Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[road sign]{n.} A sign on which there is information about a road or places; a sign with directions to drivers. •/The road sign read, "25 MPH LIMIT" but Jack drove along at fifty miles an hour./ •/The road sign said Westwood was four miles away./
[road test]{n.} 1. A test to see if you can drive a car. •/Jim took the road test and got his driver’s license last week./ 2. A test to see if a car works all right on the road. •/Most new cars are given road tests before they are put on the market./ •/After he repaired the car, the mechanic gave it a road test./
[roast] See: WEINER ROAST or HOT DOG ROAST.
[roasting ear]{n.} An ear of corn young and tender enough to be cooked and eaten; also corn cooked on the cob. •/The scouts buried the roasting ears in the coals of their campfire./ •/At the Fourth of July picnic we had fried chicken and roasting ears./
[robbery] See: HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
[robin] See: ROUND ROBIN.
[rob Peter to pay Paul]{v. phr.} To change one duty or need for another; take from one person or thing to pay another. •/Bill owed Sam a dollar, so he borrowed another from Joe to pay Sam back. He robbed Peter to pay Paul./ •/Trying to study a lesson for one class during another class is like robbing Peter to pay Paul./
[rob the cradle]{v. phr.}, {informal} To have dates with or marry a person much younger than yourself. •/When the old woman married a young man, everyone said she was robbing the cradle./ — [cradle-robber]{n.} •/The judge died when he was seventy. He was a real cradle-robber because he left a thirty-year-old widow./ — [cradle-robbing]{adj.} or {n.} •/Bob is seventeen and I just saw him with a girl about twelve years old. Has he started cradle-robbing? No, that girl was his sister, not his date!/
[rob the till] or [have one’s hand in the till]{v. phr.}, {informal} To steal money in your trust or for which you are responsible. •/The supermarket manager suspected that one of the clerks was robbing the till./ •/Mr. Jones deposited one thousand dollars in their joint savings account and told his wife not to rob the till./ •/The store owner thought his business was failing until he discovered that the treasurer had his hand in the till./
[rock] See: HAVE ROCKS IN ONE’S HEAD, ON THE ROCKS.
[rock and roll] See: ROCK N ROLL.
[rock-bottom]{n.} The lowest possible point. •/The nation’s morale hit rock bottom in the hours following the president’s assassination./ — Often used like an adjective, with a hyphen. •/The rock-bottom price of this radio is $25./
[rocker] See: OFF ONE’S ROCKER.
[rock hound]{n.}, {slang} A person who studies and collects rocks for a hobby. •/Many young rock hounds grow up to be geologists./ •/Tony is an eager rock hound, and we have rocks all through our house./
[rock’n'roll] or [rock and roll]{n.} A style of popular music with heavily accented rhythm. •/Rock’n'roll appeals mostly to youngsters nine to sixteen years old./ •/Rock and roll became popular for dances about 1954./
[rock the boat]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make trouble and risk losing or upsetting something; cause a disturbance that may spoil a plan. •/The other boys said that Henry was rocking the boat by wanting to let girls into their club./ •/Politicians don’t like to rock the boat around election time./ Compare: UPSET THE APPLE CART. Contrast: LET WELL ENOUGH ALONE.
[rod] See: HOT ROD.
[roll] See: GET THE BALL ROLLING, KEEP THE BALL ROLLING, ROCK N ROLL OT ROCK AND ROLL.
[roll around]{v.}, {informal} To return at a regular or usual time; come back. •/When winter rolls around, out come the skis and skates./
[rolling stone gathers no moss] A person who changes jobs or where he lives often will not be able to save money or things of his own. — A proverb. •/Uncle Willie was a rolling stone that gathered no moss. He worked in different jobs all over the country./
[roll out the red carpet]{v. phr.} 1. To welcome an important guest by putting a red carpet down for him to walk on. •/They rolled out the red carpet for the Queen when she arrived in Australia./ 2. To greet a person with great respect and honor; give a hearty welcome. •/Margaret’s family rolled out the red carpet for her teacher when she came to dinner./ Compare: WELCOME MAT. — [red-carpet]{adj.} •/When the president visited the foreign country, he was given the red-carpet treatment and welcomed by a great crowd./ •/We gave Uncle Willie the red-carpet treatment when he returned from Hong Kong./
[roll up one’s sleeves] To get ready for a hard job; prepare to work hard or seriously. •/When Paul took his science examination, he saw how little he knew about science. He rolled up his sleeves and went to work./
[Roman collar]{n.} The high, plain, white collar worn by priests and clergymen. •/The man with the Roman collar is the new Episcopalian preacher./ •/Many Protestant churches do not require their ministers to wear Roman collars./