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Разговорные идиомы: Основной список
| Idioms, with definitions or synonyms | Examples | Translation |
| above board - honest, open | His business dealings are above board. | честный, открытый |
| ad lib - improvise, interpolate | The actor forgot his lines and ad libbed. | импровизировать |
| after all - in spite of the situation, nevertheless | I knew it! After all, I was right! He returned to his hometown after all. | все-таки, все же, в конце концов |
| against the grain - contrary to someone's feelings, principles | His plan goes against the grain with her because she doesn't like cheating. | против чьих-то чувств, принципов, желаний |
| all along - all the time | I knew about his little secret all along. | все время, всегда |
| all ears - eager to listen | I am all ears. | весь внимание |
| all of a sudden - suddenly | All of a sudden, he refused to pay. | неожиданно |
| all the same - no difference | If it's all the same to you, let's start at two. | все равно, без разницы |
| all thumbs - clumsy | He can't fix anything, he's all thumbs. | неуклюжий, неумелый |
| apple of one's eye - very dear, precious | Her son is the apple of her eye. | очень дорогой, драгоценный, зеница ока |
| apple of discord - subject of envy or quarrel | This question is an apple of discord in our family. | яблоко раздора |
| as a rule - usually | As a rule, we offer a 5% discount. | как правило |
| as far as I know - if I have correct information | As far as I know, he stayed home all day. | насколько я знаю |
| as far as someone / something is concerned - concerning, in reference to | As far as I am concerned, both the book and the movie are good. As far as your report is concerned, we'll discuss it tomorrow. | что касается кого-то, чего-то |
| as for / as to - concerning, in reference to | As for me, you can always rely on my support. As for your report, we'll discuss it tomorrow. | что касается, относительно |
| as well - also, too | He knows math and physics as well. | тоже, также |
| at all - (not) in the smallest degree | He doesn't know French at all. I don't like it at all. | совсем (не) |
| at first sight - from the first glance, at once, at first glance | It was love at first sight. At first sight, it seems easy to do. | с первого взгляда, сразу же, на первый взгляд |
| at odds with - in disagreement | He is at odds with everyone! | не в ладах |
| at random - without order | He chose those places at random. | наугад, без плана |
| at this point - at this time | At this point, we can't turn back. | на данном этапе |
| backseat driver - a passenger who tells you how to drive | His wife is a backseat driver always telling him how to drive. | пассажир, который указывает, как вести машину |
| ballpark figure - approximate estimate (in figures) | I can give you only a ballpark figure at this time. | приблизительное оценка (в цифрах) |
| bark up the wrong tree - make a false assumption or wrong choice | The detective was sure he got a suspect, but he was barking up the wrong tree. | напасть на ложный след |
| be about to do something - be close to doing something, be on the verge of doing something | I was about to leave when you called. I was about to open the door, but something stopped me. | быть готовым сделать что-то, собираться сделать что-то |
| be all in - be extremely tired | I'm all in, I'd better go to bed now. | очень устать |
| be back on one's feet - healthy again or better financially | He's back on his feet after a long period of debt and unemployment. | встать на ноги после трудного времени |
| be behind the times - be old-fashioned, outdated | Some of the managers here are behind the times, their methods are not modern. | отстать от жизни, быть несовременным, устаревшим |
| be beside oneself - be very upset, nervous, worried | She was beside herself with worry / with grief. | быть вне себя от волнения, горя |
| be beside the point - be off the point | What I said to him privately is beside the point. | не по существу, не относится к делу |
| be better off - be in a better situation (financially) | He'll be better off with a new job. | в лучшей ситуации (материально) |
| be broke - have no money at all, be penniless, bankrupt | I spent all my money, I'm broke. | быть без гроша, быть совсем без денег, разориться |
| be cut out to be someone; be cut out for it - have the ability to do something | He is cut out to be a leader. She isn't cut out to be a surgeon. She isn't cut out for it. | быть созданным для какой-то работы |
| be hard on something / someone - treat roughly | My son is hard on shoes, they don't last long with him. Life was pretty hard on Tom. | не беречь что-то, кого-то |
| be high on one's list - be one of the most important things | A new car is high on my list of priorities. A new TV is not high on my list. | быть в начале списка нужных вещей |
| be in charge of something - be responsible for | He is in charge of marketing. | быть ответственным за что-то |
| be in good health - be healthy | She is in good health. | иметь хорошее здоровье |
| be in poor health - not healthy | She is in poor health. | иметь слабое здоровье |
| be in good shape - be physically fit | He is in good shape because he exercises regularly. | быть в хорошей форме, быть в порядке |
| be in bad shape - be in bad state | The patient is in bad shape. His affairs are in bad shape. | быть в плохом состоянии, не в порядке, не в форме |
| be in the red - be in debt | Our sales were in the red last year. | быть убыточным |
| be on one's way | I'm on my way. | быть уже в пути: Я уже еду. |
| be on the point of something, be at the point of something - be on the verge of something, be close to doing something | He was on the point of death two years ago. She was on the point of telling him the truth, but his words stopped her. | быть на грани чего-то, на грани сделать что-то |
| be out of date - be outdated | This information is out of date. | устаревший |
| be out of sorts - in bad temper | Leave him alone, he's out of sorts today. | быть не в духе |
| be pressed for time, for money - not have enough time, money | I'm pressed for time now. We are pressed for money at the moment. | не хватать времени, денег и др. |
