Idioms, with definitions or synonyms | Examples | Translation | ||||||
above board - honest, open | His business dealings are above board. | честный, открытый | ||||||
ad lib - improvise, interpolate | The actor forgot his lines and ad libbed. | импровизировать | ||||||
after all - in spite of the situation; nevertheless | I knew it! After all, I was right! He returned to his hometown after all. | все-таки; все же; в конце концов | ||||||
against the grain - contrary to someone's feelings, principles | His plan goes against the grain with her because she doesn't like cheating. | против чьих-то чувств, принципов, желаний | ||||||
all along - all the time | I knew about his little secret all along. | все время; всегда | ||||||
all ears - eager to listen | I am all ears. | весь внимание | ||||||
all of a sudden - suddenly | All of a sudden, he refused to pay. | неожиданно | ||||||
all the same - no difference | If it's all the same to you, let's start at two. | все равно; без разницы | ||||||
all thumbs - clumsy | He can't fix anything, he's all thumbs. | неуклюжий, неумелый | ||||||
apple of one's eye - very dear, precious | Her son is the apple of her eye. | очень дорогой, драгоценный; зеница ока | ||||||
apple of discord - subject of envy or quarrel | This question is an apple of discord in our family. | яблоко раздора | ||||||
as a rule - generally, usually | As a rule, we offer a 5% discount. | как правило | ||||||
as far as I know - if I have correct information | As far as I know, he stayed home all day. | насколько я знаю | ||||||
as far as someone / something is concerned - concerning; in reference to | As far as I am concerned, both the book and the movie are good. As far as your report is concerned, we'll discuss it tomorrow. | что касается кого-то, чего-то | ||||||
as for / as to - concerning; in reference to | As for me, you can always rely on my support. As for your report, we'll discuss it tomorrow. | что касается; относительно | ||||||
as well - also; too | He knows math and physics as well. | тоже; также | ||||||
at all - (not) in the smallest degree | He doesn't know French at all. I don't like it at all. | совсем (не) | ||||||
at first sight - from the first glance; at once; at first glance | It was love at first sight. At first sight, it seems easy to do. | с первого взгляда; сразу же; на первый взгляд | ||||||
at odds with - in disagreement | He is at odds with everyone! | не в ладах | ||||||
at random - without order or plan | He chose those places at random. | наугад; без плана | ||||||
at this point - at this time | At this point, we can't turn back. | на данном этапе | ||||||
backseat driver - a passenger who tells you how to drive | His wife is a backseat driver always telling him how to drive. | пассажир, который указывает, как вести машину | ||||||
ballpark figure - approximate estimate (in figures) | I can give you only a ballpark figure at this time. | приблизительное оценка (в цифрах) | ||||||
bark up the wrong tree - make a false assumption or wrong choice | The detective was sure he got a suspect, but he was barking up the wrong tree. | напасть на ложный след | ||||||
be about to do something - be close to doing something; be on the verge of doing something | I was about to leave when you called. I was about to open the door, but something stopped me. | быть готовым сделать что-то; собираться сделать что-то | ||||||
be all in - be extremely tired | I'm all in, I'd better go to bed now. | очень устать | ||||||
be back on one's feet - be healthy again or better financially | He's back on his feet after a long period of debt and unemployment. | встать на ноги после трудного времени | ||||||
be behind the times - be old-fashioned, outdated | Some of the managers here are behind the times; their methods are not modern. | отстать от жизни; быть несовременным, устаревшим | ||||||
be beside oneself - be very upset, nervous, worried | She was beside herself with worry / with grief. | быть вне себя от волнения, горя | ||||||
be beside the point - be off the point | What I said to him privately is beside the point. | не по существу; не относится к делу | ||||||
be better off - be in a better situation (financially) | He'll be better off with a new job. | в лучшей ситуации (материально) | ||||||
be broke - have no money at all; be penniless, bankrupt | I spent all my money, I'm broke. | быть без гроша; быть совсем без денег; разориться | ||||||
be cut out to be someone; be cut out for it - have the ability to do something | He is cut out to be a leader. She isn't cut out to be a surgeon. She isn't cut out for it. | быть созданным для какой-то работы | ||||||
be hard on something or someone - treat roughly | My son is hard on shoes; they don't last long with him. Life was pretty hard on Tom. | не беречь что-то или кого-то | ||||||
be high on one's list - be one of the most important things | A new car is high on my list of priorities. A new TV is not high on my list. | быть важным; быть в начале списка нужных вещей | ||||||
be in charge of something - be responsible for | He is in charge of marketing. | быть ответственным за что-то | ||||||
be in good health - be healthy | She is in good health. | иметь хорошее здоровье | ||||||
be in poor health - be not healthy | She is in poor health. | иметь слабое здоровье | ||||||
be in good shape - be physically fit | He is in good shape because he exercises regularly. | быть в хорошей форме; быть в порядке | ||||||
be in bad shape - be in bad state | The patient is in bad shape. His affairs are in bad shape. | быть в плохом состоянии, не в порядке, не в форме | ||||||
be in the red - be in debt | Our sales were in the red last year. | быть убыточным | ||||||
be on one's way | I'm on my way. | быть уже в пути: Я уже еду. | ||||||
