Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[hand-pick] {v.} , {informal} To choose very carefully. •/ This debating team should win because its members are all hand-picked. / •/ The political bosses hand-picked a man for mayor who would agree with them. /

[hands-down] {adj.} , {informal} 1. Easy. •/ The Rangers won a hands-down victory in the tournament. / 2. Unopposed; first; clear. •/ Johnny was the hands-down favorite for president of the class. /

[hands down] {adv.} , {informal} 1. Without working hard; easily. •/ The Rangers won the game hands down. / 2. Without question or doubt; without any opposition; plainly. •/ Johnny was bands down the best player on the team. /

[hands off] {informal} Keep your hands off or do not interfere; leave that alone. — Used as a command. •/ I was going to touch the machine, but the man cried, "Hands off!" and I let it alone. /

[hands-off] {adj.} , {informal} Leaving alone, not interfering; inactive. •/ The United States told the European governments to follow a hands-off policy toward Latin America. / •/ I did not approve of his actions, but I have a hands-off rule in personal matters, so I said nothing. /

[handsome is as handsome does] {informal} A person must act well and generously so that he will be truly worth respecting. — A proverb. •/ Everyone thinks that Bon is a very handsome boy, but he is very mean too. Handsome is as handsome does. / Compare: FINE FEATHERS DO NOT MAKE PINE BIRDS.

[hands up] {informal} Hold up your hands! Put your hands up high and keep them there! — Used as a command. •/ The sheriff pointed his gun at the outlaws and called out, "Hands up!" / Syn.: REACH FOR THE SKY.

[hand something to someone on a silver platter] {v. phr.} To give a person a reward that has not been earned. •/ The lazy student expected his diploma to be handed to him on a silver platter. /

[hand to hand] {adv. phr.} Close together, near enough to hit each other. •/ The two soldiers fought hand to hand until one fell badly wounded. / •/ In modern naval warfare, men seldom fight hand to hand. / Compare: FACE TO FACE.

[hand-to-hand] {adj.} Close to each other; near enough to hit each other. •/ The result of the battle was decided in hand-to-hand combat. / •/ When the police tried to break up the riot, there was hand-to-hand fighting with fists, stones, and clubs. / Compare: FACE-TO-FACE.

[hand-to-mouth] {adj.} Not providing for the future; living from day to day; not saving for later. •/ Many native tribes lead a hand-to-mouth existence, content to have food for one day at a time. / •/ John is not a saving boy; he spends his money without thought for the future, and lives a hand-to-mouth life. / See: LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH.

[handwriting on the wall] {n. phr.} A sign that something bad will happen. •/ When Bill’s team lost four games in a row, he saw the handwriting on the wall. / •/ John’s employer had less and less work for him; John could read the handwriting on the wall and looked for another job. /

[hang]See: GO HANG, GIVE A HANG or CARE A HANG, GIVE ONE ENOUGH ROPE, AND HE WILL HANG HIMSELF, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR.

[hang around] {v.} , {informal} 1. To pass time or stay near without any real purpose or aim; loaf near or in. •/ The principal warned the students not to hang around the corner drugstore after school. / Compare: HANG OUT(1). 2. To spend time or associate, •/ Jim hangs around with some boys who live in his neighborhood. /

[hang back]or [hang off]or [hang behind]1. To stay some distance behind or away, be unwilling to move forward. •/ Mary offered the little girl candy, but she was shy and hung back. / 2. To hesitate or be unwilling to do something. •/ Lou wanted Fred to join the club, but Fred hung off. /

[hang behind]See: HANG BACK(1).

[hang by a hair]See: HANG BY A THREAD.

[hang by a thread]or [hang by a hair] {v. phr.} To depend on a very small thing; be in doubt. •/ For three days Tom was so sick that his life hung by a thread. / •/ As Joe got ready to kick a field goal, the result of the game hung by a hair. / Compare: HANG IN THE BALANCE.

[hanger]See: CREPE HANGER.

[hang fire] {v. phr.} 1. To fail or be slow in shooting or firing. •/ Smith pulled the trigger, but the gun hung fire and the deer escaped. / 2. To be slow in beginning; to be delayed; to wait. •/ The boys' plans for organizing a scout troop hung fire because they could not find a man to be scoutmaster. /

[hang heavy]or [hang heavy on one’s hands] {v. phr.} To pass slowly or uninterestingly; be boring with little to do. •/ The vacation time hung heavy on Dick’s hands because all his friends were away at camp. / Compare: ON ONE’S HANDS.

[hang in effigy]or [burn in effigy] {v. phr.} To hang or burn a figure, usually a stuffed dummy, representing a person who is disliked or scorned. •/ When the high school team lost the championship game, the coach was hung in effigy by the townspeople. / •/ During World War II, Hitler was sometimes burned in effigy in the United States. /

[hang in the balance] {v. phr.} To have two equally possible results; to be in doubt; be uncertain. •/ Until Jim scored the winning touchdown, the outcome of the game hung in the balance. / •/ She was very sick and her life hung in the balance for several days. / Compare: HANG BY A THREAD.

