Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[term] See: BRING TO TERMS, COME TO TERMS, IN SO MANY WORDS(2) or IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, IN TERMS OF.
[terror] See: HOLY TERROR.
[test] See: ROAD TEST, SCREEN TEST.
[tether] See: END OF ONE’S ROPE or END OF ONE’S TETHER.
[than] See: LESS THAN, LESS THAN NO TIME, MORE THAN.
[thank one’s lucky stars]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be thankful for good luck; think oneself lucky. •/You can thank your lucky stars you didn’t fall in the hole./
[thanks to]{prep.} 1. With the help of. •/Thanks to a good teacher, John passed the examination./ •/I finally finished washing the dishes, no thanks to you./ 2. Owing to; because of. •/Thanks to a sudden rain, the children came home with wet clothes./
[that is] or [that is to say] I mean; that means; in other words. •/John is a New Yorker; that is, he lives in New York./ •/Susan is a good student; that is to say, she gets good grades in school./
[that is that] or [that’s that]{informal} The matter is decided; there is nothing more to be said; it is done. •/Jim, you will go to school this morning, and that is that./
[that’ll be the day]{informal} That will never happen. •/Joe wanted me to lend him money to take my girl to the movies. That’ll be the day!/ •/"Wouldn’t it be nice if we had to go to school only one day a week?" "That’ll be the day!"/
[That makes two of us!] Informal way to say, "I am in agreement with what you arc saying or doing." •/So you voted for Senator Aldridge? So did I — that makes two of us./
[That takes care of that!] Informal way to say, "That concludes our business." •/I paid my ex-wife the last alimony check and that takes care of that!/
[That will do!] Informal expression of impatience meaning "stop," "no more." •/"That will do, Tommy," his mother cried. "I’ve had just about enough of your drumming on the table."/
[that’s --- for you] That’s the way (someone or something) is; (someone or something) is like that. •/John tried hard, but he lost the game. That’s life for you./ •/Mary changed her mind about going. That’s a girl for you./
[That’s about the size of it!] Informal way to say, "What you said is true; the rumor or the news is true." •/"I am told you’re leaving our firm for Japan," Fred said to Tom. "That’s about the size of it," Tom replied with a grin./
[That’s the story of my life…] Usually spoken when something goes wrong. •/I spent seven years writing a novel, but no publisher wants to accept it. That’s the story of my life./
[That’s the ticket!] Informal way to say, "excellent; correct." •/"First we’ll go up the Sears Tower, and then we’ll take a night sightseeing tour on the lake," Fran said. "That’s the ticket!" Stan, an old inhabitant of Chicago, replied./
[That’s the way the ball bounces] or [the cookie crumbles!] Nothing unusual about that. — Said of unpleasant things. •/"Susan left me for a heavyweight boxer, and then I got drunk and wrecked my car," Bob bitterly complained. "Well, that’s the way the cookie crumbles," Pam answered philosophically./
[theater] See: LITTLE THEATER.
[the business]{n.}, {slang} — Usually used with "give" or "get". 1. All that you are able to do; greatest effort. •/Johnny gave the tryouts the business but he failed to make the team./ 2. The most harm possible; the greatest damage or hurt. •/Fred got the business when Tom caught him with his bicycle./ 3. A harsh scolding. •/The teacher gave Walter the business when he came to school late again./ •/Mike thought he was the star of the team until he got the business from the coach./ Compare: THE WORKS.
[The cat did it!] A humorous and convenient way to pass the blame. •/"My vase is broken!" Mother shrieked in horror. "Well," Dad smirked cynically, "I guess the cat did it!"/
[the creeps]{n.}, {informal} 1. An uncomfortable tightening of the skin caused by fear or shock. •/Reading the story of a ghost gave Joe the creeps./ •/The queer noises in the old house gave Mary the creeps./ 2. A strong feeling of fear or disgust. •/The cold, damp, lonely swamp gave John the creeps./ •/The dog was so ugly it gave Mary the creeps./
[the devil to pay]{n. phr.} A severe penalty. •/If we don’t finish the work by next Monday, there will be the devil to pay./
[the edge]{n.}, {informal} The advantage. — Usually used in the phrases "get the edge on", "have the edge on". •/In the last quarter of the game, our team got the edge on the other team and kept it./ •/Mary has the edge on Jane in the beauty contest./
[the fickle finger of fate] See: ACT OF GOD.
[the idea] or [the very idea]{n. phr.} — Used in exclamations to show that you do not like something. •/The idea! Thinking Mother was my sister!/ •/The very idea of Tom bringing that dirty dog into my clean house!/
[the lid]{n.}, {slang} Something that holds back or holds out of sight. •/The police blew the lid off the gambling operations./ •/John kept the lid on his plans until he was ready to run for class president./ •/The chief of police placed the lid on gambling in the town./