Текст книги "Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц"

Автор книги: Adam Makkai

Соавторы: Maya Glinberg
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[make a practice of]{v. phr.} To make a habit of; do regularly. •/Make a practice of being on time for work./

[make a quick buck] See: FAST BUCK.

[make a racket]{v. phr.} To cause a lot of noisy disturbance. •/I wish the kids playing in the street wouldn’t make such a racket while I’m trying to take a nap./

[make a scene]{v. phr.} To act hysterically; attract unfavorable attention. •/I didn’t want Kate to make a scene in front of all of those people, so I gave her the money she wanted./

[make a splash]{v. phr.} To cause a sensation. •/The brilliant young pianist, barely 14 years old, made quite a splash on the concert circuit./

[make a stab at]{v. phr.} To try doing something at random without sufficient preparation. •/The singer was not familiar with the aria but she decided to make a stab at it anyhow./ Contrast: STAB IN THE BACK, STAB IN THE DARK.

[make a stand]{v. phr.} 1. To take a firm position on an issue. •/He keeps talking about politics hut he never makes a stand for what he believes in./ 2. To take up a defensive position against the enemy. •/The retreating troops decided to make a stand by the river./ Contrast: LAST DITCH, LAST STAND.

[make a stir] See: MAKE A SCENE.

[make a touch]{v. phr.} To borrow money; try to borrow money. •/He is known to make a touch whenever he is hard up for cash./

[make a virtue of necessity]{v. phr.} Make the best of things as they are; do cheerfully what you do. •/After Mr. Wilson lost all his money, he made a virtue of necessity and found a new and interesting life as a teacher./ Compare: MAKE THE BEST OF.

[make away with]{v.}, {informal} Take; carry away; cause to disappear. •/The lumberjack made away with a great stack of pancakes./ •/Two masked men held up the clerk and made away with the payroll./ Compare: MAKE OFF.

[make-believe]{n.} False; untrue; created by illusion. •/The creatures of Star Wars are all make-believe./

[make believe]{v.} To act as if something is true while one knows it is not; pretend. •/Let’s make believe we have a million dollars./ •/Danny made believe he didn’t hear his mother calling./

[make book]{v. phr.} To serve as a bookmaker taking bets on the horse races. •/The police were out to prosecute anybody who made book illegally./

[make both ends meet] See: MAKE ENDS MEET.

[make bricks without straw]{v. phr.} To make something without the wherewithal; do something the hard way; do a job under hard conditions. •/John could not go to a library, and writing the report was a job of making bricks without straw./ •/It was making bricks without straw to put on plays in that old barn./

[make conversation]{v. phr.} To talk with someone just so that there will be talk. •/John made conversation with the stranger so that he would not feel left out./ •/Mary didn’t really mean what she said about Joan. She was only making conversation./

[make do]{v. phr.} To use a poor substitute when one does not have the right thing. •/John did not have a hammer, and he had to make do with a heavy rock./ •/This motel isn’t what we wanted, but we must make do./ •/Many families manage to make do on very little income./ Compare: GET ALONG.

[make ends meet]{v. phr.} To have enough money to pay one’s bills; earn what it costs to live. •/Both husband and wife had to work to make ends meet./

[make eyes at]{v. phr.}, {informal} To look at a girl or boy in a way that tries to attract him to you; flirt. •/The other girls disliked her way of making eyes at their boyfriends instead of finding one of her own./

[make faces at]{v. phr.} To grimace; scowl. •/«Stop making faces at each other, you children,» my aunt said, «and start eating.»/

[make for]{v.} To go toward; start in the direction of. •/The children took their ice skates and made for the frozen pond./ •/The bee got his load of pollen and made for the hive./

[make free with]{v.} 1. To take or use (things) without asking. •/Bob makes free with his roommate’s clothes./ •/A student should not make free with his teacher’s first name./ 2. To act toward (someone) in a rude or impolite way. •/The girls don’t like Ted because he makes free with them./ Compare: TAKE LIBERTIES.

