Текст книги "Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц"

H

[hackle] See: RAISE HACKLES or RAISE ONE’S HACKLES.

[had as soon] or [had as lief] See: AS SOON.

[had better] or [had best]{informal} Should; must. •/I had better leave now, or I’ll be late./ •/If you want to stay out of trouble, you had best not make any mistakes. / •/Jim decided he had better do his homework instead of playing ball./

[had rather] or [had sooner]{v.} To choose to (do one thing instead of another thing); like better to; would prefer to. – Used with an infinitive without «to». •/My aunt invited me to the movies, but I said I had rather go on a picnic with the girls./ •/I had sooner live in the city than on a farm./

[hall] See: WITHIN CALL or WITHIN HAIL.

[hail-fellow-well-met(1)]{adj. phr.} Talking easily and in a friendly way to everyone you meet. •/John won the election as class president because he was hail-fellow-well-met./

[hail-fellow-well-met(2)]{n. phr.} A good friend and companion; buddy; pal. •/John just moved to town but he and the boys in the neighborhood are already hail-fellows-well-met./

[hail from]{v.}, {informal} To have your home in; come from; be from; especially, to have been born and raised in. •/Mrs. Gardner hails from Mississippi./ •/Mr. Brown and Mr. White are old friends because they both hail from the same town./

[hair] See: CURL ONE’S HAIR, GET GRAY HAIR or GET GRAY, GIVE GRAY HAIR, HANG BY A THREAD or HANG BY A HAIR, HIDE OR HAIR or HIDE NOR HAIR, IN ONE’S HAIR, LET ONE’S HAIR DOWN, OUT OF ONE’S HAIR, SPLIT HAIRS, TEAR ONE’S HAIR.

[haircut place]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} Bridge or overpass with tight clearance. •/Are we going to make it in that haircut place?/

[hairdo]{n.} Style or manner of arranging, combing, or wearing one’s hair. •/«How do you like my new hairdo?» Jane asked, as she left the beauty parlor./

[hair stand on end]{informal} The hair of your head rises stiffly upwards as a sign or result of great fright or horror. •/When he heard the strange cry, his hair stood on end./ •/The sight of the dead man made his hair stand on end./ Compare: BLOOD RUN COLD, HEART IN ONE’S MOUTH, HEART STAND STILL, JUMP OUT OF ONE’S SKIN, SPINE-CHILLING.

[hale and hearty]{adj. phr.} In very good health; well and strong. •/Grandfather will be 80 years old tomorrow, but he is hale and hearty./ •/That little boy looks hale and hearty, as if he is never sick./

[half] See: GO HALVES, GO OFF HALF-COCKED also GO OFF AT HALF COCK, IN HALF, SIX OF ONE AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER, TIME AND A HALF, TOO-BY HALF.

[half a chance] or [a half chance]{n.} An opportunity; a reasonable chance. •/Just give yourself half a chance and you will quickly get used to your new job./

[half a loaf is better than none] or [half a loaf is better than no bread] Part of what we want or need is better than nothing. – A proverb. •/Albert wanted two dollars for shoveling snow from the sidewalk but the lady would only give him a dollar. And he said that half a loaf is better than none./ Compare: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.

[half a mind] also [half a notion]{n. phr.}, {informal} A wish or plan that you have not yet decided to act on; a thought of possibly doing something. – Used after «have» or «with» and before «to» and an infinitive. •/I have half a mind to stop studying and walk over to the brook./ •/Jerry went home with half a mind to telephone Betty./

[half-and-half(1)]{adj.} As much one thing as the other. •/We asked the coach if more boys than girls were interested in debating, and he said it was about half-and-half./ •/The show last night was neither very good nor very poor – just half-and-half./ Compare: FIFTY-FIFTY.

[half-and-half(2)]{n.} A mixture of milk and cream in equal parts, used with cereal or coffee. •/John uses half-and-half with his cereal, but his wife, who is dieting, uses milk./

[half an eye]{n. phr.} A slight glance; a quick look. •/The substitute teacher could see with half an eye that she was going to have trouble with the class./ •/While Mary was cooking she kept half an eye on the baby to see that he didn’t get into mischief./

[half bad] See: NOT BAD.

