Текст книги "Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц"

Автор книги: Adam Makkai

Соавторы: Maya Glinberg
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[carry one’s cross] or {literary}[bear one’s cross]{v. phr.} To live with pain or trouble; keep on even though you suffer or have trouble. •/Weak ankles are a cross Joe carries while the other boys play basketball./ •/We didn’t know the cheerful woman was bearing her cross, a son in prison./

[carry out]{v.} To put into action; follow; execute. •/The generals were determined to carry out their plans to defeat the enemy./ •/John listened carefully and carried out the teacher’s instructions./

[carry over]{v.} 1. To save for another time. •/The store had some bathing suits it had carried over from last year./ •/What you learn in school should carry over into adult life./ 2. To transfer (as a figure) from one column, page, or book to another. •/When he added up the figures, he carried over the total into the next year’s account book./ 3. To continue in another place. •/The story was carried over to the next page./

[carry the ball]{v. phr.}, {informal} To take the most important or difficult part in an action or business. •/None of the other boys would tell the principal about their breaking the window, and John had to carry the ball./ •/When the going is rough, Fred can always be depended on to carry the ball./

[carry the banner]{v. phr.} To support a cause or an ideal with obvious advocacy. •/Our college is carrying the banner for saving the humpback whale, which is on the list of endangered species./

[carry the day]{v. phr.}, {informal} To win completely; to succeed in getting one’s aim accomplished. •/The defense attorney’s summary before the jury helped him carry the day./

[carry the torch] See: CARRY A TORCH.

[carry the weight of the world on one’s shoulders] See: WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON ONE’S SHOULDERS.

[carry through]{v.} 1a. To put into action. •/Mr. Green was not able to carry through his plans for a hike because he broke his leg./ 1b. To do something you have planned; put a plan into action. •/Jean makes good plans but she cannot carry through with any of them./ Compare: GO THROUGH WITH, CARRY OUT. 2. To keep (someone) from failing or stopping; bring through; help. •/When the tire blew out, the rules Jim had learned in driving class carried him through safely./

[carry weight]{n.} To be influential; have significance and/or clout; impress. •/A letter of recommendation from a full professor carries more weight than a letter from an assistant professor./

[cart before the horse (to put)]{n. phr.}, {informal} Things in wrong order; something backwards or mixed up. – An overused expression. Usually used with «put» but sometimes with «get» or «have». •/When the salesman wanted money for goods he hadn’t delivered, I told him he was putting the cart before the horse./ •/To get married first and then get a job is getting the cart before the horse./

[cart off] or [cart away]{v.}, {informal} To take away, often with force or with rough handling or behavior. •/The police carted the rioters off to jail./ •/When Bobby wouldn’t eat his supper, his mother carted him away to bed./

[carved] or [chiseled] or [inscribed in granite] / [written in stone]{adj. phr.} Holy; unchangeable; noble and of ancient origin. •/You should wear shoes when you come to class, although this is not carved in granite./ •/The Constitution of the United States is so hard to change that one thinks of it as written in stone./

[case] See: BASKET CASE, CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER CASES, COUCH CASE, GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS also GET DOWN TO CASES, IN ANY CASE, IN CASE or IN THE EVENT, IN CASE OF also IN THE EVENT OF, VANITY CASE.

[case in point]{n. phr.} An example that proves something or helps to make something clearer. •/An American can rise from the humblest beginnings to become President. Abraham Lincoln is a case in point./

[case the joint]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To study the layout of a place one wishes to burglarize. •/The hooded criminals carefully cased the joint before robbing the neighborhood bank./ 2. To familiarize oneself with a potential workplace or vacation spot as a matter of preliminary planning. •/«Hello Fred,» he said. «Are you working here now?» «No, not yet,» Fred answered. «I am merely casing the joint.»/

[cash] See: COLD CASH.

