Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
Шрифт:
[one-upmanship] <v.>, <informal> Always keeping ahead of others; trying to keep an advantage. * /No matter what I do, I find that Jim has already done it better. He's an expert at one-upmanship./ * /Jack took the news to the principal while we were still talking about it. He's very quick to practice one-upmanship./ Compare: ONE UP. (The word one-upmanship was made up by a British humorist, Stephen Potter, on the pattern of such words as sportsmanship and workmanship.)
[on faith] <adv. phr.> Without question or proof. * /He said he was twenty-one years old and the employment agency took him on faith./ * /He looked so honest that we accepted his story on faith./
[on file] <adv. phr.> Placed in a written or electronic file; on record. * /We are sorry we cannot hire you right now but we will keep your application on file./
[on fire] See: SET THE WORLD ON FIRE.
[on foot] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. By walking. * /Sally's bicycle broke and she had to return home on foot./ 2. Being planned. * /The reporter said that a civil rights demonstration was on foot./ * /Plans have been set on foot for a party for Miss Jackson, because she is retiring./
[on guard] <adj. phr.> Watchful; watching. * /The police warned people to he on guard for pickpockets during the Christmas rush./ * /Two men are on guard at the door./ Contrast: OFF GUARD.
[on hand] <adv. phr.> 1a. Nearby; within reach. * /Always have your dictionary on hand when you study./ 1b. Here. * /Soon school will end and vacation will be on hand./ 2. Present. * /Mr. Blake's secretary is always on hand when he appears in public./ 3. In your possession; ready. * /The Girl Scouts have plenty of cookies on hand./ * /Tim had no cash on hand to pay for the gas./ Compare: IN STORE.
[on high cotton] See: ON TOP OF THE WORLD also SITTING ON HIGH COTTON.
[on hold] <adv. phr.> 1. Left waiting while making a telephone call. * /"Sorry sir," the secretary said, "I'll have to put you on hold for a minute."/ 2. Waiting; temporarily halted. * /"Put your marriage plans on hold, son, and wait until after graduation," his father said seriously./
[on ice] <adv.> or <adj. phr.>, <slang> 1. The same as won; sure to be won. * /The score was 20-10 in the last inning, and our team had the game on ice./ 2. Away for safekeeping or later use; aside. * /You will have to put your vacation plans on ice until your debts are paid./ * /The senator was voted out of office. He is on ice until the next election./
[on in years] See: ALONG IN YEARS.
[onion] See: KNOW ONE'S WAY AROUND(2).
[only] See: HAVE EYES ONLY FOR, IF ONLY.
[on occasion] <adv. phr.> Sometimes; occasionally. * /We go to New York on occasion./ * /On occasion we feel like celebrating and have a party./ Compare: ONCE IN A WHILE, FROM TIME TO TIME.
[on one hand] <adv. phr.> Looking at a thing in one of two possible ways; from one point of view.
– Usually used with "on the other hand". * /John wants to be a printer or a teacher; on one hand, printing pays better; on the other hand, schools need good teachers./
[on one's account] <adv. phr.> For your good; because you want to help or please someone. * /Barry studied hard on his mother's account./ * /I hope you didn't bring tea to the picnic just on my account./ * /The teacher stayed in school a little late on Tom's account./ Compare: OF ONE'S OWN ACCORD, ON ACCOUNT OF.
[on one's back] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Making insistent demands of you; being an annoyance or bother. * /My wife has been on my back for weeks to fix the front door screen./ * /I can't get any work done with the children on my back from morning until night./ * /Jim could do a better job if his boss weren't on his back so often./ Contrast: OFF ONE'S BACK.
[on one's bad side] or [on the bad side of one] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Not liked by someone; not friendly with a person. * /Sally's boyfriend got on Father's bad side by keeping Sally out too late after the dance./ Contrast: ON ONE'S GOOD SIDE.
[on one's behalf] See: ON BEHALF OF.
[on one's chest] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Hidden in your thoughts or feelings and bothering you; making you feel worried or upset; that is something you want to talk to someone about. * /Jane looks unhappy because she has the quarrel with Susan on her chest./ * /"Well, Dave," said the coach, "You look sad - what's on your chest?"/ Compare: ON ONE'S MIND. Contrast: OFF ONE'S CHEST,
[on one's coattails] <adv. phr.> Because of another's merits, success, or popularity. * /Bob and Jim are best friends. When Jim was invited to join a fraternity, Bob rode in on his coattails./ * /Many people vote straight for all the candidates in the same political party. Most people voted for President K., so Governor B. rode in on K.'s coattails./
[on oneself] See: TAKE ON ONESELF.
[on one's feet] <adv. phr.> 1. Standing or walking; not sitting or lying down; up. * /Before the teacher finished asking the question, George was on his feet ready to answer it./ * /In a busy gasoline station, the attendant is on his feet all day./ Compare: TO ONE'S FEET. Contrast: OFF ONE'S FEET. 2. Recovering; getting better from sickness or trouble. * /Jack is back on his feet after a long illness./ * /Susan was on her feet soon after the operation./ * /The bank loaned the store money to get it back on its feet after the fire./ 3. See: LAND ON ONE'S FEET, STAND ON ONE'S OWN FEET, THINK ON ONE'S FEET.
[on one's good behavior] <adv. phr.> Behaving right to make a good impression. * /While his father was around the boy was on his good behavior, but when the father left the boy soon got into mischief./ * /The minister is coming to dinner, and Mother wants us to be on our good behavior./
[on one's good side] or [on the good side of one] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Friendly with someone; liked by a person. * /John thought that he would get a good grade if he got on the good side of the teacher./ * /Successful workers stay on the good side of their bosses./ Contrast: ON ONE'S BAD SIDE.
[on one's hands] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> In your care or responsibility; that you must do something about. * /Mrs. Blake left her five children with me while she shopped. I could not get anything done with the children on my hands./ * /After everyone bought tickets to the dance, the club treasurer had over $100 on his hands./ * /The electricity went off while Mother was cooking supper, and she had a problem on her hands./ * /I had time on my hands before the bus came, so I bought a newspaper to read./ Contrast: OFF ONE'S HANDS. See: SIT ON ONE'S HANDS. Compare: HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE'S HANDS.