| be to blame - be responsible for a mistake, for something wrong | Who is to blame for this awful mistake? Tom is to blame for this mix-up. | винить за ошибку, неправильные действия |
| be touch and go - risky; dangerous; uncertain of the result | He was very sick, and for some time it was touch and go, but he is better now. | рискованный, опасный; на грани; неясно, куда повернется |
| be up and around / about - able to be out of bed after an illness | He was sick for a month, but now he is up and around. | встать на ноги, поправиться |
| be up to one's ears in (work) - very busy | I'm up to my ears in work. | по уши в (делах, работе) |
| beat around the bush / beat about the bush - avoid giving a clear or definite answer | Stop beating around the bush! Get to the point! | ходить вокруг да около |
| beat one's brains out - make great efforts, often unsuccessfully | He beats his brains out at work, but his boss doesn't even notice his hard work. | очень стараться (часто безуспешно) |
| before long - soon | He will understand before long what a terrible mistake he has made. | скоро, в скором времени |
| big shot - important person | He is a big shot around here. | важная персона |
| bite off more than one can chew - try to do more than one can | I couldn't handle two jobs and family. I really bit off more than I could chew. | переоценить свои силы, пытаться сделать непосильное |
| bite the bullet - to accept painful but necessary action | Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and do what's necessary to do. | стиснуть зубы и терпеть мучительное, но необходимое |
| bite the dust - die, be killed, suffer defeat | Many of them bit the dust in that war. | умереть, быть убитым, потерпеть поражение |
| bite the hand that feeds one - to repay kindness with evil | She is so ungrateful! She is biting the hand that feeds her! | отплатить злом на добро |
| black sheep - a good-for-nothing member of the family | Their second son is the black sheep of the family, he is good for nothing. | паршивая овца |
| blind date - a meeting of a man and woman arranged by friends | She refuses to go on a blind date again because she had bad experience. | свидание вслепую |
| blow it - lose the chance | He understood that he blew it. | потерять шанс |
| bottom line - main result / factor | The bottom line is, I don't have enough money. | итог, основной момент |
| break someone's heart - hurt deeply | The news of her death broke his heart. | разбить чье-то сердце, сильно огорчить |
| break the ice - overcome shyness in making the first step | The party was dull until someone broke the ice with a joke, and we all laughed. | преодолеть неловкость при первом знакомстве |
| break the news - tell new important facts | CNN is breaking the news right now. | сообщить важную новость |
| bring home the bacon - earn the living for the family | He works very hard at several places to bring home the bacon. | обеспечивать семью |
| by all means - definitely, certainly | Do you need my help? - By all means. | обязательно, конечно |
| by heart - by memorizing | Learn this poem by heart for tomorrow. | наизусть |
| by hook or by crook - by any possible means | She will get what she wants by hook or by crook. | любым путем, любым способом |
| by oneself (by myself, by himself, etc.) - alone, on one's own | She spent the evening by herself. He did it all by himself. | один, в одиночку, сам, сам по себе |
| by the way - incidentally | By the way, I found the book that you recommended. | кстати |
| call a halt to something - terminate, stop something | His father called a halt to his activity. | остановить, прекратить что-то |
| call a spade a spade - use plain, direct words | He always tells the truth and calls a spade a spade. | называть вещи своими именами |
| call it a day - consider work finished for the day | We've been working for ten straight hours. Let's call it a day. | считать работу законченной на этот день |
| call the shots - to give orders, to be in control of something | He calls the shots in this company. | распоряжаться, иметь контроль над чем-то |
| call the tune - to give orders, to be the most important person in some situation | Since he was paying for it, he called the tune. | распоряжаться, быть главным в какой-то ситуации |
| carry weight - be important | His advice always carries weight here. | иметь вес |
| castles in the air - daydreaming about success | Instead of working hard, he spends time building castles in the air. | (строить) воздушные замки |
| catch someone's eye - attract attention | This picture caught my eye. | привлечь чье-то внимание |
| catch one's breath - stop and rest | I can't run, I need to catch my breath. | перевести дух, остановиться и передохнуть |
| catch someone off guard - catch someone unprepared | He caught me off guard with his question. | застать врасплох |
| catch someone red-handed - find someone in the act of doing wrong | The manager caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing cigarettes. | поймать за руку, когда делал плохое |
| close call - a narrow escape, a bad thing that almost happened | The speeding car almost hit the man. That was really a close call. | что-то плохое, что едва не случилось |
| come to one's senses - act normally and reasonably again | He finally came to his senses, began to work hard, and passed his exams. | взяться за ум, прийти в себя |
| come true - become reality | His dream came true when he met Kate. | осуществиться |
| cross one's mind - occur to someone | It never crossed my mind that he might be ill. | прийти в голову |
| cut corners - 1. to take a short-cut; 2. to limit one's spending | He ran fast, cutting corners where he could. I have to cut corners this week. | 1. срезать углы, идти напрямик; 2. ограничить расходы |
| do one's best - try very hard | I did my best to help him in his work. | сделать все, что смог |
| do one's bit - do what's needed | I'll do my bit, you can count on me. | сделать положенное |
| do someone good - be good for someone | Fresh air and exercise will do you good | принести пользу |