be on the point of something, be at the point of something - be on the verge of something; be close to doing something | He was on the point of death two years ago. She was on the point of telling him the truth, but his words stopped her. | быть на грани чего-то; на грани сделать что-то | ||||||
be out of date - be outdated | This information is out of date. | устаревший | ||||||
be out of sorts - be in bad temper | Leave him alone, he's out of sorts today. | быть не в духе | ||||||
be pressed for time, for money - not to have enough time, money | I'm pressed for time now. We are pressed for money at the moment. | не хватать времени, денег и др. | ||||||
be to blame - be responsible for a mistake, for something wrong | Who is to blame for this awful mistake? Tom is to blame for this mix-up. | быть виноватым за ошибку, за неправильные действия | ||||||
be touch and go - risky; dangerous; uncertain of the result | He was very sick, and for some time it was touch and go, but he is better now. | рискованный, опасный; на грани; неясно, куда повернется | ||||||
be up and around / about - able to be out of bed after an illness | He was sick for a month, but now he is up and around. | встать на ноги; поправиться | ||||||
be up to one's ears in (work) - be very busy | I'm up to my ears in work. | быть по уши в (делах, работе) | ||||||
beat around the bush; beat about the bush - avoid giving a clear or definite answer | Stop beating around the bush! Get to the point! | ходить вокруг да около | ||||||
beat one's brains out - make great efforts, often unsuccessfully | He beats his brains out at work, but his boss doesn't even notice his hard work. | очень стараться (часто безуспешно) | ||||||
before long - soon | He will understand before long what a terrible mistake he has made. | скоро, в скором времени | ||||||
big shot - important person | He is a big shot around here. | важная персона | ||||||
bite off more than one can chew - try to do more than one can | I couldn't handle two jobs and family. I really bit off more than I could chew. | переоценить свои силы; пытаться сделать непосильное | ||||||
bite the bullet - accept painful but necessary action | Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and to do what's necessary to do. | стиснуть зубы и терпеть мучительное, но необходимое | ||||||
bite the dust - die; be killed; suffer defeat | Many of them bit the dust in that war. | умереть; быть убитым; потерпеть поражение | ||||||
bite the hand that feeds one - repay kindness with evil | She is so ungrateful! She is biting the hand that feeds her! | отплатить злом на добро | ||||||
black sheep - a good-for-nothing member of the family | Their second son is the black sheep of the family; he is good for nothing. | паршивая овца | ||||||
blind date - a meeting between a man and a woman (who have never met before) arranged by their friends | She refuses to go on a blind date again because she had bad experience. | свидание вслепую | ||||||
blow it - lose the chance | He understood that he blew it. | потерять шанс | ||||||
bottom line - main result; main factor | The bottom line is, I don't have enough money. | итог; основной момент | ||||||
break someone's heart - hurt deeply | The news of her death broke his heart. | разбить чье-то сердце; сильно огорчить | ||||||
break the ice - overcome shyness in making the first step | The party was dull until someone broke the ice with a joke, and we all laughed. | преодолеть неловкость при первом знакомстве | ||||||
break the news - tell new important facts | CNN is breaking the news right now. | сообщить важную новость | ||||||
bring home the bacon - earn the living for the family | He works very hard at several places to bring home the bacon. | обеспечивать семью | ||||||
by all means - definitely, certainly | Do you need my help? - By all means. | обязательно, конечно | ||||||
by heart - by memorizing | Learn this poem by heart for tomorrow. | наизусть | ||||||
by hook or by crook - by any possible means | She will get what she wants by hook or by crook. | любым путем, любым способом | ||||||
by oneself (by myself, by himself, etc.) - alone; on one's own | She spent the evening by herself. He did it all by himself. | один; в одиночку | ||||||
by the way - incidentally | By the way, I found the book that you recommended. | кстати | ||||||
call a halt to something - terminate, stop something | His father called a halt to his activity. | остановить, прекратить что-то | ||||||
call a spade a spade - use plain, direct words | He always tells the truth and calls a spade a spade. | называть вещи своими именами | ||||||
call it a day - consider work finished for the day | We've been working for ten straight hours. Let's call it a day. | считать работу законченной на этот день | ||||||
call the shots - give orders; be in control of something | He calls the shots in this company. | распоряжаться, иметь контроль над чем-то | ||||||
call the tune - give orders; be the most important person in some situation | Since he was paying for it, he called the tune. | распоряжаться; быть главным в какой-то ситуации | ||||||
carry weight - be important | His advice always carries weight here. | иметь вес | ||||||
castles in the air - daydreaming about success | Instead of working hard, he spends time building castles in the air. | (строить) воздушные замки | ||||||
catch someone's eye - attract attention | This picture caught my eye. | привлечь чье-то внимание | ||||||
catch one's breath - stop and rest | I'm too tired to run further. I need to catch my breath. | перевести дух; остановиться и передохнуть | ||||||
catch someone off guard - catch someone unprepared | He caught me off guard with his question. | застать врасплох | ||||||
catch someone red-handed - find someone in the act of doing wrong | The manager caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing cigarettes. | поймать за руку, когда делал плохое | ||||||
