Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц) - неизвестен Автор

[think fit] See: FIT.

[thinking cap] See: PUT ON ONE'S THINKING CAP.

[think little of] <v. phr.> Think that (something or someone) is not important or valuable. * /John thought little of Ted's plan for the party./ * /Joan thought little of walking two miles to school./ Contrast: THINK A GREAT DEAL OF.

[think much of] See: THINK A GREAT DEAL OF.

[think nothing of] <v. phr.> To think or consider easy, simple, or usual. * /Jim thinks nothing of hiking ten miles in one day./

[think nothing of it] <v. phr.>, <informal> Used as a courteous phrase in replying to thanks. /"Thank you very much for your help." "Think nothing of it."/ Compare: YOU'RE WELCOME.

[think on one's feet] <v. phr.> To think quickly; answer or act without waiting; know what to do or say right away. * /A good basketball player can think on his feet./ * /Our teacher can think on his feet; he always has an answer ready when we ask him questions./

[think out] <v.> 1. To find out or discover by thinking; study and understand. * /Andy thought out a way of climbing to the top of the pole./ Compare FIGURE OUT, WORK OUT. 2. To think through to the end; to understand what would come at last. * /Bill wanted to quit school, but he thought out the matter and decided not to./

[think out loud] See: THINK ALOUD.

[think over] <v.> To think carefully about; consider; study. * /When Charles asked Betty to marry him, she asked him for time to think it over./ * /Think over what we studied in history this year and write a lesson on the thing that interested you most./ Compare: MAKE UP ONE'S MIND, SEE ABOUT.

[think piece] <n.>, <slang> 1. The human brain. * /Lou's got one powerful think piece, man./ 2. Any provocative essay or article that, by stating a strong opinion, arouses the reader to think about it and react to it by agreeing or disagreeing. * /That article by Charles Fenyvesi on Vietnamese refugees in the Washington Post sure was a think piece!/

[think tank] <n.> A company of researchers who spend their time developing ideas and concepts. * /The government hired a think tank to study the country's need for coins, and was advised to stop making pennies./

[think twice] <v.> To think again carefully; reconsider; hesitate. * /The teacher advised Lou to think twice before deciding to quit school./ Compare: THINK BETTER OF.

[think up] <v.> To invent or discover by thinking; have a new idea of. * /Mary thought up a funny game for the children to play./

[third base] <n.> The base to be touched third in baseball. * /He reached third base standing up on a long triple./

[third class] <n.> 1. The third best or highest group; the class next after the second class. * /Mary won the pie-making contest in the third class, for the youngest girls./ 2. Mail that is printed, other than magazines and newspapers that are published regularly, and packages that are not sealed and weigh less than a pound. * /The company uses third class to mail free samples of soap./ 3. The least expensive class of travel. * /I couldn't afford anything better than the third class on the ship coming home from France./ Compare: FIRST CLASS, SECOND CLASS.

[third-class(1)] <adj.> Belonging to the third class; of the third highest or best class. * /Much advertising is sent by third-class mall./ * /I bought a third-class airline ticket to Hawaii./

[third-class(2)] <adv.> By third class. * /How did you send the package? Third class./ * /We traveled third-class on the train./

[third degree] <n. phr.> A method of severe grilling used to extract information from an arrested suspect. * /"Why give me the third degree?" he asked indignantly. "All I did was come home late because I had a drink with my friends."/

[third sex] <n.>, <euphemism>, <slang>, <informal> Homosexual individuals who are either men or women. * /Billy is rumored to belong to the third sex./

[third world] <n.> 1. The countries not aligned with either the former U.S.S.R.-dominated Communist bloc or the U.S.A.-dominated capitalist countries. * /New Zealand made a move toward third country status when it disallowed American nuclear submarines in its harbors./ 2. The developing nations of the world where the industrial revolution has not yet been completed. * /Africa and the rest of the third world must be freed from starvation and illiteracy./

[this] See: OUT OF THIS WORLD.

[this and that] also [this, that, and the other] <n. phr.> Various things; different things; miscellaneous things. * /When the old friends met they would talk about this and that./ * /The quilt was made of this, that, and the other./

[this, that, and the other] See: THIS AND THAT.

[this is how the cookie crumbles] or [that's how the cookie crumbles] <v. phr.>, <informal> That's how things are; that's life. * /It's too bad about John and Mary getting divorced, but then that's how the cookie crumbles./

[thither] See: HITHER AND THITHER.

[thorn in the flesh] or [thorn in one's side] <n. phr.> Something that causes stubborn trouble; a constant bother; a vexation. * /The new voter organization soon became the biggest thorn in the senator's side./ * /The guerrilla band was a thorn in the flesh of the invaders./

[though] See: AS IF or AS THOUGH.

