Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[on the button] {adv. adj.} , {slang} At the right place; at the heart of the matter. •/ John’s remark was right on the button. / Compare: ON THE DOT.

[on the cards]See: IN THE CARDS.

[on the carpet]See: CALL ON THE CARPET.

[on the cheap] {adv. phr.} Inexpensively; on a tight budget. •/ She buys most of her clothes on the cheap in secondhand stores. /

[on the chin]See: TAKE IT ON THE CHIN.

[on the contrary] {adv. phr.} Exactly the opposite; rather; instead. •/ The principal thought that the children went to the zoo; on the contrary, they went to the bakery. / •/ "You don’t like football, do you?" "On the contrary, I like it very much." / Compare: TO THE CONTRARY.

[on the cuff] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} , {informal} Agreeing to pay later; to be paid for later; on credit. •/ Peter lost the money that Mother gave him to buy meat, and the store would not let him have meat on the cuff. / •/ Many people buy cars and television sets on the cuff. /

[on the dole] {adv. phr.} Drawing unemployment benefits. •/ When Jim lost his job he got on the dole and is still on it. /

[on the dot]also [on the button] {adv. phr.} , {informal} Exactly on time; not early and not late. •/ Susan arrived at the party at 2:00 P.M. on the dot. / •/ Ben’s plane arrived on the dot. /

[on the double!] {adv. phr.} Hurry up! •/ "Let’s go! On the double!" the pilot cried, as he started up the engine of the small plane. /

[on the eve of] {prep.} Just before (an event). •/ On the eve of the election, the president proposed a plan to cut taxes. /

[on the face of it] {adv. phr.} Apparently; as it seems. •/ On the face of it, Joe’s claim that he can swim five miles is true. / •/ His statement that he is a millionaire is, on the face of it, false. /

[on the fence] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} Not able, or not wanting to choose; in doubt; undecided. — Often used with "sit". •/ Jack sat on the fence for a week last spring before he finally joined the track team instead of the baseball team. / •/ Mrs. Jones has decided to vote for the Democrats, but Mr. Jones is still on the fence. / See: FENCE-SITTER or FENCE-SITTING.

[on the fly(1)] {adv. phr.} 1. While in the air; in flight. •/ The bird caught a bug on the fly. / •/ Joe was called out because the catcher caught the ball on the fly. / 2. {informal} Between other activities; while busy with many things. •/ The president was so busy that he had to dictate letters on the fly. / •/ John is very busy, and people who want to talk to him have to catch him on the fly. / Compare: ON THE GO, ON THE WING(2).

[on the fly(2)] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Busy; going somewhere in a hurry; going about doing things. •/ Getting the house ready for the visitors kept Mother on the fly all day. / •/ The housekeeper of our school is always on the fly. /

[on the go] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Active and busy. •/ Successful businessmen are on the go most of the time. / •/ Healthy, happy people are usually on the go. / Compare: ON THE MOVE.

[on the heels of] {prep.} Just after; following (something, especially an event). — Often used with "hard" for emphasis. •/ Hard on the heels of the women’s liberation parade, homosexuals declared a "gay pride week." /

[on the hog]See: LIVE HIGH OFF THE HOG or EAT HIGH ON THE HOG.

[on the hour] {adv. phr.} Each time the hour has zero minutes and zero seconds. •/ The uptown bus goes past the school on the hour. / •/ The woman must take her pill on the hour. /

[on the house] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Paid for by the owner. •/ At the opening of the new hotel, the champagne was on the house. / •/ Oscar was the first customer at the diner, so his lunch was on the house. /

[on the increase]See: ON THE WAX. Contrast: ON THE DECREASE, ON THE WANE.

[on the job] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Working hard; not wasting time. •/ Joe was on the job all of the time that he was at work. / •/ The school paper came out on time because the editors were on the job. /

[on the knees of the gods]See: IN THE LAP OF THE GODS.

[on the lam] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} , {slang} Running away, especially from the law; in flight. •/ The bank robber was on the lam for ten months before the police caught him. / — Sometimes used in the phrase "take it on the lam". •/ After a big quarrel with her father, the girl took it on the lam. /

[on the level] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Honest and fair; telling the whole truth. •/ Our teacher respects the students who are on the level with her. / •/ Joyce wondered if the fortune-teller was on the level. /

[on the line]See: LAY ON THE LINE or PUT ON THE LINE.

[on the lips]See: HANG ON THE WORDS OF or HANG ON THE LIPS OF.

