Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[sporting blood]{n.} Willingness to take risks; spirit of adventure. •/The cowboy’s sporting blood tempted him to try to ride the wild horse./ •/The boy’s sporting blood caused him to run away with a circus./
[spot] See: HIT THE HIGH SPOTS, HIT THE SPOT, JOHNNY-ON-THE-SPOT, ON THE SPOT or UPON THE SPOT also IN A SPOT, SORE SPOT.
[spot check]{n. phr.} A sample check or investigation. •/Internal Revenue Service employees often conduct a spot check of individual returns when the figures don’t add up./
[spotlight] See: STEAL THE SPOTLIGHT.
[spread it on thick] See: LAY IT ON or LAY IT ON THICK.
[spread like wildfire]{v. phr.} To spread uncontrollably and rapidly. •/Bad news has a tendency to spread like wildfire./
[spread oneself too thin]{v. phr.} To try to do too many things at one time. •/As the owner, chef, waiter, and dishwasher of his restaurant, Pierre was spreading himself too thin./
[spring a leak]{v. phr.} 1. To develop a hole (said of boats) through which water can enter, threatening the boat to sink. •/When our small boat sprang a leak, we rapidly returned to shore to fix it./ 2. To be threatened by some oncoming danger. •/Our firm sprang a leak when the vice president suddenly died of a heart attack./
[spring chicken]{n.}, {slang} A young person. — Usually used with "no". •/Mr. Brown is no spring chicken, but he can still play tennis well./ •/The coach is no spring chicken, but he can show the players what to do./
[spring on one]{v. phr.} To approach someone unexpectedly with an unpleasant idea or project. •/Our firm was merely six weeks old when they sprang the news on me that I had to go to Algiers to open a new branch there./
[spring up]{v. phr.} To arise suddenly. •/Small purple flowers were springing up all over our backyard./
[sprout wings]{v. phr.} 1. To enter the stage after a period of development when wings appear (said of larvae that turn into butterflies). •/The dragonflies suddenly sprouted wings and are flying all about in the park./ 2. To become good and virtuous (as if airborne). •/Joe has helped many colleagues in need; he seems to have sprouted wings./
[spruce up]{v.}, {informal} To make clean or neat. •/Mary spruced up the house before her company came./ •/John spruced himself up before he went out on his date./
[spur] See: ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT, WIN ONE’S SPURS.
[squad] See: FIRING SQUAD.
[square] See: FAIR AND SQUARE, SHOOT STRAIGHT or SHOOT SQUARE.
[square away]{v. phr.} 1. To arrange the sails of a ship so that the wind blows from behind. •/The captain ordered the crew to square away and sail before the wind./ 2. {informal} To put right for use or action. — Often used in the passive or participle. •/The living room was squared away for the guests./ •/Harry got into trouble, but his scoutmaster talked with him and got him squared away./ Syn.: STRAIGHTEN OUT. 3. {informal} To stand ready to fight; put up your fists. •/Jack and Lee squared away./ Syn.: SQUARE OFF.
[squared away]{adj. phr.} Looked after properly; tucked away; arranged. •/My first two daughters are happily married, but my third one, Jennifer, isn’t squared away yet./
[square deal]{n. phr.} 1. Equitable or fair treatment. •/We are proud to say that at this firm every employee gets a square deal./ Contrast NEW DEAL, RAW DEAL.
[square meal]{n. phr.} A full, nourishing well-balanced meal. •/The refugees looked as if they hadn’t had a square meal in months./
[square off]{v. phr.}, {informal} To stand ready for fighting with the fists. •/The two boxers squared off when the bell rang./
[square oneself with]{v. phr.} To apologize; re-establish friendship with; make amends. •/"Mr. Alien is very angry with you for leaving the firm," Bob said. "It will take more than a few words and a drink to square yourself with him."/
[square one’s shoulders]{v. phr.} To stand strong and ready to give battle; be brave. •/Jack squared his shoulders and entered the game./ •/Graduates must square their shoulders and face the world./
[square peg in a round hole]{n.}, {informal} A person who does not fit into a job or position; someone who does not belong where he is. •/Arthur is a square peg in a round hole when he is playing ball./ •/George likes to work with his hands. When it comes to books, he’s a square peg in a round hole./ — Sometimes used in a short form, [square peg].
[square shooter] See: SHOOT STRAIGHT.
[square up]{v. phr.} To liquidate debts and other obligations. •/I want to square up my medical bills before I accept my new teaching assignment in Africa./
[squeak] See: PIP-SQUEAK.
[squeak by]{v. phr.} 1. To barely succeed. •/He was so poorly prepared for his bar exam that he barely squeaked by./ 2. To clear with difficulty. •/The entrance to the corridor in the old Italian castle was so narrow that I barely managed to squeak by it./
[squeak through]{v.}, {informal} To be successful but almost fail; win by a small score. •/Susan squeaked through the history examination./ •/The football team squeaked through 7-6./ Compare: BY THE SKIN OF ONE’S TEETH.
[squeeze out of]{v. phr.} To apply pressure to someone in order to obtain what one desires. •/The police were interrogating the suspect to squeeze information out of him./