[make friends]{v. phr.} To become friends; form a friendship. •/Mrs. Jones invited Bobby to her home to play with Don. She hoped that they would make friends with each other./ •/You can make friends with an elephant by giving him peanuts./

[make fun of] or [poke fun at]{v. phr.}, {informal} To joke about; laugh at; tease; mock. •/Men like to make fun of the trimmings on women’s hats./ •/James poked fun at the new pupil because her speech was not like the other pupils./

[make good]{v. phr.} 1. To do what one promised to do; make something come true. •/Mr. Smith borrowed some money. He promised to pay it back on payday. He made good his promise./ •/Joe made good his boast to swim across the lake./ •/John’s mother promised to take him and his friends to the zoo on Saturday. She made good her promise./ Compare: CARRY OUT. 2. To compensate; pay for loss or damage. •/The policeman told the boy’s parents that the boy must make good the money he had stolen or go to jail./ – Often used in the phrase «make it good». •/The radio was broken while it was being delivered so the store had to make it good and send us a new radio./ Compare: MAKE UP. 3. To do good work at one’s job; succeed. •/Kate wanted to be a nurse. She studied and worked hard in school. Then she got a job in the hospital and made good as a nurse./

[make good time]{v. phr.} To make unimpeded progress on a journey; arrive at one’s destination sooner than estimated. •/There was not much traffic on the expressway so we made good time on our way to the airport./

[make haste]{v. phr.} To move fast; hurry. – Rarely used in speaking. •/The dog wriggled into one end of the hollow log, and the rabbit made haste to get out the other end./ •/Mary saw that she had hurt Jane’s feelings, and made haste to say she was sorry./ Compare: MAKE TRACKS.

[make haste with] See: HURRY ON WITH.

[make hay while the sun shines]{v. phr.} To do something at the right time; not wait too long. •/Dick had a free hour so he made hay while the sun shone and got his lesson for the next day./ Compare: MAKE THE MOST OF.

[make head or tail of]{v. phr.}, {informal} To see the why of; finding a meaning in; understand. – Used in negative, conditional, and interrogative sentences. •/She could not make head or tail of the directions on the dress pattern./ •/Can you make head or tail of the letter?/

[make headway]{v. phr.} To move forward; make progress. •/The university is making headway with its campus reorganization project./

[make it hot]{v. phr.}, {informal} To bring punishment; cause trouble. •/Dick threatened to make it hot for anyone who tied knots in his pajama legs again./

[make it snappy]{v. phr.}, {informal} To move quickly; be fast; hurry. – Usually used as a command. •/«Make it snappy,» Mother said, «or we’ll be late for the movie.»/ •/The man hurried into the restaurant and told the waitress, «A cup of coffee, and make it snappy.»/

[make it with]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To be accepted by a group. •/Joe finally made it with the in crowd in Hollywood./ 2. {vulgar} To have sex with (someone). •/I wonder if Joe has made it with Sue./

[make light of]{v. phr.} To treat an important matter as if it were trivial. •/One ought to know which problems to make light of and which ones to handle seriously./ Compare: LAUGH OFF. Contrast: MAKE MUCH OF.

[make little of]{v. phr.} To make (something) seem unimportant; belittle. •/Mary made little of Jane’s new bicycle because she was jealous./ •/Tom made little of his saving the drowning boy./ Contrast: MAKE MUCH OF.

[make love]{v. phr.} 1. To be warm, loving, and tender toward someone of the opposite sex; try to get him or her to love you too. •/There was moonlight on the roses and he made love to her in the porch swing./ 2. To have sexual relations with (someone). •/It is rumored that Alfred makes love to every girl he hires as a secretary./

[make merry]{v. phr.}, {literary} To have fun, laugh, and be happy, •/In Aesop’s fable the grasshopper made merry while the ant worked and saved up food./ •/In the Bible story a rich man ate and drank and made merry./

[make mincemeat (out) of]{v. phr.} To destroy completely. •/The defense attorney made mincemeat of the prosecution’s argument./

[make much of]{v. phr.} To make something seem of more worth or importance than it really is; praise. •/Visitors made much of the new collie./ •/The boy made much of the hard things of his mountain climb./ Contrast: MAKE LIGHT OF, MAKE LITTLE OF.

