Everyday Idioms
Английские разговорные идиомы с трактовкой и синонимами
after all  - despite, nevertheless | все-таки | I knew it! After all, I was right!
all along  - all the time | все время, всегда | I knew about his little secret all along.
all ears  - eager to listen | весь внимание | I am all ears.
all of a sudden  - suddenly | неожиданно | All of a sudden, he refused to pay.
all the same  - no difference | все равно, без разницы | If it's all the same to you, let's start at two.
all thumbs  - clumsy | неуклюжий, неумелый | He can't fix anything, he's all thumbs.
apple of discord  - subject of envy or quarrel | яблоко раздора | This question is an apple of discord in our family.
as a rule  - usually | как правило | As a rule, we offer a 5% discount.
as far as I am concerned  - in my opinion | что касается меня, по моему мнению | As far as I am concerned, both the book and the movie are good.
as for me/as to me  - in my opinion | по моему мнению | As for me, you can rely on his support.
as well  - also, too | тоже, также | He knows math, and physics as well.
at all  - (not) in the smallest degree | совсем (не) | He doesn't know French at all. I don’t like it at all.
at random  - without order | наугад, без плана | He chose those places at random.
at this point  - at this time | на данном этапе | At this point, we can't turn back.
be about to  - ready (to do) | готов сделать | I was about to leave when you called.
be after someone  - insist, press | настаивать, чтобы сделал | His mother is always after him to study.
be all in  - be extremely tired | очень устать | I'm all in, I'd better go to bed now.
be back on one's feet  - healthy again or better financially | встать на ноги после трудного времени | He's back on his feet after a long period of debt and unemployment.
beat around the bush  - avoid giving a clear/definite answer | ходить вокруг да около | Stop beating around the bush! Get to the point!
be beside oneself  - be very upset, nervous, worried, etc. | быть вне себя от волнения, горя и др. | She was beside herself with worry / with grief.
be better off  - be in a better situation (financially) | в лучшей ситуации (материально) | He'll be better off with a new job.
be broke  - have no money at all | быть "на мели" (без денег) | I spent all my money, I'm broke.
be hard on something /someone  - treat roughly | не беречь что-то | My son is hard on shoes, they don't last long with him. Life was pretty hard on Tom.
be high on one's list  - be one of the most important things | быть в начале списка нужных вещей | A new car is high on my list of priorities. A new TV is not high on my list.
be in charge of  - be responsible for | быть ответственным за | He is in charge of marketing.
be in the red  - be in debt | быть убыточным | Our sales were in the red last year.
be into smth.  - be interested in | увлекаться чем-то | He is into computers. She is into sports.
bend over backwards  - try hard | очень стараться | I bent over backwards to help her.
be on one's way | Я уже еду. | I'm on my way.
be on the safe side  - not to take any chances | на всякий случай | Take an extra key, just to be on the safe side.
be out of  - be without | нет в наличии | We are out of bread, cheese, and sugar.
be out of shape  - be physically unfit | быть не в форме | He needs to exercise, he is out of shape.
be out of sorts  - in bad humor | не в духе | Leave him alone, he's out of sorts today
be pressed for time / money  - be short of; not have enough | не хватать времени или денег | I'm pressed for time now. We are pressed for money at the moment.
beside the point  - off the point | не по существу, не относится к делу | What I said to him privately is beside the point.
be to blame  - be responsible for a mistake / something wrong | винить за ошибку, неправильные действия | Who is to blame for this awful mistake? Tom is to blame for this mix-up.
be touch and go  - be uncertain of the result | на грани; неясно, куда повернется | He was very sick, and for some time it was touch and go, but he is better now.
be up against  - be opposed by, have problems, be in danger | иметь серьезные проблемы в чем-то, с чем-то | Our company is up against serious attempts of hostile takeover.
be up and around/about  - able to be out of bed after an illness | встать на ноги, поправиться | He was sick for a month, but now he is up and around.
be up to one's ears  - very busy | по уши | I'm up to my ears in work.
be up to something  - do mischief | задумать, затеять | I have to check what the kids are up to.
be up to someone  - be one's own decision or responsibility | на ваше усмотрение, под вашу ответственность | It's up to you to decide. It's up to you to close the office every day at 8 o'clock.
be used to  - be accustomed to | быть привычным к | I'm used to hard work. He's used to heat.
big shot  - important person | важная персона | He is a big shot around here.
bite off more than one can chew  - try to do more than one can | переоценить свои силы | I couldn't handle two jobs and family. I really bit off more than I could chew.
bite one's tongue  - stop talking | прикусить язык | I almost told her, but bit my tongue.
bite the dust  - die, be defeated | умереть, падать ниц | Many of them bit the dust in that war.
black sheep  - a good-for-nothing member of the family | паршивая овца | Their second son is the black sheep of the family, he is good for nothing.
