Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[catch with one’s pants down] {v. phr.} , {slang} To surprise someone in an embarrassing position or guilty act. •/ They thought they could succeed in the robbery, but they got caught with their pants down. / •/ When the weather turned hot in May, the drive-in restaurant was caught with its pants down, and ran out of ice cream before noon. /

[cat got one’s tongue]You are not able or willing to talk because of shyness. Usually used about children or as a question to children. •/ Tommy’s father asked Tommy if the cat had got his tongue. / •/ The little girl had a poem to recite, but the cat got her tongue. / Compare: LOSE ONE’S TONGUE.

[cat has nine lives]A cat can move so fast and jump so well that he seems to escape being killed many times. •/ We thought our cat would be killed when he fell from the roof of the house. He was not, but he used up one of his nine lives. /

[cathouse] {n.} , {slang} A house of ill repute, a house of prostitution. •/ Massage parlors are frequently cathouses in disguise. /

[cat’s meow]or [cat’s pajamas] {n.} , {slang} Something very wonderful, special, or good. •/ John’s new hike is really the cat’s meow. / •/ Mary’s party is going to be the cat’s pajamas. /

[caught short] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Not having enough of something when you need it. •/ Mrs. Ford was caught short when the newspaper boy came for his money a day early. / •/ The man was caught short of clothes when he had to go on a trip. /

[cause eyebrows to raise] {v. phr.} To do something that causes consternation; to shock others. •/ When Algernon entered Orchestra Hall barefoot and wearing a woman’s wig, he caused eyebrows to raise. /

[cause tongues to wag]See: TONGUES TO WAG.

[caution]See: THROW CAUTION TO THE WINDS.

[cave in] {v.} 1. To fall or collapse inward. •/ The mine caved in and crushed three miners. / •/ Don’t climb on that old roof. It might cave in. / 2. {informal} To weaken and be forced to give up. •/ The children begged their father to take them to the circus until he caved in. / •/ After the atomic bomb, Japan caved in and the war ceased. /

[cease fire] {v.} To give a military command ordering soldiers to stop shooting. •/ "Cease fire!" the captain cried, and the shooting stopped. /

[cease-fire] {n.} A period of negotiated nonaggression, when the warring parties involved promise not to attack. •/ Unfortunately, the cease-fire in Bosnia was broken many times by all parties concerned. /

[ceiling]See: HIT THE CEILING or HIT THE ROOF.

[cent]See: TWO CENTS, WORTH A CENT.

[center]See: FRONT AND CENTER, OFF-CENTER, SHOPPING CENTER.

[century]See: TURN OF THE CENTURY.

[C.E.O.] {n.} Abbreviation of "Chief Executive Officer." The head of a company, factory, firm, etc. •/ We are very proud of the fact that our C.E.O. is a young woman. /

[ceremony]See: STAND ON CEREMONY.

[certain]See: FOR SURE or FOR CERTAIN.

[chain gang] {n.} A group of convicts or slaves in the old South who were chained together. •/ Chain gangs are no longer an acceptable way of punishment, according to modem criminologists. /

[chain letter] {n.} A letter which each person receiving it is asked to copy and send to several others. •/ Most chain letters die out quickly. /

[chain-smoke] {v.} To smoke cigarettes or cigars one after another without stopping. •/ Mr. Jones is very nervous. He chain-smokes cigars. / [chain smoker] {n.} •/ Mr. Jones is a chain smoker. / [chain-smoking] {adj.} or {n.} •/ Chain smoking is very dangerous to health. /

[chain stores] {n.} A series of stores in different locations, joined together under one ownership and general management. •/ The goods in chain stores tend to be more uniform than in independent ones. /

[chained to the oars] {adj. phr.} The condition of being forced to do strenuous and unwelcome labor against one’s wishes for an extended period of time. •/ Teachers in large public schools frequently complain that they feel as if they had been chained to the oars. /

[chair]See: MUSICAL CHAIRS.

[chalk]See: WALK THE CHALK.

[chalk up] {v.} , {informal} 1. To write down as part of a score; record. •/ The scorekeeper chalked up one more point for the home team. / 2. To make (a score or part of a score); score. •/ The team chalked up another victory. / •/ Bob chalked up a home run and two base hits in the game. / •/ Mary chalked up good grades this term. /

[champ at the bit] {v. phr.} To be eager to begin; be tired of being held back; want to start. •/ The horses were champing at the bit, anxious to start racing. / •/ As punishment John was kept after school for two hours. He was champing at the bit to go out. /

[chance]See: BY CHANCE, FAT CHANCE, STAND A CHANCE, TAKE A CHANCE.

