Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[head-hunting] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. The custom of seeking out, decapitating, and preserving the heads of enemies as trophies. 2. A search for qualified individuals to fill certain positions. * /The president sent a committee to the colleges and universities to do some head-hunting; we hope he finds some young talent./ 3. A systematic destruction of opponents, especially in politics. * /Billings was hired by the party to do some head-hunting among members of the opposition./
[head in the clouds] See: IN THE CLOUDS.
[head in the sand] See: HIDE ONE'S HEAD IN THE SAND.
[head off] <v.> 1. To get in front of and stop, turn back, or turn aside. * /The sheriff said to head the cattle thieves off at the pass./ 2. To block; stop; prevent. * /He will get into trouble if someone doesn't head him off./
[head-on] <adj.> or <adv. phr.> 1. With the head or front pointing at; with the front facing; front end to front end. * /Our car skidded into a head-on crash with the truck./ * /In the fog the boat ran head-on into a log./ * /There is a head-on view of the parade from our house./ Compare: FACE-TO-FACE. Contrast: REAR-END. 2. In a way that is exactly opposite; against or opposed to in argument. * /If you think a rule should be changed, a head-on attack against it is best./ * /Tom did not want to argue head-on what the teacher said, so he said nothing./
[head out] <v.> 1. To go or point away. * /The ship left port and headed out to sea./ * /The car was parked beside the house. It was headed out towards the street./ 2. <informal> Leave; start out. * /I have a long way to go before dark. I'm going to head out./
[head over heels] also [heels over head] 1a. In a somersault; upside down; head first. * /It was so dark Bob fell head over heels into a big hole in the ground./ Compare: UPSIDE DOWN. 1b. In great confusion or disorder; hastily. * /The children all tried to come in the door at once, head over heels./ Compare: TOPSY-TURVY. 2. <informal> Completely; deeply. * /He was head over heels in debt./ * /She was head over heels in love./
[headshrinker] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> A psychoanalyst, also called a shrink. * /Forrester is falling apart; his family physician sent him to a head shrinker (to a shrink)./
[head start] <n.> 1. A beginning before someone; lead or advantage at the beginning. * /The other racers knew they couldn't catch Don if he got too big a head start./ * /Joe has a head start. He began to study earlier than we did./ 2. A good beginning. * /Let's get a head start in painting the house by getting up early./ * /The teacher gave the class a head start on the exercise by telling them the answers to the first two problems./ Compare: RUNNING START.
[heads or tails] <n. phr.> The two sides of a coin, especially when the coin is tossed in the air in order to decide which of two alternatives are to be followed. * /Tom tossed a quarter in the air and said, "Tails, I win; heads you win."/
[heads up] <interj.>, <informal> Keep your head up and be careful or ready.
– Used as a warning to prepare for something or clear the way * /"Heads up!" said the waiter carrying the hot food./ * /Heads up, boys! A train is coming./ * /Heads up, now! You can do better than that./ Syn.: LOOK ALIVE, LOOK OUT.
[heads-up] <adj.>, <informal> Wide-awake; alert; watchful; intelligent. * /You must play hard, heads-up baseball to win this game./ Compare: ON ONE'S TOES, ON THE BALL.
[head up] <v.>, <informal> 1. To be at the head or front of. * /The elephants headed up the whole parade./ 2. To be the leader or boss of. * /Mr. Jones will head up the new business./ * /The class planned a candy sale, and they elected Mary to head it up./
[health] See: CLEAN HILL OF HEALTH.
[heap] See: STRIKE ALL OF A HEAP.
[heap coals of fire on one's head] <v. phr.>, <literary> To be kind or helpful to someone who has done wrong to you, so that he is ashamed. * /Alice heaped coals of fire on Mary's head by inviting her to a party after Mary had gossiped about her./ * /Jean Valjean stole the Bishop's silver, but the Bishop heaped coals of fire on his head by giving the silver to him./
[hear] See: WILL NOT HEAR OF.
[hear a pin drop] <v. phr.> Absolute silence. * /It's so quiet in the room you could hear a pin drop./
[heart] See: AFTER ONE'S OWN HEART, AT HEART, EAT ONE'S HEART OUT, BREAK ONE'S HEART, BY HEART, CHANGE OF HEART, CROSS ONE'S HEART, DO ONE GOOD or DO ONE'S HEART GOOD, FIND IT IN ONE'S HEART, FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE'S HEART or WITH ALL ONE'S HEART, FROM THE HEART, GET TO THE HEART OF, HAVE A HEART, HEAVY HEART, LOSE HEART, LOSE ONE'S HEART, OPEN HEART, OPEN ONE'S HEART, SEARCH ONE'S HEART, SET ONE'S HEART ON, TAKE HEART, TAKE TO HEART, TO ONE'S HEART'S CONTENT, WEAR ONE'S HEART ON ONE'S SLEEVE.
[heartbreaker] <n.> One with numerous admirers of the opposite sex; one with whom others fall in love readily. * /Tom, who has four girls in love with him at college, has developed the reputation of being a heartbreaker./
[heart and soul(1)] <n.> Eager love; strong feeling; great enthusiasm. Often used with a singular verb. * /When Mr. Pitt plays the piano, his heart and soul is in it./ * /John plays tennis badly, but with heart and soul./ * /Mary wanted a puppy with all her heart and soul./
[heart and soul(2)] <adv.> Wholly and eagerly; with all one's interest and strength; completely. * /Will you try to make our city a better place? Then we are with you heart and soul./ * /Mike was heart and soul against the new rules./ Compare: BODY AND SOUL.
[heart goes out to] <formal> You feel very sorry for; you feel pity or sympathy for.
– Used with a possessive. * /Frank's heart went out to the poor children playing in the slum street./ * /Our hearts went out to the young mother whose child had died./