| do something behind someone's back - do (harmful) things secretively | I hate people who do things behind my back. He did it behind my back again. | делать (вредные) дела за спиной |
| down to earth - practical | He's quiet, sensible, and down to earth. | практичный, приземленный |
| draw the line - set a limit, impose a restriction | I draw the line at spending so much on food. He drew the line for her at $100 a day. | установить границу дозволенного, положить предел |
| duty calls - must fulfill obligations | He said, "Duty calls", put on his coat, and left for work. | долг обязывает |
| easier said than done | It's easier said than done, but I'll try to do it. | легче сказать, чем сделать |
| eat one's words - take back one's words | He had to eat his words after her report. | брать назад свои слова |
| even so - nevertheless, but | I work hard. Even so, I like my job. | тем не менее |
| every now and then - occasionally | Every now and then I visit my old aunt. | время от времени |
| every other - every second one | She washes her hair every other day. | через один; каждый второй |
| fall in love (with) - begin to love | Tom fell in love with Sue at first sight. | влюбиться (в) |
| fall out of love - stop loving | They soon fell out of love and divorced. | разлюбить |
| false alarm - untrue signal, untrue rumor | I heard that he quit his job, but it was a false alarm. | ложная тревога |
| a far cry from something - very different, almost opposite, not as good | His second book wasn't bad, but it was a far cry from his first book. | далеко не такой хороший, как |
| feel it in one's bones - expect something bad to happen | I feel it in my bones that something terrible is going to happen. | нутром чувствовать, что случится плохое |
| feel like doing something - want to do, be inclined to do something | I feel like going for a walk. I don't feel like working now, I'm tired. | быть склонным к занятию чем-то |
| few and far between - rare, scarce | Her visits are few and far between. | слишком редкие |
| find fault with someone / something - criticize, complain about | He finds fault with everybody. She always finds fault with my cooking. | критиковать кого-то, что-то, придираться |
| first things first - important things come before others | First things first: how much money do we have to pay right away? | сначала главное |
| fly off the handle - get angry | He flew off the handle and yelled at me. | разозлиться (вдруг) |
| follow in someone's footsteps - do the same thing | Igor followed in his father's footsteps. He became a doctor too. | идти по стопам; делать то же самое |
| foot the bill - pay the bill | Her father footed the bill for the party. | заплатить по счету |
| for good - forever | After her death he left town for good. | навсегда |
| for the time being - for now, at this time | For the time being, this house is all right for us. | на данное время |
| frame of mind - mental state | I can't do it in this frame of mind. | умонастроение |
| from A to Z - completely, from beginning to end | He knows this town from A to Z. | полностью, от начала до конца |
| from now on - now and in the future | From now on, I forbid you to go there. | впредь |
| from the word go - from the very beginning | He was lying to all of us from the word go. | с самого начала |
| get a grip on oneself - take control of one's feelings | Stop crying! Get a grip on yourself! | контролировать свои чувства |
| get carried away - get too excited and enthusiastic about something | He got carried away with opening a store and lost most of his money. | слишком увлечься чем-то |
| get cold feet - be afraid to do something | He wanted to try it. But he got cold feet at the last moment. | побояться сделать |
| get even with someone - have one's revenge | I'll get even with him for everything! | расквитаться с кем-то |
| get in touch with someone - contact someone | Get in touch with Mr. Smith for help. | связаться с кем-то |
| get lost - lose one's way | She got lost in the old part of town. | потерять дорогу |
| Get lost! (slang) - Lay off! | I don't want to see you again. Get lost! | Исчезни! Уйди! |
| get mixed up - get confused | I got mixed up, went the wrong way, and got lost. | перепутать |
| get off someone's back - stop bothering someone | Stop bothering me! Get off my back! | перестать приставать, отстать от кого-то |
| get one's foot in the door - get an initial opportunity, make the first step in something (e.g., in getting a job) | Nina was able to get her foot in the door because her friend worked in that company. | получить начальную возможность, сделать первый шаг в чем-то (например, в получении работы) |
| get on one's high horse - behave haughtily towards someone | Every time I ask her to help me with typing, she gets on her high horse. | вести себя высокомерно |
| get out of hand - get out of control, beyond control | If he gets out of hand again, call me right away. The situation is getting out of hand. | выйти из-под контроля |
| get rid of someone / something - dispose of, discard | He got rid of his old useless car. | избавиться от кого-то, чего-то |
| get to the bottom of something - know deeply | He usually gets to the bottom of things. | добраться до сути чего-то |
| get to the point - speak directly about the subject, come to the point | Please get to the point, I don't have much time now. | перейти к сути дела, начать говорить по существу |
| Give me a break! - Stop it! Enough! | Come on, stop it! Give me a break! | Прекрати! Хватит! |
| give someone a hand - help someone | Can you give me a hand with cooking? | помочь кому-то |
| give someone a lift / a ride - take to some place by car | Can you give me a lift to the bank? He gave her a ride in his new Porsche. | подвезти кого-то |
| give someone a piece of one's mind - criticize frankly | She lost my umbrella again, so I gave her a piece of my mind about her carelessness. | высказать, что на уме, критиковать |
| go back on one's word - break a promise | First he said he would help me, but then he went back on his word. | нарушить свое слово, обещание |
| go for it - try to do a new thing | If I were you, I would go for it. | пробовать новое дело |
| go from bad to worse - become much worse | His business went from bad to worse. | становиться все хуже |
