Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
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[benefit] See: GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
[bent on] or [bent upon] Very decided, determined, or set. •/The sailors were bent on having a good time./ •/The policeman saw some boys near the school after dark and thought they were bent on mischief./ •/The bus was late, and the driver was bent upon reaching the school on time./
[be nuts about]{v. phr.} To be enthusiastic or very keen about someone or something; be greatly infatuated with someone. •/Hermione is nuts about modern music./ •/"I am nuts about you, Helen," Jim said. "Please let’s get married!"/
[be off]{v. phr.} 1. {v.} To be in error; miscalculate. •/The estimator was off by at least 35% on the value of the house./ 2. {v.} To leave. •/Jack ate his supper in a hurry and was off without saying goodbye./ 3. {adj.} Cancelled; terminated. •/The weather was so bad that we were told that the trip was off./ 4. {adj.} Crazy. •/I’m sure Aunt Mathilda is a bit off; no one in her right mind would say such things./ 5. {adj.} Free from work; having vacation time. •/Although we were off for the rest of the day, we couldn’t go to the beach because it started to rain./
[be on]{v. phr.} 1. To be in operation; be in the process of being presented. •/The news is on now on Channel 2; it will be off in five minutes./ 2. To be in the process of happening; to take place. •/We cannot travel now to certain parts of Africa, as there is a civil war on there right now./
[be one’s age] See: ACT ONE’S AGE.
[be oneself]{v.} To act naturally; act normally without trying unduly to impress others. •/Just try being yourself; I promise people will like you more./
[be on the outs with]{v. phr.} To not be on speaking terms with someone; be in disagreement with someone. •/Jane and Tom have been on the outs with one another since Tom started to date another woman./
[be on the rocks] See: ON THE ROCKS, GO ON THE ROCKS.
[be on the verge of]{v. phr.} To be about to do something; be very close to. •/We were on the verge of going bankrupt when, unexpectedly, my wife won the lottery and our business was saved./
[be on the wagon] See: ON THE WAGON, FALL OFF THE WAGON.
[be on to]{v. phr.} To understand the motives of someone; not be deceived. •/Jack keeps telling us how wealthy his family is, but we are on to him./
[be over]{v. phr.} To be ended; be finished. •/The show was over by 11 P.M./ •/The war will soon be over./
[be out]{v. phr.} 1. To not be at home or at one’s place of work. •/I tried to call but they told me that Al was out./ 2. To be unacceptable; not be considered; impossible. •/I suggested that we hire more salespeople but the boss replied that such a move was positively out./ 3. To be poorer by; suffer a loss of. •/Unless more people came to the church picnic, we realized we would be out $500 at least./ 4. To be in circulation, in print, published. •/Jane said that her new novel won’t be out for at least another month./ 5. A baseball term indicating that a player has been declared either unfit to continue or punished by withdrawing him. •/The spectators thought that John was safe at third base, but the umpire said he was out./
[be out to]{v. phr.} To intend to do; to plan to commit. •/The police felt that the gang may be out to rob another store./
[berth] See: GIVE A WIDE BERTH.
[be set on] or [upon]{v. phr.} To be determined about something. •/Tow is set upon leaving his Chicago job for Tokyo, Japan, although he speaks only English./
[beside oneself]{adj. phr.} Very much excited; somewhat crazy. •/She was beside herself with fear./ •/He was beside himself, he was so angry./ •/When his wife heard of his death, she was beside herself./
[beside the point] or [beside the question]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} Off the subject; about something different. •/What you meant to do is beside the point; the fact is you didn’t do it./ •/The judge told the witness that his remarks were beside the point./ Compare: BEAT AROUND THE BUSH, NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
[best] See: AS BEST ONE CAN, AT BEST, FOR THE BEST, GET THE BETTER OF or GET THE BEST OF, HAD BETTER or HAD BEST, HE LAUGHS BEST WHO LAUGHS LAST, MAKE THE BEST OF, PUT ONE’S BEST FOOT FORWARD, SECOND BEST, TO THE BEST OF ONE’S KNOWLEDGE, WITH THE BEST or WITH THE BEST OF THEM.
[best bib and tucker] or [Sunday best] or [Sunday go-to-meeting clothes]{n. phr.}, {informal} Best clothes or outfit of clothing. •/The cowboy got all dressed up in his best bib and tucker to go to the dance./ •/Mary went to the party in her Sunday best and made a hit with the boys./ Compare: GLAD RAGS.
[best man]{n.} The groom’s aid (usually his best friend or a relative) at a wedding. •/When Agnes and I got married, my brother Gordon was my best man./
[best seller]{n.} An item (primarily said of books) that outsells other items of a similar sort. •/Catherine Neville’s novel "The Eight" has been a national best seller for months./ •/Among imported European cars, the Volkswagen is a best seller./
[bet] See: YOU BET or YOU BET YOUR BOOTS or YOU BET YOUR LIFE.
[be the making of]{v. phr.} To account for the success of someone or something. •/The strict discipline that we had to undergo in graduate school was the making of many a successful professor./ •/The relatively low cost and high gas mileage are the making of Chevrolet’s Geo Metro cars./
[bet one’s boots] or [bet one’s bottom dollar] or [bet one’s shirt]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To bet all you have. •/This horse will win. I would bet my bottom dollar on it./ •/Jim said he would bet his boots that he would pass the examination./ 2. or [bet one’s life]. To feel very sure; have no doubt. •/Was I scared when I saw the bull running at me? You bet your life I was!/