Slovar' amerikanskih idiom: 8000 edinic --------------------------------------------------------------- Scanned by: Aleksandr Bykov OCR, spellcheck & formatting: Wesha the Leopard (http://wesha.lib.ru) ¡ http://wesha.lib.ru hrc-fajl sintaksicheskoj raskraski dlya prosmotra slovarya v redaktore FAR-a mozhno poluchit', poslav zapros po adresu wesha@hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Slovar' amerikanskih idiom: 8000 edinic |to obnovlennoe i dopolnennoe izdanie, soderzhashchee bolee 8000 idiomaticheskih slov i vyrazhenij, prichem kazhdoe iz kotoryh snabzheno grammaticheskim ob®yasneniem i prakticheskim primerom. Slovar' soderzhit leksemnye idiomy, frazeologicheskie edinicy i pogovorki, imeyushchie osobennoe znachenie. V nem privedeny naibolee upotrebitel'nye vyrazheniya tol'ko amerikanskogo anglijskogo yazyka. |tot slovar' - ideal'noe posobie dlya studentov, chasto raz®ezzhayushchih biznesmenov i prosto puteshestvennikov. Predislovie CHto takoe idioma? Esli v neznakomom tekste Vy ponimaete kazhdoe slovo, no ne mozhete ponyat' smysla. Vashi zatrudneniya, veroyatno, vyzvany idiomaticheskimi vyrazheniyami. Predpolozhim, Vy prochitali ili uslyshali sleduyushchij tekst: Sam is a real cool cat. He never blows his stack and hardly ever flies off the handle. What's more, he knows how to get away with things... Well, of course, he is getting on, too. His hair is pepper and salt, but he knows how to make up for lost time by taking it easy. He gets up early, works out, and turns in early. He takes care of the hot dog stand like a breeze until he gets time off. Sam's got it made; this is it for him. Ochevidno, chto etot stil' nel'zya nazvat' strogo literaturnym, no, tem ne menee, amerikancy v razgovore drug s drugom chasto upotreblyayut takie vyrazheniya. Esli Vy inostranec i znaete slova cool (prohladno), cat (koshka), blow (dut'), stack (kuchi), fly (letet'), handle (ruchka) i t.d., Vy ne pojmete dannyj obrazec razgovornogo amerikanskogo anglijskogo yazyka, potomu chto te perevody slov, kotorye nahodyatsya v obychnyh anglijskih slovaryah, ne dadut Vam tochnogo znacheniya privedennyh vyshe vyrazhenij. Iz etogo sleduet, chto idioma - eto novoe, neozhidannoe znachenie gruppy slov, kazhdoe iz kotoryh obladaet svoim sobstvennym znacheniem. Nizhe Vy najdete perevod etogo razgovornogo i neliteraturnogo teksta na bolee formal'nyj variant amerikanskogo dialekta: Sam is really a calm person. He never loses control of himself and hardly ever becomes too angry. Furthermore, he knows how to manage his business financially by using a few tricks... Needless to say, he, too, is getting older. His hair is beginning to turn gray, but he knows how to compensate for wasted time by relaxing. He rises early, exercises, and goes to bed early. He manages his frankfurter stand without visible effort, until it is someone else's turn to work there. Sam is successful; he has reached his life's goal. "Sem ochen' tihij chelovek. On nikogda ne teryaet kontrol' nad soboj i redko serditsya. Krome togo, on znaet, kak vesti svoe delo s finansovoj tochki zreniya, upotreblyaya nekotorye hitrosti... Bezuslovno, on tozhe stareet. Ego volosy sedeyut, no on umeet vosstanavlivat' potrachennye sily otdyhom. On rano vstaet, delaet gimnastiku i rano lozhitsya. So svoej rabotoj v kolbasnom magazine on spravlyaetsya bez osobogo truda, uspevaya vse sdelat' do togo, kak ego smenyat. Sem vpolne schastliv, - on dostig celi svoej zhizni". Idiomaticheskie vyrazheniya, upotreblennye v etom tekste, mozhno organizovat' v sleduyushchij nebol'shoj slovar': +=================K=============================================+ I to be a (real) I "byt' ochen' spokojnym chelovekom" I I cool cat I I L=================+=============================================¹ I to blow one's I "poteryat' kontrol' nad soboj, rasserdit'sya" I I stack I I L=================+=============================================¹ I to fly off the I "prijti v yarost'" I I handle I I L=================+=============================================¹ I what's more I "pomimo etogo, krome togo" I I I I I to get away I "smoshennichat', ostavshis' beznakazannym" I I with something I I I I I I of course I "konechno" I I I I I to be getting I "postaret'" I I on I I I I I I pepper and salt I "sedeyushchie chernye ili temnye volosy" I I I I I to make up for I "vospolnit' chto-to" I I something I I I I I I lost time I "poteryannoe vremya" I I I I I to take it easy I "ne obrashchat' vnimaniya" I I I I I to get up I "vstat' utrom" I I I I I to work out I "delat' gimnastiku" I I I I I to turn in I "lech' spat'" I I I I I to lake care of I "otvechat' za chto-to" I I something I I I I I I like a breeze I "legko, elegantno, bez usilij" I I I I I time off