Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[agent] See: FREE AGENT.

[Agent Orange]{n.} A herbicide used as a defoliant during the Vietnam War, considered by some to cause birth defects and cancer, hence, by extension, an instance of "technological progress pollution". •/If things continue as they have, we’ll all be eating some Agent Orange with our meals./

[ago] See: WHILE AGO.

[agree with]{v.} To have a good effect on, suit. •/The meat loaf did not agree with him./ •/The warm, sunny climate agreed with him, and he soon grew strong and healthy./

[ahead] See: DEAD AHEAD, GET AHEAD.

[ahead of]{prep.} 1. In a position of advantage or power over. •/He studies all the time, because he wants to stay ahead of his classmates./ 2. In front of; before. •/The troop leader walked a few feet ahead of the boys./ 3. Earlier than; previous to, before. •/Betty finished her test ahead of the others./

[ahead of the game]{adv. or adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. In a position of advantage; winning (as in a game or contest); ahead (as by making money or profit); making it easier to win or succeed. •/The time you spend studying when you are in school will put you ahead of the game in college./ •/After Tom sold his papers, he was $5 ahead of the game./ 2. Early; too soon; beforehand. •/When Ralph came to school an hour early, the janitor said, "You’re ahead of the game."/ •/John studies his lessons only one day early; if he gets too far ahead of the game, he forgets what he read./

[ahead of time]{adv. phr.} Before the expected time; early. •/The bus came ahead of time, and Mary was not ready./ •/The new building was finished ahead of time./ Contrast: BEHIND TIME.

[a hell of] a [or one hell of a] {adj. or adv. phr.}, {informal} Extraordinary; very. •/He made a hell of a shot during the basketball game./ •/Max said seven months was a hell of a time to have to wait for a simple visa./ •/The fall Max took left one hell of a bruise on his knee./

[aim] See: TAKE AIM.

[air] See: BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR, CLEAR THE AIR, GIVE ONESELF AIRS, GET THE AIR at GET THE BOUNCE(1), GIVE THE AIR at GIVE THE BOUNCE(1), IN THE AIR, INTO THIN AIR, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR, ON THE AIR, OUT OF THIN AIR, UP IN THE AIR, WALK ON AIR.

[airbus] n. A trade name, also used informally for a wide-bodied airplane used chiefly as a domestic passenger carrier. •/Airbuses don’t fly overseas, but mainly from coast to coast./

[air one’s dirty linen in public] or [wash one’s dirty linen in public] {v. phr.} To talk about your private quarrels or disgraces where others can hear; make public something embarrassing that should be kept secret. •/Everyone in the school knew that the superintendent and the principal were angry with each other because they aired their dirty linen in public./ •/No one knew that the boys' mother was a drug addict, because the family did not wash its dirty linen in public./

[airquake]{n.} An explosive noise of undetermined origin usually heard in coastal communities and appearing to come from some higher point in elevation. •/What was that awful noise just now? — I guess it must have been an airquake./

[air shuttle]{n.}, {informal} Air service for regular commuters operating between major cities at not too far a distance, e.g., between Boston and New York City; such flights operate without reservation on a frequent schedule. •/My dad takes the air shuttle from Boston to New York once a week./

[a la]{prep.} In the same way as; like. •/Billy played ball like a champion today, a la the professional ball players./ •/Joe wanted to shoot an apple off my head a la William Tell./ (From French "a la", in the manner of.)

[albatross around one’s neck]{n. phr.}, {literary} Guilt, the haunting past, an unforgettable problem. •/Even though it was an accident, John’s father’s death has been an albatross around John’s neck./ Compare: MONKEY ON ONE’S BACK.

[alert] See: ON THE ALERT.

[a little]{n.} or {adj.} A small amount (of); some. — Usually "a little" is different in meaning from "little", which emphasizes the negative; "a little" means "some"; but "little" means "not much". We say •/"We thought that the paper was all gone, but a little was left."/ But we say, •/"We thought we still had a bag of flour, but little was left."/ Also, we say, •/"Bob was sick yesterday, but he is a little better today."/ But we say, •/"Bob was sick yesterday, and he is little better today."/ Sometimes "a little" is used with "only", and then it is negative. •/We thought we had a whole bag of flour, but only a little was left./ •/We have used most of the sugar; but a little is left./ •/We did not eat all the cake; we saved a little of it for you./ •/I’m tired; I need a little time to rest./ •/Where is the paper? I need a little more./ — Often used like an adverb. •/Usually the teacher just watched the dancing class, but sometimes she danced a little to show them how./ •/The children wanted to play a little longer./ — Sometimes used with "very" for emphasis. •/The sick girl could not eat anything, but she could drink a very little tea./ Syn.: A BIT. Compare: A FEW. Contrast: A LOT, QUITE A LITTLE.

[a little bird told me] To have learned something from a mysterious, unknown, or secret source. •/"Who told you that Dean Smith was resigning?" Peter asked. "A little bird told me," Jim answered./

[a little knowledge is a dangerous thing]{literary} A person who knows a little about something may think he knows it all and make bad mistakes. — A proverb. •/John has read a book on driving a car and now he thinks he can drive. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing./

[alive] See: COME ALIVE, KNOW --- IS ALIVE, LOOK ALIVE, SKIN ALIVE.

