Неизвестен Автор - Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[like two peas in a pod] Closely similar; almost exactly alike. * /The twin sisters Eve and Agnes are like two peas in a pod./

[like water] As something easily poured out or wasted; freely. - Usually used in the phrase "spend money like water". * /Sailors on shore leave often spend money like water./ * /During the World Wars, the United States spent money like water./

[like water off a duck's back] , Without changing your feelings or opinion; without effect. * /Advice and correction roll off him like water off a duck's back./ * /Many people showed him they didn't like what he was doing, but their disapproval passed off him like water off a duck's back./

[lily] See: GILD THE LILY also PAINT THE LILY.

[limb] See: OUT ON A LIMB.

[line] See: BLOW ONE'S LINES or FLUFF ONE'S LINES, CHOW LINE, DOWN THE LINE, DRAW A LINE or DRAW THE LINE, DROP A LINE, END OF THE ROAD or END OF THE LINE, FOUL LINE, GOAL LINE, GOAL LINE STAND, HOLD THE LINE, HOOK, LINE AND SINKER, IN LINE, IN LINE WITH, INTO LINE, LAY ON THE LINE or PUT ON THE LINE, ON THE LINE, OUT OF LINE, OUT OF LINE WITH, READ BETWEEN THE LINES, TOE THE LINE, WALK THE CHALK or WALK THE CHALK LINE.

[line drive] A batted baseball that is usually hit hard and travels in the air not far above the ground. * /The batter hit a line drive to left field for a single./

[linen] See: AIR ONE'S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC or WASH ONE'S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC.

[line of fire] The path that something fired or thrown takes. * /When the bandit and the police began to shoot, John was almost in their line of fire./ Compare: CROSS FIRE.

[line of least resistance] or [path of least resistance] The easiest way; the way that takes least effort. * /In becoming a doctor like his father John had really just followed the line of least resistance./ * /Some parents take the path of least resistance with their children and let them do as they please./

[line of scrimmage] An imaginary line on a football field parallel to the goal lines where each play except the kickoff begins. * /The play was stopped at the line of scrimmage./

[line one's pockets] also [line one's purse] , To get a lot of money unfairly; get rich by being dishonest. * /The policeman lined his pockets by taking bribes./ * /The inspector lined his pockets by permitting contractors to use poor building materials./ Compare: FEATHER ONE'S NEST.

[lineup] 1. An alignment of objects in a straight line. * /A lineup of Venus and the moon can be a very beautiful sight in the night sky./ 2. An arrangement of suspects through a one-way mirror so that the victim or the witness of a crime can identify the wanted person. * /She picked out her attacker from a police lineup./

[line up] 1. To take places in a line or formation; stand side by side or one behind another; form a line or pattern. * /The boys lined up and took turns diving off the springboard./ * /The football team lined up in a "T" formation./ 2. To put in line. * /John lined up the pool balls./ 3. To adjust correctly. * /The garage man lined up the car's wheels./ 4a. To make ready for action; complete a plan or agreement for; arrange. * /Henry's friends lined up so many votes for him that he won the election./ * /Roger lined up a summer job before school was out./ * /The superintendent lined up all the new teachers he needed before he went on vacation./ 4b. To become ready for action; come together in preparation or agreement. * /The football schedule is lining up well; the coach has arranged all games except one./ * /Larry wanted to go to the seashore for the family vacation, but the rest of the family lined up against him./ Compare: GANG UP, SHAPE UP, TAKE SIDES.

[lining] See: EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING.

[link] See: MISSING LINK.

[lion's share] A disproportionate share; the largest part. * /The manager always gets the lion's share of the company's profits./

[lip] See: BUTTON ONE'S LIP or ZIP ONE'S LIP, HANG ON THE WORDS OF or HANG ON THE LIPS OF, KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP, SLIP OF THE TONGUE also SLIP OF THE LIP.

[lip service] Support shown by words only and not by actions; a show of loyalty that is not proven in action. - Usually used with "pay". * /Bv holding elections, communism pays lip service to democracy, but it offers only one candidate per office./ * /Some people pay lip service to education, but don't vote taxes for better schools./

[liquid assets] Those belongings that can be easily converted into cash. * /Herb asked for a loan and the bank manager told him to bring in proof of all his liquid assets./

[liquor up] , To drink an excessive amount of liquor before engaging in some activity as if comparing oneself to a car that needs to be filled before a journey. * /Joe always liquors up before he takes Sue for a dance./

[list] See: SUCKER LIST, WAITING LIST.

[listen in] 1. To listen to a radio broadcast. * /We found them listening in to the president's speech./ 2. To listen to the talk of others, often to talk that is not intended for your ears; eavesdrop. * /When Mary talked to her boyfriend on the telephone, her little brother listened in./

[listen to reason] To listen to and think about advice that you are given. * /Joe was stubborn and would not listen to reason./ * /It will save you a lot of trouble if you will just listen to reason./

[litterbug] , , A person who leaves garbage in a public place, such as a park or beach or a street; one who litters. * /Don't be a litterbug; keep the city clean!/

[little] See: A LITTLE, A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING, GREAT OAKS FROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW, LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND, MAKE LITTLE OF, NOT A LITTLE, QUITE A LITTLE or QUITE A LITTLE BIT, THINK LITTLE OF, TWIST AROUND ONE'S LITTLE FINGER.

