Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
Шрифт:
[pit-a-pat] <adv.> With a series of quick pats. * /When John asked Mary to marry him, her heart went pit-a-pat./ * /The little boy ran pit-a-pat down the hall./
[pitch] See: WILD PITCH.
[pitch a curve] or [a curve ball] <v. phr.> To catch someone unawares; confront someone with an unexpected event or act. * /My professor pitched me a curve ball when he unexpectedly confronted me with a complicated mathematical equation that was way over my head./
[pitch dark] <adj.> Totally, completely dark. * /A starless and moonless night in the country can be pitch dark./
[pitcher] See: LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS, RELIEF PITCHER, STARTING PITCHER.
[pitchfork] See: RAIN CATS AND DOGS or RAIN PITCHFORKS.
[pitch in] <v.>, <informal> 1. To begin something with much energy; start work eagerly. * /Pitch in and we will finish the job as soon as possible./ 2. To give help or money for something; contribute. * /Everyone must pitch in and work together./ * /We all pitched in a quarter to buy Nancy a present./ Syn.: CHIP IN. Compare: FALL TO.
[pitch into] <v.>, <informal> 1. To attack with blows or words. * /He pitched into me with his fists./ * /He pitched into the idea of raising taxes./ Syn.: LAY INTO(1),(2), RIP INTO. 2. To get to work at; work hard at. * /She pitched into the work and had the house cleaned up by noon./ * /He pitched into his homework right after dinner./ Compare: LAY INTO, SAIL INTO.
[pitch out] <v.> 1. To deliberately throw a pitch outside of the home plate in baseball so that the batter cannot hit the ball and the catcher can make a quick throw. * /The catcher wanted the pitcher to pitch out and see if they could catch the runner stealing./ 2. To toss the ball easily to a football back. * /The quarterback faked to the fullback and pitched out to the halfback going wide./
[pitch woo] <v. phr.>, <slang> To kiss and hug; make love. * /Mary and John pitched woo in the movies./ * /While Bob drove, Betty and Jim sat in the back pitching woo./
[pity] See: TAKE PITY ON or TAKE PITY UPON.
[place] See: HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE, HIGH PLACE, IN PLACE, INSTEAD OF or IN PLACE OF, IN THE FIRST PLACE, JUMPING-OFF PLACE, LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKES TWICE IN THE SAME PLACE, OUT OF PLACE, PUT IN ONE'S PLACE, PUT ONESELF IN ANOTHER'S PLACE, TAKE PLACE.
[plague on both your houses] or [plague o' both your houses] Bad luck to both of you!
– Used to show disgust at those who wont stop quarreling. * /The bus drivers went on strike because the bus company would not raise their pay. After several weeks, the people who needed to ride the bus to work said, "A plague on both your houses."/
[plain Jane] <n. phr.> A common or simple looking young woman or girl. * /When we were in school, Ann was a plain Jane, but she blossomed out and even won the title of Miss Indiana./
[plain] or [smooth sailing] <n. phr.> An uncomplicated, unhampered, or easy course. * /For a graduate of such a famous university as he was, that assignment was plain sailing./
[plain white wrapper] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> Unmarked police car. * /There's a plain white wrapper at your rear door!/ See: BROWN PAPER BAG.
[plan] See: LAY AWAY PLAN.
[plank] See: WALK THE PLANK.
[plan on] <v.> 1. To have the plan of; have in mind.
– Used with a verbal noun. * /I plan on going to the movies after I finish my homework./ * /Mary was planning on seeing John at the baseball game./ Syn.: FIGURE ON. 2. To think you will do or have; be sure about; expect. * /I'm hoping to go away for the weekend, but I'm not planning on it./ * /We can't order the food for the party until we know how many people to plan on./ * /We planned on Mary for the decorations, but she is sick./
[plate] See: HOME PLATE.
[platonic love] <n. phr.> Great affection toward another person without sex. * /They are platonic lovers; they do everything together except make love./
[platter] See: HAND SOMETHING TO ONE ON A SILVER PLATTER.
[play] See: ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY, DOUBLE PLAY, FAIR PLAY, FORCE PLAY, GAME AT WHICH TWO CAN PLAY, MAKE A PLAY FOR, TURN ABOUT IS FAIR PLAY.
[play along (with)] <v.> Cooperate; make no trouble. * /The honest jockey refused to play along with the bookmaker's illegal plan./
[play a part in] <v. phr.> To be instrumental in; have a role in; be concerned with. * /Some First Ladies play a greater part in political life than others./
[play around] See: FOOL AROUND.
[play around with] See: TOY WITH.
[play a waiting game] <v. phr.> To withhold action until one's chances for success improve. * /Ray would like to be vice president of the company so he is playing a waiting game in the hope that the president will soon recognize his abilities./
[play ball] <v. phr.> 1. To begin play in a ball game. * /When the umpire calls "Play ball," the game begins./ 2. <informal> To join in an effort with others; cooperate. * /To get along during Prohibition, many men felt that they had to play ball with gangsters./ * /A is often good business to play ball with a political machine./
[play by ear] <v. phr.> 1. To play a musical instrument by remembering the tune, not by reading music. * /Mary does not know how to read music. She plays the piano by ear./ * /Joe doesn't need any music sheets when he plays his guitar; he knows many songs well and can play them by ear./ 2. <informal> To decide what to do as you go along; to fit the situation.
– Used with "it". * /John decided to play it by ear when he went for his interview./ * /It was her first job and she didn't know what to expect, so we had to play it by ear./
[play cat and mouse with] <v. phr.> To tease or fool (someone) by pretending to let him go free and then catching him again. * /Joe's uncle had fun playing cat and mouse with him./ * /The policeman decided to play cat and mouse when he saw the woman steal the dress in the store./
[play down] <v.> To give less emphasis to; make (something) seem less important; divert attention from; draw notice away from. * /The newspaper stories played down the actor's unattractive past./ * /A salesman's job is to emphasize the good points of his merchandise; he must play down any faults it has./