blind date  - a meeting of a man and woman arranged by friends | свидание вслепую | She refuses to go on a blind date again because she had bad experience.
blow it  - lose the chance | потерять шанс | He understood that he blew it.
blow over  - pass, end | стихнуть, пройти | Wait here till his anger blows over.
bottom line  - main result/factor | итог, основной момент | The bottom line is, I don't have enough money.
break into  - enter by force | ворваться (в дом) силой | The police broke into the robber's house.
break one's heart  - hurt deeply | разбить сердце | The news of her death broke his heart.
break the ice  - overcome shyness in making the first step | сломать неловкость при знакомстве | The party was dull until someone broke the ice with a joke and we all laughed.
break the news  - tell new facts | сообщить важную новость | CNN is breaking the news right now.
bring home the bacon  - earn the living for the family | обеспечить семью | He works very hard at several places to bring home the bacon.
brush off  - give no attention to | отмахнуться от | The boss brushed off my project again.
brush up on  - review | освежить в памяти | You need to brush up on the tenses.
by all means -definitely, certainly | обязательно, конечно | Do you need my help? - By all means.
by heart  - by memorizing | наизусть | Learn this poem by heart for tomorrow.
by hook or by crook  - by any means possible | любым путем, любым способом | She will get what she wants by hook or by crook.
by the way  - incidentally | кстати | By the way, Ann is coming back today.
call a spade a spade  - use plain, direct words | называть вещи своими именами | He always tells the truth and calls a spade a spade.
call it a day  - consider work finished for the day | считать работу законченной | We've been working for 10 straight hours. Let's call it a day.
call off  - cancel | отменить, отозвать | The police called off the search.
carry out  - fulfill | доводить до конца | She never carries out her plans.
carry weight  - be important | иметь вес | His advice always carries weight here.
cast down  - depressed, sad | повергнуть в уныние | He was cast down by the bad news.
castles in the air  - daydreaming about success | (строить) воздушные замки | Instead of working hard, he spends time building castles in the air.
catch one's eye  - attract attention | привлечь внимание | This picture caught my eye.
catch one's breath  - stop and rest | перевести дух | I can't run, I need to catch my breath.
catch someone off guard  - catch someone unprepared | застать врасплох | He caught me off guard with his question.
catch someone red-handed  - find smb. in the act of doing wrong | поймать за руку, когда делал плохое | The manager caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing cigarettes.
catch up  - become not behind | догнать | He needs to catch up with the others.
close call  - a narrow escape, a bad thing that almost happened | что-то плохое, что едва не случилось | The speeding car almost hit the man. That was really a close call.
come across  - meet by chance | наткнуться на | I came across that article yesterday.
come down with  - become ill | заболеть чем-то | I'm coming down with a cold.
come to one's senses  - start acting reasonably, intelligently | взяться за ум, придти в себя | He finally came to his senses, started to work hard, and passed his exams.
come true  - become reality | осуществиться | My dream came true when I met Pat.
come up with  - suggest | предложить | Mike came up with a brilliant idea.
count on  - depend on | рассчитывать на | You can always count on me for help.
cut corners  - to take a short-cut; to limit one's spending | срезать углы; ограничить расходы | He ran fast, cutting corners where he could. I have to cut corners this week.
cut down on  - reduce | сократить потребление | You have to cut down on chocolate.
cut out to be /cut out for it  - have the ability to do something | быть созданным для какой-то работы | She isn't cut out to be a surgeon. He's cut out to be a leader.
do one's best  - try very hard | сделать все, что смог | I did my best to help him in his work.
do one's bit  - do what's needed | сделать положенное | I'll do my bit, you can count on me.
do over  - do again | сделать заново | This work is not good, do it over.
do someone good  - be good for | принести пользу | Fresh air and exercise will do you good.
do something behind one's back  - do (harmful) things secretively | делать (вредные) дела за спиной | I hate people who do things behind my back. He did it behind my back again.
do without  - live without | обходиться без | I'll have to do without a car for a while.
down to earth  - practical | приземленный | He's quiet, sensible and down to earth.
draw the line  - fix a limit | ограничить (предел) | He drew the line for her at $100 a day.
dress up  - put on the best clothes | нарядиться | What are you dressed up for?
drop off  - deliver somewhere | подвезти до, подбросить до | Can you drop me off at the bank?
drop out  - quit (school) | быть отчисленным | He dropped out of school last year.
duty calls  - must fulfill obligations | долг обязывает | He said, "Duty calls" and left for work.
easier said than done | легче сказать, чем сделать | It's easier said than done, but I'll try to do it.
eat one's words  - take back words | брать назад слова | He had to eat his words after her report.
even so  - nevertheless, but | тем не менее | I work hard. Even so, I like my job.
