1500 русских и 1500 английских идиом, фразеологизмов и устойчивых словосочетаний - [9]

to go too far; to overstep the mark

He has always been a bully but this time he went too far and even his parents were ashamed of him.

You overstepped the mark when you shouted at the director.

звонить во все колокола

to shout it from the rooftops

If I’d known you were going to shout it from the rooftops, I wouldn’t have told you about my work.

здоров как бык

(as) sound as a bell

At the age of eighty her grandfather was as sound as a bell.

зеленая улица

the green light

The government gave the green light to the minister’s plan for the new road.

злой как черт

(as) cross as two sticks; like a bear with a sore head

The man was as cross as two sticks when his wife left without waiting for him.

When my brother has to get up early, he’s like a bear with a sore head.

змея подколодная

a snake in the grass

Don’t be deceived by his friendliness – he’s a real snake in the grass.

знать в лицо (кого-л.)

to know someone by sight

I know Gregory by sight but I’ve never met him.

знать свое дело

to know one’s stuff/onions

He is a good worker and knows his stuff. I’d be sorry if he left our company.

We’ve worked with him in the past. He is a man who knows his onions.

знать как свои пять пальцев (что-л.)

to know something like the back of one’s hand; to know something inside out

He knew Manchester like the back of his hand.

He is a very good plumber who knows his job inside out.

знать свое место

to know one’s place

I knew my place and kept silent.

знать, что к чему

to know what is what

You don’t have to worry about him – he knows what’s what.

золотая середина

a happy medium

You can surely find some happy medium between exercising all the time and doing nothing.

золотое дно

a gold-mine

The report represents a gold-mine of useful information.

золотое правило

the golden rule

The golden rule of teaching is to be clear.

золотое сердце

a heart of gold

His wife is a lovely woman. She has a heart of gold.

золотой телец the golden calf

зондировать почву

to put out feelers

I wanted to get a new job, so I put out some feelers with our competitors.

и глазом не успел моргнуть

before you can say Jack Robinson

I’ll catch a train and be there before you can say Jack Robinson.

и дело с концом

that’s that

You are not going to the party alone, and that’s that.

И не говорите!

you are telling me

It’s hot today, isn’t it? – You’re telling me.

(и) туда и сюда

back and forth; up and down; to and fro; backwards and forwards

The wind moved the leaves gently back and forth.

We’ve been driving up and down the street looking for you.

She walked to and fro in the room waiting for the news.

The pendulum was moving slowly backwards and forwards.

играть в кошки-мышки (с кем-л.)

to play cat and mouse with someone

If you continue to play cat and mouse with your boyfriend, he’ll break up with you.

играть вторую скрипку

to play second fiddle

He was tired of playing second fiddle to his older brother.

играть на руку (кому-л.)

to play into someone’s hands

I had an uncomfortable feeling that by leading my men into the valley I had played into the enemy’s hands.

играть с огнем

to play with fire

She knew she was playing with fire by having an affair with her boss.

Иди к черту! Go to hell!

идти в ногу (с чем-л./кем-л.)

to keep pace with something/someone

It is difficult to keep pace with current fashions.

идти в ногу со временем

to move with the times

If we don’t move with the times, our customers will go elsewhere.

идти в огонь и воду

to go through fire and water

He would go through fire and water to help us.

идти на боковую

to hit the hay/sack

I think I’ll hit the hay now.

идти на поправку

to be on the mend

She has been very ill, but she’s on the mend now.

идти навстречу (кому-л.)

to meet someone halfway

The problem would be solved if you could meet us halfway.

идти напролом

to stop at nothing

My sister will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

идти насмарку

to come to nothing; to go down the drain; to go by the board

His plans to buy a new house came to nothing when he found out how much it would cost.

All my hard work went down the drain when the boss changed his priorities.

We didn’t have enough money so the holiday plans went by the board.

идти по линии наименьшего сопротивления

to take the line of least resistance

My brother always takes the line of least resistance with his wife and he does whatever she prefers.

идти по ложному следу

to bark up the wrong tree

You are barking up the wrong tree if you think it was Hugh who stole your watch.

идти по проторенной дорожке

to keep to the beaten track

The director decided to keep to the beaten track and not try any new ideas.

идти по стопам (кого-л.)

to follow in someone’s footsteps

He is following in his father’s footsteps by becoming a teacher.

идти под гору

to go downhill

The business is going downhill. We lose money every month.

идти с молотка

to come under the hammer

His coin collection will come under the hammer next week.

идти своей дорогой

to go one’s own way

He didn’t want to listen to his parents and was determined to go his own way.

из вторых рук

at second hand

I heard the news at second hand.