[half-baked]{adj.}, {informal} Not thought out or studied thoroughly; not worth considering or accepting. •/We wish Tom would not take our time at meetings to offer his half-baked ideas./ •/We cannot afford to put the government in the hands of people with half-baked plans./

[half-hearted]{adj.} Lacking enthusiasm or interest. •/Phil made several half-hearted attempts to learn word processing, but we could see that he didn’t really like it./

[half-holiday]{n.} A day on which you get out of school or work in the afternoon. •/The principal said that Tuesday would be a half-holiday./

[half the battle]{n. phr.} A large part of the work. •/When you write an essay for class, making the outline is half the battle./ •/To see your faults and decide to change is half the battle of self-improvement./

[half-time]{n.} A rest period in the middle of certain games. •/I saw Henry at the football game and I went over and talked to him at half-time./ •/The pep squad put on a drill at half-time when we played basketball with our old rivals./

[halfway] See: GO HALFWAY or MEET ONE HALF-WAY or GO HALFWAY TO MEET ONE.

[halt] See: CALL A HALT, GRIND TO A HALT.

[ham actor]{n. phr.}, {slang} An untalented actor; someone who tries so hard to act that his performance becomes foolishly exaggerated. •/Fred is a ham actor who, instead of memorizing his lines, keeps moving around in a ridiculous way./

[ham-handed]{adj.}, {slang} 1. Having very large hands. •/Pete is a big, ham-handed man who used to be a football player./ 2. See: HEAVY-HANDED.

[ham it up]{v. phr.}, {slang} To do more than look natural in acting a part; pretend too much; exaggerate. •/When Tom told the teacher he was too sick to do homework, he really hammed it up./ •/The old-fashioned movies are funny to us because the players hammed it up./ Compare: LAY IT ON.

[hammer] See: GO AT IT HAMMER AND TONGS, UNDER THE HAMMER.

[hammer and tongs]{adv. phr.} Violently. •/Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been at it all day, hammer and tongs./

[hammer at] or [hammer away at]{v.} 1. To work steadily at; keep at. •/That lesson is not easy, but hammer away at it and you will get it right./ 2. To talk about again and again; emphasize. •/The speaker hammered at his opponent’s ideas./

[hammer out]{v.} 1. To write or produce by hard work. •/The President sat at his desk till midnight hammering out his speech for the next day./ 2. To remove, change, or work out by discussion and debate; debate and agree on (something). •/Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Green have hammered out their difference of opinion./ •/The club members have hammered out an agreement between the two groups./ Compare: IRON OUT.

[Hancock] See: JOHN HANCOCK or JOHN HENRY.

[hand] See: AT HAND, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH, BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS ONE, CLEAN HANDS, DIRTY ONE’S HANDS, EAT OUT OF ONE’S HAND, FORCE ONE’S HAND, FREE HAND, FROM HAND TO HAND, GLAD HAND, HAM-HANDED, HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE’S HANDS, HAT IN HAND, HAVE A HAND IN, HAVE ONE’S HANDS FULL, HEAVY-HANDED, IN HAND, JOIN FORCES or JOIN HANDS, KEEP ONE’S HAND IN, LAY HANDS ON, LAY ONE’S HANDS ON or GET ONE’S HAND ON or PUT ONE’S HAND ON, LEND A HAND or GIVE A HAND or BEAR A HAND, LET ONE’S LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT ONE’S RIGHT HAND IS DOING, LIFT A FINGER or LIFT A HAND also RAISE A HAND, LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH, MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK, OFF ONE’S HANDS, ON HAND, ON ONE’S HANDS, ON THE OTHER HAND, OUT OF HAND, PLAY INTO ONE’S HANDS, PUT ONE’S HAND TO or SET ONE’S HAND TO or TURN ONE’S HAND TO, PUT ONE’S HAND TO THE PLOW, ROB THE TILL or HAVE ONE’S HAND IN THE TILL, SECTION HAND, SIT ON ONE’S HANDS, TAKE ONE’S LIFE IN ONE’S HANDS, TAKE THE LAW INTO ONE’S OWN HANDS, THROW UP ONE’S HANDS, THROW UP ONE’S HANDS IN HORROR, TIE ONE’S HANDS, TRY ONE’S HAND, UPPER HAND or WHIP HAND, WASH ONE’S HANDS OF.