every now and then -occasionally | время от времени | Every now and then I visit my old aunt.
every other  - every second one | через один | She washes her hair every other day.
fall behind  - lag behind | отстать от | The little boy fell behind the older boys.
fall in love  - begin to love | влюбиться | Tom fell in love with Sue at first sight.
fall out of love  - stop loving | разлюбить | They fell out of love and divorced soon.
false alarm  - untrue rumor | ложная тревога | I heard he quit but it was a false alarm.
a far cry from something  - very different, almost opposite (neg.) | далеко не такой хороший, как | His second book wasn't bad, but it was a far cry from his first book.
feel it in one's bones  - expect something bad to happen | чувствовать, что случится плохое | Something bad is going to happen, I feel it in my bones.
feel like doing something  - want to do, be inclined to do smth. | быть склонным к занятию чем-то | I feel like going for a walk. I don’t feel like working now, I’m tired.
feel up to  - be able to do | в состоянии сделать | I don't feel up to cleaning the house.
few and far between  - rare, scarce | слишком редкие | Her visits are few and far between.
find fault with  - criticize | критиковать | He always finds faults with everybody.
find out  - learn or discover | узнать, обнаружить | I found out that Maria left town.
firsthand  - directly from the source | из первых рук, достоверная информация | You can trust it, it's firsthand information.
first things first  - important things come before others | сначала главное | First things first: how much money do we have to pay right away?
fly off the handle  - get angry | разозлиться (вдруг) | He flew off the handle and yelled at me.
follow in someone's footsteps  - do the same thing | идти по чьим-то следам, делать то же | Igor followed in his father's footsteps, he became a doctor, too.
foot in the door  - a special opportunity for a job | получить шанс на работу | Nina got a foot in the door because her friend works in that company.
foot the bill  - pay the bill | заплатить по счету | Her father footed the bill for the party.
for good  - forever | навсегда | After her death, he left town for good.
for the time being  - at this time | на данное время | For the time being, this house is all right for us.
frame of mind  - mental state | умонастроение | I can't do it in this frame of mind.
from A to Z  - completely | от начала до конца | He knows this town from A to Z.
from now on  - now and in the future | впредь | From now on, I forbid you to go there.
get a grip on oneself  - take control of one's feelings | контролировать свои чувства | Stop crying! Get a grip on yourself!
get along with  - have good relations | быть в хороших отношениях, ладить | Ann gets along with most coworkers, but doesn't get along with Laura.
get away with  - not be caught after doing wrong | уйти от наказания | The police didn't find the thief. He got away with his crime.
get carried away  - get too excited and enthusiastic about something | слишком увлечься чем-то | He got carried away with opening a store and lost most of his money.
get cold feet  - be afraid to do | побояться сделать | I wanted to try it but got cold feet.
get even with  - have one's revenge | расквитаться с кем-то | I'll get even with him for everything!
get in touch with  - contact | связаться с кем-то | Get in touch with Mr. Smith for help.
get lost  - lose one's way | потерять дорогу | She got lost in the old part of town.
Get lost!  - Lay off! | Исчезни! | I don't want to see you again. Get lost!
get mixed up  - get confused | перепутать | I got mixed up, went the wrong way and got lost.
get off one's back  - leave alone | отстать от кого-то | Stop bothering me! Get off my back!
get on one's high horse  - behave haughtily towards someone | вести себя высокомерно | Every time I ask her to help me with typing, she gets on her high horse.
get on (the bus, train, plane) | сесть на (транспорт) | I got on the bus on Oak Street.
get off (the bus, train, plane) | сойти с (транспорта) | I got off the bus at the bank.
get out of hand  - get out of control | выйти из-под контроля | If he gets out of hand again, call me right away.
get over  - recover after an illness or bad experience | поправиться, преодолеть что-то | I can't get over how rude he was to me. She got over her illness quite quickly.
get rid of  - dispose of, discard | избавиться | He got rid of his old useless car.
get together  - meet with | собираться вместе | My friends and I get together often.
get to the bottom  - know deeply | добраться до сути | He usually gets to the bottom of things.
get to the point  - get to the matter | дойти до сути дела | Get to the point!
