Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[life of Riley]{n. phr.}, {informal} A soft easy life; pleasant or rich way of living. •/He’s living the life of Riley. He doesn’t have to work anymore./ Compare: BED OF ROSES, IN CLOVER, LIVE HIGH OFF THE HOG.
[life of the party]{n. phr.} A person who makes things enjoyable or interesting for a group of people. •/Bill is the life of the party at school. He is always making us laugh./
[lift a finger] or [lift a hand] also [raise a hand]{v. phr.} 1. To do something; do your share; to help. — Usually used in the negative. •/We all worked hard except Joe. He wouldn’t lift a finger./ •/The king did not lift a hand when his people were hungry./ Compare: LEND A HAND.
[light] See: BRING TO LIGHT, COME TO LIGHT, DASH LIGHT, HIDE ONE’S LIGHT UNDER A BUSHEL, IN THE LIGHT OF, MAKE LIGHT OF, MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK, OUT LIKE A LIGHT, SEE THE LIGHT, TRAVEL LIGHT.
[light-fingered]{adj.} Given to stealing; having a tendency to be dishonest or a kleptomaniac. •/I always suspected that Freddie might be lightfingered and my suspicions were confirmed when he was arrested for shoplifting./
[light housekeeping]{n.}, {slang} An arrangement in which an unmarried couple live together. •/Are Joe and Sue married? — Oh, no, — it’s just a case of light housekeeping./ See: SHACK UP WITH.
[light into] See: LAY INTO.
[lightly] See: ONCE OVER LIGHTLY at ONCE OVER(2).
[lightning never strikes twice in the same place] The same accident does not happen twice; the same person does not have the same luck again. — A proverb. •/Billy won a pony in the contest last year, but lightning never strikes twice in the same place./
[light on] also [light upon]{v.} To pick out by sight from among others; see; notice. •/His eyes lighted on the cookies and he remembered how hungry he was./ •/Her eyes lighted upon the row of boxes, and she asked what was in them./
[light out]{v.}, {slang} 1. To run as fast as you can. •/The boy lit out for home with the bully chasing him./ •/On the next pitch the runner will light out for second./ 2. To go away in a hurry; leave suddenly. — Often used with "for". •/Jack won’t be in town long. He wants to light out as soon as he has enough money saved./ •/The robbers lit out for Mexico./ Syn.: BEAT IT, TAKE OFF(1), HEAD FOR THE HILLS.
[light up]{v.} Suddenly to look pleased and happy. •/Martha’s face lit up when she saw her old friend./ •/Tom will really light up when he sees his new bike!/
[like] See: EAT LIKE A BIRD, FEEL LIKE, LOOK LIKE THE CAT THAT ATE THE CANARY, NOTHING LIKE, THE LIKES OF or THE LIKE.
[like a bird] See: EAT LIKE A BIRD.
[like a book] See: READ ONE LIKE A BOOK.
[like a fish out of water] See: FISH OUT OF WATER.
[like a glove] See: FIT LIKE A GLOVE.
[like a hole in the head]{adv. phr.} Not at all; scarcely; grudgingly; in an unwelcome manner. •/Joan needs her mother-in-law to stay with her for a week like a hole in the head./
[like a horse] See: EAT LIKE A HORSE.
[like a light] See: OUT LIKE A LIGHT.
[like a million] See: FEEL LIKE A MILLION.
[like a million dollars] See: LOOK LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS.
[like anything]{adv. phr.} To an extreme degree. •/He swore like anything when he found out that he hadn’t been promoted./
[like a steel trap] See: MIND LIKE A STEEL TRAP.
[like clockwork] See: GO LIKE CLOCKWORK or GO OFF LIKE CLOCKWORK.
[like crazy] See: LIKE MAD.
[like father, like son] A son is usually like his father in the way he acts. — A proverb. •/Frank’s father has been on the city council; he is now the mayor, and is running for governor. Frank is on the student council and is likely to he class president. Like father, like son./ •/Mr. Jones and Tommy are both quiet and shy. Like father, like son./ Compare: SPITTING IMAGE, FOLLOW IN ONE’S FOOTSTEPS.
[like hell]{adv.}, {slang}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} 1. With great vigor. •/As soon as they saw the cops, they ran like hell./ 2. {interj.} Not so; untrue; indicates the speaker’s lack of belief in what he heard. •/Like hell you’re gonna bring me my dough!/
[like it is] See: TELL IT LIKE IT IS.
[like looking for a needle in a haystack] See: NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK.
[like mad] or [like crazy]{adv.}, {slang}, {informal} With great enthusiasm and vigor; very fast. •/We had to drive like mad (like crazy) to get there on time./ See: LIKE HELL(1).
[like two peas in a pod]{adj. phr.} Closely similar; almost exactly alike. •/The twin sisters Eve and Agnes are like two peas in a pod./