Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[as hard as nails] {adj. phr.} Very unfeeling; cruel, and unsympathetic. •/ Uncle Joe is as hard as nails; although he is a millionaire, he doesn’t help his less fortunate relatives. /

[aside]See: JOKING ASIDE, SET ASIDE.

[aside from]See: APART FROM.

[aside of] {prep.} , {dialect} Beside; by the side of. •/ Mary sits aside of her sister on the bus. /

[as if]or [as though] {conj.} 1. As (he, she, it) would if; in the same way one would if seeing to show. •/ The baby laughed as if he understood what Mother said. / •/ The book looked as though it had been out in the rain. / •/ The waves dashed on the rocks as if in anger. / 2. That. •/ It seems as if you are the first one here. /

[as if one has come out of a bandbox]See: LOOK AS IF ONE HAS COME OUT OF A BANDBOX.

[as is] {adv.} Without changes or improvements; with no guarantee or promise of good condition. — Used after the word it modifies. •/ They agree to buy the house as is. / •/ He bought an old car as is. / Compare: AT THAT(1).

[as it were] {adv. phr.} As it might be said to be; as if it really were; seemingly. — Used with a statement that might seem silly or unreasonable, to show that it is just a way of saying it. •/ In many ways children live, as it were, in a different world from adults. / •/ The sunlight on the icy branches made, as it were, delicate lacy cobwebs from tree to tree. / Compare: SO TO SPEAK.

[ask]See: FOR THE ASKING.

[ask for] {v.} , {informal} To make (something bad) likely to happen to you; bring (something bad) upon yourself. •/ Charles drives fast on worn-out tires; he is asking for trouble. / •/ The workman lost his job, but he asked for it by coming to work drunk several times. / Compare: HAVE IT COMING, SERVE RIGHT, SIGN ONE’S OWN DEATH WARRANT.

[ask for one’s hand] {v. phr.} To ask permission to marry someone. •/ "Sir," John said timidly to Mary’s father, "I came to ask for your daughter’s hand." /

[ask for the moon]or [cry for the moon] {v. phr.} To want something that you cannot reach or have; try for the impossible. •/ John asked his mother for a hundred dollars today. He’s always asking for the moon. / Compare: PROMISE THE MOON.

[asleep at the switch] {adj. phr.} 1. Asleep when it is one’s duty to move a railroad switch for cars to go on the right track. •/ The new man was asleep at the switch and the two trains crashed. / 2. {informal} Failing to act promptly as expected, not alert to an opportunity. •/ When the ducks flew over, the boy was asleep at the switch and missed his shot. /

[as likely as not] {adv. phr.} Probably. •/ As likely as not, he will disappear forever. /

[as long as]or [so long as] {conj.} 1. Since; because; considering that. •/ As long as you are going to town anyway, you can do something for me. / 2. Provided that; if. •/ You may use the room as you like, so long as you clean it up afterward. /

[as luck would have it] {adv. clause} As it happened; by chance; luckily or unluckily. •/ As luck would have it, no one was in the building when the explosion occurred. / •/ As luck would have it, there was rain on the day of the picnic. /

[as much] {n.} The same; exactly that. •/ Don’t thank me, I would do as much for anyone. / •/ Did you lose your way? I thought as much when you were late in coming. /

[as much as] {adv. phr.} 1. or [much as]Even though; although. •/ As much as I hate to do it, I must stay home and study tonight. / 2. or [so much as]Just the same as; almost; practically; really. •/ By running away he as much as admitted that he had taken the money. / •/ You as much as promised you would help us. / •/ The clerk as much as told me that I was a fool. / Compare: AS GOOD AS. 3. See: FOR AS MUCH AS.

[as of]prep. At or until (a certain time). •/ I know that as of last week he was still unmarried. / •/ As of now we don’t know much about Mars. /

[as one goes]See: PAY AS ONE GOES.

[as one man] {adv. phr.} Unanimously; together; involving all. •/ The audience arose as one man to applaud the great pianist. /

[as regards] {prep.} Regarding; concerning; about. •/ You needn’t worry as regards the cost of the operation. / •/ He was always secretive as regards his family. /

[as soon as] {conj.} Just after; when; immediately after. •/ As soon as the temperature falls to 70, the furnace is turned on. / •/ As soon as you finish your job let me know. / •/ He will see you as soon as he can. /

[as the crow flies] {adv. clause} By the most direct way; along a straight line between two places. •/ It is seven miles to the next town as the crow flies, but it is ten miles by the road, which goes around the mountain. /

[as the story goes] {adv. phr.} As the story is told; as one has heard through rumor. •/ As the story goes, Jonathan disappeared when he heard the police were after him. /

[as though]See: AS IF.