[hand and foot]{adv. phr.} 1. So that the hands and feet cannot be used. – Used with «bind» or a synonym. •/The robbers bound him hand and foot and left him on the floor./ 2. So that no tree action is possible. – Used with «bind» or a synonym. •/If Mr. Jones signs that paper, he will be bound hand and foot./ 3. See: WAIT ON HAND AND FOOT.

[hand and glove] See: HAND IN GLOVE.

[hand down]{v.} To arrange to give or leave after, death. •/Joe will have his father’s gold watch because it is handed down in the family./ •/In old times, property was usually handed down to the oldest son at his father’s death./ Compare: PASS ON.

[hand in] See: TURN IN(1).

[hand in glove] or [hand and glove]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} Very close or friendly; working together; in very close agreement or cooperation, especially for bad purposes. •/The Navy and the Coast Guard work hand and glove, especially in war time./ •/Judges and others in high office sometimes are hand in glove with gangsters to cheat and steal./

[hand in hand]{adv. phr.} 1. Holding hands. •/Bob and Mary walked along hand in hand in the park./ Compare: ARM IN ARM. 2. Accompanying each other; together; closely connected. – Used with «go». •/Ignorance and poverty often go hand in hand./ •/Selfishness and unhappiness often go hand in hand./

[hand it to]{v. phr.}, {informal} To admit the excellence of; give credit or praise to. •/You have to hand it to Jim; he is very careful and hard-working in all he does./ •/The teacher said, «I hand it to Jane for the way she managed the Music Club.»/ Syn.: TAKE OFF ONE’S HAT TO.

[handle] See: FLY OFF THE HANDLE.

[handle to one’s name]{n. phr.}, {slang} A special title used before your name. •/Jim’s father has a handle to his name. He is Major Watson./ •/Bob came back from the University with a handle to his name and was called Dr. Jones./

[handle with gloves] or [handle with kid gloves]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To treat very gently and carefully. •/An atomic bomb is handled with kid gloves./ 2. To treat with great tact and diplomacy. •/Aunt Jane is so irritable that we have to treat her with kid gloves./

[hand-me-down]{n.}, {informal} Something given away after another person has no more use for it; especially, used clothing. •/Alice had four older sisters, so all her clothes were hand-me-downs./

[hand off]{v.} To hand the football to another back. •/The quarterback faked to the fullback and handed off to the halfback./

[hand on]{v.} To pass along to the next person who should have it. •/Everyone in class should read this, so when you have finished, please hand it on./ •/In the early days, news was handed on from one person to another./

[handout]{n.} 1. A free gift of food, clothes, etc. •/The homeless people were standing in a long line for various handouts./ 2. A typed and photocopied sheet or sheets of paper outlining the main points made by a speaker. •/Please look at page three of the handout./

[hand out]{v.}, {informal} To give (things of the same kind) to several people. •/The teacher handed out the examination papers./ •/At the Christmas party Santa Claus handed out the presents under the tree./ •/Handing out free advice to all your friends will not make them like you./ Compare: GIVE OUT(3).

[hand over]{v.} To give control or possession of; give (something) to another person. •/When the teacher saw Johnny reading a comic book in study period, she made him hand over the book./ •/When Mr. Jones gets old, he will hand over his business to his son./ Syn.: FORK OVER, GIVE UP(1), TURN OVER(3).

