Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[beard] See: LAUNCH UP ONE'S SLEEVE or LAUGH IN ONE'S SLEEVE or LAUGH IN ONE'S BEARD.

[bear down] <v.> 1. To press or push harder; work hard at; give full strength and attention. * /She is bearing down in her studies to win a scholarship./ * /The baseball pitcher is bearing down./ * /The pitcher bore down on the star batter./ * /Teachers of the deaf bear down on English./ * /The sergeant bears down on lazy soldiers./ Contrast: LET UP(2b). 2. To move toward in an impressive or threatening way.
– Often used with "on". * /While he was crossing the street a big truck bore down on him./ * /The little ship tried to escape when the big pirate ship bore down./ * /After the boys threw the snowballs they saw a large lady bearing down upon them from across the street./

[bear down on] or [upon] <v. phr.> To draw constantly nearer with great speed and force. * /The police cars were bearing down on the bank robbers' get-away car./

[bear fruit] <v. phr.> To yield results. * /We hope that the company's new investment policy will bear fruit./

[bear in mind] See: IN MIND.

[bear in the air] or [bear in the sky] <n. phr.>, <slang>, <citizen's band jargon> A police helicopter flying overhead watching for speeders. * /Slow down, good buddy, there's a bear in the air./

[bear off the palm] See: CARRY OFF THE PALM.

[bear one's cross] See: CARRY ONE'S CROSS.

[bear out] <v.> To show to be right; prove; support. * /Modern findings do not bear out the old belief that the earth is flat./ * /Seward's faith in his purchase of Alaska was borne out, even though it was once called "Seward's Folly."/

[bear trap] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> A police radar unit designed to catch speeders. * /Watch the bear trap at exit 101./

[bear up] <v.> 1. To hold up; carry; support; encourage. * /The old bridge can hardly bear up its own weight any more./ * /He was borne up by love of country./ 2. To keep up one's courage or strength; last. Often used with "under". * /This boat will bear up under hurricane winds./ * /She bore up well at the funeral./ Syn.: STAND UP. Compare: CARRY ON.

[bear watching] <v. phr.> 1. To be worth watching or paying attention to; have a promising future. * /That young ball player will bear watching./ 2. To be dangerous or untrustworthy. * /Those tires look badly worn; they will bear watching./ Compare: KEEP AN EYE ON.

[bear with] <v.>, <formal> To have patience with; not get angry with. * /Your little sister is sick. Try to bear with her when she cries./ * /It is hard to bear with criticism./ Syn.: PUT UP WITH. Compare: CARRY ONE'S CROSS.

[beat] See: HEART SKIP A BEAT, OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.

[beat about the bush] or [beat around the bush] <v. phr.>, <slang> To talk about things without giving a clear answer; avoid the question or the point. * /He would not answer yes or no, but beat about the bush./ * /He beat about the bush for a half hour without coming to the point./ Compare: BESIDE THE POINT. Contrast: COME TO THE POINT.

[beat all] or [beat the Dutch] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be strange or surprising. * /John found a box full of money buried in his garage. Doesn't that beat all!/ * /It beats the Dutch how Tom always makes a basket./

[beat all hollow] also [beat hollow] <v. phr.>, <slang> To do much better than; to beat very badly. * /We beat their team all hollow./ * /As a speaker, he beats us all hollow./

[beat a retreat] <v. phr.> 1. To give a signal, esp. by beating a drum, to go back. * /The Redcoats' drums were beating a retreat./ 2. To run away. * /They beat a retreat when they saw that they were too few./ * /The cat beat a hasty retreat when he saw the dog coming./ Compare: BACK DOWN, FALL BACK.

[beat around the bush] See: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH.

[beat down] <v.> 1. To crush or break the spirit of; win over; conquer. * /All their defenses were beaten down by the tanks./ 2. <informal> a. To try to get reduced; force down by discussing. * /Can we beat down the price?/ b. To persuade or force (someone) to accept a lower price or easier payments. * /He tried to beat us down, so we did not sell the house./ 3. To shine brightly or hotly. * /At noon the sun beat down on our heads as we walked home./

[beaten path] <n. phr.> The usual route or way of operating that has been conventionally established, * /If we always follow the beaten path, we'll never have the courage to try something new./

[beaten track] <n.> See: BEATEN PATH.

[beat hollow] See: BEAT ALL HOLLOW.

[beat into one's head] <v. phr.>, <informal> To teach by telling again and again; repeat often; drill, also, to be cross and punish often. * /Tom is lazy and stubborn and his lessons have to be beaten into his head./ * /I cannot beat it into his head that he should take off his hat in the house./

[beat it] <v.>, <slang> To go away in a hurry; get out quickly. * /When he heard the crash he beat it as fast as he could./ - Often used as a command. * /The big boy said, "Beat it, kid. We don't want you with us."/ Compare: CLEAR OUT(2), LIGHT OUT, HEAD FOR THE HILLS.

[beat one to it] <v. phr.> To arrive or get ahead of another person. * /I was about to call you, John, but you have beat me to it! Thanks for calling me./

[beat one's brains out] or [beat one's brains] <v. phr.>, <slang> To try very hard to understand or think out something difficult; tire yourself out by thinking. * /It was too hard for him and he beat his brains out trying to get the answer./ * /Some students are lazy, but others beat their brains and succeed./

[beat one's gums] <v. phr.>, <slang> To engage in idle talk, or meaningless chatter; generally to talk too much. * /"Stop beating your gums, Jack," Joe cried. "I am falling asleep."/ Compare: CHEW THE FAT or CHEW THE RAG, SHOOT THE BREEZE or BAT THE BREEZE or FAN THE BREEZE or SHOOT THE BULL.

[beat one's head against a wall] <v. phr.> To struggle uselessly against something that can't be beaten or helped; not succeed after trying very hard. * /Trying to make him change his mind is just beating your head against a wall./

[beat the band] <adv. phr.>, <informal> At great speed; with much noise or commotion.
– Used after "to". * /The fire engines were going down the road to beat the band./ * /The audience cheered and stamped and clapped to beat the band./

[beat the bushes] also [beat the brush] <v. phr.>, <informal> To try very hard to find or get something. * /The mayor was beating the bushes for funds to build the playground./ Contrast: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH or BEAT AROUND THE BUSH.