Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц - [19]

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[at this rate] or [at that rate]{adv. phr.} At a speed like this or that; with progress like this or that. •/John’s father said that if John kept going at that rate he would never finish cutting the grass./ •/So Johnny has a whole dollar! At this rate he’ll be a millionaire./ •/"Three 100’s in the last four tests! At this rate you’ll soon be teaching the subject," Tom said to Mary./

[at times]{adv. phr.} Not often; not regularly; not every day; not every week; occasionally; sometimes. •/At times Tom’s mother lets him hold the baby./ •/You can certainly be exasperating, at times!/ •/We have pie for dinner at times./ Syn.: FROM TIME TO TIME, NOW AND THEN, ONCE IN A WHILE.

[at will]{adv. phr.} As you like; as you please or choose freely. •/Little Bobby is allowed to wander at will in the neighborhood./ •/With an air conditioner you can enjoy comfortable temperatures at will./

[at wits end] See: AT ONE’S WIT’S END.

[at work]{adj. phr.} Busy at a job; doing work. •/The teacher was soon hard at work correcting that day’s test./ •/Jim is at work on his car./

[at worst] or [at the worst]{adv. phr.} 1. Under the worst conditions; as the worst possibility. •/When Don was caught cheating in the examination he thought that at worst he would get a scolding./ Compare: AT MOST. Contrast AT BEST. 2. In the least favorable view, to say the worst about a thing. •/The treasurer had certainly not stolen any of the club’s money; at worst, he had forgotten to write down some of the things he had spent money for./

[aught] See: FOR AUGHT at FOR ALL(2), FOR ALL ONE KNOWS.

[Aunt Tom]{n.}, {slang}, {originally from Black English} A successful professional or business woman who, due to her success in a masculine profession, doesn’t care about the women’s liberation movement or the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. •/Hermione is a regular Aunt Tom, she’ll never vote for the ERA./

[avail] See: TO NO AVAIL or OF NO AVAIL.

[average] See: ON AN AVERAGE or ON THE AVERAGE, LAW OF AVERAGES.

[awe] See: STAND IN AWE OF.

[awkward age]{n.} Adolescence; awkwardness during adolescence. •/Sue used to be an "ugly duckling" when she was at the awkward age, but today she is a glamorous fashion model./

[AWOL] See: ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE.

[ax to grind]{n. phr.}, {informal} Something to gain for yourself: a selfish reason. •/In praising movies for classroom use he has an ax to grind; he sells motion picture equipment./ •/When Charles told the teacher he saw Arthur copying his homework from Jim, he had an ax to grind; Arthur would not let Charles copy from him./

B

[babe in the woods]{n. phr.} A person who is inexperienced or innocent in certain things. •/He is a good driver, but as a mechanic he is just a babe in the woods./ Compare: OVER ONE’S HEAD, BEYOND ONE’S DEPTH.

[baby] See: WAR BABY.

[baby boom]{n.} A sudden increase in the birth rate. •/The universities were filled to capacity due to the baby boom that followed World War II./

[baby grand]{n.} A small grand piano no longer than three feet, maximally four feet. •/This apartment can’t take a regular grand piano, so we’ll have to buy a baby grand./

[baby kisser]{n.}, {slang} A person campaigning for votes in his quest for elected political office; such persons often kiss little children in public. •/Nixon was a baby kisser when he ran for Vice President with Eisenhower./

[back] See: BACK OF or IN BACK OF, BEHIND ONE’S BACK, BRUSH BACK, COME BACK, CUT BACK, DOUBLE BACK, DRAW BACK, DROP BACK. EYES IN THE BACK OF ONE’S HEAD, FADE BACK, FALL BACK, FALL BACK ON, FLANKER BACK. FROM WAY BACK, GET BACK AT, GET ONE’S BACK UP, GIVE THE SHIRT OFF ONE’S BACK, GO BACK ON, HANG BACK, HARK BACK, HOLD BACK, LIKE WATER OFF A DUCK’S BACK, LOOK BACK, OFF ONE’S BACK, ON ONE’S BACK, PAT ON THE BACK, PIGGY-BACK, PIN ONE’S EARS BACK, PUT BACK THE CLOCK or TURN BACK THE CLOCK, PUT ONE’S BACK TO IT, SCRATCH ONE’S BACK, SET BACK, SET BACK ON ONE’S HEELS, SIT BACK, STAB IN THE BACK, TAKE A BACK SEAT, TAKE BACK, TALK BACK also ANSWER BACK, TURN ONE’S BACK ON, WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON ONE’S SHOULDERS or WORLD ON ONE’S BACK, WHILE BACK.

[back and forth]{adv.} Backwards and forwards. •/The chair is rocking hack and forth./ •/The tiger is pacing hack and forth in his cage./ Compare: TO AND FRO.

[back away]{v.} To act to avoid or lessen one’s involvement in something; draw or turn back; retreat. * The townspeople backed away from the building plan when they found out how much it would cost.

[back door]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} Rear of vehicle. •/I am watching your back door./

[back down] or [back off]{v.}, {informal} To give up a claim; not follow up a threat. •/Bill said he could beat Ted, but when Ted put up his fists Bill backed down./ •/Harry claimed Joe had taken his book, but backed down when the teacher talked with him./ Syn.: BEAT A RETREAT. Compare: BACK OUT, GIVE IN, GO BACK ON(1).

[back in circulation]{adv. phr.} 1. Socially active once again (said about people); back on the dating circuit after a divorce or a romantic breakup. •/