| go out of one's way - try very hard | He goes out of his way to please her. | очень стараться |
| go to one's head - 1. make dizzy; 2. make too proud, conceited | 1. Champagne went to her head right away. 2. His acting success went to his head. | 1. вызвать головокружение; 2. возгордиться - Успех вскружил ему голову. |
| go to pieces - get very upset, fall apart | She went to pieces when she heard it. | сильно расстроиться |
| go with the flow - lead a quiet life | She always goes with the flow. | плыть по течению, жить без волнений |
| have a ball - have a good time | Yesterday we had a ball at the party. | отлично провести время |
| have a bone to pick with someone - complain or discuss something unpleasant | Mr. Brown, I have a bone to pick with you. My mail was lost because of you. | иметь претензии к кому-то |
| have a sweet tooth - love eating sweet things | He has a sweet tooth. | быть сластеной, любить сладкое |
| have a word with someone - talk to someone | Can I have a word with you? | поговорить с кем-то |
| have words with someone - argue with someone | I had words with my coworker today because he used my computer again. | крупно поговорить с кем-то |
| have it in someone - have the ability | Laura has it in her to be a good doctor. | иметь нужные качества |
| have no business doing something - have no right to do something | You have no business staying here without my permission. | нечего (вам) здесь делать, незачем здесь находиться и др. |
| have one's back to the wall - be hard-pressed, on the defensive | I had no choice, I had my back to the wall. | быть прижатым к стене, под давлением, вынужден защищаться |
| have one's hands full - be very busy | He has his hands full with hard work. | быть очень занятым |
| have one's heart set on something - want something very much | She has her heart set on going to New York. He has his heart set on Betty. | очень хотеть получить что-то |
| have pull - have influence | Does he have pull with the director? | иметь влияние |
| (not) have the heart to do something - (not) have the courage to do something unpleasant | I don't have the heart to tell him that he wasn't accepted, he'll be so unhappy. | (не) хватает духа сделать неприятное |
| hit the nail on the head - say exactly the right thing | You hit the nail on the head when you said that! | попасть в точку, сказать очень правильную вещь |
| (not) hold it against someone - (not) blame somebody for doing something | I lost his book, but he doesn't hold it against me. | (не) держать зла на кого-то |
| Hold it! - Stop! Wait! | Hold it! I forgot my key. | Остановитесь! Стойте! |
| hold one's own - maintain oneself in a situation, behave as needed | He can hold his own in any situation. We need men who can hold their own. | постоять за себя, утвердиться в чем-то |
| hold one's tongue - keep silent, refrain from speaking | She can't hold her tongue at all. | молчать, держать язык за зубами, придержать язык |
| ill at ease - uncomfortable | She felt ill at ease because of her cheap dress. | не по себе |
| in advance - well before | He told her about his plan in advance. | заранее |
| in a nutshell - in a few words | In a nutshell, my plan is to buy land. | кратко, вкратце |
| in care of - write to one person at the address of another person | I'm going to stay at Tom's house in Chicago. Write to me in care of Tom Gray, 321 Main Street, Chicago, Illinois. | писать адресату по адресу другого человека (у которого остановился) |
| in cold blood - mercilessly | He killed her in cold blood. | хладнокровно |
| in fact - actually, in reality | In fact, he works as a manager here. | фактически, в действительности |
| in general - generally, generally speaking | In general, he likes to be alone. He described the place only in general. | в общем, вообще, обычно |
| in hot water - in trouble, in a difficult situation (especially with the law or one's superiors) | He said a couple of unpleasant things about the boss's wife, and now he is in hot water. | в беде, в трудном положении (особенно с законом или начальством) |
| in one's element - what one likes | He's in his element when he's arguing. | в своей стихии |
| in other words - using other words | In other words, you left her when she needed your help. | другими словами |
| in plain English - in simple, frank terms | I didn't really like the concert. In plain English, the concert was terrible. | проще говоря, без обиняков |
| the ins and outs - all information about something | He knows the ins and outs of this business. | входы и выходы, вся информация о чем-то |
| in someone's shoes - in another person's position | I wouldn't want to be in his shoes now. He lost his job, and his wife is in the hospital. | на месте другого, в положении другого |
| in the long run - in the end | In the long run, it will be better to buy it. | в конечном счете |
| in the same boat - in the same situation | Stop arguing with me. We're in the same boat and should help each other. | в таком же положении |
| in the clear - free from blame | Pay the bill, and you'll be in the clear. | вне претензий |
| in time (to do something) - early enough, before something begins | I came in time to have a cup of coffee before class. | вовремя, заранее, чтобы успеть что-то сделать до начала чего-то |
| it goes without saying - should be clear without words | It goes without saying that he must pay what he owes right away. | не стоит и говорить, само собой |
| it's time - should do it right away | Hurry up, it's time to go. | пора (сделать что-то) |
| It's worth it. It's not worth it. It's (not) worth buying, visiting, watching, etc. | Watch this film, it's worth it. Don't buy this coat, it is not worth it. This museum is worth visiting. This film is not worth watching. | оно того стоит, оно того не стоит; (не) стоит покупать, посещать, смотреть и т.д. |
| jump at the opportunity / chance - accept the opportunity eagerly | His boss mentioned a job in Europe, and Peter jumped at the opportunity. | ухватиться за возможность |
| just as soon - prefer, would rather | I'd just as soon stay home, I'm tired. | предпочитать, охотно |
