[get after] {v.}, {informal} 1. To try or try again to make someonedo what he is supposed to do. Ann’s mother gets after her to hangup her clothes. 2. To scold or make an attack on. Bob’s mother gotafter him for tracking mud into the house. The police are gettingafter the crooks in the city.
Идиома: at sea Перевод: в море, в океане Пример: My grandfather was at sea for several months when he was a young man. Когда мой дедушка был молодым человеком, он провел в море несколько месяцев.
Идиома: black and white / black or white Перевод: черно-белое, черное и белое, черное или белое; что-либо с четкой градацией — черное и белое, хорошее и плохое, да или нет, и т. п., без промежуточных градаций Пример: It’s not a simple black and white issue. Это сложный вопрос, на него нет однозначного ответа, да или … Читать далее
[hand-me-down] {n.}, {informal} Something given away after anotherperson has no more use for it; especially, used clothing. Alice hadfour older sisters, so all her clothes were hand-me-downs.
Идиома: as for Перевод: что касается, относительно, касательно Пример: As for me, I think that I will go home now. Что касается меня, думаю, я пойду домой.
[skin and bones] {n.} A person or animal that is very thin; someonevery skinny. The puppy is healthy now, but when we found him he wasjust skin and bones. Have you been dieting? You’re nothing butskin and bones!
[poke around] or [poke about] {v.} 1. To search about; look intoand under things. The detective poked around in the missing man’soffice. 2. To move slowly or aimlessly; do little things. Hedidn’t feel well, and poked around the house.
[blow one’s cool] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To lose your composure or self-control. Whatever you say to the judge in court, make sure that you don’t blow your cool.
[in the hole] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1a. Having a scorelower than zero in a game, especially a card game; to a score belowzero. John went three points in the hole on the first hand of thecard game. 1b. Behind an opponent; in difficulty in a sport or game. We had their pitcher in … Читать далее
[lead a dog’s life] {v. phr.}, {informal} To live a hard life, workhard, and be treated unkindly. A new college student of long agoled a dog’s life.
Идиома: red herring Перевод: ложная информация (отвлекающая от основной проблемы); ложный след, отвлекающий маневр Пример: The issue of salary is a red herring and is not related to the main issues of the negotiations. Вопрос о зарплате не является главным вопросом в переговорах, он лишь отвлекает внимание.
[heavenly days!] {interj.}, {informal} Exclamation of amazement anddisbelief with negative coloring. Heavenly days! Look whathappened! The dog did it again on the Persian carpet! Compare: GOODGRIEF!
[come between] {v.} To part; divide; separate. John’s mother-in-law came to live in his home, and as time passed she came between him and his wife. Bill’s hot rod came between him and his studies, and his grades went down.
[what’s what] or [what is what] {n. phr.}, {informal} 1. What eachthing is in a group; one thing from another. The weeds and theflowers are coming up together, and we can’t tell what is what. 2.All that needs to be known about something; the important facts orskills. Richard did the wrong thing, because he is … Читать далее
[change color] {v. phr.} 1. To become pale. The sight was so horrible that Mary changed color from fear. Bill lost so much blood from the cut that he changed color. 2. To become pink or red in the face; become flushed; blush. Mary changed color when the teacher praised her drawing. Tom got angry … Читать далее
Идиома: get (something) off the ground Перевод: встать на ноги; успешно наладить (работу, дело, производство, и т. п.); сделать первые шаги Пример: My uncle’s new business never got off the ground and he must try to sell it. Новое дело моего дяди так и не заладилось, и ему нужно попытаться его продать.
Идиома: make friends Перевод: подружиться; заводить друзей Пример: She is shy and is not able to make friends easily. Она застенчивая, и ей сложно заводить друзей.
Идиома: in a stupor Перевод: в оцепенении, в остолбенении, в ступоре Пример: I was in a stupor after I wrote my last exam. После того, как я написал свой последний экзамен, я находился в оцепенении.
[Achilles’ heel] {n. phr.}, {literary} A physical or psychological weakness named after the Greek hero Achilles who was invulnerable except for a spot on his heel. John’s Achilles’ heel is his lack of talent with numbers and math.
[eat like a horse] {v. phr.} To eat a lot; eat hungrily. Theharvesters worked into the evening, and then came in and ate likehorses. Contrast: EAT LIKE A BIRD.
Идиома: sore loser Перевод: человек, который не умеет проигрывать, который начинает злиться, когда проигрывает Пример: He is a sore loser when he does not win a game of tennis. Он очень злится, когда проигрывает игру в теннис.
Идиома: in a tight spot / in a tough spot Перевод: в трудном положении, ситуации Пример: The man was in a tight spot after he lost his job. Мужчина находился в трудном положении, когда потерял работу.
[use every trick in the book] {v. phr.}, {informal} To availoneself of any means at all in order to achieve one’s goal, notexclusive of possibly immoral or illegal acts. Algernon used everytrick in the book to get Maxine to go out with him, but she keptrefusing.
[sales talk] {n.} A speech made to point out all the good reasonswhy the sale would help someone who might buy the product. Mrs. Goldsmith gave the man a good sales talk about the new house. Thecoach gave a sales talk on exercise in the school assembly.
[couch doctor] {n.}, {slang}, {colloquial} A psychoanalyst who puts his patients on a couch following the practice established by Sigmund Freud. I didn’t know your husband was a couch doctor, I thought he was a gynecologist!
[trot out] {v. phr.} To bring out for inspection; display. Don’tmention compact disks to Joe, or he’ll trot out his entire collectionand we’ll be stuck here all night.
