Idioms, with definitions or synonyms

Examples

Translation

above board - honest, open

His business dealings are above board.

честный, открытый

ad lib - improvise, interpolate

The actor forgot his lines and ad libbed.

импровизировать

after all - in spite of the situation, nevertheless

I knew it! After all, I was right! He returned to his hometown after all.

все-таки, все же, в конце концов

against the grain - contrary to someone's feelings, principles

His plan goes against the grain with her because she doesn't like cheating.

против чьих-то чувств, принципов, желаний

all along - all the time

I knew about his little secret all along.

все время, всегда

all ears - eager to listen

I am all ears.

весь внимание

all of a sudden - suddenly

All of a sudden, he refused to pay.

неожиданно

all the same - no difference

If it's all the same to you, let's start at two.

все равно, без разницы

all thumbs - clumsy

He can't fix anything, he's all thumbs.

неуклюжий, неумелый

apple of one's eye - very dear, precious

Her son is the apple of her eye.

очень дорогой, драгоценный, зеница ока

apple of discord - subject of envy or quarrel

This question is an apple of discord in our family.

яблоко раздора

as a rule - usually

As a rule, we offer a 5% discount.

как правило

as far as I know - if I have correct information

As far as I know, he stayed home all day.

насколько я знаю

as far as someone / something is concerned - concerning, in reference to

As far as I am concerned, both the book and the movie are good. As far as your report is concerned, we'll discuss it tomorrow.

что касается кого-то, чего-то

as for / as to - concerning, in reference to

As for me, you can always rely on my support. As for your report, we'll discuss it tomorrow.

что касается, относительно

as well - also, too

He knows math and physics as well.

тоже, также

at all - (not) in the smallest degree

He doesn't know French at all. I don't like it at all.

совсем (не)

at first sight - from the first glance, at once, at first glance

It was love at first sight. At first sight, it seems easy to do.

с первого взгляда, сразу же, на первый взгляд

at odds with - in disagreement

He is at odds with everyone!

не в ладах

at random - without order

He chose those places at random.

наугад, без плана

at this point - at this time

At this point, we can't turn back.

на данном этапе

backseat driver - a passenger who tells you how to drive

His wife is a backseat driver always telling him how to drive.

пассажир, который указывает, как вести машину

ballpark figure - approximate estimate (in figures)

I can give you only a ballpark figure at this time.

приблизительное оценка (в цифрах)

bark up the wrong tree - make a false assumption or wrong choice

The detective was sure he got a suspect, but he was barking up the wrong tree.

напасть на ложный след

be about to do something - be close to doing something, be on the verge of doing something

I was about to leave when you called. I was about to open the door, but something stopped me.

быть готовым сделать что-то, собираться сделать что-то

be all in - be extremely tired

I'm all in, I'd better go to bed now.

очень устать

be back on one's feet - healthy again or better financially

He's back on his feet after a long period of debt and unemployment.

встать на ноги после трудного времени

be behind the times - be old-fashioned, outdated

Some of the managers here are behind the times, their methods are not modern.

отстать от жизни, быть несовременным, устаревшим

be beside oneself - be very upset, nervous, worried

She was beside herself with worry / with grief.

быть вне себя от волнения, горя

be beside the point - be off the point

What I said to him privately is beside the point.

не по существу, не относится к делу

be better off - be in a better situation (financially)

He'll be better off with a new job.

в лучшей ситуации (материально)

be broke - have no money at all, be penniless, bankrupt

I spent all my money, I'm broke.

быть без гроша, быть совсем без денег, разориться

be cut out to be someone; be cut out for it - have the ability to do something

He is cut out to be a leader. She isn't cut out to be a surgeon. She isn't cut out for it.

быть созданным для какой-то работы

be hard on something / someone - treat roughly

My son is hard on shoes, they don't last long with him. Life was pretty hard on Tom.

не беречь что-то, кого-то

be high on one's list - be one of the most important things

A new car is high on my list of priorities. A new TV is not high on my list.

быть в начале списка нужных вещей

be in charge of something - be responsible for

He is in charge of marketing.

быть ответственным за что-то

be in good health - be healthy

She is in good health.

иметь хорошее здоровье

be in poor health - not healthy

She is in poor health.

иметь слабое здоровье

be in good shape - be physically fit

He is in good shape because he exercises regularly.

быть в хорошей форме, быть в порядке

be in bad shape - be in bad state

The patient is in bad shape. His affairs are in bad shape.

быть в плохом состоянии, не в порядке, не в форме

be in the red - be in debt

Our sales were in the red last year.

быть убыточным

be on one's way

I'm on my way.

быть уже в пути: Я уже еду.

be on the point of something, be at the point of something - be on the verge of something, be close to doing something

He was on the point of death two years ago. She was on the point of telling him the truth, but his words stopped her.

быть на грани чего-то, на грани сделать что-то

be out of date - be outdated

This information is out of date.

устаревший

be out of sorts - in bad temper

Leave him alone, he's out of sorts today.

быть не в духе

be pressed for time, for money - not have enough time, money

I'm pressed for time now. We are pressed for money at the moment.

не хватать времени, денег и др.

be to blame - be responsible for a mistake, for something wrong

Who is to blame for this awful mistake? Tom is to blame for this mix-up.

винить за ошибку, неправильные действия

be touch and go - risky; dangerous; uncertain of the result

He was very sick, and for some time it was touch and go, but he is better now.

рискованный, опасный; на грани; неясно, куда повернется

be up and around / about - able to be out of bed after an illness

He was sick for a month, but now he is up and around.

