[off one’s rocker] or [off one’s trolley] {adj. phr.}, {informal}Not thinking correctly; crazy; silly; foolish. Tom is off hisrocker if he thinks he can run faster than Bob can. If you thinkyou can learn to figure skate in one lesson, you’re off your trolley. Syn.: OUT OF ONE’S HEAD.
[six of one and half-a-dozen of the other] {n. phr.} Two things thesame; not a real choice; no difference. Which coat do you likebetter, the brown or the blue? It’s six of one and half-a-dozen of theother. Johnny says it’s six of one and half-a-dozen of the otherwhether he does the job tonight or tomorrow … Читать далее
Идиома: in favor of someone or something Перевод: в пользу кого-либо или чего-либо Пример: Most members of the city council were in favor of building the new stadium. Большинство членов городской администрации были за постройку нового стадиона.
[off the record ] {adv. phr.} Confidentially. «Off therecord,» the boss said, «you will get a good raise for next year, butyou’ll have to wait for the official letter.» Contrast: ON RECORD, GOON RECORD, JUST FOR THE RECORD.
[give way] {v.} 1. To go back; retreat. The enemy army is givingway before the cannon fire. Compare: FALL BACK. 2. To make room, getout of the way. The children gave way and let their mother throughthe door. Compare: MAKE WAY. 3. To lose control of yourself; loseyour courage or hope; yield. Mrs. Jones didn’t … Читать далее
[yellow journalism] {n. phr.} Cheap and sensational newspaperwriting; inflammatory language designed to stir up popular sentimentagainst another country. Yellow journalism is hardly ever trulyinformative.
[ups and downs] {n. phr.} Vicissitudes; alternating periods betweengood and bad times; changes in fortune. He is now a wealthy stocktrader, but at the beginning of his career he, too, had many ups anddowns.
[weigh on] or [weigh upon] {v.} 1. To be a weight or pressure on;be heavy on. The pack weighed heavily on the soldier’s back. 2. Tomake sad or worried; trouble; disturb; upset. Sadness weighed onMary’s heart when her kitten died. John’s wrongdoing weighed uponhis conscience. The teacher’s advice weighed upon Tom’s mind. 3.To be a … Читать далее
[read the riot act] {v. phr.} To give someone a strong warning orscolding. Three boys were late to class and the teacher read theriot act to them.
Идиома: with one’s eyes open / with one’s eyes wide open Перевод: сознательно, с открытыми глазами; полностью сознавая всю ситуацию Пример: I knew Bill for a long time, and I went into this relationship with my eyes wide open. Я знала Била уже долгое время, и я начала наши отношения сознательно.
Идиома: know what’s what Перевод: иметь много опыта и уметь судить о людях, их действиях, о ситуациях, и т. д. Пример: It was difficult to determine what’s what with the man’s problem. Было трудно определить, в чем заключаются проблемы этого человека.
[through street] {n.} 1. A street on which cars can move withoutstopping at intersections, but cars on streets crossing it have tostop at the intersection. You have to be especially carefulcrossing a through street. Mr. Jones stopped his car when he cameto the through street. He waited until there were no cars on it, anddrove … Читать далее
[blind alley] {n.} 1. A narrow street that has only one entrance and no exit. The blind alley ended in a brick wall. 2. A way of acting that leads to no good results. John did not take the job because it was a blind alley. Tom thought of a way to do the algebra … Читать далее
[chip on one’s shoulder] {n. phr.}, {informal} A quarrelsome nature; readiness to be angered. He went through life with a chip on his shoulder. Jim often gets into fights because he goes around with a chip on his shoulder.
[out of the blue] or [out of a clear sky] or [out of a clear bluesky] {adv. phr.}, {informal} Without any warning; by surprise;unexpectedly. At the last minute Johnny came out of the blue tocatch the pass and score a touchdown. The cowboy thought he wasalone but suddenly out of a clear sky there were … Читать далее
[of the first water] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Of the finest quality;superior; very good; best. The jeweler chose diamonds of the firstwater for the queen’s crown. The dance program at graduation wasof the first water. Compare: FIRST-CLASS.
[take one’s medicine] {v. phr.} To accept punishment withoutcomplaining. The boy said he was sorry he broke the window and wasready to take his medicine. Compare: FACE THE MUSIC.
[come down on like a ton of bricks] {v. phr.}, {slang} To direct one’s full anger at somebody. When the janitor was late for work, the manager came down on him like a ton of bricks.
Идиома: put one’s finger on something Перевод: точно установить, понять, в чем дело; указать на что-либо Пример: I was unable to put my finger on the exact date of my friend’s arrival. Я не смог установить точную дату приезда моего друга.
[get on one’s nerves] {v. phr.} To make you nervous. John’snoisy eating habits get on your nerves. Children get on theirparents’ nerves by asking so many questions.
[give up the ghost] {v. phr.} To die; stop going. After a longillness, the old woman gave up the ghost. The motor turned over afew times and gave up the ghost.
[have a word with] {v. phr.} 1. To talk, discuss, or speak brieflywith. Robert, I need to have a word with you about tomorrow’sexam. 2. To engage in a sincere discussion with the purpose ofpersuading the other person or let him or her know of one’sdissatisfaction. Our boss has been making funny decisions lately; Ithink … Читать далее
[you said it] or [you can say that again] {interj.}, {slang} — Usedto show strong agreement with what another person has said. «Thatsure was a good show.» «You said it!» «It sure is hot!» «You cansay that again!» Compare: SAY A MOUTHFUL.