[make neither head nor tail of]{v. phr.} To be unable to figure something out. •/This puzzle is so complicated that I can make neither head nor tail of it./ Compare: HEADS OR TAILS.

[make no bones]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To have no doubts; not to worry about right or wrong; not to be against. – Used with «about». •/Bill makes no bones about telling a lie to escape punishment./ •/The boss made no bones about hiring extra help for the holidays./ 2. To make no secret; not keep from talking; admit. – Used with «about» or «of the fact». •/John thinks being poor is no disgrace and he makes no bones of the fact./ •/Mary made no bones about her love of poetry even after some of her friends laughed at her./

[make of]{v. phr.} To interpret; understand. •/What do you make of his sudden decision to go to Africa?/

[make off]{v.} To go away; run away; leave. •/When the deer saw the hunter it made off at once./ •/A thief stopped John on a dark street and made off with his wallet./ Compare: TAKE OFF.

[make one feel at home]{v. phr.} To be hospitable; welcome; make someone feel at ease. •/They are very popular hosts because they always manage to make their guests feel at home./

[make one out to be]{v. phr.} To accuse someone of being something. •/Don’t make me out to be such a grouch; I am really quite happy-go-lucky./

[make one’s bed and lie in it] To be responsible for what you have done and so to have to accept the bad results. •/Billy smoked one of his father’s cigars and now he is sick. He made his bed, now let him lie in it./ Compare: FACE THE MUSIC(2).

[make one’s blood boil] or [make the blood boil]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make someone very angry. •/When someone calls me a liar it makes my blood boil./ •/It made Mary’s blood boil to see the children make fun of the crippled girl./ Compare: BOILING POINT.

[make one’s blood run cold] See: BLOOD RUNS COLD.

[make one’s ears burn] See: EARS BURN.

[make oneself at home]{v. phr.} To feel comfortable; act as if you were in your own home. •/If you get to my house before I do, help yourself to a drink and make yourself at home./ •/John was an outdoor man and could make himself at home in the woods at night./ Compare: AT EASE, AT HOME(2).

[make oneself scarce]{v. phr.}, {slang} To leave quickly; go away. •/The boys made themselves scarce when they saw the principal coming to stop their noise./ •/A wise mouse makes himself scarce when a cat is nearby./

[make one’s hair stand on end] See: HAIR STAND ON END.

[make one’s head spin]{v. phr.} To be bewildered; be confused. •/It makes my head spin to think about the amount of work I still have to do./

[make one’s mark]{v. phr.} To become known to many people; do well the work you started to do; make a reputation. •/Shakespeare made his mark as a playwright./

[make one’s mouth water]{v. phr.} 1. To look or smell very good; make you want very much to eat or drink something you see or smell. •/The pies in the store window made Dan’s mouth water./ •/The picture of the ice cream soda made his mouth water./ 2. To be attractive; make you want to have something very much. •/Judy collects folk song records, and the records in the store window made her mouth water./ Compare: LICK ONE’S CHOPS.

[make one’s pile]{v. phr.} To make one’s fortune. •/The rich man made his pile in the stock market./

[make one’s way]{v. phr.} 1. To go forward with difficulty; find a path for yourself. •/They made their way through the crowd./ 2. To do many hard things to earn a living; make a life work for yourself. •/He was anxious to finish school and make his own way in the world./ Compare: SHIFT FOR ONESELF.

[make one tick]{v. phr.} To cause to operate; to motivate. •/He is so secretive that we are unable to figure out what makes him tick./

[make or break]{v. phr.} To bring complete success or failure, victory or defeat. •/Playing the role of Hamlet will make or break the young actor./