Give me a break!  - spare me | с меня хватит | Come on, stop it! Give me a break!
give someone a hand  - help | помочь кому-то | Can you give me a hand with cooking?
give someone a lift /a ride  - take to some place by car | подвезти кого-то | Can you give me a lift to the bank? He gave her a ride in his new Porsche.
give someone a piece of one's mind  - criticize frankly | высказать, что на уме, критиковать | She lost my umbrella again, so I gave her a piece of my mind about her carelessness.
give up  - stop doing something, stop trying to do something | отказаться от чего-то, прекратить попытки | I gave up smoking. I gave up trying to fix my old car.
go back on one’s word  - break a promise | нарушить свое слово, обещание | First he said he would help me, but then he went back on his word.
go for it  - try to do a new thing | пробовать новое дело | If I were you, I would go for it.
go from bad to worse  - be worse | становиться все хуже | His business went from bad to worse.
go out  - go to parties, movies | пойти развлекаться | Do he and his wife go out often?
go out of one's way -try very hard | очень стараться | He goes out of his way to please her.
go to one's head  - make too proud | успех вскружил голову | His acting success went to his head.
go to pieces  - get very upset, fall apart | сильно расстроиться | She went to pieces when she heard it.
go with the flow  - lead quiet life | плыть по течению | She always goes with the flow.
grow on someone  - become liked | постепенно понравиться | When she knew him more, he grew on her.
had better  - should | лучше бы, а то… | You look ill, you'd better see a doctor.
have a ball  - have a good time | отлично провести время | Yesterday we had a ball at the party.
have a bone to pick  - complain or discuss something unpleasant | иметь счеты с кем-то, претензии к кому-то | Mr. Brown, I have a bone to pick with you. My mail was lost because of you.
have a word with someone  - talk to | поговорить о чем-то | Can I have a word with you?
have words with someone  - argue with someone about something | крупно поговорить | I had words with my coworker today because he used my computer again.
have it in him  - have the ability | иметь нужные качества | Laura has it in her to be a good doctor.
have no business doing something  - have no right to do | нечего вам здесь делать, быть и др. | You have no business staying here without my permission.
have one's back to the wall  - be hard-pressed, on the defensive | быть прижатым к стене | I had no choice, I had my back to the wall.
have one's hands full  - very busy | быть очень занятым | He has his hands full with hard work.
have one's heart set on something  - want something very much | очень хотеть получить что-то, кого-то | She has her heart set on going to New York. He has his heart set on Betty.
have pull  - have influence on | иметь влияние на | Does he have pull with the director?
(not) have the heart  - (not) have the courage to do smth. unpleasant | (не) хватает духа сделать неприятное | I don't have the heart to tell him that he wasn't accepted, he'll be so unhappy.
high and low  - everywhere | везде (искать и т.д.) | I searched high and low for my lost cat.
hit the nail on the head  - say exactly the right thing | попасть в точку | You hit the nail on the head when you said our company needs a new director.
hit upon something  - to discover | обнаружить ценное | They hit upon gold. I hit upon a plan.
hold it against someone  - blame somebody for doing something | (не) держать зла на кого-то | I lost his book, but he doesn't hold it against me.
Hold it!  - Stop! Wait! | Остановитесь/Стойте! | Hold it! I forgot my key.
Hold on!  - Wait! | Подождите! | Hold on! I'll be back in a minute.
hold one's own  - maintain oneself in a situation, behave as needed | постоять за себя, утвердиться в чем-то | He can hold his own in any situation. We need men who can hold their own.
hold up  - rob using a weapon | грабить с применением оружия | This bank was held up twice last year.
ill at ease  - uncomfortable | не по себе | She felt ill at ease because of her cheap dress.
in advance  - well before | заранее | He told her about his plan in advance.
in a nutshell  - in a few words | кратко, вкратце | In a nutshell, my plan is to buy land.
in care of someone  - write to one person at the address of another | адресату по адресу другого человека (у кого остановился) | I'm staying at Tom's house. Write to me in care of Tom Gray, Chicago, Illinois.
in cold blood  - mercilessly | хладнокровно | He killed her in cold blood.
in fact  - actually, in reality | фактически | In fact, he works as a manager here.
in general  - generally, generally speaking | в общем, вообще | In general, he likes to be alone. He described the place only in general.
in one's element  - what one likes | в своей стихии | He's in his element when he's arguing.
in other words  - using other words | другими словами | In other words, you refused to do it for her.
in plain English  - in simple, frank terms | проще говоря | I didn't really like the concert. In plain English, the concert was terrible.
the ins and outs  - all info about | входы и выходы | He knows the ins and outs of this business.
in someone's shoes  - in another person's position | на месте другого, в положении другого | I'd hate to be in his shoes now. He lost his job, and his wife is in the hospital.
in the long run  - in the end | в конечном счете | In the long run, it'll be better to buy it.
in the same boat  - in the same situation | в таком же положении | Stop arguing with me, we're in the same boat and should help each other.
in the clear  - free from blame | вне претензий | Pay the bill and you'll be in the clear.
in time (to do something)  - before something begins | придти вовремя, чтобы успеть что-то сделать (до начала чего-то) | I came in time to have a cup of coffee before class.
it goes without saying  - should be clear without words | не стоит и говорить, само собой | It goes without saying that he must pay what he owes right away.
