Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
Шрифт:
[fifty-fifty(2)] <adj.>, <informal> 1. Divided or shared equally. * /It will be a fifty-fifty arrangement; half the money for me and half for you./ 2. Half for and half against; half good and half bad. * /There is only a fifty-fifty chance that we will win the game./ Compare: HALF AND HALF.
[fight against time] See: RACING TO STAND STILL.
[fight fire with fire] <v. phr.>, <slightly formal>, <of Biblical origin> To fight back in the same way one was attacked; make a defense similar to the attack. * /The candidate was determined to fight fire with fire in the debate./
[fight it out] See: SLUG IT OUT.
[fighting chance] <n. phr.> A chance that necessitates struggle and courage; a slim chance. * /The doctor told the family that Jack had a fighting chance to recover./ * /Our business lost a lot of money, but we have a fighting chance to stage a comeback./
[fight off] <v. phr.> 1. To struggle against someone so as to free oneself; push an attacker back. * /Suzy fought off her two attackers in Central Park with a couple of karate chops./ 2. To strive to overcome something negative. * /After twelve hours at the computer terminal, Jane had to fight off her overwhelming desire to go to sleep./
[fight shy of] <v. phr.> To avoid; escape from. * /Jack always fights shy of anything that even remotely resembles serious work./
[fight tooth and nail] See: TOOTH AND NAIL.
[figure in] <v.> 1. <informal> To add to a total; remember to put down in figures. * /We figured in the travel expenses but forgot the cost of meals./ 2. To have a part in; be partly responsible for. * /Joe figured in all our touchdowns./ * /Mary's good grades figured in her choice as class president./
[figure on] <v.> 1. To expect and think about while making plans. * /We did not figure on having so many people at the picnic./ * /He figured on going to town the next day./ Syn.: PLAN ON. 2. To depend on; be; sure about. * /You can figure on him to be on time./ Syn.: COUNT ON.
[figure out] <v.> 1. To find an answer by thinking about (some problem or difficulty); solve. * /Tom couldn't figure out the last problem on the arithmetic test./ * /Sam couldn't figure out how to print a program until the teacher showed him how./ * /Mary couldn't figure out why her cake tasted so funny until she found salt mixed in the sugar bag./ Compare: FIND OUT(1). 2. To learn how to explain; understand. * /Laurence is an odd boy; I can't figure him out./ Compare: MAKE OUT(2).
[figure up] <v. phr.> To calculate; add up. * /If you can figure up how many phone calls I've made from your home, I will pay you right away./
[fill in] <v.> 1. To write words needed in blanks; put in; fill. * /You should fill in all the blanks on an application for a job./ 2. <informal> To tell what you should know. * /The new boy didn't know the rules so Bob filled him in./ * /The teacher filled in Mary about class work done while she was sick./ 3. To take another's place; substitute. * /The teacher was sick and Miss Jones filled in for her./
[fill (in) the gap] <v. phr.> To supply a missing piece of information; provide a clue during the course of solving a mystery. * /Sherlock Holmes said, "These fingerprints are bound to fill the gap in our investigation."/
[fill one's shoes] <v. phr.> To take the place of another and do as well; to substitute satisfactorily for. * /When Jack got hurt, the coach had nobody to fill his shoes./ * /Joe hopes to fill his father's shoes./ See: IN ONE'S SHOES.
[fill out] <v.> 1. To put in what is missing; complete; finish; <especially>, to complete (a printed application blank or other form) by writing the missing facts in the blank spaces; to write down facts which are asked for in (a report or application.) * /After Tom passed his driving test he filled out an application for his driver's license./ * /The policeman filled out a report of the accident./ 2. To become heavier and fatter; gain weight. * /When Bill was nineteen he began to fill out./ * /The girl was pale and thin after her sickness, but in a few months she filled out./
[fill the bases] See: LOAD THE BASES.
[fill the bill] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be just what is needed; be good enough for something; be just right. * /The boss was worried about hiring a deaf boy, but after he tried Tom out for a few weeks, he said that Tom filled the bill./ * /I thought I would need a special tool, but this wrench fills the bill./
[fill up] or [fill it up] or [fill her up] <v. phr.> To fill entirely. (Said by the driver of a car to a gas station attendant). * /When the attendant asked Andrew how much gas he wanted in the tank, Andrew replied, "Fill her up."/
[filthy lucre] <n.>, <informal> Money, especially when thought of as bad or shameful. * /When the rich gambler tried to make Sarah marry him, she said, "Keep your filthy lucre - I shall marry the man I love."/ - Sometimes used in a joking way. * /"Come and let's get rid of some filthy lucre."/
[filthy rich] <adj. phr.> Extremely rich but without cultural refinement; nouveau riche. * /"The Murgatroyds are filthy rich," Ted complained. "They are rolling in money but they never learned how to behave properly at a dinner table."/
[finders keepers] or [finders keepers, losers weepers] <informal> Those who find lost things can keep them.
– Used usually by children to claim the right to keep something they have found. * /I don't have to give it back; it's finders keepers./ * /Finders keepers, losers weepers! It's my knife now!/
[find fault] <v. phr.> To find something wrong; complain; criticize. * /She tries to please him, but he always finds fault./ * /They found fault with every box I made./ Compare: JUMP ON, PICK AT(3).
[find it in one's heart] <v. phr.> To be able or willing because of your nature. * /He could not find it in his heart to tell her about her mother's death./ * /Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?/ * /He could never find it in his heart to be mean to a dog./
[find one's ---] <v. phr.> To become able to use (some power of the body or mind.) * /In the program for the parents, John was nervous and could not speak at first; then he found his tongue./ * /The young bird had just found its wings./ * /The baby was just beginning to find his feet./ * /The question surprised him, and it was a minute before he found his tongue./