| just in case - to be on the safe side | Take an extra shirt, just in case. | на всякий случай |
| Just my luck! - Bad luck! / Hard luck! | They lost my job application. Just my luck! | Мне всегда не везет! |
| keep an eye on someone / something - take care of, watch, look after | Betty keeps an eye on my sons for me. I'll keep an eye on your dog. | последить за, присмотреть за |
| keep a straight face - try not to laugh | I tried to keep a straight face but failed. | стараться не рассмеяться, сохранять невозмутимый вид |
| keep company - accompany | She keeps me company quite often. | составить компанию |
| keep in mind - consider, remember | Keep in mind that he is not going to agree easily. | иметь в виду |
| keep in touch - keep in contact with someone by calling, visiting, sending messages | Good-by and don't forget to keep in touch! Keep in touch with us. We may have new openings next week. | держаться в контакте, поддерживать контакт с кем-то |
| keep one's word - fulfill a promise | You promised, now keep your word. | держать слово |
| keep someone posted - inform someone | Keep me posted about your plans. | держать кого-то в курсе событий |
| keep one's fingers crossed - hope that nothing will go wrong | I have a job interview today. Keep your fingers crossed for me, will you? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. | надеяться, что все пройдет гладко |
| kill time - fill / spend empty time | I went to the show to kill time. | убить время |
| (not) know the first thing about something - not have any knowledge about something | I don't know the first thing about nuclear physics. | ничего не знать по какой-то теме |
| know the ropes - be very familiar with some business | He knows all the ropes in this company. | знать все ходы и выходы |
| last-minute notice - a message (information, instruction) at the last moment leaving little or no time for preparation | His arrival was a last-minute notice, we didn't have time to prepare for it. | сообщение (информация, инструкция) в последний момент, из-за чего мало или нет времени на подготовку |
| lay one's cards on the table - be frank and open | Finally, we asked him to lay his cards on the table and tell us about his plans. | сказать честно, открыть карты |
| lay one's life on the line - put oneself in a dangerous situation | He laid his life on the line to fulfill this task, but nobody appreciated his efforts. | ставить жизнь на карту |
| lead a dog's life - live in misery | He leads a dog's life. | влачить жалкое существование |
| leave it at that - stop saying anything else about some matter, leave as it is | I don't want to argue any further about it, so let's leave it at that. Leave it at that! | перестать далее упоминать (о предмете спора), оставить как есть |
| leave word - leave a message | He left word for you to meet him at the airport at six o'clock. | оставить сообщение |
| let bygones be bygones - forget and forgive bad things in the past | He said that to you many years ago. Forgive him. Let bygones be bygones. | не ворошить прошлое, забыть старые обиды |
| let go of something - release the hold | Let go of my hand, or I'll call the guard. | отпустить, не держать |
| let (it) go - forget bad experience; return to normal life | He's still in despair and can't let go. You can't change anything, so let it go. | освободиться от тяжелого переживания |
| let one's hair down - be relaxed and informal with other people | She is always so formal. She never lets her hair down. | держаться неофициально |
| let someone know - inform someone | Let me know when you find a job. | известить кого-то |
| like father, like son - be like one's parent in something | Paul won a prize in a chess tournament. Great! Like father, like son! | какой отец, такой и сын |
| little by little - step by step; bit by bit; gradually | Little by little, they saved enough money for a new car. | понемногу, постепенно |
| a long shot - an attempt with little chance of success | Checking the suspect's aunt was a long shot, but the detective was prepared to try anything. | попытка с минимальными шансами на успех |
| lose one's temper - become angry | He loses his temper very often. | разозлиться |
| lose one's way - get lost | I lost my way. Can you help me? | потерять дорогу |
| lose track of someone - not know where someone is | I lost track of him years ago. | потерять кого-то из виду |
| lucky break - a lucky chance | He got his lucky break when he found that job. | счастливый случай |
| make a living - earn money to provide for life | He works hard. His family is large, and he has to make a living somehow. | зарабатывать на жизнь |
| make allowance(s) for something - take into consideration when judging | Don't criticize him so hard, make allowance for his inexperience. | учитывать, делать поправку, скидку на что-то |
| make a point of - be sure to do something intentionally | Make a point of asking about his wife's health. Make it a point to be here by ten o'clock. | считать обязательным для себя сделать что-то |
| make ends meet - to have little money to live on | His doesn't get much money. I wonder how he manages to make ends meet. | сводить концы с концами |
| make friends - become friends | Anton makes new friends easily. | подружиться |
| make fun of someone / something - laugh at, joke about | He made fun of her German accent. Everyone makes fun of him. | высмеивать кого-то, что-то |
| not make head or tail of something - be unable to understand or decipher | I can't make head or tail of his letter. | не в состоянии понять, разобрать что-то |
| make no bones about it - say / do openly, without hesitation | I'll make no bones about it: I don't like your attitude to work. | сказать прямо, не скрывая отношения |
| make room for someone - allow space for someone | We can make room for one more dog. | потесниться, освободить место для кого-то |
| make sense - be logical | What you say makes sense. | иметь смысл |
| make the most of something - do the best in the given situation | Let's make the most of our vacation. | извлечь лучшее из данной ситуации |
| make up one's mind - decide | Will you go there? Make up your mind. | принять решение |