It's on the tip of my tongue. | вертится на языке | His name is on the tip of my tongue.
it's time  - should do it right away | пора | Hurry up, it's time to go.
It's worth it. / It's not worth it.  It’s (not) worth buying, visiting, watching, etc. | оно того стоит /оно того не стоит; (не) стоит покупать, посетить, смотреть и т.д. | Watch this film, it's worth it. Don't buy this coat, it is not worth it. This museum is worth visiting. This film is not worth watching.
it will do  - it's enough | достаточно | Stop reading, it will do for now.
jump at the opportunity/chance  - accept the opportunity eagerly | ухватиться за возможность | His boss mentioned a job in Europe, and Peter jumped at the opportunity.
just as soon  - prefer this one | предпочел бы (это) | I'd just as soon stay home, I'm tired.
just in case  - to be on the safe side | на всякий случай | Take an extra shirt, just in case.
Just my luck!  - Bad / Hard luck! | Мне всегда не везет! | They lost my job application. Just my luck!
keep an eye on  - take care of, watch, look after | последить за, присмотреть за | Betty keeps an eye on my sons for me. I’ll keep an eye on you!
keep a straight face  - not to laugh | стараться не смеяться | I tried to keep a straight face, but failed.
keep company  - accompany | составить компанию | She keeps me company quite often.
keep one's word  - fulfill a promise | держать слово | You promised, now keep your word.
keep someone posted  - inform | держать в курсе событий | Keep me posted about your plans.
keep your fingers crossed  - hope that nothing will go wrong | надеяться, что все пройдет гладко | I have a job interview today. Keep your fingers crossed for me, will you?
kill time  - fill/spend empty time | убить время | I went to the show to kill time.
(not) know the first thing about  - not to have any knowledge about | ничего не знать по какой-то теме | I don't know the first thing about nuclear physics.
know the ropes  - be very familiar with some business | знать все ходы и выходы | He knows all the ropes in this company.
last-minute notice  - little or no time to prepare for something | сообщение в последний момент | His arrival was a last-minute notice, we didn't have time to prepare for it.
lay one's cards on the table  - be frank and open | сказать честно, открыть карты | Finally, we asked him to lay his cards on the table and tell us about his plans.
lay one's life on the line  - put oneself in a dangerous situation | ставить жизнь на карту | He laid his life on the line to fulfill this task, but nobody appreciated his efforts.
lead a dog's life  - live in misery | вести собачью жизнь | He leads a dog's life.
lead someone on  - make someone believe something that isn't true | заставить кого-то поверить неправде | They suspect that you are leading them on. You led me on!
leave it at that  - accept reluctantly | оставить как есть | Leave it at that, what else can you do?
leave word  - leave a message | оставить сообщение | He left word for you to meet him at the airport at 6.
let bygones be bygones  - forget and forgive bad things in the past | не ворошить прошлое | Why don't you let bygones be bygones and forget about what he said?
let go of  - release the hold | отпустить, не держать | Let go of my hand or I'll call the guard.
let (it) go  - forget bad experience, return to normal life | освободиться от тяжелого переживания | He's still in despair and can't let (it) go. You can’t change anything, so let it go.
let one's hair down  - be relaxed and informal with other people | держаться неофициально | She is always so formal. She never lets her hair down.
let someone down  - disappoint, fail someone | подвести кого-то | Don't let me down this time!
let someone know  - inform | известить | Let me know when you find a job.
like father, like son  - be like one's parent in something | какой отец, такой и сын | Paul won a prize in a chess tournament. Great! Like father, like son!
little by little  - step by step | понемногу | Little by little, he got used to Tokyo.
look for  - search for | искать | What are you looking for?
look forward to  - expect with pleasure | ожидать с нетерпением | I'm looking forward to your letter. Mary is looking forward to the party.
look out  - be careful, watch out | остерегаться | Look out! The bus is coming!
look up  - check with /in a dictionary or a reference book | посмотреть в словаре или справочнике | If you don’t know this word, look it up in the dictionary.
lose one's temper  - become angry | разозлиться | He loses his temper very often.
lose one's way  - get lost | потерять дорогу | I lost my way. Can you help me?
lose track of  - not to know where someone or something is | потерять из виду | I lost track of him years ago.
lucky break  - a lucky chance | счастливый случай | He got his lucky break when he got this job.
make a living  - earn money to provide for life | зарабатывать на жизнь | He works hard. His family is big, and he has to make a living somehow.
make allowance for  - take into consideration when judging | учитывать, делать скидку на | Don't criticize him so hard, make (an) allowance for his inexperience.
make a point of  - be sure to do something intentionally | считать обязательным для себя сделать что-то | Make a point of asking about his wife. Make it a point to be here by 10.
make ends meet  - to have and spend only what one earns | сводить концы с концами | His doesn’t get much money. I wonder how he manages to make ends meet.
