Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[at large] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. Not kept within walls, fences, or boundaries; free. * /The killer remained at large for weeks./ Compare: AT LIBERTY. * /Cattle and sheep roamed at large on the big ranch./ 2. In a broad, general way; at length; fully. * /The superintendent talked at large for an hour about his hopes for a new school building./ 3. As a group rather than as individuals; as a whole; taken together. * /The junior class at large was not interested in a senior yearbook./ 4. As a representative of a whole political unit or area rather than one of its parts; from a city rather than one of its wards, or a state rather than one of its districts. * /He was elected congressman at large./ * /Aldermen are voted for at large./

[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./

[at least] <adv. phr.> 1. or [at the least] At the smallest guess; no fewer than; no less than. * /You should brush your teeth at least twice a day./ * /At least three students are failing in mathematics./ * /Mr. Johnson must weigh 200 pounds at least./ Compare: ALL OF. 2. Whatever else you may say; anyhow; anyway. * /It was a clumsy move, but at least it saved her from getting hit./ * /She broke her arm, but at least it wasn't the arm she writes with./ * /The Mortons had fun at their picnic yesterday - at least the children did - they played while their parents cooked the food./ * /He's not coming - at least that's what he said./ Compare: AT ANY RATE.

[at leisure] <adj.> or <adv. phr.> 1. Not at work; not busy; with free time; at rest. * /Come and visit us some evening when you're at leisure./ 2. or [at one's leisure] When and how you wish at your convenience; without hurry. * /John made the model plane at his leisure./ * /You may read the book at your leisure./

[at length] <adv. phr.> 1. In detail; fully. * /You must study the subject at length to understand it./ * /The teacher explained the new lesson at length to the students./ 2. In the end; at last; finally. * /The movie became more and more exciting, until at length people were sitting on the edge of their chairs./

[at liberty] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> Free to go somewhere or do something; not shut in or stopped. * /The police promised to set the man at liberty if he told the names of the other robbers./ * /I am sorry, but I am not at liberty to come to your party./ Compare: AT LARGE(1).

[at loggerheads] <adj.> or <adv. phr.> In a quarrel; in a fight; opposing each other. * /The two senators had long been at loggerheads on foreign aid./ * /Because of their barking dog, the Morrises lived at loggerheads with their neighbors./ Compare: AT ODDS.

[at long last] See: AT LAST.

[at loose ends] <adj. phr.> Without a regular job or settled habits; uncertain what to do next; having nothing to do for a while; undecided; unsettled; restless. * /Feeling at loose ends, I went for a long walk./ * /He had finished college but hadn't found a job yet, so he was at loose ends./

[at most] or [at the most] <adv. phr.> By the largest or most generous guess; at the upper limit; by the maximum account; not more than; at best; at worst. * /It was a minor offense at most./ * /He had been gone 15 minutes at the most./ * /Their new house lot is a quarter acre at most./

[at odds] <adj. phr.> In conflict or disagreement; opposed. * /The boy and girl were married a week after they met and soon found themselves at odds about religion./ Compare: AT LOGGERHEADS.

[at once] <adv. phr.> 1. Without delay; right now or right then; immediately. * /Put a burning match next to a piece of paper and it will begin burning at once./ * /Mother called the children to lunch, and Paul came at once, but Brenda stayed in the sand pile a little longer./ Syn.: RIGHT AWAY or RIGHT OFF. Compare: ALL AT ONCE(2).

[at one] <adj. phr.> 1. In union or harmony; in agreement or sympathy. Not usually used informally. * /He felt at one with all the poets who have sung of love./ 2. Of the same opinion, in agreement. * /Husband and wife were at one on everything but money./ Contrast: AT ODDS.

[at one fell swoop] See: IN ONE FELL SWOOP.

[at one's beck and call] or [at the beck and call of] <adj. phr.> Ready and willing to do whatever someone asks; ready to serve at a moment's notice. * /A good parent isn't necessarily always at the child's beck and call./

[at one's best] <prep. phr.> In best form; displaying one's best qualities. * /Tim is at his best when he has had a long swim before a ballgame./ * /Jane rested before the important meeting because she wanted to be at her best./

[at one's door] or [at one's doorstep] <adv. phr.> 1. Very close; very near where you live or work. * /Johnny is very lucky because there's a swimming pool right at his doorstep./ * /Mr. Green can get to work in only a few minutes because the subway is at his door./ 2. See: LAY AT ONE'S DOOR.

