Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[nuisance] See: PUBLIC NUISANCE.
[nuke]{v.} To fix any meal in a microwave oven. •/When we are in a hurry, we nuke some beef./
[nuke a tater]{v. phr.} 1. To bake a potato in a microwave oven. •/"We have no time for standard baked potatoes in the oven," she said. "We’ll just have to nuke a tater."/
[null and void]{adj.} Not worth anything; no longer valid. •/Both the seller and the buyer agreed to forget about their previous contract and to consider it null and void./
[number] See: A NUMBER, ANY NUMBER, DAYS ARE NUMBERED, GET ONE’S NUMBER, HOT NUMBER, QUITE A FEW or QUITE A NUMBER.
[number among]{v. phr.} Consider as one of; consider to be a part of. •/I number Al among my best friends./
[number one(1)] or [Number One(1)]{n. phr.}, {informal} Yourself; your own interests; your private or selfish advantage. Usually used in the phrase "look out for number one". •/He was well known for his habit of always looking out for number one./
[number one(2)]{adj. phr.} 1. Of first rank or importance; foremost; principal. •/He is easily America’s number one golfer./ 2. Of first grade; of top quality; best. •/That is number one western steer beef./
[nurse] See: VISITING NURSE.
[nurse a drink]{v. phr.}, {informal} To hold a drink in one’s hand at a party, pretending to be drinking it or taking extremely small sips only. •/John’s been nursing that drink all evening./
[nurse a grudge]{v. phr.} To keep a feeling of envy or dislike toward some person; remember something bad that a person said or did to you, and dislike the person because of that. •/Torn nursed a grudge against John because John took his place on the basketball team./ •/Mary nursed a grudge against her teacher because she thought she deserved a better grade in English./
[nursing home] See: CONVALESCENT HOME.
[nut] See: HARD NUT TO CRACK or TOUGH NUT TO CRACK.
[nut case]{n. phr.} A very silly, crazy, or foolish person. •/I am going to be a nut case if I don’t go on a vacation pretty soon./
[nuts about] See: CRAZY ABOUT.
[nuts and bolts of]{n. phr.} The basic facts or important details of something. •/"Ted will he an excellent trader," his millionaire grandfather said, "once he learns the nuts and bolts of the profession."/
[nutshell] See: IN A NUTSHELL.
[nutty as a fruitcake]{adj. phr.}, {slang} Very crazy; entirely mad. •/He looked all right, as we watched him approach, but when he began to talk, we saw that he was as nutty as a fruitcake./
O
[oak] See: GREAT OAKS FROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW.
[oars] See: REST ON ONE’S OARS.
[oath] See: TAKE OATH.
[oats] See: FEEL ONE’S OATS, SOW ONE’S WILD OATS.
[obey the call of nature] See: ANSWER THE CALL OF NATURE.
[occasion] See: ON OCCASION.
[occupy oneself]{v. phr.} To make oneself busy with. •/Having retired from business, he now occupies himself with his stamp collection./
[oddball]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} An eccentric person; one who doesn’t act like everyone else. •/John is an oddball — he never invites anyone./
[odd jobs]{n. phr.} Work that is not steady or regular in nature; small, isolated tasks. •/Dan does odd jobs for his neighbors, barely making enough to eat./
[odds] See: BY ALL ODDS.
[odds and ends]{n. phr.} Miscellaneous items; remnants. •/After the great annual clearance sale there were only a few odds and ends left in the store./
[odds are against]{v. phr.} The likelihood of success is not probable; the chances of success are poor. •/The odds are against her getting here before Monday./
[odds-on]{adj.}, {informal} Almost certain; almost sure; probable. •/Ed is the odds-on choice for class president, because he has good sense and good humor./
[of age]{adj. phr.} 1a. Old enough to be allowed to do or manage something. •/Mary will be of driving age on her next birthday./ Contrast: OVER AGE, UNDER AGE. 1b. Old enough to vote; having the privileges of adulthood. •/The age at which one is considered of age to vote, or of age to buy alcoholic drinks, or of age to be prosecuted as an adult, varies within the United States./ 2. Fully developed; mature. •/Education for the foreign born came of age when bilingual education was accepted as a necessary part of the public school system./
[of a piece]{adj. phr.} Of the same kind; in line. — Usually used with "with". •/His quitting the job is of a piece with his dropping out of school./
[of course]{adv. phr.} 1. As you would expect; naturally. •/Bob hit Herman, and Herman hit him back, of course./ •/The rain came pouring down, and of course the track meet was canceled./ 2. Without a doubt; certainly; surely. •/Of course you know that girl; she’s in your class./