Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[dead and buried] <adj. phr.> Gone forever. * /Slavery is dead and buried in twentieth-century America./
[dead as a doornail] <adj. phr.> Completely dead without the slightest hope of resuscitation. * /This battery is dead as a doornail; no wonder your car won't start./
[dead broke] See: STONE-BROKE.
[dead center] <n.> The exact middle. * /The treasure was buried in the dead center of the island./ Often used like an adverb. * /The arrow hit the circle dead center./
[dead duck] <n.>, <slang> A person or thing in a hopeless situation or condition; one to whom something bad is sure to happen. * /When the pianist broke her arm, she was a dead duck./
[deadhead] <n.>, <slang> An excessively dull or boring person. * /You'll never get John to tell a joke - he's a deadhead./
[dead letter] <n. phr.> An undeliverable letter that ends up in a special office holding such letters. * /There is a dead letter office in most major cities./
[deadline] <n.> A final date by which a project, such as a term paper, is due. * /The deadline for the papers on Shakespeare is November 10./
[dead loss] <n. phr.> A total waste; a complete loss. * /Our investment in Jack's company turned out to be a dead loss./
[dead on one's feet] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Very tired but still standing or walking; too tired to do more; exhausted. * /Jimmy never leaves a job unfinished. He continues to work even when he's dead on his feet./ * /After the soldiers march all night, they are dead on their feet./ Compare: DEAD TIRED, WEAR OUT(2).
[deadpan] <adj.>, <adv.>, <slang> With an expressionless or emotionless face; without betraying any hint of emotion. * /She received the news of her husband's death deadpan./
[dead pedal] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> A slow moving vehicle. * /Better pass that eighteen wheeler, Jack; it's a dead pedal./
[dead ringer] <n. phr.> A person who strongly resembles someone else. * /Charlie is a dead ringer for his uncle./
[dead set against] <adj. phr.> Totally opposed to someone or something. * /Jack is dead set against the idea of marriage, which upsets Mary./
[dead tired] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Very tired; exhausted; worn out. * /She was dead tired at the end of the day's work./ Compare: DEAD ON ONE'S FEET.
[dead to rights] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Without a chance of escaping blame; proven wrong. * /Mother had Bob dead to rights, because she caught him with his hand in the cookie jar./ * /The police caught the man dead to rights./
[dead to the world] <adj. phr.>, <informal> 1. Fast asleep. * /Tim went to bed very late and was still dead to the world at 10 o'clock this morning./ 2. As if dead; unconscious. * /Tom was hit on the head by a baseball and was dead to the world for two hours./
[dead-end] <n.> A street closed at one end; a situation that leads nowhere. * /Jim drove into a dead-end street and had to back out./ * /Mary was in a dead-end job./
[dead-end] <v.> To not continue normally but end in a closure (said of streets). * /Our street dead-ends on the lake./
[deaf] See: TURN A DEAF EAR TO.
[deal] See: GOOD DEAL or GREAT DEAL, NEW DEAL, NO DEAL, THINK A GREAT DEAL OF, WHEEL AND DEAL.
[deal in] <v. phr.> To sell; do business in a certain commodity. * /Herb's firm deals in sporting goods./
[deal with] <v. phr.> 1. To conduct negotiations or business dealings with. * /John refuses to deal with the firm of Brown and Miller./ 2. To handle a problem. * /Ted is a very strong person and dealt with the fact that his wife had left him much better than anyone else I know./
[dealer] See: WHEELER-DEALER at WHEEL AND DEAL.
[dear] See: FOR DEAR LIFE.
[Dear John letter] <n. phr.> A note or a letter informing one that a romantic relationship or a marriage is over. * /Jane left a "Dear John letter" on the table and went home to live with her parents./
[dear me] <interj.> Used to show surprise, fear, or some other strong feeling. * /Dear me! My purse is lost, what shall I do now?/
[death] See: AT DEATH'S DOOR, BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, CATCH ONE'S DEATH OF or TAKE ONE'S DEATH OF, SIGN ONE'S OWN DEATH WARRANT, TO DEATH.
[death knell] <n.>, <formal> 1. The ringing of a bell at a death or funeral. * /The people mourned at the death knell of their friend./ 2. <literary> Something which shows a future failure. * /Bill's poor grade on his final examination sounded the death knell of his hope to be a doctor./ * /His sudden deafness was the death knell of his hope to become President./
[death on] <adj. phr.>, <informal> 1. Very successful in meeting or dealing with. * /Joe is death on fast balls. He usually knocks them out of the park./ 2. Disliking or strongly against; very strict about. * /The new teacher is death on students who come late to class./ * /The twins' grandmother is death on smoking./
[deck] See: HIT THE DECK, ON DECK.
[decked out] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Dressed in fancy clothes; specially decorated for some festive occasion. * /The school band was decked out in bright red uniforms with brass buttons./ * /Main Street was decked with flags for the Fourth of July./
[declare] See: I DECLARE.
[deep] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, GO OFF THE DEEP END, IN DEEP, KNEE-DEEP.
[deep-six] <v.>, <slang> To throw away; dispose of. * /As the police boat came near, the drug smugglers deep-sixed their cargo./ (An expression originally used by sailors, suggesting throwing something into water six fathoms deep.)