[cash-and-carry(1)]{adj.} Selling things for cash money only and letting the customer carry them home, not having the store deliver them; also sold in this way. •/This is a cash-and-carry store only./ •/You can save money at a cash-and-carry sale./

[cash-and-carry(2)]{adv.}. With no credit, no time payments, and no deliveries. •/Some stores sell cash-and-carry only./ •/It is cheaper to buy cash-and-carry./

[cash crop]{n.} A crop grown to be sold. •/Cotton is a cash crop in the South./ •/They raise potatoes to eat, but tobacco is their cash crop./

[cash in]{v.} 1. To exchange (as poker chips or bonds) for the value in money. •/He paid the bill by cashing in some bonds./ •/When the card game ended, the players cashed in their chips and went home./ 2. or [cash in one’s chips]{slang} To die. •/When the outlaw cashed in his chips, he was buried with his boots on./ •/He was shot through the body and knew he was going to cash in./

[cash in on]{v.}, {informal} To see (a chance) and profit by it; take advantage of (an opportunity or happening). •/Mr. Brown cashed in on people’s great interest in camping and sold three hundred tents./

[cash on the barrelhead]{n. phr.}, {informal} Money paid at once; money paid when something is bought. •/Father paid cash on the barrelhead for a new car./ •/Some lawyers want cash on the barrelhead./ Compare: COLD CASH.

[cast] or [shed] or [throw light upon]{v. phr.} To explain; illuminate; clarify. •/The letters that were found suddenly cast a new light on the circumstances of Tom’s disappearance./ •/Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity threw light upon the enigma of our universe./

[cast about] also [cast around]{v.}, {literary} 1. To look everywhere; search. •/The committee was casting about for an experienced teacher to take the retiring principal’s place./ 2. To search your mind; try to remember something; try to think of something. •/The teacher cast about for an easy way to explain the lesson./ •/Jane cast around for a good subject for her report./

[cast down]{adj.} Discouraged; sad; unhappy. – Used less often than the reverse form, «downcast». •/Mary was cast down at the news of her uncle’s death./ •/Charles felt cast down when he lost the race./

[cast in one’s lot with]{formal} See: THROW IN ONE’S LOT WITH.

[castle in the air] See: BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR.

[castles in Spain] See: CASTLES IN THE AIR.

[cast off]{v.} 1a. or [cast loose] To unfasten; untie; let loose (as a rope holding a boat). •/The captain of the boat cast off the line and we were soon out in open water./ 1b. To untie a rope holding a boat or something suggesting a boat. •/We cast off and set sail at 6 A.M./ 2. To knit the last row of stitches. •/When she had knitted the twentieth row of stitches she cast off./ 3. To say that you do not know (someone) any more; not accept as a relative or friend. •/Mr. Jones cast off his daughter when she married against his wishes./

[cast one’s lot with] See: THROW IN ONE’S LOT WITH.

[cast out]{v.}, {formal} To force (someone) to go out or away; banish; expel. •/After the scandal, he was cast out of the best society./ Compare: CAST OFF(3).

[cast pearls before swine] or [cast one’s pearls before swine]{n. phr.}, {literary} To waste good acts or valuable things on someone who won’t understand or be thankful for them, just as pigs won’t appreciate pearls. – Often used in negative sentences. •/I won’t waste good advice on John any more because he never listens to it. I won’t cast pearls before swine./

[cast the first stone]{v. phr.}, {literary} To be the first to blame someone, lead accusers against a wrongdoer. •/Jesus said that a person who was without sin could cast the first stone./ •/Although Ben saw the girl cheating, he did not want to cast the first stone./

[cast up]{v.}, {literary} 1. To turn or direct upward; raise. •/The dying missionary cast up his eyes to heaven and prayed./ 2. {archaic} To do sums; do a problem in addition; add. •/Cast up 15, 43, 27, and 18./ •/When John had all the figures, he cast them up./

[cat] See: COPY CAT, CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT, FRAIDY-CAT or FRAID-CAT or SCAREDY CAT OY SCARED-CAT, HOLY CATS, LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG, LOOK LIKE THE CAT THAT ATE THE CANARY, PLAY CAT AND MOUSE WITH, RAIN CATS AND DOGS.

[catch] See: EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM, FAIR CATCH, SHOESTRING CATCH.

