Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[brown-nose] <v.>, <slang>, <avoidable>, <though gaining in acceptance> To curry favor in a subservient way, as by obviously exaggerated flattery. * /Max brown-noses his teachers, that's why he gets all A's in his courses./ Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.
[brown paper bag] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> An unmarked police car. * /The beaver got a Christmas card because she didn't notice the brown paper bag at her back door./ See: PLAIN WHITE WRAPPER.
[brown study] <n. phr.> A time of deep thought about something; a deep thoughtful mood. * /When his wife found him, he had pushed away his books and was in a brown study./
[brush] See: BEAT THE BUSHES or BEAT THE BRUSH.
[brush aside] <v. phr.> To ignore; give no reply. * /Brushing aside the editor's comments, the young novelist proceeded with his story, which was subsequently rejected by the publisher./
[brush back] <v.> To throw a baseball pitch close to. * /The pitcher threw a high inside pitch to brush the batter back./ Syn.: DUST OFF.
[brushoff] See: GET THE BRUSHOFF, BRUSH OFF or GIVE THE BRUSHOFF.
[brush off] or [give the brush off] <v. phr.> 1. To refuse to hear or believe; quickly and impatiently; not take seriously or think important. * /John brushed off Bill's warning that he might fall from the tree./ * /I said that it might rain and to take the bus, but Joe gave my idea the brushoff./ * /Father cut his finger but he brushed it off as not important and kept working./ 2. <informal> To be unfriendly to; not talk or pay attention to (someone); get rid of. * /Mary brushed off Bill at the dance./ * /I said hello to Mr. Smith, but he gave me the brushoff./ Compare: COLD SHOULDER, HIGH-HAT. Contrast: GET THE BRUSH OFF.
[brush up] or [brush up on] <v.> To refresh one's memory of or skill at by practice or review; improve; make perfect. * /She spent the summer brushing up on her American History as she was to teach that in the fall./ * /He brushed up his target shooting./
[bubble gum music] <n.>, <slang> The kind of rock'n'roll that appeals to young teenagers. * /When will you learn to appreciate Mozart instead of that bubble gum music?/
[bubble trouble] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> Tire trouble, flat tire. * /The eighteen wheeler ahead of me seems to have bubble trouble./
[buck] See: FAST BUCK or QUICK BUCK, PASS THE BUCK.
[bucket] See: KICK THE BUCKET, RAIN CATS AND DOGS or RAIN BUCKETS.
[bucket of bolts] <n.>, <slang> A very old and shaky car that barely goes. * /When are you going to get rid of that old bucket of bolts?/
[buckle] See: BUCKLE DOWN or KNUCKLE DOWN.
[buckle down] or [knuckle down] <v.> To give complete attention (to an effort or job); attend. * /They chatted idly for a few moments then each buckled down to work./ * /Jim was fooling instead of studying; so his father told him to buckle down./
[buck passer], [buck-passing] See: PASS THE BUCK.
[buck up] <v. phr.>, <informal> To make or become more cheerful; make or become free from discouragement; become more hopeful. * /After the heavy rain, the scoutmaster bucked up the boys by leading them in a song./ * /Tom was disappointed that he didn't make the team; but he soon bucked up./
[bud] See: NIP IN THE BUD.
[bug-eyed] <adj.>, <slang> Wide-eyed with surprise. * /He stood there bug-eyed when told that he had won the award./
[buggy-whip] <n.>, <slang> An unusually long, thin radio antenna on a car that bends back like a whip when the car moves fast. * /He's very impressed with himself ever since he got a buggy whip./
[bughouse(1)] <n.>, <slang> An insane asylum. * /They took Joe to the bughouse./
[bughouse(2)] <adj.>, <slang> Crazy, insane. * /Joe's gone bughouse./
[bug in one's ear] <n. phr.>, <informal> A hint; secret information given to someone to make him act; idea. * /I saw Mary at the jeweler's admiring the diamond pin; I'll put a bug in Henry's ear./
[build] See: JERRY-BUILT.
[build a fire under] <v. phr.> To urge or force (a slow or unwilling person) to action; get (someone) moving; arouse. * /The health department built a fire under the restaurant owner and got him to clean the place up by threatening to cancel his license./
[build castles in the air] or [build castles in Spain] <v. phr.> To make impossible or imaginary plans, dream about future successes that are unlikely. * /He liked to build castles in the air, but never succeeded in anything./ * /To build castles in Spain is natural for young people and they may work hard enough to get part of their wishes./
[build on sand] <v. phr.> To lay a weak or insufficient foundation for a building, a business, or a relationship. * /"I don't want to build my business on sand," John said, "so please. Dad, give me that loan I requested."/
[build up] <v.> 1. To make out of separate pieces or layers; construct from parts. * /Johnny built up a fort out of large balls of snow./ * /Lois built up a cake of three layers./ 2. To cover over or fill up with buildings. * /The fields where Tom's father played as a boy are all built up now./ * /A driver should slow down when he comes to an area that is built up./ 3a. To increase slowly or by small amounts; grow. * /John built up a bank account by saving regularly./ * /The noise built up until Mary couldn't stand it any longer./ 3b. To make stronger or better or more effective. * /Fred exercised to build up his muscles./ * /Joanne was studying to build up her algebra./ 3c. <informal> To advertise quickly and publicize so as to make famous. * /The press agent built up the young actress./ * /The movie company spent much money building up its new picture./
[build up to] <v. phr.> To be in the process of reaching a culmination point. * /The clouds were building up to a violent storm./ * /Their heated words were building up to a premature divorce./
[bull] See: HIT THE BULLS-EYE, SHOOT THE BREEZE or SHOOT THE BULL, TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS.
[bullet lane] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> The passing lane. * /Move over into the bullet lane, this eighteen wheeler is moving too slow./
[bull in a china shop] <n. phr.> A rough or clumsy person who says or does something to anger others or upset plans; a tactless person. * /We were talking politely and carefully with the teacher about a class party, but John came in like a bull in a china shop and his rough talk made the teacher say no./