встать на ноги, поправиться

be up to one's ears in (work) - very busy

I'm up to my ears in work.

по уши в (делах, работе)

beat around the bush / beat about the bush - avoid giving a clear or definite answer

Stop beating around the bush! Get to the point!

ходить вокруг да около

beat one's brains out - make great efforts, often unsuccessfully

He beats his brains out at work, but his boss doesn't even notice his hard work.

очень стараться (часто безуспешно)

before long - soon

He will understand before long what a terrible mistake he has made.

скоро, в скором времени

big shot - important person

He is a big shot around here.

важная персона

bite off more than one can chew - try to do more than one can

I couldn't handle two jobs and family. I really bit off more than I could chew.

переоценить свои силы, пытаться сделать непосильное

bite the bullet - to accept painful but necessary action

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and do what's necessary to do.

стиснуть зубы и терпеть мучительное, но необходимое

bite the dust - die, be killed, suffer defeat

Many of them bit the dust in that war.

умереть, быть убитым, потерпеть поражение

bite the hand that feeds one - to repay kindness with evil

She is so ungrateful! She is biting the hand that feeds her!

отплатить злом на добро

black sheep - a good-for-nothing member of the family

Their second son is the black sheep of the family, he is good for nothing.

паршивая овца

blind date - a meeting of a man and woman arranged by friends

She refuses to go on a blind date again because she had bad experience.

свидание вслепую

blow it - lose the chance

He understood that he blew it.

потерять шанс

bottom line - main result / factor

The bottom line is, I don't have enough money.

итог, основной момент

break someone's heart - hurt deeply

The news of her death broke his heart.

разбить чье-то сердце, сильно огорчить

break the ice - overcome shyness in making the first step

The party was dull until someone broke the ice with a joke, and we all laughed.

преодолеть неловкость при первом знакомстве

break the news - tell new important facts

CNN is breaking the news right now.

сообщить важную новость

bring home the bacon - earn the living for the family

He works very hard at several places to bring home the bacon.

обеспечивать семью

by all means - definitely, certainly

Do you need my help? - By all means.

обязательно, конечно

by heart - by memorizing

Learn this poem by heart for tomorrow.

наизусть

by hook or by crook - by any possible means

She will get what she wants by hook or by crook.

любым путем, любым способом

by oneself (by myself, by himself, etc.) - alone, on one's own

She spent the evening by herself. He did it all by himself.

один, в одиночку, сам, сам по себе

by the way - incidentally

By the way, I found the book that you recommended.

кстати

call a halt to something - terminate, stop something

His father called a halt to his activity.

остановить, прекратить что-то

call a spade a spade - use plain, direct words

He always tells the truth and calls a spade a spade.

называть вещи своими именами

call it a day - consider work finished for the day

We've been working for ten straight hours. Let's call it a day.

считать работу законченной на этот день

call the shots - to give orders, to be in control of something

He calls the shots in this company.

распоряжаться, иметь контроль над чем-то

call the tune - to give orders, to be the most important person in some situation

Since he was paying for it, he called the tune.

распоряжаться, быть главным в какой-то ситуации

carry weight - be important

His advice always carries weight here.

иметь вес

castles in the air - daydreaming about success

Instead of working hard, he spends time building castles in the air.

(строить) воздушные замки

catch someone's eye - attract attention

This picture caught my eye.

привлечь чье-то внимание

catch one's breath - stop and rest

I can't run, I need to catch my breath.

перевести дух, остановиться и передохнуть

catch someone off guard - catch someone unprepared

He caught me off guard with his question.

застать врасплох

catch someone red-handed - find someone in the act of doing wrong

The manager caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing cigarettes.

поймать за руку, когда делал плохое

close call - a narrow escape, a bad thing that almost happened

The speeding car almost hit the man. That was really a close call.

что-то плохое, что едва не случилось

come to one's senses - act normally and reasonably again

He finally came to his senses, began to work hard, and passed his exams.

взяться за ум, прийти в себя

come true - become reality

His dream came true when he met Kate.

осуществиться

cross one's mind - occur to someone

It never crossed my mind that he might be ill.

прийти в голову

cut corners - 1. to take a short-cut; 2. to limit one's spending

He ran fast, cutting corners where he could. I have to cut corners this week.

1. срезать углы, идти напрямик; 2. ограничить расходы

do one's best - try very hard

I did my best to help him in his work.

сделать все, что смог

do one's bit - do what's needed

I'll do my bit, you can count on me.

сделать положенное

do someone good - be good for someone

Fresh air and exercise will do you good

принести пользу

do something behind someone's back - do (harmful) things secretively

I hate people who do things behind my back. He did it behind my back again.

делать (вредные) дела за спиной

down to earth - practical

He's quiet, sensible, and down to earth.

практичный, приземленный

draw the line - set a limit, impose a restriction

I draw the line at spending so much on food. He drew the line for her at $100 a day.

установить границу дозволенного, положить предел

duty calls - must fulfill obligations

He said, "Duty calls", put on his coat, and left for work.

долг обязывает

easier said than done

It's easier said than done, but I'll try to do it.

легче сказать, чем сделать

eat one's words - take back one's words

He had to eat his words after her report.

брать назад свои слова

even so - nevertheless, but

I work hard. Even so, I like my job.

тем не менее

every now and then - occasionally

Every now and then I visit my old aunt.

время от времени

every other - every second one

She washes her hair every other day.

через один; каждый второй

fall in love (with) - begin to love

Tom fell in love with Sue at first sight.

влюбиться (в)