| make yourself at home - be comfortable, feel at home | Come in please. Make yourself at home. | будьте как дома |
| a man of his word - a person who keeps promises | You can depend on his promise to help. He's a man of his word. | хозяин своего слова, держит слово |
| mean well - have good intentions | He meant well, but it turned out that he spoiled a couple of things for me. | хотеть сделать, как лучше |
| might as well - maybe it's a good idea | I might as well telephone him now. | может быть неплохо |
| missing person - someone who is lost and can't be located | The little boy disappeared. The police registered him as a missing person. | пропавший человек (т.е. разыскивается) |
| meet someone halfway - compromise with someone | He's reasonable and tries to meet his coworkers halfway when possible. | идти на компромисс с кем-то |
| never mind - don't worry about it | I'm terribly sorry. - Never mind. | неважно, ничего, не беспокойтесь |
| no go - impossible, futile, useless | We tried to start the car again and again, but it was no go. | бесполезный, безнадежный, тщетный |
| not a bit - not at all, not in the least | Are you tired? - Not a bit. | ничуть |
| not to mention - in addition to | We have three dogs, not to mention two cats. | не говоря уж |
| no wonder - not surprising | He ate three big fish. No wonder he's sick. | неудивительно, что |
| now and again - occasionally; now and then | I meet them now and again at the bank. | время от времени |
| odds and ends - a variety of small unimportant things or leftovers; bits and pieces | I went to the store because I needed to buy some odds and ends for my kitchen. | разрозненные мелочи; остатки, обрезки; всякая всячина |
| off the cuff - without preparation | Off the cuff, I can give you only a rough estimate. | без подготовки |
| off the point - beside the point | What I think about him is off the point. | не относится к делу |
| off the record - not for the public; unofficially | Strictly off the record, I think the director is going to get married soon. | не для публики; неофициально |
| off the top of one's head - without thinking or calculation; impromptu; from memory | I can't give you the figure off the top of my head, but it may be around a thousand. | без обдумывания или подсчета; без подготовки; по памяти |
| once and for all - decidedly | You must quit smoking once and for all. | раз и навсегда |
| on credit - not pay cash right away | He bought a car on credit. | в кредит |
| on edge - nervous, irritable | He's been on edge ever since she left. | нервный, раздраженный |
| on guard - on the alert | He's cautious and always on guard. | настороже, начеку; бдительный |
| on hand - available | Do you have a calculator on hand? | под рукой |
| on one hand / on the one hand - considering one side of the question | On one hand, she knows quite a few poems by heart. On the other hand, she can't remember any dates. | с одной стороны |
| on one's own (on my own, on his own, etc.) - alone; by oneself; independently | She likes to live and work on her own. She has been on her own for several years. | один; сам по себе; самостоятельно |
| on one's toes - alert, attentive, prepared for difficulties | He was on his toes and produced a very good impression on them. | бдительный, внимательный, собранный |
| on purpose - intentionally | I didn't do it on purpose, it just happened so. | нарочно, с целью |
| on second thought - after thinking again | I'd like to sit on the aisle. On second thought, I'd like a window seat. | подумав, по зрелом размышлении |
| on the alert - on guard | He's cautious and always on the alert. | настороже, начеку; бдительный, внимательный |
| on the carpet - called in by the boss for criticism | Yesterday the boss called her on the carpet for being rude to the coworkers. | вызвать на ковер |
| on the go - on the move; busy, active | He is always on the go. | в движении, на ходу; активный |
| on the off chance - unlikely to happen, but a small chance still exists | On the off chance that you don't find him at work, here's his home address. | маловероятно, но все же есть небольшой шанс |
| on the other hand - considering the other side of the question | I'd like to have a dog. On the other hand, my wife likes cats. | с другой стороны |
| on the spot - right there | I decided to do it on the spot. | на месте, сразу |
| on the spur of the moment - without previous thought or plan | He bought this car on the spur of the moment, and now he regrets it. | под влиянием момента, без обдумывания |
| on the tip of one's tongue - on the verge of saying but unable to remember | His name is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't remember it. | вертится на языке, вот-вот вспомню |
| on time - punctually, at the specified time | Jim is always on time. | вовремя, в назначенное время |
| out of one's mind - crazy | If you think so, you're out of your mind. | сумасшедший |
| out of one's way - away from one's usual route | I can't give you a lift to the bank, it's out of my way today. | не по пути |
| out of the question - not to be considered, impossible | Paying him is out of the question! | не может быть и речи |
| pack rat - a person who saves lots of unnecessary things | Why does she keep all those things she never uses? - She is a pack rat. | тот, кто не выбрасывает старые или ненужные вещи |
| pay attention - note something, be attentive to something | Pay attention to his words. | обратить внимание |
| pick a fight - start a quarrel | He often tries to pick a fight with me. | начать ссору |
| play one's cards right - choose the right steps in doing something | If you play your cards right, he'll agree to your plan. | сыграть правильно, выбрать правильные шаги в каком-то деле |
| potluck supper - a surprise meal where nobody knows what dishes other guests will bring | You know what happened at our last potluck supper? Everybody brought macaroni and cheese, apples, and beer! | ужин вскладчину; никто не знает, что принесут другие |
| pull the wool over someone's eyes - deceive, mislead someone | Are you trying to pull the wool over my eyes? It won't do you any good. | обмануть, ввести в заблуждение |
