Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
Шрифт:
[to the bone] <adv.>, <slang>, <informal> Thoroughly, entirely, to the core, through all layers. * /I am dreadfully tired; I've worked my fingers to the bone./ See: ALSO WORK ONE'S FINGERS TO THE BONE.
[to the bottom] See: GET TO THE BOTTOM OF.
[to the contrary] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> With an opposite result or effect; just the opposite; in disagreement; saying the opposite. * /Although Bill was going to the movies, he told Joe to the contrary./ * /We will expect you for dinner unless we get word to the contrary./ * /School gossip to the contrary, Mary is not engaged to be married./ Compare: ON THE CONTRARY.
[to the effect that] <adj. phr.> With the meaning or purpose; to say that. * /He made a speech to the effect that we would all keep our jobs even if the factory were sold./ * /The new governor would do his best in the office to which he had been elected./
[to the eye] <adv. phr.> As it is seen; as a person or thing first seems; apparently. * /That girl looks to the eye like a nice girl to know, but she is really rather mean./ * /That suit appears to the eye to be a good buy, but it may not be./ Compare: AT FIRST GLANCE.
[to the fore] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> Into leadership; out into notice or view; forward. * /The hidden skill of the lawyer came to the fore during the trial./ * /In the progress of the war some new leaders came to the fore./
[to the full] <adv. phr.> Very much; fully. * /The campers enjoyed their trip to the full./ * /We appreciated to the full the teacher's help./ Compare: TO THE HILT.
[to the gallery] See: PLAY TO THE GALLERY.
[to the good] <adv. phr.> On the side of profit or advantage; in one's favor; to one's benefit; ahead. * /After I sold my stamp collection, I was ten dollars to the good./ * /The teacher did not see him come in late, which was all to the good./
[to the grindstone] See: KEEP ONE'S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.
[to the heart] See: GET TO THE HEART OF.
[to the hilt] or [up to the hilt] <adv. phr.> To the limit; as far as possible; completely. * /The other boys on the team told Tom he couldn't quit. They said, "You're in this to the hilt."/ * /The Smith's house is mortgaged up to the hilt./ Compare: HEART AND SOUL, TO THE FULL, UP TO THE --- IN.
[to the kings taste] or [to the queen's taste] <adv. phr.> Perfectly; just as anyone could want it; very satisfactorily. * /The rooms in her new home were painted and decorated to the queen's taste./ * /The soldiers dressed and marched to the king's taste./
[to the letter] <adv. phr.> With nothing done wrong or left undone; exactly; precisely. * /He carried out his orders to the letter./ * /When writing a test you should follow the instructions to the letter./ Compare: TO A T.
[to the manner born] <adj. phr.> At ease with something because of lifelong familiarity with it. * /She says her English is the best because she is to the manner born./
[to the nth degree] <adv. phr.> To the greatest degree possible; extremely; very much so. * /Scales must be accurate to the nth degree./ * /His choice of words was exactly to the nth degree./
[to the point] See: COME TO THE POINT.
[to the punch] See: BEAT TO THE PUNCH.
[to the ribs] See: STICK TO ONE'S RIBS or STICK TO THE RIBS.
[to the salt mines] See: BACK TO THE SALT MINES.
[to the stump] See: TAKE THE STUMP or TAKE TO THE STUMP.
[to the sword] See: PUT TO THE SWORD.
[to the tune of] <adv. phr.>, <informal> To the amount or extent of; in the amount of. * /He had to pay to the tune of fifty dollars for seeing how fast the car would go./ * /When she left the race track she had profited to the tune of ten dollars./
[to the wall] <adv. phr.> Into a place from which there is no escape; into a trap or corner.
– Usually used after "drive" or a similar word. * /John's failing the last test drove him to the wall./ * /The score was 12-12 in the last minute of play, but a touchdown forced the visitors to the wall./ * /Bill had to sell his five Great Danes. The high cost of feeding them was driving him to the wall./
[to the wolves] See: THROW TO THE WOLVES.
[to the woods] See: TAKE TO THE WOODS.
[to the world] See: DEAD TO THE WORLD.
[to think of it] See: COME TO THINK OF IT.
[toto] See: IN TOTO.
[touch] See: COMMON TOUCH, IN TOUCH, LOSE TOUCH, OUT OF TOUCH,
[touch and go] <adj. phr.> Very dangerous or uncertain in situation. * /Our team won the game, all right, but it was touch and go for a while./ * /At one time while they were climbing the cliff it was touch and go whether they could do it./
[touch base with] <v. phr.> To confer or consult with one. * /Before we make a decision, I'd like to touch base with our financial department./
[touch bottom] See: HIT BOTTOM.
[touch off] <v.> 1. To cause to fire or explode by lighting the priming or the fuse. * /The boy touched off a firecracker./ Compare: SET OFF. 2. To start something as if by lighting a fuse. * /The coach's resignation touched off a quarrel./ Compare: SET OFF.
[touch on] or [touch upon] <v.> To speak of or write of briefly. * /The speaker touched on several other subjects in the course of his talk but mostly kept himself to the main topic./ Contrast: DWELL ON.
[touch to the quick] <v. phr.> To hurt someone's feelings very deeply; offend. * /His remark about her lack of education touched her to the quick./
[touchup] <n.> 1. A small repair; a small amount of paint. * /Just a small touchup here and there and your novel may be publishable./ 2. Redoing the color of one's hair. * /My roots are showing; I need a touchup./
[touch up] <v.> 1. To paint over (small imperfections.) * /I want to touch up that scratch on the fender./ * /The woodwork is done, but there are a few places he has to touch up./ 2. To improve with small additions or changes. * /He touched up the photographic negative to make a sharper print./ * /It's a good speech, but it needs a little touching up./ 3. <slang> To talk into lending; wheedle from. * /He touched George up for five bucks./