[do up] {v.} 1a. To clean and prepare for use or wear; launder. Ann asked her mother to do up her dress. 1b. To put in order; straighten up; clean. At camp the girls have to do up their own cabins. 2. To tie up or wrap. Joan asked the clerk to do up her … Читать далее
Идиома: talk through one’s hat Перевод: преувеличивать, говорить глупости; хвастаться Пример: Jim always talks through his hat and you never know if you can believe him or not. Джим всегда говорит всякие глупости, и никогда не знаешь, можно ему поверить, или нет.
[change of pace] {n. phr.} A quick change in what you are doing. John studied for three hours and then read a comic book for a change of pace. The doctor told the man he needed a change of pace.
[make ends meet] {v. phr.} To have enough money to pay one’s bills;earn what it costs to live. Both husband and wife had to work tomake ends meet.
Идиома: get the show on the road / get this show on the road Перевод: начать (работу), приступить к выполнению (работы, программы) Пример: «Let’s get the show on the road and begin work for the day.» Давайте приступим к выполнению работы на сегодняшний день.
[out of sight] {adv. phr.} 1. Not within one’s field of vision. The sailboat disappeared out of sight over the horizon. 2. Extremelyexpensive. The builder’s estimate was so high that it was out ofsight. 3. Unbelievable; fantastic; incredible Roxanne is such astunning beauty, it’s simply out of sight. Mr. Gargoyle is sorepulsive, it’s out of … Читать далее
[passed ball] {n.} A pitched baseball missed by the catcher when heshould have been able to catch it. The batter singled and went tosecond on a passed ball.
[fork over a lot of money] {v. phr.} To pay an excessive amount ofmoney often unwillingly. «According to my divorce decree,» Alancomplained, «I have to fork over a lot of money to my ex-wife everymonth.»
Идиома: be a new one (on someone) Перевод: что-либо, что кто-либо еще не слышал и во что трудно поверить Пример: It was a new one on me when my friend said that he was studying Russian. Мне было трудно поверить моему другу, когда он сказал, что изучает русский.
Идиома: horse sense Перевод: здравый смысл, рассудительность Пример: Our boss has good horse sense so you can expect him to make an intelligent decision. Наш начальник очень рассудителен, поэтому можешь рассчитывать, что он примет разумное решение.
[drop back] {v.} To move or step backwards; retreat. The soldiers dropped back before the enemy’s attack. The quarterback dropped back to pass the football. Compare: DRAW BACK, FADE BACK, FALL BACK.
[bump into] {v.}, {informal} To meet without expecting to; happen to meet; come upon by accident. Mary was walking down the street, when she suddenly bumped into Joan. Ed was surprised to bump into John at the football game. Syn.: RUN INTO.
Идиома: all over the place Идиома: all over the place разг. Перевод: везде, повсюду Пример: We traveled all over the place on our holiday. Мы побывали везде во время нашего отпуска.
[there is nothing to it] Informal way to say, «It is easy.» Cooking stir-fried Chinese food is really not difficult at all; infact, there’s nothing to it.
[call a spade a spade] {v. phr.} To call a person or thing a name that is true but not polite; speak bluntly; use the plainest language. A boy took some money from Dick’s desk and said he borrowed it, but I told him he stole it; I believe in calling a spade a spade.
[turn thumbs down] {v. phr.} To disapprove or reject; say no. — Usually used with «on». The company turned thumbs down on Mr. Smith’s sales plan. The men turned thumbs down on a strike at thattime.
[work in] {v.} 1. To rub in. The nurse told Mary to put somecream on her skin and to work it in gently with her fingers. 2. Toslip in; mix in; put in; When Mary was planning the show, sheworked a part in for her friend Susan.
[leave word with] {v. phr.} To leave a message. Hank left wordwith his secretary where he could be reached by phone while he wasaway from his office.
Идиома: talk until one is blue in the face Перевод: говорить до посинения, до изнеможения Пример: I talked until I was blue in the face but still my supervisor would not let me take a day off from work. Я говорил до изнеможения, но мой менеджер никак не хотел дать мне выходного.
[make or break] {v. phr.} To bring complete success or failure, victory or defeat. Playing the role of Hamlet will make or breakthe young actor.
Идиома: put someone or something out to pasture Перевод: отправить на покой; отправить на пенсию Пример: We decided to put our old horse out to pasture and stop riding him. Мы решили отправить на покой нашего старого коня, и перестать на нем ездить.
[speed up] {v.} To go faster than before; also, to make go faster. The car speeded up when it reached the country. Push in thethrottle to speed up the engine. Compare: PICK UP. Contrast: SLOWDOWN.
[for all] 1. In spite of; even with, despite. — Used for contrast. For all his city ways, he is a country boy at heart. There maybe mistakes occasionally, but for all that, it is the best book on thesubject. For all his money, he was very unhappy. 2. also [foraught] To the extent that. … Читать далее
[pull down] {v.}, {informal} 1. To catch after a hard run. The outfielder pulled down a long drive to center field. 2. Toearn. Mr. Blake pulls down $500 a week. John pulled down an Ain algebra by studying hard. Compare: HAUL DOWN.
[mop the floor with] or [mop up the floor with] or [wipe the floorwith] or [wipe up the floor with] {v. phr.}, {slang} To defeat veryclearly or quickly; to beat badly. The bully threatened to mop upthe floor with Billy. Our team wiped the floor with the visitingteam.
[open-door policy] {n. phr.} A policy that states that newcomersare welcome to join the company, firm, or country in question. During the nineteenth century the United States had an open-doorpolicy regarding immigration.
Идиома: fall into place / fall in place Перевод: стать на свои места; приобрести смысл, сделаться понятным Пример: Everything fell into place and we were able to prepare for our trip to Brazil. Все стало на свои места, и мы смогли подготовиться к поездке в Бразилию.