| put a damper on something - discourage | She always puts a damper on my plans. | охладить пыл |
| put in a word for someone - say positive things about someone | I'd be very grateful if you could put in a word for me when you speak to him. | замолвить словечко |
| put one's best foot forward - try to show one's best qualities; do one's best; do things as quicky as possible | He put his best foot forward during the interview. Put your best foot forward working at this project. | стараться показать свои лучшие качества; делать все возможное; выполнять как можно быстрее |
| put one's finger on it - indicate exactly; point out the exact cause, fault, name, etc. | I can't put my finger on it. He was able to put his finger on the exact cause of the computer malfunction. | точно указать причину, ошибку, название и др.; попасть в точку |
| put one's foot down - object strongly | Her father put his foot down when she said she wanted to marry Alan. | решительно воспротивиться |
| put one's foot in it / into it; put one's foot in one's mouth - do or say the wrong thing; make a blunder; make a fool of oneself | He put his foot in it when he told the boss that his younger daughter wasn't pretty at all. | сделать или сказать глупость; попасть впросак; сесть в калошу; опростоволоситься |
| quite a bit (of) - much, a lot of | I had quite a bit of trouble with that car. | много, сильно |
| quite a few - many, a lot of | He wrote quite a few good stories. | много |
| rack one's brain - try hard to think | He racked his brain to solve the puzzle. | напрячь мозги |
| read between the lines - find or understand the implied meaning | His books are not easy to understand; you have to read between the lines. | читать между строк |
| Remember me to your family. - Say hello to your family for me. | Please remember me to your family. | Передавайте привет от меня вашей семье. |
| right away - immediately | It' very important to do it right away. | сразу же, немедленно |
| ring a bell - remind someone of something familiar but half-forgotten | Annabel Lee? Yes, it rings a bell, but I can't place it right now. | напоминает что-то знакомое, но полузабытое |
| rock the boat - make the situation unstable | Peter always rocks the boat when we discuss the company's spending policy. | раскачивать лодку, вести к нестабильности |
| rub elbows with / rub shoulders with - meet with, spend time together, mingle | He doesn't rub elbows with the rich and famous. | близко общаться с кем-то |
| rub it in - to embarrass even more by reminding repeatedly of some mistake, failure, etc. | I know I shouldn't have done it, and I apologized. There is no need to rub it in. | ставить в еще более неловкое положение напоминаниями об ошибке, неудаче |
| rub someone the wrong way - irritate, annoy, make angry | His remarks rub many coworkers the wrong way. | раздражать, злить кого-то |
| save face - try to change the negative impression produced | He said a stupid thing, and then he tried to save face by saying he misunderstood me. | сохранить лицо, т.е. пытаться изменить произведенное негативное впечатление |
| save one's breath - stop useless talk | There's no use talking to him about his spending habits, so save your breath. | не тратить слова попусту |
| scratch the surface - study something superficially | He examines all the facts closely, he doesn't just scratch the surface. | изучать поверхностно |
| search high and low - search everywhere | I searched high and low for my lost cat. | искать везде |
| see eye to eye - agree with each other | They see eye to eye on many things. I don't see eye to eye with him. | соглашаться друг с другом; сходиться во взглядах |
| see red - become very angry | She sees red every time she remembers how he lied to her about it. | приходить в ярость, очень сильно злиться |
| serve someone right - get what someone deserves | It serves him right that he didn't get this job, he despised all other candidates. | поделом кому-то |
| serve one's purpose - be useful for some purpose | I doubt that hiring this man will serve your purpose. | служить цели, отвечать цели, годиться |
| a shot in the dark - a wild guess | My answer was just a shot in the dark. | догадка, предположение, ответ наугад, наобум |
| show promise - be promising | This young actor shows promise. | подавать надежды |
| sleep on it - postpone a decision till next morning | Don't make a decision now. Sleep on it. | отложить решение до следующего утра |
| a slip of the tongue - a mistake | It was just a slip of the tongue! | обмолвка (ошибка) |
| slip (from) one's mind - forget | It slipped my mind that she asked me to do it. | забыть |
| smell a rat - suspect something wrong | I'm not sure what it is, but I smell a rat. | подозревать обман, чуять подвох, чуять недоброе |
| so far - up to now | So far, I have read three books by Stephen King. | до сих пор, пока, к настоящему моменту |
| so much the better - it's even better | If he can pay cash, so much the better. | еще лучше |
| spill the beans - tell a secret | Who spilled the beans about our plan? | проболтаться |
| (not) stand a chance - (not) have a chance | He doesn't stand a chance of getting it. | нет шансов |
| stand to reason - be obvious, logical, naturally true | It stands to reason that studying spelling will let you improve your writing skills. | очевидно, логично, что |
| straight from the shoulder - frankly, honestly, openly | Don't try to spare his feelings, give it to him straight from the shoulder. | честно, откровенно |
| take a dim view of something - disapprove of something | My sister takes a dim view of the way I raise my children. | не одобрять что-то |
| take a break - stop for rest | Let's take a break, I'm tired. | сделать перерыв для отдыха |
| take advantage of something - use for one's own benefit, to profit from | We took advantage of the low prices and bought a computer and a monitor. | воспользоваться возможностью с пользой для себя |
| take a stand (on something) - make a firm decision about something | People need to take a stand on the issue of nuclear weapons. | занять четкую позицию по какому-то вопросу |
| Take care! - Good-bye and be careful! | Take care now! See you tomorrow. | Всего хорошего! Берегите себя. |