make friends  - become friends | подружиться | Anton makes new friends easily.
make fun of  - laugh at, joke about | высмеивать | He made fun of her German accent.
make no bones about it  - say/do openly, without hesitation | сказать прямо, не скрывая отношения | I'll make no bones about it: I don't like your attitude to work.
make room for  - allow space for | освободить место для | We can make room for one more dog.
make sense  - be logical | имеет смысл | What you say makes sense.
make the most of smth  - do the best in the given situation | извлечь лучшее из | Let's make the most of our vacation.
make up  - become friends again | помириться | I'm tired of fighting. Let's make up.
make up for smth  - compensate | компенсировать | I'll make up for the time you spent on it.
make up one's mind  - decide | принять решение | When will you go? Make up your mind.
make yourself at home  - be comfortable, feel at home | будьте как дома | Come in please. Make yourself at home.
man of his word  - one who keeps promises, is dependable | хозяин своего слова, держит слово | You can depend on his promise to help. He's a man of his word.
mean well  - have good intentions | хотеть сделать, как лучше | He meant well, but it turned out that he spoiled a couple of things for me.
might as well  - a good idea | может быть неплохо | I might as well telephone him now.
missing person  - someone who is lost and can't be located | пропавший человек (в розыске) | The little boy disappeared. The police registered him as a missing person.
meet someone halfway  - compromise with others | идти на компромисс с кем-то | He's reasonable and tries to meet his coworkers halfway, when possible.
never mind  - it doesn't matter | неважно, ничего | Thank you. - Never mind.
not to mention  - in addition to | не говоря уж | We have three dogs, not to mention two cats.
no wonder  - not surprising | неудивительно, что | He ate three big fish. No wonder he's sick.
now and again  - occasionally | время от времени | I meet them now and again at the bank.
odds and ends  - a variety of small unimportant things or leftovers | мелочи, остатки, обрезки | I needed to buy some odds and ends for the kitchen.
off the cuff  - without preparation | без подготовки | Off the cuff, I can give you only a rough estimate.
off the point  - beside the point | не относится к делу | What I think about him is off the point.
off the record  - not for the public, unofficially | не для публики, неофициально | Strictly off the record, I think the director is going to get married soon.
once and for all  - decidedly | однажды и навсегда | You must quit smoking once and for all.
on credit  - not pay cash right away | в кредит | He bought a car on credit.
on edge  - nervous, irritable | нервный, раздраженный | He's been on edge ever since she left.
on guard  - on the alert | настороже, бдительный | He's cautious and always on guard.
on hand  - available | под рукой | Do you have a calculator on hand?
on one's own  - alone, by oneself | самостоятельно, один, сам по себе | She likes to live and work on her own.
on one's toes  - alert, attentive, prepared for difficulties | бдительный, собранный | He was on his toes and produced a very good impression on them.
on purpose  - intentionally | нарочно, с целью | I didn't do it on purpose, it just happened so.
on second thought  - after thinking again | по зрелом размышлении | I'd like to sit on the aisle. On second thought, I'd like a window seat.
on the alert  - on guard | начеку, настороже | He's cautious and always on the alert.
on the carpet  - called in by the boss for criticism | вызвать на ковер | Yesterday the boss called her on the carpet for being rude to the coworkers.
on the go  - busy, on the move | в движении, на ходу | He is always on the go.
on the off chance  - unlikely to happen, but still | маловероятно, но на всякий случай | On the off chance that you don't find him at work, here's his home address.
on the other hand  - considering the other side of the question | с другой стороны | I'd like to have a dog. On the other hand, my wife likes cats better.
on the spot  - right there | на месте, сразу | I decided to do it on the spot.
on the spur of the moment  - without previous thought / plan | под влиянием момента | He bought this car on the spur of the moment, now he regrets it.
on time  - punctual | в назначенное время | Jim is always on time.
out of one's mind  - crazy | сумасшедший | If you think so, you're out of your mind.
out of one's way  - away from someone's usual route | не по пути | I can't give you a lift to the bank, it's out of my way today.
out of the question  - impossible | не может быть и речи | Paying him is out of the question!
pack rat  - a person who saves lots of unnecessary things | тот, кто не выбрасывает старые ненужные вещи | Why does she keep all those things she never uses? - She is a pack rat.
pay attention  - be attentive | обратить внимание | Pay attention to his words.
pick a fight  - start a quarrel | начать ссору | He often tries to pick a fight with me.
pick up  - take, get | подобрать, взять | I'll pick you up at 7.
play one's cards right  - choose the right steps in doing something | сыграть правильно | If you play your cards right, he'll agree to your plan.
potluck supper  - a surprise meal, where nobody knows what dishes other guests will bring | ужин вскладчину, никто не знает, что принесут другие | You know what happened at our last potluck supper? Everybody brought macaroni and cheese, apples, and beer!
