Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[folk] See: WEE FOLK.
[follow] See: AS FOLLOWS.
[follower] See: CAMP FOLLOWER.
[follow in one's footsteps] also [follow in one's tracks] <v. phr.> To follow someone's example; follow someone exactly, * /He followed in his father's footsteps and became a doctor./ Compare: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON.
[follow one's heart] <v. phr.> To do what one wishes to do rather than to follow the voice of reason. * /Instead of accepting a lucrative job in his father's business, Jim followed his heart and became a missionary in the jungle./
[follow one's nose] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To go straight ahead; continue in the same direction. * /Just follow your nose and you'll get there./ 2. To go any way you happen to think of. * /Oh, I don't know just where I want to go. I'll just follow my nose and see what happens./
[follow out] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To do fully; finish (what you are told to do.) * /The boy followed out the instructions and made a fine model plane./ Compare: FOLLOW THROUGH. 2. To keep working at (something) until it is finished; give (something) your attention until it comes to an end or conclusion. * /The student followed out all the index references in the encyclopedia until he found what he wanted to know./ Compare: FOLLOW UP.
[follow suit] <v. phr.> 1. To play a card of the same color and kind that another player has put down. * /When diamonds were led, I had to follow suit./ 2. To do as someone else has done; follow someone's example. * /When the others went swimming, I followed suit./
[follow through] <v. phr.> 1. To finish a movement that you have started; continue an action to its natural ending. * /A football passer should follow through after he throws the ball./ 2. To finish an action that you have started. * /Bob drew plans for a table for his mother, but he did not follow through by making it./
[follow up] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To chase or follow closely and without giving up. * /The Indians followed up the wounded buffalo until it fell dead./ 2. Make (one action) more successful by doing something more. * /After Mary sent a letter to apply for a job, she followed it up by going to talk to the personnel manager./ * /The doctor followed up Billy's operation with x-rays, and special exercises to make his foot stronger./ Compare: FOLLOW OUT, FOLLOW THROUGH(2). 3a. To hunt for (more news about something that has already been in the newspapers, radio or TV news); find more about. * /The day after news of the fire at Brown's store, the newspaper sent a reporter to follow up Mr. Brown's future plans./ 3b. To print or broadcast (more news about some happening that has been in the news before). * /The fire story was printed Monday, and Tuesday's paper followed it up by saying that Mr. Brown planned to build a bigger and better store at the same place./
[follow-up] <n.> Additional work or research by means of which an earlier undertaking's chances of success are increased. * /I hope you'll be willing to do a bit of follow-up./
[fond of] Having a liking for; attracted to by strong liking. * /Alan is fond of candy./ * /Uncle Bill was the children's favorite, and he was fond of them too./
[food for thought] <n. phr.> Something to think about or worth thinking about; something that makes you think. * /The teacher told John that she wanted to talk to his father, and that gave John food for thought./ * /There is much food for thought in this book./
[fool] See: CHILDREN AND FOOLS SPEAK THE TRUTH, MAKE A FOOL OF.
[fool and his money are soon parted] A foolish person soon wastes his money.
– A proverb, * /Jimmy spends all his pennies for candy. A fool and his money are soon parted./
[fool around] or [mess around] or [play around] or [monkey around] <v.>, <informal> 1. To spend time playing, fooling, or joking instead of being serious or working; waste time. * /If you go to college, you must work, not fool around./ * /The boys fooled around all afternoon in the park./ Compare: CUT UP(2). To treat or handle carelessly. * /Bob cut himself by fooling around with a sharp knife./ * /Suzie says she wishes John would quit playing around with the girls and get married./ 3. or [fiddle around] To work or do something in an irregular or unplanned way; tinker. * /Jimmy likes to monkey around with automobile engines./ * /Alice is fooling around with the piano in her spare time./ Compare: FUCK AROUND.
[fool around] See: MESS AROUND.
[fool away] or [fritter away] <v.>, <informal> To waste foolishly. * /Paul failed history because he fooled away his time instead of studying./ * /The man won a lot of money, but he soon frittered it away and was poor again./
[foolish] See: PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH.
[foolproof] <adj.> So constructed that not even a fool can spoil it; easy. * /This entrance examination is so easy that it is actually foolproof./
[fool's paradise] See: LIVE IN A FOOL'S PARADISE.
[foot] See: AT ONE'S FEET, COLD FEET, DEAD ON ONE'S FEET, DRAG ONE'S FEET, FROM HEAD TO FOOT, GET OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT, GET ONE'S FEET WET, HAND AND FOOT, KEEP ONE'S FEET, KNOCK OFF ONE'S FEET, LAND ON ONE'S FEET, LET GRASS GROW UNDER ONE'S FEET, ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE, ON FOOT, ON ONE'S FEET, PLAY FOOTSIE, PUT ONE'S BEST FOOT FORWARD, PUT ONE'S FOOT DOWN, PUT ONE'S FOOT IN IT, SET FOOT, SHOE ON THE OTHER FOOT, STAND ON ONE'S OWN FEET, SWEEP OFF ONE'S FEET, THINK ON ONE'S FEET, THROW ONESELF AT SOMEONE'S FEET.
[footed] See: FLAT FOOTED.
[foot in the door] <n. phr.>, <informal> The first step toward getting or doing something; a start toward success; opening. * /Don't let Jane get her foot in the door by joining the club or soon she'll want to be president./
[footstep] See: FOLLOW IN ONE'S FOOTSTEPS.
[foot the bill] <v. phr.> To cover the expenses of; pay for something. * /The bride's father footed two-thirds of the bill for hix daughter's wedding./ Compare: PICK UP THE TAB.
[footloose and fancy-free] <adj. phr.> Free and free to do what one wants (said of unmarried men). * /Ron is a merry bachelor and seems to enjoy greatly being footloose and fancy-free./
[for a fall] See: RIDING FOR A FALL.
[for all] 1. In spite of; even with, despite.
– Used for contrast. * /For all his city ways, he is a country boy at heart./ * /There may be mistakes occasionally, but for all that, it is the best book on the subject./ * /For all his money, he was very unhappy./ 2. also [for aught] To the extent that.
– Used like a negative with "care" and "know". * /For all I care, you can throw it away./ * /For all he knows, we might be in Boston./ Compare: AS FAR AS(2), ONCE AND FOR ALL.