[catch-as-catch-can(1)]{adv. phr.} In a free manner; in any way possible; in the best way you can. •/On moving day everything is packed and we eat meals catch-as-catch-can./

[catch-as-catch-can(2)]{adj. phr.} Using any means or method; unplanned; free. •/Rip van Winkle seems to have led a catch-as-catch-can life./ •/Politics is rather a catch-as-catch-can business./ Compare: HIT-OR-MISS.

[catch at]{v.} 1. To try to catch suddenly; grab for. •/The boy on the merry-go-round caught at the brass ring, but did not get it./ 2. To seize quickly; accept mentally or physically. •/The hungry man caught at the sandwich and began to eat./ •/Joe caught at Bill’s offer to help./

[catch at a straw] See: GRASP AT STRAWS.

[catch cold]{v. phr.} 1. or [take cold] To get a common cold-weather sickness that causes a running nose, sneezing, and sometimes sore throat and fever or other symptoms. •/Don’t get your feet wet or you’ll catch cold./ 2. {informal} To catch unprepared or not ready for a question or unexpected happening. •/I had not studied my lesson carefully, and the teacher’s question caught me cold./ •/The opposing team was big and sure of winning, and they were caught cold by the fast, hard playing of our smaller players./

[catch (someone) dead]{v. phr.}, {informal} To see or hear (someone) in an embarrassing act or place at any time. Used in the negative usually in the passive. •/You won’t catch Bill dead taking his sister to the movies./ •/John wouldn’t be caught dead in the necktie he got for Christmas./

[catch fire]{v. phr.} 1. To begin to burn. •/When he dropped a match in the leaves, they caught fire./ 2. To become excited. •/The audience caught fire at the speaker’s words and began to cheer./ •/His imagination caught fire as he read./

[catch flat-footed] See: FLAT-FOOTED(2).

[catch forty winks] See: FORTY WINKS.

[catch hold of]{v. phr.} To grasp a person or a thing. •/«I’ve been trying to catch hold of you all week,» John said, «but you were out of town.»/ •/The mountain climber successfully caught hold of his friend’s hand and thereby saved his life./

[catch it] or [get it]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be scolded or punished. – Usually used of children. •/John knew he would catch it when he came home late for supper./ •/Wow, Johnny! When your mother sees those torn pants, you’re going to get it./ Compare: GET WHAT’S COMING TO ONE. Contrast: GIVE IT TO(2).

[catch it in the neck] or [get it in the neck]{v. phr.}, {slang} To be blamed or punished. •/Tom got it in the neck because he forgot to close the windows when it rained./ •/Students get it in the neck when they lose library books./ Compare: CATCH IT, GET WHAT’S COMING TO ONE.

[catch off balance]{v. phr.} To confront someone with physical force or with a statement or question he or she is not prepared to answer or deal with; to exploit the disadvantage of another. •/The smaller wrestler caught his opponent off balance and managed to throw him on the float in spite of his greater weight and strength./ •/Your question has caught me off balance; please give me some time to think about your problem./

[catch off guard]{v. phr.} To challenge or confront a person at a time of lack of preparedness or sufficient care. •/The suspect was caught off guard by the detective and confessed where he had hidden the stolen car./

[catch on]{v.}, {informal} 1. To understand; learn about. – Often used with «to». •/You’ll catch on to the job after you’ve been here awhile./ •/Don’t play any tricks on Joe. When he catches on, he will beat you./ 2. To become popular; be done or used by many people. •/The song caught on and was sung and played everywhere./ 3. To be hired; get a job. •/The ball player caught on with a big league team last year./

[catch one’s breath]{v. phr.} 1. To breathe in suddenly with fear or surprise. •/The beauty of the scene made him catch his breath./ Compare: TAKE ONE’S BREATH AWAY. 2a. To rest and get back your normal breathing, as after running. •/After running to the bus stop, we sat down to catch our breath./ 2b. To relax for a moment after any work. •/After the day’s work we sat down over coffee to catch our breath./