[make out]{v.} 1. To write the facts asked for (as in an application blank or a report form); fill out. •/The teacher made out the report cards and gave them to the students to take home./ •/Mrs. Smith gave the clerk in the store some money and the clerk made out a receipt./ 2. To see, hear, or understand by trying hard. •/It was dark, and we could not make out who was coming along the road./ •/They could not make out what the child had drawn. /•/The book had many hard words and Anne could not make out what the writer meant./ •/Mr. White does many strange things. No one can make him out./ Syn.: FIGURE OUT. 3. {informal} To make someone believe; show; prove. •/Charles and Bob had a fight, and Charles tried to make out that Bob started it./ •/The boy said he did not take the money but the teacher found the money in the boy’s desk and it made him out to be a liar./ 4. {informal} Do well enough; succeed. •/John’s father wanted John to do well in school and asked the teacher how John was making out./ •/The sick woman could not make out alone in her house, so her friend came and helped her./ 5. To kiss or pet. •/What are Jack and Jill up to? – They’re making out on the back porch./

[make over]{v.} 1. To change by law something from one owner to another owner; change the name on the title (lawful paper) from one owner to another. •/Mr. Brown made over the title to the car to Mr. Jones./ 2. To make something look different; change the style of. •/He asked the tailor to make over his pants. The tailor cut off the cuffs and put a belt across the back./

[make passes at] See: MAKE A PASS AT.

[make rounds]{v. phr.} To travel the same route, making several stops along the way. •/The milkman makes his rounds every morning./ •/The doctor makes the rounds of the hospital rooms./

[make sense]{v. phr.} 1. To be something you can understand or explain; not be difficult or strange. •/The explanation in the school book made no sense because the words were hard./ Compare: MAKE HEAD OR TAIL OF. 2. To seem right to do; sound reasonable or practical. •/Does it make sense to let little children play with matches?/

[make short work of]{v. phr.} To finish rapidly. •/The cat made short work of the baby rabbit./ •/Tim was anxious to get to the movies so he made short work of his homework./

[make sit up]{v. phr.} To shock to attention; surprise; create keen interest. •/Her sudden appearance at the party and her amazingly low-cut dress made us all sit up./

[make something of]{v. phr.} 1. To make (something) seem important. •/When girls see another girl with a boy, they often try to make something of it./ 2. To start a fight over; use as an excuse to start a quarrel. •/Bob accidentally shoved Bill in the corridor, and Bill made something of it./ •/Ann didn’t like what Mary said about her. She tried to make something of what Mary said./ Compare: START SOMETHING.

[make sport of] See: MAKE FUN OF.

[make sure]{v. phr.} To see about something yourself; look at to be sure. •/Father makes sure that all the lights are off before he goes to bed./ •/Mary thought she had time to get to school but she ran all the way just to make sure./ •/Before you write your report on the life of Washington you should make sure of your facts./

[make the best of]{v. phr.} To do something you do not like to do and not complain; accept with good humor. •/The girl did not like to wash dishes but she made the best of it./ Compare: MAKE A VIRTUE OF NECESSITY.

[make the blood boil] See: MAKE ONE’S BLOOD BOIL.

[make the feathers fly]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To enjoy working; be strong and work hard. •/When Mrs. Hale did her spring cleaning she made the feathers fly./ 2. See: MAKE THE FUR FLY.

[make the fur fly] or [make the feathers fly]{v. phr.}, {informal} Say or write mean things about someone or to jump on and fight hard. •/A man fooled Mr. Black and got his money. Mr. Black will really make the fur fly when he finds the man./ •/Mrs. Baker’s dog dug holes in her neighbor’s garden. The neighbor really made the fur fly when she saw Mrs. Baker./

[make the grade]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To make good; succeed. •/It was clear that Mr. Baker had made the grade in the insurance business./ •/It takes hard study to make the grade in school./ 2. To meet a standard; qualify. •/That whole shipment of cattle made the grade as prime beef./

[make the most of]{v. phr.} To do the most you can with; get the most from; use to the greatest advantage. •/She planned the weekend in town to make the most of it./ •/George studied hard. He wanted to make the most of his chance to learn./ •/The teacher went out of the room for five minutes and some bad boys made the most of it./ •/Bill liked Mary; he would do anything for her, and Mary made the most of it./ Compare: MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES.

[make the scene]{v. phr.}, {slang} To be present; to arrive at a certain place or event. •/I am too tired to make the scene; let’s go home./

[make things hum] See: KEEP THINGS HUMMING.

