Неизвестен Автор - Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[in the lap of luxury] Well supplied with luxuries; having most things that money can buy. * /Mike grew up in the lap of luxury./ Compare: ON EASY STREET, WELL-TO-DO.

[in the lap of the gods] also [on the knees of the gods] , Beyond human control; not to be decided by anyone. * /Frank had worked hard as a candidate, and as election day came he felt that the result was in the lap of the gods./ * /The armies were evenly matched and the result of the battle seemed to be on the knees of the gods./

[in the least] Even a little; in any degree or amount. - Used in negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences. * /Sue did not understand physics in the least./ * /Are you in the least interested in sewing?/ * /Mother won't be upset if you come for supper; I'll be surprised if she cares in the least./ * /Mike was not upset in the least by the storm./ * /It is no trouble to help you. Not in the least./ Compare: AT ALL.

[in the line of duty] Done or happening as part of a job. * /The policeman was shot in the line of duty./ * /The soldier had to clean his rifle in the line of duty./

[in the long run] In the end; in the final result. * /John knew that lie could make a success of the little weekly paper in the long run./ * /You may make good grades by studying only before examinations, but you will succeed in the long run only by studying hard every day./

[in the lurch] See: LEAVE IN THE LURCH.

[in the main] , In most cases; generally; usually. * /In the main, small boys and dogs are good friends./ * /In the main, the pupils did well on the test./

[in the market for] Wishing to buy; ready to buy. * /Mr. Jones is in the market for a new car./ * /People are always in the market for entertainment./

[in the middle] or In between two sides of an argument; caught between two dangers. * /Mary found herself in the middle of the quarrel between Joyce and Ethel./ * /John promised Tom to go fishing, but his father wanted him to help at home. John was in the middle./

[in the middle of nowhere] In a deserted, faraway place. * /When my car stopped on the highway in the middle of nowhere, it took forever to get help./

[in the money] See: IN THE CHIPS.

[in the mood (for)] 1. Interested in doing something. * /Sorry, I'm just not in the mood for a heavy dinner tonight./ 2. Feeling sexy. * /I am sorry, darling, I am just not in the mood tonight./

[in the mouth] See: LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH.

[in the neck] See: CATCH IT IN THE NECK or GET IT IN THE NECK.

[in the nick of time] Just at the right time; barely soon enough; almost too late. * /The doctor arrived in the nick of time to save the child from choking to death./ * /Joe saw the other car in the nick of time./ Compare: IN TIME.

[in the pink] or [in the pink of condition] , In excellent health; strong and well; in fine shape. * /Mr. Merrick had aged well; he was one of those old men who always seem in the pink of condition./ * /After a practice and a rubdown, Joe felt in the pink./

[in the --- place] As the (first or second or third, etc.) thing in order or importance; first, second, or third, etc. Used with "first", "second", "third", and other ordinal numbers. * /No, you cannot go swimming. In the first place, the water is too cold; and, in the second place, there is not time enough before dinner./ * /Stealing is wrong, in the first place, because it hurts others, and, in the second place, because it hurts you./ Compare: FOR ONE THING.

[in the prime of life] At the peak of one's creative abilities; during the most productive years. * /Poor John lost his job due to restructuring when he was in the prime of his life./

[in the public eye] Widely known; often seen in public activity; much in the news. * /The senator's activity kept him in the public eye./ * /A big league ballplayer is naturally much in the public eye./

[in the raw] or 1. In the simplest or most natural way; with no frills. * /Henry enjoyed going into the woods and living life in the raw./ 2. Without any clothing; naked. * /In the summer the boys slept in the raw./

[in the red] or , In an unprofitable way; so as to lose money. * /A large number of American radio stations operate in the red./ * /A rich man who has a farm or ranch often runs it in the red, but makes his money with his factory or business./ Contrast: IN THE BLACK. (From the fact that people who keep business records usually write in red ink how much money they lose and in black ink how much money they gain.)

[in the right] With moral or legal right or truth on your side; in agreement with justice, truth, or fact; correct. * /When the cars collided, John was clearly in the right./ * /In going before his wife down the stairs, Mr. Franklin was in the right./ * /In many disputes, it is hard to say who is in the right./ Contrast: IN THE WRONG.

[in the rough] See: DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH.

[in the running] or Having a chance to win; not to be counted out; among those who might win. * /At the beginning of the last lap of the race, only two horses were still in the running./ * /A month before Joyce married Hal, three of Joyce's boyfriends seemed to be still in the running./ * /Al was in the running for the trophy until the last hole of the golf tournament./ Contrast: OUT OF THE RUNNING.

[in the saddle] adv. or In command; in control; in a position to order or boss others. * /Mr. Park was in the saddle when he had over half the company's stock./ * /Getting appointed chief of police put Stevens in the saddle./

[in the same boat] or In the same trouble; in the same fix; in the same bad situation. * /When the town's one factory closed and hundreds of people lost their jobs, all the storekeepers were in the same boat./ * /Dick was disappointed when Fern refused to marry him, but he knew others were in the same boat./

[in the same breath] 1. At the same time; without waiting. * /John would complain about hard times, and in the same breath boast of his prize-winning horses./ * /Jane said Bill was selfish, but in the same breath she said she was sorry to see him leave./ 2. In the same class; in as high a group. - Usually used in the negative with "mention", "speak", or "talk". * /Mary is a good swimmer, but she should not be mentioned in the same breath with Joan./

[in the same place] See: LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKES TWICE IN THE SAME PLACE.

