Неизвестен Автор - Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[as a matter of fact] Actually; really; in addition to what has been said; in reference to what was said. - Often used as an interjection. * /It's not true that I cannot swim; as a matter of fact, I used to work as a lifeguard in Hawaii./ * /Do you think this costs too much? As a matter of fact, I think it is rather cheap./

[as an aside] Said as a remark in a low tone of voice; used in theaters where the actor turns toward the audience as if to "think out loud." * /During the concert Tim said to his wife as an aside, "The conductor has no idea how to conduct Beethoven."/

[as a rule] Generally; customarily. * /As a rule, the boss arrives at the office about 10 A.M./

[as an old shoe] See: COMFORTABLE AS AN OLD SHOE, COMMON AS AN OLD SHOE.

[as --- as ---] - Used with an adjective or adverb in a comparison or with the effect of a superlative. * /John is as tall as his father now./ * /I didn't do as badly today as I did yesterday./ * /John's father gave him a hard job and told him to do as well as possible./ * /The sick girl was not hungry, but her mother told her to eat as much as she could./ - Also used in the form "so --- as" in some sentences, especially negative sentences. * /This hill isn't nearly so high as the last one we climbed./ - Often used in similes (comparisons that are figures of speech). * /The baby mouse looked as big as a minute./ * /Jim's face was red as a beet after he made the foolish mistake./ Most similes in conventional use are cliches, avoided by careful speakers and writers.

[as best one can] As well as you can; by whatever means are available; in the best way you can. * /The car broke down in the middle of the night, and he had to get home as best he could./ * /George's foot hurt, but he played the game as best he could./ * /The girl's mother was sick, so the girl got dinner as best she could./

[as catch can] See: CATCH AS CATCH CAN.

[as far as] or [so far as] 1. To the degree or amount that; according to what, how much, or how far. * /John did a good job as far as he went, but he did not finish it./ * /So far as the weather is concerned, I do not think it matters./ * /As far as he was concerned, things were going well./ 2. To the extent that; within the limit that. * /He has no brothers so far as I know./ Compare: FOR ALL(2).

[as far as that goes] or [as far as that is concerned] or [so far as that is concerned] also [so far as that goes] While we are talking about it; also; actually. * /You don't have to worry about the girls. Mary can take care of herself, and as far as that goes, Susan is pretty independent, too./ * /I didn't enjoy the movie, and so far as that is concerned, I never like horror movies./ Syn.: FOR THAT MATTER, IN FACT. Compare: COME TO THINK OF IT.

[as follows] A list of things that come next; what is listed next. - Followed by a colon. * /My grocery list is as follows: bread, butter, meat, eggs, sugar./ * /The names of the members are as follows: John Smith, Mary Webb, Linda Long, Ralph Harper./ * /The route is as follows: From City Hall go south on Main Street to Elm Street, east on Elm to 5th Street, and south on 5th two blocks to the school./

[as for] 1. In regard to; speaking of; concerning. * /We have plenty of bread, and as for butter, we have more than enough./ 2. Speaking for. * /Most people like the summer but as for me, I like winter much better./ Compare: FOR ONE'S PART.

[as good as] Nearly the same as; almost. * /She claimed that he as good as promised to marry her./ * /He as good as called me a liar./ * /We'll get to school on time, we're as good as there now./ * /The man who had been shot was as good as dead./ - Often used without the first "as" before adjectives. * /When the car was repaired, it looked good as new./

[as good as a mile] See: MISS IS AS GOOD AS A MILE.

[as good as one gets] See: GIVE AS GOOD AS ONE GETS.

[as good as one's promise] See: AS GOOD AS ONE'S WORD.

[as good as one's word] or [good as one's word] Trustworthy; sure to keep your promise. * /The coach said he would give the players a day off if they won, and he was as good as his word./ * /We knew she was always good as her word, so we trusted her./

[as hard as nails] Very unfeeling; cruel, and unsympathetic. * /Uncle Joe is as hard as nails; although he is a millionaire, he doesn't help his less fortunate relatives./

[aside] See: JOKING ASIDE, SET ASIDE.

[aside from] See: APART FROM.

[aside of] , Beside; by the side of. * /Mary sits aside of her sister on the bus./

[as if] or [as though] 1. As (he, she, it) would if; in the same way one would if seeing to show. * /The baby laughed as if he understood what Mother said./ * /The book looked as though it had been out in the rain./ * /The waves dashed on the rocks as if in anger./ 2. That. * /It seems as if you are the first one here./

[as if one has come out of a bandbox] See: LOOK AS IF ONE HAS COME OUT OF A BANDBOX.

[as is] Without changes or improvements; with no guarantee or promise of good condition. - Used after the word it modifies. * /They agree to buy the house as is./ * /He bought an old car as is./ Compare: AT THAT(1).

[as it were] As it might be said to be; as if it really were; seemingly. - Used with a statement that might seem silly or unreasonable, to show that it is just a way of saying it. * /In many ways children live, as it were, in a different world from adults./ * /The sunlight on the icy branches made, as it were, delicate lacy cobwebs from tree to tree./ Compare: SO TO SPEAK.

[ask] See: FOR THE ASKING.

[ask for] , To make (something bad) likely to happen to you; bring (something bad) upon yourself. * /Charles drives fast on worn-out tires; he is asking for trouble./ * /The workman lost his job, but he asked for it by coming to work drunk several times./ Compare: HAVE IT COMING, SERVE RIGHT, SIGN ONE'S OWN DEATH WARRANT.

