Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[spread oneself too thin] <v. phr.> To try to do too many things at one time. * /As the owner, chef, waiter, and dishwasher of his restaurant, Pierre was spreading himself too thin./

[spring a leak] <v. phr.> 1. To develop a hole (said of boats) through which water can enter, threatening the boat to sink. * /When our small boat sprang a leak, we rapidly returned to shore to fix it./ 2. To be threatened by some oncoming danger. * /Our firm sprang a leak when the vice president suddenly died of a heart attack./

[spring chicken] <n.>, <slang> A young person.
– Usually used with "no". * /Mr. Brown is no spring chicken, but he can still play tennis well./ * /The coach is no spring chicken, but he can show the players what to do./

[spring on one] <v. phr.> To approach someone unexpectedly with an unpleasant idea or project. * /Our firm was merely six weeks old when they sprang the news on me that I had to go to Algiers to open a new branch there./

[spring up] <v. phr.> To arise suddenly. * /Small purple flowers were springing up all over our backyard./

[sprout wings] <v. phr.> 1. To enter the stage after a period of development when wings appear (said of larvae that turn into butterflies). * /The dragonflies suddenly sprouted wings and are flying all about in the park./ 2. To become good and virtuous (as if airborne). * /Joe has helped many colleagues in need; he seems to have sprouted wings./

[spruce up] <v.>, <informal> To make clean or neat. * /Mary spruced up the house before her company came./ * /John spruced himself up before he went out on his date./

[spur] See: ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT, WIN ONE'S SPURS.

[squad] See: FIRING SQUAD.

[square] See: FAIR AND SQUARE, SHOOT STRAIGHT or SHOOT SQUARE.

[square away] <v. phr.> 1. To arrange the sails of a ship so that the wind blows from behind. * /The captain ordered the crew to square away and sail before the wind./ 2. <informal> To put right for use or action.
– Often used in the passive or participle. * /The living room was squared away for the guests./ * /Harry got into trouble, but his scoutmaster talked with him and got him squared away./ Syn.: STRAIGHTEN OUT. 3. <informal> To stand ready to fight; put up your fists. * /Jack and Lee squared away./ Syn.: SQUARE OFF.

[squared away] <adj. phr.> Looked after properly; tucked away; arranged. * /My first two daughters are happily married, but my third one, Jennifer, isn't squared away yet./

[square deal] <n. phr.> 1. Equitable or fair treatment. * /We are proud to say that at this firm every employee gets a square deal./ Contrast NEW DEAL, RAW DEAL.

[square meal] <n. phr.> A full, nourishing well-balanced meal. * /The refugees looked as if they hadn't had a square meal in months./

[square off] <v. phr.>, <informal> To stand ready for fighting with the fists. * /The two boxers squared off when the bell rang./

[square oneself with] <v. phr.> To apologize; re-establish friendship with; make amends. * /"Mr. Alien is very angry with you for leaving the firm," Bob said. "It will take more than a few words and a drink to square yourself with him."/

[square one's shoulders] <v. phr.> To stand strong and ready to give battle; be brave. * /Jack squared his shoulders and entered the game./ * /Graduates must square their shoulders and face the world./

[square peg in a round hole] <n.>, <informal> A person who does not fit into a job or position; someone who does not belong where he is. * /Arthur is a square peg in a round hole when he is playing ball./ * /George likes to work with his hands. When it comes to books, he's a square peg in a round hole./ - Sometimes used in a short form, [square peg].

[square shooter] See: SHOOT STRAIGHT.

[square up] <v. phr.> To liquidate debts and other obligations. * /I want to square up my medical bills before I accept my new teaching assignment in Africa./

[squeak] See: PIP-SQUEAK.

[squeak by] <v. phr.> 1. To barely succeed. * /He was so poorly prepared for his bar exam that he barely squeaked by./ 2. To clear with difficulty. * /The entrance to the corridor in the old Italian castle was so narrow that I barely managed to squeak by it./

[squeak through] <v.>, <informal> To be successful but almost fail; win by a small score. * /Susan squeaked through the history examination./ * /The football team squeaked through 7-6./ Compare: BY THE SKIN OF ONE'S TEETH.

[squeeze out of] <v. phr.> To apply pressure to someone in order to obtain what one desires. * /The police were interrogating the suspect to squeeze information out of him./

[stab in the back(1)] <v. phr.>, <slang> To say or do something unfair that harms (a friend or someone who trusts you). * /Owen stabbed his friend Max in the back by telling lies about him./

[stab in the back(2)] <n. phr.>, <slang> An act or a lie that hurts a friend or trusting person; a promise not kept, especially to a friend. * /John stabbed his own friend in the back by stealing from his store./ * /My friend stabbed me in the back by telling the teacher I was playing hooky when I was home sick./

[stab in the dark] <n. phr.> A random attempt or guess at something without previous experience or knowledge of the subject. * /"You're asking me who could have hidden grandpa's will," Fred said. "I really have no idea, but let me make a stab in the dark - I think my sister Hermione has it."/

[stack] See: BLOW A FUSE or BLOW ONE'S STACK.

[stack the cards] <v. phr.> 1. To arrange cards secretly and dishonestly for the purpose of cheating. * /The gambler had stacked the cards against Bill./ 2. To arrange things unfairly for or against a person; have things so that a person has an unfair advantage or disadvantage; make sure in an unfair way that things will happen. Usually used in the passive with "in one's favor" or "against one." * /A tall basketball player has the cards stacked in his favor./ * /The cards are stacked against a poor boy who wants to go to college./

[stage] See: AT --- STAGE OF THE GAME, HOLD THE STAGE, ON THE STAGE, SET THE STAGE.

[stage fright] <n. phr.> The fear one feels before appearing in front of an audience. * /Many famous actors and actresses admit that they often have stage fright before the curtain goes up./

[stagestruck] <adj.> Desirous of becoming an actor or actress; enamored of the acting profession. * /Milly is so stagestruck that she waits for actresses at the stage door after each performance to get their signatures./