[hand over fist]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Fast and in large amounts. •/Fred may get a pony for Christmas because his father is making money hand over fist./ •/Business is so bad that the store on the corner is losing money hand over fist./

[hand over hand]{adv. phr.} By taking hold with one hand over the other alternately. •/The only way to climb a rope is hand over hand./

[hand-pick]{v.}, {informal} To choose very carefully. •/This debating team should win because its members are all hand-picked./ •/The political bosses hand-picked a man for mayor who would agree with them./

[hands-down]{adj.}, {informal} 1. Easy. •/The Rangers won a hands-down victory in the tournament./ 2. Unopposed; first; clear. •/Johnny was the hands-down favorite for president of the class./

[hands down]{adv.}, {informal} 1. Without working hard; easily. •/The Rangers won the game hands down./ 2. Without question or doubt; without any opposition; plainly. •/Johnny was bands down the best player on the team./

[hands off]{informal} Keep your hands off or do not interfere; leave that alone. – Used as a command. •/I was going to touch the machine, but the man cried, «Hands off!» and I let it alone./

[hands-off]{adj.}, {informal} Leaving alone, not interfering; inactive. •/The United States told the European governments to follow a hands-off policy toward Latin America./ •/I did not approve of his actions, but I have a hands-off rule in personal matters, so I said nothing./

[handsome is as handsome does]{informal} A person must act well and generously so that he will be truly worth respecting. – A proverb. •/Everyone thinks that Bon is a very handsome boy, but he is very mean too. Handsome is as handsome does./ Compare: FINE FEATHERS DO NOT MAKE PINE BIRDS.

[hands up]{informal} Hold up your hands! Put your hands up high and keep them there! – Used as a command. •/The sheriff pointed his gun at the outlaws and called out, «Hands up!»/ Syn.: REACH FOR THE SKY.

[hand something to someone on a silver platter]{v. phr.} To give a person a reward that has not been earned. •/The lazy student expected his diploma to be handed to him on a silver platter./

[hand to hand]{adv. phr.} Close together, near enough to hit each other. •/The two soldiers fought hand to hand until one fell badly wounded./ •/In modern naval warfare, men seldom fight hand to hand./ Compare: FACE TO FACE.

[hand-to-hand]{adj.} Close to each other; near enough to hit each other. •/The result of the battle was decided in hand-to-hand combat./ •/When the police tried to break up the riot, there was hand-to-hand fighting with fists, stones, and clubs./ Compare: FACE-TO-FACE.

[hand-to-mouth]{adj.} Not providing for the future; living from day to day; not saving for later. •/Many native tribes lead a hand-to-mouth existence, content to have food for one day at a time./ •/John is not a saving boy; he spends his money without thought for the future, and lives a hand-to-mouth life./ See: LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH.

[handwriting on the wall]{n. phr.} A sign that something bad will happen. •/When Bill’s team lost four games in a row, he saw the handwriting on the wall./ •/John’s employer had less and less work for him; John could read the handwriting on the wall and looked for another job./

[hang] See: GO HANG, GIVE A HANG or CARE A HANG, GIVE ONE ENOUGH ROPE, AND HE WILL HANG HIMSELF, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR.

[hang around]{v.}, {informal} 1. To pass time or stay near without any real purpose or aim; loaf near or in. •/The principal warned the students not to hang around the corner drugstore after school./ Compare: HANG OUT(1). 2. To spend time or associate, •/Jim hangs around with some boys who live in his neighborhood./

[hang back] or [hang off] or [hang behind] 1. To stay some distance behind or away, be unwilling to move forward. •/Mary offered the little girl candy, but she was shy and hung back./ 2. To hesitate or be unwilling to do something. •/Lou wanted Fred to join the club, but Fred hung off./

[hang behind] See: HANG BACK(1).

[hang by a hair] See: HANG BY A THREAD.

[hang by a thread] or [hang by a hair]{v. phr.} To depend on a very small thing; be in doubt. •/For three days Tom was so sick that his life hung by a thread./ •/As Joe got ready to kick a field goal, the result of the game hung by a hair./ Compare: HANG IN THE BALANCE.

[hanger] See: CREPE HANGER.

[hang fire]{v. phr.} 1. To fail or be slow in shooting or firing. •/Smith pulled the trigger, but the gun hung fire and the deer escaped./ 2. To be slow in beginning; to be delayed; to wait. •/The boys' plans for organizing a scout troop hung fire because they could not find a man to be scoutmaster./

[hang heavy] or [hang heavy on one’s hands]{v. phr.} To pass slowly or uninterestingly; be boring with little to do. •/The vacation time hung heavy on Dick’s hands because all his friends were away at camp./ Compare: ON ONE’S HANDS.