[on the lookout] {adj. phr.} Watching closely. •/ The little boy was on the lookout for his father. / •/ Forest rangers are always on the lookout for forest fires. / •/ The doctor is on the lookout for a new secretary. /

[on the loose] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Free to go; not shut in or stopped by anything. •/ The zookeeper forgot to close the gate to the monkey cage and the monkeys were on the loose. / •/ All of the seniors were on the loose on "Senior Skip Day." /

[on the make] {adj.} , {slang} 1. Promiscuous or aggressive in one’s sexual advances. •/ I can’t stand Murray; he’s always on the make. / 2. Pushing to get ahead in one’s career; doing anything to succeed. •/ The new department head is a young man on the make, who expects to be company president in ten years. /

[on the map]See: PUT ON THE MAP.

[on the market] {adj. phr.} For sale. •/ In the summer many fresh vegetables are on the market. / •/ The Goodwins put their house on the market in January, but they did not sell it till August. /

[on the mend] {adj. phr.} Healing; becoming better. •/ John’s broken leg is on the mend. / •/ Mary’s relationship with Joan is on the mend. /

[on die money] {adv. phr.} Exactly right; exactly accurate. •/ Algernon won the lottery; the numbers he picked were right on the money. / Compare: ON THE NOSE.

[on the move] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} 1. Moving around from place to place; in motion. •/ It was a very cold day, and the teacher watching the playground kept on the move to stay warm. / •/ It was vacation time, and the highways were full of families on the move. / 2. Moving forward; going somewhere. •/ The candidate promised that if people would make him president, he would get the country on the move. /

[on the nose] {adv. phr.} , {informal} Just right; exactly. •/ Stanley hit the ball on the nose. / •/ The airplane pilot found the small landing field on the nose. /

[on the other foot]See: SHOE ON THE OTHER FOOT.

[on the other hand] {adv. phr.} Looking at the other side; from another point of view. — Used to introduce an opposite or different fact or idea. •/ Jim wanted to go to the movies; his wife, on the other hand, wanted to stay home and read. / •/ Mr. Harris may still want a boy to mow his lawn; on the other hand, he may have found someone to do it. / Compare: ON ONE HAND.

[on the outs] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Not friendly; having a quarrel. •/ Mary and Sue were on the outs. / •/ Being on the outs with a classmate is very upsetting. / Syn.: AT ODDS.

[on the point of] {prep.} Ready to begin; very near to. — Usually used with a verbal noun. •/ The coach was on the point of giving up the game when our team scored two points. / •/ The baby was on the point of crying when her mother finally came home. / Compare: ABOUT TO, AT THE POINT OF.

[on the Q.T.] {adv. phr.} , {informal} Secretly; without anyone’s knowing. •/ George and Paul formed a club on the Q.T. / •/ The teachers got the principal a present strictly on the Q.T. / (from quiet.)

[on the road] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Traveling; moving from one place to another. •/ When we go on vacation, we take a lunch to eat while on the road. / •/ Mr. Smith is on the road for his insurance company. / 2. Changing; going from one condition to another. •/ Mary was very sick for several weeks, but now she is on the road to recovery. / •/ Hard study in school put John on the road to success. /

[on the rocks] {adj. phr.} 1. {informal} Wrecked or ruined. •/ Mr. Jones' business and marriage were both on the rocks. / 2. With ice only. •/ At the restaurant, Sally ordered orange juice on the rocks. /

[on the ropes] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Against the ropes of a boxing ring and almost not able to stand up. •/ The fighter was on the ropes and could hardly lift his gloves. / 2. Almost defeated; helpless; near failure. •/ The new supermarket took most of the business from Mr. Thomas’s grocery, and the little store was soon on the ropes. /

[on the run] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. In a hurry; hurrying. •/ Jane called "Help!" and Tom came on the run. / •/ Modern mothers are usually on the run. / 2. Going away from a fight; in retreat; retreating. •/ The enemy soldiers were on the run. /

[on the safe side] {adv. phr.} Provided for against a possible emergency; well prepared. •/ "Please double-check these proofs, Mr. Brown," the printer said, "just to be on the safe side." /

[on the shelf] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} , {informal} Laid aside; not useful anymore. •/ When a girl grows up, she puts childish habits on the shelf. / •/ Mr. Myron’s company put him on the shelf when he reached the age of 65. /

[on the side] {adv. phr.} , {informal} 1. In addition to a main thing, amount or quantity; extra. •/ He ordered a hamburger with onions and French fries on the side. / •/ His job at the hospital did not pay much, so he found another on the side. / •/ The cowboys in the rodeo competed for prize money and also made bets on the side. / 2. or [on the --- side]Tending toward; rather. •/ Grandmother thought Jane’s new skirt was on the short side. /