I "vremya otdyha" I I I I I to have got it I "byt' schastlivym, dovol'nym, udachlivym" I I made I I I I I I this is it I "vot i vse, chto nuzhno" I +=================J=============================================+ Nekotorye idiomy iz etogo nebol'shogo spiska mozhno najti v nashem slovare. Bol'shaya chast' idiom prinadlezhit obyknovennym grammaticheskim klassam ili chastyam rechi. Tak, naprimer, nekotorye idiomy po svoej prirode - tipichnye glagoly: get away with, get up, work out, turn in i t.d. Ne men'shee chislo idiomaticheskih vyrazhenij - imena. Tak, hot dog (sosiska v hlebe), The White House (Belyj Dom - oficial'naya rezidenciya amerikanskogo prezidenta) - imena sushchestvitel'nye. Nekotorye iz idiom - imena prilagatel'nye: tak, v nashem primere pepper and salt (sedeyushchie chernye ili temnye volosy) oboznachaet cvet volos. Mnogie iz etih vyrazhenij, kak, naprimer, like a breeze (legko), hammer and tongs (violently, nasil'stvenno) - narechiya. Idiomaticheskie vyrazheniya, otnosyashchiesya k odnomu iz obyknovennyh grammaticheskih klassov, nazyvayutsya leksemnymi idiomami (lexemic idioms). Vtoraya osnovnaya gruppa idiom sostoit iz fraz, takih kak nashi primery to fly off the handle (poteryat' kontrol' nad soboj) i to blow one's stack (prijti v yarost'). V amerikanskom variante anglijskogo yazyka podobnye vyrazheniya vstrechayutsya ochen' chasto. Nekotorye iz naibolee izvestnyh sleduyushchie: to kick the bucket (die, umeret', sygrat' v yashchik, otbrosit' kopyta), to be up the creek (in danger, byt' v opasnosti), to seize the bull by the horns (face a problem squarely, razreshat' problemu ili zadachu, stoyashchuyu pered nami, vzyat' byka za roga) i t.d. Idiomy etoj gruppy nazyvayutsya oborotami rechi, po-anglijski tournures (iz francuzskogo yazyka). Oni ne prinadlezhat odnomu kakomu-libo grammaticheskomu klassu (chasti rechi), i perevodit' ih nuzhno ne slovom, a gruppoj slov. Forma podobnyh idiomaticheskih vyrazhenij ustoyalas'; mnogie iz nih sovsem "zastyli" i ne mogut funkcionirovat' v drugoj forme. Rassmotrim, naprimer, idiomu to kick the bucket (die, umeret'). Upotrebiv etu formu v passivnom zaloge, my otkazyvaemsya ot idiomaticheskogo smysla, poluchiv vyrazhenie the bucket has been kicked by the cowboy (kovboj udaril vedro nogoj). Vprochem, dazhe eto vyrazhenie mozhet izmenyat'sya po vremeni, tak kak my mozhem skazat' the cowboy kicked the bucket, the cowboy will kick the bucket, the cowboy has kicked the bucket i t.d. Problema, mozhno li upotreblyat' eto idiomaticheskoe vyrazhenie v gerundivnoj forme (gerundiv, gerundive - slovo, proizvodnoe ot glagola s pomoshch'yu suffiksa -ing, naprimer, singing ot sing, eating ot eat i t.d.), ne reshena okonchatel'no uchenymi-lingvistami i nositelyami yazyka. Pravil'naya eta forma ili net, my ne rekomenduem upotreblyat' vyrazheniya tipa his kicking the bucket surprised us all. Sleduyushchij bol'shoj klass idiom sostoit iz pogovorok, takih kak don't count your chickens before they're hatched (do not celebrate the outcome of an undertaking prematurely - you may fail and will look ridiculous); bukval'no: "ne schitajte kur, poka oni ne vylupilis' iz yaic"; russkij variant pogovorki zvuchit: "cyplyat po oseni schitayut". Bol'shoe chislo pogovorok prishlo v amerikanskij variant anglijskogo yazyka iz literaturnyh istochnikov ili zhe ot pervyh anglijskih immigrantov v Ameriku. Svoim rozhdeniem idiomy obyazany tomu, chto my chashche ispol'zuem uzhe sushchestvuyushchie slova dlya vyrazheniya novyh idej, chem sozdaem novye slova s pomoshch'yu fonem yazyka. Fakticheski net yazykov, v kotoryh ne bylo by idiom. Voz'mem, naprimer, slova "ma shang", kitajskoe vyrazhenie, kotoroe znachit "bystro". Perevedennoe doslovno, ono oznachaet "loshadinaya spina". Svyaz' ponyatij loshadinoj spiny i bystroty ochevidna: ran'she, do poyavleniya poezda, avtomobilya i samoleta, bystree vsego bylo puteshestvovat' verhom na loshadi. Kitajskoe vyrazhenie "ma shang" bylo by analogom russkoj frazy: "Toropites', nam nado ehat' na loshadinoj spine". Takaya forma byla by vpolne ponyatnoj nositelyu russkogo yazyka, no inostranec dolzhen byl by ponyat', chto eto idioma. Dazhe esli inostranec nikogda ne slyshal vyrazheniya "ma shang" (loshadinaya spina), on mozhet dogadat'sya, chto eto znachit; odnako, vo mnogih sluchayah podobnye dogadki oshibochny. Naprimer, voz'mem anglijskuyu idiomu the die is cast (zhrebij broshen). Vryad li, ne znaya ee tochnogo vyrazheniya, Vy dogadaetes', chto eto vyrazhenie znachit: "YA reshil, i bol'she ne mogu izmenit' svoe reshenie". Znaya tochnoe znachenie, Vy mozhete dogadat'sya, kak vozniklo eto idiomaticheskoe vyrazhenie: kost', broshennaya vo vremya igry v kosti, po pravilam mozhet byt' broshena tol'ko odin