[at one's ease] See: AT EASE(2).

[at one's elbow] <adv. phr.> Close beside you; nearby. * /The President rode in an open car with his wife at his elbow./ * /Mary practiced for several years to become a champion swimmer and her mother was always at her elbow to help her./ Contrast: BREATHE DOWN ONE'S NECK.

[at one's feet] <adv. phr.> Under your influence or power. * /She had a dozen men at her feet./ * /Her voice kept audiences at her feet for years./ Compare: THROW ONESELF AT SOMEONE'S FEET.

[at one's fingertips] <adv. phr.> 1. Within easy reach; quickly touched; nearby. * /Seated in the cockpit, the pilot of a plane has many controls at his fingertips./ 2. Readily usable as knowledge or skill; familiar. * /He had several languages at his fingertips./ * /He had the whole design of the machine at his fingertips./

[at one's heels] <adv. phr.> Close behind; as a constant follower or companion. * /The boy got tired of having his little brother at his heels all day./ * /John ran by the finish line with Ned at his heels./ * /Bad luck followed at his heels all his life./

[at one's leisure] See: AT LEISURE(2).

[at one's service] <adv. phr.> 1. Ready to serve or help you; prepared to obey your wish or command; subject to your orders. * /He placed himself completely at the President's service./ * /"Now I am at your service," the dentist told the next patient./ 2. Available for your use; at your disposal. * /He put a car and chauffeur at the visitor's service./

[at one stroke] See: AT A BLOW or AT ONE STROKE.

[at one's wit's end] or [at wits end] <adj. phr.> Having no ideas as to how to meet a difficulty or solve a problem; feeling puzzled after having used up all of your ideas or resources; not knowing what to do; puzzled. * /He had approached every friend and acquaintance for help in vain, and now he was at his wit's end./ * /The designer was at his wit's end: he had tried out wings of many different kinds but none would fly./ Compare: AT A LOSS, END OF ONE'S ROPE.

[at one's word] See: TAKE AT ONE'S WORD.

[at one time] <adv. phr.> 1. In the same moment; together. * /Let's start the dance again all at one time./ * /Mr. Reed's bills came all at one time and he could not pay them./ Syn.: AT THE SAME TIME(1). 2. At a certain time in the past; years ago. * /At one time people thought that Minnesota was not a good place to live./ * /At one time most school teachers were men, but today there are more women than men./

[at pains] <adj. phr.> Making a special effort. * /At pains to make a good impression, she was prompt for her appointment./

[at present] <adv. phr.> At this time; now. * /It took a long time to get started, but at present the road is half finished./ * /At present the house is empty, but next week a family will move in./

[at random] <adv. phr.> With no order, plan, or purpose; in a mixed-up, or thoughtless way. * /He opened the letters at random./ * /His clothes were scattered about the room at random./

[at sea(1)] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. On an ocean voyage; on a journey by ship. * /They had first met at sea./ 2. Out on the ocean; away from land. * /By the second day the ship was well out at sea./ * /Charles had visited a ship in dock, but he had never been on a ship at sea./

[at sea(2)] <adj. phr.> Not knowing what to do; bewildered; confused; lost. * /The job was new to him, and for a few days he was at sea./ * /When his friends talked about chemistry, Don was at sea, because he did not study chemistry./ Compare: AT A LOSS.

[at sight] or [on sight] <adv. phr.> 1. The first time the person or thing is seen; as soon as the person or thing is seen. * /First graders learn to read many words on sight./ * /Mary had seen many pictures of Grandfather, so she knew him on sight./ Compare: AT ONCE(1). 2. On demand, on asking the first time. * /The money order was payable at sight./

[at sixes and sevens] <adj. phr.> Not in order; in confusion; in a mess. * /He apologized because his wife was away and the house was at sixes and sevens./ * /Our teacher had just moved to a new classroom, and she was still at sixes and sevens./ * /After the captain of the team broke his leg, the other players were at sixes and sevens./

[at --- stage of the game] <adv. phr.> At (some) time during an activity; at (some) point. * /At that stage of the game, our team was doing so poorly that we were ready to give up./ * /It's hard to know what will happen at this stage of the game./ * /At what stage of the game did the man leave?/

[at stake] <adj. phr.> Depending, like a bet, on the outcome of something uncertain; in a position to be lost or gained. * /The team played hard because the championship of the state was at stake./ * /The farmers were more anxious for rain than the people in the city because they had more at stake./ Compare: HANG IN THE BALANCE.