[catch one’s death of] or [take one’s death of]{v. phr.}, {informal} To become very ill with (a cold, pneumonia, flu). •/Johnny fell in the icy water and almost took his death of cold./ Sometimes used in the short form «catch your death.» •/«Johnny! Come right in here and put your coat and hat on. You’ll catch your death!»/

[catch one’s eye]{v. phr.} To attract your attention. •/I caught his eye as he moved through the crowd, and waved at him to come over./ •/The dress in the window caught her eye when she passed the store./

[catch red-handed]{v. phr.} /To apprehend a person during the act of committing an illicit or criminal act./ •/Al was caught red-handed at the local store when he was trying to walk out with a new camera he had not paid for./

[catch sight of]{v. phr.} To see suddenly or unexpectedly. •/Allan caught sight of a kingbird in a maple tree./ Contrast: LOSE SIGHT OF.

[catch some rays]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To get tanned while sunbathing. •/Tomorrow I’ll go to the beach and try to catch some rays./

[catch some Z’s]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To take a nap, to go to sleep. (Because of the "z" sound resembling snoring.) •/I want to hit the sack and catch some Z’s./

[catch-22]{n.}, {informal} From Joseph Heller’s novel «Catch-22», set in World War II. 1. A regulation or situation that is self-contradictory or that conflicts with another regulation. In Heller’s book it referred to the regulation that flight crews must report for duty unless excused for reasons of insanity, but that any one claiming such an excuse must, by definition, be sane. •/Government rules require workers to expose any wrongdoing in their office, but the Catch-22 prevents them from their doing so, because they are not allowed to disclose any information about their work./ 2. A paradoxical situation. •/The Catch-22 of job-hunting was that the factory wanted to hire only workers who had experience making computers but the only way to get the experience was by working at the computer factory./

[catch up]{v.} 1. To take or pick up suddenly; grab (something). •/She caught up the book from the table and ran out of the room./ 2. To capture or trap (someone) in a situation; concern or interest very much. – Usually used in the passive with «in». •/The Smith family was caught up in the war in Europe and we did not see them again till it was over./ •/We were so caught up in the movie we forgot what time it was./ Compare: MIX UP. 3. To go fast enough or do enough so as not to be behind; overtake; come even. – Often used with «to» or «with». •/Johnny ran hard and tried to catch up to his friends./ •/Mary missed two weeks of school; she must work hard to catch up with her class./ Compare: UP TO. 4. To find out about or get proof to punish or arrest. – Usually used with «with». •/A man told the police where the robbers were hiding, so the police finally caught up with them./ 5. To result in something bad; bring punishment. – Usually used with «with». •/The boy’s fighting caught up with him and he was expelled from school./ •/Smoking will catch up with you./ Compare: CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST. 6. To finish; not lose or be behind. – Used with «on» and often in the phrase «get caught up on». •/Frank stayed up late to get caught up on his homework./ •/I have to catch up on my sleep./ •/We caught up on all the latest news when we got back to school and saw our friends again./ Syn.: KEEP UP.

[catch with one’s pants down]{v. phr.}, {slang} To surprise someone in an embarrassing position or guilty act. •/They thought they could succeed in the robbery, but they got caught with their pants down./ •/When the weather turned hot in May, the drive-in restaurant was caught with its pants down, and ran out of ice cream before noon./

[cat got one’s tongue] You are not able or willing to talk because of shyness. Usually used about children or as a question to children. •/Tommy’s father asked Tommy if the cat had got his tongue./ •/The little girl had a poem to recite, but the cat got her tongue./ Compare: LOSE ONE’S TONGUE.

[cat has nine lives] A cat can move so fast and jump so well that he seems to escape being killed many times. •/We thought our cat would be killed when he fell from the roof of the house. He was not, but he used up one of his nine lives./

[cathouse]{n.}, {slang} A house of ill repute, a house of prostitution. •/Massage parlors are frequently cathouses in disguise./

[cat’s meow] or [cat’s pajamas]{n.}, {slang} Something very wonderful, special, or good. •/John’s new hike is really the cat’s meow./ •/Mary’s party is going to be the cat’s pajamas./

[caught short]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Not having enough of something when you need it. •/Mrs. Ford was caught short when the newspaper boy came for his money a day early./ •/The man was caught short of clothes when he had to go on a trip./

[cause eyebrows to raise]{v. phr.} To do something that causes consternation; to shock others. •/When Algernon entered Orchestra Hall barefoot and wearing a woman’s wig, he caused eyebrows to raise./

[cause tongues to wag] See: TONGUES TO WAG.

