Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

Makkai Adam

[cucumber] See: COOL AS A CUCUMBER.

[cudgel] See: TAKE UP THE CUDGELS FOR.

[cudgel one’s brains] See: BEAT ONE’S BRAINS OUT.

[cue in]{v. phr.}, {informal} To add new information to that which is already known. •/Let’s not forget to cue in Joe on what has been happening./

[cuff] See: OFF-THE-CUFF, ON THE CUFF.

[culture vulture]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A person who is an avid cultural sightseer, one who seeks out cultural opportunities ostentatiously, such as going to the opera or seeing every museum in a town visited, and brags about it. •/Aunt Mathilda is a regular culture vulture; she spends every summer in a different European capital going to museums and operas./

[cup] See: IN ONE’S CUPS.

[cup of tea] also [dish of tea]{n. phr.}, {informal} 1. Something you enjoy or do well at; a special interest, or favorite occupation. Used with a possessive. •/You could always get him to go for a walk: hiking was just his cup of tea./ Compare: DOWN ONE’S ALLEY. 2. Something to think about; thing; matter. •/That’s another cup of tea./ Compare: KETTLE OF FISH.

[curb service]{n.} Waiting on customers while they sit in their cars. •/Families with small children often look for hamburger stands that offer curb service./

[curiosity killed the cat]{informal} Getting too nosy may lead a person into trouble. — A proverb. •/"Curiosity killed the cat," Fred’s father said, when he found Fred hunting around in closets just before Christmas./

[curl] See: PIN CURL.

[curl one’s hair]{v. phr.}, {slang} To shock; frighten; horrify; amaze. •/Wait till you read what it says about you — this’ll curl your hair./ •/The movie about monsters from another planet curled his hair./

[curl up]{v.} 1a. To become curly or wavy. •/Bacon curls up when it is cooked./ 1b. To roll oneself into a ball. •/Tim curled up in bed and was asleep in five minutes./ 2. See: FOLD UP.

[current] See: SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT.

[curry favor]{v.} To flatter or serve someone to get his help or friendship. •/Joe tried to curry favor with the new teacher by doing little services that she didn’t really want./ •/Jim tried to curry favor with the new girl by telling her she was the prettiest girl in the class./ Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.

[curve] See: THROW A CURVE.

[cut] See: FISH OR CUT BAIT.

[cut a class]{v. phr.} To be truant; to deliberately miss a class and do something else instead. •/"If you keep cutting classes the way you do, you will almost surely flunk this course," John’s professor said to him./

[cut a figure]{v. phr.} To make a favorable impression; carry off an activity with dignity and grace. •/With his handsome face and sporty figure, Harry cuts quite a figure with all the ladies./

[cut across]{v.} 1. To cross or go through instead of going around; go a short way. •/John didn’t want to walk to the corner and turn, so he cut across the yard to the next street./ 2. To go beyond to include; stretch over to act on; affect. •/The love for reading cuts across all classes of people, rich and poor./

[cut-and-dried]{adj. phr.} Decided or expected beforehand; following the same old line; doing the usual thing. •/The decision of the judge was cut-and-dried./ •/The ways of the king’s court were cut-and-dried./ •/People at the convention heard many cut-and-dried speeches./

[cut and run]{v.}, {informal} To abandon an unfavorable situation. •/When the price of coffee dropped sharply many investors wanted to cut and run./

[cut a swathe]{v. phr.} 1a. To mow a path through a field. •/The farmer cut a swathe through the high grass with his scythe./ 1b. To cut down as if by mowing. •/The machine gun cut a swathe in the lines of enemy soldiers./ 2. {informal} To attract notice; make an impression; seem important. •/The movie star cut a wide swathe when he walked down the street./ •/John tries to show off and cut a big swathe with the girls./ Compare: GO OVER(6), MAKE A HIT.

[cut back]{v.} 1. To change direction suddenly while going at full speed. •/The halfback started to his left, cut back to his right, and ran for a touchdown./ 2. To use fewer or use less. •/After the big job was finished, the builder cut back the number of men working for him./ •/The school employed forty teachers until a lower budget forced it to cut back./

[cut back]{v. phr.} To diminish; lessen; decrease (said of budgets). •/The state had to cut back on the university budget./

[cutback]{n.} An act of decreasing monetary sources. •/The cutback in military spending has caused many bases to be closed./

[cut both ways] or [cut two ways]{v. phr.} To have two effects; cause injury to both sides. •/People who gossip find it cuts both ways./

[cut corners]{v. phr.} 1. To take a short way; not go to each corner. •/He cut corners going home in a hurry./ 2. To save cost or effort; manage in a thrifty way; be saving. •/John’s father asked him to cut corners all he could in college./ 3. To do less than a very good job; do only what you must do on a job. •/He had cut corners in building his house, and it didn’t stand up well./