Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
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[up to scratch] See: UP TO FAR.
[up to snuff] See: UP TO PAR.
[up to the chin in] or [in --- up to the chin]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Used also with "ears", "elbows", "eyes" or "knees" instead of "chin", and with a possessive instead of "the". 1. Having a big or important part in; guilty of; not innocent of; deeply in. •/Was Tom mixed up in that trouble last night? He was up to his ears in it./ •/Mr. Johnson is up to the eyes in debt./ •/Mrs. Smith is in debt up to her chin./ Compare: TO THE HILT. 2. Very busy with; working hard at. •/Bob is up to his neck in homework./ •/They are up to their elbows in business before Christmas./ 3. Having very much or many of; flooded with. •/Mary was up to her knees in invitations to go to parties./ Compare: KNEE-DEEP.
[up to the hilt] See: TO THE HILT.
[up to the last minute]{adv. phr.} Until the last possible moment; until the very end. •/When I try to send in an important eyewitness report from the scene of a major accident, I must keep working up to the last minute./ Compare: TO THE BITTER END, UNDER THE WIRE.
[up to the mark] See: UP TO PAR(2).
[up-to-the-minute] See: UP-TO-DATE.
[urban homesteading]{n.}, {informal} Renovation and occupation through cooperative ownership by tenants of previously abandoned city apartment buildings. •/Urban homesteading is on the rise in many big American cities these days./
[use] See: NO USE, PUT TO USE.
[used to(1)]{adj. phr.} In the habit of or familiar with. •/People get used to smoking and it is hard for them to stop./ •/Farmers are used to working outdoors in the winter./ •/After my eyes became used to the dim light in the cave, I saw an old shovel on the ground./ •/On the hike Bob soon got tired, but Dick did not because he was used to walking./
[used to(2)] or [did use to]{v. phr.} Did formerly; did in the past. — Usually used with an infinitive to tell about something past. •/Uncle Henry used to have a beard, but he shaved it off./ •/Did your father use to work at the bank?/ •/People used to say that tomatoes were poison./ — Sometimes used without the infinitive. •/I don’t go to that school any more, but I used to./ •/We don’t visit Helen as much as we used to./ •/I used to go to the movies often. Did you use to?/
[used to be] or [did use to be]{v. phr.} Formerly or once was. •/Mary used to be small; but she has grown up./ •/Dick used to be the best pitcher on the team last year; now two other pitchers are better than he is./
[use every trick in the book]{v. phr.}, {informal} To avail oneself of any means at all in order to achieve one’s goal, not exclusive of possibly immoral or illegal acts. •/Algernon used every trick in the book to get Maxine to go out with him, but she kept refusing./
[use one’s head] or {slang}[use one’s bean] or {slang}[use one’s noodle] or {slang} use [one’s noggin]{v. phr.} To use your brain or mind; think; have common sense. — Often used as a command. •/If you used your bean you wouldn’t be in trouble now./ •/Never point a gun at anybody, John. Use your head!/
[use up]{v. phr.} 1. To use until nothing is left; spend or consume completely. •/Don’t use up all the soap. Leave me some to wash with./ •/Jack used up his last dollar to see the movies./ Compare: GIVE OUT(5). 2. {informal} To tire completely; make very tired; exhaust; leave no strength or force in. — Usually used in the passive. •/After rowing the boat across the lake, Robert was used up./ Compare: GIVE OUT(4), WEAR OUT.
[utility room]{n.} A room in a house or building for machinery and other things important in the daily use of the building and the work of the people in it. •/There is a utility room upstairs where Mother does the laundry./ •/The oil burner is kept in the utility room in the basement./
V
[vain] See: IN VAIN, TAKE ONE’S NAME IN VAIN.
[valor] See: DISCRETION IS THE BETTER PART OF VALOR.
[value] See: FACE VALUE.
[vanish into thin air] See: DISAPPEAR INTO THIN AIR.
[vanishing cream]{n.} A cosmetic cream for the skin that is used chiefly before face powder. •/Mrs. Jones spread vanishing cream on her face before applying her face powder./
[vanity case]{n.} 1. A small case containing face powder, lipstick, and other things and usually carried in a woman’s handbag; a compact. •/She took out her vanity case and put lipstick on./ 2. A handbag or a small bag carried by a woman and holding various toilet articles. •/She had the porter carry her big bags and she herself carried her vanity case./
[variety show]{n.} A program that includes several different kinds of entertainment (as songs, dances, comic skits and little dramas). •/Jane’s father was the master of ceremonies of a variety show on TV./
[variety store]{n.} A store that sells many different kinds of things, especially items that are fairly small and in everyday use. •/I went into a variety store and bought some paint./ •/Five-and-ten cent stores are a kind of variety store./