Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[drop name]{v. phr.} To impress people by mentioning famous names. •/He likes to pretend he’s important by dropping a lot of names./
[drop off]{v.} 1. To take (someone or something) part of the way you are going. •/Joe asked Mrs. Jones to drop him off at the library on her way downtown./ 2. To go to sleep. •/Jimmy was thinking of his birthday party as he dropped off to sleep./ 3. To die. •/The patient dropped off in his sleep./ 4. or [fall off] To become less. •/Business picked up in the stores during December, but dropped off again after Christmas./ Contrast PICK UP(14).
[dropout]{n.} Someone who did not finish school, high school and college primarily. •/Tim is having a hard time getting a better job as he was a high-school dropout./ •/Jack never got his B.A. as he became a college dropout./
[drop out]{v.} To stop attending; quit; stop; leave. •/In the middle of the race, Joe got a blister on his foot and had to drop out./ •/Teenagers who drop out of high school have trouble finding jobs./
[drown one’s sorrows] or [drown one’s troubles]{v. phr.}, {informal} To drink liquor to try to forget something unhappy. •/When his wife was killed in an auto accident, Mr. Green tried to drown his sorrows in whiskey./ •/When Fred lost his job and had to give up his new car, he tried to drown his troubles at the nearest tavern./
[drown one’s troubles] See: DROWN ONE’S SORROWS.
[drown out]{v.} To make so much noise that it is impossible to hear (some other sound). •/The children’s shouts drowned out the music./ •/The actor’s words were drowned out by applause./
[drum up]{v.} 1. To get by trying or asking again and again; attract or encourage by continued effort. •/The car dealer tried to drum up business by advertising low prices./ 2. To invent. •/I will drum up an excuse for coming to see you next week./ Syn.: MAKE UP(2), THINK UP.
[dry] See: CUT AND DRIED, HIGH AND DRY.
[dry behind the ears]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Experienced; knowing how to do something. Usually used in the negative. •/John had just started working for the company, and was not dry behind the ears yet./ Compare: KNOW ONE’S WAY AROUND. Contrast: WET BEHIND THE EARS.
[dry out]{v. phr.} To cure an alcoholic. •/A longtime alcoholic. Uncle Steve is now in the hospital getting dried out./
[dry up]{v.} 1. To become dry. •/The reservoir dried up during the four-month drought./ 2. To disappear or vanish as if by evaporating. •/The Senator’s influence dried up when he was voted out of office./ 3. {slang} To stop talking. — Often used as a command. •/"Dry up!" Tony said angrily when his friend told him for the third time that he had made a mistake in his theme./ Syn.: SHUT UP(1).
[dual highway] See: DIVIDED HIGHWAY.
[duck] See: DEAD DUCK, KNEE HIGH TO A GRASSHOPPER or KNEE HIGH TO A DUCK, LAME DUCK, LIKE WATER OFF A DUCK’S BACK.
[duckling] See: UGLY DUCKLING.
[duck out]{v. phr.} To avoid; escape from something by skillful maneuvering. •/Somehow or other Jack always manages to duck out of any hard work./
[duck soup]{n.}, {slang} 1. A task easily accomplished or one that does not require much effort. •/That history test was duck soup./ 2. A person who offers no resistance; a pushover. •/How’s the new history teacher? — He’s duck soup./
[duddy] See: FUDDY-DUDDY.
[due] See: GIVE ONE’S DUE, GIVE THE DEVIL HIS DUE, IN DUE COURSE at IN GOOD TIME.
[due to]{prep.} Because of; owing to; by reason of. •/His injury was due to his careless use of the shotgun./ •/Joe’s application to the University was not accepted due to his failing English./
[dull] See: ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY.
[dumb bunny]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} Any person who is gullible and stupid. •/Jack is a regular dumb bunny./
[dumbwaiter]{n.} A small elevator for carrying food, dishes, etc., from one floor to another in hotels, restaurants, or large homes. •/The banquet was delayed because the dumbwaiter broke down and the food had to be carried upstairs by hand./
[dumps] See: DOWN IN THE DUMPS or DOWN IN THE MOUTH.
[dust] See: BITE THE DUST, KICK UP A FUSS or KICK UP A DUST, WATCH ONE’S DUST, AFTER THE DUST CLEARS/WHEN THE DUST SETTLES.
[dust off]{v.}, {informal} 1. To get ready to use again. •/Four years after he graduated from school, Tom decided to dust off his algebra book./ 2. To throw a baseball pitch close to. •/The pitcher dusted off the other team’s best hitter./ Syn.: BRUSH BACK.