Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[free enterprise] {n. phr.} A system in which private business is controlled by as few government rules as possible. •/ The United States is proud of its free enterprise. /

[free hand] {n.} Great freedom. •/ The teacher had a free hand in her classroom. / •/ Bob put paint on the fence with a free hand. / Compare: FREE REIN.

[freeload] {v.} To have oneself supported in terms of food and housing at someone else’s expense. •/ When are you guys going to stop freeloading and do some work? /

[free rein] {n.} Freedom to do what you want. •/ The king had free rein in his country. / •/ Father is strict with the children, but Mother gives them free rein. / Compare: FREE HAND.

[free throw] {n.} A shot at the basket in basketball without interference from opponents. •/ Mike scored the winning point on a free throw. / Compare: FIELD GOAL(2), FOUL SHOT.

[free-for-all] {n.} 1. Unlimited, free access to something everybody wants. •/ The Smith’s party was a lavish free-for-all; everybody could eat and drink as much as they wanted. / 2. A barroom, tavern, or street fight in which everybody participates. •/ The celebration after the soccer game victory turned into an uncontrollable free-for-all. /

[freeze]See: BLOOD RUNS COLD or BLOOD FREEZES.

[freeze one’s blood]See: BLOOD RUNS COLD.

[freeze out] {v.} , {informal} To force out or keep from a share or part in something by unfriendly or dishonest treatment. •/ The other boys froze John out of the club. /

[freeze over] {v.} To become covered with ice. •/ The children wanted the lake to freeze over so they could ice-skate. /

[French fried potato]or [French fry] {n.} A narrow strip of potato fried in deep fat. — Usually used in the plural. •/ Sue ordered a hamburger and french fries. /

[French leave] {n.} The act of slipping away from a place secretly and without saying good-bye to anyone. •/ "It’s getting late," Rob whispered to Janet. "Let’s take French leave and get out of here." /

[fresh from] {adj.} Recently returned from; experienced in. •/ Tom was fresh from two years in Paris and was very condescending in matters pertaining to cuisine and wines. /

[friction tape] {n.} Black cloth tape with one sticky side used around electric wires. •/ The boy fixed his cracked baseball bat with some friction tape. /

[Friday]See: GIRL FRIDAY.

[friend]See: BOY FRIEND, FAIR-WEATHER FRIEND, GIRL FRIEND, LADY FRIEND, MAKE FRIENDS.

[friends with]Friendly to; a friend of. •/ Alice found several girls to be friends with on the first day of school. / •/ At first I didn’t like John, but now I am friends with him. /

[frightened out of one’s wits]See: OUT OF ONE’S WITS.

[frightened to death]See: TO DEATH.

[fritter away]See: FOOL AWAY.

[fro]See: TO AND FRO.

[frog]See: BIG FROG IN A SMALL POND, LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND.

[from bad to worse]See: GO FROM BAD TO WORSE.

[from grace]See: FALL FROM GRACE.

[from hand to hand] {adv. phr.} From one person to another and another. •/ The box of candy was passed from hand to hand. / •/ Jane brought her engagement ring, and it passed from hand to hand until all the girls had admired it. /

[from hand to mouth]See: LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH.

[from little acorns]See: GREAT OAKS FROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW.

[from Missouri] {adj. phr.} , {slang} Doubtful; suspicious. •/ Don’t try to fool me. I’m from Missouri. /

[from mouth to mouth] {adv. phr.} See: BY WORD OF MOUTH.

[from pillar to post] {adv. phr.} From one place to another many times. •/ Sarah’s father changed jobs several times a year, and the family was moved from pillar to post. /

[from rags to riches] {adv. phr.} Suddenly making a fortune; becoming rich overnight. •/ The Smiths went from rags to riches when they unexpectedly won the lottery. /

[from scratch] {adv. phr.} , {informal} With no help from anything done before; from the beginning; from nothing. •/ Dick built a radio from scratch. / •/ In sewing class, Mary already knew how to sew a little, but Jane had to start from scratch. / Compare: FROM THE GROUND UP.

[from the bottom of one’s heart]or [with all one’s heart] {adv. phr.} With great feeling; sincerely. •/ A mother loves a baby from the bottom of her heart. / •/ John thanked his rescuer from the bottom of his heart. / •/ The people welcomed the returning soldiers from the bottom of their hearts. /

[from the door]See: KEEP THE WOLF FROM THE DOOR.