[at straws] See: GRASP AT STRAWS.

[at swords' points] <adj. phr.> Ready to start fighting; very much opposed to each; other hostile; quarreling. * /The dog's barking kept the Browns at swords' points with their neighbors for months./ * /The mayor and the reporter were always at swords' points./

[at table] See: AT THE TABLE; WAIT AT TABLE.

[at that] <adv. phr.>, <informal> 1. As it is; at that point; without more talk or waiting. * /Ted was not quite satisfied with his haircut but let it go at that./ 2. In addition; also. * /Bill's seat mate on the plane was a girl and a pretty one at that./ 3. After all; in spite of all; anyway. * /The book was hard to understand, but at that Jack enjoyed it./ Syn.: ALL THE SAME.

[at the best] See: AT BEST.

[at the bit] See: CHAMP AT THE BIT.

[at the drop of a hat] <adv. phr.>, <informal> 1. Without waiting; immediately; promptly. * /If you need a babysitter quickly, call Mary, because she can come at the drop of a hat./ Compare: ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT. 2. Whenever you have a chance; with very little cause or urging. * /At the drop of a hat, he would tell the story of the canal he wanted to build./ * /He was quarrelsome and ready to fight at the drop of a hat./

[at the eleventh hour] <prep. phr.> At the last possible time. * /Aunt Mathilda got married at the eleventh hour; after all, she was already 49 years old./

[at the end of one's rope] See: END OF ONE'S ROPE.

[at the kill] See: IN AT THE KILL.

[at the least] See: AT LEAST.

[at the mercy of] or [at one's mercy] <adj. phr.> In the power of; subject to the will and wishes of; without defense against. * /The champion had the other boxer at his mercy./ * /The picnic was at the mercy of the weather./ * /The small grocer was at the mercy of people he owed money to./

[at the most] See: AT MOST.

[at the outset] <adv. phr.> At the start; at the beginning. * /"You'll live in the cheaper barracks at the outset; later you can move into the better cabins," the camp director said to the new boys./

[at the outside] <adv. phr.> Maximally; at the utmost. * /This old house can cost no more than $40,000 at the outside./

[at the point of] <prep.> Very near to; almost at or in. * /When Mary broke her favorite bracelet, she was at the point of tears./ * /The boy hurt in the accident lay at the point of death for a week, then he got well./ Compare: ABOUT TO(1), ON THE POINT OF.

[at the ready] <adj. phr.> Ready for use. * /The sailor stood at the bow, harpoon at the ready, as the boat neared the whale./

[at the same time] <adv. phr.> 1. In the same moment; together. * /The two runners reached the finish line at the same time./ Syn.: AT ONCE, AT ONE TIME. 2. In spite of that fact; even though; however; but; nevertheless. * /John did pass the test; at the same time, he didn't know the subject very well./

[at the seams] See: BURST AT THE SEAMS.

[at the table] or [at table] <adv. phr.> At a meal; at the dinner table. * /The telephone call came while they were all at table./

[at the tip of one's tongue] or [on the tip of one's tongue] <adv. phr.> <informal> 1. Almost spoken; at the point of being said. * /It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him, when the phone rang./ * /John had a rude answer on the tip of his tongue, but he remembered his manners just in time./ 2. Almost remembered; at the point where one can almost say it but cannot because it is forgotten. * /I have his name on the tip of my tongue./

[at the top of one's voice] or [at the top of one's lungs] <adv. phr.> As loud as you can; with the greatest possible sound; very loudly. * /He was singing at the top of his voice./ * /He shouted at the top of his lungs./

[at this rate] or [at that rate] <adv. phr.> At a speed like this or that; with progress like this or that. * /John's father said that if John kept going at that rate he would never finish cutting the grass./ * /So Johnny has a whole dollar! At this rate he'll be a millionaire./ * /"Three 100's in the last four tests! At this rate you'll soon be teaching the subject," Tom said to Mary./

[at times] <adv. phr.> Not often; not regularly; not every day; not every week; occasionally; sometimes. * /At times Tom's mother lets him hold the baby./ * /You can certainly be exasperating, at times!/ * /We have pie for dinner at times./ Syn.: FROM TIME TO TIME, NOW AND THEN, ONCE IN A WHILE.