pull oneself together  - brace oneself, summon your strength | cобраться с силами | Stop crying and complaining! You have to pull yourself together now.
pull the wool over someone's eyes  - deceive, mislead someone | обмануть, ввести в заблуждение | Are you trying to pull the wool over my eyes? It won't do you any good.
put a damper on  - discourage | охладить пыл | She always puts a damper on my plans.
put in a word for someone  - say positive things about someone | замолвить словечко | I'd be very grateful if you could put in a word for me when you speak to him.
put off  - postpone | откладывать | Don't put it off till tomorrow.
put one's foot down  - object strongly | решительно воспротивиться | Her father put his foot down when she said she wanted to marry Alan.
put one's foot in it  - do the wrong thing, make a fool of oneself | сделать/сказать глупость | He put his foot in it when he told the boss his daughter wasn't pretty.
put up with  - accept, tolerate | мириться с, терпеть | I can't put up with your bad work!
quite a bit of  - much, a lot of | много | I had quite a bit of trouble with that car.
quite a few  - many, a lot of | много | He wrote quite a few good stories.
rack one's brain  - try hard to think | напрячь мозги | He racked his brain to solve the puzzle.
read between the lines  - find or understand the implied meaning | читать между строк | His books are not easy to understand; you have to read between the lines.
remember me to  - say hello to | передать привет от | Please remember me to your family.
right away  - immediately | сразу же, немедленно | It' very important to do it right away.
ring a bell  - remind someone of something familiar /half-forgotten | напоминает что-то знакомое | Annabel Lee? Yeah, it rings a bell, but I can't place it right now.
rock the boat  - make the situation unstable | раскачивать лодку, вести к нестабильности | Peter always rocks the boat when we discuss company's spending policy.
rub shoulders with  - meet with | близко общаться с | He doesn't rub shoulders with the rich.
rub someone the wrong way  - irritate, annoy, make angry | раздражать, злить кого-то | His remarks rub many coworkers the wrong way.
run into  - meet by chance | случайно встретить | I ran into an old friend yesterday.
save face  - try to change the negative impression produced | спасать репутацию | He said a stupid thing and tried to save face by saying he misunderstood me.
save one's breath  - stop useless talk | не трать слова попусту | There's no use talking to him about his spending habits, so save your breath.
scratch the surface  - study something superficially | изучать поверхностно | He examines all the facts closely, he doesn't just scratch the surface.
see about  - make arrangements for | позаботиться о чем-то | I have to see about our plane tickets.
see eye to eye  - agree | сходиться в мнении | We don't see eye to eye any longer.
serve someone right  - get what someone deserves | поделом | It serves him right that he didn't get this job, he despised all other candidates.
serve one's purpose  - be useful to someone for his purpose | отвечать цели | I doubt that hiring this man will serve your purpose.
show promise  - be promising | подавать надежды | This young actor shows promise.
show up  - appear | появиться | I waited for hours but he didn't show up.
size up  - evaluate someone | оценить, составить мнение | It took me 5 minutes to size up that man.
sleep on it  - postpone a decision till next morning | отложить решение до следующего утра | Don't decide now, sleep on it.
a slip of the tongue  - a mistake | обмолвка (ошибка) | It was just a slip of the tongue!
slip (from) one's mind  - forget | забыть | It slipped my mind what she asked me.
smell a rat  - suspect something | подозревать недоброе | I'm not sure what it is, but I smell a rat.
so far  - up to now | до сих пор, пока | So far, I have read 3 books by King.
so much the better  - it's even better | еще лучше | If he can pay cash, so much the better.
spill the beans  - tell a secret | проболтаться | Who spilled the beans about our plan?
stand a chance  - have a chance | нет шансов | He doesn't stand a chance of getting it.
stand out  - be noticeable | выделяться | He stands out in any group of people.
stand to reason  - be logical | логично, что | It stands to reason that he apologized.
straight from the shoulder  - speak frankly | честно, откровенно | Don't try to spare my feelings, give it to me straight from the shoulder.
take a dim view of something  - disapprove of something | не одобрять | My sister takes a dim view of the way I raise my children.
take a break  - stop for rest | сделать перерыв | Let’s take a break, I’m tired.
take advantage of  - use for one's own benefit, to profit from | воспользоваться возможностью | We took advantage of the low prices and bought a computer and a monitor.
take after  - be like one of the parents | быть похожим на родителей (родителя) | Tom takes after his father in character, and after his mother in appearance.
take a stand on something  - make a firm opinion/decision on smth. | занять четкую позицию, мнение | People need to take a stand on the issue of nuclear weapons.
take care of  - look after, protect, see that smth. is done properly | позаботиться о ком-то, чем-то, присмотреть за | Can you take care of my dog while I’m away? Tom takes good care of his car.