close call - a narrow escape; a bad thing that almost happened | The speeding car almost hit the man. That was really a close call. | что-то плохое, что едва не случилось | ||||||
come to one's senses - act normally and reasonably again | He finally came to his senses, began to work hard, and passed his exams. | взяться за ум; прийти в себя | ||||||
come true - become reality | His dream came true when he met Kate. | осуществиться | ||||||
cross one's mind - occur to someone | It never crossed my mind that he might be ill. | прийти в голову | ||||||
cut corners - 1. take a short-cut; 2. limit one's spending | He ran fast, cutting corners where he could. I have to cut corners this week. | 1. срезать углы; идти напрямик; 2. ограничить расходы | ||||||
do one's best - try very hard | I did my best to help him in his work. | сделать все, что смог | ||||||
do one's bit - do what's needed | I'll do my bit, you can count on me. | сделать положенное | ||||||
do someone good - be good for someone | Fresh air and exercise will do you good | принести пользу | ||||||
do something behind someone's back - do (harmful) things secretively | I hate people who do things behind my back. He did it behind my back again. | делать (вредные) дела за спиной | ||||||
down to earth - practical | He's quiet, sensible, and down to earth. | практичный, приземленный | ||||||
draw the line - set a limit; impose a restriction | I draw the line at spending so much on food. He drew the line for her at $100 a day. | установить границу дозволенного; положить предел | ||||||
duty calls - must fulfill obligations | He said, "Duty calls", put on his coat, and left for work. | долг обязывает | ||||||
easier said than done | It's easier said than done, but I'll try to do it. | легче сказать, чем сделать | ||||||
eat one's words - take back one's words | He had to eat his words after her report. | брать назад свои слова | ||||||
even so - nevertheless; but | I work hard. Even so, I like my job. | тем не менее | ||||||
every now and then - occasionally | Every now and then I visit my old aunt. | время от времени | ||||||
every other - every second one | She washes her hair every other day. | через один; каждый второй | ||||||
fall in love (with) - begin to love | Tom fell in love with Sue at first sight. | влюбиться (в) | ||||||
fall out of love - stop loving | They soon fell out of love and divorced. | разлюбить | ||||||
false alarm - untrue signal; untrue rumor | I heard that he quit his job, but it was a false alarm. | ложная тревога | ||||||
a far cry from something - not nearly as good | His second book wasn't bad, but it was a far cry from his first book. | далеко не такой хороший, как | ||||||
feel it in one's bones - expect something bad to happen | I feel it in my bones that something terrible is going to happen. | нутром чувствовать, что случится плохое | ||||||
feel like doing something - want to do; be inclined to do something | I feel like going for a walk. I don't feel like working now, I'm tired. | быть склонным к занятию чем-то | ||||||
few and far between - rare, scarce | Her visits are few and far between. | слишком редкие | ||||||
find fault with someone or something - criticize; complain about | He finds fault with everybody. She always finds fault with my cooking. | критиковать кого-то или что-то; придираться | ||||||
first things first - important things come before others | First things first: how much money do we have to pay right away? | сначала главное | ||||||
fly off the handle - get angry | He flew off the handle and yelled at me. | разозлиться (вдруг) | ||||||
follow in someone's footsteps - do the same thing | Igor followed in his father's footsteps. He became a doctor too. | идти по стопам; делать то же самое | ||||||
foot the bill - pay the bill | Her father footed the bill for the party. | заплатить по счету | ||||||
for good - forever | After her death he left town for good. | навсегда | ||||||
for the time being - for now; at this time | For the time being, this house is all right for us. | на данное время | ||||||
frame of mind - mental state | I can't do it in this frame of mind. | умонастроение | ||||||
from A to Z - completely; from beginning to end | He knows this town from A to Z. | полностью; от начала до конца | ||||||
from now on - now and in the future | From now on I forbid you to go there. | впредь | ||||||
from the word go - from the very beginning | He was lying to all of us from the word go. | с самого начала | ||||||
get a grip on oneself - take control of one's feelings | Stop crying! Get a grip on yourself! | контролировать свои чувства | ||||||
get carried away - get too excited and enthusiastic about something | He got carried away with opening a store and lost most of his money. | слишком увлечься чем-то | ||||||
get cold feet - be afraid to do something | He wanted to try it, but he got cold feet at the last moment. | побояться сделать | ||||||
get even with someone - have one's revenge | I'll get even with him for everything! | расквитаться с кем-то | ||||||
get in touch with someone - contact someone | Get in touch with Mr. Smith for help. | связаться с кем-то | ||||||
get lost - lose one's way | She got lost in the old part of town. | потерять дорогу | ||||||
Get lost! (slang) - Lay off! | I don't want to see you again. Get lost! | Исчезни! Уйди! | ||||||
get mixed up - get confused | I got mixed up, went the wrong way, and got lost. | перепутать | ||||||
get off someone's back - stop bothering someone | Stop bothering me! Get off my back! | перестать приставать; отстать от кого-то | ||||||
get one's foot in the door - get an initial opportunity; make the first step in something (e.g., in getting a job) | Nina was able to get her foot in the door because her friend worked in that company. | получить начальную возможность; сделать первый шаг в чем-то (например, в получении работы) | ||||||
