Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[crown jewels] <n. pl.> The crown, staff, and jewels used for the crowning of a king or queen; the crown and jewels representing royal power and authority. * /The crown jewels are handed down from one king to the next when the new king is crowned./

[crow to pick] See: BONE TO PICK or CROW TO PICK.

[crust] See: UPPER CRUST.

[crux of the matter] <n. phr.> The basic issue at hand; the core essence that one must face. * /The crux of the matter is that he is incompetent and we will have to fire him./

[cry] See: FAR CRY, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, HUE AND CRY.

[cry] or [scream bloody murder] <v. phr.> To bitterly and loudly complain against an indignity. * /Pete cried bloody murder when he found out that he didn't get the promotion he was hoping for./

[cry before one is hurt] or [holler before one is hurt] <v. phr.>, <informal> To complain when there is no reason for it; become upset because you are worried or afraid.
– Used in negative sentences. * /When Billy went to the barber, he began to cry before the barber cut his hair and his father told him not to cry before he was hurt./ Often used as a proverb. * /John was worried because he would soon have a new boss. His mother said, "Don't cry before you're hurt!"/ Syn.: BORROW TROUBLE.

[cry buckets] <v. phr.> To shed an excessive amount of tears. * /Grandma is crying buckets over the loss of our cat./

[cry for] or [cry out for] <v.>, <informal> To need badly; be lacking in. * /It has not rained for two weeks and the garden is crying for it./ * /The school is crying out for good teachers./

[cry out] <v.> 1. To call out loudly; shout; scream. * /The woman in the water cried out "Help!"/ 2. To complain loudly; protest strongly.
– Used with "against". * /Many people are crying out against the new rule./

[cry out for] See: CRY FOR.

[cry over spilled milk] or [cry over spilt milk] <v. phr.>, <informal> To cry or complain about something that has already happened; be unhappy about something that cannot be helped. * /After the baby tore up Sue's picture book, Sue's mother told her there was no use crying over spilled milk./ * /You have lost the game but don't cry over spilt milk./ Compare: MAKE ONE'S BED AND LIE IN IT, WATER OVER THE DAM or WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.

[crystal ball] <n.> A ball, usually made of quartz crystal (glass) that is used by fortune-tellers. * /The fortune-teller at the fair looked into her crystal ball and told me that I would take a long trip next year./ 2. Any means of predicting the future. * /My crystal ball tells me you'll be making the honor roll./

[crystal gazing] <n.> The attempt to predict future events. * /The magician's specialty was crystal gazing./

[cry uncle] See: SAY UNCLE.

[cry wolf] <v. phr.> To give a false alarm; warn of a danger that you know is not there. * /The general said that the candidate was just crying wolf when he said that the army was too weak to fight for the country./ (From an old story about a shepherd boy who falsely claimed a wolf was killing his sheep, just to start some excitement.)

[cub scout] <n.> A member of the Cub Scouts, the junior branch of the Boy Scouts for boys 8-10 years of age. * /Jimmie is only seven, too young to be a Cub Scout./

[cucumber] See: COOL AS A CUCUMBER.

[cudgel] See: TAKE UP THE CUDGELS FOR.

[cudgel one's brains] See: BEAT ONE'S BRAINS OUT.

[cue in] <v. phr.>, <informal> To add new information to that which is already known. * /Let's not forget to cue in Joe on what has been happening./

[cuff] See: OFF-THE-CUFF, ON THE CUFF.

[culture vulture] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> A person who is an avid cultural sightseer, one who seeks out cultural opportunities ostentatiously, such as going to the opera or seeing every museum in a town visited, and brags about it. * /Aunt Mathilda is a regular culture vulture; she spends every summer in a different European capital going to museums and operas./

[cup] See: IN ONE'S CUPS.

[cup of tea] also [dish of tea] <n. phr.>, <informal> 1. Something you enjoy or do well at; a special interest, or favorite occupation. Used with a possessive. * /You could always get him to go for a walk: hiking was just his cup of tea./ Compare: DOWN ONE'S ALLEY. 2. Something to think about; thing; matter. * /That's another cup of tea./ Compare: KETTLE OF FISH.

[curb service] <n.> Waiting on customers while they sit in their cars. * /Families with small children often look for hamburger stands that offer curb service./

[curiosity killed the cat] <informal> Getting too nosy may lead a person into trouble.
– A proverb. * /"Curiosity killed the cat," Fred's father said, when he found Fred hunting around in closets just before Christmas./

[curl] See: PIN CURL.

[curl one's hair] <v. phr.>, <slang> To shock; frighten; horrify; amaze. * /Wait till you read what it says about you - this'll curl your hair./ * /The movie about monsters from another planet curled his hair./

[curl up] <v.> 1a. To become curly or wavy. * /Bacon curls up when it is cooked./ 1b. To roll oneself into a ball. * /Tim curled up in bed and was asleep in five minutes./ 2. See: FOLD UP.

[current] See: SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT.

[curry favor] <v.> To flatter or serve someone to get his help or friendship. * /Joe tried to curry favor with the new teacher by doing little services that she didn't really want./ * /Jim tried to curry favor with the new girl by telling her she was the prettiest girl in the class./ Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.

[curve] See: THROW A CURVE.

[cut] See: FISH OR CUT BAIT.

[cut a class] <v. phr.> To be truant; to deliberately miss a class and do something else instead. * /"If you keep cutting classes the way you do, you will almost surely flunk this course," John's professor said to him./

[cut a figure] <v. phr.> To make a favorable impression; carry off an activity with dignity and grace. * /With his handsome face and sporty figure, Harry cuts quite a figure with all the ladies./

[cut across] <v.> 1. To cross or go through instead of going around; go a short way. * /John didn't want to walk to the corner and turn, so he cut across the yard to the next street./ 2. To go beyond to include; stretch over to act on; affect. * /The love for reading cuts across all classes of people, rich and poor./

[cut-and-dried] <adj. phr.> Decided or expected beforehand; following the same old line; doing the usual thing. * /The decision of the judge was cut-and-dried./ * /The ways of the king's court were cut-and-dried./ * /People at the convention heard many cut-and-dried speeches./