take hold of something  - take, hold | взять, держать | Take hold of this rope and pull.
take into account  - consider smth. | принять во внимание | You must take into account her old age.
take it easy  - relax, be calm | не волнуйся | Take it easy, everything will be OK.
take (it) for granted  - accept as given | принимать как должное | Mother's love is always taken for granted by children.
take one's breath away | захватить дух | That great view took my breath away.
take one's time  - do slowly | делать не торопясь | Don't hurry. Take your time.
take one’s word for it  - believe | поверить на слово | Take my word for it, he won’t go there.
take pains  - try hard to do it well | прилагать усилия | He took pains to make his report perfect.
take part in smth.  - participate in | принять участие | Mary is going to take part in the show.
take place  - happen | иметь место, случиться | The accident took place on Oak Street.
take someone's mind off things  - distract from fixed ideas/thoughts | отвлечь от навязчивых мыслей | Go to a concert or a movie to take your mind off things.
take steps  - take action /measures | принимать меры | We need to take steps against it.
take the words right out of one's mouth  - say the same before somebody else says it | сказать то же самое чуть раньше, чем другой говорящий | I was about to say the same! You took the words right out of my mouth.
take time  - take a long time | занять много времени | It takes time to get used to a new place.
take time off  - be absent from work | взять отгул | He took time off to attend the wedding.
take turns  - alternate doing something one after another | делать по очереди, меняться местами | We went to Minsk by car. We didn't get tired because we took turns driving
talk back  - answer rudely | дерзить | Don't talk back to the teacher!
talk it over  - discuss | обсудить с кем-то | I'll talk it over with my family.
tell apart  - see the difference | различить, отличить от | Can you tell the twins apart?
That's just the point.  - That's it. | В этом-то и дело. | That's just the point! I hate this job!
the writing on the wall  - a sign of future events (usually, trouble) | предзнаменование (обычно, беды) | The plane crashed. Tim said he saw the writing on the wall about this flight.
not think much of  - think low | невысокого мнения | I don't think much of her cooking.
think over  - consider carefully | обдумать | Think over your answer. Think it over carefully.
till one is blue in the face  - try hard | стараться до посинения | I repeated it till I was blue in the face!
to make a long story short  - in short | короче говоря | To make a long story short, we won.
to say the least  - to make the minimum comment about smth. | самое малое, что можно сказать | The film was boring and long, to say the least.
try on  - put on new clothes to test them for size or look | примерить одежду (перед покупкой) | Try on this leather coat, it's very good. She tried it on, but it didn’t fit her at all.
try one's hand at something  - try | попробовать себя в | I want to try my hand at painting.
turn on / off  - switch on / off | включить/выключить | Turn on the radio. Turn off the water.
turn out to be  - result/end this way | оказаться | He turned out to be a very good actor.
turn over a new leaf  - make a fresh start in life, work, etc. | начать (жизнь, новое дело) заново | He promises to turn over a new leaf and quit alcohol for good.
turn the tide  - reverse the course of events | повернуть вспять ход событий | The new evidence turned the tide, and the defendant was acquitted of charges.
twist one's arm  - make to agree | выкручивать руки | They twisted his arm to sell the house.
under the weather  - feel ill | нездоровится | I'm a little under the weather today.
up-and-coming  - showing promise of future success | многообещающий, подающий надежды | He is an up-and-coming young lawyer who might help you with your case.
up in arms  - hostile to, in strong protest against something | протестовать против, сопротивляться | The employees are up in arms about the new retirement rules.
up in the air  - undecided | еще не определено | My vacation plans are still up in the air.
(not) up to par  - equal in standard | (не) в норме | His behavior isn't up to par.
used to  - did often in the past, but not now | в прошлом делал, сейчас нет | I used to play the piano when I was in school (but I don't play it now).
walk on air  - be very happy | летать от счастья | He got the job and is walking on air now.
waste one's breath  - speak uselessly, to no purpose | не трать усилия зря | Don't waste your breath trying to make him do it, he won't change his mind.
watch one's step  - be careful | быть осмотрительным | Watch your step!
watch out  - look out, be careful | остерегаться | Watch out for that car! Watch out!
wet blanket  - a kill-joy, who spoils everybody's fun | тот, кто портит всем удовольствие | Remember what a wet blanket he was last time? Please don't invite him again.
What's the matter?  - What is it? | В чем дело? | What's the matter? What happened?
which way the wind blows  - what the real situation is | какова реальная ситуация | He knows which way the wind blows and always acts accordingly.
white lie  - unimportant lie | невинная ложь | A white lie is told to spare your feelings.
word for word  - in the same words | дословно, дословный | Tell me word for word what he said.
would rather  - prefer | предпочитать | I'd rather stay at home today.