get on one's high horse - behave haughtily towards someone | Every time I ask her to help me with typing, she gets on her high horse. | вести себя высокомерно | ||||||
get out of hand - get out of control, beyond control | If he gets out of hand again, call me right away. The situation is getting out of hand. | выйти из-под контроля | ||||||
get rid of someone or something - dispose of; discard | He got rid of his old useless car. | избавиться от кого-то или чего-то | ||||||
get to the bottom of something - know deeply | He usually gets to the bottom of things. | добраться до сути чего-то | ||||||
get to the point - speak directly about the subject; come to the point | Please get to the point, I don't have much time now. | перейти к сути дела; начать говорить по существу | ||||||
Give me a break! - Stop it! Enough! | Come on, stop it! Give me a break! | Прекрати! Хватит! | ||||||
give someone a hand - help someone | Can you give me a hand with cooking? | помочь кому-то | ||||||
give someone a lift; give someone a ride - take someone to some place by car | Can you give me a lift to the bank? He gave her a ride in his new Porsche. | подвезти кого-то (куда-то) | ||||||
give someone a piece of one's mind - criticize frankly | She lost my umbrella again, so I gave her a piece of my mind about her carelessness. | высказать, что на уме; критиковать | ||||||
go back on one's word - break a promise | First he said he would help me, but then he went back on his word. | нарушить свое слово, обещание | ||||||
go for it - make an attempt at something new; give it a try | If I were you, I would go for it. Go for it! Give it a try! | сделать попытку в чем-то новом; попробовать новое дело | ||||||
go from bad to worse - become much worse | His business went from bad to worse. | становиться все хуже | ||||||
go out of one's way - try very hard | He goes out of his way to please her. | очень стараться | ||||||
go to one's head - 1. make dizzy; 2. make too proud, conceited | 1. Champagne went to her head right away. 2. His acting success went to his head. | 1. вызвать головокружение; 2. возгордиться - Успех вскружил ему голову. | ||||||
go to pieces - get very upset; fall apart | She went to pieces when she heard it. | сильно расстроиться | ||||||
go with the flow - lead a quiet life | She always goes with the flow. | плыть по течению; жить без волнений | ||||||
have a ball - have a good time | Yesterday we had a ball at the party. | отлично провести время | ||||||
have a bone to pick with someone - complain or discuss something unpleasant | Mr. Brown, I have a bone to pick with you. My mail was lost because of you. | иметь претензии к кому-то | ||||||
have a sweet tooth - love eating sweet things | He has a sweet tooth. | быть сластеной; любить сладкое | ||||||
have a word with someone - talk to someone | Can I have a word with you? | поговорить с кем-то | ||||||
have words with someone - argue with someone | I had words with my coworker today because he used my computer again. | крупно поговорить с кем-то | ||||||
have it in someone - have the ability | Laura has it in her to be a good doctor. | иметь нужные качества | ||||||
have no business doing something - have no right to do something | You have no business staying here without my permission. | нечего (вам) здесь делать; незачем здесь находиться и др. | ||||||
have one's back to the wall - be hard-pressed; on the defensive | I had no choice, I had my back to the wall. | быть прижатым к стене, под давлением; вынужден защищаться | ||||||
have one's hands full - be very busy | He has his hands full with hard work. | быть очень занятым | ||||||
have one's heart set on something - want something very much | She has her heart set on going to New York. He has his heart set on Betty. | очень хотеть получить что-то | ||||||
have pull - have influence | Does he have pull with the director? | иметь влияние | ||||||
(not) have the heart to do something - (not) have the courage to do something unpleasant | I don't have the heart to tell him that he wasn't accepted; he'll be so unhappy. | (не) хватает духа сделать неприятное | ||||||
hit the nail on the head - say exactly the right thing | You hit the nail on the head when you said that! | попасть в точку; сказать очень правильную вещь | ||||||
(not) hold it against someone - (not) blame somebody for doing something | I lost his book, but he doesn't hold it against me. | (не) держать зло на кого-то | ||||||
Hold it! - Stop! Wait! | Hold it! I forgot my key. | Остановитесь! Стойте! | ||||||
hold one's own - maintain oneself in a situation; behave as needed | He can hold his own in any situation. We need men who can hold their own. | постоять за себя; утвердиться в чем-то | ||||||
hold one's tongue - keep silent; refrain from speaking | She can't hold her tongue at all. | молчать; держать язык за зубами; придержать язык | ||||||
ill at ease - uncomfortable | She felt ill at ease because of her cheap dress. | не по себе | ||||||
in advance - well before | He told her about his plan in advance. | заранее | ||||||
in a nutshell - in a few words | In a nutshell, my plan is to buy land. | кратко, вкратце | ||||||
in care of - write to one person at the address of another person | I'm going to stay at Tom's house in Chicago. Write to me in care of Tom Gray, 321 Main Street, Chicago, Illinois. | писать адресату по адресу другого человека (у которого остановился) | ||||||
in cold blood - mercilessly | He killed her in cold blood. | хладнокровно | ||||||
in fact - actually; in reality | In fact, he works as a manager here. | фактически; в действительности | ||||||
in general - generally; generally speaking | In general, he likes to be alone. He described the place only in general. | в общем; вообще; обычно | ||||||
