Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[beat to the punch] or [beat to the draw] <v. phr.>, <slang> To do something before another person has a chance to do it. * /John was going to apply for the job, but Ted beat him to the draw./ * /Lois bought the dress before Mary could beat her to the punch./
[beat up] <v.>, <informal> To give a hard beating to; hit hard and much; thrash; whip. * /When the new boy first came, he had to beat up several neighborhood bullies before they would leave him alone./ Used with "on" in substandard speech. * /The tough boy said to Bill, "If you come around here again, I'll beat up on you."/
[beauty sleep] <n.> A nap or rest taken to improve the appearance. * /She took her beauty sleep before the party./ * /Many famous beauties take a beauty sleep every day./
[beaver] <n.>, <slang>, <vulgar>, <avoidable>, <citizen's band radio jargon> A female, especially one driving along the highway and operating a CB radio. * /I didn't know there was a beaver aboard that eighteen wheeler./
[because of] <prep.> On account of; by reason of; as a result of. * /The train arrived late because of the snowstorm./
[beck] See: AT ONE'S BECK AND CALL.
[become of] <v. phr.> To happen to; befall. * /What will become of the children, now that both parents are in jail?/
[bed] See: GET UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BED, GO TO BED WITH THE CHICKENS, MAKE ONE'S BED AND LIE IN IT, PUT TO BED.
[bed of nails] <n. phr.> A difficult or unhappy situation or set of circumstances. * /"There are days when my job is a regular bed of nails," Jim groaned./ Contrast: BED OF ROSES.
[bed of roses] or [bowl of cherries] <n. phr.> A pleasant easy place, job, or position; an easy life. * /A coal miner's job is not a bed of roses./ * /After nine months of school, summer camp seemed a bowl of cherries./ Compare: IN CLOVER, LIFE OF RILEY.
[bed of thorns] <n. phr.> A thoroughly unhappy time or difficult situation. * /I'm sorry I changed jobs; my new one turned out to be a bed of thorns./ See: BED OF NAILS.
[bee] See: BIRDS AND THE BEES.
[beef about] <v. phr.> To complain about something. * /Stop beefing about your job, Jack. You could have done a lot worse!/
[beef up] <v.>, <informal> To make stronger by adding men or equipment; make more powerful; reinforce. * /The general beefed up his army with more big guns and tanks./ * /The university beefed up the football coaching staff by adding several good men./
[bee in one's bonnet] <n. phr.>, <informal> A fixed idea that seems fanciful, odd, or crazy. * /Robert Fulton had a bee in his bonnet about a steamboat./ * /Grandmother has some bee in her bonnet about going to the dance./
[beeline] See: MAKE A BEELINE FOR.
[be even-Steven] <v. phr.> To be in a position of owing no favors or debt to someone. * /Yesterday you paid for my lunch, so today I paid for yours; now we're even-Steven./
[before long] <adv. phr.> In a short time; without much delay; in a little while, soon. * /Class will be over before long./ * /We were tired of waiting and hoped the bus would come before long./
[before one can say Jack Robinson] <adv. cl.>, <informal> Very quickly; suddenly.
– An overused phrase. * /Before I could say Jack Robinson, the boy was gone./ Compare: IN A FLASH, RIGHT AWAY.
[before swine] See: CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE or CAST ONE'S PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.
[before you know it] <adv. phr.> Sooner than one would expect. * /Don't despair; we'll be finished with this work before you know it!/
[beg] See: BEGGING.
[be game] <v. phr.> To be cooperative, willing, sporting. * /When I asked Charlie to climb Mount McKinley with us, he said he was game if we were./
[beggars can't be choosers] People who can not choose what they will have, must accept what they get; if you are not in control, you must take what you can gel. * /We wanted to leave on the train in the morning but it doesn't go until afternoon, so we must go then. Beggars can't he choosers./ * /Mary got a red dress from her sister, although she didn't like red. She kept it because she said beggars should not be choosers./ Compare: LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH.
[begin with] <adv. phr.> As a preliminary statement; in the first place. * /To begin with, you are far too young to get married./
[beg off] <v.> To ask to be excused. * /Father told Tom to rake the yard, but Tom tried to beg off./ * /Mrs. Crane accepted an invitation to a luncheon, but a headache made her beg off./ Compare: BACK OUT.
[beg the question] <v. phr.>, <literary> To accept as true something that is still being argued about, before it is proved true; avoid or not answer a question or problem. * /The girls asked Miss Smith if they should wear formal dresses to the party; Miss Smith said they were begging the question because they didn't know yet if they could get permission for a party./ * /Laura told Tom that he must believe her argument because she was right. Father laughed and told Laura she was begging the question./ Compare: TAKE FOR GRANTED.
[behalf] See: IN BEHALF OF or ON BEHALF OF, IN ONE'S BEHALF or ON ONE'S BEHALF.
[behavior] See: ON ONE'S GOOD BEHAVIOR.
[be hard on] <v. phr.> To be strict or critical with another; be severe. * /"Don't be so hard on Jimmy," Tom said. "He is bound to rebel as he gets older."/
[behind] See: DRY BEHIND THE EARS, FALL BEHIND, GET BEHIND, HANG BACK or HANG BEHIND.
[behind bars] <adv. phr.> In jail; in prison. * /He was a pickpocket and had spent many years behind bars./ * /That boy is always in trouble and will end up behind bars./
[behind one's back] <adv. phr.> When one is absent; without one's knowledge or consent; in a dishonest way; secretly; sneakily. * /Say it to his face, not behind his back./ * /It is not right to criticize a person behind his back./ Contrast: TO ONE'S FACE.
[behind the eight-ball] <adj. phr.>, <slang> In a difficult position; in trouble. * /Mr. Thompson is an older man, and when he lost his job, he found he was behind the eight-ball./ * /Bill can't dance and has no car, so he is behind the eight-ball with the girls./ Compare: HAVE TWO STRIKES AGAINST ONE(2), IN A HOLE.