[chance it] {v. phr.} To be willing to risk an action whose outcome is uncertain. •/ "Should we take the boat out in such stormy weather?" Jim asked. "We can chance it," Tony replied. "We have enough experience." /

[chance on]also [chance upon] {v.} To happen to find or meet; find or meet by accident. •/ On our vacation we chanced upon an interesting antique store. / •/ Mary dropped her ring in the yard, and Mother chanced on it as she was raking. / Syn.: HAPPEN ON. Compare: RUN INTO.

[change]See: RING THE CHANGES.

[change color] {v. phr.} 1. To become pale. •/ The sight was so horrible that Mary changed color from fear. / •/ Bill lost so much blood from the cut that he changed color. / 2. To become pink or red in the face; become flushed; blush. •/ Mary changed color when the teacher praised her drawing. / •/ Tom got angry at the remark and changed color. /

[change hands] {v. phr.} To change or transfer ownership. •/ Ever since our apartment building changed hands, things are working a lot better. /

[change horses in the middle of a stream]or [change horses in midstream] {v. phr.} To make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity. •/ When a new President is to be elected during a war, the people may decide not to change horses in the middle of a stream. /

[change off] {v.} , {informal} To take turns doing something; alternate. •/ John and Bill changed off at riding the bicycle. / •/ Bob painted one patch of wall and then he changed off with Tom. /

[change of heart] {n. phr.} A change in the way one feels or thinks about a given task, idea or problem to be solved. •/ Joan had a change of heart and suddenly broke off her engagement to Tim. / •/ Fred got admitted to medical school, but he had a change of heart and decided to go into the Foreign Service instead. /

[change of life] {n. phr.} The menopause (primarily in women). •/ Women usually undergo a change of life in their forties or fifties. /

[change of pace] {n. phr.} A quick change in what you are doing. •/ John studied for three hours and then read a comic book for a change of pace. / •/ The doctor told the man he needed a change of pace. /

[change one’s mind] {v. phr.} To alter one’s opinion or judgment on a given issue. •/ I used to hate Chicago, but as the years passed I gradually changed my mind and now I actually love living here. /

[change one’s tune] {v. phr.} , {informal} To make a change in your story, statement, or claim; change your way of acting. •/ The man said he was innocent, but when they found the stolen money in his pocket he changed his tune. / •/ Bob was rude to his teacher, but she threatened to tell the principal and he changed his tune. / Syn.: SING A DIFFERENT TUNE.

[change up]See: LET UP(4).

[character]See: IN CHARACTER.

[charge]See: CARRYING CHARGE, CHARGE OFF(2), IN CHARGE, IN CHARGE OF, TAKE CHARGE.

[charge account] {n.} An agreement with a store through which you can buy things and pay for them later. •/ Mother bought a new dress on her charge account. / •/ Mr. Jones has a charge account at the garage on the corner. /

[charge off] {v.} 1. To consider or record as a loss, especially in an account book. •/ The store owner charged off all of the last season’s stock of suits. / Syn.: WRITE OFF(1). 2. or [charge up] {informal} To accept or remember (something) as a mistake and not worry about it any more. — Often used with "to experience". •/ He charged off his mistakes to experience. / Syn.: CHALK UP. Compare: CHARGE TO.

[charge something to something] {v.} 1. To place the blame on; make responsible for. •/ John failed to win a prize, but he charged it to his lack of experience. / •/ The coach charged the loss of the game to the team’s disobeying his orders. / 2. To buy something on the credit of. •/ Mrs. Smith bought a new pocketbook and charged it to her husband. / •/ Mr. White ordered a box of cigars and had it charged to his account. /

[charge up] {v. phr.} 1. To submit to a flow of electricity in order to make functional. •/ I mustn’t forget to charge up my razor before we go on our trip. / 2. To use up all the available credit one has on one’s credit card(s). •/ "Let’s charge dinner on the Master Card," Jane said. "Unfortunately I can’t," Jim replied. "All of my credit cards are completely charged up." /

[charge with] {v. phr.} To accuse someone in a court of law. •/ The criminal was charged with aggravated kidnapping across a state line. /

[charmed life] {n.} A life often saved from danger; a life full of lucky escapes. •/ He was in two airplane accidents, but he had a charmed life. / •/ During the war a bullet knocked the gun out of his hand, but he had a charmed life. /

[chase]See: GIVE CHASE, GO CHASE ONESELF, LEAD A MERRY CHASE.

[chase after]See: RUN AFTER.

[chase around]See: RUN AROUND.

[cheapskate] {n.} , {informal} A selfish or stingy person; a person who will not spend much. — An insulting term. •/ None of the girls like to go out on a date with him because he is a cheapskate. /