. At first blush the offer looked good, but when we studied it, we found things we could not accept.
[card up one’s sleeve] {n. phr.}, {informal} Another help, plan, or argument kept back and produced if needed; another way to do something. John knew his mother would lend him money if necessary, but he kept that card up his sleeve. Bill always has a card up his sleeve, so when his first plan failed … Читать далее
[take the stump] or [take to the stump] {v. phr.} To travel aroundto different places making political speeches. The men running forpresident took to the stump to attract votes.
[stuff the ballot box] {v. phr.} To give more votes to a candidatein an election than there are people who actually voted for him. Itis a crime to stuff the ballot box. — [ballot-stuffing] {adj. phr.}
[here and there] {adv. phr.} 1. In one place and then in another. I looked here and there for my pen, but I didn’t look everywhere. Here and there in the yard little yellow flowers had sprung up. 2.In various directions. We went here and there looking for berries. Compare: HITHER AND THITHER.