Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[steal the show] <v. phr.> To act or do so well in a performance that you get most of the attention and the other performers are unnoticed. * /Mary was in only one scene of the play, but she stole the show from the stars./

[steal the spotlight] <v. phr.> To attract attention away from a person or thing that people should be watching. * /When the maid walked on the stage and tripped over a rug, she stole the spotlight from the leading players./ * /Just as the speaker began, a little dog ran up the aisle, and stole the spotlight from him./

[steal up on] <v. phr.> To stealthily approach one; sneak up on someone. * /The thief stole up on his victim, snatched her purse, and ran away./

[steam] See: LET OFF STEAM or BLOW OFF STEAM, UNDER ONE'S OWN STEAM.

[steamed up] <adj.>, <informal> Excited or angry about or eager to do something. * /The coach gave the team a pep talk before the game, and he got them all steamed up to win the game./ * /When Mary found out that Jane had not kept their secret, she became all steamed up./ * /Bill was all steamed up about the movie he had just seen./

[steel] See: MIND LIKE A STEEL TRAP.

[steer clear of] <v.> 1. To steer a safe distance from; go around without touching. * /A ship steers clear of a rocky shore in stormy weather./ 2. <informal> To stay away from; keep from going near. * /Fred was angry at Bill, and Bill was steering clear of him./ * /Some words Martha always spells wrong. She tries to steer clear of them./

[stem the tide] <v. phr.> To resist; hold back something of great pressure or strength. * /The way to stem the tide of juvenile delinquency is to strengthen education and to pass a stiff gun control law./

[step] See: IN STEP, OUT OF STEP, TAKE STEPS.

[step all over] See: WALK OVER.

[step down] <v.> 1. To come down in one move from a higher position to a lower. * /As soon as the train stopped, the conductor stepped down to help the passengers off./ 2. To make go slower little by little. * /The train was approaching the station, so the engineer stepped it down./ Compare: SLOW DOWN, STEP UP. 3. To leave a job as an official or some other important position. * /When the judge became ill, he had to step down./

[step in] <v.> 1. To go inside for a quick visit. * /It was a cold night, and when the policeman passed, we invited him to step in for a cup of coffee./ 2. To begin to take part in a continuing action or discussion, especially without being asked. * /When the dogs began to fight, John stepped in to stop it before they were hurt./ * /When Bill had done as much as he was able to on his model plane, his father stepped in to help him./

[step inside] <v.> To come or go inside. * /Mother invited the callers to step inside./

[step into] <v.> 1. To come or go into. * /The taxi stopped, and we stepped into it./ * /Mr. Jones called to his secretary to step into his office./ 2. To begin to do, undertake. * /When the star became sick, his understudy stepped into his part./ * /When Bill graduates from college, he will step into a job in his father's bank./

[step into one's shoes] <v. phr.> To do what someone else usually does after he has stopped doing it. * /When Bill's father died, Bill had to step into his father's shoes to support his mother./ * /A coach trains the junior varsity to step into the shoes of the members of the varsity team when they graduate./ * /When the boss retires, his son will step into his shoes./ Compare: IN ONE'S SHOES.

[step off] <v.> 1. To walk or march quickly. * /The drum major lowered his baton and the band stepped off./ 2. or [pace off]. To measure by taking a series of steps in a line. * /The farmer stepped off the edge of the field to see how much fencing he would need./ * /The referee stepped off a five-yard penalty against our team./

[step on it] or [step on the gas] <v. phr.> 1. To push down on the gas pedal to make a car go faster. * /Be very careful when you step on the gas. Don't go too fast./ Compare: GIVE IT THE GUN. 2. <informal> To go faster; hurry. * /Step on it, or we'll be late for school./ * /John is a slow starter, but he can step on the gas when it looks as if he might lose the race./ * /Lee was wasting time at breakfast and his father told him to step on it or they would miss the bus./

[step on one's toes] or [tread on one's toes] <v. phr.> To do something that embarrasses or offends someone else. * /If you break in when other people are talking, you may step on their toes./ * /Mary is pretty, and she often treads on the toes of the girls by stealing their boyfriend./

[step on the gas] See: STEP ON IT.

[step out] <v. phr.> 1. To go out, particularly socially, as on a date. * /Paul said to Sylvia, "You look so dressed up tonight - you must be stepping out, eh?"/ 2. To leave for a short period during the work day to go to the lavatory or to get a cup of coffee. (Frequently said by secretaries over the phone.) * /"May I speak to Mr. Kotz?" Roy asked. "I'm sorry, sir. He just stepped out for a minute," the secretary answered./

[step out on] <v. phr.> To be unfaithful to one's marriage partner or steady lover. * /It is rumored that he has been stepping out on his wife. That's why she's so upset./

[stepped up] <adj.> Carried on at a faster or more active rate; increased. * /To fill the increase in orders, the factory had to operate at a stepped-up rate./

[step up] <v.> 1. To go from a lower to a higher place. * /John stepped up onto the platform and began to speak./ 2. To come towards or near; approach. * /The sergeant called for volunteers and Private Jones stepped up to volunteer./ * /John waited until the teacher had finished speaking to Mary, and then he stepped up./ 3. To go or to make (something) go faster or more actively. * /When John found he was going to be late, he stepped up his pace./ * /After we had reached the outskirts of town, we stepped up the engine./ * /The enemy was near, and the army stepped up its patrols to find them before they got too close./ 4. To rise to a higher or more important position; be promoted. * /This year Mary is secretary of the club, but I am sure she will step up to president next year./ Contrast: STEP DOWN(3).

[sterling character] <n. phr.> A person of irreproachable character; one of the highest professional standards. * /The nominee for the Supreme Court must be a sterling character in every possible way./

[stew in one's own juice] <v. phr.>, <informal> To suffer from something that you have caused to happen yourself. * /John lied to Tom, but Tom found out. Now Tom is making John stew in his own juice./ * /I warned you not to steal those apples. You got caught, and you can stew in your own juice./

[stick] See: CARROT AND STICK, MORE THAN ONE COULD SHAKE A STICK AT.

[stick around] <v.>, <informal> To stay or wait nearby. * /John's father told him to stick around and they would go fishing./ * /After work Mr. Harris stuck around to ride home with his friend./

[stick by one] <v. phr.> To support; remain loyal to. * /All of Peter's friends stuck by him faithfully, in spite of what has been said about him in the press./

[stick in one's craw] or [stuck in one's crop] <v. phr.> To make you angry; bother you; annoy you. * /His parents' praise of his brother stuck in Jerry's craw./ * /Sue's failure to get a better grade than Ann stuck in her crop./