Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[square one’s shoulders] {v. phr.} To stand strong and ready to give battle; be brave. •/ Jack squared his shoulders and entered the game. / •/ Graduates must square their shoulders and face the world. /

[square peg in a round hole] {n.} , {informal} A person who does not fit into a job or position; someone who does not belong where he is. •/ Arthur is a square peg in a round hole when he is playing ball. / •/ George likes to work with his hands. When it comes to books, he’s a square peg in a round hole. / — Sometimes used in a short form, [square peg].

[square shooter]See: SHOOT STRAIGHT.

[square up] {v. phr.} To liquidate debts and other obligations. •/ I want to square up my medical bills before I accept my new teaching assignment in Africa. /

[squeak]See: PIP-SQUEAK.

[squeak by] {v. phr.} 1. To barely succeed. •/ He was so poorly prepared for his bar exam that he barely squeaked by. / 2. To clear with difficulty. •/ The entrance to the corridor in the old Italian castle was so narrow that I barely managed to squeak by it. /

[squeak through] {v.} , {informal} To be successful but almost fail; win by a small score. •/ Susan squeaked through the history examination. / •/ The football team squeaked through 7-6. / Compare: BY THE SKIN OF ONE’S TEETH.

[squeeze out of] {v. phr.} To apply pressure to someone in order to obtain what one desires. •/ The police were interrogating the suspect to squeeze information out of him. /

[stab in the back(1)] {v. phr.} , {slang} To say or do something unfair that harms (a friend or someone who trusts you). •/ Owen stabbed his friend Max in the back by telling lies about him. /

[stab in the back(2)] {n. phr.} , {slang} An act or a lie that hurts a friend or trusting person; a promise not kept, especially to a friend. •/ John stabbed his own friend in the back by stealing from his store. / •/ My friend stabbed me in the back by telling the teacher I was playing hooky when I was home sick. /

[stab in the dark] {n. phr.} A random attempt or guess at something without previous experience or knowledge of the subject. •/ "You’re asking me who could have hidden grandpa’s will," Fred said. "I really have no idea, but let me make a stab in the dark — I think my sister Hermione has it." /

[stack]See: BLOW A FUSE or BLOW ONE’S STACK.

[stack the cards] {v. phr.} 1. To arrange cards secretly and dishonestly for the purpose of cheating. •/ The gambler had stacked the cards against Bill. / 2. To arrange things unfairly for or against a person; have things so that a person has an unfair advantage or disadvantage; make sure in an unfair way that things will happen. — Usually used in the passive with "in one’s favor" or "against one." •/ A tall basketball player has the cards stacked in his favor. / •/ The cards are stacked against a poor boy who wants to go to college. /

[stage]See: AT --- STAGE OF THE GAME, HOLD THE STAGE, ON THE STAGE, SET THE STAGE.

[stage fright] {n. phr.} The fear one feels before appearing in front of an audience. •/ Many famous actors and actresses admit that they often have stage fright before the curtain goes up. /

[stagestruck] {adj.} Desirous of becoming an actor or actress; enamored of the acting profession. •/ Milly is so stagestruck that she waits for actresses at the stage door after each performance to get their signatures. /

[stage whisper] {n. phr.} A loud whisper intended to reach other ears than those of the person(s) addressed. •/ Some jokes should be told in a stage whisper. /

[stag party]See: GO STAG. Contrast: HEN PARTY.

[stake]See: AT STAKE, PULL UP STAKES.

[stake a claim] {v. phr.} 1. To claim ownership of land by driving stakes to show boundaries. •/ The gold hunters staked claims in the West. / 2. {informal} To claim a person or thing as your own by some sign. Usually used with "on". •/ George staked a claim on Dianne by giving her his class ring. /

[stamp]See: SAVINGS STAMP, TRADING STAMP.

[stamping ground] {n.} , {informal} A place where a person spends much of his time. •/ Pete’s soda fountain is an afterschool stamping ground. / •/ When John returned to his hometown many years later, he visited all of his old stamping grounds. /

[stamp out] {v.} To destroy completely and make disappear. •/ In the last few years, we have nearly stamped out polio by using vaccine. / •/ The police and judges are trying to stamp out crime. / Compare: WIPE OUT.

[stand]See: GOAL LINE STAND, HAIR STAND ON END, HEART STAND STILL, LEG TO STAND ON.

[stand a chance]or [stand a show] {n. phr.} To have a possibility or opportunity; be likely to do or get something. •/ Fred doesn’t stand a chance of being elected. / •/ We stand a good chance of seeing Mary at the party. /

[standard time]also [slow time] {n.} Clock time that is set by law or agreement in a country or in part of a country; especially, in the United States: the clock time used between fall and spring, which is an hour slower than the time used in the summer. — Abbreviation ST. •/ When we go to bed Saturday night, we will set our clocks back an hour, because Sunday we will be on standard time again. / •/ Next week it will get dark an hour earlier, because we will be on standard time. / Contrast: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME.

