Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
Шрифт:
[x-rated] <adj.>, <slang>, <informal> Pertaining to movies, magazines, and literature judged pornographic and therefore off limits for minors. * /My son celebrated his 21st birthday by going to an x-rated movie./
[x-raying machine] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> Speed detection device by radar used by the police. * /The smokies are using the x-raying machine under the bridge!/
Y
[yak-yak] or [yakety-yak] or [yakib-yak] <n.>, <slang> Much talk about little things; talking all the time about unimportant things. * /Tom sat behind two girls on the bus and he got tired of their silly yak-yak./
[year] See: ALONG IN YEARS or ON IN YEARS.
[year in, year out] See: DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
[year-round] or [year-around] <adj.> Usable, effective, or operating all the year. * /Colorado is a year-round resort; there is fishing in the summer and skiing in the winter./
[yellow around the gills] See: GREEN AROUND THE GILLS.
[yellow-bellied] <adj.>, <slang> Extremely timid, cowardly. * /Joe Bennett is a yellow-bellied guy, don't send him on such a tough assignment!/
[yellow journalism] <n. phr.> Cheap and sensational newspaper writing; inflammatory language designed to stir up popular sentiment against another country. * /Yellow journalism is hardly ever truly informative./
[yellow-livered] <adj.> Cowardly. * /The young boy greatly resented being called yellow-livered and started to fight right away./
[yeoman service] <n. phr.> Help in time of need; serviceable and good assistance. * /Sam was pressed into yeoman service in organizing our annual fundraiser for cerebral palsy victims./
[yes-man] <n.>, <informal> A person who tries to be liked by agreeing with everything said; especially, someone who always agrees with a boss or the one in charge. * /John tries to get ahead on his job by being a yes-man./
[yesterday] See: BORN YESTERDAY.
[yon] See: HITHER AND THITHER or HITHER AND YON.
[yoo-hoo] <interj.> - Used as an informal call or shout to a person to attract his attention. * /Louise opened the door and called "Yoo-hoo, Mother - are you home?"/ See: ALL RIGHT FOR YOU, I'M TELLING YOU, SAYS WHO or SAYS YOU, THAT'S --- FOR YOU, WHAT HAVE YOU.
[you bet] or [you bet your boots] or [you bet your life] <informal> Most certainly; yes, indeed; without any doubt.
– Used to declare with emphasis that a thing is really so. * /Do I like to ski? You bet your life I do./ * /You bet I will be at the party./ * /You can bet your boots that Johnny will come home when his money is gone./ Compare: BET ONE'S BOTTOM DOLLAR.
[you can say that again] See: YOU SAID IT.
[you can't teach an old dog new tricks] It is very hard or almost impossible to train an older person to acquire some new skill.
– A proverb. * /You'll never teach your grandfather how to do his income tax on a personal computer. You can't teach an old dog new tricks./
[you don't say] <interj.>, <informal> - Used to show surprise at what is said. * /Your ring is a real diamond? You don't say!/ * /"Bill and Jean are going to get married." "You don't say!"/ Syn.: DO TELL.
[your] See: HANG ON TO YOUR HAT or HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT or HOLD YOUR HAT, YOU BET YOUR BOOTS or YOU BET YOUR LIFE.
[you're telling me] <interj.>, <informal> - Used to show that a thing is so clear that it need not be said, or just to show strong agreement. * /"You're late." "You're telling me!"/ Compare: YOU BET, YOU SAID IT.
[you said it] or [you can say that again] <interj.>, <slang> - Used to show strong agreement with what another person has said. * /"That sure was a good show." "You said it!"/ * /"It sure is hot!" "You can say that again!"/ Compare: SAY A MOUTHFUL.
[you tell 'em] <interj.>, <slang> - Used to agree with or encourage someone in what he is saying. * /The drunk was arguing with the bartenders and a man cried, "You tell 'em!"/
[yours truly] <adv. phr.> 1. Signing off at the end of letters. * /Yours truly, Tom Smith./ 2. I, the first person singular pronoun, frequently abbreviated as t.y. * /As t.y. has often pointed out.../ * /T.y. is not really interested in the offer./
[yum-yum] <interj.>, <informal> - Used usually by or to children, to express great delight, especially in the taste of food. * /"Yum-Yum! That pie is good!"/
Z
[zero hour] <n.> 1. The exact time when an attack or other military action is supposed to start. * /Zero hour for the bombers to take off was midnight./ 2. The time when an important decision or change is supposed to come; the time for a dangerous action. * /It was zero hour and the doctor began the operation on the man./ * /On the day of the championship game, as the zero hour came near, the players grew nervous./
[zero in on] <v.> 1. To adjust a gun so that it will exactly hit (a target); aim at. * /Big guns were zeroed in on the enemy fort./ * /American missiles have been zeroed in on certain targets, to be fired if necessary./ 2. <slang> To give your full attention to. * /The Senate zeroed in on the Latin-American problems./ * /Let's zero in on grammar tonight./
[zip one's lip] See: BUTTON ONE'S LIP.
[zone defense] <n.> A defense in a sport (as basketball or football) in which each player has to defend a certain area. * /The coach taught his team a zone defense because he thought his players weren't fast enough to defend against individual opponents./
[zonk out] <v. phr.>, <slang> 1. To fall asleep very quickly. * /Can I talk to Joe?
– Call back tomorrow, he zonked out./ 2. To pass out from fatigue, or alcohol. * /You won't get a coherent word out of Joe, he has zonked out./
[zoom in] <v. phr.> 1. To rapidly close in on (said of airplanes and birds of prey). * /The fighter planes zoomed in on the enemy target./ 2. To make a closeup of someone or something with a camera. * /The photographer zoomed in on the tiny colibri as it hovered over a lovely tropical flower./