[from the ground up] {adv. phr.} From the beginning; entirely; completely. •/ After the fire they had to rebuild their cabin from the ground up. / •/ Sam knows about baseball from the ground up. / •/ The new cars have been changed from the ground up. /

[from the heart] {adv.} Sincerely; honestly. •/ John always speaks from the heart. /

[from the word "go"] {adv. phr.} From start to finish; completely. •/ He may look French but he is a New Yorker from the word "go." /

[from time to time] {adv. phr.} Not often; not regularly; sometimes; occasionally; at one time and then again at another time. •/ Even though the Smiths have moved, we still see them from time to time. / •/ Mother tries new recipes from time to time, but the children never like them. / Syn.: NOW AND THEN, AT TIMES, ONCE IN A WHILE. Compare: BY FITS AND STARTS, OFF AND ON.

[from --- to ---]1. Used with a repeated word to show that something keeps on. Without ending. •/ The world grows wiser from age to age. / •/ He goes from day to day without changing his necktie. / — Also used in a short form like an adjective. •/ The superintendent spends more time on plans for the future, and the principal handles the day-to-day problems of the school. / 2. Used with a repeated word to show that something happens again and again. •/ She sells face cream from door to door. / •/ The artist goes from place to place painting pictures. / — Also used in a short form like an adjective. •/ Mr. Roberts began as a door-to-door salesman, and now is president of the company. / 3. Used with words showing opposite or extreme limits, often to emphasize that something is very large or complete. •/ The eagle’s wings measured six feet from tip to tip. / •/ Sarah read the book from cover to cover. / •/ Mrs. Miller’s dinner included everything from soup to nuts. / •/ That book is a bestseller from Maine to California. / •/ The captain looked the boy over from head to foot. / •/ The dog sniffed the yard from end to end in search of a bone. / •/ This new car has been redesigned from top to bottom. / •/ That bookstore has books on everything from archery to zoology. / •/ The television show was broadcast from coast to coast. / •/ He knows mathematics from A to Z. / — Sometimes used in a short form like an adjective. •/ The airplane made a non-stop coast-to-coast flight. /

[from under]See: OUT FROM UNDER, PULL THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER.

[from way back] {adv. phr.} From a previous time; from a long time ago. •/ They have known one another from way back when they went to the same elementary school. /

[front]See: IN FRONT OF.

[front and center] {adv.} , {slang} Used as a command to a person to go to someone who wants him. •/ Front and center, Smith. The boss wants to see you. /

[front court] {n.} The half of a basketball court that is a basketball team’s offensive zone. •/ The guard brought the ball up to the front court. /

[front office] {n.} , {informal} The group of persons who manage a business; the officers. •/ The front office decides how much the workers are paid. /

[frown upon] {v. phr.} To look with disfavor upon somebody or something. •/ Everybody in her family frowns upon her attachment to him. /

[fruitcake]See: NUTTY AS A FRUITCAKE.

[fry]See: OTHER FISH TO FRY, OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE, SMALL FRY.

[fuck around] {v. phr.} , {vulgar} , {avoidable} 1. To be promiscuous. •/ John fucks around with the secretaries. / 2. To play at something without purpose, to mess around. •/ He doesn’t accomplish anything, because he fucks around so much. /

[fuck off] {v. phr.} , {vulgar} , {avoidable} 1. Go away! •/ Can’t you see you’re bothering me? Fuck off! / 2. To be lazy. •/ John said "I don’t feel like working, so I’ll fuck off today." / Compare: BEAT IT, GOOF OFF.

[fuck up] {v. phr.} , {vulgar} , {avoidable} To make a mess of something or oneself. •/ Because he was totally unprepared, he fucked up his exam. / •/ He is so fucked up he doesn’t know whether he is coming or going. /

[fuck-up] {n.} , {vulgar} , {avoidable} A mess; a badly botched situation. •/ What a fuck-up the dissolution of the USSR created! /

[fuddy-duddy] {n.} A person whose ideas and habits are old-fashioned. •/ His students think Professor Jones is an old fuddy-duddy. /

[fuel]See: ADD FUEL TO THE FLAME.

[full]See: HAVE ONE’S HANDS FULL, IN FULL SWING, TO THE FULL.

[full blast] {adv.} At full capacity. •/ With all the research money at their disposal, the new computer firm was going ahead full blast. /

[full-bodied] {adj.} Mature; of maximum quality. •/ The wines from that region in California have a rich, full-bodied flavor. /

[full-fledged] {adj.} Having everything that is needed to be something; complete. •/ A girl needs three years of training to be a full-fledged nurse. / •/ The book was a full-fledged study of American history. /

[full of beans] {adj. phr.} , {slang} 1. Full of pep; feeling good; in high spirits. •/ The football team was full of beans after winning the tournament. / •/ The children were full of beans as they got ready for a picnic. / 2. also [full of prunes]Being foolish and talking nonsense. •/ You are full of prunes; that man’s not 120 years old. /