Неизвестен Автор - Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[of the same mind] In agreement; in consonance. * /It is a good thing when father and son are of the same mind regarding business and politics./

[oil] See: POUR OIL ON TROUBLED WATERS.

[oil the wheels] See: GREASE THE WHEELS.

[ointment] See: PLY IN THE OINTMENT.

[old] See: CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK, COMFORTABLE AS AN OLD SHOE, COMMON AS AN OLD SHOE, OF OLD.

[old as the hills] Very old; ancient. * /"Why didn't you laugh?" she asked. "Because that joke is as old as the hills," he answered./

[old boy network] A system whereby men who went to the same school help each other to get good jobs, regardless of their ability or training. * /Peter got his lucrative job thanks to the old boy network rather than because of his qualifications./ Compare: OLD COLLEGE TRY.

[old boy] or [old chap] , One of the men educated at the same institution and bound by strong ties of loyalty to each other. * /He got the job because the boss was another old boy./

[old college try] An attempt to win a favor from another by mentioning the fact that one had gone to the same college or university as the party from whom the favor is requested. * /Since he needed a job, he decided to use the old college try when he contacted Jerry, but it didn't work./ Compare: OLD BOY NETWORK.

[old country] Primarily Europe, but also any country other than the United States where one originally came from. * /Al's wife was born in Chicago but Al himself is from the old country, Ireland./

[old flame] An erstwhile lover. * /Did you know that Meg was one of Howard's old flames?/

[old guard] People whose ideas may be out of date, but who have been in power for a long time. * /There will not be any change in policy at the company, as long as the old guard still works here./

[old hand] An experienced and highly skilled expert at some particular job. * /Uncle Joe is an old hand at repairing car engines./

[old hat] , Old-fashioned; not new or different. * /By now, putting satellites in orbit is old hat to space scientists./ * /Andrea thought her mother's ideas about dating were old hat./

[old maid] A spinster; a woman who has never married. * /Because my old maid aunt is a terrific cook as well as a good-looking woman, nobody understands why she never married./

[old money] Contrast: NEW MONEY.

[Old Nick] See: FULL OF THE OLD NICK.

[old school tie] See: OLD BOY NETWORK, OLD COLLEGE TRY.

[old story] An everyday occurrence; something that often happens. * /Jane's temper tantrums were an old story./ * /It's an old story when a woman divorces her husband for too much drinking./

[old-timer] An old person who remembers bygone days, matters, and personalities. * /There was an old-timer at the party who told us interesting details about World War II./ Contrast: OLD GUARD, OLD HAND.

[old world] Europe, the continent; a continental manner. * /Tom had an old world manner that thoroughly charmed all the ladies./ Compare: OLD COUNTRY.

[olive branch] An overture; a symbol of peace. * /Tired of the constant fighting, the majority government extended an olive branch to the militant minority./

[on account] As part payment of a debt; to lessen the amount owed. * /John paid $10 down and $5 on account each month for his bicycle./

[on account of] As a result of; because of. * /The picnic was held in the gym on account of the rain./ Compare: ON ONE'S ACCOUNT, OF ONE'S OWN ACCORD.

[on a dime] , In a very small space. * /Bob can turn that car on a dime./ * /Tom says his new sports car will stop on a dime./

[on-again, off-again] See: OFF-AGAIN, ON-AGAIN.

[on air] See: WALK ON AIR.

[on a limb] See: OUT ON A LIMB.

[on all four] See: HIT ON ALL FOUR.

[on all fours] 1. On all four legs; on hands and knees. * /Fido sat up to "beg" but dropped down on all fours to eat the dog biscuit Sam gave him./ * /Billy's father got down on all fours and gave the baby a ride./ 2. On a level of equality; of the same value. * /Wigs may be widely used, but they are still not on all fours with beautiful natural hair./

[on an average] or [on the average] In most cases; usually. * /On an average Dan's mother has to ask him three times before he helps with the dishes./ * /On the average, Mr. Blank trades in his car for a new one every three years./

[on and off] See: OFF AND ON.

[on an even keel] , In a well-ordered way or condition; orderly. * /When the football rally seemed almost ready to become a riot, the principal stepped to the platform and got things back on an even keel./

[on a pedestal] Lovingly honored and cared for. * /Mrs. Raymond's children served her breakfast in bed on Mother's Day and later took her out to dinner. She felt on a pedestal./ * /Bill is always waiting on his fiancee and bringing her flowers and candy. He has certainly put her on a pedestal./

[on approval] With the understanding that the thing may be refused. * /Mr. Grey bought his camera on approval./ * /The company offered to send a package of stamps on approval./

[on a scratched horse] See: PUT ONE'S MONEY ON A SCRATCHED HORSE.

[on a shoestring] With little money to spend; on a very low budget. * /The couple was seeing Europe on a shoestring./

[on a volcano] See: SIT ON A VOLCANO.

[on behalf of] See: IN BEHALF OP.

[on board(1)] On (a ship). * /Joan was not on board the ship when it sailed./

[on board(2)] or On a ship. * /The captain was not on board when the S.S. Flandre sailed./ * /A ship was leaving the harbor, and we saw the people on board waving./

[on borrowed time] See: LIVE ON BORROWED TIME.

