Анна Григорьева - 1500 русских и 1500 английских идиом, фразеологизмов и устойчивых словосочетаний

He was always ready to give me a helping hand every time I needed it.

протянуть ноги

to turn up one’s toes

The old man may turn up his toes any day.

проще простого

(as) easy as pie; (as) easy as falling off a log

It’s as easy as pie. I can explain the whole thing in a minute.

Passing the driving test was as easy as falling off a log.

прятать голову под крыло

to bury one’s head in the sand

He was burying his head in the sand, refusing to face up to his problems.

пускать в ход(что-л.)

to bring something into play

Even bringing into play all the resources available wouldn’t solve the problem.

пускать корни

to take root; to put down roots

His ideas have taken root in the society.

I wanted to get married and put down roots in this town.

пуститься наутек

to take to one’s heels; to turn tail and run

The little girl said hello and then took to her heels.

As I went towards the director’s office imagining a reprimand, my only thought was to turn tail and run.

путать все карты(кому-л.)

to upset the applecart; to spike someone’s guns

She has really upset the applecart by going on holiday two weeks earlier than we agreed.

I was hoping to have a quiet evening but the children spiked my guns by coming home early.

работать до седьмого пота

to work one’s guts out; to sweat blood

Why should I work my guts out for such a low salary?

Jack sweated blood to finish his work on time.

работать как ломовая лошадь

to work like a horse

I’m tired, I’ve been working like a horse all day.

Ради Бога!

for goodness’/heaven’s/God’s/Christ’s sake!

For God’s sake, stop making that noise!

разбивать сердце(кому-л.)

to break someone’s heart

If he leaves her, it’ll break her heart.

разбить лед

to break the ice

I was quite nervous, but Paul broke the ice by offering me a drink.

разбить наголову(кого-л.)

to wipe the floor with someone

Did your team win? – Yes, we wiped the floor with them!

раздавить бутылочку

to crack a bottle

On their tenth wedding anniversary they cracked a bottle with their friends.

размять ноги

to stretch one’s legs

We’ve been sitting here all the evening. Let’s go out for a walk and stretch our legs.

разносить в пух и прах(кого-л./что-л.)

to tear someone/something to bits/pieces; to pull someone/something to pieces

The teacher tore his work to bits.

My article was pulled to pieces by the editor.

разрубить Гордиев узелto cut the Gordian knot

рай земной

(a) heaven on earth

He says that his new job is heaven on earth.

ранняя пташка

an early bird

My husband was always an early bird. He got up at 6 o’clock every day of the week.

раскачивать лодку

to rock the boat

Don’t criticise the director in front of the customers; you won’t help by rocking the boat.

раскидывать мозгами

to rack one’s brains

A man waved his hand at me. I waved back, racking my brains to remember who he was.

раскрывать карты

to put one’s cards on the table; to show one’s cards

Why don’t you put your cards on the table, so we could make a decision?

I wouldn’t show your cards if I were you. It is better to keep your intentions to yourself.

расправлять крылья

to spread one’s wings

You can’t keep your son at home forever – you must encourage him to spread his wings.

рассеивать опасения(чьи-л.)

to put/set someone’s mind at rest

Your friend is not going to be fired. You can put his mind at rest on that score.

Рассказывай это своей бабушке!

Tell it to the marines!

He has a yacht? Tell it to the marines!

рвать и метать

to rant and rave; to blow one’s top

If I’m even ten minutes late, the boss starts ranting and raving about my laziness.

My husband blew his top when I told him about the car.

рвать на себе волосы

to tear one’s hair out

She has been tearing her hair out over the accounts.

рваться в бой

to champ at the bit

The new supercomputer is complete and scientists are champing at the bit to use it.

редкая птица

a rare bird

He was that rare bird – an artist and a scientist.

рубить сук, на котором сидишь

to cut one’s own throat

Can’t you see that you are just cutting your own throat in turning your back on him?

ругаться на чем свет стоит

to swear like a trooper

He swore like a trooper when he found out what had happened.

