Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[burn-out]{n.} A point of physical or emotional exhaustion. •/There are so many refugees all over the world that charitable organizations as well as individuals are suffering from donor burn-out./
[burn rubber]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To start up a car or a motorcycle from dead stop so fast that the tires leave a mark on the road. •/The neighborhood drag racers burned a lot of rubber — look at the marks on the road!/ 2. To leave in a hurry. •/I guess I am going to have to burn rubber./
[burnt child dreads the fire] or [once bitten, twice shy] A person who has suffered from doing something has learned to avoid doing it again. — A proverb. •/Once Mary had got lost when her mother took her downtown. But a burnt child dreads the fire, so now Mary stays close to her mother when they are downtown./
[burn the candle at both ends]{v. phr.} To work or play too hard without enough rest; get too tired. •/He worked hard every day as a lawyer and went to parties and dances every night; he was burning the candle at both ends./
[burn the midnight oil]{v. phr.} To study late at night. •/Exam time was near, and more and more pupils were burning the midnight oil./
[bum to a crisp]{v. phr.} To burn black; burn past saving or using especially as food. •/While getting breakfast, Mother was called to the telephone, and when she got back, the bacon had been burned to a crisp./
[burn up]{v.} 1. To burn completely; destroy or be destroyed by fire. •/Mr. Scott was burning up old letters./ •/The house burned up before the firemen got there./ 2. {informal} To irritate, anger, annoy. •/The boy’s laziness and rudeness burned up his teacher./ •/The breakdown of his new car burned Mr. Jones up./
[burn up the road]{v. phr.}, {informal} To drive a car very fast. •/In his eagerness to see his girl again, he burned up the road on his way to see her./ •/Speed demons burning up the road often cause accidents./
[burst at the seams]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be too full or too crowded. •/John ate so much he was bursting at the seams./ •/Mary’s album was so full of pictures it was bursting at the seams./
[burst into]{v. phr.} 1. To enter suddenly. •/Stuart burst into the room, screaming angrily./ 2. To break out. •/The crowd burst out cheering when the astronauts paraded along Fifth Avenue./
[burst into flames]{v. phr.} To begin to burn suddenly. •/The children threw away some burning matches and the barn burst into flames./
[burst into tears]{v. phr.} To suddenly start crying. •/Mary burst into tears when she heard that her brother was killed in a car accident./
[burst with joy] or [pride]{v. phr.} To be so full of the feeling of joy or pride that one cannot refrain from showing one’s exuberant feelings. •/Armstrong and Aldrin burst with pride when they stepped out on the moon in July, 1969./
[bury one’s head in the sand] See: HIDE ONE’S HEAD IN THE SAND.
[bury the hatchet]{v. phr.}, {informal} To settle a quarrel or end a war; make peace. •/The two men had been enemies a long time, but after the flood they buried the hatchet./ Compare: MAKE UP(5).
[bus] See: MISS THE BOAT or MISS THE BUS.
[bush] See: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH.
[bushel] See: HIDE ONE’S LIGHT UNDER A BUSHEL.
[bushes] See: BEAT THE BUSHES.
[business] See: DO THE BUSINESS, HAVE NO BUSINESS, LAND-OFFICE BUSINESS, MEAN BUSINESS, MONKEY BUSINESS, THE BUSINESS.
[bust up]{v. phr.}, {slang} To terminate a partnership, a relationship, a friendship, or a marriage. •/If Jack keeps drinking the way he does, it will bust up his marriage to Sue./
[busy work]{n.} Work that is done not to do or finish anything important, but just to keep busy. •/When the teacher finished all she had to say it was still a half hour before school was over. So she gave the class a test for busy work./
[but for] See: EXCEPT FOR.
[but good]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Very much so; thoroughly completely; forcefully. — Used for emphasis. •/Jack called Charles a bad name, and Charles hit him, but good./ •/Tom fell and broke his leg. That taught him but good not to fool around in high trees./ Compare: AND HOW.
[but not least] See: LAST BUT NOT LEAST.
[butter] See: BREAD AND BUTTER.
[butterflies in one’s stomach]{n. phr.} A queer feeling in the stomach caused by nervous fear or uncertainty; a feeling of fear or anxiety in the stomach. •/When Bob walked into the factory office to ask for a job, he had butterflies in his stomach./
[butter up]{v.}, {informal} To try to get the favor or friendship of (a person) by flattery or pleasantness. •/He began to butter up the boss in hope of being given a better job./ Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.
[butter wouldn’t melt in one’s mouth]{informal} You act very polite and friendly but do not really care, you are very nice to people but are not sincere. •/The new secretary was rude to the other workers, but when she talked to the boss, butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth./
[butt in]{v.}, {slang} To join in with what other people are doing without asking or being asked; interfere in other people’s business; meddle. •/Mary was explaining to Jane how to knit a sweater when Barbara butted in./ Often used with "on". •/John butted in on Bill and Tom’s fight, and got hurt./ Compare: HORN IN.