Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[let's don't] also [don't let's] <substandard> Let's not; let us not; I suggest that we don't. * /"'Let's go out and play," said Fred. "Let's don't until the rain stops," said Mary./ * /Don't let's go now. Let's go tomorrow instead./

[let's have it] See: LET HAVE IT.

[let sleeping dogs lie] Do not make (someone) angry and cause trouble or danger; do not make trouble if you do not have to.
– A proverb. * /Don't tell Father that you broke the window. Let sleeping dogs lie./

[let slip] <v. phr.> To unintentionally reveal. * /Ellen let it slip that she had been a witness to the accident./

[letter] See: CHAIN LETTER, NIGHT LETTER, TO THE LETTER.

[letter-perfect] <adj. phr.> Memorized perfectly; perfect to the last letter. * /The actor was letter-perfect in his role./

[let the cat out of the bag] <v. phr.>, <informal> To tell about something that is supposed to be a secret. * /We wanted to surprise Mary with a birthday gift, but Allen let the cat out of the bag by asking her what she would like./ - Sometimes used in another form. * /Well, the cat is out of the bag - everybody knows about their marriage./ Compare: GIVE AWAY(3), LET OUT(2), SPILL THE BEANS.

[let the chips fall where they may] <v. phr.> To pay no attention to the displeasure caused others by your actions. * /The senator decided to vote against the bill and let the chips fall where they may./ * /The police chief told his men to give tickets to all speeders and let the chips fall where they may./ Compare: COME WHAT MAY.

[let the grass grow under one's feet] <v. phr.>, <informal> To waste time; be slow or idle. * /Grandpa spends so much time sitting and thinking that Grandma accuses him of letting the grass grow under his feet./

[let up] <v.>, <informal> 1. To become less, weaker, or quiet; become slower or stop. * /It's raining as hard as ever. It's not letting up at all./ * /It snowed for three days before it let up and we could go outdoors./ 2. To do less or go slower or stop; relax; stop working or working hard. * /Grandfather has been working all his life. When is he going to let up?/ * /Let up for a minute. You can't work hard all day./ * /Jim ran all the way home without letting up once./ Compare: SLOW DOWN. Contrast: BEAR DOWN. 3. To become easier, kinder, or less strict.
– Usually used with "on". * /Let up on Jane. She is sick./ Syn.: EASE UP. 4. or [change up] To pitch a ball at less than full speed in baseball.
– Usually used with "on". * /John pitched a ball that was very fast and the batter missed it. Then he let up on the next pitch and the batter was badly fooled./

[let well enough alone] or [leave well enough alone] <v. phr.> To be satisfied with what is good enough; not try to improve something because often that might cause more trouble. * /John wanted to make his kite go higher, but his father told him to let well enough alone because it was too windy./ * /Ed polished up his car until his friends warned him to leave well enough alone./ * /Ethel made a lot of changes in her test paper after she finished. She should have let well enough alone, because she made several new mistakes./ Compare: LET RIDE.

[level] See: ON THE LEVEL.

[level best] <adj. phr.> One's utmost; one's very best. * /Eric refused to stay in school although his parents did their level best to make him finish./

[levelheaded] <adj. phr.> Having good common sense; practical; reasonable. * /What our office needs is a good, level-headed manager./

[level off] or [level out] <v.> 1. To make flat or level. * /The steamroller leveled out the gravel roadbed and then the concrete was poured./ 2. To move on an even level. * /The airplane leveled out at 2,000 feet./ * /After going up for six months, the cost of living leveled off in September./

[level with] <v. phr.> To tell someone the truth; not engage in lies and subterfuge. * /"You can level with me," his father said. "Did you break that window?"/

[liberty] See: TAKE LIBERTIES.

[lick and a promise] <n. phr.>, <informal> A careless, hasty job; an unsatisfactory piece of work. * /You didn't wash your hands. You just gave them a lick and a promise./ * /The boys didn't cut the grass properly. All it got was a lick and a promise./

[lickety-split] also [lickety-cut] <adv.>, <informal> At full speed; with a rush. * /As soon as school was out the boys ran lickety-split to the swimming pool./

[lick into shape] <v. phr.> To make perfect; drill; train. * /The sergeant licked the new volunteer army into shape in three months./

[lick one's boots] <v. phr.> To flatter or act like a slave; do anything to please another. * /She wanted her boyfriend to lick her boots all the time./ * /A wise king would not want his friends and officials to lick his boots./

[lick one's chops] <v. phr.>, <informal> To think about something pleasant; enjoy the thought of something. * /John is licking his chops about the steak dinner tonight./ * /Tom is licking his chops about the lifeguard job he will have at the beach next summer./ * /Our team is licking its chops because we beat the champions last night./ (From the fact that some animals lick their mouths when they expect to be fed or when they see food, and after eating.) Compare: LOOK FORWARD TO, MAKE ONE'S MOUTH WATER.

[lick the --- out of] See: BEAT THE --- OUT OF.

[lid] See: FLIP ONE'S LID, THE LID.

[lie] See: GIVE THE LIE TO, LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE, MAKE ONE'S BED AND LIE IN IT.

[lie around] <v. phr.> To be unused; inert. * /This old typewriter has been lying around ever since Grandpa died./

[lie down on the job] <v. phr.>, <informal> To purposely fail to do your job; neglect a task; loaf. * /Bill isn't trying to learn his lessons. He is lying down on the job./ * /If you lie down on your job, you will lose it./

[lief] See: AS SOON also AS LIEF, HAD AS SOON also HAD AS LIEF.

[lie in state] <v. phr.> Of a dead person: To lie in a place of honor, usually in an open coffin, and be seen by the public before burial. * /When the president died, thousands of people saw his body lying in state./

[lie in wait] <v. phr.> To watch from hiding in order to attack or surprise someone; to ambush. * /The driver of the stage-coach knew that the thieves were lying in wait somewhere along the road./

[lie low] or <nonstandard> [lay low] <v.>, <informal> 1. To stay quietly out of sight; try not to attract attention; hide. * /After holding up the bank, the robbers lay low for a while./ 2. To keep secret one's thoughts or plans. * /I think he wants to be elected president, but he is lying low and not saying anything./

[lie through one's teeth] <v. phr.> To lie uninhibitedly and unashamedly. * /Everyone in the courtroom could sense that the accused was lying through his teeth./