[alive and kicking]{adj. phr.} Very active; vigorous; full of energy. •/Grandpa was taken to the hospital with pneumonia, but he was discharged yesterday and is alive and kicking./

[alive with]{prep.}, {informal} Crowded with; filled with. •/The lake was alive with fish./ •/The stores were alive with people the Saturday before Christmas./

[all] See: AFTER ALL, AND ALL, AT ALL, BEAT ALL or BEAT THE DUTCH, FOR ALL, FOR ALL ONE IS WORTH, FOR ALL ONE KNOWS, FOR ALL THE WORLD, FOR GOOD also FOR GOOD AND ALL, FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE’S HEART or WITH ALL ONE’S HEART, HAVE ALL ONE’S BUTTONS or HAVE ALL ONE’S MARBLES, IN ALL, JUMP ON or JUMP ALL OVER or LAND ALL OVER, KNOW-IT-ALL, ON ALL FOURS, ONCE AND FOR ALL, PUT ALL ONE’S EGGS IN ONE BASKET, STRIKE ALL OF A HEAP, WALK OVER or WALK ALL OVER or STEP ALL OVER.

[all along] or ({informal}) [right along] {adv. phr.} All the time; during the whole time. •/I knew all along that we would win./ •/I knew right along that Jane would come./

[all at once]{adv. phr.} 1. At the same time; together. •/The teacher told the children to talk one at a time; if they all talked at one time, she could not understand them./ •/Bill can play the piano, sing, and lead his orchestra all at once./ 2. or [all of a sudden] Without warning; abruptly; suddenly; unexpectedly. •/All at once we heard a shot and the soldier fell to the ground./ •/All of a sudden the ship struck a rock./ Compare: AT ONCE.

[all better]{adj. phr.} Fully recovered; all well again; no longer painful. — Usually used to or by children. •/"All better now," he kept repeating to the little girl./

[all but]{adv. phr.} Very nearly; almost. •/Crows all but destroyed a farmer’s field of corn./ •/The hikers were exhausted and all but frozen when they were found./

[all ears]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Very eager to hear; very attentive. — Used in the predicate. •/Go ahead with your story; we are all ears./ •/When John told about the circus, the boys were all ears./

[alley] See: BLIND ALLEY, DOWN ONE’S ALLEY or UP ONE’S ALLEY.

[alley cat]{n.}, {slang} 1. A stray cat. 2. A person (usually a female) of rather easy-going, or actually loose sexual morals; a promiscuous person. •/You’ll have no problem dating her; she’s a regular alley cat./

[all eyes]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Wide-eyed with surprise or curiosity; watching very closely. — Used in the predicate. •/At the circus the children were all eyes./

[all gone]{adj. phr.} Used up; exhausted (said of supplies); done with; over with. •/We used to travel a lot, but, alas, those days are all gone./

[all here] See: ALL THERE.

[all hours]{n. phr.}, {informal} Late or irregular times. •/The boy’s mother said he must stop coming home for meals at all hours./ •/He stayed up till all hours of the night to finish his school work./

[all in]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Very tired; exhausted. •/The players were all in after their first afternoon of practice./ Syn.: PLAYED OUT, WORN OUT.

[all in a day’s work] or [all in the day’s work] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Unpleasant or bad but to be expected; not harder than usual; not unusual. •/Keeping ants away from a picnic lunch is all in the day’s work./ •/When the car had a flat tire, Father said that it was all in a day’s work./ Compare: PAR FOR THE COURSE, PUT UP WITH.

[all in all(1)]{n. phr.}, {literary} The person or thing that you love most. •/She was all in all to him./ •/Music was his all in all./

[all in all(2)] or [in all] {adv. phr.} When everything is thought about; in summary; altogether. •/All in all, it was a pleasant day’s cruise./ •/All in all, the pilot of an airplane must have many abilities and years of experience before he can he appointed./ Compare: ON THE WHOLE 1. •/Counting the balls on the green, we have six golf balls in all./

[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./

[all in one piece]{adv. phr.} Safely; without damage or harm. •/John’s father was terribly concerned when his son was sent to war as a pilot, but he came home all in one piece./

[all kinds of]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Plenty of. •/People say that Mr. Fox has all kinds of money./ •/When Kathy was sick, she had all kinds of company./ Compare: GREAT DEAL.

[all manner of]{adj. phr.}, {formal} Many different kinds of; all sorts of. •/In a five-and-ten-cent store you can buy all manner of things./

[all of]{adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. At least the amount or number of; fully; no less than. •/It was all of ten o’clock before they finally started./ •/She must have paid all of $50 for that hat./ 2. Showing all the signs of; completely in. — Used with "a". •/The girls were all of a twitter before the dance./ •/Mother is all of a flutter because of the thunder and lightning./ •/The dog was all of a tremble with cold./

[all of a sudden] See: ALL AT ONCE 2.

[all out]{adv. phr.}, {informal} With all your strength, power, or determination; to the best of your ability; without holding back. — Usually used in the phrase "go all out". •/We went all out to win the game./ •/John went all out to finish the job and was very tired afterwards./ Compare: ALL THE WAY 2, FULL TILT, GO THE WHOLE HOG, GO TO ANY LENGTH, LEAVE A STONE UNTURNED, WITH MIGHT AND MAIN.

[all-out effort]{n.} A great and thorough effort at solving a given problem. •/The President is making an all-out effort to convince Congress to pass the pending bill on health care./

[all-out war]{n.} Total war including civilian casualties as opposed to a war that is limited only to armies. •/Hitler was waging an all-out war when he invaded Poland./

[all over]{adv. phr.} 1. In every part; everywhere. •/He has a fever and aches all over./ •/I have looked all over for my glasses./ Compare: FAR AND WIDE. 2. {informal} In every way; completely. •/She is her mother all over./ 3. {informal} Coming into very close physical contact, as during a violent fight; wrestling. •/Before I noticed what happened, he was all over me./