[thought] See: FOOD FOR THOUGHT, PENNY FOR ONE'S THOUGHTS, PERISH THE THOUGHT, SECOND THOUGHT.

[thousand] See: BY THE DOZEN or BY THE THOUSAND.

[thrash out] <v. phr.> To discuss fully; confer about something until a decision is reached. * /They met to thrash out their differences concerning how to run the office./

[thread] See: HANG BY A THREAD.

[threat] See: TRIPLE THREAT.

[three-ring circus] <n.> A scene of much confusion or activity. * /The street was a three-ring circus of cars, people, noise, and lights./ * /It is a three-ring circus to watch that silly dog play./

[three sheets in the wind] or [three sheets to the wind] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Unsteady from too much liquor; drunk. * /The sailor came down the street, three sheets in the wind./

[thrill one to death] or [pieces] See: TICKLE PINK.

[throat] See: CUT ONE'S THROAT, FLY AT ONE'S THROAT, JUMP DOWN ONE'S THROAT, LUMP IN ONE'S THROAT, RAM DOWN ONE'S THROAT and SHOVE DOWN ONE'S THROAT.

[through a hoop] See: JUMP THROUGH A HOOP.

[through and through] <adv.> Completely; entirely; whole-heartedly. * /Bob was a ball player through and through./ * /Mary was hurt through and through by Betty's remarks./ Compare: OUT-AND-OUT.

[through hell and high water] See: HELL AND HIGH WATER.

[through one's hat] See: TALK THROUGH ONE'S HAT.

[through one's head] See: GET THROUGH ONE'S HEAD.

[through one's mind] See: CROSS ONE'S MIND or PASS THROUGH ONE'S MIND.

[through one's paces] See: PUT THROUGH ONE'S PACES.

[through street] <n.> 1. A street on which cars can move without stopping at intersections, but cars on streets crossing it have to stop at the intersection. * /You have to be especially careful crossing a through street./ * /Mr. Jones stopped his car when he came to the through street. He waited until there were no cars on it, and drove across it./ Contrast: STOP STREET. 2. A street that is open to other streets at both ends; a street that has a passage through it, so that it is not necessary to come back to get out of it. * /We thought we could get through to Main St. by going up a side street but there was a sign that said "Not a through street."/

[through the mill] <adv. phr.> 1. Experienced. * /You could tell immediately that the new employee had been through the mill./ 2. Through real experience of the difficulties of a certain way of life. * /Poor Jerry has had three operations in one year, and now he's back in the hospital. He's realty gone through the mill./ Compare: GO THROUGH HELL AND HIGH WATER, COME HELL OR HIGH WATER.

[through the motions] See: GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS.

[through the nose] See: PAY THROUGH THE NOSE.

[through thick and thin] <adv. phr.> Through all difficulties and troubles; through good times and bad times. * /The friends were faithful through thick and thin./ * /George stayed in college through thick and thin, because he wanted an education./

[through train] <n. phr.> A direct train that doesn't necessitate any changes. * /We'll take the through train from Chicago to New York because it's the most convenient./

[throw] See: FREE THROW, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NOT THROW STONES.

[throw a curve] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. To mislead or deceive someone; to lie. * /John threw me a curve about the hiring./ 2. To take someone by surprise in an unpleasant way. * /Mr. Weiner's announcement threw the whole company a curve./

[throw a fit] See: HAVE A FIT.

[throw a monkey wrench] or [throw a wrench] <v. phr.>, <informal> To cause something that is going smoothly to stop. * /The game was going smoothly until you threw a monkey wrench into the works by fussing about the rules./ * /The Michigan tacklers threw a wrench into the Wisconsin team's offense./ * /He hoped to see the class plan fail and looked for a chance to throw a wrench in the machinery./

[throw a party] <v. phr.>, <informal> To hold a party; have a party. * /The club is throwing a party in the high school gym Saturday night./ * /The Seniors threw a masquerade party on Halloween./

[throw a punch] <v. phr.> To strike at someone with your fist; hit; punch. * /Bob became so mad at Fred that he threw a punch at him./ * /The bell rang and the boxers started throwing punches./ Compare: TAKE A PUNCH AT.

[throw away] <v.> 1. To get rid of as unwanted or not needed; junk. * /Before they moved they threw away everything they didn't want to take with them./ * /I never save those coupons; I just throw them away./ Syn.: THROW OUT. 2. To waste. * /The senator criticized the government for throwing away billions on the space program./ 3. To fail to make use of. * /She threw away a good chance for a better job./

[throw a wet blanket] See: WET BLANKET.