| take care of someone / something - look after, see that something is done properly | Can you take care of my dog while I'm away? Tom takes good care of his car. | позаботиться о ком-то, чем-то, присмотреть за |
| take hold of something - hold, grasp something | Take hold of this rope and pull. | держать, взяться за, схватить |
| take into account - take into consideration, consider | You must take into account her old age. | принять во внимание |
| take it easy - relax, be calm | Take it easy, everything will be OK. | не волнуйся |
| take something for granted - accept as given | Mother's love is always taken for granted by children. | принимать как должное |
| take someone's breath away - to surprise, impress | That great view took my breath away. | захватить дух от впечатления |
| take one's time - do something without hurry | Don't hurry. Take your time. | делать что-то не торопясь |
| take someone's word for it - believe | Take my word for it, he won't go there. | поверить кому-то на слово |
| take pains - try hard to do it well | He took pains to make his report perfect. | прилагать усилия, чтобы сделать хорошо |
| take part in something - participate in something | Mary is going to take part in the show. | принять участие в чем-то |
| take place - happen | The accident took place on Oak Street. | иметь место, случиться |
| take one's mind off things - distract from fixed ideas or gloomy thoughts | Go to a concert or a movie to take your mind off things. | отвлечь(ся) от навязчивых идей или мрачных мыслей |
| take steps - take action, take measures | We need to take steps against it. | принимать меры |
| take the words right out of someone's mouth - say the same before someone else says it | I was about to say the same! You took the words right out of my mouth. | сказать то же самое чуть раньше, чем другой говорящий |
| take time - take a long time | It takes time to get used to a new place. | занять много времени |
| take time off - be absent from work | He took time off to attend the wedding. | взять отгул |
| take turns - alternate doing something one after another | We went to Minsk by car. We didn't get tired because we took turns driving | делать по очереди, меняться местами |
| That's just the point. - That's it. | That's just the point! I hate this job! | В этом-то и дело. |
| that will do - it's enough | Stop reading, that will do for now. | достаточно |
| the writing on the wall - a sign of future events (usually, trouble) | The plane crashed. Tim said he saw the writing on the wall about that flight. | предзнаменование (обычно, беды) |
| (not) think much of something - not think highly of something | I don't think much of her cooking. | быть невысокого мнения о чем-то |
| till one is blue in the face - try very hard | I repeated it till I was blue in the face! | стараться до посинения |
| to be on the safe side - not take any chances | Take an extra key, just to be on the safe side. | на всякий случай |
| to make a long story short - in short | To make a long story short, we won. | короче говоря |
| to say the least - to make the minimum comment about something | The film was boring and long, to say the least. | самое малое, что можно сказать |
| try one's hand at something - try to do something new | I want to try my hand at painting. | попробовать себя в чем-то |
| turn over a new leaf - make a fresh start in life, work | He promises to quit alcohol for good and turn over a new leaf. | начать заново (жизнь, новое дело) |
| turn the tables - reverse the situation (exchanging places with the opponent) | He beat me at chess twice last week. But now I hope to turn the tables (on him). | круто изменить ситуацию (поменявшись местами, ролями с противником) |
| turn the tide - reverse the course of events | The new evidence turned the tide, and the defendant was acquitted of charges. | резко изменить ход событий; повернуть вспять ход событий |
| twist someone's arm - make someone agree | They twisted his arm to sell the house. | выкручивать руки, давить на кого-то |
| under the weather - feeling a little ill, unwell | I'm a little under the weather today. | нездоровится |
| up-and-coming - showing promise of future success | He is an up-and-coming young lawyer who might help you with your case. | многообещающий, подающий надежды |
| up in arms - hostile to, in strong protest against something | The employees are up in arms about the new retirement rules. | протестовать против, сопротивляться |
| up in the air - undecided, unsettled | My vacation plans are still up in the air. | еще не определено |
| up to date - modern, latest, current | His reports are always up to date. | современный, с современными данными |
| (not) up to par - (not) equal in standard | His behavior isn't up to par. | (не) в норме, ниже нормы |
| used to do something - did something regularly in the past but not now | He used to live on Maple Street. I used to play the piano when I was in school (but I don't play it now). | в прошлом обычно делал что-то, но сейчас нет |
| walk on air - be very happy | He has been offered a great job. He is walking on air now. | летать от счастья |
| waste one's breath - speak uselessly, to no purpose | Don't waste your breath trying to make him do it. He won't change his mind. | тратить усилия зря, попусту тратить слова |
| watch one's step - behave prudently, be careful | You have to watch your step in this business. | поступать благоразумно, осмотрительно |
| wet blanket - a pessimist, a killjoy who dampens enthusiasm and spoils everyone's fun | Remember what a wet blanket he was last time? Please don't invite him again. | пессимист, зануда, который гасит энтузиазм и портит всем удовольствие |
| What's the matter? - What is it? | What's the matter? What happened? | В чем дело? |
| which way the wind blows - what the real situation is | He knows which way the wind blows and always acts accordingly. | какова реальная ситуация |
| white lie - unimportant lie | A white lie is told to spare your feelings. | невинная ложь |
| word for word - in the same words | Tell me word for word what he said. | дословно, дословный |
| would rather - prefer | I'd rather stay home today. | предпочитать |