Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[behind the scenes] <adv. phr.> Out of sight; unknown to most people; privately. * /Much of the banquet committee s work was done behind the scenes./ * /John was president of the club, but behind the scenes Lee told him what to do./
[behind the times] <adj. phr.> Using things not in style; still following old ways; old-fashioned. * /Johnson's store is behind the times./ * /The science books of 30 years ago are behind the times now./ * /Mary thinks her parents are behind the times because they still do the foxtrot and don't know any new dances./
[behind time] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1a. Behind the correct time; slow. * /That clock is behind time./ 1b. Behind schedule; late. * /The train is running behind time today./ 2. Not keeping up; not at the proper time; overdue. * /Your lessons are good, but why are you behind time?/ * /We are behind time in paying the rent./ Contrast: AHEAD OF TIME, IN TIME, ON TIME.
[be-in] <n.>, <slang>, <hippie culture> A gathering or social occasion with or without a discernible purpose, often held in a public place like a park or under a large circus tent. * /The youngsters really enjoyed the great springtime jazz be-in at the park./
[be in a stew] <v. phr.> To be worried, harassed, upset. * /Al has been in a stew ever since he got word that his sister was going to marry his worst enemy./
[being] See: FOR THE TIME BEING.
[be in labor] <v. phr.> To be in parturition; experience the contractions of childbirth. * /Vane had been in labor for eight hours before her twin daughters were finally born./
[be in someone else's shoes] <v. phr.> To be in someone else's situation. * /Fred has had so much trouble recently that we ought to be grateful we're not in his shoes./
[be into something] <v. phr.>, <informal> To have taken something up partly as a nobby, partly as a serious interest of sorts (basically resulting from the new consciousness and self-realization movement that originated in the late Sixties). * /Roger's wife is into women's liberation and women's consciousness./ * /Did you know that Syd is seriously into transcendental meditation?/ * /Jack found out that his teenage son is into pot smoking and gave him a serious scolding./
[be itching to] <v. phr.> To have a very strong desire to do something. * /Jack is itching to travel abroad./
[be it so] See: SO BE IT.
[belabor the point] <v. phr.> To overexplain something to the point of obviousness, resulting in ridicule. * /"Lest I belabor the point," the teacher said, "I must repeat the importance of teaching good grammar in class."/
[belfry] See: BATS IN ONE'S BELFRY or BATS IN THE BELFRY.
[believe] See: MAKE BELIEVE, SEEING IS BELIEVING.
[believe one's ears] <v. phr.> 1. To believe what one hears; trust one's hearing.
– Used with a negative or limiter, or in an interrogative or conditional sentence. * /He thought he heard a horn blowing in the distance, but he could not believe his ears./ 2. To be made sure of (something). * /Is he really coming? I can hardly believe my ears./
[believe one's eyes] <v. phr.> 1. To believe what one sees; trust one's eyesight.
– Used with a negative or limiter or in an interrogative or conditional sentence. * /Is that a plane? Can I believe my eyes?/ 2. To be made sure of seeing something. * /She saw him there but she could hardly believe her eyes./
[bell] See: RING A BELL, WITH BELLS ON.
[bellyache] <v.> To constantly complain. * /Jim is always bellyaching about the amount of work he is required to do./
[belly up] <adj.>, <informal> Dead, bankrupt, or financially ruined. * /Tom and Dick struggled on for months with their tiny computer shop, but last year they went belly up./
[belly up] <v.>, <informal> To go bankrupt, become afunctional; to die. * /Uncompetitive small businesses must eventually all belly up./
[below par] <adj.> or <adv.> Below standard. * /Bob was fired because his work has been below par for several months now./ Contrast: UP TO PAR or UP TO SNUFF.
[below the belt] <adv. phr.> 1. In the stomach; lower than is legal in boxing. * /He struck the other boy below the belt./ 2. <informal> In an unfair or cowardly way; against the rules of sportsmanship or justice; unsportingly; wrongly. * /It was hitting below the belt for Mr. Jones's rival to tell people about a crime that Mr. Jones committed when he was a young boy./ * /Pete told the students to vote against Harry because Harry was in a wheelchair and couldn't be a good class president, but the students thought Pete was hitting below the belt./
[belt] See: BELOW THE BELT, SEAT BELT, TIGHTEN ONE'S BELT, UNDER ONE'S BELT.
[belt out] <v.>, <slang> To sing with rough rhythm and strength; shout out. * /She belted out ballads and hillbilly songs one after another all evening./ * /Young people enjoy belting out songs./
[be my guest] <v. phr.> Feel free to use what I have; help yourself. * /When Suzie asked if she could borrow John's bicycle, John said, "Be my guest."/
[beneath one] <adj. phr.> Below one's ideals or dignity. * /Bob felt it would have been beneath him to work for such low wages./
[bench] See: ON THE BENCH, WARM THE BENCH.
[bench warmer] See: WARM THE BENCH.
[bend over backward] or [lean over backward] <v. phr.>, <informal> To try so hard to avoid a mistake that you make the opposite mistake instead; do the opposite of something that you know you should not do; do too much to avoid doing the wrong thing; also, make a great effort; try very hard. * /Instead of punishing the boys for breaking a new rule, the principal bent over backward to explain why the rule was important./ * /Mary was afraid the girls at her new school would be stuck up, but they leaned over backward to make her feel at home./ Compare: GO OUT OF ONE'S WAY.