Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
Шрифт:
[ghost-writer] <n.> A writer whose identity remains a secret and who writes for another who receives all the credit. * /It is rumored that John Smith's best-selling novel was written by a ghost-writer./
[gift of gab] or [gift of the gab] <n. phr.>, <informal> Skill in talking; ability to make interesting talk that makes people believe you. * /Many men get elected because of their gift of gab./ * /Mr. Taylor's gift of gab helped him get a good job./
[gild the lily] also [paint the lily] <v. phr.> To add unnecessarily to something already beautiful or good enough. * /To talk about a beautiful sunset is to gild the lily./ * /For the beautiful girl to use makeup would be to gild the lily./ * /Frank's father is a millionaire, but Frank gilds the lily by saying he is a billionaire./
[gill] See: FED TO THE GILLS at FED UP, GREEN AROUND THE GILLS or PALE AROUND THE GILLS.
[gilt-edged] <adj.> Of the highest quality. * /Government saving bonds are considered by many to be a gilt-edged investment./
[gin mill] <n.>, <slang> A bar where liquor is sold. * /Rush Street in Chicago is full of gin mills./ Syn.: SPEAKEASY.
[G.I.] or ["government issue"] <n.> An American soldier. * /After the war many GI's were able to get a free education./
[gird one's loins] <v. phr.>, <literary> To prepare for action; get ready for a struggle or hard work. * /David girded up his loins and went out to meet the giant Goliath./ * /Seniors must gird their loins for the battles of life./
[girl Friday] <n.> A very dependable and helpful female office worker; especially a secretary. * /Miss Johnson is the manager's girl Friday./ * /There was an advertisement in the newspaper for a girl Friday./
[girl friend] <n.>, <informal> 1. A female friend or companion. * /Jane is spending the night at her girlfriend's house./ 2. A boy's steady girl; the girl or woman partner in a love affair; girl; sweetheart. * /John is taking his girl friend to the dance./ Contrast: BOYFRIEND.
[give] See: SILENCE GIVES CONSENT.
[give a buzz] See: GIVE A RING.
[give a cold shoulder] See: COLD SHOULDER.
[give a hand] See: LEND A HAND.
[give a hang] or [care a hang] <v. phr.>, <informal> To have any interest or liking; care.
– Used also with other words in the place of "hang", such as "damn", "rap", "straw"; usually used in the negative. * /You can quit helping me if you want to. I don't give a hang./ * /Some people don't care a rap about sports./ * /Bruce never goes to the dances; he does not care a straw about dancing./
[give a hard time] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To give trouble by what you do or say; complain. * /Jane gave her mother a hard time on the bus by fighting with her sister and screaming./ * /Don't give me a hard time, George. I'm doing my best on this job./ Compare: GIVE FITS. 2. To get in the way by teasing or playing; kid. * /Don't give me a hard time, boys. I'm trying to study./ Compare: ACT UP, IN ONE'S HAIR.
[give-and-take] <n. phr.> 1. A sharing; giving and receiving back and forth between people; a giving up by people on different sides of part of what each one wants so that they can agree. * /Jimmy is too selfish. He has no notion of give-and-take with the other children but wants everything for himself./ * /There has to be give-and-take between two countries before they can be friends./ Compare: LIVE AND LET LIVE. 2. Friendly talking or argument back and forth. Friendly sharing of ideas which may not agree; also: an exchange of teasing remarks. * /After the meeting there was a lot of give-and-take about plans for the dance./
[give an ear to] or [lend an ear to] <v. phr.>, <literary> To listen to. * /Children should give an ear to their parents' advice./ * /The king lent an ear to the complaints of his people./
[give a pain] <v. phr.>, <slang> To make (you) disgusted; annoy. * /Ann's laziness gives her mother a pain./ * /John's bad manners give his teacher a pain./ Compare: PAIN IN THE NECK.
[give as good as one gets] <v. phr.> To be able to give back blow for blow; defend yourself well in a fight or argument. * /The Americans gave as good as they got in the war with the English./ * /George gave as good as he got in his fight with the older boy./ Compare: EYE FOR AN EYE, GAME AT WHICH TWO CAN PLAY.
[give away] <v.> 1. To give as a present. * /Mrs. Jones has several kittens to give away./ 2. To hand over (a bride) to her husband at the wedding. * /Mr. Jackson gave away his daughter./ 3. To let (a secret) become known; tell the secret of. * /The little boy gave away his hiding place when he coughed./ * /Mary said she didn't care anything about John, but her blushing face gave her away./ Compare: SPILL THE BEANS, LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG. 4. See: GIVE ONESELF AWAY.
[giveaway] or [dead giveaway] <n.> (stress on "give") 1. An open secret. * /By mid-afternoon, it was a dead giveaway who the new boss would be./ 2. A forced or sacrifice sale at which items are sold for much less than their market value. * /The Simpson's garage sale was actually a big giveaway./ 3. A gift; something one doesn't have to pay for. * /The tickets to the concert were a giveaway./
[give a wide berth] <v. phr.> To keep away from; keep a safe distance from. * /Mary gave the barking dog a wide berth./ * /Jack gave a wide berth to the fallen electric wires./ * /After Tom got Bob into trouble. Bob gave him a wide berth./
[give birth to] <v. phr.> 1. To bear live offspring. * /The mother gave birth to twin baby girls./ 2. To bring about; create; occasion. * /Beethoven gave birth to a new kind of symphony./
[give chase] <v. phr.> To chase or run after someone or something. * /The dog saw a rabbit and gave chase./ * /The policeman gave chase to the man who robbed the bank./
[give color to] or [lend color to] <v. phr.> To make (something) seem true or likely. * /The boy's torn clothes gave color to his story of a fight./ * /The way the man ate lent color to his story of near starvation./
[give credence to] <v. phr.> 1. To be willing to believe that something is true. * /Larry gave credence to the rumor that Fred used to be a convict./ * /Give no credence to the rumor that our state is bankrupt; nothing could be farther from the truth./
[give fits] <v. phr.> <informal> To upset; bother very much. * /Paul's higher grades give John fits./ * /The short guard gave his tall opponent fits./ Compare: GIVE A HARD TIME.
[give forth] <v. phr.> To emit; produce. * /When the gong was struck it gave forth a rich, resounding sound./
[give free rein to] See: GIVE REIN TO.
[give gray hair] <v. phr.>, <informal> To make (someone) anxious, confused, or worried. * /The traffic problem is enough to give a policeman gray hairs./ Compare: GET GRAY HAIR.
[give ground] <v. phr.> To go backward under attack; move back; retreat. * /After fighting for a while the troops slowly began to give ground./ * /Although they were outnumbered by the enemy, the men refused to give ground./ Compare: DRAW BACK, DROP BACK, LOSE GROUND. Contrast: HOLD ONE'S GROUND, STAND OFF, STAND ONE'S GROUND, STAND PAT, STAVE OFF.