1500 русских и 1500 английских идиом, фразеологизмов и устойчивых словосочетаний - Анна Григорьева

убивать время

to kill time

The train was late, so I read a newspaper to kill time.

убивать двух зайцев

to kill two birds with one stone

You can kill two birds with one stone by working and studying at the same time.

ударять в голову (кому-л.)

to go to someone’s head

He was tired and the wine he had drunk was going to his head.

указывать на дверь (кому-л.)

to show someone the door

He was rude to my wife and I simply showed him the door.

улыбаться во весь рот

to smile from ear to ear

‘I’m so happy to see you,’ she said smiling from ear to ear.

умывать руки

to wash one’s hands of someone/something

The boy is self-willed and unruly. From now on I wash my hands of him.

уничтожать в зародыше (что-л.)

to nip something in the bud

Cannabis cultivation is an increasing problem which must be nipped in the bud.

упрямый как осел

(as) stubborn as a mule

Diana will never change her mind – she is as stubborn as a mule.

упускать из виду (что-л.)

to lose sight of something

He always loses sight of the important things.

уступать место (чему-л.)

to give way to something

Summer gave way to autumn.

утереть нос (кому-л.)

to be one up on someone ; to get the better of someone

She was delighted with her new dress. She likes to be one up on her friends.

He was always letting somebody get the better of him when it came to business deals.

утечка мозгов

brain drain

Britain suffered a brain drain because wages in America were so much higher.

утопать в роскоши

live in the lap of luxury

When we were in France we stayed in a hotel living in the lap of luxury.

Фома неверующий a doubting Thomas

хвататься за соломинку

to clutch at straws

The poor man is hoping that this new treatment will help his wife, but I think he’s simply clutching at straws.

хватить через край

to lay it on thick

Tom is the best singer I’ve ever heard. – Don’t exaggerate, you’re laying it on rather thick.

хлеб насущный

one’s bread and butter

I can’t afford to give up my research. It’s my bread and butter.

ходить вокруг да около

to beat about the bush

Stop beating about the bush. What are you trying to say?

ходить на задних лапках (перед кем-л.)

to bow and scrape (to someone )

I can’t stand the way you bow and scrape to your uncle the whole time.

ходить по кругу

to go round in circles

We were going around in circles trying to decide what to do.

хозяин своего слова

a man of his word

My brother is a man of his word. If he says he will do a thing he will do it.

хоть глаз выколи

(as) dark as pitch

It was as dark as pitch at midnight.

хоть святых выноси

enough to try the patience of a saint; enough to make a saint swear

I don’t want to offend anybody, but your wife’s rudeness is enough to try the patience of a saint.

The constant noise was enough to make a saint swear.

хохотать до упаду

to laugh like a drain

It was a good film. I laughed like a drain most of the time.

худой как щепка

(as) thin as a rake

She had been ill for several weeks and was as thin as a rake.

цел и невредим

safe and sound; in one piece

After three days of searching for them, the kids were found safe and sound.

She was glad her son came home in one piece from his army training.

цены нет

beyond price

Her paintings are beyond price.

чем черт не шутит

you never can tell

I can’t see him as a teacher, but then you never can tell.

через голову (кого-л.)

over someone’s head

The customer went over the manager’s head and complained direct to the shop owner.

черепашьим шагом

at a snail’s pace

I’m sorry for being late. My bus went at a snail’s pace all the way.

черный список

black list

His name is on the bank’s black list of debtors.

Черт возьми!

Damn it!; I’ll be damned!

Damn it! She is late again!

Well, I’ll be damned, my watch has stopped again.

черта с два!

Like hell!

I’m going to take the car, Dad. – Like hell you will!

чертова дюжина a baker’s dozen

чесать языком

to chew the fat

We spent a pleasant evening in the pub chewing the fat.

Честное слово!

honest to God/goodness!

I didn’t take your car, honest to God!

читать между строк

to read between the lines

Reading between the lines of her last letters, I have the impression that she wasn’t satisfied with her work.

чудеса в решете

a turn-up for the book

I never thought to find you here. What a turn-up for the book!

чуть свет

at the crack of dawn

We had an early flight and had to leave at the crack of dawn.

шаг вперед

a step forwards; a step in the right direction

The success of his plan took Tom another step forwards.

We agreed that the research was a step in the right direction.

шаг за шагом

step by step, little by little

If you go through the procedure step by step you’re more likely to succeed.

шестое чувство

a sixth sense

A sixth sense warned me that there was someone hiding behind the curtain.

щедрой рукой

with an open hand

Mr Jones always treated us with an open hand.

этого еще не хватало

that’s all I need

That’s all I need, another telephone bill!