[make time]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To be successful in arriving at a designated place in short or good time. •/We’re supposed to be there at 6 P.M., and it’s only 5:30 – we’re making good time./ 2. To be successful in making sexual advances to someone. •/Joe sure is making time with Sue, isn’t he?/

[make tongues wag] See: TONGUES TO WAG.

[make tracks]{v. phr.}, {informal} To go fast; get a speedy start; hurry. •/Man, it’s time we made tracks!/ •/The boys made tracks for home when it began to get dark./ Compare: GET GOING, MAKE HASTE.

[makeup]{n.} (stress on «make») 1. Cosmetics. •/All the actors and actresses put on a lot of makeup./ 2. Attributive auxiliary in lieu of, or belated. •/The professor gave a makeup to the sick students./

[make up]{v.} (stress on «up») 1. To make by putting things or parts together. •/A car is made up of many different parts./ 2. To invent; think and say something that is new or not true. •/Jean makes up stories to amuse her little brother./ 3a. To do or provide (something lacking or needed); do or supply (something not done, lost, or missed); get back; regain; give back; repay. •/I have to make up the test I missed last week./ •/I want to go to bed early to make up the sleep I lost last night./ •/We have to drive fast to make up the hour we lost in Boston./ •/Vitamin pills make up what you lack in your diet./ •/The toy cost a dollar and Ted only had fifty cents, so Father made up the difference./ – Often used in the phrase «make it up to». •/Uncle Fred forgot my birthday present but he made it up to me by taking me to the circus./ •/Mrs. Rich spent so much time away from her children that she tried to make it up to them by giving them things./ Compare: MAKE GOOD. 3b. To do what is lacking or needed; do or give what should be done or given; get or give back what has been lost, missed, or not done; get or give instead; pay back. – Used with «for». •/We made up for lost time by taking an airplane instead of a train./ •/Saying you are sorry won’t make up for the damage of breaking the window./ •/Mary had to make up for the time she missed in school when she was sick, by studying very hard./ •/The beautiful view at the top of the mountain makes up for the hard climb to get there./ 4. To put on lipstick and face paint powder. •/Clowns always make up before a circus show./ •/Tom watched his sister make up her face for her date./ 5. To become friends again after a quarrel. •/Mary and Joan quarreled, but made up after a while./ Compare: BURY THE HATCHET. 6. To try to make friends with someone; to win favor. – Followed by «to». •/The new boy made up to the teacher by sharpening her pencils./

[make up one’s mind]{v. phr.} To choose what to do; decide. •/They made up their minds to sell the house./ •/Tom couldn’t decide whether he should tell Mother about the broken window or let her find it herself./ Contrast: ON THE FENCE.

[make waves]{v. phr.}, {informal} Make one’s influence felt; create a disturbance, a sensation. •/Joe Catwallender is the wrong man for the job; he is always trying to make waves./

[make way]{v. phr.} To move from in front so someone can go through; stand aside. •/The people made way for the king./ •/When older men retire they make way for younger men to take their places./

[mama’s boy]{n. phr.}, {informal} A boy who depends too much on his mother; a sissy. •/The other boys called Tommy a mama’s boy because he wouldn’t come out to play unless his mother stayed near him./

[man] See: COMPANY MAN, EVERY LAST MAN also EVERY MAN JACK, FRONT MAN, HIRED MAN, LADY’S MAN, NEW MAN, SEPARATE THE MEN FROM THE BOYS, TO A MAN, YES-MAN.

[man] or [the man]{n.}, {slang} 1. The police; a policeman. •/I am gonna turn you in to the man./ 2. The boss; the leader; the most important figure in an organization or outfit. •/The man will decide./

[man-about-town]{n. phr.} A sophisticate; an idler; a member of cafe society; one who knows where the best plays and concerts are given. •/Ask Mark where to go when you’re in New York City; he’s a real man-about-town./

[manger] See: DOG IN THE MANGER.