raz, nezavisimo ot rezul'tata. Mnogie znayut, chto etu frazu proiznes YUlij Cezar', kogda pereshel Rubikon, chto yavilos' nachalom vojny. Kak nauchit'sya upotreblyat' idiomaticheskoe vyrazhenie pravil'no? Prezhde vsego, podozhdite, poka Vy ne uslyshite idiomu ot cheloveka, dlya kotorogo amerikanskij anglijskij - rodnoj yazyk. Esli Vy neodnokratno slyshali idiomu i vpolne ponyali ee znachenie, Vy sami mozhete nachat' upotreblyat' eto vyrazhenie. Predpolozhim, molodaya devushka ochen' hochet vyjti zamuzh. Ona mozhet vybirat' mezhdu dvumya vozmozhnymi zhenihami, nazovem ih Pavel i Nikolaj. Pavel nemolod, nekrasiv i nebogat, no on uzhe sdelal predlozhenie i gotov zhenit'sya hot' zavtra. Nikolaj krasiv i bogat, no on poka ne sobiraetsya zhenit'sya i neizvestno, zhenitsya li kogda-nibud'. Posle nekotorogo razmyshleniya devushka reshaet prinyat' predlozhenie Pavla, boyas' ostat'sya staroj devoj. Esli vskore posle svad'by Nikolaj priznaetsya ej, chto mechtaet byt' ee muzhem, nashej geroine ostanetsya tol'ko skazat' "Oh, well, the die is cast..." ("CHto delat', zhrebij broshen"). Esli, okazavshis' v podobnoj situacii, Vy proiznosite etu frazu, beseduya s amerikancem, i on smotrit na Vas s sochuvstviem i ne peresprashivaet: "CHto Vy imeete v vidu?" - schitajte, chto Vy dostigli pervogo uspeha, upotrebiv novuyu idiomu v pravil'nom kontekste. Amerikancy otnosyatsya k inostrancam bolee loyal'no, chem drugie nacii, no oni, konechno, ocenyat, skol' beglo Vy govorite po-anglijski. Ispol'zovanie idiom pomozhet Vam ustanovit' kontakt so slushatelem i izbezhat' reputacii "slishkom ser'eznogo" cheloveka. CHem bol'she idiom Vy upotreblyaete v pravil'nom kontekste, tem luchshe o Vas budut dumat' Vashi sobesedniki. Kak pol'zovat'sya etim slovarem? Slovar' byl sostavlen dlya lyudej, govoryashchih po-anglijski, no ne rodivshihsya v Amerike. Slovar' soderzhit leksemnye idiomy, frazeologicheskie edinicy i pogovorki, imeyushchie osobennoe znachenie. Vozmozhno, nekotorye iz idiomaticheskih vyrazhenij Vam uzhe znakomy, i Vy ponimaete, chto oni oznachayut. Najdite v slovare perevod odnoj iz sleduyushchih idiom, znachenie kotoroj Vy uzhe znaete, - eto pomozhet Vam ponyat', kak pol'zovat'sya etoj knigoj: boyfriend, girlfriend, piggy bank, get even, give up, going to, keep on, keep your mouth shut, lead somebody by the nose, look after, show off, throw away, all over, in love, mixed-up, out of this world, I'll say. CHtoby nauchit'sya pol'zovat'sya slovarem, neskol'ko raz vnimatel'no izuchite predpisaniya i popraktikujtes' v nahozhdenii znacheniya idiomaticheskih vyrazhenij. Esli Vy uslyshite idiomu, kotoroj net v knige, to, imeya nekotoryj opyt raboty s nashim slovarem, Vy smozhete najti ee znachenie i vypisat' ego dlya sebya. Zavedite Vash sobstvennyj spisok idiom i hranite ego vmeste s Vashim obychnym slovarem. Poshlite nam Vashi nablyudeniya i zamechaniya. Kak uznat', pomozhet li Vam "Slovar' idiom" ponyat' trudnuyu frazu? Inogda dogadat'sya, o chem idet rech', ne slozhno, kak v vyrazheniyah puppy love, fun house, dog-eat-dog, mixed-up. Esli zhe Vy ne mozhete perevesti vyrazhenie, vyberite osnovnoe slovo iz samoj trudnoj chasti i najdite ego v slovare. Esli eto pervoe slovo idiomy, Vy najdete vsyu frazu i perevod k nej. Takim obrazom, vyrazhenie bats in the belfry napechatano v etom slovare pod bukvoj V, slovo bats. Esli slovo, kotoroe Vy vybrali, ne pervoe slovo idiomy, Vy najdete spisok idiom, kotorye soderzhat eto slovo. Naprimer, slovo toe (palec nogi) Vy najdete v stat'yah CURL ONE'S HAIR or CURL ONE'S TOES, ON ONE'S TOES, STEP ON THE TOES (OF SOMEBODY). Konechno, Vy mozhete stolknut'sya s tem, chto ne ponimaete nekotorye frazy, potomu chto Vam neznakomy obyknovennye slova, a ne iz-za obiliya idiomaticheskih vyrazhenij. V etom sluchae Vam pomozhet obychnyj slovar'. Obratite vnimanie, chto v etom slovare privedeny naibolee upotrebitel'nye vyrazheniya tol'ko amerikanskogo anglijskogo yazyka, bez ucheta idiomatiki, naprimer, britanskogo ili avstralijskogo dialektov. Slovar', soderzhashchij idiomy vseh dialektov anglijskogo yazyka, byl by mezhdunarodnym slovarem anglijskih idiomaticheskih vyrazhenij. V nastoyashchee vremya takoj knigi net, no nadeemsya, chto v budushchem ona budet napisana. Tipy slovarnyh statej |tot slovar' soderzhit chetyre tipa statej: glavnye stat'i, prodolzhayushchiesya stat'i, stat'i-ssylki i ukazatel'nye stat'i. Glavnaya stat'ya vklyuchaet polnoe ob®yasnenie idiomy. Prodolzhayushchayasya stat'ya - fraza, proishodyashchaya ot drugoj idiomy, no kotoraya byla by samostoyatel'noj edinicej, esli by ona byla napechatana v svoem sobstvennom alfavitnom meste. |ti proizvodnye idiomy privodyatsya v konce glavnoj stat'i, naprimer, fence sitter "chelovek, sidyashchij na