[little does one think] To not realize; not expect; be hardly aware of. * /Little did Ed think that very soon he would be the father of twin daughters./

[little folk] or [little people] See: WEE FOLK.

[little frog in a big pond] or [small frog in a big pond] An unimportant person in a large group or organization. * /In a large company, even a fairly successful man is likely to feel like a little frog in a big pond./ * /When Bill transferred to a larger high school, he found himself a small frog in a big pond./ Contrast: BIG FROG IN A SMALL POND.

[little pitchers have big ears] Little children often overhear things they are not supposed to hear, or things adults do not expect they would notice. - A proverb. * /Be especially careful not to swear in front of little children. Little pitchers have big ears./

[little theater] A theater, usually with nonprofessional actors and actresses, which presents plays more for personal pleasure and practice than for profit. * /Little theater groups are active in all parts of the United States./ * /Many famous actors began in little theaters./

[lit up like a Christmas tree] , To be drunk. * /On New Year's Eve Ned was lit up like a Christmas tree./ Compare: THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND.

[live] See: PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NOT THROW STONES.

[live and learn] You learn more new things the longer you live; you learn by experience. - A proverb. * /"Live and learn," said Mother. "I never knew that the Indians once had a camp where our house is."/ * /Janet made her new dress from cheap cloth, and when she washed it, it shrank and was too little. Live and learn./

[live and let live] To live in the way you prefer and let others live as they wish without being bothered by you. * /Father scolds Mother because she wears her hair in curlers and Mother scolds Father because he smokes a smelly pipe. Grandfather says it's her hair and his pipe; live and let live./ Compare: GIVE AND TAKE(1), LET BYGONES BE BYGONES, FORGIVE AND FORGET.

[live down] To remove (blame, distrust or unfriendly laughter) by good conduct; cause (a mistake or fault) to be forgiven or forgotten by not repeating it. * /John's business failure hurt him for a long time, but in the end he lived it down./ * /Frank was rather a bad boy, but he lived it down as he grew up./ * /Sandra called her principal the wrong name at the banquet, in front of everyone, and she thought she would never live it down./

[live from hand to mouth] To live on little money and spend it as fast as it comes in; live without saving for the future; have just enough. * /Mr. Johnson got very little pay, and the family lived from hand to mouth when he had no job./ * /These Indians live from hand to mouth on berries, nuts, and roots./

[live high off the hog] or [eat high on the hog] See: EAT (LIVE) HIGH ON THE HOG or EAT (LIVE) HIGH OFF THE HOG.

[live in] or [room in] , To live in the school you attend or the place where you work. * /Jack decided to live in during his freshman year at college./ * /Many women advertise for mother's helpers to room in with families and help take care of children./

[live in a fool's paradise] To deceive oneself; tell oneself unreal stories. * /His information is based on a lot of misunderstanding - the poor guy is living in a fool's paradise./

[live in an ivory tower] To be blind to real life; live an unrealistically sheltered existence. * /Professor Nebelmacher has no idea of the cost of living; he lives in an ivory tower./

[live in the fast lane] , To live a full and very active life pursuing wealth and success. * /They have been living in the fast lane ever since they arrived in New York City./

[live it up] , To pursue pleasure; enjoy games or night life very much; have fun at places of entertainment. * /Joe had had a hard winter in lonesome places; now he was in town living it up./ * /The western cowboys usually went to town on Saturdays to live it up./

[live off someone] To be supported by someone. * /Although Eric is already 40 years old, he has no job and continues to live off his elderly parents./

[live off the fat of the land] See: FAT OF THE LAND.

[live on borrowed time] To live or last longer than was expected. * /Ever since his operation, Harvey felt he was living on borrowed time./ * /Mr. Brown was living on borrowed time because a year ago the doctors had told him he would only live six months./

[live out] 1. To finish (a period of time); spend. * /Smith lived out the year in the North as he had agreed, but then moved to the South again./ * /After retiring, John and his wife lived out their lives in Florida./ 2. To last through; endure to the end of. * /We lived out the winter on short ration./ * /He lived out the earthquake, but his house was destroyed./

[live out of a suitcase] To have no permanent residence or a permanent place to hang one's clothes. * /When Jennifer accepted her new job, she had no idea that she would have to live out of a suitcase for six months./

[live up to] To act according to; come up to; agree with; follow. * /So far as he could, John had always tried to live up to the example he saw in Lincoln./ * /Bob was a man who lived up to his promises./ * /The new house didn't live up to expectations./

[live wire] 1. An electrically charged wire, usually uninsulated. * /The electrician was severely burned by the live wire./ 2. An alert or energetic person. * /To sell the new merchandise, our company needs several salespeople who are live wires./

[living daylights] See: BEAT THE --- OUT OF, KNOCK THE --- OUT OF.

[living end] , Great; fantastic; the ultimate. * /That show we saw last night was the living end./

[load] See: GET A LOAD OF.

[loaded for bear] , Ready for action; prepared and eager. * /Frank liked the new merchandise and as he set out on his rounds as a salesman, he felt really loaded for bear./ * /The football team arrived Friday noon, loaded for bear./

[load the bases] or [fill the bases] To get men on all three bases in baseball. * /The Mets loaded the bases with two singles and a base on balls./ * /Don hit a home run with the bases loaded./