Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[bird] See: EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM or EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM, EAT LIKE A BIRD, FINE FEATHERS DO NOT MAKE FINE BIRDS, FOR THE BIRDS, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.
[bird has flown]{slang} The prisoner has escaped; the captive has got away. •/When the sheriff returned to the jail, he discovered that the bird had flown./
[bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (a)] Something we have, or can easily get, is more valuable than something we want that we may not be able to get; we shouldn’t risk losing something sure by trying to get something that is not sure. — A proverb. •/Johnny has a job as a paperboy, but he wants a job in a gas station. His father says that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush./
[bird of a different feather]{n. phr.} A person who is free thinking and independent. •/Syd won’t go along with recent trends in grammar; he created his own. He is a bird of a different feather./
[birds of a feather flock together] People who are alike often become friends or are together; if you are often with certain people, you may be their friends or like them. — A proverb. •/Don’t be friends with bad boys. People think that birds of a feather flock together./
[birds and the bees (the)]{n. phr.}, {informal} The facts we should know about our birth. •/At various ages, in response to questions, a child can be told about the birds and the bees./
[bird watcher]{n.} A person whose hobby is to study birds close-up in their outdoor home. •/A bird watcher looks for the first robin to appear in the spring./
[birthday suit]{n.} The skin with no clothes on; complete nakedness. •/The little boys were swimming in their birthday suits./
[bit] See: A BIT, CHAMP AT THE BIT, FOUR BITS, QUITE A LITTLE or QUITE A BIT, SIX BITS, TAKE THE BIT IN ONE’S MOUTH, TWO BITS.
[bitch] See: SON OF A BITCH.
[bite] See: BARK WORSE THAN ONE’S BITE, PUT THE BITE ON, ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY at BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.
[bite off more than one can chew]{v. phr.}, {informal} To try to do more than you can; be too confident of your ability. •/He bit off more than he could chew when he agreed to edit the paper alone./ •/He started to repair his car himself, but realized that he had bitten off more than he could chew./
[bite one’s head off]{v. phr.} To answer someone in great anger; answer furiously. •/I’m sorry to tell you that I lost my job, but that’s no reason to bite my head off!/
[bite one’s lips]{v. phr.} To force oneself to remain silent and not to reveal one’s feelings. •/I had to bite my lips when I heard my boss give the wrong orders./
[bite the dust]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To be killed in battle. •/Captain Jones discharged his gun and another guerrilla bit the dust./ 2. To fall in defeat; go down before enemies; be overthrown; lose. •/Our team bit the dust today./
[bite the hand that feeds one]{v. phr.} To turn against or hurt a helper or supporter; repay kindness with wrong. •/He bit the hand that fed him when he complained against his employer./
[bitter] See: TO THE BITTER END.
[bitter pill]{n.} Something hard to accept; disappointment. •/Jack was not invited to the party and it was a bitter pill for him./
[black] See: BLACK AND WHITE, IN THE BLACK, LOOK BLACK, POT CALLS THE KETTLE BLACK.
[black and blue]{adj.} Badly bruised. •/Poor Jim was black and blue after he fell off the apple tree./
[black and white]{n. phr.} 1. Print or writing; words on paper, not spoken; exact written or printed form. •/He insisted on having the agreement down in black and white./ •/Mrs. Jones would not believe the news, so Mr. Jones showed her the article in the newspaper and said, "There it is in black and white."/ 2. The different shades of black and white of a simple picture, rather than other colors. •/He showed us snapshots in black and white./
[black-and-white]{adj.} Divided into only two sides that are either right or wrong or good or bad, with nothing in between; thinking or judging everything as either good or bad. •/Everything is black-and-white to Bill; if you’re not his friend, you are his enemy./ •/The old man’s religion shows his black-and-white thinking; everything is either completely good or completely bad./
[black day]{n.} A day of great unhappiness; a disaster. •/It was a black day when our business venture collapsed./
[black eye]{n.} 1. A dark area around one’s eye due to a hard blow during a fight, such as boxing. •/Mike Tyson sported a black eye after the big fight./ 2. Discredit. •/Bob’s illegal actions will give a black eye to the popular movement he started./
[blackout]{n.} 1. The darkening of a city curing an air raid by pulling down all curtains and putting out all street lights. •/The city of London went through numerous blackouts during World War II./ 2. A cessation of news by the mass media. •/There was a total news blackout about the kidnapping of the prime minister./
[black out]{v.} 1. To darken by putting out or dimming lights, •/In some plays the stage is blacked out for a short time and the actors speak in darkness./ •/In wartime, cities are blacked out to protect against bombing from planes./ 2. To prevent or silence information or communication; refuse to give out truthful news. •/In wartime, governments often black out all news or give out false news./ •/Dictators usually black out all criticism of the government./ •/Some big games are blacked out on television to people who live nearby./ 3. {informal} To lose consciousness; faint. •/It had been a hard and tiring day, and she suddenly blacked out./