zabore" v konce stat'i sit on the fence "sidet' na zabore". V teh sluchayah, kogda ponyat' proizvodnuyu formu, opirayas' na osnovnoe ob®yasnenie, zatrudnitel'no, privodyatsya dopolnitel'nye ob®yasneniya. Esli idioma mozhet upotreblyat'sya v forme razlichnyh chastej rechi, privoditsya otdel'naya stat'ya na kazhdyj sluchaj. Ssylki pokazyvayut, chto ob®yasnenie mozhno najti v drugom meste. Predpolozhim, Vy hotite posmotret' vyrazhenie cast in one's lot with (reshit' stat' souchastnikami ili partnerami). Vy mozhete posmotret' na slovo cast (brosat') ili na slovo lot (sud'ba), ssylka napravit Vas k slovu throw v fraze throw in one's lot with. Prichinoj etogo yavlyaetsya tot fakt, chto slovo cast (brosat') upotreblyaetsya v segodnyashnem anglijskom yazyke gorazdo rezhe chem slovo throw. Sledovatel'no, bolee rasprostranennaya forma etoj idiomy nachinaetsya glagolom throw. Ukazatel'naya stat'ya vedet nas ko vsem drugim stat'yam, soderzhashchim iskomoe slovo. Takim obrazom, slovo chin (podborodok) soprovozhdaetsya frazami, v kotoryh Vy najdete slovo chin, takih kak keep one's chin up, stick one's chin (or neck) out, take out, take it on the chin, up to the chin. Ukazateli chastej rechi Leksemnye idiomy, kotorye my obsuzhdali ran'she, soprovozhdeny ukazatelem chasti rechi. V nekotoryh sluchayah, takih, kak, skazhem, v sluchae predlozhnyh fraz, upotreblen dvojnoj ukazatel', potomu chto dannaya fraza imeet dva grammaticheskih upotrebleniya. Bukva {v.} znachit verb (glagol); ona napechatana v frazah, soderzhashchih glagol i narechie, ili glagol i predlog, ili vse tri, to est' glagol, predlog i narechie. Sokrashchenie {v. phr.} oznachaet "verbal phrase" kak, naprimer, look up, look in i t.d., to est' sochetanie glagola s sushchestvitel'nym: glagol s dopolneniem, glagol s podlezhashchim i glagol s predlozhnoj frazoj. Ogranichitel'nye ukazateli Inostrancu, dlya kotorogo amerikanskij anglijskij - nerodnoj yazyk, sleduet obratit' osoboe vnimanie na to, v kakoj situacii kakuyu idiomu mozhno upotreblyat'. V etom chitatelyu slovarya pomogut ogranichitel'nye ukazateli. Tak, ukazatel' {slang} (sleng) pokazyvaet, chto idioma upotreblyaetsya tol'ko v famil'yarnom razgovore ochen' blizkimi druz'yami. Ukazatel' {informal} (neformal'nyj) pokazyvaet, chto vyrazhenie mozhet upotreblyat'sya v razgovore, no ne dolzhno vstrechat'sya v formal'nyh sochineniyah. Ukazatel' {formal} (formal'nyj) imeet protivopolozhnoe znachenie: on ukazyvaet, chto forma upotreblyaetsya tol'ko v nauchnyh rabotah ili pri chtenii lekcii v universitete. Ukazatel' {literary} (literaturnyj) napominaet, chto interesuyushchaya Vas idioma - shiroko izvestnaya citata; ee ne stoit upotreblyat' slishkom chasto. Ukazatel' {vulgar} (vul'garnyj, grubyj) pokazyvaet, chto Vam ne sleduet upotreblyat' etu formu. Odnako, imet' predstavlenie o podobnyh formah neobhodimo, chtoby imet' vozmozhnost' sudit' o lyudyah po yazyku, kotoryj oni upotreblyayut. Ukazatel' {substandard} (ne sootvetstvuyushchij yazykovoj norme) pokazyvaet, chto forma upotreblyaetsya maloobrazovannymi lyud'mi; {non-standard} (nestandartnyj) znachit, chto fraza neuklyuzhaya. Ukazatel' {archaic} (arhaicheskij) redko upotreblyaetsya v etoj knige; on oznachaet, chto forma ochen' redka v sovremennom anglijskom yazyke. Geograficheskie ukazateli pokazyvayut, gde idioma obrazovalas' i gde upotreblyaetsya. {Chiefly British} (glavnym obrazom britanskoe) znachit, chto amerikancy redko upotreblyayut etu formu; {southern} (yuzhnyj) znachit, chto idioma upotreblyaetsya chashche na yuge SSHA, chem na severe. Molodye formy, kotorye obrazovalis' ne bolee shesti ili semi let nazad, nahodyatsya v prilozhenii k glavnomu slovaryu. Adam Makkai Maya Aleksandrovna Glinberg A [abide by] {v.} To accept and obey; be willing to follow. * /A basketball player may know he did not foul, but he must abide by the referee's decision./ * /The members agree to abide by the rules of the club./ [a bit] {n., informal} A small amount; some. * /There's no sugar in the sugar bowl, but you may find a bit in the bag./ * /If the ball had hit the window a bit harder, it would have broken it./ - Often used like an adverb. * /This sweater scratches a bit./ - Also used like an adjective before "less", "more". * /Janet thought she could lose weight by eating a bit less./ * /"Have some more cake?" "Thanks. A bit more won't hurt me."/ - Often used adverbially after verbs in negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences, sometimes in the form "one bit". * /"Won't your father be angry?" "No, he won't care a bit."/ * /Helen feels like crying, but I'll be surprised if she shows it one bit./ - Sometimes used with "little" for emphasis, also in the emphatic form "the least bit". * /"Wasn't Bob even a little bit sorry he forgot his date?" "No, Bob wasn't the least bit sorry."