[at will] <adv. phr.> As you like; as you please or choose freely. * /Little Bobby is allowed to wander at will in the neighborhood./ * /With an air conditioner you can enjoy comfortable temperatures at will./

[at wits end] See: AT ONE'S WIT'S END.

[at work] <adj, phr.> Busy at a job; doing work. * /The teacher was soon hard at work correcting that day's test./ * /Jim is at work on his car./

[at worst] or [at the worst] <adv. phr.> 1. Under the worst conditions; as the worst possibility. * /When Don was caught cheating in the examination he thought that at worst he would get a scolding./ Compare: AT MOST. Contrast AT BEST. 2. In the least favorable view, to say the worst about a thing. * /The treasurer had certainly not stolen any of the club's money; at worst, he had forgotten to write down some of the things he had spent money for./

[aught] See: FOR AUGHT at FOR ALL(2), FOR ALL ONE KNOWS.

[Aunt Tom] <n.>, <slang>, <originally from Black English> A successful professional or business woman who, due to her success in a masculine profession, doesn't care about the women's liberation movement or the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. * /Hermione is a regular Aunt Tom, she'll never vote for the ERA./

[avail] See: TO NO AVAIL or OF NO AVAIL.

[average] See: ON AN AVERAGE or ON THE AVERAGE, LAW OF AVERAGES.

[awe] See: STAND IN AWE OF.

[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./

[AWOL] See: ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE.

[ax to grind] <n. phr.>, <informal> Something to gain for yourself: a selfish reason. * /In praising movies for classroom use he has an ax to grind; he sells motion picture equipment./ * /When Charles told the teacher he saw Arthur copying his homework from Jim, he had an ax to grind; Arthur would not let Charles copy from him./

B

[babe in the woods] <n. phr.> A person who is inexperienced or innocent in certain things. * /He is a good driver, but as a mechanic he is just a babe in the woods./ Compare: OVER ONE'S HEAD, BEYOND ONE'S DEPTH.

[baby] See: WAR BABY.

[baby boom] <n.> A sudden increase in the birth rate. * /The universities were filled to capacity due to the baby boom that followed World War II./

[baby grand] <n.> A small grand piano no longer than three feet, maximally four feet. * /This apartment can't take a regular grand piano, so we'll have to buy a baby grand./

[baby kisser] <n.>, <slang> A person campaigning for votes in his quest for elected political office; such persons often kiss little children in public. * /Nixon was a baby kisser when he ran for Vice President with Eisenhower./

[back] See: BACK OF or IN BACK OF, BEHIND ONE'S BACK, BRUSH BACK, COME BACK, CUT BACK, DOUBLE BACK, DRAW BACK, DROP BACK. EYES IN THE BACK OF ONE'S HEAD, FADE BACK, FALL BACK, FALL BACK ON, FLANKER BACK. FROM WAY BACK, GET BACK AT, GET ONE'S BACK UP, GIVE THE SHIRT OFF ONE'S BACK, GO BACK ON, HANG BACK, HARK BACK, HOLD BACK, LIKE WATER OFF A DUCK'S BACK, LOOK BACK, OFF ONE'S BACK, ON ONE'S BACK, PAT ON THE BACK, PIGGY-BACK, PIN ONE'S EARS BACK, PUT BACK THE CLOCK or TURN BACK THE CLOCK, PUT ONE'S BACK TO IT, SCRATCH ONE'S BACK, SET BACK, SET BACK ON ONE'S HEELS, SIT BACK, STAB IN THE BACK, TAKE A BACK SEAT, TAKE BACK, TALK BACK also ANSWER BACK, TURN ONE'S BACK ON, WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON ONE'S SHOULDERS or WORLD ON ONE'S BACK, WHILE BACK.

[back and forth] <adv.> Backwards and forwards. * /The chair is rocking hack and forth./ * /The tiger is pacing hack and forth in his cage./ Compare: TO AND FRO.

