Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[cast one's lot with] See: THROW IN ONE'S LOT WITH.
[cast out] <v.>, <formal> To force (someone) to go out or away; banish; expel. * /After the scandal, he was cast out of the best society./ Compare: CAST OFF(3).
[cast pearls before swine] or [cast one's pearls before swine] <n. phr.>, <literary> To waste good acts or valuable things on someone who won't understand or be thankful for them, just as pigs won't appreciate pearls.
– Often used in negative sentences. * /I won't waste good advice on John any more because he never listens to it. I won't cast pearls before swine./
[cast the first stone] <v. phr.>, <literary> To be the first to blame someone, lead accusers against a wrongdoer. * /Jesus said that a person who was without sin could cast the first stone./ * /Although Ben saw the girl cheating, he did not want to cast the first stone./
[cast up] <v.>, <literary> 1. To turn or direct upward; raise. * /The dying missionary cast up his eyes to heaven and prayed./ 2. <archaic> To do sums; do a problem in addition; add. * /Cast up 15, 43, 27, and 18./ * /When John had all the figures, he cast them up./
[cat] See: COPY CAT, CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT, FRAIDY-CAT or FRAID-CAT or SCAREDY CAT OY SCARED-CAT, HOLY CATS, LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG, LOOK LIKE THE CAT THAT ATE THE CANARY, PLAY CAT AND MOUSE WITH, RAIN CATS AND DOGS.
[catch] See: EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM, FAIR CATCH, SHOESTRING CATCH.
[catch-as-catch-can(1)] <adv. phr.> In a free manner; in any way possible; in the best way you can. * /On moving day everything is packed and we eat meals catch-as-catch-can./
[catch-as-catch-can(2)] <adj. phr.> Using any means or method; unplanned; free. * /Rip van Winkle seems to have led a catch-as-catch-can life./ * /Politics is rather a catch-as-catch-can business./ Compare: HIT-OR-MISS.
[catch at] <v.> 1. To try to catch suddenly; grab for. * /The boy on the merry-go-round caught at the brass ring, but did not get it./ 2. To seize quickly; accept mentally or physically. * /The hungry man caught at the sandwich and began to eat./ * /Joe caught at Bill's offer to help./
[catch at a straw] See: GRASP AT STRAWS.
[catch cold] <v. phr.> 1. or [take cold] To get a common cold-weather sickness that causes a running nose, sneezing, and sometimes sore throat and fever or other symptoms. * /Don't get your feet wet or you'll catch cold./ 2. <informal> To catch unprepared or not ready for a question or unexpected happening. * /I had not studied my lesson carefully, and the teacher's question caught me cold./ * /The opposing team was big and sure of winning, and they were caught cold by the fast, hard playing of our smaller players./
[catch (someone) dead] <v. phr.>, <informal> To see or hear (someone) in an embarrassing act or place at any time. Used in the negative usually in the passive. * /You won't catch Bill dead taking his sister to the movies./ * /John wouldn't be caught dead in the necktie he got for Christmas./
[catch fire] <v. phr.> 1. To begin to burn. * /When he dropped a match in the leaves, they caught fire./ 2. To become excited. * /The audience caught fire at the speaker's words and began to cheer./ * /His imagination caught fire as he read./
[catch flat-footed] See: FLAT-FOOTED(2).
[catch forty winks] See: FORTY WINKS.
[catch hold of] <v. phr.> To grasp a person or a thing. * /"I've been trying to catch hold of you all week," John said, "but you were out of town."/ * /The mountain climber successfully caught hold of his friend's hand and thereby saved his life./
[catch it] or [get it] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be scolded or punished.
– Usually used of children. * /John knew he would catch it when he came home late for supper./ * /Wow, Johnny! When your mother sees those torn pants, you're going to get it./ Compare: GET WHAT'S COMING TO ONE. Contrast: GIVE IT TO(2).
[catch it in the neck] or [get it in the neck] <v. phr.>, <slang> To be blamed or punished. * /Tom got it in the neck because he forgot to close the windows when it rained./ * /Students get it in the neck when they lose library books./ Compare: CATCH IT, GET WHAT'S COMING TO ONE.
[catch off balance] <v. phr.> To confront someone with physical force or with a statement or question he or she is not prepared to answer or deal with; to exploit the disadvantage of another. * /The smaller wrestler caught his opponent off balance and managed to throw him on the float in spite of his greater weight and strength./ * /Your question has caught me off balance; please give me some time to think about your problem./
[catch off guard] <v. phr.> To challenge or confront a person at a time of lack of preparedness or sufficient care. * /The suspect was caught off guard by the detective and confessed where he had hidden the stolen car./
[catch on] <v.>, <informal> 1. To understand; learn about.
– Often used with "to". * /You'll catch on to the job after you've been here awhile./ * /Don't play any tricks on Joe. When he catches on, he will beat you./ 2. To become popular; be done or used by many people. * /The song caught on and was sung and played everywhere./ 3. To be hired; get a job. * /The ball player caught on with a big league team last year./
[catch one's breath] <v. phr.> 1. To breathe in suddenly with fear or surprise. * /The beauty of the scene made him catch his breath./ Compare: TAKE ONE'S BREATH AWAY. 2a. To rest and get back your normal breathing, as after running. * /After running to the bus stop, we sat down to catch our breath./ 2b. To relax for a moment after any work. * /After the day's work we sat down over coffee to catch our breath./
[catch one's death of] or [take one's death of] <v. phr.>, <informal> To become very ill with (a cold, pneumonia, flu). * /Johnny fell in the icy water and almost took his death of cold./ Sometimes used in the short form "catch your death." * /"Johnny! Come right in here and put your coat and hat on. You'll catch your death!"/