/ Syn.: A LITTLE. Compare: A FEW. Contrast: A LOT. [about face] {n.} A sudden change of course or a decision opposite to what was decided earlier. * /Her decision to become an actress instead of a dentist was an about face from her original plans./ [about one's ears] or [around one's ears] {adv. phr.} To or into complete collapse, defeat, or ruin; to the destruction of a person's plans, hopes, or happiness. * /They planned to have factories all over the world but the war brought their plans down about their ears./ * /John hoped to go to college and become a great scientist some day, but when his father died he had to get a job, and John's dreams came crashing around his ears./ Compare: ON ONE'S HEAD. [about time] {n. phr.} Finally, but later than it should have been; at last. * /Mother said, "It's about time you got up, Mary."/ * /The basketball team won last night. About time./ [about to] 1. Close to; ready to. - Used with an infinitive. * /We were about to leave when the snow began./ * /I haven't gone yet, but I'm about to./ Compare: GOING TO, ON THE POINT OF. 2. {informal} Having a wish or plan to. - Used with an infinitive in negative sentences. * /Freddy wasn't about to give me any of his ice-cream cone./ * /"Will she come with us?" asked Bill. "She's not about to," answered Mary./ [above all] {adv. phr.} Of first or highest importance; most especially. * /Children need many things, but above all they need love./ Syn.: FIRST AND LAST. [above suspicion] {adj. phr.} Too good to be suspected; not likely to do wrong. * /The umpire in the game must be above suspicion of supporting one side over the other./ [absent without leave (AWOL)] {adj.} Absent without permission; used mostly in the military. * /Jack left Fort Sheridan without asking his commanding officer, and was punished for going AWOL./ [absentia] See: IN ABSENTIA. [Acapulco gold] {n., slang} Marijuana of an exceptionally high quality. * /Jack doesn't just smoke pot, he smokes Acapulco gold./ [accord] See: OF ONE'S OWN ACCORD or OF ONE'S OWN FREE WILL. [according as] {conj.} 1. Depending on which; whichever. * /You may take an oral or written exam according as you prefer./ 1. Depending on whether; if. * /We will play golf or stay home according as the weather is good or bad./ [according to] {prep.} 1. So as to match or agree with; so as to be alike in. * /Many words are pronounced according to the spelling but some are not./ * /The boys were placed in three groups according to height./ 2. On the word or authority of. * /According to the Bible, Adam was the first man./ [according to one's own lights] {adv. phr.} In accordance with one's conscience or inclinations. * /Citizens should vote according to their own lights./ [account] See: CALL TO ACCOUNT, CHARGE ACCOUNT, LEAVE OUT OF ACCOUNT, ON ACCOUNT, ON ACCOUNT OF, ON ONE'S ACCOUNT, ON ONE'S OWN ACCOUNT, SAVINGS ACCOUNT, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. [ace] See: WITHIN AN ACE OF. [ace in the hole] {n. phr.} 1. An ace given to a player face down so that other players in a card game cannot see it. * /When the cowboy bet all his money in the poker game he did not know that the gambler had an ace in the hole and would win it from him./ 2. {informal} Someone or something important that is kept as a surprise until the right time so as to bring victory or success. * /The football team has a new play that they are keeping as an ace in the hole for the big game./ * /The lawyer's ace in the hole was a secret witness who saw the accident./ Compare: CARD UP ONE'S SLEEVE. [Achilles' heel] {n. phr.}, {literary} A physical or psychological weakness named after the Greek hero Achilles who was invulnerable except for a spot on his heel. * /John's Achilles' heel is his lack of talent with numbers and math./ [acid head] {n.}, {slang} A regular user of LSD on whom the hallucinogenic drug has left a visible effect. * /The reason John acts so funny is that he is a regular acid head./ [acid rock] {n.}, {slang} A characteristic kind of rock in which loudness and beat predominate over melody; especially such music as influenced by drug experiences. * /John is a regular acid rock freak./ [acorn] See: GREAT OAKS PROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW. [acoustic perfume] {n.}, {slang} Sound for covering up unwanted noise, such as music over loudspeakers in a noisy construction area. * /Let's get out of here - this acoustic perfume is too much for my ears./ [acquire a taste for] {v. phr.} To become fond of something; get to like something. * /Jack acquired a taste for ripe cheeses when he went to France./ [across the board] {adv. phr.