[take potluck] {v. phr.} To share as a guest an everyday mealwithout special preparation. You are welcome to stay for dinner ifyou will take potluck. They were about to have lunch when hephoned and they asked him to take potluck with them.
[hold one’s own] {v. phr.} To keep your position; avoid losingground; keep your advantage, wealth, or condition without loss. Mr. Smith could not build up his business, but he held his own. Theteam held its own after the first quarter. Mary had a hard timeafter the operation, but soon she was holding her own.
Идиома: not tell a (living) soul Перевод: не рассказывать что-либо ни одной живой душе, абсолютно никому Пример: I did not tell a soul about what happened during the fight with my friend. Я ни одному человеку не рассказал о том, что случилось во время ссоры с моим другом.
[stuff and nonsense] {n.} Foolish or empty writing or talk;nonsense. Fred told a long story about his adventures in Africa, but it was all stuff and nonsense. Often used as an interjection. When Jane said she was too sick to go to school, her mother answered,»Stuff and nonsense! I know there’s a test today.»
[in a family way] or [in the family way] {adj. phr.}, {informal}Going to have a baby. Sue and Liz are happy because their mother isin the family way. The Ferguson children are promising kittens toeveryone because their cat is in a family way. Compare: WITH CHILD.
[lower the boom] {v. phr.}, {informal} To punish strictly; check orstop fully. The mayor lowered the boom on outside jobs for cityfiremen. Father lowered the boom on the girls for staying outafter midnight. Syn.: CRACK DOWN. The police lowered the boom onopen gambling.
Идиома: learn to live with something Перевод: научиться приспосабливаться к чему-либо неприятному, болезненному Пример: My mother and father must learn to live with not having a supermarket next door to them. Мои мать с отцом должны привыкать к тому, что рядом с ними нет супермаркета.
[look forward to] {v.} 1. To expect. At breakfast, John lookedforward to a difficult day. 2. To expect with hope or pleasure. Frank was looking forward to that evening’s date.
[in that] {conj.} For the reason that; because. I like the city, but I like the country better in that I have more friends in thecountry.
Идиома: set the stage / scene for something Перевод: подготовить почву для чего-либо; сделать неизбежным что-либо Пример: The win by our team set the stage for the final championship game next month. Победа нашей команды подготовила почву для финальной игры чемпионата в следующем месяце.
Идиома: eat like a horse Перевод: много есть Пример: My friend eats like a horse but he never gains any weight. Мой друг много ест, но никогда не набирает веса.
Идиома: go on and on Перевод: все продолжать и продолжать; продолжать долгое время Пример: My friend went on and on with his speech until finally I fell asleep. Мой друг все продолжал и продолжал говорить свою речь, пока я, наконец, не заснул.
Идиома: next to nothing Перевод: почти что ничего; едва ли что-либо Пример: I was able to buy a new computer for next to nothing. Я смог купить новый компьютер почти что бесплатно.
[size up] {v.}, {informal} To decide what one thinks about ; to form an opinion about. Give Joe an hourto size up the situation and he’ll tell you what to do next. Ourcoach went to New York to size up the team we’ll face in ourhomecoming game. Compare: TAKE STOCK.
[teach a lesson] {v. phr.} To show that bad behavior can beharmful. When Johnny pulled Mary’s hair, she taught him a lesson bybreaking his toy boat. The burns Tommy got from playing withmatches taught him a lesson.
[throw a punch] {v. phr.} To strike at someone with your fist; hit;punch. Bob became so mad at Fred that he threw a punch at him. The bell rang and the boxers started throwing punches. Compare: TAKEA PUNCH AT.
Идиома: cannon fodder Перевод: пушечное мясо; войска, солдаты, которые вероятнее всего погибнут в боевых действиях Пример: This platoon is regarded as cannon fodder by the enemy. Враг считает этот взвод пушечным мясом.
[at last] also [at long last] {adv. phr.} After a long time; finally. The war had been long and hard, but now there was peace at last. The boy saved his money until at last he had enough for a bicycle.
[turn one’s nose up at] {v. phr.} To scorn; snub; look down atsomebody or something. I don’t understand why Sue has to turn hernose up at everyone who didn’t go to an Ivy League college.
[stand off] {v.} 1. To stay at a distance; stay apart. Atparties, Mr. Jones goes around talking to everyone, but Mrs. Jones isshy and stands off. 2. To keep from comingnear or winning. The soldiers defending the fort stood off a largeband of Indians. The other schools wanted to beat our team and winthe championship, … Читать далее
[get something out of one’s system] {v. phr.} 1. To eliminate somefood item or drug from one’s body. John will feel much better oncehe gets the addictive sleeping pills out of his system. 2. To freeoneself of yearning for something in order to liberate oneself from anunwanted preoccupation. Ted bought a new cabin cruiser that … Читать далее
Идиома: mean business Перевод: говорить всерьез, иметь серьезные намерения Пример: He is working very hard and means business when he says that he is going to get the office organized. Он много работает и он абсолютно серьезен, когда говорит, что приведет в порядок весь офис.
[getaway car] {n. phr.} A vehicle parked near the scene of a crimein which the criminals escape. The police intercepted the getawaycar at a major crossroads.
[bred in the bone] {adj. phr.} Belonging to your nature or character, especially from early teaching or long habit; natural from belief or habit; believing deeply. The Willett children’s cleanness is bred in the bone. Often used, with hyphens before the noun. Joe is a bred-in-the-bone horseman; he has been riding since he was six. … Читать далее
[step down] {v.} 1. To come down in one move from a higher positionto a lower. As soon as the train stopped, the conductor steppeddown to help the passengers off. 2. To make go slower little bylittle. The train was approaching the station, so the engineerstepped it down. Compare: SLOW DOWN, STEP UP. 3. To … Читать далее
[spring chicken] {n.}, {slang} A young person. — Usually used with»no». Mr. Brown is no spring chicken, but he can still play tenniswell. The coach is no spring chicken, but he can show the playerswhat to do.
