Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
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[more or less]{adv. phr.} 1. Somewhat; rather; mostly; fairly. •/Earl made some mistakes on the test, but his answers were more or less right./ •/Ed is more or less intelligent./ •/Betty believes more or less in fairies./ Compare: IN A WAY. 2. About; nearly; not exactly, but almost. •/The new building cost more or less what the builder figured./ •/It is a mile, more or less, from his home to the school./ •/He has wanted to date her more or less since he first saw her./ Compare: OR SO.
[more than]{adv.} Over what you might expect; very. •/They were more than glad to help./ •/He was more than upset by the accident./ Contrast: LESS THAN.
[more than one can chew] See: BITE OFF MORE THAN ONE CAN CHEW.
[more than one could shake a stick at]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Very many; a great many; more than you can count. •/There were more people at the game than you could shake a stick at./ •/I had more assignments for homework than I could shake a stick at./
[more the merrier]{n. phr.} The more people who join in the fun, the better it will be. — Used in welcoming more people to join others in some pleasant activity. •/Come with us on the boat ride; the more the merrier./
[morning after]{n.}, {slang} The effects of drinking liquor or staying up late as felt the next morning; a hangover. •/One of the troubles of drinking too much liquor is the morning after./ •/Mr. Smith woke up with a big headache and knew it was the morning after./
[Moses] See: HOLY CATS or HOLY MOSES.
[moss] See: ROLLING STONE GATHERS NO MOSS.
[most] See: AT MOST, MAKE THE MOST OF.
[mother] See: TIED TO ONE’S MOTHER’S APRON STRINGS.
[motion] See: GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS.
[mountain] See: MAKE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL.
[mouse] See: PLAY CAT AND MOUSE WITH.
[mouth] See: BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN ONE’S MOUTH, BUTTER WOULDN’T MELT IN ONE’S MOUTH, BY WORD OF MOUTH, DOWN IN THE DUMPS or DOWN IN THE MOUTH, FOAM AT THE MOUTH, HEART IN ONE’S MOUTH, KEEP ONE’S MOUTH SHUT, LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF ONE’S MOUTH, LEAVE A BAD TASTE IN ONE’S MOUTH, LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH, LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH, MAKE ONE’S MOUTH WATER, MELT IN ONE’S MOUTH, PUT ONE’S FOOT IN IT or PUT ONE’S FOOT IN ONE’S MOUTH, PUT WORDS INTO ONE’S MOUTH, SHOOT OFF ONE’S MOUTH, STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH, TAKE THE BIT IN ONE’S MOUTH, TAKE THE BREAD OUT OF ONE’S MOUTH.
[mouthful] See: SAY A MOUTHFUL.
[mouth-watering]{adj.} Smelling or looking very good to eat. •/It was a mouth-watering meal./
[move] See: GET A MOVE ON, ON THE MOVE.
[move a muscle]{v. phr.} To move even a very little. — Used in negative sentences and questions and with "if". •/The deer stood without moving a muscle until the hunter was gone./ •/The girls were so startled that they did not move a muscle./ •/You’re sitting right where you were when I left! Have you moved a muscle?/ •/The robber said he would shoot the bank worker if he moved a muscle./
[move heaven and earth]{v. phr.} To try every way; do everything you can. •/Joe moved heaven and earth to be sent to Washington./ Compare: LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED.
[move in on]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {colloquial} To take over something that belongs to another. •/He moved in on my girlfriend and now we’re not talking to each other./
[movement] See: LABOR MOVEMENT.
[moving spirit]{n. phr.} The main figure behind a business or an activity; the one who inspires the others. •/Mr. Smith is the moving spirit behind our expansion plans./
[much] See: AS MUCH AS, FOR AS MUCH AS, MAKE MUCH OF, SO MUCH, SO MUCH FOR, THINK A GREAT DEAL OF or THINK MUCH OF.
[much as] See: AS MUCH AS(1).
[much less]{conj.} And also not; and even less able or likely to. — Used after a negative clause. •/I never even spoke to the man, much less insulted him./ •/John couldn’t even pick up the box, much less carry it upstairs./ •/George can hardly understand arithmetic, much less algebra./ Compare: LET ALONE, NOT TO MENTION.
[mud] See: NAME IS MUD, STICK-IN-THE-MUD.
[mud in your eye]{n. phr.}, {informal} A cheering exclamation when people drink, much like "cheers!" •/Each time John raised his glass he said, "Well, here’s mud in your eye!"/
[mug shot]{n. phr.} A police photograph showing the arrested person’s full face and profile. •/"Go over these mug shots," Sergeant O’Malley said, "and tell me if you find the person who held up the liquor store!"/
[Muhammad] See: IF THE HILL WON’T COME TO MUHAMMAD, THEN MUHAMMAD MUST COME TO THE HILL.
[mull over]{v. phr.} To consider; think over. •/He mulled over the offer for some time, but finally rejected it./
[mum is the word] You must keep the secret; keep silent; don’t tell anyone. — Often used as an interjection. •/We are planning a surprise party for John and mum is the word./ •/"Mum is the word!" the robber captain told his men./
[murder] See: SCREAM BLOODY MURDER.
[muscle] See: MOVE A MUSCLE.
[muscle-bound]{adj.} Having your muscles large, hard, and tight from too much exercising; having muscles so developed that you can hardly move. •/Bob was big and strong, but he was muscle-bound, and Bill could beat him./ •/An athlete must train properly so as not to become muscle-hound./
[muscle in on]{v. phr.} To intrude; penetrate; force oneself into another’s business or territory. •/The eastern Mafia muscled in on the western Mafia’s turf and a shooting war was started./