Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[bring up] {v.} 1. To take care of (a child); raise, train, educate. •/ He gave much attention and thought to bringing up his children. / •/ Joe was born in Texas but brought up in Oklahoma. / 2. {informal} To stop; halt. — Usually used with "short". •/ He brought the car up short when the light changed to red. / •/ Bill started to complain, I brought him up short. / 3. To begin a discussion of; speak of; mention. •/ At the class meeting Bob brought up the idea of a picnic. /

[bring up the rear] {v. phr.} 1. To come last in a march, parade, or procession; end a line. •/ The fire truck with Santa on it brought up the rear of the Christmas parade. / •/ The governor and his staff brought up the rear of the parade. / 2. {informal} To do least well; do the most poorly of a group; be last. •/ In the race, John brought up the rear. / •/ In the basketball tournament, our team brought up the rear. /

[bring]or [wheel in]or [out]or [up the big guns] {v. phr.} To make use of a concealed plan in order to defeat an opponent in an argument or in a game, debate, or competition. •/ The new computer software company decided to bring out the big guns to get ahead of the competition. /

[broke]See: GO BROKE, GO FOR BROKE, STONE-BROKE OT DEAD BROKE or FLAT BROKE, STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL’S BACK.

[Bronx cheer] {n. phr.} , {slang} A loud sound made with tongue and lips to show opposition or scorn. •/ When he began to show anti-union feelings, he was greeted with Bronx cheers all around. /

[broom]See: NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN.

[broth]See: SCOTCH BROTH.

[brow]See: BY THE SWEAT OF ONE’S BROW.

[brown]See: DO UP BROWN.

[brown-bagger] {n.} , {slang} , {informal} A person who does not go to the cafeteria or to a restaurant for lunch at work, but who brings his homemade lunch to work in order to save money. •/ John became a brown-bagger not because he can’t afford the restaurant, but because he is too busy to go there. /

[brown-nose] {v.} , {slang} , {avoidable} , {though gaining in acceptance} To curry favor in a subservient way, as by obviously exaggerated flattery. •/ Max brown-noses his teachers, that’s why he gets all A’s in his courses. / Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.

[brown paper bag] {n.} , {slang} , {citizen’s band radio jargon} An unmarked police car. •/ The beaver got a Christmas card because she didn’t notice the brown paper bag at her back door. / See: PLAIN WHITE WRAPPER.

[brown study] {n. phr.} A time of deep thought about something; a deep thoughtful mood. •/ When his wife found him, he had pushed away his books and was in a brown study. /

[brush]See: BEAT THE BUSHES or BEAT THE BRUSH.

[brush aside] {v. phr.} To ignore; give no reply. •/ Brushing aside the editor’s comments, the young novelist proceeded with his story, which was subsequently rejected by the publisher. /

[brush back] {v.} To throw a baseball pitch close to. •/ The pitcher threw a high inside pitch to brush the batter back. / Syn.: DUST OFF.

[brushoff]See: GET THE BRUSHOFF, BRUSH OFF or GIVE THE BRUSHOFF.

[brush off]or [give the brush off] {v. phr.} 1. To refuse to hear or believe; quickly and impatiently; not take seriously or think important. •/ John brushed off Bill’s warning that he might fall from the tree. / •/ I said that it might rain and to take the bus, but Joe gave my idea the brushoff. / •/ Father cut his finger but he brushed it off as not important and kept working. / 2. {informal} To be unfriendly to; not talk or pay attention to (someone); get rid of. •/ Mary brushed off Bill at the dance. / •/ I said hello to Mr. Smith, but he gave me the brushoff. / Compare: COLD SHOULDER, HIGH-HAT. Contrast: GET THE BRUSH OFF.

[brush up]or [brush up on] {v.} To refresh one’s memory of or skill at by practice or review; improve; make perfect. •/ She spent the summer brushing up on her American History as she was to teach that in the fall. / •/ He brushed up his target shooting. /

[bubble gum music] {n.} , {slang} The kind of rock’n'roll that appeals to young teenagers. •/ When will you learn to appreciate Mozart instead of that bubble gum music? /

[bubble trouble] {n.} , {slang} , {citizen’s band radio jargon} Tire trouble, flat tire. •/ The eighteen wheeler ahead of me seems to have bubble trouble. /

[buck]See: FAST BUCK or QUICK BUCK, PASS THE BUCK.

[bucket]See: KICK THE BUCKET, RAIN CATS AND DOGS or RAIN BUCKETS.

[bucket of bolts] {n.} , {slang} A very old and shaky car that barely goes. •/ When are you going to get rid of that old bucket of bolts? /

[buckle]See: BUCKLE DOWN or KNUCKLE DOWN.