[in the sand] See: HIDE ONE'S HEAD IN THE SAND.

[in the second place] See: IN THE --- PLACE.

[in the short run] In the immediate future. * /We are leasing a car in the short run; later we might buy one./ Contrast: IN THE LONG RUN.

[in the soup] , In serious trouble; in confusion; in disorder. * /When his wife overdrew their bank account without telling him, Mr. Phillips suddenly found himself really in the soup./ * /The police misunderstood Harry's night errand, and arrested him, which put him in the soup with the boss./

[in the spotlight] In the center of attention, with everybody watching what one is doing. * /It must be difficult for the President to be in the spotlight wherever he goes./ Compare: IN THE LIMELIGHT.

[in the swim] Doing the same things that other people are doing; following the fashion (as in business or social affairs); busy with what most people are doing. * /Jim found some college friends at the lake that summer, and soon was in the swim of things./ * /Mary went to New York with introductions to writers and artists, and that winter she was quite in the swim./ Contrast: OUT OF THE SWIM.

[in the third place] See: IN THE --- PLACE.

[in the till] See: ROB THE TILL or HAVE ONE'S HAND IN THE TILL.

[in the twinkling of an eye] See: BEFORE ONE CAN SAY JACK ROBINSON.

[in the wake of] , As a result of; right after; following. * /Many troubles follow in the wake of war./ * /There were heavy losses of property in the wake of the flood./

[in the way] See: IN ONE'S WAY.

[in the way of] See: PUT IN THE WAY OF.

[in the wind] Seeming probable; being planned; soon to happen. * /Changes in top management of the company had been in the wind for weeks./ * /Tom's close friends knew that marriage was in the wind./ Compare: IN THE AIR(1).

[in the works] or In preparation; being planned or worked on; in progress. * /John was told that the paving of his street was in the works./ * /It was reported that the playwright had a new play in the works./ * /The manager told the employees that a raise in wages was in the works./ Compare: UNDER WAY.

[in the world] or [on earth] , Of all possible things; ever. - Usually used for emphasis after words that ask questions, as "who", "why", "what", etc. * /Where in the world did you find that necktie?/ * /The boys wondered how on earth the mouse got out of the cage./ * /Betty could not understand what on earth the teacher meant./

[in the wrong] With moral or legal right or truth against you; against justice, truth, or fact; wrong. * /In attacking a smaller boy, Jack was plainly in the wrong./ * /Mary was in the wrong to drink from a finger bowl./ * /Since he had put pennies behind the fuses, Bill was in the wrong when fire broke out./ Compare: OUT OF THE WAY. Contrast: IN THE RIGHT.

[in time] or 1. Soon enough. * /We got to Washington in time for the cherry blossoms./ * /We got to the station just in time to catch the bus./ * /John liked to get to work in good time and talk. to the man who worked on his machine before him./ 2. In the end; after a while; finally. * /Fred and Jim did not like each other at first, but in time they became friends./ 3. In the right rhythm; in step. * /The marchers kept in time with the band./ * /Johnny didn't play his piano piece in time./

[into account] See: TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.

[into a nose dive] See: oo INTO A TAIL SPIN or GO INTO A NOSE DIVE.

[into a tail spin] See: GO INTO A TAIL SPIN.

[into commission] See: IN COMMISSION.

[into effect] Into use or operation. * /The new rule was put into effect at once./ * /The judge ordered the old suspended penalty into effect./

[into hot water] See: HOT WATER.

[into line] 1. Into agreement. * /The department's spending was brought into line with the budget./ 2. Under control. * /Independent congressmen were brought into line by warnings that jobs for their friends would be kept back./ * /The players who had broken training rules fell into line when the coach warned them that they would he put off the team./

[into one's blood] See: IN ONE'S BLOOD.

[into one's head] See: BEAT INTO ONE'S HEAD, TAKE INTO ONE'S HEAD.

[into one's own] See: COME INTO ONE'S OWN.

[into one's own hands] See: TAKE THE LAW INTO ONE'S OWN HANDS.

[into one's shell] See: IN ONE'S SHELL.

[into one's shoes] See: STEP INTO ONE'S SHOES.

[into practice] See: IN PRACTICE.

[into question] Into doubt or argument. - Usually used with "call", "bring" or "come". * /This soldier's courage has never been called into question./ * /If a boy steals, his parents' teaching comes into question./

[into the bargain] See: IN THE BARGAIN.

[into the fire] See: OUT OP THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.

[into the ground] See: RUN INTO THE GROUND.

[into the hands of] See: PLAY INTO THE HANDS OF.

[into thin air] Without anything left; completely. * /When Bob returned to the room, he was surprised to find that his books had vanished into thin air./ Compare: OUT OF THIN AIR.

[in toto] As a whole; in its entirety; totally; altogether. * /The store refused the advertising agency's suggestion in toto./ * /They bought the newspaper business in toto./ * /The paving job was accepted in toto./ (Latin, meaning "in the whole.")

[in touch] Talking or writing to each other; giving and getting news. * /John kept in touch with his school friends during the summer./ * /Police anywhere in the U.S. can get in touch instantly with any other police department by teletype./ * /The man claimed to be in touch with people on another planet./ Compare: KEEP TRACK. Contrast: OUT OF TOUCH.