попадать пальцем в небо
to be wide of the mark
His calculation was wide of the mark. He undervalued our car by nearly half.
попадаться на глаза (кому-л.)
to catch someone’s eye
When I got home, the first thing that caught my eye was the open book lying on the table.
попадаться на удочку
to rise to the bait
Whenever she wants to annoy her husband, she always says that she prefers the town to the country. He rises to the bait every time.
попытать счастья (в чем-л.)
to try one’s luck (at something )
He’d never been to a casino before, but just once he thought he’d try his luck.
пороть чепуху
to talk through one’s hat
He is talking through his hat. He has no proof.
порочный круг
a vicious circle
The roads are busy, so it’s not safe to walk; parents take their children by car, so the roads are busy – it’s a vicious circle.
портить обедню
to upset the applecart
I don’t want to upset the applecart, but I must tell you the truth about your brother.
после дождичка в четверг
when hell freezes over; when pigs fly
I’ll believe him when hell freezes over.
At some time they will appreciate all our hard work. – Certainly, when pigs fly.
последнее слово (в споре)
the last/final word
His wife is so argumentative. She always has to have the last word.
последнее слово (чего-л.)
the last word (in something )
Her new hat is the last word in fashion.
последняя капля
the last straw
This is the last straw. You have insulted my wife with your suspicions too many times before.
почить на лаврах
to rest on one’s laurels
Never rest on your laurels. Always try to be better.
правая рука (кого-л.)
one’s right hand
His secretary is his right hand.
правдами и неправдами
by hook or by crook; by fair means or foul
I intend to get that job by hook or by crook.
He followed his brother in the hope of making money by fair means or foul.
превозносить до небес (кого-л./что-л.)
to praise something/someone to the skies
The cake was very tasty. Everyone praised it to the skies.
превращаться в слух
to be all ears
Be careful of what you say. The children are all ears.
предавать мечу (кого-л.)
to put ( someone ) to the sword
He vowed to put all the inhabitants of the town to the sword in revenge for the death of his brother.
предоставлять самому себе (кого-л.)
to leave someone to one’s own resources
The boy was left entirely to his own resources.
преподносить на блюдечке с голубой каемочкой ( что-л. кому-л.)
to hand something to someone on a plate
Her father is the chairman of an insurance company; she was handed a good job on a silver plate.
пресекать в корне (что-л.)
to nip something in the bud
The government decided to nip the strike in the bud.
при ближайшем рассмотрении
at close quarters
Examining the picture at close quarters I saw the details I’d previously missed.
при закрытых дверях
behind closed doors
The decision to accept their offer was reached behind closed doors.
при последнем издыхании
at one’s last gasp
The old man had been ill for seven days and was at his last gasp.
прибирать к рукам (кого-л.)
to take someone in hand
John has been very badly behaved recently. Someone will have to take him in hand.
прибирать к рукам (что-л.)
to get one’s hands on something
I know that somebody got his hands on my money.
приводить в содрогание (кого-л.)
to make someone’s flesh creep; to make someone’s hair stand on end
He told me the story that made my flesh creep.
Her terrible screams made my hair stand on end.
приводить в чувство (кого-л.) (образумить; привести в сознание)
to bring someone to one’s senses
We’ll have to call the police; perhaps it will bring him to his senses.
She threw cold water on his face to bring him to his senses.
придавать крылья (кому-л.) to lend someone wings
Fear lent me wings.
придавить подушку
to get one’s head down
I’ll get my head down for a bit before going out again.
придерживать коней
to hold one’s horses
Hold your horses! I need to tell you something before you go.
придерживать язычок
to hold one’s tongue; to shut one’s mouth
Hold your tongue! You can’t talk to your parents that way.
Oh, shut your mouth and stop telling me what to do!
прикладываться к бутылке
to hit the bottle
Since her husband left her she’s been hitting the bottle.