яблоко раздора

a bone of contention

The ownership of the house has been a bone of contention between us for the last twelve years.

ясно как день

(as) plain as the nose on your face; (as) clear as crystal

There’s no doubt that she’s unhappy here – it’s as plain as the nose on your face.

It makes everything as clear as crystal.

English idioms

a baker’s dozen

чертова дюжина

a bed of roses путь, устланный розами, безмятежная жизнь

a bee in one’s bonnet причуда, навязчивая мысль, пунктик

a big cheese/gun/noise/shot/wheel важная птица, большая шишка

a bitter pill (to swallow) горькая пилюля

a blessing in disguise неприятность, оказавшаяся благом

a bolt from the blue неожиданность, гром среди ясного неба

a bone of contention яблоко раздора

a chink in someone’s armour чье-л. слабое место

a close call опасное положение, смертельная опасность

a dark horse темная лошадка

a different story другое дело, совсем другая история

a dog’s life собачья жизнь

a drop in the ocean капля в море

a far cry большая разница, совсем не то

a feather in one’s cap предмет гордости, достижение

a flea in one’s ear резкий отпор, колкое замечание

a fly in the ointment ложка дегтя в бочке меда

a guinea pig подопытный кролик

a happy medium золотая середина

a hard nut (to crack) крепкий орешек

a hornet’s nest осиное гнездо

a horse of a different colour другое дело, совсем другая история

a hot line горячая линия

a jack of all trades мастер на все руки

a load off someone’s mind камень с души свалился, гора с плеч

a matter of life and death вопрос жизни и смерти

a millstone round someone’s neck камень на шее, тяжелая ответственность

a piece of cake детские игрушки, пара пустяков

a raw deal несправедливое отношение, притеснение

a snake in the grass змея подколодная

a stab in the back нож в спину

a step forwards шаг вперед, шаг в нужном направлении

a step in the right direction шаг вперед, шаг в нужном направлении

a storm in a teacup буря в стакане воды

a stumbling block камень преткновения

a turn-up for the book чудеса в решете, диковинное дело

a vicious circle порочный круг

a wet blanket человек, расхолаживающий других, зануда

a wolf in sheep’s clothing волк в овечьей шкуре

above someone’s head выше чьего-л. понимания

act one’s age вести себя соответственно своему возрасту, перестать ребячиться

add fuel to the fire подливать масла в огонь

after a fashion до известной степени, кое-как

after someone’s own heart по душе, по сердцу кому-л.

against the clock очень быстро, в предельный срок

agree to differ оставаться при своем мнении

alive and kicking жив-здоров, цел и невредим

(all) at sea в растерянности, в тупике

all eyes во все глаза

all hell breaks loose настоящее светопреставление

all in a day’s work в порядке вещей, дело обычное

an early bird ранняя пташка

an Indian summer бабье лето

an old chestnut избитая шутка, заезженная тема

an old hand мастер своего дела, бывалый человек

an old wives’ tale бабушкины сказки, небылицы

any Tom, Dick, and Harry всякий, каждый встречный

armed to the teeth вооруженный до зубов

as a last resort на худой конец, в конце концов

(as) blind as a bat подслеповатый

(as) bold as brass нахальный, бесстыдный

(as) clear as mud совершенно неясно

(as) cool as a cucumber совершенно спокойный

(as) dead as a dodo без каких-л. признаков жизни, бездыханный

as different as chalk and cheese совершенно непохоже, ничего общего

as drunk as a lord мертвецки пьяный

(as) easy as falling off a log проще простого, сущие пустяки

(as) easy as pie проще простого, сущие пустяки

(as) fit as a fiddle в добром здравии

(as) old as the hills старо как мир

(as) plain as the nose on your face совершенно очевидно, бесспорно, ясно как день

(as) silent as the grave нем как рыба

(as) sober as a judge совершенно трезвый

(as) sound as a bell здоров как бык

(as) stiff as a poker очень прямой

(as) sure as eggs is eggs наверняка, дело верное

as the crow flies кратчайшим путем, напрямик

ask for it/trouble напрашиваться на неприятности

at a loose end не у дел, неприкаянный

at a low ebb в упадке, в плохом состоянии

at all costs во что бы то ни стало, любой ценой

at any price во что бы то ни стало, любой ценой

at close quarters при ближайшем рассмотрении, в непосредственной близости

at daggers drawn на ножах

at first hand непосредственно, из первых рук

at first sight на первый взгляд, с первого взгляда, сразу

at full blast полным ходом, на полную мощь

at one’s own risk на свой страх и риск

at second hand из вторых рук, понаслышке

at someone’s beck and call на побегушках у кого-л.