} 1. So that equal amounts of money are bet on the same horse to win a race, to place second, or third. * /I bet $6 on the white horse across the board./ - Often used with hyphens as an adjective. * /I made an across-the-board bet on the white horse./ 2. {informal} Including everyone or all, so that all are included. * /The President wanted taxes lowered across the board./ - Often used with hyphens as an adjective. * /The workers at the store got an across-the-board pay raise./ [across the tracks] See: THE TRACKS. [act] See: READ THE RIOT ACT. [act high and mighty] {v. phr.} To wield power; act overbearingly; order others around; look down on others. * /Paul is an inexperienced teacher and he acts high and mighty with his students./ [actions speak louder than words] What you do shows your character better and is more important than what you say. - A proverb. * /John promised to help me, but he didn't. Actions speak louder than words./ * /Joe is very quiet, but actions speak louder than words. He is the best player on the team./ [act of faith] {n. phr.} An act or a deed that shows unquestioning belief in someone or something. * /It was a real act of faith on Mary's part to entrust her jewelry to her younger sister's care./ [act of God] {n.} An occurrence (usually some sort of catastrophe) for which the people affected are not responsible; said of earthquakes, floods, etc. * /Hurricane Andrew destroyed many houses in Florida, but some types of insurance did not compensate the victims, claiming that the hurricane was an act of God./ See: FICKLE FINGER OF FATE. [act one's age] or [be one's age] {v. phr.} To do the things that people expect someone of your age to do, not act as if you were much younger than you are. * /Mr. O'Brien was playing tag with the children at the party. Then Mrs. O'Brien said, "Henry! Act your age!" and he stopped./ [actor] See: BAD ACTOR. [act out] {v.} 1. To show an idea, story, or happening by your looks, talk, and movements. * /He tried to act out a story that he had read./ 2. To put into action. * /All his life he tried to act out his beliefs./ [act up] {v.}, {informal} 1. To behave badly; act rudely or impolitely. * /The dog acted up as the postman came to the door./ 2. To work or run poorly (as a after all machine); skip; miss. * /The car acted up because the spark plugs were dirty./ [add fuel to the flame] {v. phr.} To make a bad matter worse by adding to its cause; spread trouble, increase anger or other strong feelings by talk or action. * /By criticizing his son's girl, the father added fuel to the flame of his son's love./ * /Bob was angry with Ted and Ted added fuel to the flame by laughing at him./ [add insult to injury] {v. phr.} 1. To hurt someone's feelings after doing him harm. * /He added insult to injury when he called the man a rat after he had already beaten him up./ 2. To make bad trouble worse. * /We started on a picnic, and first it rained, then to add insult to injury, the car broke down./ [addition] See: IN ADDITION. [address] See: PUBLIC-ADDRESS SYSTEM. [add the finishing touches] {v. phr.} To complete; finish. * /Mary's first novel promised to be excellent; however, her editor suggested that she should add some finishing touches before accepting it./ [add up] {v.} 1. To come to the correct amount. * /The numbers wouldn't add up./ 2. {informal} To make sense; be understandable. * /His story didn't add up./ [add up to] {v.} 1. To make a total of; amount to. * /The bill added up to $12.95./ 2. {informal} To mean; result in. * /The rain, the mosquitoes, and the heat added up to a spoiled vacation./ [ad lib] {v. phr.} To improvise; interpolate during speech. * /When the actress forgot her lines during the second act, she had to ad lib in order to keep the show going./ [advance] See: IN ADVANCE or IN ADVANCE OF. [advantage] See: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, TO ADVANTAGE. [a few] {n.} or {adj.} A small number (of people or things); some. * /The dry weather killed most of Mother's flowers, but a few are left./ * /In the store, Mary saw many pretty rings and bracelets, and she wanted to buy a few of them./ * /After the party, we thought that no one would help clean up, but a few couples did./ * /Alice wanted to read a few pages more before she stopped./ - Usually "a few" is different in meaning from "few", which emphasizes the negative; "a few" means "some", but "few" means "not many". * /We thought no one would come to lunch, but a few came./ * /We thought many people would come to lunch, but few came./ But sometimes "a few" is used with "only", and then it is negative. * /We thought many people would come to lunch, but only a few came./ - Sometimes used like an adverb. * /Three students have no seats; we need a few more chairs./ * /If we can set up chairs faster than people come and sit in them, we will soon be a few ahead./ - Sometimes used with "very" for emphasis. * /Uncle Ralph gave away almost all of his sea shells, but he still had a very few left./ Compare: A LITTLE. Contrast: A LOT, QUITE A FEW. [affair] See: LOVE AFFAIR. [afoul of] {prep.