Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[monkey] See: GREASE MONKEY, MAKE A FOOL OF or MAKE A MONKEY OF.
[monkey around] See: FUCK AROUND, HORSE AROUND, MESS AROUND.
[monkey business] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. Any unethical, illegitimate, or objectionable activity that is furtive or deceitful, e.g., undercover sexual advances, cheating, misuse of public funds, etc. * /There is a lot of monkey business going on in that firm; you'd better watch out who you deal with!/ 2. Comical or silly actions; goofing off. * /Come on boys, let's cut out the monkey business and get down to work!/
[monkey on one's back] <n. phr.>, <informal> An unsolved or nagging problem. * /"My math course is a real monkey on my back," Jack complained./ Compare: ALBATROSS AROUND ONE'S NECK, MILLSTONE AROUND ONE'S NECK.
[monkey wrench] See: THROW A MONKEY WRENCH.
[monster] See: GREEN-EYED MONSTER.
[month in, month out] See: DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
[month of Sundays] <n. phr.>, informal A very long time.
– Used for emphasis after "for" or "in" and usually with a negative verb. * /I have not had devil's food cake in a month of Sundays./ * /When he got her first letter, he felt that he had not heard from her for a month of Sundays./ Syn.: DOG'S AGE.
[moon] See: ASK FOR THE MOON or CRY FOR THE MOON, DARK OF THE MOON, FULL OF THE MOON, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, PROMISE THE MOON.
[moonshine] <n.> Illegally distilled alcoholic beverage made at home, mostly on a farm. * /Grandpa is at it again in the barn, making moonshine out of plums./
[mop the floor with] or [mop up the floor with] or [wipe the floor with] or [wipe up the floor with] <v. phr.>, <slang> To defeat very clearly or quickly; to beat badly. * /The bully threatened to mop up the floor with Billy./ * /Our team wiped the floor with the visiting team./
[mop up] <v. phr.> To disperse or liquidate isolated groups or detachments of opposing forces. * /Our forces won the basic battle but there still remain pockets of resistance they must mop up./
[mop up the floor with] See: MOP THE FLOOR WITH.
[more] See: BITE OFF MORE THAN ONE CAN CHEW.
[more often than not] <adv. phr.> More than half the time; fifty-one or more times out of a hundred; not quite usually, but fairly regularly. * /Nancy comes over on Saturday more often than not./ * /Ben is a fairly good runner. He wins more often than not./
[more or less] <adv. phr.> 1. Somewhat; rather; mostly; fairly. * /Earl made some mistakes on the test, but his answers were more or less right./ * /Ed is more or less intelligent./ * /Betty believes more or less in fairies./ Compare: IN A WAY. 2. About; nearly; not exactly, but almost. * /The new building cost more or less what the builder figured./ * /It is a mile, more or less, from his home to the school./ * /He has wanted to date her more or less since he first saw her./ Compare: OR SO.
[more than] <adv.> Over what you might expect; very. * /They were more than glad to help./ * /He was more than upset by the accident./ Contrast: LESS THAN.
[more than one can chew] See: BITE OFF MORE THAN ONE CAN CHEW.
[more than one could shake a stick at] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Very many; a great many; more than you can count. * /There were more people at the game than you could shake a stick at./ * /I had more assignments for homework than I could shake a stick at./
[more the merrier] <n. phr.> The more people who join in the fun, the better it will be.
– Used in welcoming more people to join others in some pleasant activity. * /Come with us on the boat ride; the more the merrier./
[morning after] <n.>, <slang> The effects of drinking liquor or staying up late as felt the next morning; a hangover. * /One of the troubles of drinking too much liquor is the morning after./ * /Mr. Smith woke up with a big headache and knew it was the morning after./
[Moses] See: HOLY CATS or HOLY MOSES.
[moss] See: ROLLING STONE GATHERS NO MOSS.
[most] See: AT MOST, MAKE THE MOST OF.
[mother] See: TIED TO ONE'S MOTHER'S APRON STRINGS.
[motion] See: GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS.
[mountain] See: MAKE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL.
[mouse] See: PLAY CAT AND MOUSE WITH.
[mouth] See: BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN ONE'S MOUTH, BUTTER WOULDN'T MELT IN ONE'S MOUTH, BY WORD OF MOUTH, DOWN IN THE DUMPS or DOWN IN THE MOUTH, FOAM AT THE MOUTH, HEART IN ONE'S MOUTH, KEEP ONE'S MOUTH SHUT, LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF ONE'S MOUTH, LEAVE A BAD TASTE IN ONE'S MOUTH, LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH, LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH, MAKE ONE'S MOUTH WATER, MELT IN ONE'S MOUTH, PUT ONE'S FOOT IN IT or PUT ONE'S FOOT IN ONE'S MOUTH, PUT WORDS INTO ONE'S MOUTH, SHOOT OFF ONE'S MOUTH, STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH, TAKE THE BIT IN ONE'S MOUTH, TAKE THE BREAD OUT OF ONE'S MOUTH.
[mouthful] See: SAY A MOUTHFUL.
[mouth-watering] <adj.> Smelling or looking very good to eat. * /It was a mouth-watering meal./
[move] See: GET A MOVE ON, ON THE MOVE.
[move a muscle] <v. phr.> To move even a very little.
– Used in negative sentences and questions and with "if". * /The deer stood without moving a muscle until the hunter was gone./ * /The girls were so startled that they did not move a muscle./ * /You're sitting right where you were when I left! Have you moved a muscle?/ * /The robber said he would shoot the bank worker if he moved a muscle./
[move heaven and earth] <v. phr.> To try every way; do everything you can. * /Joe moved heaven and earth to be sent to Washington./ Compare: LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED.
[move in on] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <colloquial> To take over something that belongs to another. * /He moved in on my girlfriend and now we're not talking to each other./
[movement] See: LABOR MOVEMENT.
[moving spirit] <n. phr.> The main figure behind a business or an activity; the one who inspires the others. * /Mr. Smith is the moving spirit behind our expansion plans./