Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[see to] also [look to]{v.} To attend to; take care of; do whatever needs to be done about. •/While Donna bought the theatre tickets, I saw to the parking of the car./ Compare: SEE ABOUT.
[see to it]{v. phr.} To take care; take the responsibility; make sure. — Usually used with a noun clause. •/We saw to it that the child was fed and bathed./
[see with rose-colored glasses] See: LOOK AT THE WORLD THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES.
[seed money]{n. phr.} A small grant or donation for others to be able to start a new venture. •/All you need is some seed money and you can set up your own desk-top publishing firm./
[seize on]{v.} To make use of (a happening or idea.) •/Bob seized on the rain as an excuse for missing school./
[seize on] or [upon]{v. phr.} To latch onto. •/Whenever Herb is in a romantic mood, Irene seizes on it and starts talking about marriage, which is not what Herb had in mind./
[seize the opportunity]{v. phr.} To exploit a chance. •/His wealthy uncle offered to send him to Harvard and he wisely seized the opportunity./
[self-conscious]{adj.} Embarrassed; shy. •/Edith has a freckled face and sometimes she is very self-conscious about it./
[self-made]{adj.} Having achieved wealth, fame, and success on one’s own without outside help. •/John D. Rockefeller is one of the most famous self-made men in America./
[self-possessed]{adj.} Confident; sure of one self. •/Before he made his first million, he used to be shy, but afterwards he became very self-possessed./
[self-seeking]{adj.} Given to egotism and self-aggrandizement. •/Al is the most self-seeking person I’ve ever met, he is not fun to be around./
[sell down the river]{v. phr.} To give harmful information about someone or something to one’s enemies; betray. •/The traitor sold his country down the river to the enemy army./ •/The criminal told the hiding place of his companions and sold them down the river./ Compare: SELL OUT(2).
[sell off]{v. phr.} To liquidate one’s holdings of certain set items. •/The retired professor had to sell off his rare butterfly collection to meet his health expenses./
[sell one a bill of goods]{v. phr.} To persuade another to acquire something useless; defraud. •/We were sure sold a bill of goods when Alfred persuaded us to buy his custom-built car for which replacement parts weren’t available anywhere./
[sell one on]{v. phr.} To persuade someone to do something. •/We were able to sell our wealthy uncle on the idea of having a joint family vacation in Hawaii./
[sellout]{n.} 1. A betrayal or act of treason. •/The spy’s behavior during the Cold War was a classical sellout./
[sell out]{v.} 1a. To sell all of a certain thing which a store has in stock. •/In the store’s January white sale the sheets and pillowcases were sold out in two days./ 1b. To sell all the stock and close the store; go out of business. •/The local hardware store sold out last month and was replaced by a cafe./ 2. {informal} To be unfaithful to your country for money or other reward; be disloyal; sell a secret; accept a bribe./ •/In the Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold sold out to the British./ •/The dishonest wrestler sold out to his opponent for a hundred dollars./
[sell short]{v.} To think (a person or thing) less good or valuable than is true; underestimate. •/Don’t sell the team short; the players are better than you think./ •/Some teachers sold John short./
[sell snow to the Eskimos]{v. phr.} To sell something to people who already have a large quantity of the same or similar goods. •/My Alaskan friend said, "One of the hottest businesses in Alaska is refrigeration. You could say that I, as a refrigerator expert, am selling snow to the Eskimos."/ See: CARRY COALS TO NEWCASTLE.
[send C.O.D.] See: C.O.D.
[send off]{v. phr.} To say good-bye to someone ceremoniously. •/They sent us off to the Mainland from our first visit to Hawaii with an elaborate champagne party at the pier./
[send-off]{n. phr.} A demonstration of affection or respect at someone’s departure, as a retirement ceremony. •/When our colleague retired after 35 years of teaching, we all got together at the Faculty Club and gave him a terrific send-off./
[send one about one’s business]{v. phr.} To dismiss someone summarily; tell one off. •/When Mrs. Atwater discovered that her daughter’s French tutor was an ordinary fortune hunter, she sent him about his business./ Compare: SEND ONE PACKING.
[send one packing]{v. phr.} To fire someone summarily. •/When the boss caught Smith stealing from the cash register, he sent him packing./ Compare: SEND ONE ABOUT ONE’S BUSINESS.
[send to the minors]{v. phr.} To dismiss someone; tell them off; terminate a relationship. — A baseball term. •/"What did you do to your girlfriend?" Ernie asked Bert, when Bert started dating Jane. "I sent her to the minors," Bert answered with a sneer./
[send up]{v. phr.}, {colloquial} To sentence (someone) to prison. •/Did you know that Milton Shaeffer was sent up for fifteen years?/