} 1. In collision with. * /The boat ran afoul of a buoy./ 2. In or into trouble with. * /The thief ran afoul of the night watchman./ * /Speeders can expect to fall afoul of the law sometimes./ [afraid of one's shadow] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Scared of small or imaginary things; very easily frightened; jumpy; nervous. * /Mrs. Smith won't stay alone in her house at night; she is afraid of her own shadow./ * /Johnny cries whenever he must say hello to an adult; he is afraid of his own shadow./ [a friend in need is a friend indeed] A genuine friend on whom one can always depend. - A proverb; often shortened to "a friend in need..." * /When John's house burned down, his neighbor Jim helped him and his family with shelter, food and clothing. John said, "Jim, a friend in need is a friend indeed - this describes you."/ [after a fashion] {adv. phr.} Not very well or properly; poorly. * /He played tennis after a fashion./ * /The roof kept the rain out after a fashion./ Compare: IN A WAY. [after all] {adv. phr.} 1. As a change in plans; anyway. - Used with emphasis on "after". * /Bob thought he couldn't go to the party because he had too much homework, but he went after all./ 2. For a good reason that you should remember. - Used with emphasis on "all". * /Why shouldn't Betsy eat the cake? After all, she baked it./ [after a while] {informal} or [in a while] {adv. phr.} Later, at some time in the future; after a time that is not short and not long. * /"Dad, will you help me make this model plane?" "After a while, Jimmy, when I finish reading the newspaper."/ * /The boys gathered some wood, and in a while, a hot fire was burning./ Syn.: BY AND BY. Contrast: RIGHT AWAY. [after hours] {adv. or adj. phr.} Not during the regular, correct, or usual time; going on or open after the usual hours. * /The store was cleaned and swept out after hours./ * /The children had a secret after hours party when they were supposed to be in bed./ [after one's own heart] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Well liked because of agreeing with your own feelings, interests, and ideas; to your liking-agreeable. Used after "man" or some similar word. * /He likes baseball and good food; he is a man after my own heart./ * /Thanks for agreeing with me about the class party; you're a girl after my own heart./ Compare: SEE EYE TO EYE. [after the dust clears] or [when the dust settles] {adv. phr.} When a troubling, confusing, or disastrous event is finally over. * /John invited Tim for dinner, but since Tim's father had just died, he replied, "Thanks. I'd like to come after the dust settles."/ [again] See: COME AGAIN, EVERY NOW AND THEN or EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, NOW AND THEN or NOW AND AGAIN, OFF AGAIN, ON AGAIN or ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN, SOMETHING ELSE AGAIN, THEN AGAIN, TIME AND AGAIN, YOU SAID IT or YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN. [against it] See: UP AGAINST IT. [against the clock] See: AGAINST TIME. [against the current] or [against the stream] See: SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT. [against the grain] {adv. phr.} 1. Across rather than with the direction of the fibers (as of wood or meat). * /He sandpapered the wood against the grain./ 2. So as to annoy or trouble, or to cause anger or dislike. - Usually follows "go". * /His coarse and rude ways went against the grain with me./ * /It went against the grain with him to have to listen to her gossip./ Compare: RUB THE WRONG WAY. [against time] or [against the clock] {adv. phr.} 1. As a test of speed or time; in order to beat a speed record or time limit. * /John ran around the track against time, because there was no one else to race against./ 2. As fast as possible; so as to do or finish something before a certain time. * /It was a race against the clock whether the doctor would get to the accident soon enough to save the injured man./ 3. So as to cause delay by using up time. * /The outlaw talked against time with the sheriff, hoping that his gang would come and rescue him./ [age] See: ACT ONE'S AGE or BE ONE'S AGE, DOG'S AGE or COON'S AGE, LEGAL AGE or LAWFUL AGE, OF AGE, OVER AGE, UNDER AGE. [agent] See: FREE AGENT. [Agent Orange] {n.