Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[I'll say] or [I tell you] <interj.>, <informal> I agree with this completely.
– Used for emphasis. * /Did the children all enjoy Aunt Sally's pecan pie? I'll say!/ * /I'll say this is a good movie!/
[I'll tell you what] or [tell you what] <informal> Here is an idea. * /The hamburger stand is closed, but I'll tell you what, let's go to my house and cook some hot dogs./
[ill] See: IT'S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD, TAKE ILL.
[ill at ease] <adj. phr.> Not feeling at ease or comfortable; anxious; worried; unhappy. * /Donald had never been to a big party before and he was ill at ease./ * /When Joe first went to dancing school, he was ill at ease, not knowing how to act./ Contrast: AT EASE(2).
[ill-favored] <adj.> Ugly; unprepossessing. * /Oddly enough, the father had less trouble in marrying off his ill-favored daughter than her prettier sister./
[ill-gotten gains] <n. phr.> Goods or money obtained in an illegal or immoral fashion. * /The jailed criminal had plenty of time to think about his ill-gotten gains./
[image] See: SPITTING IMAGE or SPIT AND IMAGE.
[impose on] <v.> To try to get more from (a person who is helping you) than he or she intended to give. * /Don't you think you are imposing on your neighbor when you use his telephone for half an hour?/ * /You may swim in the Allens' pool so long as you do not impose on them by bringing all your friends./ Compare: TAKE ADVANTAGE.
[improve on] or [improve upon] <v.> To make or get one that is better than (another). * /Dick made good marks the first year, but he thought he could improve on them./ * /Charles built a new model racer for the derby race, because he knew he could improve upon his old one./
[I'm telling you] <informal> It is important to listen to what I am saying. * /Marian is a smart girl but I'm telling you, she doesn't always do what she promises./
[in a bad frame of mind] <adv. phr.> In an unhappy mood. * /Make sure the boss is not in a bad frame of mind when you ask him for a raise./ Contrast: IN A GOOD FRAME OF MIND.
[in a bad way] <adv. phr.>, <informal> In trouble or likely to have trouble. * /If you have only those two girls to help you, you are in a bad way./ * /Jerry has written only one sentence of his term paper that is due tomorrow, and he knows he is in a bad way./ * /Mrs. Jones has cancer and is in a bad way./ * /A new supermarket opened across the street, and the Peters' grocery business was soon in a bad way./
[in a big way] <adv. phr.>, <informal> As fully as possible; with much ceremony. * /Our family celebrates birthdays in a big way./ * /John likes to entertain his dates in a big way./
[in a bind] or [in a box] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Likely to have trouble whether you do one thing or another. * /Sam is in a bind because if he carries home his aunt's groceries, his teacher will be angry because he is late, and if he doesn't, his aunt will complain./ Compare: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, HORNS OF A DILEMMA.
[in a breeze] See: WIN IN A WALK or WIN IN A BREEZE.
[in absentia] <adv. phr.>, <formal> When the person is absent. Used in graduation exercises when presenting diplomas to an absent student or during a court case. * /On Commencement Day, Joe was sick in bed and the college gave him his bachelor's degree in absentia./ (Latin, meaning "in absence.")
[in accordance with] <adv. phr.> In consonance with something; conforming to something. * /Employees at this firm are expected to always behave in accordance with the rules./
[in a circle] or [in circles] <adv. phr.> Without any progress; without getting anywhere; uselessly. * /The committee debated for two hours, just talking in circles./ * /If you don't have a clear aim, you can work a long time and still be going in circles./ * /He seemed to be working hard, but was just running around in circles./
[in addition] <adv. phr.> As something extra; besides. * /We saw a Mickey Mouse cartoon in addition to the cowboy movie./ * /Aunt Mary gave us sandwiches for our picnic and a bag of cookies in addition./ * /He has two cars and in addition a motorboat./
[in advance] or [in advance of] <adv. phr.> 1. In front; ahead (of the others); first. * /In the parade, the band will march in advance of the football team./ * /The soldiers rode out of the fort with the scouts in advance./ 2. Before doing or getting something. * /The motel man told Mr. Williams he would have to pay in advance./ * /The paperhanger mixed his paste quite a while in advance so it would have time to cool./ * /It will be easier to decorate the snack bar if we cut the streamers in advance of the actual decorating./
[in a family way] or [in the family way] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Going to have a baby. * /Sue and Liz are happy because their mother is in the family way./ * /The Ferguson children are promising kittens to everyone because their cat is in a family way./ Compare: WITH CHILD.
[in a fix] <adv. phr.> In trouble. * /Last night Jack wrecked his car and now he is in a fix./ Compare: IN A JAM, IN A PICKLE.
[in a flash] also [in a trice] <adv. phr.> Very suddenly. * /We were watching the bird eat the crumbs; then I sneezed, and he was gone in a flash./ * /Bob was looking over his notes for English class and in a flash he knew what he would write his paper about./
[in a flutter] <adv. phr.>, <informal> In a state of nervous excitement. * /Whenever Norm and Cathy are near one another, both are in a flutter; they must be in love./
[in a fog] or [in a haze] <adv. phr.> Mentally confused; not sure what is happening. * /I didn't vote for Alice because she always seems to be in a fog./ * /I was so upset that for two days I went around in a haze, not even answering when people spoke to me./ Contrast: ALL THERE, HIT ON ALL CYLINDERS.
[in a good frame of mind] <adv. phr.> In a happy mood. * /After a relaxing holiday in the Bahamas, the boss was in a very good frame of mind./ Contrast: IN A BAD FRAME OF MIND.
[in a hole] or [in a spot] <adj. phr.>, <informal> In an embarrassing or difficult position; in some trouble. * /When the restaurant cook left at the beginning of the busy season, it put the restaurant owner in a hole./ Compare: BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL, IN THE HOLE.
[in a huff] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Angrily. * /Ellen went off in a huff because she didn't get elected class president./