Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[about time] <n. phr.> Finally, but later than it should have been; at last. * /Mother said, "It's about time you got up, Mary."/ * /The basketball team won last night. About time./

[about to] 1. Close to; ready to.
– Used with an infinitive. * /We were about to leave when the snow began./ * /I haven't gone yet, but I'm about to./ Compare: GOING TO, ON THE POINT OF. 2. <informal> Having a wish or plan to.
– Used with an infinitive in negative sentences. * /Freddy wasn't about to give me any of his ice-cream cone./ * /"Will she come with us?" asked Bill. "She's not about to," answered Mary./

[above all] <adv. phr.> Of first or highest importance; most especially. * /Children need many things, but above all they need love./ Syn.: FIRST AND LAST.

[above suspicion] <adj. phr.> Too good to be suspected; not likely to do wrong. * /The umpire in the game must be above suspicion of supporting one side over the other./

[absent without leave (AWOL)] <adj.> Absent without permission; used mostly in the military. * /Jack left Fort Sheridan without asking his commanding officer, and was punished for going AWOL./

[absentia] See: IN ABSENTIA.

[Acapulco gold] <n., slang> Marijuana of an exceptionally high quality. * /Jack doesn't just smoke pot, he smokes Acapulco gold./

[accord] See: OF ONE'S OWN ACCORD or OF ONE'S OWN FREE WILL.

[according as] <conj.> 1. Depending on which; whichever. * /You may take an oral or written exam according as you prefer./ 1. Depending on whether; if. * /We will play golf or stay home according as the weather is good or bad./

[according to] <prep.> 1. So as to match or agree with; so as to be alike in. * /Many words are pronounced according to the spelling but some are not./ * /The boys were placed in three groups according to height./ 2. On the word or authority of. * /According to the Bible, Adam was the first man./

[according to one's own lights] <adv. phr.> In accordance with one's conscience or inclinations. * /Citizens should vote according to their own lights./

[account] See: CALL TO ACCOUNT, CHARGE ACCOUNT, LEAVE OUT OF ACCOUNT, ON ACCOUNT, ON ACCOUNT OF, ON ONE'S ACCOUNT, ON ONE'S OWN ACCOUNT, SAVINGS ACCOUNT, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.

[ace] See: WITHIN AN ACE OF.

[ace in the hole] <n. phr.> 1. An ace given to a player face down so that other players in a card game cannot see it. * /When the cowboy bet all his money in the poker game he did not know that the gambler had an ace in the hole and would win it from him./ 2. <informal> Someone or something important that is kept as a surprise until the right time so as to bring victory or success. * /The football team has a new play that they are keeping as an ace in the hole for the big game./ * /The lawyer's ace in the hole was a secret witness who saw the accident./ Compare: CARD UP ONE'S SLEEVE.

[Achilles' heel] <n. phr.>, <literary> A physical or psychological weakness named after the Greek hero Achilles who was invulnerable except for a spot on his heel. * /John's Achilles' heel is his lack of talent with numbers and math./

[acid head] <n.>, <slang> A regular user of LSD on whom the hallucinogenic drug has left a visible effect. * /The reason John acts so funny is that he is a regular acid head./

[acid rock] <n.>, <slang> A characteristic kind of rock in which loudness and beat predominate over melody; especially such music as influenced by drug experiences. * /John is a regular acid rock freak./

[acorn] See: GREAT OAKS PROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW.

[acoustic perfume] <n.>, <slang> Sound for covering up unwanted noise, such as music over loudspeakers in a noisy construction area. * /Let's get out of here - this acoustic perfume is too much for my ears./

[acquire a taste for] <v. phr.> To become fond of something; get to like something. * /Jack acquired a taste for ripe cheeses when he went to France./

[across the board] <adv. phr.> 1. So that equal amounts of money are bet on the same horse to win a race, to place second, or third. * /I bet $6 on the white horse across the board./ - Often used with hyphens as an adjective. * /I made an across-the-board bet on the white horse./ 2. <informal> Including everyone or all, so that all are included. * /Thе President wanted taxes lowered across the board./ Often used with hyphens as an adjective. * /Thе workers at the store got an across-the-board pay raise./

[across the tracks] See: THE TRACKS.

[act] See: READ THE RIOT ACT.

[act high and mighty] <v. phr.> To wield power; act overbearingly; order others around; look down on others. * /Paul is an inexperienced teacher and he acts high and mighty with his students./

[actions speak louder than words] What you do shows your character better and is more important than what you say.
– A proverb. * /John promised to help me, but he didn't. Actions speak louder than words./ * /Joe is very quiet, but actions speak louder than words. He is the best player on the team./

[act of faith] <n. phr.> An act or a deed that shows unquestioning belief in someone or something. * /It was a real act of faith on Mary's part to entrust her jewelry to her younger sister's care./

[act of God] <n.> An occurrence (usually some sort of catastrophe) for which the people affected are not responsible; said of earthquakes, floods, etc. * /Hurricane Andrew destroyed many houses in Florida, but some types of insurance did not compensate the victims, claiming that the hurricane was an act of God./ See: FICKLE FINGER OF FATE.

[act one's age] or [be one's age] <v. phr.> To do the things that people expect someone of your age to do, not act as if you were much younger than you are. * /Mr. O'Brien was playing tag with the children at the party. Then Mrs. O'Brien said, "Henry! Act your age!" and he stopped./

[actor] See: BAD ACTOR.

[act out] <v.> 1. To show an idea, story, or happening by your looks, talk, and movements. * /He tried to act out a story that he had read./ 2. To put into action. * /All his life he tried to act out his beliefs./

[act up] <v.>, <informal> 1. To behave badly; act rudely or impolitely. * /The dog acted up as the postman came to the door./ 2. To work or run poorly (as a after all machine); skip; miss. * /Thе car acted up because the spark plugs were dirty./

[add fuel to the flame] <v. phr.> To make a bad matter worse by adding to its cause; spread trouble, increase anger or other strong feelings by talk or action. * /By criticizing his son's girl, the father added fuel to the flame of his son's love./ * /Bob was angry with Ted and Ted added fuel to the flame by laughing at him./

[add insult to injury] <v. phr.> 1. To hurt someone's feelings after doing him harm. * /He added insult to injury when he called the man a rat after he had already beaten him up./ 2. To make bad trouble worse. * /We started on a picnic, and first it rained, then to add insult to injury, the car broke down./

[addition] See: IN ADDITION.

[address] See: PUBLIC-ADDRESS SYSTEM.

[add the finishing touches] <v. phr.> To complete; finish. * /Mary's first novel promised to be excellent; however, her editor suggested that she should add some finishing touches before accepting it./