in hot water - in trouble; in a difficult situation (especially with the law or one's superiors) | He said a couple of unpleasant things about the boss's wife, and now he is in hot water. | в беде; в трудном положении (особенно с законом или начальством) | ||||||
in one's element - what one likes | He's in his element when he's arguing. | в своей стихии | ||||||
in other words - using other words | In other words, you left her when she needed your help. | другими словами | ||||||
in plain English - in simple, frank terms | I didn't really like the concert. In plain English, the concert was terrible. | проще говоря; без обиняков | ||||||
the ins and outs - all information about something | He knows the ins and outs of this business. | входы и выходы, вся информация о чем-то | ||||||
in someone's shoes - in another person's position | I wouldn't want to be in his shoes now. He lost his job, and his wife is in the hospital. | на месте другого; в положении другого | ||||||
in the long run - in the end | In the long run, it will be better to buy it. | в конечном счете | ||||||
in the same boat - in the same situation | Stop arguing with me. We're in the same boat and should help each other. | в таком же положении | ||||||
in the clear - free from blame | Pay the bill, and you'll be in the clear. | вне претензий | ||||||
in time (to do something) - early enough; before something begins | I came in time to have a cup of coffee before class. | вовремя; заранее, чтобы успеть что-то сделать до начала чего-то | ||||||
it goes without saying - should be clear without words | It goes without saying that he must pay what he owes right away. | не стоит и говорить; само собой | ||||||
it's time - should do it right away | Hurry up, it's time to go. | пора (сделать что-то) | ||||||
It's worth it. It's not worth it. It's (not) worth buying, visiting, watching, etc. | Watch this film, it's worth it. Don't buy this coat, it is not worth it. This museum is worth visiting. This film is not worth watching. | оно того стоит; оно того не стоит; (не) стоит покупать, посещать, смотреть и т.д. | ||||||
jump at the opportunity - accept the opportunity eagerly | His boss mentioned a job in Europe, and Peter jumped at the opportunity. | ухватиться за возможность | ||||||
just as soon - prefer; would rather | I'd just as soon stay home, I'm tired. | предпочитать; охотно | ||||||
just in case - to be on the safe side | Take an extra shirt, just in case. | на всякий случай | ||||||
Just my luck! - Bad luck! Hard luck! | They lost my job application. Just my luck! | Мне всегда не везет! | ||||||
keep an eye on someone or something - take care of; watch; look after | Betty keeps an eye on my sons for me. I'll keep an eye on your dog. | последить за; присмотреть за | ||||||
keep a straight face - try not to laugh | I tried to keep a straight face but failed. | стараться не рассмеяться; сохранять невозмутимый вид | ||||||
keep company - accompany | She keeps me company quite often. | составить компанию | ||||||
keep in mind - bear in mind; consider; remember | Keep in mind that he is not going to agree easily. | иметь в виду; учитывать; помнить | ||||||
keep in touch - keep in contact with someone by calling, visiting, sending messages | Good-by and don't forget to keep in touch! Keep in touch with us. We may have new openings next week. | держаться в контакте; поддерживать контакт с кем-то | ||||||
keep one's word - fulfill a promise | You promised, now keep your word. | держать слово | ||||||
keep someone posted - inform someone | Keep me posted about your plans. | держать кого-то в курсе событий | ||||||
keep one's fingers crossed - hope that nothing will go wrong | I have a job interview today. Keep your fingers crossed for me, will you? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. | надеяться, что все пройдет гладко | ||||||
kill time - fill time; spend empty time | I went to the show to kill time. | убить время | ||||||
not to know the first thing about something - not to have any knowledge about something | I don't know the first thing about nuclear physics. | совсем ничего не знать по какой-то теме | ||||||
know the ropes - be very familiar with some business | He knows all the ropes in this company. | знать все ходы и выходы | ||||||
last-minute notice - a message (information, instruction) at the last moment leaving little or no time for preparation | His arrival was a last-minute notice. We didn't have time to prepare for it. | сообщение (информация, инструкция) в последний момент, из-за чего мало или нет времени на подготовку | ||||||
lay one's cards on the table - be frank and open | Finally, we asked him to lay his cards on the table and tell us about his plans. | сказать честно; открыть карты | ||||||
lay one's life on the line - put oneself in a dangerous situation | He laid his life on the line to fulfill this task, but nobody appreciated his efforts. | ставить свою жизнь на карту; рисковать | ||||||
lead a dog's life - live in misery | He leads a dog's life. | влачить жалкое существование | ||||||
leave it at that - stop saying anything else about some matter; leave as it is | I don't want to argue any further about it, so let's leave it at that. Leave it at that! | перестать далее упоминать (о предмете спора); оставить как есть | ||||||
leave word - leave a message | He left word for you to meet him at the airport at six o'clock. | оставить сообщение | ||||||
let bygones be bygones - forget and forgive bad things in the past | He said that to you many years ago. Forgive him. Let bygones be bygones. | не ворошить прошлое; забыть старые обиды | ||||||
let go of something - release the hold | Let go of my hand, or I'll call the guard. | отпустить; не держать | ||||||
let (it) go - forget bad experience; return to normal life | He's still in despair and can't let go. You can't change anything, so let it go. | освободиться от тяжелого переживания | ||||||
