Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
Шрифт:
[make over] <v.> 1. To change by law something from one owner to another owner; change the name on the title (lawful paper) from one owner to another. * /Mr. Brown made over the title to the car to Mr. Jones./ 2. To make something look different; change the style of. * /He asked the tailor to make over his pants. The tailor cut off the cuffs and put a belt across the back./
[make passes at] See: MAKE A PASS AT.
[make rounds] <v. phr.> To travel the same route, making several stops along the way. * /The milkman makes his rounds every morning./ * /The doctor makes the rounds of the hospital rooms./
[make sense] <v. phr.> 1. To be something you can understand or explain; not be difficult or strange. * /The explanation in the school book made no sense because the words were hard./ Compare: MAKE HEAD OR TAIL OF. 2. To seem right to do; sound reasonable or practical. * /Does it make sense to let little children play with matches?/
[make short work of] <v. phr.> To finish rapidly. * /The cat made short work of the baby rabbit./ * /Tim was anxious to get to the movies so he made short work of his homework./
[make sit up] <v. phr.> To shock to attention; surprise; create keen interest. * /Her sudden appearance at the party and her amazingly low-cut dress made us all sit up./
[make something of] <v. phr.> 1. To make (something) seem important. * /When girls see another girl with a boy, they often try to make something of it./ 2. To start a fight over; use as an excuse to start a quarrel. * /Bob accidentally shoved Bill in the corridor, and Bill made something of it./ * /Ann didn't like what Mary said about her. She tried to make something of what Mary said./ Compare: START SOMETHING.
[make sport of] See: MAKE FUN OF.
[make sure] <v. phr.> To see about something yourself; look at to be sure. * /Father makes sure that all the lights are off before he goes to bed./ * /Mary thought she had time to get to school but she ran all the way just to make sure./ * /Before you write your report on the life of Washington you should make sure of your facts./
[make the best of] <v. phr.> To do something you do not like to do and not complain; accept with good humor. * /The girl did not like to wash dishes but she made the best of it./ Compare: MAKE A VIRTUE OF NECESSITY.
[make the blood boil] See: MAKE ONE'S BLOOD BOIL.
[make the feathers fly] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To enjoy working; be strong and work hard. * /When Mrs. Hale did her spring cleaning she made the feathers fly./ 2. See: MAKE THE FUR FLY.
[make the fur fly] or [make the feathers fly] <v. phr.>, <informal> Say or write mean things about someone or to jump on and fight hard. * /A man fooled Mr. Black and got his money. Mr. Black will really make the fur fly when he finds the man./ * /Mrs. Baker's dog dug holes in her neighbor's garden. The neighbor really made the fur fly when she saw Mrs. Baker./
[make the grade] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To make good; succeed. * /It was clear that Mr. Baker had made the grade in the insurance business./ * /It takes hard study to make the grade in school./ 2. To meet a standard; qualify. * /That whole shipment of cattle made the grade as prime beef./
[make the most of] <v. phr.> To do the most you can with; get the most from; use to the greatest advantage. * /She planned the weekend in town to make the most of it./ * /George studied hard. He wanted to make the most of his chance to learn./ * /The teacher went out of the room for five minutes and some bad boys made the most of it./ * /Bill liked Mary; he would do anything for her, and Mary made the most of it./ Compare: MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES.
[make the scene] <v. phr.>, <slang> To be present; to arrive at a certain place or event. * /I am too tired to make the scene; let's go home./
[make things hum] See: KEEP THINGS HUMMING.
[make time] <v. phr.>, <slang> 1. To be successful in arriving at a designated place in short or good time. * /We're supposed to be there at 6 P.M., and it's only 5:30 - we're making good time./ 2. To be successful in making sexual advances to someone. * /Joe sure is making time with Sue, isn't he?/
[make tongues wag] See: TONGUES TO WAG.
[make tracks] <v. phr.>, <informal> To go fast; get a speedy start; hurry. * /Man, it's time we made tracks!/ * /The boys made tracks for home when it began to get dark./ Compare: GET GOING, MAKE HASTE.
[makeup] <n.> (stress on "make") 1. Cosmetics. * /All the actors and actresses put on a lot of makeup./ 2. Attributive auxiliary in lieu of, or belated. * /The professor gave a makeup to the sick students./
[make up] <v.> (stress on "up") 1. To make by putting things or parts together. * /A car is made up of many different parts./ 2. To invent; think and say something that is new or not true. * /Jean makes up stories to amuse her little brother./ 3a. To do or provide (something lacking or needed); do or supply (something not done, lost, or missed); get back; regain; give back; repay. * /I have to make up the test I missed last week./ * /I want to go to bed early to make up the sleep I lost last night./ * /We have to drive fast to make up the hour we lost in Boston./ * /Vitamin pills make up what you lack in your diet./ * /The toy cost a dollar and Ted only had fifty cents, so Father made up the difference./ - Often used in the phrase "make it up to". * /Uncle Fred forgot my birthday present but he made it up to me by taking me to the circus./ * /Mrs. Rich spent so much time away from her children that she tried to make it up to them by giving them things./ Compare: MAKE GOOD. 3b. To do what is lacking or needed; do or give what should be done or given; get or give back what has been lost, missed, or not done; get or give instead; pay back.
– Used with "for". * /We made up for lost time by taking an airplane instead of a train./ * /Saying you are sorry won't make up for the damage of breaking the window./ * /Mary had to make up for the time she missed in school when she was sick, by studying very hard./ * /The beautiful view at the top of the mountain makes up for the hard climb to get there./ 4. To put on lipstick and face paint powder. * /Clowns always make up before a circus show./ * /Tom watched his sister make up her face for her date./ 5. To become friends again after a quarrel. * /Mary and Joan quarreled, but made up after a while./ Compare: BURY THE HATCHET. 6. To try to make friends with someone; to win favor. Followed by "to". * /The new boy made up to the teacher by sharpening her pencils./
[make up one's mind] <v. phr.> To choose what to do; decide. * /They made up their minds to sell the house./ * /Tom couldn't decide whether he should tell Mother about the broken window or let her find it herself./ Contrast: ON THE FENCE.
[make waves] <v. phr.>, <informal> Make one's influence felt; create a disturbance, a sensation. * /Joe Catwallender is the wrong man for the job; he is always trying to make waves./
[make way] <v. phr.> To move from in front so someone can go through; stand aside. * /The people made way for the king./ * /When older men retire they make way for younger men to take their places./
[mama's boy] <n. phr.>, <informal> A boy who depends too much on his mother; a sissy. * /The other boys called Tommy a mama's boy because he wouldn't come out to play unless his mother stayed near him./
[man] See: COMPANY MAN, EVERY LAST MAN also EVERY MAN JACK, FRONT MAN, HIRED MAN, LADY'S MAN, NEW MAN, SEPARATE THE MEN FROM THE BOYS, TO A MAN, YES-MAN.
[man] or [the man] <n.>, <slang> 1. The police; a policeman. * /I am gonna turn you in to the man./ 2. The boss; the leader; the most important figure in an organization or outfit. * /The man will decide./