Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
Шрифт:
[seeing is believing] Seeing something is good proof. * /Bill told Joe he had passed his test, but Joe said, "Seeing is believing."/
[see into] <v.> To know or understand the real nature or meaning of. * /Suddenly the teacher saw into Linda's strange actions./
[see off] <v.> To go to say or wave goodbye to. * /His brother went to the train with him to see him off./ * /When Marsha flew to Paris, Flo saw her off at the airport./
[see one home] <v. phr.> To walk a person home. * /"Let me see you home, dear," Nick said to Jenny at the end of the party./
[see one's way clear] <v. phr.> To know no reason for not doing something; feel that you are free. * /John finally saw his way clear to help his friends./ * /Mary had to do her homework and help her mother before she could see her way clear to go to the movies with Jane./
[see out] <v.> 1. To go with to an outer door. * /A polite man sees his company out after a party./ 2. To stay with and finish; not quit. * /Pete's assignment was hard but he saw it out to the end./
[see reason] <v. phr.> To think or act sensibly, especially after realizing what the facts are on a certain matter and accepting advice about it. * /He finally saw reason and reshaped his sales strategy by lowering the prices as his older brother had suggested./
[see red] <v. phr.>, <informal> To become very angry. * /Whenever anyone teased John about his weight, he saw red. /
[see service] <v. phr.> 1. To be used over a considerable period of time. * /This old camera of mine has already seen six years of service./ 2. To serve in a military sense. * /Colonel Hutchins has seen service in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf./
[see stars] <v. phr.>, <informal> To imagine you are seeing stars as a result of being hit on the head. * /When Ted was hit on the head by the ball, he saw stars./ * /The boxer's head hit the floor, making him see stars./
[see the beat] See: HEAR THE BEAT.
[see the color of one's money] <v. phr.>, <informal> To know that you have money to spend. * /The realtor would not show us a house until he saw the color of our money./ * /Before I show you the diamond, let me see the color of your money./
[see the last of] <v. phr.> To say good-bye to someone or something; get rid of something. * /We were glad to see the last of the winter./
[see the light] <v. phr.>, <informal> To understand or agree, often suddenly; accept another's explanation or decision. * /I did not approve of his action, but he explained his reason and then I saw the light./ * /Bill wanted Harry to help him, but Harry wasn't in the mood until Bill offered to pay him. Then Harry saw the light./ * /Mary thought it was fun to date older boys but when they started drinking, she saw the light./
[see the light at the end of the tunnel] <v. phr.>, <informal> To anticipate the happy resolution of a prolonged period of problems. * /We've been paying on our house mortgage for many years, but at long last we can see the light at the end of the tunnel./
[see the light of day] <v. phr.> To be born or begun. * /The children visited the old house where their great-grandfather first saw the light of day./ * /The party was a failure, and Mathilda wished her plan had never seen the light of day./
[see the sights] See: SIGHTSEE.
[see things] <v. phr.>, <informal> To imagine sights which are not real; think you see what is not there. * /I had not seen him for twenty years and when we met on the street I thought I was seeing things./ * /She woke her husband to tell him she had seen a face at the window, but he told her she was seeing things./
[see through] <v.> 1. To understand the real meaning of or reason for; realize the falseness of. * /Mother saw through Johnny's excuses not to go to bed on Christmas Eve. She knew he wanted to stay up to see Santa Claus./ * /The teacher saw through the boy's story of having to help at home./ 2. To do (something) until finished; stay with until the end. * /Once Charles started a job, he saw it through till it was finished./ 3. To help and encourage (a person) through trouble or difficulty. * /Mrs. Miller saw Jane through her sickness./ * /When Mr. and Mrs. Brown lost their little girl, their friends saw them through with help and sympathy./ * /His business was about to fail, but his banker saw him through./ 4. To be enough for; last. * /This money will see us through the week./ * /Here is a long report to type. Do you have enough paper to see you through?/ Compare: TIDE OVER.
[see to] also [look to] <v.> To attend to; take care of; do whatever needs to be done about. * /While Donna bought the theatre tickets, I saw to the parking of the car./ Compare: SEE ABOUT.
[see to it] <v. phr.> To take care; take the responsibility; make sure.
– Usually used with a noun clause. * /We saw to it that the child was fed and bathed./
[see with rose-colored glasses] See: LOOK AT THE WORLD THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES.
[seed money] <n. phr.> A small grant or donation for others to be able to start a new venture. * /All you need is some seed money and you can set up your own desk-top publishing firm./
[seize on] <v.> To make use of (a happening or idea.) * /Bob seized on the rain as an excuse for missing school./
[seize on] or [upon] <v. phr.> To latch onto. * /Whenever Herb is in a romantic mood, Irene seizes on it and starts talking about marriage, which is not what Herb had in mind./
[seize the opportunity] <v. phr.> To exploit a chance. * /His wealthy uncle offered to send him to Harvard and he wisely seized the opportunity./
[self-conscious] <adj.> Embarrassed; shy. * /Edith has a freckled face and sometimes she is very self-conscious about it./
[self-made] <adj.> Having achieved wealth, fame, and success on one's own without outside help. * /John D. Rockefeller is one of the most famous self-made men in America./
[self-possessed] <adj.> Confident; sure of one self. * /Before he made his first million, he used to be shy, but afterwards he became very self-possessed./
[self-seeking] <adj.> Given to egotism and self-aggrandizement. * /Al is the most self-seeking person I've ever met, he is not fun to be around./