Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[for fear of] <adv. phr.> Because of being afraid of something; on account of being scared. * /Dave refuses to go to Europe for fear of an airplane crash and for fear of a shipwreck./

[for free] <adj. phr.>, <substandard> Without having to pay; free. * /Hey you guys, look at this balloon! They're for free down at the new store./

[for fun] <prep. phr.> As amusement, not seriously, as a joke. * /Let's try to play Beethoven's Emperor Concerto together, you on one piano, and I on another one./ Compare: IN FUN.

[forget] See: FORGIVE AND FORGET.

[forget oneself] <v. phr.> To do something one should have remembered not to do; do something below one's usual conduct although one knows better; let one's self-control slip. * /He forgot himself only once at dinner - when he belched./ * /He knew he should hold his temper, but because of the trouble he forgot himself and began to shout./

[forgive and forget] <v.> To have no bad feelings about what happened in the past. * /After the argument the boys decided to forgive and forget./ Syn.: LET BYGONES BE BYGONES, LIVE AND LET LIVE.

[for good] also [for good and all] Permanently, forever, for always. * /The lost money was gone for good./ * /He hoped that the repairs would stop the leak for good./ * /When John graduated from school, he decided that he was done with study for good and all./ Syn.: FOR KEEPS(2).

[for good measure] <adv. phr.> As something more added to what is expected or needed; as an extra. * /He sold me the car at a cheap price and included the radio for good measure./ * /She puts in the spices the recipe calls for and then adds an extra pinch for good measure./ Compare: IN THE BARGAIN, TO BOOT.

[for granted] See: TAKE FOR GRANTED.

[for Heaven's sake!] <adv. phr.> Please. * /"Help me, for Heaven's sake!" the injured man cried./

[for hours on end] <adv. phr.> For many hours; for a very long time. * /We have been trying to get this computer going for hours on end, but we need serious professional help./

[for instance] See: FOR EXAMPLE.

[for it] See: RUN FOR IT.

[for keeps] <adv. phr.> 1. For the winner to keep. * /They played marbles for keeps./ 2. <informal> For always; forever, * /He left town for keeps./ Syn.: FOR GOOD. 3. Seriously, not just for fun. * /This is not a joke, it's for keeps./ - Often used in the phrase "play for keeps". * /The policeman knew that the robber was trying to shoot him. He was playing for keeps./

[forked tongue] See: SPEAK WITH A FORKED TONGUE.

[fork over a lot of money] <v. phr.> To pay an excessive amount of money often unwillingly. * /"According to my divorce decree," Alan complained, "I have to fork over a lot of money to my ex-wife every month."/

[fork over] or [fork out] also [fork up] <v.> To pay; pay out. * /He had to fork over fifty dollars to have the car repaired./ Compare: HAND OVER.

[for laughs] <adv. phr.> For pleasure; for fun; as a joke. * /The college boys climbed up into the girls' dorms and stole some of their dresses just for laughs, but they were punished all the same./

[for love or money] <adv. phr.> For anything; for any price. Used in negative sentences. * /I wouldn't give him my dog for love or money./ Compare: FOR ALL THE WORLD(1).

[form] See: RAN TRUE TO FORM.

[for no man] See: TIME AND TIDE WAIT FOR NO MAN.

[for one] As the first of several possible examples; as one example. * /Manv people do not like certain foods. I for one do not like cabbage./ - Also used with similar words instead of "one". * /Several materials can be used to make the box: plywood, for one; masonite, for another; sheet metal, for a third./

[for one's money] <prep. phr.> Regarding one's endorsement or support; as far as one is concerned. * /For my money, the best candidate for Congress is Ms. Smith./

[for one's part] also [on one's part] <adv. phr.> As far as you are concerned; the way you feel or think. * /I don't know about you, but for my part I don't want to go to that place./ Compare: AS FOR.

[for one thing] <adv. phr.> As one thing of several; as one in a list of things. * /The teacher said, "You get a low mark, for one thing, because you did not do your homework."/ * /The house was poorly built; for one thing, the roof leaked./ Compare: FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE FIRST PLACE.

[for real(1)] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Not practice or play; earnest, real, serious. * /The war games were over now. This battle was for real./

[for real(2)] <adv. phr.>, <substandard> Not for practice; really; seriously. * /Let's do our work for real./

[for one's sake] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Used with different possessive nouns to show surprise, crossness, or impatience. * /For heaven's sake, where did you come from?/ * /For Pete's sake, look who's here!/ * /Well, for pity's sake, I wish you'd told me sooner./ * /Oh, for gosh sake, let me do it./

[for shame] <interj.> Shame on you; you should be ashamed of yourself.
– An exclamation no longer in common use, having been largely replaced by "shame on you". * /"For shame, John, taking the toy from your baby brother!"/

[for short] <adv. phr.> So as to make shorter; as an abbreviation or nickname. * /The boy's name was Humperdink, or "Dink" for short./ * /The National Broadcasting Company is called NBC for short./

[for sure] or [for certain] <adv. phr.> 1. Without doubt; certainly; surely. * /He couldn't tell for sure from a distance whether it was George or Tom./ * /He didn't know for certain which bus to take./ * /I know for certain that he has a car./ 2. <slang> Certain. * /"That car is smashed so badly it's no good any more." "That's for sure!"/ Compare: SURE THING.

[fort] See: HOLD THE FORT.

[forth] See: AND SO FORTH, BACK AND FORTH, CALL FORTH, HOLD FORTH, SET FORTH.

[for that matter] <adv. phr.> With regard to that; about that. * /I don't know, and for that matter, I don't care./ * /Alice didn't come, and for that matter, she didn't even telephone./ Compare: MATTER OP FACT,

[for the asking] <adv. phr.> By asking; by asking for it; on request. * /John said I could borrow his bike any time. It was mine for the asking./ * /Teacher said her advice was free for the asking./

[for the best] <adj.> or <adv. phr.> good or best; not bad as thought; lucky; well, happily. * /Maybe it's for the best that your team lost; now you know how the other boys felt./ * /John's parents thought it would be for the best if he stayed out of school for the rest of the year./ Often used in the phrase "turn out for the best". * /You feel unhappy now because you got sick and couldn't go with your friends, but it will all turn out for the best./ Compare: TURN OUT(6). Contrast: FOR THE WORSE.