Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[upside down] <adv. phr.> Overturned so that the bottom is up and the top is down. * /The ladybug lay upside down in the sand and was unable to take off./ * /The problem with this company is that everything is upside down; we need a new C.E.O./

[upstairs] See: NOBODY HOME UPSTAIRS.

[up the creek] or [up the creek without a paddle] <adj. phr.>, <informal> In trouble or difficulty and unable to do anything about it; stuck. * /Father said that if the car ran out of gas in the middle of the desert, we would be up the creek without a paddle./ * /I'll be up the creek if I don't pass this history test./ Compare: DEEP WATER, IN THE SOUP, UP A TREE, OUT OF LUCK.

[up tight] or [uptight] <adj.>, <slang>, <informal> Worried, irritated, excessively eager or anxious. * /Why are you so uptight about getting that job? The more you worry, the less you'll succeed./

[up to] <prep.> 1. As far, as deep, or as high as. * /The water in the pond was only up to John's knees./ * /Mary is small and just comes up to Bill's chest./ * /The shovel sank in the soft mud all the way up to the handle./ 2. Close to; approaching. * /The team did not play up to its best today./ * /Because of the rain, the number of people at the party didn't come up to the number we expected./ 3. As high as; not more than; as much or as many as. * /Pick any number up to ten./ * /There were up to eight fire engines at the fire./ 4. or [up till] or [up until] - Until; till. * /Up to her fourth birthday, the baby slept in a crib./ * /Up to now I always thought John was honest./ * /We went swimming up till breakfast time./ * /Up until last summer we always went to the beach for our vacation./ 5. Capable of; fit for; equal to; strong or well enough for. * /We chose Harry to be captain because we thought he was up to the job./ * /Mother is sick and not up to going out to the store./ 6. Doing or planning secretly; ready for mischief. * /What are you up to with the matches, John?/ * /Mrs. Watson was sure that the boys were up to no good, because they ran when they saw her coming./ 7. Facing as a duty; to be chosen or decided by; depending on. * /It's up to you to get to school on time./ * /I don't care when you cut the grass. When you do it is up to you./

[up-to-date] <adj.> Modem; contemporary; the latest that technology can offer. * /"I want an up-to-date dictionary of American idioms," Mr. Lee said, "that has all the latest Americanisms in it."/ Contrast: STATE-OF-THE-ART.

[up to no good] <adv. phr.> Intending to do something bad; perpetrating an illicit act. * /We could tell from the look on Dennis the Menace's face that he was once again up to no good./

[up to one's ears] <adv. phr.> Immersed in; covered with. * /"Around final examination time," Professor Brown explained, "I am always up to my ears in work."/

[up to one's neck] <adv. phr.> Overwhelmed with; submerged in. * /"During the summer season in our cottage by the lake," the Allens complained, "we are usually up to our necks in uninvited guests."/ Compare: UP TO ONE'S EARS.

[up to par] or <informal> [up to scratch] or <informal> [up to snuff] 1. In good or normal health or physical condition. * /I have a cold and don't feel up to par./ * /The boxer is training for the fight but he isn't up to scratch yet./ 2. or [up to the mark] As good as usual; up to the usual level or quality. * /The TV program was not up to par tonight./ * /John will have to work hard to bring his grades up to snuff./ Compare: MEASURE UP.

[up to scratch] See: UP TO FAR.

[up to snuff] See: UP TO PAR.

[up to the chin in] or [in --- up to the chin] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Used also with "ears", "elbows", "eyes" or "knees" instead of "chin", and with a possessive instead of "the". 1. Having a big or important part in; guilty of; not innocent of; deeply in. * /Was Tom mixed up in that trouble last night? He was up to his ears in it./ * /Mr. Johnson is up to the eyes in debt./ * /Mrs. Smith is in debt up to her chin./ Compare: TO THE HILT. 2. Very busy with; working hard at. * /Bob is up to his neck in homework./ * /They are up to their elbows in business before Christmas./ 3. Having very much or many of; flooded with. * /Mary was up to her knees in invitations to go to parties./ Compare: KNEE-DEEP.

[up to the hilt] See: TO THE HILT.

[up to the last minute] <adv. phr.> Until the last possible moment; until the very end. * /When I try to send in an important eyewitness report from the scene of a major accident, I must keep working up to the last minute./ Compare: TO THE BITTER END, UNDER THE WIRE.

[up to the mark] See: UP TO PAR(2).

[up-to-the-minute] See: UP-TO-DATE.

[urban homesteading] <n.>, <informal> Renovation and occupation through cooperative ownership by tenants of previously abandoned city apartment buildings. * /Urban homesteading is on the rise in many big American cities these days./

[use] See: NO USE, PUT TO USE.

[used to(1)] <adj. phr.> In the habit of or familiar with. * /People get used to smoking and it is hard for them to stop./ * /Farmers are used to working outdoors in the winter./ * /After my eyes became used to the dim light in the cave, I saw an old shovel on the ground./ * /On the hike Bob soon got tired, but Dick did not because he was used to walking./

[used to(2)] or [did use to] <v. phr.> Did formerly; did in the past.
– Usually used with an infinitive to tell about something past. * /Uncle Henry used to have a beard, but he shaved it off./ * /Did your father use to work at the bank?/ * /People used to say that tomatoes were poison./ - Sometimes used without the infinitive. * /I don't go to that school any more, but I used to./ * /We don't visit Helen as much as we used to./ * /I used to go to the movies often. Did you use to?/

[used to be] or [did use to be] <v. phr.> Formerly or once was. * /Mary used to be small; but she has grown up./ * /Dick used to be the best pitcher on the team last year; now two other pitchers are better than he is./

[use every trick in the book] <v. phr.>, <informal> To avail oneself of any means at all in order to achieve one's goal, not exclusive of possibly immoral or illegal acts. * /Algernon used every trick in the book to get Maxine to go out with him, but she kept refusing./

[use one's head] or <slang> [use one's bean] or <slang> [use one's noodle] or <slang> use [one's noggin] <v. phr.> To use your brain or mind; think; have common sense.
– Often used as a command. * /If you used your bean you wouldn't be in trouble now./ * /Never point a gun at anybody, John. Use your head!/

[use up] <v. phr.> 1. To use until nothing is left; spend or consume completely. * /Don't use up all the soap. Leave me some to wash with./ * /Jack used up his last dollar to see the movies./ Compare: GIVE OUT(5). 2. <informal> To tire completely; make very tired; exhaust; leave no strength or force in.
– Usually used in the passive. * /After rowing the boat across the lake, Robert was used up./ Compare: GIVE OUT(4), WEAR OUT.

[utility room] <n.> A room in a house or building for machinery and other things important in the daily use of the building and the work of the people in it. * /There is a utility room upstairs where Mother does the laundry./ * /The oil burner is kept in the utility room in the basement./

V

[vain] See: IN VAIN, TAKE ONE'S NAME IN VAIN.

[valor] See: DISCRETION IS THE BETTER PART OF VALOR.

[value] See: FACE VALUE.

[vanish into thin air] See: DISAPPEAR INTO THIN AIR.

[vanishing cream] <n.> A cosmetic cream for the skin that is used chiefly before face powder. * /Mrs. Jones spread vanishing cream on her face before applying her face powder./

[vanity case] <n.> 1. A small case containing face powder, lipstick, and other things and usually carried in a woman's handbag; a compact. * /She took out her vanity case and put lipstick on./ 2. A handbag or a small bag carried by a woman and holding various toilet articles. * /She had the porter carry her big bags and she herself carried her vanity case./