Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

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[second-class(1)] <adj.> 1. Belonging in the class that is next to the highest or next best. * /He was only a second-class math student./ * /His parents traveled as second-class passengers on the boat./ * /The periodical came as second-class mail./ Compare: FIRST-CLASS, THIRD-CLASS. 2. Not so good as others; second-rate. * /They were never given full democratic rights but were always treated as second-class citizens./

[second-class(2)] <adv.> By second class. * /We went second-class on the train to New York./ * /I mailed the newspaper second-class./

[second cousin] <n.> A child of your father's or mother's first cousin. * /Mary and Jane are second cousins./

[second-guess] <v. phr.> 1. To criticize another's decision with advantage of hindsight. * /The losing team's coach is always second-guessed./ 2. To guess what someone else intends or would think or do. * /Television planners try to second-guess the public./

[secondhand] <adj.> Used; not new; preowned. * /Sometimes a secondhand car is just as reliable as a brand new one./

[second nature] <n.> Something done without any special effort, as if by natural instinct. * /Cutting tall trees has become second nature to the experienced lumberjack./

[second-rate] <adj.> Of mediocre or inferior quality. * /The movie received a bad review; it was second-rate at best./

[second-run] <adj.> Of a movie: Shown in many movie theaters before, and allowed to be shown later in other movie theaters. * /Tickets to second-run movies cost much less./

[second sight] <n. phr.> Intuition; prescience; clairvoyance. * /Some police departments employ psychics to find missing persons or objects as they are said to have second sight./

[second thought] <n.> A change of ideas or opinions resulting from more thought or study. * /Your second thoughts are very often wiser than your first ideas./ * /We decided to climb the mountain, but on second thought realized that it was too dangerous./ Compare: THINK BETTER OF.

[second to none] <adj. phr.> Excellent; first rate; peerless. * /Our new State University campus is second to none. There is no need to pay all that high tuition at a private college./

[second wind] also [second breath] <n.> 1. The easier breathing that follows difficult breathing when one makes a severe physical effort, as in running or swimming./ * /After the first quarter mile, a mile runner usually gets his second wind and can breathe better./ * /We climbed with labored breathing for half an hour, but then got our second wind and went up more easily./ 2. <informal> The refreshed feeling you get after first becoming tired while doing something and then becoming used to it. * /Tom became very tired of working at his algebra, but after a while he got his second wind and began to enjoy it./

[secret] See: IN SECRET, OPEN SECRET.

[section gang] or [section crew] <n.> A group of railroad workers who watch and repair a number of miles of track. * /The section crew was called out to fix the broken bridge./

[section hand] <n.> A worker who repairs railway track; one of the men in a section gang. * /The section hands moved off the track while the train went by./

[security blanket] <n.>, <slang>, <colloquial> An idea, person, or object that one holds on to for psychological reassurance or comfort as infants usually hang on to the edge of a pillow, a towel, or a blanket. * /Sue has gone to Aunt Mathilda for a chat; she is her security blanket./

[see] See: CAN'T SEE THE WOODS FOR THE TREES, LET ME SEE or LET'S SEE.

[see a lot of] <v. phr.> To go out regularly with someone; have an affair with someone. * /They have been seeing a lot of each other lately./

[see about] <v.> 1. To find out about; attend to. * /If you are too busy, I'll see about the train tickets./ 2. <informal> To consider; study. * /I cannot take time now but I'll see about your plan when I have time./ Compare: SEE TO, LOOK INTO, THINK OVER.

[see after] See: LOOK AFTER.

[see better days] <v. phr.> 1. To enjoy a better or happier life. * /Mr. Smith is poor now, but he will see better days./ 2. To become old, damaged, or useless. Used in the perfect tense. * /Mv blue coat is ten years old. It has seen better days./ * /Our car wasn't old, but it had seen better days./

[see beyond one's nose] or [see beyond the end of one's nose] <v. phr.> To make wise judgments about questions of importance to yourself and others; act with farseeing understanding. Used in negative, conditional, and interrogative sentences. * /He couldn't save money or make plans for the future; he just never saw beyond the end of his nose./ * /People who always complain about school taxes would stop it if they could see beyond their noses and understand the importance of first-class schools./

[seed] See: GO TO SEED or RUN TO SEED.

[see daylight] <v. phr.>, <informal> To know that an end or success is near. * /We thought we would never finish building the house, but now we can see daylight./ * /Sarah thought it would take forever to read the book for her report, but finally she saw daylight./

[see eye to eye] <v. phr.> To agree fully; hold exactly the same opinion. * /Though we did not usually agree, we saw eye to eye in the matter of reducing taxes./ * /Jim did not see eye to eye with Sally on where they would go for their vacation./

[see fit] or [think fit] <v. phr.> To decide that an action is necessary, wise, or advisable; choose. * /Jim asked "Dad, what time should I come home after the dance?" His father answered, "You way do as you see fit."/ - Often used with an infinitive. * /After much thought, we did not see fit to join the Smiths on their Caribbean cruise./ * /The boys were angry because Ed thought fit to report the fight to the principal./

[see how the land lies] <v. phr.>, <informal> To reconnoiter; investigate. * /Before going there in person to ask for a job, you had better see how the land lies and who does what./ Compare: CASE THE JOINT.