[back away] <v.> To act to avoid or lessen one's involvement in something; draw or turn back; retreat. * The townspeople backed away from the building plan when they found out how much it would cost.

[back door] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> Rear of vehicle. * /I am watching your back door./

[back down] or [back off] <v.>, <informal> To give up a claim; not follow up a threat. * /Bill said he could beat Ted, but when Ted put up his fists Bill backed down./ * /Harry claimed Joe had taken his book, but backed down when the teacher talked with him./ Syn.: BEAT A RETREAT. Compare: BACK OUT, GIVE IN, GO BACK ON(1).

[back in circulation] <adv. phr.> 1. Socially active once again (said about people); back on the dating circuit after a divorce or a romantic breakup. * /Now that Sully is divorced from Jim she is hack in circulation./ 2. Once again available to the public (said about types of paper money, rare coins, or other commercially available goods). * /In the USA the two-dollar hill was back in circulation for a short time only in the 1950s and 1960s./

[back number] <n.> Something out of fashion, or out of date. * /Among today's young people a waltz like "The Blue Danube" is a hack number./

[backfire] <v.> To misfire; to have a reverse effect from what was intended. * /Mimi's gossip about the Head of the Department backfired wizen people began to mistrust her./

[backhanded compliment] <n. phr.> A remark that sounds like a compliment but is said sarcastically. * /"Not had for a girl" the coach said, offering a backhanded compliment./

[back of] or [in back of] <prep.> 1. In or at the rear of; to the back of; behind. * /The garage is hack of the house./ * /Our car was in hack of theirs at the traffic light./ 2. <informal> Being a cause or reason for; causing. * /Hard work was back of his success./ * /The principal tried to find out what was back of the trouble on the bus./ 3. <informal> In support or encouragement of; helping, clones will be elected because many powerful men are back of him. * /Get in back of your team by cheering them at the game./

[back out] <v. phr.> 1. To move backwards out of a place or enclosure. * /Bob slowly backed his car out of the garage./ 2. To withdraw from an activity one has promised to carry out. * /Jim tried to back out of the engagement with Jane, but she insisted that they get married./ Compare: BEG OFF, GO BACK ON.

[back seat] See: TAKE A BACK SEAT.

[backseat driver] <n.>, <informal> A bossy person in a car who always tells the driver what to do. * /The man who drove the car became angry with the back seat driver./

[back street] <n.> A street not near the main streets or from which it is hard to get to a main street. * /We got lost in the back streets going through the city and it took us a half hour to find our way again./ Compare: SIDE STREET.

[back talk] <n.> A sassy, impudent reply. * /Such back talk will get you nowhere, young man!/ See: TALK BACK.

[back the wrong horse] <v. phr.> To support a loser. * /In voting for George Bush, voters in 1992 were backing the wrong horse./

[back-to-back] <adv.> 1. Immediately following. * /The health clinic had back-to-back appointments for the new students during the first week of school./ 2. Very close to, as if touching. * /Sardines are always packed in the can back-to-back./ * /The bus was so full that people had to stand back-to-back./

[back to the salt mines] <informal> Back to the job; back to work; back to work that is as hard or as unpleasant as working in a salt mine would be. - An overworked phrase, used humorously. * /The lunch hour is over, boys. Back to the salt mines!/ * /"Vacation is over," said Billy. "Back to the salt mines."/

[back to the wall] or [back against the wall] <adv. phr.> In a trap, with no way to escape; in bad trouble. * /The soldiers had their backs to the wall./ * /He was in debt and could not get any help; his back was against the wall./ * /The team had their backs to the wall in the second half./ Compare: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, LAST DITCH, ON THE SPOT, UP AGAINST IT.

[back up] <v.> 1. To move backwards. * /The train was backing up./ 2. To help or be ready to help; stay behind to help; agree with and speak in support of. * /Jim has joined the Boy Scouts and his father is backing him up./ * /The principal backs up the faculty./ * /Jim told us what had happened and Bob backed him up./ Compare: BACK OF(3), STAND BY(4). 3. To move behind (another fielder) in order to catch the ball if he misses it. * /The shortstop backed up the second baseman on the throw./

[backward] See: BEND OVER BACKWARD or LEAN OVER BACKWARD; FALL OVER BACKWARDS or FALL OVER ONESELF.