Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[hit the hay] or [hit the sack] <v. phr.>, <slang> To go to bed. * /The men hit the hay early, in order to be out hunting at dawn./ * /Louis was so tired that he hit the sack soon after supper./
[hit the high spots] <v. phr.> To consider, mention, or see only the more important parts of something such as a book, war, or school course. * /In his lecture, the speaker hit the high spots of his subject./ * /The first course in general science hits only the high spots of the physical sciences./ * /The Bakers went to the fair for one day, and only hit the high spots./
[hit the jackpot] <v. phr.>, <slang> To be very lucky or successful. * /Mr. Brown invented a new gadget which hit the jackpot./ * /Mrs. Smith hit the jackpot when she got Lula for a maid./
[hit the nail on the head] <v. phr.> To get something exactly right; speak or act in the most fitting or effective way. * /The mayor's talk on race relations hit the nail on the head./
[hit the road] <v. phr.>, <slang> 1. To become a wanderer; to live an idle life; become a tramp or hobo. * /When Jack's wife left him, he felt a desire to travel, so he hit the road./ 2. To leave, especially in a car. * /It is getting late, so I guess we will hit the road for home./ * /He packed his car and hit the road for California./
[hit the roof] See: HIT THE CEILING.
[hit the sack] See: HIT THE HAY.
[hit the sauce] <v. phr.>, <slang> To drink alcoholic beverages especially heavily and habitually. * /When Sue left him, Joe began to hit the sauce./
[hit the spot] <v. phr.>, <informal> To refresh fully or satisfy you; bring back your spirits or strength.
– Used especially of food or drink. * /A cup of tea always hits the spot when you are tired./ * /Mother's apple pie always hits the spot with the boys./
[hit town] <v. phr.> To arrive in town. * /Give me a phone call as soon as you hit town./
[hit upon] See: HIT ON.
[hob] See: PLAY THE DEVIL WITH or PLAY HOB WITH.
[hoe] See: HARD ROW TO HOE or TOUGH ROW TO HOE.
[hoe one's own row] <v. phr.> To make your way in life by your own efforts; get along without help. * /David's father died when he was little, and he has always had to hoe his own row./ Syn.: PADDLE ONE'S OWN CANOE, STAND ON ONE'S OWN FEET.
[hog] See: EAT (LIVE) HIGH ON THE HOG or EAT (LIVE) HIGH OFF THE HOG, GO THE WHOLE HOG or GO WHOLE HOG, ROAD HOG.
[hog-tie] <v.>, <informal> 1. To tie (an animal) so it is unable to move or escape. * /The Cowboy caught a calf and hog-tied it./ 2. To make someone unable to act freely; limit. * /The welfare worker wanted to help at once, but rules and regulations hog-tied her, so she could only report the case./
[hoist with one's own petard] <adj. phr.> Caught in your own trap or trick. * /Jack carried office gossip to the boss until he was hoisted by his own petard./ (From Shakespeare; literally, blown up with one's own bomb.)
[hold] See: GET HOLD OF, LAY HOLD OF, LEAVE HOLDING THE BAG or LEAVE HOLDING THE SACK.
[hold a brief for] <v. phr.> To argue in support of; defend. Usually used with a negative. * /I hold no brief for John, but I do not think he was responsible for the accident./ * /The lawyer said he held no brief for thievery, but he considered the man should he given another chance./
[hold a candle to] also [hold a stick to] <v. phr.> To be fit to be compared with; be in the same class with.
– A trite phrase used in negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences. * /Henry thought that no modern ball club could hold a candle to those of 50 years ago./
[hold all the trumps] <v. phr.> To have the best chance of winning; have all the advantages; have full control. * /Most of the team wants John for captain and he is the best player. He will he elected captain because he holds all the trumps./ * /Freddy has a quarter and I have no money, so he holds all the trumps and can buy whatever he wants with it./
[hold back] <v.> 1. To stay back or away; show unwillingness. * /The visitor tried to gel the child to come to her, but he held back./ * /John held back from social activity because he felt embarrassed with people./ 2. To keep someone in place; prevent from acting. * /The police held back the crowd./
[hold court] <v. phr.> 1. To hold a formal meeting of a royal court or a court of law. * /Judge Stephens allowed no foolishness when he held court./ 2. <informal> To act like a king or queen among subjects. * /Even at sixteen, Judy was holding court for numbers of charmed boys./
[hold down] <v.> 1. To keep in obedience; keep control of; continue authority or rule over. * /Kings used to know very well how to hold down the people./ 2. <informal> To work satisfactorily at. * /John had held down a tough job for a long time./
[hold everything] See: HOLD IT.
[hold fire] See: HOLD ONE'S FIRE.
[hold forth] <v.> 1. To offer; propose. * /As a candidate, Jones held forth the promise of a bright future./ 2. To speak in public; preach.
– Usually used with little respect. * /Senator Smith was holding forth on free trade./
[hold good] <v.> 1. To continue to be good; last. * /The coupon on the cereal box offered a free toy, but the offer held good only till the end of the year./ * /Attendance at the basketball games held good all winter./ 2. To continue; endure: last. * /The demand for new houses held good all that year./ * /The agreement between the schools held good for three years./ See: HOLD TRUE.
[hold it] or [hold everything] <v. phr.>, <informal> To stop something one is doing or getting ready to do.
– Usually used as a command. * /The pilot was starting to take off, when the control tower ordered "Hold it!"/
[hold off] <v.> 1a. To refuse to let (someone) become friendly. * /The president's high rank and chilly manner held people off./ Compare: KEEP AT A DISTANCE. 1b. To be rather shy or unfriendly. * /Perkins was a scholarly man who held off from people./ Compare: KEEP AT A DISTANCE. 2. To keep away by fighting; oppose by force. * /The man locked himself in the house and held off the police for an hour./ 3. To wait before (doing something); postpone; delay. * /Jack held off paying for the television set until the dealer fixed it./ * /Mr. Smith held off from building while interest rates were high./