[stand by] {v.} 1. To be close beside or near. •/ Mary could not tell Jane the secret with her little brother standing by. / •/ Would you just stand by and watch the big boys beat your little brother? / 2. To be near, waiting to do something when needed. •/ The policeman in the patrol car radioed the station about the robbery, and then stood by for orders. / •/ Lee stood by with a fire extinguisher while the trash was burning. / 3. To follow or keep (one’s promise). •/ He is a boy who always stands by his promises. / 4. To be loyal to; support; help. •/ When three big boys attacked Bill, Ed stood by him. / •/ Some people blamed Harry when he got into trouble, but Joe stood by him. / Compare: BACK UP, HANG TOGETHER, STAND UP FOR.

[stand by one’s guns]See: STICK TO ONE’S GUNS.

[stand for] {v.} 1. To be a sign of; make you think of; mean. •/ The letters "U.S.A." stand for "United States of America." / •/ The written sign "=" in an arithmetic problem stands for "equals." / •/ Our flag stands for our country. / •/ The owl stands for wisdom. / 2. To speak in favor of something, or show that you support it. •/ The new President stood for honest government. / •/ John always stands for what is right. / 3. {Chiefly British} To try to be elected for. •/ Three men from London are standing for parliament. / •/ The governor did not stand for reelection. / 4. {informal} To allow to happen or to be done; permit. — Usually used in the negative, •/ The teacher will not stand for fooling in the classroom. / Compare: HAVE IT(4), PUT UP WITH.

[stand in awe of] {v. phr.} To look upon with wonder; feel very respectful to. •/ Janet always stands in awe of the superintendent. / •/ The soldier stood in awe to his officers. /

[stand in for] {v. phr.} To substitute for someone. •/ The famous brain surgeon was called out of town so his assistant had to stand in for him during the operation. /

[stand in one’s way]See: IN ONE’S WAY.

[stand in with] {v. phr.} , {informal} To be liked by or friendly with. — Usually used with "well". •/ John stands in well with the teacher. /

[stand off] {v.} 1. To stay at a distance; stay apart. •/ At parties, Mr. Jones goes around talking to everyone, but Mrs. Jones is shy and stands off. / 2. To keep (someone or something) from coming near or winning. •/ The soldiers defending the fort stood off a large band of Indians. / •/ The other schools wanted to beat our team and win the championship, but our boys stood them all off. / Contrast: GIVE GROUND.

[standoffish] {adj.} Stiff; aloof; reserved in manner. •/ The famous chess player is hard to get to know because he is so standoffish. /

[stand on ceremony] {v. phr.} To follow strict rules of politeness; be very formal with other people. — Usually used with a helping verb in the negative. •/ Grandmother does not stand on ceremony when her grandchildren call. /

[stand one in good stead] {v. phr.} To be helpful or useful to. •/ A boy scout knife will stand you in good stead when you do not have other tools. / •/ Julia knew how to typewrite, and that stood her in good stead when she looked for a job. /

[stand one’s ground]also [hold one’s ground] {v. phr.} 1. To stay and fight instead of running away. •/ The enemy attacked in great numbers but our men stood their ground. / Compare: GAIN GROUND. Contrast: GIVE GROUND, LOSE GROUND. 2. To defend a belief or statement; refuse to weaken when opposed; insist you are right. •/ John’s friends said he was mistaken but he stood his ground. / Compare: STICK TO ONE’S GUNS.

[stand on one’s own feet]or [stand on one’s own two feet] {v. phr.} To depend on yourself; do things yourself; earn your own living; be independent. •/ After his father died, John had to stand on his own feet and earn his own living. / •/ You should learn to stand on your own two feet. /

[stand out] {v.} 1. To go farther out than a nearby surface; protect. •/ A mole stood out on her cheek. / Compare: STICK OUT(1b). 2. To be more noticeable in some way than those around you; be higher, bigger, or better. •/ Fred was very tall and stood out in the crowd. / •/ John stood out as a track star. /

[stand over] {v.} 1. To watch closely; keep checking all the time. •/ Ted’s mother had to stand over him to get him to do his homework. / 2. To be held over for later action; be postponed; wait. •/ The committee decided to let the proposal stand over until its next meeting. /

[stand pat] {v.} , {informal} To be satisfied with things and be against a change. •/ Bill had made up his mind on the question and when his friends tried to change his mind, he stood pat. / Compare: STAND ONE’S GROUND(2).