Идиома: curl someone’s hair / make someone’s hair curl Идиома: curl someone’s hair / make someone’s hair curl Перевод: шокировать, привести в ужас; заставить волосы встать дыбом Пример: The man described the accident. It was enough to curl your hair! Мужчина описал несчастный случай. От этого волосы вставали дыбом!
[take sides] {v. phr.} To join one group against another in adebate or quarrel. Switzerland refused to take sides in the twoWorld Wars. Tom wanted to go fishing. Dick wanted to take a hike. Bob took sides with Tom so they all went fishing. Compare: LINEUP. Contrast: ON THE FENCE.
[under the hammer] {adv. phr.} Up for sale at auction. TheBrights auctioned off the entire contents of their home. Mrs. Brightcried when her pewter collection went under the hammer. Thepicture I wanted to bid on came under the hammer soon after Iarrived.
Идиома: lie down on the job / lay down on the job Перевод: работать спустя рукава; очень плохо выполнять работу, обязанности Пример: The workers decided to lie down on the job and nothing was finished when the supervisor arrived. Рабочие решили работать кое-как, и ничего не было закончено к тому моменту, когда прибыл надсмотрщик.
[that’ll be the day] {informal} That will never happen. Joewanted me to lend him money to take my girl to the movies. That’ll bethe day! «Wouldn’t it be nice if we had to go to school only oneday a week?» «That’ll be the day!»
[penny wise and pound foolish] Wise or careful in small things butnot careful enough in important things. — A proverb. Mr. Smith’sfence is rotting and falling down because he wouldn’t spend money topaint it. He is penny wise and pound foolish.
Идиома: perish the thought Перевод: забудь об этом; даже не думай об этом (используется часто как восклицание) Пример: Me, get married? Perish the thought! Мне, жениться? Даже и не думай об этом!
Идиома: (just) say the word Перевод: подать сигнал, сказать свое пожелание Пример: Just say the word and I will come and meet you at the airport. Скажи лишь слово, и я приду встретить тебя в аэропорту.
Идиома: no joke Перевод: серьезное дело Пример: The mistake with the meeting time was no joke. It caused many of us very serious problems. Ошибка со временем проведения собрания была очень серьезной оплошностью. Она причинила много больших неприятностей всем нам.
[bring to one’s knees] {v. phr.} To seriously weaken the power or impair the function of. The fuel shortage brought the automobile industry to its knees.
[out of thin air] {adv. phr.} Out of nothing or from nowhere. The teacher scolded Dick because his story was made out of thin air. On the way home from town, Tom saw a house standing on the lot thathad been empty that morning; it seemed to have appeared out of thinair. Compare: INTO THIN … Читать далее
Идиома: out of the loop Перевод: не быть в круге посвященных; быть не в курсе, не знать Пример: The man is out of the loop and does not know what is happening in his company. Этот человек не в курсе дел, и он не знает, что происходит в его компании.
[show up] {v.} 1. To make known the real truth about. The man said he was a mind reader, but he was shown up as a fake. 2.To come or bring out; become or make easy to see. The detective puta chemical on the paper, and the fingertips showed up. This testshows up your weaknesses … Читать далее
[do credit] or [do credit to] also [do proud] To add to or improve the reputation, good name, honor, or esteem of; show deserve praise. Your neat appearance does you credit. Mary’s painting would do credit to a real artist.
[mark off] {v. phr.} Mark with lines; lay out in sections. Thefield will be marked off in accordance with the special track eventsthat will take place tomorrow.
[wolf in sheep’s clothing] {n. phr.} A person who pretends to begood but really is bad. Mrs. Martin trusted the lawyer until sherealized that he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Mr. Black wasfooled by the salesman’s manners until he showed that he was really awolf in sheep’s clothing by selling Mr. Black a car … Читать далее
Идиома: wear and tear Перевод: износ, изнашивание Пример: They put a lot of wear and tear on their car during their long holiday. Их машина сильно износилась во время их длительного отпуска.
[on pins and needles] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Worried; nervous. Jane’s mother was on pins and needles because Jane was very lategetting home from school. Many famous actors are on pins andneedles before the curtain opens for a play.
[go back on] {v. phr.} 1. To turn against; not be faithful or loyalto. Many of the man’s friends went back on him when he was sent toprison. The boy’s father told him not to go back on his promise. Compare: BACK DOWN, TURN ONE’S BACK. 2. To fail to do necessary work;not work. Grandfather’s … Читать далее
Идиома: get one’s act together Идиома: get one’s act together разг. Перевод: взять себя в руки Пример: My sister finally got her act together and was able to find a new job. Моя сестра, наконец, взяла себя в руки и смогла найти новую работу.
Идиома: fuddy-duddy Идиома: fuddy-duddy разг. Перевод: старомодный, консервативный человек (особенно пожилой человек) Пример: Everybody considered him to be a fuddy-duddy because of his old-fashioned ideas. Все считали его консерватором из-за его устаревших представлений.
[strike one’s fancy] {v. phr.} To please one’s predilections;appeal to one. The red tie with the yellow dragon on it happened tostrike my fancy, so I bought it.
[go to wrack and ruin] {v. phr.} To fall apart and be ruined; tobecome useless. The barn went to wrack and ruin after the farmermoved. The car will soon go to wrack and ruin standing out in allkinds of weather.
[nine-to-five job] {n. phr.} A typical office job that starts at 9A. M. and ends at 5 P. M. with a one-hour lunch break at 12 noon or 1P. M. We professors are not too well paid but I could never get usedto a nine-to-five job.