[caution] See: THROW CAUTION TO THE WINDS.

[cave in]{v.} 1. To fall or collapse inward. •/The mine caved in and crushed three miners./ •/Don’t climb on that old roof. It might cave in./ 2. {informal} To weaken and be forced to give up. •/The children begged their father to take them to the circus until he caved in./ •/After the atomic bomb, Japan caved in and the war ceased./

[cease fire]{v.} To give a military command ordering soldiers to stop shooting. •/«Cease fire!» the captain cried, and the shooting stopped./

[cease-fire]{n.} A period of negotiated nonaggression, when the warring parties involved promise not to attack. •/Unfortunately, the cease-fire in Bosnia was broken many times by all parties concerned./

[ceiling] See: HIT THE CEILING or HIT THE ROOF.

[cent] See: TWO CENTS, WORTH A CENT.

[center] See: FRONT AND CENTER, OFF-CENTER, SHOPPING CENTER.

[century] See: TURN OF THE CENTURY.

[C.E.O.]{n.} Abbreviation of «Chief Executive Officer.» The head of a company, factory, firm, etc. •/We are very proud of the fact that our C.E.O. is a young woman./

[ceremony] See: STAND ON CEREMONY.

[certain] See: FOR SURE or FOR CERTAIN.

[chain gang]{n.} A group of convicts or slaves in the old South who were chained together. •/Chain gangs are no longer an acceptable way of punishment, according to modem criminologists./

[chain letter]{n.} A letter which each person receiving it is asked to copy and send to several others. •/Most chain letters die out quickly./

[chain-smoke]{v.} To smoke cigarettes or cigars one after another without stopping. •/Mr. Jones is very nervous. He chain-smokes cigars./ [chain smoker]{n.} •/Mr. Jones is a chain smoker./ [chain-smoking]{adj.} or {n.} •/Chain smoking is very dangerous to health./

[chain stores]{n.} A series of stores in different locations, joined together under one ownership and general management. •/The goods in chain stores tend to be more uniform than in independent ones./

[chained to the oars]{adj. phr.} The condition of being forced to do strenuous and unwelcome labor against one’s wishes for an extended period of time. •/Teachers in large public schools frequently complain that they feel as if they had been chained to the oars./

[chair] See: MUSICAL CHAIRS.

[chalk] See: WALK THE CHALK.

[chalk up]{v.}, {informal} 1. To write down as part of a score; record. •/The scorekeeper chalked up one more point for the home team./ 2. To make (a score or part of a score); score. •/The team chalked up another victory./ •/Bob chalked up a home run and two base hits in the game./ •/Mary chalked up good grades this term./

[champ at the bit]{v. phr.} To be eager to begin; be tired of being held back; want to start. •/The horses were champing at the bit, anxious to start racing./ •/As punishment John was kept after school for two hours. He was champing at the bit to go out./

[chance] See: BY CHANCE, FAT CHANCE, STAND A CHANCE, TAKE A CHANCE.

[chance it]{v. phr.} To be willing to risk an action whose outcome is uncertain. •/«Should we take the boat out in such stormy weather?» Jim asked. «We can chance it,» Tony replied. «We have enough experience.»/

[chance on] also [chance upon]{v.} To happen to find or meet; find or meet by accident. •/On our vacation we chanced upon an interesting antique store./ •/Mary dropped her ring in the yard, and Mother chanced on it as she was raking./ Syn.: HAPPEN ON. Compare: RUN INTO.

[change] See: RING THE CHANGES.