let one's hair down - be relaxed and informal with other people | She is always so formal. She never lets her hair down. | держаться неофициально | ||||||
let someone know - inform someone | Let me know when you find a job. | известить кого-то | ||||||
like father, like son - be like one's parent in something | Paul won a prize in a chess tournament. Great! Like father, like son! | какой отец, такой и сын | ||||||
little by little - step by step; bit by bit; gradually | Little by little, they saved enough money for a new car. | понемногу, постепенно | ||||||
a long shot - an attempt with little chance of success | Checking the suspect's aunt was a long shot, but the detective was prepared to try anything. | попытка с минимальными шансами на успех | ||||||
lose one's temper - become angry | He loses his temper very often. | разозлиться | ||||||
lose one's way - get lost | I lost my way. Can you help me? | потерять дорогу | ||||||
lose track of someone - not to know where someone is | I lost track of him years ago. | потерять кого-то из виду | ||||||
lucky break - a lucky chance | He got his lucky break when he found that job. | счастливый случай | ||||||
make a living - earn money to provide for life | He works hard. His family is large, and he has to make a living somehow. | зарабатывать на жизнь | ||||||
make allowance(s) for something - take into consideration when judging | Don't criticize him so hard; make allowance for his inexperience. | учитывать, делать поправку, скидку на что-то | ||||||
make a point of - be sure to do something intentionally | Make a point of asking about his wife's health. Make it a point to be here by ten o'clock. | считать обязательным для себя сделать что-то | ||||||
make (both) ends meet - be able to live on the income one has; live within one's means | He doesn't have much money. I wonder how he manages to make ends meet. | сводить концы с концами; жить по средствам | ||||||
make friends - become friends | Anton makes new friends easily. | подружиться | ||||||
make fun of someone or something - laugh at; joke about | He made fun of her German accent. Everyone makes fun of him. | высмеивать кого-то или что-то | ||||||
not to make head or tail of something - be unable to understand or decipher | I can't make head or tail of his letter. | не в состоянии понять или разобрать что-то | ||||||
make no bones about it - say openly, without hesitation | I'll make no bones about it: I don't like your attitude to work. | сказать прямо, не скрывая отношения | ||||||
make room for someone - allow space for someone | We can make room for one more dog. | потесниться; освободить место для кого-то | ||||||
make sense - be logical | What you say makes sense. | иметь смысл | ||||||
make the most of something - do the best in the given situation | Let's make the most of our vacation. | извлечь лучшее из данной ситуации | ||||||
make up one's mind - decide | Will you go there? Make up your mind. | принять решение | ||||||
make yourself at home - be comfortable; feel at home | Come in, please. Make yourself at home. | будьте как дома | ||||||
a man of his word - a person who keeps promises | You can depend on his promise to help. He's a man of his word. | хозяин своего слова; держит слово | ||||||
mean well - have good intentions | He meant well, but it turned out that he spoiled a couple of things for me. | хотеть сделать, как лучше | ||||||
might as well - maybe it's a good idea | I might as well telephone him now. | может быть неплохо | ||||||
missing person - someone who is lost and can't be located | The little boy disappeared. The police registered him as a missing person. | пропавший человек (т.е. разыскивается) | ||||||
meet someone halfway - compromise with someone | He's reasonable and tries to meet his coworkers halfway when possible. | идти на компромисс с кем-то | ||||||
never mind - don't worry about it | I'm terribly sorry. - Never mind. | не беспокойтесь; неважно | ||||||
no go - impossible, futile, hopeless, useless | We tried to start the car again and again, but it was no go. | невозможный, тщетный, безнадежный, бесполезный | ||||||
not a bit - not at all; not in the least | Are you tired? - Not a bit. | ничуть; нисколько | ||||||
not to mention - in addition to | We have three dogs, not to mention two cats. | не говоря уже о | ||||||
no wonder - not surprising | He ate three big fish. No wonder he's sick. | неудивительно, что | ||||||
now and again - occasionally; now and then | I meet them now and again at the bank. | время от времени | ||||||
odds and ends - a variety of small unimportant things or leftovers; bits and pieces | I went to the store because I needed to buy some odds and ends for my kitchen. | разрозненные мелочи; остатки, обрезки; всякая всячина | ||||||
off the cuff - without preparation | Off the cuff, I can give you only a rough estimate. | без подготовки | ||||||
off the point - beside the point | What I think about him is off the point. | не относится к делу | ||||||
off the record - not for the public; unofficially | Strictly off the record, I think the director is going to get married soon. | не для публики; неофициально | ||||||
off the top of one's head - without thinking or calculation; impromptu; from memory | I can't give you the figure off the top of my head, but it may be around a thousand. | без обдумывания или подсчета; без подготовки; по памяти | ||||||
once and for all - decidedly | You must quit smoking once and for all. | раз и навсегда | ||||||
on credit - not having to pay cash right away | He bought a car on credit. | в кредит; не нужно платить наличными сразу | ||||||
on edge - nervous, irritable | He's been on edge ever since she left. | нервный, раздраженный | ||||||
on guard - on the alert | He's cautious and always on guard. | настороже, начеку; бдительный | ||||||
