Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[spin off]{v. phr.} To bring something into existence as a byproduct of something that already exists. •/When Dr. Catwallender opened his medical practice, he also spun off a small dispensary beside it where patients could get their prescriptions filled./
[spin one’s wheels]{v. phr.} 1. Said of cars stuck in snow or mud whose wheels are turning without the car moving forward. •/There was so much snow on the driveway that my car’s wheels were spinning in it and we couldn’t get going./ 2. To exert effort in a job without making any progress. •/I’ve been working for the firm for two decades, but I feel I am merely spinning my wheels./
[spin out]{v. phr.} 1. To go out of control. •/The bus spun out on the icy road and fell into the ditch./ 2. To make something go out of control. •/Tom stepped on the brakes so fast that he spun his car out of control and went off the road./
[spirit away]{v. phr.} To hide or smuggle something out; abduct. •/The famous actress was spirited away by her bodyguards as soon as she emerged from the door./
[spite] See: CUT OFF ONE’S NOSE TO SPITE ONE’S FACE.
[spit] or [piss into the wedding cake]{v. phr.}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} To spoil someone’s pleasure or celebration by doing or saying something harsh or unseemly in an otherwise happy gathering; bring up depressing or unhappy subjects at a supposedly happy time. •/Stuart really spit into the wedding cake when he told Burt in a bragging fashion that Lucy, Burl’s bride, used to be his girlfriend./
[spitting image]{n.} or [spit and image]{informal} An exact likeness; a duplicate. •/John is the spitting image of his grandfather./ •/That vase is the spitting image of one I wanted to buy in Boston./ Compare: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON.
[spit up]{v.} To vomit a little. •/The baby always spits up when he is burped./ •/Put a bib on the baby. I don’t want him to spit up on his clean clothes./
[split end]{n.} An end in football who plays five to ten yards out from the tackle in the line. •/The split end is one of the quarterback’s most important targets for passes./ Contrast: TIGHT END.
[split hairs]{v. phr.} To find and argue about small and unimportant differences as if the differences are important. •/John is always splitting hairs; he often starts an argument about something small and unimportant./ •/Don’t split hairs about whose turn it is to wash the dishes and make the beds; let’s work together and finish sooner./
[split second]{n.} A very short time; less than a second. •/The lightning flash lasted a split second, and then disappeared./
[split the difference]{v. phr.}, {informal} To settle a money disagreement by dividing the difference, each person giving up half. •/Bob offered $25 for Bill’s bicycle and Bill wanted $35; they split the difference./
[split ticket]{n.} A vote for candidates from more than one party. •/Mr. Jones voted a split ticket./ •/An independent voter likes a split ticket./ Contrast: STRAIGHT TICKET.
[split up]{v. phr.} 1. To separate; get a divorce. •/After three years of marriage, the unhappy couple finally split up./ 2. To separate something; divide into portions. •/The brothers split up their father’s fortune among themselves after his death./
[split-up]{n.} A separation or division into two or many smaller parts. •/The split-up of our company was due to the founder’s untimely death./
[spoil for]{v. phr.} To want something very badly; be belligerent or pugnacious about something. •/After a few drinks it became embarrassingly evident that Hal was spoiling for a fight./ Compare: HANKER AFTER, LUST FOR.
[spoken for]{adj.} Occupied; reserved; taken; already engaged or married. •/"Sorry, my boy," Mr. Jones said condescendingly, "but my daughter is already spoken for. She will marry Fred Wilcox next month."/
[sponge] See: THROW IN THE SPONGE.
[sponge bath]{n.} A bath with a cloth or sponge and a little water. •/During the drought the family had only sponge baths./ •/The family took sponge baths because they had no bathtub./
[sponge on] or [off]{v. phr.} To exploit parasitically; depend upon for support. •/He is already forty years old, but he refuses to go to work and sponges off his retired parents./
[spoon] See: BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN ONE’S MOUTH.
[spoon-feed]{v.} 1. To feed with a spoon. •/Mothers spoon-feed their babies./ 2a. To make something too easy for (a person). •/Bill’s mother spoon-fed him and never let him think for himself./ •/Alice depended on her mother for all decisions because she had been spoon-fed./ 2b. To make (something) too easy for someone. •/Some students want the teacher to spoon-feed the lessons./