[on call] 1. Having to be paid on demand. * /Jim didn't have the money ready even though he knew the bill was on call./ 2. Ready and available. * /This is Dr. Kent's day to be on call at the hospital./ * /The nurse is on call for emergency cases./

[once] See: AT ONCE, EVERY NOW AND THEN or EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

[once and for all] 1. One time and never again; without any doubt; surely; certainly; definitely. * /Let me say, for once and for all, you may not go to the party Saturday./ * /For once and for all, I will not go swimming with you./ 2. Permanently. * /Bill and Tom asked the teacher to settle the argument once and for all./ * /The general decided that two bombs would destroy the enemy and end the war once and for all./

[once bitten, twice shy] See: BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.

[once for all] See: ONCE AND FOR ALL.

[once in a blue moon] Very rarely; very seldom; almost never. * /Coin collecting is interesting, hut you find a valuable coin only once in a blue moon./ * /Once in a blue moon someone grows a very pale marigold, but no truly white marigolds have been raised./

[once in a while] Not often; not regularly; sometimes; occasionally. * /We go for a picnic in the park once in a while./ * /Once in a while the puppy would run away, but usually he stayed in the yard./ Syn.: AT TIMES, FROM TIME TO TIME, NOW AND THEN.

[once-over] , 1. A quick look; a swift examination of someone or something. - Usually used with "give" or "get". * /The new boy got the once-over from the rest of the class when he came in./ * /Bob gave his paper the once-over before handing it in./ 2. or [once-over-lightly] A quick or careless job, especially of cleaning or straightening; work done hastily for now. * /Ann gave her room a quick once-over-lightty with the broom and dust cloth./ * /"Just give my hair the once-over," Al said to the barber./ Compare: LICK AND A PROMISE.

[once upon a time] Sometime before now, long ago. * /Once upon a time she was thought to be the most talented actress in the country./ - Often used at the beginning of fairy stories. * /Once upon a time there lived a king who had an ugly daughter./

[on cloud nine] , Too happy to think of anything else; very happy. * /Ada has been on cloud nine since the magazine printed the story she wrote./ * /We were on cloud nine when our team won the state championship./ Compare: ON TOP OF THE WORLD, WALK ON AIR.

[on condition that] Providing that; if. * /I will lend you the money on condition that you pay it back in one month./ * /She agreed to act in the play on condition that she could keep her costumes./

[on deck] or 1. On a floor of a ship open to the outdoors. * /The passengers were playing shufflehoard on deck./ * /The sailors kept busy cleaning and painting on deck./ 2. Ready to do something; present. * /The scout leader told the boys to be on deck at 8:00 Saturday morning for the hike./ * /Dick was at bat, and Bob was on deck./

[on deposit] In a bank. * /I have almost $500 on deposit in my account./ * /The children save their pennies and each month place them on deposit./

[on duty] Doing one's job; supervising. * /Two soldiers are on duty guarding the gates./ * /There is always one teacher on duty during study hour./ Contrast: OFF DUTY.

[one] See: AT ONE, FOR ONE, GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER, HANG ONE ON, HOLE IN ONE, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, NUMBER ONE, SIX OF ONE AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER, SLIP ONE OVER ON, TEN TO ONE, TWO TO ONE, WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE.

[one and the same] The same; identical. * /Erle Stanley Gardner and A.A. Fair are one and the same person./ * /The spider lily and the Peruvian Daffodil are one and the same./

[one-armed bandit] , A slot machine, like those used in Las Vegas and other gambling places. * /Joe was playing the one-armed bandit all day - and he lost everything he had./

[on earth] See: IN THE WORLD.

[on easy street] , Having enough money to live very comfortably; rather rich. * /After years of hard work, the Grants found themselves on easy street./ * /Jim's novel was a success and put him on easy street./ Compare: IN CLOVER, IN THE CHIPS, WELL-TO-DO.

[one damn thing after another] or [ODTAA] (pronounced owed-tay) If there is one problem, there will be more. * /First I lost my wallet, then a kid broke the window, and, lastly, my car refused to start. It was just one damn thing after another!/ Compare: IF IT'S NOT ONE THING IT'S ANOTHER.

[on edge] Excited or nervous; impatient. * /The magician kept the children on edge all through his show./ * /We were all on edge as we listened to the TV for news of the election results./ * /Father was on edge after driving home through the heavy holiday traffic./ See: SET ONE'S TEETH ON EDGE. Contrast: AT EASE(2).

[one eye on] Watching or minding (a person or thing) while doing something else; part of your attention on. - Used after "have", "keep", or "with". * /Jane had one eye on the baby as she ironed./ * /Bill kept one eye on his books and the other on the clock./ * /Chris tried to study with one eye on the TV set./ Compare: KEEP AN EYE ON.

[one foot in the grave] Near to death. * /The dog is fourteen years old, blind, and feeble. He has one foot in the grave./ * /Grandfather has never been sick a day in his life, but Mother cares for him as if he had one foot in the grave./

[one for the books] , Very unusual; a remarkable something. * /The newspaper reporter fumed in a story that was one for the books./ * /Their trip through the Rocky Mountains was one for the books./

[one-horse] Insignificant; modest; provincial. * /Arnold's business is a one-horse operation; he never had a single employee./

[one man's meat is another man's poison] What is good for one person is not necessarily good for another. - A proverb, * /Even though Jeff likes to swim in ice cold water, his brother Tun hates it. This is understandable, however, because one's man's meat is another man's poison./ Contrast: WHAT'S SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE IS SAUCE FOR THE GANDER.

[on end] Seemingly endless. - Used with plural nouns of time. * /Judy spent hours on end writing and rewriting her essay./ * /During July and August there was no rain for weeks on end./