[hang in effigy] or [burn in effigy]{v. phr.} To hang or burn a figure, usually a stuffed dummy, representing a person who is disliked or scorned. •/When the high school team lost the championship game, the coach was hung in effigy by the townspeople./ •/During World War II, Hitler was sometimes burned in effigy in the United States./

[hang in the balance]{v. phr.} To have two equally possible results; to be in doubt; be uncertain. •/Until Jim scored the winning touchdown, the outcome of the game hung in the balance./ •/She was very sick and her life hung in the balance for several days./ Compare: HANG BY A THREAD.

[hang in (there)]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To persevere; not to give up; to stick to a project and not lose faith or courage. •/Hang in there old buddy; the worst is yet to come./

[hang it]{interj.}, {informal} An exclamation used to express annoyance or disappointment. •/Oh, hang it! I forgot to bring the book I wanted to show you./ •/Hang it all, why don’t you watch where you’re going?/

[hang off] See: HANG BACK.

[hang on]{v.} 1. To hold on to something, usually tightly. •/Jack almost fell off the cliff, but managed to hang on until help came./ Syn.: HOLD ON(1). 2a. To continue doing something; persist. •/The grocer was losing money every day, but he hung on, hoping that business would improve./ Compare: HOLD OUT, STICK OUT. 2b. To hold a lead in a race or other contest while one’s opponents try to rally. •/The favorite horse opened an early lead and hung on to win as two other horses almost passed him in the final stretch./ •/Bunning, staked to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, hung on to heat the Dodgers 6-4./ 3. To continue to give trouble or cause suffering. •/Lou’s cold hung on from January to April./ 4. To continue listening on the telephone. •/Jerry asked John, who had called him on the phone, to hung on while he ran for a pencil and a sheet of paper./ Compare: HOLD ON(3).

[hang one on]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To give a heavy blow to; hit hard. •/The champion hung one on his challenger in the second round and knocked him out of the ring./ 2. To get very drunk. •/After Smith lost his job, he went to a bar and hung one on./

[hang one’s head]{v. phr.} To bend your head forward in shame. •/Johnny hung his head when the teacher asked him if he broke the window./ Compare: HIDE ONE’S HEAD.

[hang on the words of] also [hang on the lips of]{v. phr.} To listen very attentively to. •/Ann hangs on every word of her history teacher and takes very careful notes. / •/As he went on with his speech, his auditors, deeply interested, hung on his lips./

[hang on to]{v.} To hold tightly; keep firmly. •/The child hung on to its mother’s apron, and would not let go./ •/John did not like his job, but decided to hang on to it until he found a better one./

[hang on to one’s mother’s apron strings] See: TIED TO ONE’S MOTHER’S APRON STRINGS.

[hang on to your hat] or [hold on to your hat] or [hold your hat]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. Watch out; be prepared. – Used as a command, usually to warn of an unexpected action. •/«Hold on to your hat,» said Jim as he stepped on the gas and the car shot forward./ 2. Get ready for a surprise. – Used as a command, usually to warn of unexpected news. •/«Hold on to your hat,» said Mary. «Jim asked me to marry him.»/

[hang out]{v.} 1. {slang} To spend your time idly or lounging about. •/The teacher complained that Joe was hanging out in poolrooms instead of doing his homework./ Compare: HANG AROUND(1). 2. {slang} To live; reside. •/Two policemen stopped the stranger and asked him where he hung out./ 3. To reach out farther than the part below. •/The branches of the trees hung out over the road./ •/The upper floor of that house hangs out above the first./

[hang out one’s shingle]{v. phr.}, {informal} To give public notice of the opening of an office, especially a doctor’s or lawyer’s office, by putting up a small signboard. •/The young doctor hung out his shingle and soon had a large practice./

[hangover]{n.} A bad feeling of nausea and/or headache the day after one has had too much to drink. •/Boy, did I have a hangover after that party yesterday!/

[hang over]{v.} 1. To be going to happen to; threaten. •/Great trouble hangs over the little town because its only factory has closed down./ 2. To remain to be finished or settled. •/The committee took up the business that hung over from its last meeting./

[hang over one’s head]{v. phr.} To be a danger or threat to you. – An overused phrase. •/Over Jimmy’s head hung the teacher’s suspicion that Jimmy had cheated in the final examination./ •/Death hangs over a bullfighter’s head every time he performs./

[hang round] See: HANG AROUND.

