Английские идиомы

[mine of information] {n. phr.} A person, a book, etc., that is avaluable source of information. A dictionary can be a mine ofinformation. He is a mine of information on the stock market.

[get across] {v.} 1. To explain clearly, make clear; tomake clear the meaning of. Mr. Brown is a good coach because he canget across the plays. Syn.: PUT ACROSS. 2. To become clear. Theteacher tried to explain the problem, but the explanation did not getacross to the class.

[faultfinding] {n.} Recrimination; nagging; criticism. All ofthis constant faultfinding will only to lead to trouble between youand your wife.

Идиома: come what may Перевод: будь, что будет Пример: Come what may I was determined to go to Spain for my holidays. Неважно, что бы случилось, я был решительно настроен поехать в отпуск в Испанию.

[awkward age] {n.} Adolescence; awkwardness during adolescence. Sue used to be an «ugly duckling» when she was at the awkward age, but today she is a glamorous fashion model.

[every time one turns around] {adv. phr.}, {informal} Very often. Mr. Winston must be rich. He buys a new suit every time he turnsaround. No, Charles — I can’t drive you to the park every time Iturn around.

[tune-up] {n.} 1. The adjusting or fixing of something to make it work safely and well. Father says the car needs atune-up before winter begins. 2. Exercise or practicing for thepurpose of getting ready; a trial before something. The team wentto the practice field for their last tune-up before the gametomorrow. Syn.: WARM UP.

[stick to one’s guns] or [stand by one’s guns] {v. phr.} To hold toan aim or an opinion even though people try to stop you or say you arewrong. People laughed at Columbus when he said the world was round. He stuck to his guns and proved he was right. At first the bosswould not … Читать далее

[on the wane and on the wax] {adv. phr.} Decreasing and increasing.- Said of the moon. The moon is regularly on the wane and on thewax at regular intervals lasting half a month.

[cease-fire] {n.} A period of negotiated nonaggression, when the warring parties involved promise not to attack. Unfortunately, the cease-fire in Bosnia was broken many times by all parties concerned.

[to the full] {adv. phr.} Very much; fully. The campers enjoyedtheir trip to the full. We appreciated to the full the teacher’shelp. Compare: TO THE HILT.

[pair off] {v.} 1. To make a pair of; put two together; associate;match. Mrs. Smith paired off her guests by age and tastes. 2. Tobelong to a pair; become one of a pair. Jane paired off with Alicein a tennis doubles match. 3. To divide or join into pairs. Laterin the day the picnic crowd … Читать далее

[mill around] {v. phr.} To move impatiently in no particulardirection. The crowd milled around, waiting for the arrival of thepresident.

[knee-deep] or [neck-deep] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Very much;deeply; having a big part in. Johnny was knee-deep in trouble. 2.Very busy; working hard at. We were neck-deep in homework beforethe exams. 3. Getting or having many or much. The televisionstation was knee-deep in phone calls. Compare: UP TO THE CHIN IN.

Идиома: as is Перевод: в текущем, нынешнем состоянии; в том виде, в каком есть Пример: We bought the old sofa as is. It was very cheap. Мы купили старый диван в том виде, в каком он был. Он стоил очень дешево.

Идиома: wait in the wings Перевод: ждать своего часа, быть наготове Пример: The vice-president was waiting in the wings to help the president. Вице президент был готов помочь, если президенту понадобится помощь.

[close-up] {n.} A photograph, motion picture, or video camera shot taken at very close range. Directors of movies frequently show close-ups of the main characters.

Идиома: in good shape / in good condition Перевод: в хорошей форме, в хорошем состоянии Пример: Our television set was in good shape when we gave it to my friend. Наш телевизор был в хорошем состоянии, когда мы отдали его моему другу.

[party to] {adj. phr.} Concerned with; participating in. Theprosecution has been trying to show that the defendant was party to afraud.

[all right for you] {interj.} I’m finished with you! That ends it between you and me! — Used by children. All right for you! I’m not playing with you any more!

[leak out] {v. phr.} To become known; escape. The famous beautyqueen tried to keep her marriage a secret, but news of it soon leakedout.

[engage in small talk] {v. phr.} To converse with a stranger orcasual acquaintance about matters of no great importance in order tomake the time go faster. The patients in the doctor’s waiting roomengaged in small talk complaining about the hot weather.

[see through] {v.} 1. To understand the real meaning of or reasonfor; realize the falseness of. Mother saw through Johnny’s excusesnot to go to bed on Christmas Eve. She knew he wanted to stay up tosee Santa Claus. The teacher saw through the boy’s story of havingto help at home. 2. To do until finished; … Читать далее

[afraid of one’s shadow] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Scared of small or imaginary things; very easily frightened; jumpy; nervous. Mrs. Smith won’t stay alone in her house at night; she is afraid of her own shadow. Johnny cries whenever he must say hello to an adult; he is afraid of his own shadow.

Идиома: quick as a flash Перевод: очень быстро; быстро, как молния Пример: I was able to get out of the house as quick as a flash and go to work. Я смог очень быстро выйти из дома и пойти на работу.

Идиома: a dirty look Перевод: взгляд, в котором читается неприязнь или неодобрение Пример: The boy’s mother gave the boy a dirty look when he began to run in the kitchen. Мать мальчика взглянула на него с неодобрением, когда тот начал бегать по кухне.

[pin one’s faith on] {v. phr.} To depend upon; trust. We pinnedour faith on our home basketball team to win the state finals, andthey did!