[throw caution to the winds] also [throw discretion to the winds] <v. phr.> To be daring; make a bold or risky move. * /Hearing that Apaches were planning to start a war, the whites decided to throw caution to the winds and attack the Apaches first./

[throw cold water on] also [dash cold water on] or [pour cold water on] <v. phr.> To discourage; say or do something to discourage. * /We had high hopes of victory but our opponents soon threw cold water on them./ * /Henry's father threw cold water on his plans to go to college by saying he could not afford it./

[throw a loop] See: KNOCK FOR A LOOP.

[throw down the gauntlet] <v. phr.> To challenge, especially to a fight. * /Another candidate for the presidency has thrown down the gauntlet./

[throw for a loss] <v. phr.> 1. To tackle a member of the opposing football team behind the place where his team had the ball at the beginning of the play; push the other team back so that they lose yardage in football. * /The Blues' quarterback ran back and tried to pass, but before he could, the Reds' end threw him for a loss./ Compare: LOSE GROUND. 2. <informal> To surprise or shock (someone); upset; make worry greatly; cause trouble. * /It threw Jim for a loss when he failed the test./ * /Mr. Simpson was thrown for a loss when he lost his job./ Compare: KNOCK FOR A LOOP, SET BACK ON ONE'S HEELS.

[throw in] <v.> 1. To give or put in as an addition; to give to or with something else. * /John threw in a couple of tires when he sold Bill his bicycle./ * /Mary and Tess were talking about the prom, and Joan threw in that she was going with Fred./ Compare: FOR GOOD MEASURE. 2. To push into operating position. * /Mr. Jones threw in the clutch and shifted the gears./

[throw light on] See: CAST LIGHT ON, SHED LIGHT ON.

[throw something in one's face] or [throw something in one's teeth] <v. phr.> To blame a person for (something wrong); not allow someone to forget (a mistake or failure). - Often used with "back". * /Bob came home late for dinner last week, and his mother keeps throwing it back in his face./ * /I made a mistake in the ball game and the boys keep throwing it back in my teeth./ Compare: IN ONE'S FACE.

[throw in one's lot with] or <literary> [cast in one's lot with] <v. phr.> To decide to share or take part in anything that happens to; join. * /The thief decided to throw in his lot with the gang when he heard their plans./ * /Washington was rich, but he decided to cast in his lot with the colonies against Britain./ * /When Carl was old enough to vote, he threw in his lot with the Democrats./ Syn.: JOIN FORCES.

[throw in the sponge] or [throw up the sponge] or [throw in the towel] <v. phr.>, <informal> To admit defeat; accept loss. * /After taking a beating for five rounds, the fighter's seconds threw in the sponge./ * /When Harold saw his arguments were not being accepted, he threw in the towel and left./ Syn.: GIVE UP.

[throw off] <v.> 1. To get free from. * /He was healthy enough to throw off his cold easily./ Compare: RID OF. 2. To mislead; confuse; fool. * /They went by a different route to throw the hostile bandits off their track./ 3. To produce easily or as if without effort. * /She could throw off a dozen poems in a night./

[throw off the scent] <v. phr.> To mislead; confuse. * /The robbers went different ways hoping to throw the sheriff's men off the scent./ Syn.: THROW OFF(2).

[throw off the track] <v. phr.> To divert; mislead; confuse. * /The clever criminals threw the detective off the track by changing their names and faces./ Contrast: OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.

[throw oneself at someone's feet] <v. phr.> To make a public display of serving, loving, or worshipping someone. * /When Arthur became king, almost all of the nobles threw themselves at his feet and promised to obey and serve him./ * /When the new girl entered school, several boys threw themselves at her feet./

[throw oneself at someone's head] or [fling oneself at someone's head] <v. phr.>, <informal> To try hard and openly to make a person love you. * /She threw herself at his head, but he was interested in another girl./ Compare: AT ONE'S FEET.

[throw one's hat in the ring] or [toss one's hat in the ring] <v. phr.>, <informal> To announce that you are going to try to be elected to an official position; become a candidate for office. * /Bill tossed his hat in the ring for class president./ * /The senator threw his hat in the ring for re-election./

[throw one's weight around] <v. phr.>, <informal> To use one's influence or position in a showy or noisy manner. * /John was the star of the class play, and he was throwing his weight around telling the director how the scene should be played./ * /Bob was stronger than the other boys, and he threw his weight around./ Compare: PULL RANK.

[throw open] 1. To open wide with a sudden or strong movement. * /He dashed in and threw open the windows./ 2. To remove limits from. * /The Homestead Act threw open the West./ * /When a hurricane and flood left many people homeless, public buildings were thrown open to shelter them./