[man in the moon]{n. phr.} An imaginary or nonexistent person (often used to indicate a person of ignorance). •/Stop asking me such difficult questions about nuclear physics; I know as much about it as the man in the moon./

[man in the street]{n. phr.} The man who is just like most other men; the average man; the ordinary man. •/The newspaper took a poll of the man in the street./ Compare: JOE DOAKES, JOHN Q. PUBLIC.

[manner] See: ALL MANNER OF, TO THE MANNER BORN.

[man of few words]{n. phr.} A man who doesn’t talk very much; a man who says only what is needed. •/The principal is a man of few words, but the pupils know what he wants./

[man of his word]{n. phr.} A man who keeps his promises and does the things he agrees to do; a man who can be trusted. •/My uncle is a man of his word./

[man of letters]{n. phr.} A writer; an author; a scholar. •/Chekhov was not only a practicing physician but also a first-rate man of letters./

[man of means]{n. phr.} A rich person. •/He became a man of means by successfully playing the stock market./

[man of parts]{n. phr.}, {literary} A man who has several different skills, talents, or qualities. •/The pianist is a man of parts. He wrote the piece he played, and he also plays the organ and paints well./

[man-of-war]{n. phr.} 1. A stinging jellyfish in the Gulf of Mexico. •/«No swimming today,» the sign said, «as we have a man-of-war alert.»/ 2. A large battleship displaying its national flag or insignia. •/The shipwreck victims were picked up by an American man-of-war./ 3. The albatross bird. •/After several days at sea we noticed some men-of-war majestically sailing through the skies./

[man-to-man]{adj.} Honest and full in the telling; not hiding anything embarrassing. •/Tom and his father had a man-to-man talk about his smoking pot./ Compare: HEART-TO-HEART.

[many] See: GOOD MANY or GREAT MANY, IN SO MANY WORDS, SO MANY.

[many a]{adj.} Many (persons or things) – Used with a singular noun. •/Many a boy learns to swim before he can read./ •/I have spent many a day in his home./

[many hands make light work] If many people work together, even a hard job becomes easier. – A proverb. •/Come on boys, many hands make light work. If we work together, we can finish painting the barn./

[many is me] There are a great number of (persons or things); many are the (persons or things). – Used at the beginning of a sentence with a singular noun. •/Many is the man I have lent money to./ •/Many was the time I ate at that restaurant./ Compare: MANY A.

[many moons ago]{adv. phr.} A long, long time ago. •/Many moons ago, when I was young, I was able to dance all night./

[map] See: PUT ON THE MAP.

[map out]{v. phr.} To arrange; lay out; plan. •/The candidate will meet with his campaign manager tomorrow to map out his campaign strategy./

[marble] See: HAVE ALL ONE’S BUTTONS or HAVE ALL ONE’S MARBLES.

[March] See: MAD AS A HATTER or MAD AS A MARCH HARE.

[march] See: STEAL A MARCH ON.

[mare’s nest]{n. phr.} Something that doesn’t exist; a discovery that proves to be worthless. •/He claims that he has discovered a gasoline substitute but we suspect it will turn out to be a mare’s nest./

[marine] See: TELL IT TO THE MARINES.

[mark] See: MAKE ONE’S MARK, TOE THE LINE or TOE THE MARK, UP TO THE MARK at UP TO PAR(2), WALK THE CHALK or WALK THE CHALK LINE or WALK THE CHALK MARK, WIDE OF THE MARK.

[markdown]{n.} A reduction in price. •/Joan asked, «Do you like my new sandals? They were markdowns at Marshall Field’s.»/

[mark down]{v. phr.} 1. To lower the price. •/The department store marked down their prices on women’s sandals./ 2. To give a poor grade to a student. •/Peter was marked down for his numerous spelling errors./ 3. To make a written note of something. •/Here is my phone number; mark it down./

[marked man]{n. phr.} A man whose behavior has made him the object of suspicion; a man whose life may be in danger. •/When Dave dared to criticize the dictator openly, he became a marked man./

[market] See: FLEA MARKET, IN THE MARKET FOR, ON THE MARKET, PLAY THE MARKET.