[on the stage] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} In or into the work of beingan actor or actress. John’s brother is on the stage. Mary wenton the stage.
[all very well] {adj.} All right; very good and correct; very true. — Usually followed by a «but» clause. It’s all very well for you to complain but can you do any better? It’s all very well if Jane comes with us, but how will she get back home? Compare: WELL AND GOOD.
[crocodile tears] {n.} Pretended grief; a show of sorrow that is not really felt. When his rich uncle died, leaving him his money, John shed crocodile tears. .
Идиома: all the way Перевод: полностью, совсем, от начала до конца, и т. п. Пример: I’m on your side all the way. Я во всем с тобой согласен. He ran all the way home. Он бежал всю дорогу домой.
[middle-of-the-road] {adj.} Favoring action halfway between twoopposite movements or ideas; with ideas halfway between two oppositesides; seeing good on both sides. The men who wrote theConstitution followed a middle-of-the-road plan on whether greaterpower belonged to the United States government or to the separatestates. Senator Jones favors a middle-of-the-road policy in thelabor-management dispute.
Идиома: educated guess Перевод: предположение, основанное на знаниях и / или фактах, и, поэтому, вполне вероятно, соответствующее действительности Пример: «How did you know that?» «I just made an educated guess, and it turned out to be right.» Откуда ты это знал? — Просто я сделал предположение, основываясь на фактах, и оно оказалось верным. My educated … Читать далее
[throw oneself at someone’s head] or [fling oneself at someone’shead] {v. phr.}, {informal} To try hard and openly to make a personlove you. She threw herself at his head, but he was interested inanother girl. Compare: AT ONE’S FEET.
Идиома: nuts and bolts (of something) Перевод: основные элементы, детали чего-либо; основы, азы Пример: The nuts and bolts of the housing loan were carefully discussed by the bank and their client. Детали жилищного кредита были внимательно обговорены в банке с клиентом.
[great guns] {adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. Very fast or very hard. — Usually used in the phrases «blow great guns», «go great guns». Thewind was blowing great guns, and big waves beat the shore. The menwere going great guns to finish the job. Compare: FAST AND FURIOUS.2. Very well; successfully. Smith’s new store opened last … Читать далее
[have the right-of-way] {v. phr.} To have priority in proceeding intraffic on a public highway while other vehicles must yield and wait. «Go ahead,» he said. «We have the right-of-way at thisintersection.»
[fill the bill] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be just what is needed; begood enough for something; be just right. The boss was worriedabout hiring a deaf boy, but after he tried Tom out for a few weeks, he said that Tom filled the bill. I thought I would need a specialtool, but this wrench fills … Читать далее
[all in good time] {adv. phr.} Some time soon, when the time is ripe for an event to take place. «I want to get married, Dad,» Mike said. «All in good time, Son,» answered his father.
[showdown] {n.} A final challenge or confrontation during whichboth sides have to use all of their resources. You cannot know acountry’s military strength until a final showdown occurs.
[as an aside] {adv. phr.} Said as a remark in a low tone of voice; used in theaters where the actor turns toward the audience as if to «think out loud.» During the concert Tim said to his wife as an aside, «The conductor has no idea how to conduct Beethoven.»
[pick at] {v.} 1. To reach or grasp for repeatedly. The babykept picking at the coverlet. 2. To eat without appetite; choose asmall piece every little while to eat. He picked at his food. 3.To annoy or bother continually; find fault with. They showed theirdispleasure by continually picking at her. Syn.: PICK ON.
[call out] {v. phr.} 1. To shout; speak loudly. My name was called out several times, but I was unable to hear it. 2. To summon someone. If the rioting continues, the governor will have to call out the National Guard.
[hold the stage] [v. phr.] 1. To continue to be produced and toattract audiences. «Peter Pan» holds the stage year after year atits annual Christmas showing in London. 2. To be active in a group;attract attention. We had only an hour to discuss the question andMr. Jones held the stage for most of it. Jane … Читать далее
[on one’s last legs] {adj. phr.} Failing; near the end. Theblacksmith’s business is on its last legs. The dog is old andsick. He is on his last legs. Compare: ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE, ONONE’S KNEES.
[hammer out] {v.} 1. To write or produce by hard work. ThePresident sat at his desk till midnight hammering out his speech forthe next day. 2. To remove, change, or work out by discussion anddebate; debate and agree on. Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Greenhave hammered out their difference of opinion. The club membershave hammered out … Читать далее
[run wild] {v. phr.} To be or go out of control. The studentsran wild during spring vacation. The new supervisor lets thechildren run wild. The violets are running wild in the flowerbed. Compare: RUN RIOT.
[make oneself at home] {v. phr.} To feel comfortable; act as if youwere in your own home. If you get to my house before I do, helpyourself to a drink and make yourself at home. John was an outdoorman and could make himself at home in the woods at night. Compare: ATEASE, AT HOME.
Идиома: take something the wrong way Перевод: неправильно понять, воспринять что-либо Пример: The waiter took my comments the wrong way and became a little angry. Официант неправильно понял мои замечания, и немного разозлился.
[pass out] {v.}, {informal} 1. To lose consciousness; faint. Shewent back to work while she was still sick, and finally she justpassed out. Compare: GIVE OUT. 2. or {slang} [pass out cold] Todrop into a drunken stupor; become unconscious from drink. Afterthree drinks, the man passed out. 3. To die. Life came and wentweakly in … Читать далее
Идиома: shake (hands) on something Перевод: пожать руки с кем-либо в знак соглашения о чем-либо Пример: I shook hands on the agreement that I had to take on more responsibility at work. Я пожал руку, согласившись, что я должен принять на работе больше ответственности.