[ask for one's hand] To ask permission to marry someone. * /"Sir," John said timidly to Mary's father, "I came to ask for your daughter's hand."/

[ask for the moon] or [cry for the moon] To want something that you cannot reach or have; try for the impossible. * /John asked his mother for a hundred dollars today. He's always asking for the moon./ Compare: PROMISE THE MOON.

[asleep at the switch] 1. Asleep when it is one's duty to move a railroad switch for cars to go on the right track. * /The new man was asleep at the switch and the two trains crashed./ 2. Failing to act promptly as expected, not alert to an opportunity. * /When the ducks flew over, the boy was asleep at the switch and missed his shot./

[as likely as not] Probably. * /As likely as not, he will disappear forever./

[as long as] or [so long as] 1. Since; because; considering that. * /As long as you are going to town anyway, you can do something for me./ 2. Provided that; if. * /You may use the room as you like, so long as you clean it up afterward./

[as luck would have it] As it happened; by chance; luckily or unluckily. * /As luck would have it, no one was in the building when the explosion occurred./ * /As luck would have it, there was rain on the day of the picnic./

[as much] The same; exactly that. * /Don't thank me, I would do as much for anyone./ * /Did you lose your way? I thought as much when you were late in coming./

[as much as] 1. or [much as] Even though; although. * /As much as I hate to do it, I must stay home and study tonight./ 2. or [so much as] Just the same as; almost; practically; really. * /By running away he as much as admitted that he had taken the money./ * /You as much as promised you would help us./ * /The clerk as much as told me that I was a fool./ Compare: AS GOOD AS. 3. See: FOR AS MUCH AS.

[as of] prep. At or until (a certain time). * /I know that as of last week he was still unmarried./ * /As of now we don't know much about Mars./

[as one goes] See: PAY AS ONE GOES.

[as one man] Unanimously; together; involving all. * /The audience arose as one man to applaud the great pianist./

[as regards] Regarding; concerning; about. * /You needn't worry as regards the cost of the operation./ * /He was always secretive as regards his family./

[as soon as] Just after; when; immediately after. * /As soon as the temperature falls to 70, the furnace is turned on./ * /As soon as you finish your job let me know./ * /He will see you as soon as he can./

[as the crow flies] By the most direct way; along a straight line between two places. * /It is seven miles to the next town as the crow flies, but it is ten miles by the road, which goes around the mountain./

[as the story goes] As the story is told; as one has heard through rumor. * /As the story goes, Jonathan disappeared when he heard the police were after him./

[as though] See: AS IF.

[as to] 1. In connection with; about; regarding. * /There is no doubt as to his honesty./ * /As to your final grade, that depends on your final examination./ Syn.: WITH RESPECT TO. 2. According to; following; going by. * /They sorted the eggs as to size and color./

[as usual] In the usual way; as you usually do or as it usually does. * /As usual, Tommy forgot to make his bed before he went out to play./ * /Only a week after the fire in the store, it was doing business as usual./

[as well] 1. In addition; also, too; besides. * /The book tells about Mark Twain's writings and about his life as well./ * /Tom is captain of the football team and is on the baseball team as well./ 2. Without loss and possibly with gain. * /After the dog ran away, Father thought he might as well sell the dog house./ * /Since he can't win the race, he may as well quit./ * /It's just as well you didn't come yesterday, because we were away./

[as well as] In addition to; and also; besides. * /Hiking is good exercise as well as fun./ * /He was my friend as well as my doctor./ * /The book tells about the author's life as well as about his writings./

[as yet] Up to the present time; so far; yet. * /We know little as yet about the moon's surface./ * /She has not come as yet./

[as you please] 1. As you like, whatever you like or prefer; as you choose. * /You may do as you please./ 2. Very. - Used after an adjective or adverb often preceded by "as". * /There was Tinker, sitting there, cheerful as you please./ * /She was dressed for the dance and she looked as pretty as you please./

[at a blow] or [at a stroke] or [at one stroke] Immediately; suddenly; with one quick or forceful action. * /The pirates captured the ship and captured a ton of gold at a blow./ * /A thousand men lost their jobs at a stroke when the factory closed./ * /All the prisoners escaped at one stroke./ Compare: AT ONCE, AT ONE TIME.

[at all] At any time or place, for any reason, or in any degree or manner. - Used for emphasis with certain kinds of words or sentences. 1. Negative * /It's not at all likely he will come./ 2. Limited * /I can hardly hear you at all./ 3. Interrogative * /Can it be done at all?/ 4. Conditional * /She will walk with a limp, if she walks at all./ Syn.: IN THE LEAST.

[at all costs] At any expense of time, effort, or money. Regardless of the results. * /Mr. Jackson intended to save his son's eyesight at all costs./ * /Carl is determined to succeed in his new job at all costs./

[at all events] See: IN ANY CASE.

[at all hazards] With no regard for danger; at any risk; regardless of the chances you must take. * /The racer meant to win the 500-mile race at all hazards./

[at all hours] Any time; all the time; at almost any time. * /The baby cried so much that we were up at all hours trying to calm her down./

[at a loss] In a state of uncertainty; without any idea; puzzled. * /A good salesman is never at a loss for words./ * /When Don missed the last bus, he was at a loss to know what to do./