[left field] {n.} 1. The part of a baseball out-field to thebatter’s left. Right-handed batters usually hit to left field. Compare: CENTER FIELD, RIGHT FIELD. 2. See: OUT IN LEFT FIELD. — [leftfielder] {n.} The player in baseball who plays in left field. Thescoreboard in the ball park is on the fence behind the left … Читать далее

Идиома: one in a million / one in a thousand / one in a hundred Перевод: уникальный, один из очень немногих; один на миллион Пример: I only had a one in a million chance of finding the ring that I had dropped into the lake. У меня был лишь один шанс из миллиона найти кольцо, … Читать далее

[come on strong] {v. phr.}, {slang} To overwhelm a weaker person with excessively strong language, personality, or mannerisms; to insist extremely strongly and claim something with unusual vigor. Joe came on very strong last night about the War in Indochina; most of us felt embarrassed.

[get the worst of] also [have the worst of] {v. phr.} To lose; bedefeated or beaten in; suffer most. Joe got the worst of theargument with Molly. — Often used in the phrase «the worst of it». If you start a fight with Jim, you may get the worst of it. Billhad the worst of … Читать далее

Идиома: make a big deal about something Перевод: преувеличивать важность, величину чего-либо Пример: I wish that my friend would not make a big deal about every small problem. Как бы я хотел, чтобы мой друг не раздувал каждую незначительную проблему.

[have a soft spot in one’s heart for] {v. phr.} To besympathetically inclined towards; entertain a predilection for. Ronalways had a soft spot in his heart for intellectual women wearingminiskirts.

[mad about] {adj. phr.} 1. Angry about. What is Harriet so madabout? 2. Enthusiastic about. Dan is mad about pop music.

[turn a deaf ear to] {v. phr.} To pretend not to hear; refuse tohear; not pay attention. Mary turned a deaf ear to Lois’s asking toride her bicycle. The teacher turned a deaf ear to Bob’s excuse. Compare: COLD SHOULDER.

Идиома: skeleton in one’s closet Перевод: скелет в шкафу; что-либо, о чем не хочется говорить Пример: I heard that the politician has a skeleton in his closet that he does not want to talk about. Я слышал, что у этого политика есть скелет в шкафу, о котором ему не хочется говорить.

[for crying out loud] {informal} Used as an exclamation to showthat you feel surprised or cross. For crying out loud, look who’shere! For crying out loud, that’s the third time you’ve done itwrong. Compare: FOR ONE’S SAKE.

Идиома: make a splash Перевод: произвести сенсацию, фурор; наделать много шуму; привлечь внимание, произвести сильное или благоприятное впечатление Пример: When Tom opened his Toyota dealership, he made quite a splash. Когда Том открывал свой дилерский центр Тойоты, он наделал много шуму.

[take a punch at] or [take a poke at] or [take a sock at] {v. phr.}To try to hit with the fist; swing or strike at; attack withthe fists. Bob was very angry and suddenly he took a punch atFred. Johnny knocked my hat off, so I took a poke at him. Ifelt like taking … Читать далее

[square deal] {n. phr.} 1. Equitable or fair treatment. We areproud to say that at this firm every employee gets a square deal. Contrast NEW DEAL, RAW DEAL.

Идиома: take an interest in someone or something Перевод: проявлять интерес к кому-либо или чему-либо Пример: Recently my cousin has taken an interest in fishing. В последнее время мой двоюродный брат стал интересоваться рыбалкой.

Идиома: take something in (one’s) stride Перевод: спокойно воспринимать, спокойно относиться, принимать что-либо как должное Пример: The boxer took his loss in stride and began to prepare for his next fight. Боксер спокойно воспринял поражение, и начал готовиться к своему следующему бою.

[not to know one from Adam] {v. phr.} To not know a person; beunable to recognize someone. I have no idea who that guy is thatJane just walked in with; I don’t know him from Adam.

[friends with] Friendly to; a friend of. Alice found severalgirls to be friends with on the first day of school. At first Ididn’t like John, but now I am friends with him.

[lose sight of] {v. phr.} 1. Not to be able to see any longer. Ilost sight of Mary in the crowd. I watched the plane go higher andhigher until I lost sight of it. Contrast: CATCH SIGHT OF. 2. Toforget; overlook. Johnny was so interested in the game he lostsight of the time. No matter … Читать далее

Идиома: lay something on the line / put something on the line Перевод: рисковать Пример: She laid her job on the line when she told the boss that he was wrong. Она рискнула своей работой, когда сказала своему начальнику, что он был не прав.

Идиома: wishful thinking Перевод: заблуждение, когда желаемое выдается за действительное Пример: It is wishful thinking to expect deeper change under his leadership. Не стоит выдавать желаемое за действительное, и ожидать больших изменений под его руководством.

[half] See: GO HALVES, GO OFF HALF-COCKED also GO OFF AT HALF COCK, IN HALF, SIX OF ONE AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER, TIME AND A HALF, TOO-BY HALF.

[draw up] {v.} 1. To write in its correct form; put in writing. The rich man had his lawyers draw up his will so that each of his children would receive part of his money when he died. 2. To plan or prepare; begin to write out. The two countries drew up a peace treaty … Читать далее

Идиома: junk mail Перевод: назойливая почта, обычно рекламного характера; почта для мусорной корзины Пример: On her mail box she wrote a sign: «No junk mail!» На своем почтовом ящике она написала: «Никакой рекламы!».