Идиомы на букву S

  • strike the right note
    взять верный тон
    It's difficult to strike the right note when people just won't listen to you.
  • save (something) for a rainy day
    сберечь что-либо на чёрный день
    However hard I try I am never able to save some money for a rainy day.
  • say (something) under one's breath
    сказать что-либо шёпотом
    I don't know why Jenny always says unpleasant things under her breath.
  • see which way the wind is blowing
    определить, что нужно сделать в первую очередь
    I made up my mind to see which way the wind is blowing before I started to write my essay.
  • stew in one's own juice
    страдать из-за своих проступков
    "You'll be stewing in your own juice if you get into trouble again."
  • separate the sheep from the goats
    отделить более компетентных людей от менее компетентных, разделить на две группы
    I am not at all sure that joining the military is a good way to separate the men from the boys.
  • speak off the cuff
    выступать, говорить без подготовки
    Mr. Trent prefers to speak off the cuff at the meetings of any kind.
  • sacred cow
    кто-либо \ что-либо никогда не подвергающееся критике, "священная корова"
    The ideas of my boss are a sacred cow that should never be criticized or laughed at.
  • scratch (someone's) back
    делать взаимные услуги, "рука руку моет"
    "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours," were the relations between the employees in the company.
  • show one's true colors
    предстать в своём настоящем виде
    The young woman showed her true colors; I had never seen a more outrageous person!
  • sight for sore eyes
    приятное зрелище, желанный гость
    "You look gorgeous! You are a sight for sore eyes."
  • straw that broke the camel's back
    переполнить чашу терпения
    Alan cheated on me again and it was the straw that broke the camel's back; I decided to break off with him.
  • scrape the bottom of the barrel
    взять то, что осталось; наскрести
    All the best books have been chosen; I am scraping the bottom of the barrel, trying to make do with what has been left.
  • school of hard knocks
    суровый жизненный опыт
    You learn about ordinary experiences of life in the school of hard knocks.
  • split hairs
    вдаваться в чрезмерные тонкости, спорить о мелочах
    "Pray don't let us be splitting hairs or there will never be the end of our dispute."
  • save face
    сохранить свою репутацию, достоинство в неблагоприятной ситуации
    We ought to act very cautiously and try to save face whatever happens.
  • strike gold
    найти золотую жилу, напасть на золотую жилу
    Jeremy seems to have struck gold with his new computer games product.
  • strike (someone) as (something)
    действовать на кого-либо определённым образом, казаться кому-либо
    It strikes me as strange that Solomon has decided to take up mountaineering.
  • stand one's ground
    стоять на своём, не отступать, не сдавать своих позиций
    "If you know you are right, stand your ground, don't yield."
  • silver bullet
    что-то, решающее проблему очень быстро и легко
    There is no silver bullet to perfect pronunciation.
    Нет никакого чудодейственного средства для улучшения английского произношения.
  • stand up to (someone)
    смело выступить против кого-либо
    I can't help admiring Ken; he stood up to his boss and told him everything in his face.
  • spread like wildfire
    распространяться быстро и бесконтрольно, как огонь
    During the very first signs of the earthquake the panic spread like wildfire throughout the area.
  • set one's teeth on edge
    действовать кому-либо на нервы, раздражать, выводить из себя
    "Please, stop that noise! It sets my teeth on edge."
  • speak with a forked tongue
    лгать
    I suspect that Mark speaks with a forked tongue that's why everyone distrusts him.
  • skate on thin ice
    рисковать, быть на грани опасности, "играть с огнём"
    Trent had been skating on thin ice all his life.
  • stuffed shirt
    чопорный, надутый, неприветливый человек
    "What do you think of Henry? What's your opinion of him?" - "I think he is a stuffed shirt."
  • straight from the shoulder
    (говорить) прямо, без обиняков
    I appreciate my friend's open and honest ways; he always speaks straight from the shoulder.
  • sick and tired of (someone or something)
    смертельно надоесть, устать от кого-либо \ чего-либо
    "I am sick and tired of your constant whining. You sound as though you were the unhappiest person on earth."
  • save (someone's) bacon
    помочь, спасти от провала
    I don't understand much about computers; and I was grateful to Steve as he saved my bacon when he came to help me.
  • six feet under
    быть мёртвым
    "Mandy couldn't have called you, silly; she is six feet under."
  • squirrel away (some money)
    припрятать деньги, откладывать
    I sometimes have to squirrel some extra money away so that I can use it later.
  • shake a leg
    идти быстро, "шевелить ногами"
    "Please shake a leg if you want to be in time for the lecture."
  • stir up a hornet's nest
    нажить много врагов, вызвать нарекания, "потревожить осиное гнездо"
    Mr. Galvani's speech at the shareholders' meeting stirred up a hornet's nest.
  • see (someone) home
    провожать кого-либо домой
    "It's time I were off. Can you see me home?"
  • sail under false colors
    скрыть своё настоящее имя, "плыть под чужим флагом"
    Hudson had the wisdom to sail under false colors in that foolish jaunt of his.