[as to] {prep.} 1. In connection with; about; regarding. •/ There is no doubt as to his honesty. / •/ As to your final grade, that depends on your final examination. / Syn.: WITH RESPECT TO. 2. According to; following; going by. •/ They sorted the eggs as to size and color. /

[as usual] {adv. phr.} In the usual way; as you usually do or as it usually does. •/ As usual, Tommy forgot to make his bed before he went out to play. / •/ Only a week after the fire in the store, it was doing business as usual. /

[as well] {adv. phr.} 1. In addition; also, too; besides. •/ The book tells about Mark Twain’s writings and about his life as well. / •/ Tom is captain of the football team and is on the baseball team as well. / 2. Without loss and possibly with gain. •/ After the dog ran away, Father thought he might as well sell the dog house. / •/ Since he can’t win the race, he may as well quit. / •/ It’s just as well you didn’t come yesterday, because we were away. /

[as well as] {conj.} In addition to; and also; besides. •/ Hiking is good exercise as well as fun. / •/ He was my friend as well as my doctor. / •/ The book tells about the author’s life as well as about his writings. /

[as yet] {adv. phr.} Up to the present time; so far; yet. •/ We know little as yet about the moon’s surface. / •/ She has not come as yet. /

[as you please]1. As you like, whatever you like or prefer; as you choose. •/ You may do as you please. / 2. {informal} Very. — Used after an adjective or adverb often preceded by "as". •/ There was Tinker, sitting there, cheerful as you please. / •/ She was dressed for the dance and she looked as pretty as you please. /

[at a blow]or [at a stroke]or [at one stroke] {adv. phr.} Immediately; suddenly; with one quick or forceful action. •/ The pirates captured the ship and captured a ton of gold at a blow. / •/ A thousand men lost their jobs at a stroke when the factory closed. / •/ All the prisoners escaped at one stroke. / Compare: AT ONCE, AT ONE TIME.

[at all] {adv. phr.} At any time or place, for any reason, or in any degree or manner. — Used for emphasis with certain kinds of words or sentences. 1. Negative •/ It’s not at all likely he will come. / 2. Limited •/ I can hardly hear you at all. / 3. Interrogative •/ Can it be done at all? / 4. Conditional •/ She will walk with a limp, if she walks at all. / Syn.: IN THE LEAST.

[at all costs] {adv. phr.} At any expense of time, effort, or money. Regardless of the results. •/ Mr. Jackson intended to save his son’s eyesight at all costs. / •/ Carl is determined to succeed in his new job at all costs. /

[at all events]See: IN ANY CASE.

[at all hazards] {adv. phr.} With no regard for danger; at any risk; regardless of the chances you must take. •/ The racer meant to win the 500-mile race at all hazards. /

[at all hours] {adv. phr.} Any time; all the time; at almost any time. •/ The baby cried so much that we were up at all hours trying to calm her down. /

[at a loss] {adj. phr.} In a state of uncertainty; without any idea; puzzled. •/ A good salesman is never at a loss for words. / •/ When Don missed the last bus, he was at a loss to know what to do. /

[at anchor] {adj. phr.} Held by an anchor from floating away; anchored. •/ The ship rode at anchor in the harbor. /

[at any rate] {adv. phr.} In any case; anyhow. •/ It isn’t much of a car, but at any rate it was not expensive. / Compare: AT LEAST(2), IN ANY CASE.

[at a premium] {adv. phr.} At a high price due to special circumstances. •/ When his father died, Fred flew to Europe at a premium because he had no chance to buy a less expensive ticket. /

[at arm’s length]See: KEEP AT A DISTANCE or KEEP AT ARM’S LENGTH.

[at a set time] {prep. phr.} At a particular, pre-specified time. •/ Do we have to eat in this hotel at a set time, or may we come down whenever we want? /

[at a snail’s pace]See: SNAIL’S PACE.

[at a straw]See: GRASP AT STRAWS.

[at a stroke]See: AT A BLOW or AT A STROKE.

[at a time] {adv. phr.} At once; at one time; in one group or unit; together. •/ He checked them off one at a time as they came in. / •/ He ran up the steps two at a time. / See: EVERY OTHER. •/ They showed up for class three and four at a time. /

[at bay] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} In a place where you can no longer run away; unable to go back farther; forced to stand and fight, or face an enemy; cornered. •/ The dog ran the rat into a corner, and there the rat turned at bay. / •/ The police chased the thief to a roof, where they held him at bay until more policemen came to help. / Compare: BRING TO BAY.

[at best]or [at the best] {adv. phr.} 1. Under the best conditions; as the best possibility. •/ A coal miner’s job is dirty and dangerous at best. / •/ We can’t get to New York before ten o’clock at best. / Compare: AT MOST. Contrast: AT WORST. 2. In the most favorable way of looking at something; even saying the best about the thing. * The /treasurer had at best been careless with the club’s money, but most people thought he had been dishonest./