[change color]{v. phr.} 1. To become pale. •/The sight was so horrible that Mary changed color from fear./ •/Bill lost so much blood from the cut that he changed color./ 2. To become pink or red in the face; become flushed; blush. •/Mary changed color when the teacher praised her drawing./ •/Tom got angry at the remark and changed color./

[change hands]{v. phr.} To change or transfer ownership. •/Ever since our apartment building changed hands, things are working a lot better./

[change horses in the middle of a stream] or [change horses in midstream]{v. phr.} To make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity. •/When a new President is to be elected during a war, the people may decide not to change horses in the middle of a stream./

[change off]{v.}, {informal} To take turns doing something; alternate. •/John and Bill changed off at riding the bicycle./ •/Bob painted one patch of wall and then he changed off with Tom./

[change of heart]{n. phr.} A change in the way one feels or thinks about a given task, idea or problem to be solved. •/Joan had a change of heart and suddenly broke off her engagement to Tim./ •/Fred got admitted to medical school, but he had a change of heart and decided to go into the Foreign Service instead./

[change of life]{n. phr.} The menopause (primarily in women). •/Women usually undergo a change of life in their forties or fifties./

[change of pace]{n. phr.} A quick change in what you are doing. •/John studied for three hours and then read a comic book for a change of pace./ •/The doctor told the man he needed a change of pace./

[change one’s mind]{v. phr.} To alter one’s opinion or judgment on a given issue. •/I used to hate Chicago, but as the years passed I gradually changed my mind and now I actually love living here./

[change one’s tune]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make a change in your story, statement, or claim; change your way of acting. •/The man said he was innocent, but when they found the stolen money in his pocket he changed his tune./ •/Bob was rude to his teacher, but she threatened to tell the principal and he changed his tune./ Syn.: SING A DIFFERENT TUNE.

[change up] See: LET UP(4).

[character] See: IN CHARACTER.

[charge] See: CARRYING CHARGE, CHARGE OFF(2), IN CHARGE, IN CHARGE OF, TAKE CHARGE.

[charge account]{n.} An agreement with a store through which you can buy things and pay for them later. •/Mother bought a new dress on her charge account./ •/Mr. Jones has a charge account at the garage on the corner./

[charge off]{v.} 1. To consider or record as a loss, especially in an account book. •/The store owner charged off all of the last season’s stock of suits./ Syn.: WRITE OFF(1). 2. or [charge up]{informal} To accept or remember (something) as a mistake and not worry about it any more. – Often used with «to experience». •/He charged off his mistakes to experience./ Syn.: CHALK UP. Compare: CHARGE TO.

[charge something to something]{v.} 1. To place the blame on; make responsible for. •/John failed to win a prize, but he charged it to his lack of experience./ •/The coach charged the loss of the game to the team’s disobeying his orders./ 2. To buy something on the credit of. •/Mrs. Smith bought a new pocketbook and charged it to her husband./ •/Mr. White ordered a box of cigars and had it charged to his account./

[charge up]{v. phr.} 1. To submit to a flow of electricity in order to make functional. •/I mustn’t forget to charge up my razor before we go on our trip./ 2. To use up all the available credit one has on one’s credit card(s). •/«Let’s charge dinner on the Master Card,» Jane said. «Unfortunately I can’t,» Jim replied. «All of my credit cards are completely charged up.»/

[charge with]{v. phr.} To accuse someone in a court of law. •/The criminal was charged with aggravated kidnapping across a state line./

[charmed life]{n.} A life often saved from danger; a life full of lucky escapes. •/He was in two airplane accidents, but he had a charmed life./ •/During the war a bullet knocked the gun out of his hand, but he had a charmed life./

[chase] See: GIVE CHASE, GO CHASE ONESELF, LEAD A MERRY CHASE.

[chase after] See: RUN AFTER.

[chase around] See: RUN AROUND.

[cheapskate]{n.}, {informal} A selfish or stingy person; a person who will not spend much. – An insulting term. •/None of the girls like to go out on a date with him because he is a cheapskate./

[cheat on someone]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be unfaithful (to one’s wife or husband, or to one’s sweetheart or fiancee). •/It is rumored that Joe cheats on his wife./

[check] See: BLANK CHECK, CLAIM CHECK, DOUBLE CHECK, IN CHECK, RAIN CHECK, RUBBER CHECK, SALES CHECK.