[hang in (there)] {v. phr.} , {slang} , {informal} To persevere; not to give up; to stick to a project and not lose faith or courage. •/ Hang in there old buddy; the worst is yet to come. /

[hang it] {interj.} , {informal} An exclamation used to express annoyance or disappointment. •/ Oh, hang it! I forgot to bring the book I wanted to show you. / •/ Hang it all, why don’t you watch where you’re going? /

[hang off]See: HANG BACK.

[hang on] {v.} 1. To hold on to something, usually tightly. •/ Jack almost fell off the cliff, but managed to hang on until help came. / Syn.: HOLD ON(1). 2a. To continue doing something; persist. •/ The grocer was losing money every day, but he hung on, hoping that business would improve. / Compare: HOLD OUT, STICK OUT. 2b. To hold a lead in a race or other contest while one’s opponents try to rally. •/ The favorite horse opened an early lead and hung on to win as two other horses almost passed him in the final stretch. / •/ Bunning, staked to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, hung on to heat the Dodgers 6-4. / 3. To continue to give trouble or cause suffering. •/ Lou’s cold hung on from January to April. / 4. To continue listening on the telephone. •/ Jerry asked John, who had called him on the phone, to hung on while he ran for a pencil and a sheet of paper. / Compare: HOLD ON(3).

[hang one on] {v. phr.} , {slang} 1. To give a heavy blow to; hit hard. •/ The champion hung one on his challenger in the second round and knocked him out of the ring. / 2. To get very drunk. •/ After Smith lost his job, he went to a bar and hung one on. /

[hang one’s head] {v. phr.} To bend your head forward in shame. •/ Johnny hung his head when the teacher asked him if he broke the window. / Compare: HIDE ONE’S HEAD.

[hang on the words of]also [hang on the lips of] {v. phr.} To listen very attentively to. •/ Ann hangs on every word of her history teacher and takes very careful notes. / •/ As he went on with his speech, his auditors, deeply interested, hung on his lips. /

[hang on to] {v.} To hold tightly; keep firmly. •/ The child hung on to its mother’s apron, and would not let go. / •/ John did not like his job, but decided to hang on to it until he found a better one. /

[hang on to one’s mother’s apron strings]See: TIED TO ONE’S MOTHER’S APRON STRINGS.

[hang on to your hat]or [hold on to your hat]or [hold your hat] {v. phr.} , {informal} 1. Watch out; be prepared. — Used as a command, usually to warn of an unexpected action. •/ "Hold on to your hat," said Jim as he stepped on the gas and the car shot forward. / 2. Get ready for a surprise. — Used as a command, usually to warn of unexpected news. •/ "Hold on to your hat," said Mary. "Jim asked me to marry him." /

[hang out] {v.} 1. {slang} To spend your time idly or lounging about. •/ The teacher complained that Joe was hanging out in poolrooms instead of doing his homework. / Compare: HANG AROUND(1). 2. {slang} To live; reside. •/ Two policemen stopped the stranger and asked him where he hung out. / 3. To reach out farther than the part below. •/ The branches of the trees hung out over the road. / •/ The upper floor of that house hangs out above the first. /

[hang out one’s shingle] {v. phr.} , {informal} To give public notice of the opening of an office, especially a doctor’s or lawyer’s office, by putting up a small signboard. •/ The young doctor hung out his shingle and soon had a large practice. /

[hangover] {n.} A bad feeling of nausea and/or headache the day after one has had too much to drink. •/ Boy, did I have a hangover after that party yesterday! /

[hang over] {v.} 1. To be going to happen to; threaten. •/ Great trouble hangs over the little town because its only factory has closed down. / 2. To remain to be finished or settled. •/ The committee took up the business that hung over from its last meeting. /

[hang over one’s head] {v. phr.} To be a danger or threat to you. — An overused phrase. •/ Over Jimmy’s head hung the teacher’s suspicion that Jimmy had cheated in the final examination. / •/ Death hangs over a bullfighter’s head every time he performs. /

[hang round]See: HANG AROUND.

[hang ten] {v.} , {slang} 1. To be an outstanding performer on a surfboard or on a skateboard (referring to the user’s ten toes). •/ I bet I am going to be able to hang ten if you let me practice on your skateboard. / 2. To be a survivor despite great odds. •/ Don’t worry about Jack, he can hang ten anywhere! /

[hang together] {v.} 1. To stay united; help and defend one another. •/ The club members always hung together when one of them was in trouble. / Syn.: STICK TOGETHER. Compare: STAND BY, STAND UP FOR. 2. {informal} To form a satisfactory whole; fit together. •/ Jack’s story of why he was absent from school seems to hang together. /