Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
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[music] See: FACE THE MUSIC.
[musical chairs]{n. phr.} (Originally the name of a children’s game.) The transfer of a number of officers in an organization into different jobs, especially each other’s jobs. •/The boss regularly played musical chairs with department heads to keep them fresh on the job./
[music to one’s ears]{n. phr.} Something one likes to hear. •/When the manager phoned to say I got the job, it was music to my ears./
[mustard] See: CUT THE MUSTARD.
[muster] See: PASS MUSTER.
[my God] or [my goodness]{interj.} Used to express surprise, shock, or dismay. •/My God! What happened to the car?/
[my lips are sealed]{informal sentence} A promise that one will not give away a secret. •/"You can tell me what happened, " Helen said. "My lips are sealed."/
N
[nail] See: HARD AS NAILS, HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, TOOTH AND NAIL.
[nail down]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make certain; make sure; settle. •/Joe had a hard time selling his car, but he finally nailed the sale down when he got his friend Sam to give him $300./ •/The New York Yankees nailed down the American League Championship when they beat the Red Sox 3 to 0 on September 15./
[nail one’s colors to the mast]{literary} To let everyone know what you think is right and refuse to change. •/During the election campaign the candidate nailed his colors to the mast on the question of civil rights./
[name] See: CALL NAMES, HANDLE TO ONE’S NAME, IN NAME, TAKE ONE’S NAME IN VAIN, TO ONE’S NAME.
[name calling] See: CALL NAMES.
[named after]{adj. phr.} Given the same name as someone. •/Archibald was named after his father./
[name day]{n.} The day of the saint for whom a person is named. •/Lawrence’s name day is August 10, the feast of St. Lawrence./
[namedropper]{n. phr.} A person who is always mentioning well-known names. •/Since her move to Hollywood she has become a regular namedropper./
[name is mud]{informal} (You) are in trouble; a person is blamed or no longer liked. — Used in the possessive. •/If you tell your mother I spilled ink on her rug my name will be mud./ •/Your name will be mud if you tell the teacher about the bad thing we did./ Compare: IN THE DOG HOUSE.
[name of the game]{n.}, {informal} The crux of the matter; that which actually occurs under the disguise of something else. •/Getting medium income families to support the rest of society — that’s the name of the game!/
[narrow down]{v. phr.} To limit within very strict margins. •/Of the numerous applicants, the list has been narrowed down to just a few./
[narrow escape]{n. phr.} An escape by a very small margin; a near miss. •/If the truck that hit his car had been coming faster, it would have killed him; it was certainly a narrow escape that he only had a broken arm!/
[narrow-minded]{adj. phr.} Limited in outlook; resistant to new ideas; bigoted. •/He is generally very open about everything, but when it comes to politics, he is terribly narrow-minded./
[nary a]{informal} Not a single; not one; never a. •/One afternoon a large dark cloud came in the sky. John thought it would rain so he took his raincoat — but nary a drop fell./ •/John went fishing but he caught nary a one./
[nasty-nice]{adj.} Unkind in a polite way; disagreeable while pretending to be gracious. •/The bus driver has a nasty-nice way of showing his dislike./
[natural] See: BIG AS LIFE or BIG AS LIFE AND TWICE AS NATURAL.
[natural-born]{adj.} 1. Being a (citizen) because you were born in the country. •/Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt came to the United States from Germany and are naturalized citizens but their children are natural-born citizens./ 2. Born with great ability to become (something); having great ability (as in a sport or art) almost from the start. •/Joe had never played baseball before trying out for the team but he showed that he was a natural-born pitcher and he became the best in the league./ •/Mozart was a natural-born musician. He could play the piano well when he was only six years old./
[nature] See: SECOND NATURE.
[naught] See: GO FOR NOTHING also GO FOR NAUGHT.
[near] See: FAR AND NEAR.
[near at hand] See: AT HAND.
[necessity] See: MAKE A VIRTUE OF NECESSITY, OF NECESSITY.
[neck] See: BREATHE DOWN ONE’S NECK, BREAK ONE’S NECK, CATCH IT IN THE NECK or GET IT IN THE NECK, PAIN IN THE NECK, SAVE ONE’S NECK, STICK ONE’S NECK OUT.
[neck and neck]{adj. or adv.}, {informal} Equal or nearly equal in a race or contest; abreast; tied. •/At the end of the race the two horses were neck and neck./ •/For months John and Harry seemed to be neck and neck in Alice’s favor./ Compare: NIP AND TUCK.