[mark off]{v. phr.} Mark with lines; lay out in sections. •/The field will be marked off in accordance with the special track events that will take place tomorrow./

[mark one’s words]{v. phr.} To pay close attention to what one says; an emphatic expression indicating prophecy. •/«It will certainly rain tomorrow,» he said. «Mark my words.»/

[mark time]{v. phr.} 1. To move the feet up and down as in marching, but not going forward. •/The officer made the soldiers mark time as a punishment./ 2. To be idle; waiting for something to happen. •/The teacher marked time until all the children were ready for the test./ 3. To seem to be working or doing something, but really not doing it. •/It was so hot that the workmen just marked time./

[marry money]{v. phr.} To marry a rich person. •/Ellen married money when she became Hal’s wife./

[masking tape]{n.} A paper tape that is stuck around the edges of a surface being painted to keep the paint off the surface next to it. •/The painters put masking tape around the window frames to keep the paint off the glass./

[masse] See: EN MASSE.

[mast] See: NAIL ONE’S COLORS TO THE MAST.

[master copy]{n.} 1. A perfect text to which all copies are made to conform; a corrected version used as a standard by printers. •/The master copy must be right, because if it isn’t, the mistakes in it will be repeated all through the edition./ 2. A stencil from which other copies are made. •/Mr. Brown told his secretary to save the master copy so that they could run off more copies whenever they needed them./ •/The master copy was too light so many of the copies didn’t come out clear./

[master key]{n. phr.} A key that opens a set of different locks. •/The building janitor has a master key to all of the apartments in this building./

[mastermind]{v.} To create; direct; invent the central plan for several individuals to follow. •/Lenin masterminded the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia./

[mastermind]{n.} A person who supplies the intelligence for a project and/or undertakes its management. •/Winston Churchill was the mastermind in the war against Hitler./

[master of ceremonies] or [M.C.] or [emcee]{n.} The person in charge of introducing the various participants in a show or entertainment. •/Bob Hope was the M.C. of many memorable shows./

[mat] See: WELCOME MAT IS OUT.

[matter] See: FOR THAT MATTER, LAUGHING MATTER, NO MATTER, THE MATTER.

[matter of course]{n. phr.} Something always done; the usual way; habit; rule. •/A was a matter of course for John to dress carefully when he was meeting his wife./ •/Bank officers ask questions as a matter of course when someone wants to borrow money./

[matter of fact]{n. phr.} Something that is really true; something that can be proved. •/The town records showed that it was a matter of fact that the two boys were brothers./ •/It is a matter of fact that the American war against England was successful./ – Often used for emphasis in the phrase «as a matter of fact». •/I didn’t go yesterday, and as a matter of fact, f didn’t go all week./ •/Mary wasn’t wearing a blue dress. As a matter of fact, she hasn’t got a blue dress./ Compare: FOR THAT MATTER, IN FACT. Contrast: MATTER OF OPINION.

[matter-of-fact]{adj.} 1. Simply telling or showing the truth; not explaining or telling more. •/The newspaper gave a matter-of-fact account of the murder trial./ 2. Showing little feeling or excitement or trouble; seeming not to care much. •/When Mary’s father died she acted in a very matter-of-fact way./ •/He was a very matter-of-fact person./

[matter of opinion]{n. phr.} Something that may or may not be true; something that people do not all agree on. •/Whether or not he was a good general is a matter of opinion./ Compare: MATTER OF FACT.

[matter of record]{n. phr.} A fact or event that is kept officially as a legal record. •/If you are convicted of speeding it becomes a matter of record./ •/A birth certificate or a marriage license is a matter of record./

[may] See: BE THAT AS IT MAY, COME WHAT MAY, LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY.

[M.C.] or [emcee]{v.} To act as master of ceremonies at a show. •/The famous actor emceed the entire television show./

[me] See: DEAR ME, PICK-ME-UP, SO HELP ME.

[mean business]{v. phr.}, {informal} To decide strongly to do what you plan to do; really mean it; be serious. •/The boss said he would fire us if we didn’t work harder and he means business./ •/When she went to college to study, she meant business./ •/He just liked the company of the other girls he dated, but this time he seems to mean business./