[buckle down]or [knuckle down] {v.} To give complete attention (to an effort or job); attend. •/ They chatted idly for a few moments then each buckled down to work. / •/ Jim was fooling instead of studying; so his father told him to buckle down. /

[buck passer], [buck-passing]See: PASS THE BUCK.

[buck up] {v. phr.} , {informal} To make or become more cheerful; make or become free from discouragement; become more hopeful. •/ After the heavy rain, the scoutmaster bucked up the boys by leading them in a song. / •/ Tom was disappointed that he didn’t make the team; but he soon bucked up. /

[bud]See: NIP IN THE BUD.

[bug-eyed] {adj.} , {slang} Wide-eyed with surprise. •/ He stood there bug-eyed when told that he had won the award. /

[buggy-whip] {n.} , {slang} An unusually long, thin radio antenna on a car that bends back like a whip when the car moves fast. •/ He’s very impressed with himself ever since he got a buggy whip. /

[bughouse(1)] {n.} , {slang} An insane asylum. •/ They took Joe to the bughouse. /

[bughouse(2)] {adj.} , {slang} Crazy, insane. •/ Joe’s gone bughouse. /

[bug in one’s ear] {n. phr.} , {informal} A hint; secret information given to someone to make him act; idea. •/ I saw Mary at the jeweler’s admiring the diamond pin; I’ll put a bug in Henry’s ear. /

[build]See: JERRY-BUILT.

[build a fire under] {v. phr.} To urge or force (a slow or unwilling person) to action; get (someone) moving; arouse. •/ The health department built a fire under the restaurant owner and got him to clean the place up by threatening to cancel his license. /

[build castles in the air]or [build castles in Spain] {v. phr.} To make impossible or imaginary plans, dream about future successes that are unlikely. •/ He liked to build castles in the air, but never succeeded in anything. / •/ To build castles in Spain is natural for young people and they may work hard enough to get part of their wishes. /

[build on sand] {v. phr.} To lay a weak or insufficient foundation for a building, a business, or a relationship. •/ "I don’t want to build my business on sand," John said, "so please. Dad, give me that loan I requested." /

[build up] {v.} 1. To make out of separate pieces or layers; construct from parts. •/ Johnny built up a fort out of large balls of snow. / •/ Lois built up a cake of three layers. / 2. To cover over or fill up with buildings. •/ The fields where Tom’s father played as a boy are all built up now. / •/ A driver should slow down when he comes to an area that is built up. / 3a. To increase slowly or by small amounts; grow. •/ John built up a bank account by saving regularly. / •/ The noise built up until Mary couldn’t stand it any longer. / 3b. To make stronger or better or more effective. •/ Fred exercised to build up his muscles. / •/ Joanne was studying to build up her algebra. / 3c. {informal} To advertise quickly and publicize so as to make famous. •/ The press agent built up the young actress. / •/ The movie company spent much money building up its new picture. /

[build up to] {v. phr.} To be in the process of reaching a culmination point. •/ The clouds were building up to a violent storm. / •/ Their heated words were building up to a premature divorce. /

[bull]See: HIT THE BULLS-EYE, SHOOT THE BREEZE or SHOOT THE BULL, TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS.

[bullet lane] {n.} , {slang} , {citizen’s band radio jargon} The passing lane. •/ Move over into the bullet lane, this eighteen wheeler is moving too slow. /

[bull in a china shop] {n. phr.} A rough or clumsy person who says or does something to anger others or upset plans; a tactless person. •/ We were talking politely and carefully with the teacher about a class party, but John came in like a bull in a china shop and his rough talk made the teacher say no. /

[bull session] {n.} , {slang} A long informal talk about something by a group of persons. •/ After the game the boys in the dormitory had a bull session until the lights went out. /

[bullshit] {n.} , {vulgar, but gaining in acceptance by some} Exaggerated or insincere talk meant to impress others. •/ "Joe, this is a lot of bullshit!" /

[bullshit] {v.} , {vulgar to informal} , {gaining in social acceptance by some} To exaggerate or talk insincerely in an effort to make yourself seem impressive. •/ "Stop bullshitting me, Joe, I can’t believe a word of what you’re saying." /

[bullshit artist] {n.} , {slang} , {vulgar, but gaining in social acceptance} A person who habitually makes exaggerated or insincerely flattering speeches designed to impress others. •/ Joe is a regular bullshit artist, small wonder he keeps gettine promoted ahead of everyone else. /

[bum around] {v. phr.} , {slang} To aimlessly wander in no definite direction, like a vagabond. •/ Jim had been bumming around in the desert for three days and nights before he was able to remember how he got there in the first place. /

[bump]See: GOOSE BUMPS.

[bump into] {v.} , {informal} To meet without expecting to; happen to meet; come upon by accident. •/ Mary was walking down the street, when she suddenly bumped into Joan. / •/ Ed was surprised to bump into John at the football game. / Syn.: RUN INTO.