[hang ten]{v.}, {slang} 1. To be an outstanding performer on a surfboard or on a skateboard (referring to the user’s ten toes). •/I bet I am going to be able to hang ten if you let me practice on your skateboard./ 2. To be a survivor despite great odds. •/Don’t worry about Jack, he can hang ten anywhere!/

[hang together]{v.} 1. To stay united; help and defend one another. •/The club members always hung together when one of them was in trouble./ Syn.: STICK TOGETHER. Compare: STAND BY, STAND UP FOR. 2. {informal} To form a satisfactory whole; fit together. •/Jack’s story of why he was absent from school seems to hang together./

[hang up]{v.} 1. To place on a hook, peg, or hanger. •/When the children come to school, they hang up their coats in the cloakroom./ 2a. To place a telephone receiver back on its hook and break the connection. •/Carol’s mother told her she had talked long enough on the phone and made her hang up./ 2b. To put a phone receiver back on its hook while the other person is still talking. – Used with «on». •/I said something that made Joe angry, and he hung up on me./ 3a. {informal} To cause to be stuck or held so as to be immovable. – Usually used in the passive. •/Ann’s car was hung up in a snowdrift and she had to call a garageman to get it out./ 3b. {informal} To stick or get held so as to be immovable. •/A big passenger ship hung up on a sandbar for several hours./ 4. {informal} To cause a wait; delay. •/Rehearsals for the school play were hung up by the illness of some of the actors./ 5. {informal} To set (a record.) •/Bob hung up a school record for long distance swimming./

[hang-up]{n.}, {informal} (stress on «hang») 1. A delay in some process. •/The mail has been late for several days; there must be some hang-up with the trucks somewhere./ 2. A neurotic reaction to some life situation probably stemming from a traumatic shock which has gone unconscious. •/Doctor Simpson believes that Suzie’s frigidity is due to some hang-up about men./

[happen on] or [happen upon]{v.}, {literary} To meet or find accidentally or by chance. •/The Girl Scouts happened on a charming little brook not far from the camp./ •/At the convention I happened upon an old friend I had not seen for years./ Syn.: CHANCE ON, COME ACROSS(1),(3). Compare: HIT ON.

[happy] See: STRIKE A HAPPY MEDIUM, TRIGGER HAPPY at QUICK ON THE TRIGGER.

[happy as the day is long]{adj. phr.} Cheerful and happy. •/Carl is happy as the day is long because school is over for the summer./

[happy-go-lucky] See: FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY-FREE.

[happy hour]{n.}, {informal} A time in bars or restaurants when cocktails are served at a reduced rate, usually one hour before they start serving dinner. •/Happy hour is between 6 and 7 P.M. at Celestial Gardens./

[happy hunting ground]{n. phr.} 1. The place where, in American Indian belief, a person goes after death; heaven. •/The Indians believed that at death they went to the happy hunting ground./ 2. {informal} A place or area where you can find a rich variety of what you want, and plenty of it. •/The forest is a happy hunting ground for scouts who are interested in plants and flowers./ •/Shell collectors find the ocean beaches happy hunting grounds./

[hard] See: GIVE A HARD TIME, GO HARD WITH, SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS.

[hard-and-fast]{adj.} Not to be broken or changed; fixed; strict. •/The teacher said that there was a hard-and-fast rule against smoking in the school./

[hard as nails]{adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Not flabby or soft; physically very fit; tough and strong. •/After a summer of work in the country, Jack was as hard as nails, without a pound of extra weight./ 2. Not gentle or mild; rough; stern. •/Johnny works for a boss who is as hard as nails and scolds Johnny roughly whenever he does something wrong./