[check in]{v.} 1a. To sign your name (as at a hotel or convention). •/The last guests to reach the hotel checked in at 12 o’clock./ Contrast: CHECK OUT. 1b. {informal} To arrive. •/The friends we had invited did not check in until Saturday./ 2. To receive (something) back and make a record of it. •/The coach checked in the football uniforms at the end of the school year./ •/The students put their books on the library desk, and the librarian checked them in./

[check off]{v.} To put a mark beside (the name of a person or thing on a list) to show that it has been counted. •/The teacher checked off each pupil as he got on the bus./ •/Bill wrote down the names of all the states he could remember, and then he checked them off against the list in his book./ Compare: TICK OFF.

[check on someone/thing] or [check up on someone/thing]{v.}. To try to find out the truth or rightness of; make sure of; examine; inspect; investigate. •/We checked on Dan’s age by getting his birth record./ •/Mrs. Brown said she heard someone downstairs and Mr. Brown went down to check up on it./ •/You can check on your answers at the back of the book./ •/The police are checking up on the man to see if he has a police record./ •/Grandfather went to have the doctor check on his health./ Compare: LOOK INTO, LOOK OVER.

[check out]{v.} 1a. To pay your hotel bill and leave. •/The last guests checked out of their rooms in the morning./ Contrast: CHECK IN. 1b. {informal} To go away; leave. •/I hoped our guest would stay but he had to check out before Monday./ Compare: CHECK IN. 2a. To make a list or record of. •/They checked out all the goods in the store./ 2b. To give or lend (something) and make a record of it. •/The boss checked out the tools to the workmen as they came to work./ 2c. To get (something) after a record has been made of it. •/I checked out a book from the library./ 3. {informal} To test (something, like a part of a motor). •/The mechanic checked out the car battery./ •/«He checked out from the motel at nine,» said the detective, «then he checked out the air in the car tires and his list of local clients.»/ 4. {slang} To die. •/He seemed too young to check out./

[check up]{v.} To find out or try to find out the truth or correctness of something; make sure of something; investigate. •/Mrs. Brown thought she had heard a burglar in the house, so Mr. Brown checked up, but found nobody./ •/Bill thought he had a date with Janie, but phoned her to check up./

[check-up]{n.} A periodic examination by a physician or of some equipment by a mechanic. •/I am overdue for my annual physical check-up./ •/I need to take my car in for a check-up./

[check with]{v. phr.} 1. To consult. •/I want to check with my lawyer before I sign the papers./ 2. To agree with. •/Does my reconciliation of our account check with the bank statement?/

[cheek] See: TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.

[cheer] See: BRONX CHEER.

[cheer on]{v. phr.} To vociferously encourage a person or a team during a sports event. •/The spectators at the stadium cheered on their home team./

[cheer up]{v.} 1. To feel happy; stop being sad or discouraged; become hopeful, joyous, or glad. •/Jones was sad at losing the business, but he cheered up at the sight of his daughter./ •/Cheer up! The worst is over./ 2. To make cheerful or happy. •/The support of the students cheered up the losing team and they played harder and won./ •/We went to the hospital to cheer up a sick friend./ •/Flowers cheer up a room./

[cheese] See: BIG CHEESE, WHOLE CHEESE.

[cheesebox]{n.}, {slang} A small, suburban house built by a land developer available at low cost and resembling the other houses around it. •/They moved to a suburb, but their house is just a cheesebox./

[cheesecake]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A showing of the legs of an attractive woman or a display of her breasts as in certain magazines known as cheesecake magazines. •/Photographer to model: «Give us some cheesecake in that pose!»/

[cherry farm]{n.}, {slang} A correctional institution of minimal security where the inmates, mostly first offenders, work as farmhands. •/Joe got a light sentence and was sent to a cherry farm for six months./

[chest] See: OFF ONE’S CHEST, ON ONE’S CHEST.