on hand - available | Do you have a calculator on hand? | под рукой | ||||||
on one hand; on the one hand - considering one side of the question | On one hand, she knows quite a few poems by heart. On the other hand, she can't remember any dates. | с одной стороны | ||||||
on one's own (on my own, on his own, etc.) - alone; by oneself; independently | She likes to live and work on her own. She has been on her own for several years. | один; сам по себе; самостоятельно | ||||||
on one's toes - alert, attentive, prepared for difficulties | He was on his toes and produced a very good impression on them. | бдительный, внимательный, собранный | ||||||
on purpose - intentionally | I didn't do it on purpose, it just happened so. | нарочно; с целью | ||||||
on second thought - after thinking again | I'd like to sit on the aisle. On second thought, I'd like a window seat. | подумав; по зрелом размышлении | ||||||
on the alert - on guard | He's cautious and always on the alert. | настороже, начеку; бдительный, внимательный | ||||||
on the carpet - called in by the boss for criticism | Yesterday the boss called her on the carpet for being rude to the coworkers. | вызвать на ковер | ||||||
on the go - on the move; busy, active | He is always on the go. | в движении, на ходу; активный | ||||||
on the chance; on the off chance - in case; unlikely to happen, but there's still a small chance | On the chance that you don't find him at work, here's his home address. We went there on the off chance of seeing John. | на случай если; маловероятно, но все же есть небольшой шанс (добавление off уменьшает вероятность) | ||||||
on the other hand - considering the other side of the question | I'd like to have a dog. On the other hand, my wife likes cats. | с другой стороны | ||||||
on the spot - right there | I decided to do it on the spot. | на месте, сразу | ||||||
on the spur of the moment - without previous thought or plan | He bought this car on the spur of the moment, and now he regrets it. | под влиянием момента; без обдумывания или плана | ||||||
on the tip of one's tongue - on the verge of saying but unable to remember | His name is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't remember it. | вертится на языке; вот-вот вспомню | ||||||
on time - punctually; at the specified time | Jim is always on time. | вовремя; в назначенное время | ||||||
out of one's mind - crazy | If you think so, you're out of your mind. | сумасшедший | ||||||
out of one's way - away from one's usual route | I can't give you a lift to the bank, it's out of my way today. | не по пути | ||||||
out of the question - not to be considered; impossible | Paying him is out of the question! | не может быть и речи | ||||||
pack rat - a person who saves lots of unnecessary things | Why does she keep all those things she never uses? - She is a pack rat. | тот, кто не выбрасывает старые или ненужные вещи | ||||||
pay attention - note something; be attentive to something | Pay attention to his words. | обратить внимание | ||||||
pick a fight - start a quarrel | He often tries to pick a fight with me. | начать ссору | ||||||
play one's cards right - choose the right steps in doing something | If you play your cards right, he'll agree to your plan. | сыграть правильно; выбрать правильные шаги в каком-то деле | ||||||
potluck supper - a surprise meal where nobody knows what dishes other guests will bring | You know what happened at our last potluck supper? Everybody brought macaroni and cheese, apples, and beer! | ужин вскладчину; никто не знает, что принесут другие | ||||||
pull the wool over someone's eyes - deceive, mislead someone | Are you trying to pull the wool over my eyes? It won't do you any good. | обмануть, ввести в заблуждение | ||||||
put a damper on something - discourage | She always puts a damper on my plans. | охладить пыл | ||||||
put in a word for someone - say positive things about someone | I'd be very grateful if you could put in a word for me when you speak to him. | замолвить словечко | ||||||
put one's best foot forward - try to show one's best qualities; do one's best; do things as quickly as possible | He put his best foot forward during the interview. Put your best foot forward working at this project. | стараться показать свои лучшие качества; делать все возможное; выполнять как можно быстрее | ||||||
put one's finger on it - indicate exactly; point out the exact cause, fault, name, etc. | I can't put my finger on it. He was able to put his finger on the exact cause of the computer malfunction. | точно указать причину, ошибку, название и др.; попасть в точку | ||||||
put one's foot down - object strongly | Her father put his foot down when she said she wanted to marry Alan. | решительно воспротивиться | ||||||
put one's foot in it / into it; put one's foot in one's mouth - do or say the wrong thing; make a blunder; make a fool of oneself | He put his foot in it when he told the boss that his younger daughter wasn't pretty at all. | сделать или сказать глупость; попасть впросак; сесть в калошу; опростоволоситься | ||||||
quite a bit (of) - much; a lot (of) | I had quite a bit of trouble with that car. | много; сильно | ||||||
quite a few - many; a lot of | He wrote quite a few good stories. | много; большое количество | ||||||
rack one's brain - try hard to think | He racked his brain to solve the puzzle. | напрячь мозги | ||||||
read between the lines - find or understand the implied meaning | His books are not easy to understand. You have to read between the lines. | читать между строк | ||||||
Remember me to your family. - Say hello to your family for me. | Please remember me to your family. | Передавайте привет от меня вашей семье. | ||||||
right away - immediately | It' very important to do it right away. | сразу же; немедленно | ||||||