руки-крюки

butter-fingers

That’s the third time you’ve dropped the pan. Butter-fingers!

Руки прочь!

Hands off!

Hands off my cakes!

руки связаны(у кого-л.)

one’s hands are tied

Sorry, but I can’t do anything without your father’s permission – my hands are tied.

руки чешутся(у кого-л.)

one’s fingers itch

My fingers were itching to play the new piano.

рукой подать

close/near at hand; (within) a stone’s throw

The station is near at hand.

Our house was within a stone’s throw of the lake.

рыть себе могилу

to dig one’s own grave

She has dug her own grave. She shouldn’t have done all the housework herself.

с головы до ног

from top to toe; from head to foot/toe

A pleasant warmth overtook her from top to toe.

He was dressed in white from head to foot.

с закрытыми глазами

with one’s eyes closed

I know my way to this house so well that I could take you there with my eyes closed.

с легким сердцем

with a light heart

I came home with a light heart. I had paid off my creditors at last.

с маху

with all one’s might

He pushed with all his might but the door remained firmly closed.

с открытыми глазами

with one’s eyes open

He went into it with his eyes open, so he can’t complain now of having been cheated.

с пеленок

from the cradle

They know each other from the cradle.

с первого взгляда

at first sight

She fell in love with him at first sight.

с пылу с жару

piping hot

I like the food being served piping hot.

с точностью часового механизма

like clockwork

We got there without the least difficulty. It all went like clockwork.

с тяжелым сердцем

with a heavy heart

She left the letter unfinished and went off with a heavy heart.

сбивать спесь(с кого-л.)

to take/bring someone down a peg or two; to cut someone down to size

He is too big-headed. He ought to be taken down a peg or two.

She was beginning to forget her position. I had to cut her down to size.

сбрасывать с пьедестала(кого-л.)

to knock someone off one’s pedestal

The party leader was knocked off his pedestal by the newspaper’s reports about his private life.

сбывать с рук(кого-л./что-л.)

to get someone/something off one’s hands

The thief got the diamonds off his hands.

свободный как ветер

(as) free as the wind

He felt as free as the wind when he escaped from prison.

сводить в могилу(кого-л.)

to be the death of someone

Drink will be the death of him.

сводить концы с концами

to make both ends meet

He had to work overtime to make both ends meet.

сводить с ума(кого-л.)

to drive someone up the wall

When Alice talks about her new boyfriend, she drives me up the wall.

сводить счеты(с кем-л.)

to settle accounts with someone ; to settle a score with someone ; to get even with someone

He has insulted me in front of my friends. I intend to settle accounts with him.

I’ve lost a lot of money because of his bad advice, so I have a score to settle with him.

He has been waiting for months to get even with her, and now he saw his chance.

свой парень

one of the boys

I really like Tom. He is one of the boys.

связанный по рукам и ногам

bound/tied hand and foot

I’ll have to go without a holiday this year. I am tied hand and foot to my work.

святая святых

the holy of holies

This room is my husband’s holy of holies, which visitors are rarely permitted to enter.

сглаживать острые углы

to paper over the cracks

The politician didn’t succeed in papering over the cracks in his party’s ideas on unemployment.

сдавать в архив(кого-л.)

to put/send someone out to grass

At the age of fifty five my uncle was put out to grass and now he has nothing to do all day.

сделать отбивную котлету(из кого-л.)

to make mincemeat of someone; to beat someone black and blue

The politician has made mincemeat of all his political opponents.

The neighbour threatened to beat the boy black and blue for stealing his apples.

сделать себе имя

to make a name for oneself

His brother has made a name for himself in literature.

секрет полишинеля

an open secret

It was an open secret in the office that the director was in love with his secretary.

семимильными шагами

by leaps and bounds

Since I was taking private lessons, my knowledge of English has improved by leaps and bounds.

сердце кровью обливается(у кого-л.)

one’s heart bleeds for someone

He looked desperate, and my heart bled for him.

сесть в лужу

to fall flat on one’s face; to make a fool of oneself; to have egg on one’s face

Читать дальше