} A herbicide used as a defoliant during the Vietnam War, considered by some to cause birth defects and cancer, hence, by extension, an instance of "technological progress pollution". * /If things continue as they have, we'll all be eating some Agent Orange with our meals./ [ago] See: WHILE AGO. [agree with] {v.} To have a good effect on, suit. * /The meat loaf did not agree with him./ * /The warm, sunny climate agreed with him, and he soon grew strong and healthy./ [ahead] See: DEAD AHEAD, GET AHEAD. [ahead of] {prep.} 1. In a position of advantage or power over. * /He studies all the time, because he wants to stay ahead of his classmates./ 2. In front of; before. * /The troop leader walked a few feet ahead of the boys./ 3. Earlier than; previous to, before. * /Betty finished her test ahead of the others./ [ahead of the game] {adv. or adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. In a position of advantage; winning (as in a game or contest); ahead (as by making money or profit); making it easier to win or succeed. * /The time you spend studying when you are in school will put you ahead of the game in college./ * /After Tom sold his papers, he was $5 ahead of the game./ 2. Early; too soon; beforehand. * /When Ralph came to school an hour early, the janitor said, "You're ahead of the game."/ * /John studies his lessons only one day early; if he gets too far ahead of the game, he forgets what he read./ [ahead of time] {adv. phr.} Before the expected time; early. * /The bus came ahead of time, and Mary was not ready./ * /The new building was finished ahead of time./ Contrast: BEHIND TIME. [a hell of] a [or one hell of a] {adj. or adv. phr.}, {informal} Extraordinary; very. * /He made a hell of a shot during the basketball game./ * /Max said seven months was a hell of a time to have to wait for a simple visa./ * /The fall Max took left one hell of a bruise on his knee./ [aim] See: TAKE AIM. [air] See: BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR, CLEAR THE AIR, GIVE ONESELF AIRS, GET THE AIR at GET THE BOUNCE(1), GIVE THE AIR at GIVE THE BOUNCE(1), IN THE AIR, INTO THIN AIR, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR, ON THE AIR, OUT OF THIN AIR, UP IN THE AIR, WALK ON AIR. [airbus] n. A trade name, also used informally for a wide-bodied airplane used chiefly as a domestic passenger carrier. * /Airbuses don't fly overseas, but mainly from coast to coast./ [air one's dirty linen in public] or [wash one's dirty linen in public] {v. phr.} To talk about your private quarrels or disgraces where others can hear; make public something embarrassing that should be kept secret. * /Everyone in the school knew that the superintendent and the principal were angry with each other because they aired their dirty linen in public./ * /No one knew that the boys' mother was a drug addict, because the family did not wash its dirty linen in public./ [airquake] {n.} An explosive noise of undetermined origin usually heard in coastal communities and appearing to come from some higher point in elevation. * /What was that awful noise just now? - I guess it must have been an airquake./ [air shuttle] {n.}, {informal} Air service for regular commuters operating between major cities at not too far a distance, e.g., between Boston and New York City; such flights operate without reservation on a frequent schedule. * /My dad takes the air shuttle from Boston to New York once a week./ [a la] {prep.} In the same way as; like. * /Billy played ball like a champion today, a la the professional ball players./ * /Joe wanted to shoot an apple off my head a la William Tell./ (From French "a la", in the manner of.) [albatross around one's neck] {n. phr.}, {literary} Guilt, the haunting past, an unforgettable problem. * /Even though it was an accident, John's father's death has been an albatross around John's neck./ Compare: MONKEY ON ONE'S BACK. [alert] See: ON THE ALERT. [a little] {n.} or {adj.} A small amount (of); some. - Usually "a little" is different in meaning from "little", which emphasizes the negative; "a little" means "some"; but "little" means "not much". We say * /"We thought that the paper was all gone, but a little was left."/ But we say, * /"We thought we still had a bag of flour, but little was left."/ Also, we say, * /"Bob was sick yesterday, but he is a little better today."/ But we say, * /"Bob was sick yesterday, and he is little better today."/ Sometimes "a little" is used with "only", and then it is negative. * /We thought we had a whole bag of flour, but only a little was left./ * /We have used most of the sugar; but a little is left./ * /We did not eat all the cake; we saved a little of it for you./ * /I'm tired; I need a little time to rest./ * /Where is the paper? I need a little more./ - Often used like an adverb. * /Usually the teacher just wa