в одной лодке
in the same boat
When I told her that I was broke she said that she was in the same boat.в первую очередь
in the first place
In the first place, I don’t have enough money to buy a new house.в подметки не годиться (кому-л.)
cannot hold a candle to someone
She can’t hold a candle to her mother when it comes to cooking.в полном разгаре
in full swing
The party was in full swing.в порядке вещей
all in a day’s work
Dealing with complaints from quests is all in a day’s work to anyone working in a hotel.в поте лица
by the sweat of one’s brow
I can proudly say that whatever I achieved was by the sweat of my brow.в своей стихии
in one’s element
She is in her element when she’s singing.в своем уме
in one’s right mind
You’re not in your right mind! That sounds crazy!в стельку пьяный
as drunk as a lord
When he came home last night, he was as drunk as a lord.в ус не дуть
not to give a damn
She was unemployed, but she didn’t give a damn.в форме
on form
John was back on form and nobody could beat him.в хороших руках
in good hands
This hospital is excellent – your mother will be in good hands.в худшем случае
if the worst comes to the worst
If the worst comes to the worst, we’ll have to stay in the hotel for another night.в чем мать родила
in one’s birthday suit; in the buff/altogether/raw
I used to go down to the beach and swim in my birthday suit.
He always sleeps in the raw.в шкуре (кого-л.)
in someone’s skin
I wouldn’t want to be in your skin.важная птица
a big cheese/gun/noise/shot/wheel
She is one of the directors of our company – a big noise.валится из рук (у кого-л.)
to be all fingers and thumbs
I’m all fingers and thumbs today. Can you thread this needle for me?валить с ног (кого-л.)
to lay someone low
The blow laid him low.
I was laid low by the flu for about two weeks.валиться с ног
to be ready/fit to drop; to be on one’s last legs
After walking several miles I was ready to drop.
I worked all day in the garden and felt like I was on my last legs.валять дурака
to play the fool
My father told me to stop playing the fool and start working hard for my examinations.вбивать в голову (что-л. кому-л.)
to get something into someone’s head
The teacher couldn’t get the Latin grammar into his pupils’ heads.вбивать себе в голову
to get it into one’s head
For some reason, he got it into his head that everybody was persecuting him.вверх дном
upside down
The children turned the house upside down.вводить в курс дела (кого-л.)
to put someone in the picture
I was new to this project and the manager put me in the picture.вдоль и поперек (досконально)
inside out; backwards and forwards; through and through
He has lived in London for 30 years and knows the city inside out.
She knows the fashion business backwards and forwards.
I’ve studied his report through and through but couldn’t find any mistakes.вдоль и поперек (во всех направлениях)
far and wide, the length and breadth of something
The police searched far and wide for the missing girl.
We travelled the length and breadth of the town looking for a good hotel.вдохнуть жизнь (во что-л.)
to breathe life into something
The new director will help to breathe life into the project.везет как утопленнику (кому-л.)
just someone’s luck
It was just my luck that the train left five minutes before I got to the station.верить на слово ( кому-л.)
to take someone’s word for it; to take someone on trust
John will be late again. Take my word for it.
He always took his friends on trust.вертеться как белка в колесе
to be on the go
With three children to look after she is always on the go from morning till night.вертеться на языке (у кого-л.)
to be on the tip of one’s tongue
What’s the name of that tree? Hold on, it’s on the tip of my tongue.вертеться под ногами (у кого-л.)
to be under someone’s feet
I can’t cook the dinner with three children under my feet all the time.верхушка айсберга
the tip of the iceberg
The reported cases of the disease might be only the tip of the iceberg.вечный сон the long sleep
вешать голову
to lose heart; to look down in the mouth
Don’t lose heart, even when you’re faced with serious difficulties.
She looked very down in the mouth when I told her that I couldn’t go with her.взад и вперед
back and forth; to and fro; up and down; backwards and forwards
The lion was pacing back and forth inside the cage.
She walked to and fro in the hospital waiting room.
We’ve been running up and down the street looking for you.
The pendulum was moving slowly backwards and forwards.взбредать в голову (кому-л.)
to take it into one’s head
Ann took it into her head to become an actress.взвешивать свои слова
to weigh one’s words
I had to weigh my words carefully before asking my boss for more pay.видать виды (много испытать)
to see the world; to go through the mill
He had the appearance of a man who has seen the world.
The young soldiers really went through the mill during the first two months of their training.видать виды (поношенный)
have seen better days
My old hat has seen better days.видеть насквозь (кого-л.)
to read someone like a book
You won’t deceive me with your lies. I can read you like a book.видеть свет в конце туннеля to see the light at the end of the tunnel
видит Бог
honest to God/goodness!
I didn’t break the window, honest to God!винтика в голове не хватает (у кого-л.)
to have a screw loose; to have bats in the belfry
He must have a screw loose to walk around barefoot.
The poor old woman had bats in the belfry.висеть на волоске
to hang by a thread
His life was hanging by a thread.висеть над головой (у кого-л.)
to hang over one’s head
The threat of dismissal hung over my head.витать в облаках
to have one’s head in the clouds
The new secretary must be in love. She has her head in the clouds most of the time.вить веревки (из кого-л.)
to twist/wrap someone round one’s little finger
His wife can twist him round her little finger.владеть собой
to keep one’s temper
You should learn to keep your temper.власти предержащие
the powers that be
The powers that be have decided to demolish the old building to make space for a car park.влетать в копеечку (кому-л.)
to cost someone a pretty penny
That house must have cost them a pretty penny.вместе с водой выплеснуть и ребенка
to throw the baby out with the bath water
I know there are weaknesses in the programme but we shouldn’t act too hastily and throw the baby out with the bath water.вне себя
beside oneself
She was beside herself with joy when she heard the news about her son.вносить свою лепту
to do one’s bit
We must all do our bit to finish this job in time.во весь голос
at the top of one’s voice
He was shouting at the top of his voice.во весь опор
at full tilt; for all one is worth
The boy was running at full tilt down the street.
I ran to the station for all I was worth to catch the last train.во все глаза
all eyes
The children were all eyes, taking in every detail of their new house.во всю мочь
with all one’s might
He struggled with all his might to open the stiff door but it stayed shut.во всю прыть
like greased lightning; like a bat out of hell
He ran out of the room like greased lightning.
The dog ran after the cat like a bat out of hell.во плоти
in the flesh
I’ve never seen the Queen in the flesh.во что бы то ни стало
at all costs; at any price
You must at all costs avoid an argument with your employer.
He was determined to get his freedom at any price.водить за нос (кого-л.)
to lead someone up the garden path; to take someone for a ride
He never realised that she had been leading him up the garden path.
The people who have invested their money in this project have been taken for a ride.водой не разольешь
as thick as thieves
Mary and Tom are as thick as thieves. They go everywhere together.возводить на пьедестал (кого-л.)
to put someone on a pedestal
He has put his wife on a pedestal and won’t listen to a word of criticism against her.возлагать надежды (на кого-л./что-л.)
to pin one’s hopes on someone/something
We are pinning our hopes on the new advertising campaign.возродиться из пепла
to rise from the ashes
He bought the firm when it was bankrupt. Now it has risen from the ashes and is in profit.войти в историю
to go down in history
I’m sure that his name will go down in history.волк в овечьей шкуре
a wolf in sheep’s clothing
I always suspected that he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.