Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

Makkai Adam

[handsome is as handsome does]{informal} A person must act well and generously so that he will be truly worth respecting. — A proverb. •/Everyone thinks that Bon is a very handsome boy, but he is very mean too. Handsome is as handsome does./ Compare: FINE FEATHERS DO NOT MAKE PINE BIRDS.

[hands up]{informal} Hold up your hands! Put your hands up high and keep them there! — Used as a command. •/The sheriff pointed his gun at the outlaws and called out, "Hands up!"/ Syn.: REACH FOR THE SKY.

[hand something to someone on a silver platter]{v. phr.} To give a person a reward that has not been earned. •/The lazy student expected his diploma to be handed to him on a silver platter./

[hand to hand]{adv. phr.} Close together, near enough to hit each other. •/The two soldiers fought hand to hand until one fell badly wounded./ •/In modern naval warfare, men seldom fight hand to hand./ Compare: FACE TO FACE.

[hand-to-hand]{adj.} Close to each other; near enough to hit each other. •/The result of the battle was decided in hand-to-hand combat./ •/When the police tried to break up the riot, there was hand-to-hand fighting with fists, stones, and clubs./ Compare: FACE-TO-FACE.

[hand-to-mouth]{adj.} Not providing for the future; living from day to day; not saving for later. •/Many native tribes lead a hand-to-mouth existence, content to have food for one day at a time./ •/John is not a saving boy; he spends his money without thought for the future, and lives a hand-to-mouth life./ See: LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH.

[handwriting on the wall]{n. phr.} A sign that something bad will happen. •/When Bill’s team lost four games in a row, he saw the handwriting on the wall./ •/John’s employer had less and less work for him; John could read the handwriting on the wall and looked for another job./

[hang] See: GO HANG, GIVE A HANG or CARE A HANG, GIVE ONE ENOUGH ROPE, AND HE WILL HANG HIMSELF, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR.

[hang around]{v.}, {informal} 1. To pass time or stay near without any real purpose or aim; loaf near or in. •/The principal warned the students not to hang around the corner drugstore after school./ Compare: HANG OUT(1). 2. To spend time or associate, •/Jim hangs around with some boys who live in his neighborhood./

[hang back] or [hang off] or [hang behind] 1. To stay some distance behind or away, be unwilling to move forward. •/Mary offered the little girl candy, but she was shy and hung back./ 2. To hesitate or be unwilling to do something. •/Lou wanted Fred to join the club, but Fred hung off./

[hang behind] See: HANG BACK(1).

[hang by a hair] See: HANG BY A THREAD.

[hang by a thread] or [hang by a hair]{v. phr.} To depend on a very small thing; be in doubt. •/For three days Tom was so sick that his life hung by a thread./ •/As Joe got ready to kick a field goal, the result of the game hung by a hair./ Compare: HANG IN THE BALANCE.

[hanger] See: CREPE HANGER.

[hang fire]{v. phr.} 1. To fail or be slow in shooting or firing. •/Smith pulled the trigger, but the gun hung fire and the deer escaped./ 2. To be slow in beginning; to be delayed; to wait. •/The boys' plans for organizing a scout troop hung fire because they could not find a man to be scoutmaster./

[hang heavy] or [hang heavy on one’s hands]{v. phr.} To pass slowly or uninterestingly; be boring with little to do. •/The vacation time hung heavy on Dick’s hands because all his friends were away at camp./ Compare: ON ONE’S HANDS.

[hang in effigy] or [burn in effigy]{v. phr.} To hang or burn a figure, usually a stuffed dummy, representing a person who is disliked or scorned. •/When the high school team lost the championship game, the coach was hung in effigy by the townspeople./ •/During World War II, Hitler was sometimes burned in effigy in the United States./

[hang in the balance]{v. phr.} To have two equally possible results; to be in doubt; be uncertain. •/Until Jim scored the winning touchdown, the outcome of the game hung in the balance./ •/She was very sick and her life hung in the balance for several days./ Compare: HANG BY A THREAD.

[hang in (there)]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To persevere; not to give up; to stick to a project and not lose faith or courage. •/Hang in there old buddy; the worst is yet to come./

[hang it]{interj.}, {informal} An exclamation used to express annoyance or disappointment. •/Oh, hang it! I forgot to bring the book I wanted to show you./ •/Hang it all, why don’t you watch where you’re going?/

[hang off] See: HANG BACK.

[hang on]{v.} 1. To hold on to something, usually tightly. •/Jack almost fell off the cliff, but managed to hang on until help came./ Syn.: HOLD ON(1). 2a. To continue doing something; persist. •/The grocer was losing money every day, but he hung on, hoping that business would improve./ Compare: HOLD OUT, STICK OUT. 2b. To hold a lead in a race or other contest while one’s opponents try to rally. •/The favorite horse opened an early lead and hung on to win as two other horses almost passed him in the final stretch./ •/Bunning, staked to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, hung on to heat the Dodgers 6-4./ 3. To continue to give trouble or cause suffering. •/Lou’s cold hung on from January to April./ 4. To continue listening on the telephone. •/Jerry asked John, who had called him on the phone, to hung on while he ran for a pencil and a sheet of paper./ Compare: HOLD ON(3).