Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
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[cross one’s mind] or [pass through one’s mind]{v. phr.} To be a sudden or passing thought; be thought of by someone; come to your mind; occur to you. •/At first Bob was puzzled by Virginia’s waving, but then it crossed his mind that she was trying to tell him something./ •/When Jane did not come home by midnight, many terrible fears passed through Mother’s mind./
[cross one’s path]{v. phr.} To meet or encounter someone; to come upon someone more by accident than by plan. •/Surprisingly, I crossed John’s path in Central Park one afternoon./
[cross street]{n.} A street that crosses a main street and runs on both sides of it. •/Elm Street is a cross street on Main Street and there is a traffic light there./ Compare: THROUGH STREET.
[cross swords]{v. phr.}, {literary} To have an argument with; fight. — Often used with "with". •/Don’t argue with the teacher; you’re not old enough to cross swords with her./
[cross the wire]{v. phr.} To finish a race. •/The Russian crossed the wire just behind the American./
[cross up]{v.}, {informal} 1. To block or upset; throw into confusion or disorder. •/We were going to catch him at the gate, but he crossed us up by going in the back way./ •/Father crossed up the surprise party we had planned for him by not getting back in time./ 2. To deceive or be false to. •/George crossed up his partner by selling a lot of things secretly./
[crow] See: EAT CROW.
[crow before one is out of the woods]{v. phr.} To be glad or brag before you are safe from danger or trouble. — Usually used in negative sentences, often as a proverb, "Don’t crow before you are out of the woods." •/John thought his team would win because the game was almost over, but he didn’t want to crow before they were out of the woods./ Often used in a short form, "out of the woods". •/Mary nearly died during the operation, and she is not out of the woods yet./
[crown jewels]{n. pl.} The crown, staff, and jewels used for the crowning of a king or queen; the crown and jewels representing royal power and authority. •/The crown jewels are handed down from one king to the next when the new king is crowned./
[crow to pick] See: BONE TO PICK or CROW TO PICK.
[crust] See: UPPER CRUST.
[crux of the matter]{n. phr.} The basic issue at hand; the core essence that one must face. •/The crux of the matter is that he is incompetent and we will have to fire him./
[cry] See: FAR CRY, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, HUE AND CRY.
[cry] or [scream bloody murder]{v. phr.} To bitterly and loudly complain against an indignity. •/Pete cried bloody murder when he found out that he didn’t get the promotion he was hoping for./
[cry before one is hurt] or [holler before one is hurt]{v. phr.}, {informal} To complain when there is no reason for it; become upset because you are worried or afraid. — Used in negative sentences. •/When Billy went to the barber, he began to cry before the barber cut his hair and his father told him not to cry before he was hurt./ — Often used as a proverb. •/John was worried because he would soon have a new boss. His mother said, "Don’t cry before you’re hurt!"/ Syn.: BORROW TROUBLE.
[cry buckets]{v. phr.} To shed an excessive amount of tears. •/Grandma is crying buckets over the loss of our cat./
[cry for] or [cry out for]{v.}, {informal} To need badly; be lacking in. •/It has not rained for two weeks and the garden is crying for it./ •/The school is crying out for good teachers./
[cry out]{v.} 1. To call out loudly; shout; scream. •/The woman in the water cried out "Help!"/ 2. To complain loudly; protest strongly. — Used with "against". •/Many people are crying out against the new rule./
[cry out for] See: CRY FOR.
[cry over spilled milk] or [cry over spilt milk]{v. phr.}, {informal} To cry or complain about something that has already happened; be unhappy about something that cannot be helped. •/After the baby tore up Sue’s picture book, Sue’s mother told her there was no use crying over spilled milk./ •/You have lost the game but don’t cry over spilt milk./ Compare: MAKE ONE’S BED AND LIE IN IT, WATER OVER THE DAM or WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
[crystal ball]{n.} A ball, usually made of quartz crystal (glass) that is used by fortune-tellers. •/The fortune-teller at the fair looked into her crystal ball and told me that I would take a long trip next year./ 2. Any means of predicting the future. •/My crystal ball tells me you’ll be making the honor roll./
[crystal gazing]{n.} The attempt to predict future events. •/The magician’s specialty was crystal gazing./
[cry uncle] See: SAY UNCLE.
[cry wolf]{v. phr.} To give a false alarm; warn of a danger that you know is not there. •/The general said that the candidate was just crying wolf when he said that the army was too weak to fight for the country./ (From an old story about a shepherd boy who falsely claimed a wolf was killing his sheep, just to start some excitement.)
[cub scout]{n.} A member of the Cub Scouts, the junior branch of the Boy Scouts for boys 8-10 years of age. •/Jimmie is only seven, too young to be a Cub Scout./