ring a bell - remind someone of something familiar but half-forgotten | Annabel Lee? Yes, it rings a bell, but I can't place it right now. | напоминает что-то знакомое, но полузабытое | ||||||
rock the boat - make the situation unstable | Peter always rocks the boat when we discuss the company's spending policy. | раскачивать лодку; вести к нестабильности | ||||||
rub elbows with; rub shoulders with - spend time together; mingle | He doesn't rub elbows with the rich and famous. | близко общаться с кем-то | ||||||
rub it in - embarrass even more by reminding repeatedly of some mistake, failure, etc. | I know I shouldn't have done it, and I apologized. There is no need to rub it in. | ставить в еще более неловкое положение напоминаниями об ошибке, неудаче | ||||||
rub someone the wrong way - irritate, annoy; make angry | His remarks rub many coworkers the wrong way. | раздражать; злить кого-то | ||||||
save face - try to change the negative impression produced | He said a stupid thing, and then he tried to save face by saying he misunderstood me. | сохранить лицо, т.е. пытаться изменить произведенное негативное впечатление | ||||||
save one's breath - stop useless talk | There's no use talking to him about his spending habits, so save your breath. | не тратить слова попусту | ||||||
scratch the surface - study something superficially | He examines all the facts closely, he doesn't just scratch the surface. | изучать поверхностно | ||||||
search high and low - search everywhere | I searched high and low for my lost cat. | искать везде | ||||||
see eye to eye - agree with each other | They see eye to eye on many things. I don't see eye to eye with him. | соглашаться друг с другом; сходиться во взглядах | ||||||
see red - become very angry | She sees red every time she remembers how he lied to her about it. | приходить в ярость; очень сильно злиться | ||||||
serve someone right - get what someone deserves | It serves him right that he didn't get that job. He despised all the other candidates. | поделом кому-то | ||||||
serve one's purpose - be useful for some purpose | I doubt that hiring this man will serve your purpose. | служить цели; отвечать цели; годиться | ||||||
a shot in the dark - a wild guess | My answer was just a shot in the dark. | догадка, предположение; ответ наугад, наобум | ||||||
show promise - be promising | This young actor shows promise. | подавать надежды | ||||||
sleep on it - postpone a decision till next morning | Don't make a decision now. Sleep on it. | отложить решение до следующего утра | ||||||
a slip of the tongue - a mistake | It was just a slip of the tongue! | обмолвка (ошибка) | ||||||
slip (from) one's mind - forget | It slipped my mind that she asked me to do it. | забыть | ||||||
smell a rat - suspect deceit; suspect that something is wrong | I'm not sure what it is, but I smell a rat. | подозревать обман; чуять подвох; чуять недоброе | ||||||
so far - up to now | So far, I have read three books by Stephen King. | до сих пор; пока; к настоящему моменту | ||||||
so much the better - it's even better | If he can pay cash, so much the better. | еще лучше | ||||||
spill the beans - tell a secret | Who spilled the beans about our plan? | проболтаться | ||||||
stand a chance - have a chance (usually, have no chance) | He doesn't stand a chance of getting it. They don't stand a chance of winning the game. | иметь шанс (обычно, не иметь шансов) | ||||||
stand to reason - be obvious, logical, naturally true | It stands to reason that studying spelling will let you improve your writing skills. | очевидно, что; логично, что | ||||||
straight from the shoulder - frankly, honestly, openly | Why should you spare his feelings? Give it to him straight from the shoulder. | честно, откровенно, открыто | ||||||
take a dim view of something - disapprove of something | My sister takes a dim view of the way I raise my children. | не одобрять что-то | ||||||
take a break - stop for rest | Let's take a break, I'm tired. | сделать перерыв для отдыха | ||||||
take advantage of something - use for one's own benefit; to profit from | We took advantage of the low prices and bought a computer and a monitor. | воспользоваться возможностью с пользой для себя | ||||||
take a stand (on something) - make a firm decision about something | People need to take a stand on the issue of nuclear weapons. | занять четкую позицию по какому-то вопросу | ||||||
Take care! - Good-bye and be careful! | Take care now! See you tomorrow. | Всего хорошего! Берегите себя. | ||||||
take care of someone or something - look after; see that something is done properly | Can you take care of my dog while I'm away? Tom takes good care of his car. | позаботиться о ком-то или чем-то; присмотреть за | ||||||
take hold of something - hold, grasp something | Take hold of this rope and pull. | держать, взяться за, схватить | ||||||
take into account - take into consideration; consider | You must take into account her old age. | принять во внимание | ||||||
take it easy - relax; be calm | Take it easy, everything will be OK. | не волнуйся; расслабься | ||||||
take something for granted - accept as given | Mother's love is always taken for granted by children. | принимать как должное | ||||||
take someone's breath away - surprise or impress someone | That great view took my breath away. | захватить дух от впечатления | ||||||
take one's time - do something without hurry | Don't hurry. Take your time. | делать что-то не торопясь | ||||||
take someone's word for it - believe | Take my word for it, he won't go there. | поверить кому-то на слово | ||||||
take pains - try hard to do it well | He took pains to make his report perfect. | прилагать усилия, чтобы сделать хорошо Дата добавления: 2015-11-04; просмотров: 23 | Нарушение авторских прав
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