прикусить язык
to bite one’s tongue
I wanted to tell him that he was wrong, but I bit my tongue.
приложить руку (к чему-л.)
to have a hand in something
I was glad to have a hand in arranging the Christmas party.
принимать близко к сердцу (что-л.)
to take something to heart
You shouldn’t take his angry words to heart.
принимать за чистую монету (что-л.)
to take something at face value
He promised to send back the money, and we took his word at face value.
принимать меры
to take steps
The government took steps to protect local industries.
приносить плоды
to bear fruit
I hope your idea bears fruit.
приподнимать завесу (над чем-л.)
to take the wraps off something ; to blow the lid off something
They decided to take the wraps off their new invention.
The newspaper article blew the lid off the government’s plan to raise taxes.
прислушиваться к голосу разума
to listen to reason
Please listen to reason, and don’t do something you’ll soon regret.
пристать как банный лист (к кому-л.)
to stick/cling (to someone ) like a leech
The dog clung to us like a leech wherever we went.
присутствие духа presence of mind
притча во языцех
the talk of the town
It’ll be the talk of the town in a few days, and there is no need to keep the secret any longer.
приходить в голову (кому-л.)
to come into someone’s head; to cross someone’s mind
She said the first thing that came into her head.
It crossed my mind that the shop would be closed at five o’clock.
приходить в себя (образумиться; прийти в сознание)
to come to one’s senses
Pete, come to your senses. You’re being quite stupid.
She fainted and when she came to her senses, she was in a hospital bed.
пробовать свои силы (в чем-л.)
to try one’s hand (at something )
I want to try my hand at making bread.
проглотить пилюлю
to swallow one’s pride
She had to swallow her pride and admit her mistake to the teacher.
продрогнуть до костей
to be chilled/frozen to the marrow
Where is Tom? He’s been gone for twenty minutes. I’m chilled to the marrow.
проливать свет (на что-л.)
to shed/throw light on something
His statement has shed some light on the problem.
промокнуть до нитки
to be soaked to the skin
Come in and dry off. You must be soaked to the skin.
промочить горло
to wet one’s whistle
I need a drink to wet my whistle.
пропускать мимо ушей (что-л.)
to turn a deaf ear to something
The man turned a deaf ear to my advice.
проскакивать между пальцами
to slip through one’s fingers
A policeman tried to follow me, but I managed to slip through his fingers.
против своей воли
under protest
I’ll go with you, but I want you to write down that I do so under protest.
протягивать руку помощи (кому-л.)
to give/lend someone a (helping) hand
He was always ready to give me a helping hand every time I needed it.
протянуть ноги
to turn up one’s toes
The old man may turn up his toes any day.
проще простого
(as) easy as pie; (as) easy as falling off a log
It’s as easy as pie. I can explain the whole thing in a minute.
Passing the driving test was as easy as falling off a log.
прятать голову под крыло
to bury one’s head in the sand
He was burying his head in the sand, refusing to face up to his problems.
пускать в ход (что-л.)
to bring something into play
Even bringing into play all the resources available wouldn’t solve the problem.
пускать корни
to take root; to put down roots
His ideas have taken root in the society.
I wanted to get married and put down roots in this town.
пуститься наутек
to take to one’s heels; to turn tail and run
The little girl said hello and then took to her heels.
As I went towards the director’s office imagining a reprimand, my only thought was to turn tail and run.
путать все карты (кому-л.)
to upset the applecart; to spike someone’s guns
She has really upset the applecart by going on holiday two weeks earlier than we agreed.
I was hoping to have a quiet evening but the children spiked my guns by coming home early.
работать до седьмого пота
to work one’s guts out; to sweat blood
Why should I work my guts out for such a low salary?
Jack sweated blood to finish his work on time.
работать как ломовая лошадь
to work like a horse
I’m tired, I’ve been working like a horse all day.
Ради Бога!
for goodness’/heaven’s/God’s/Christ’s sake!
For God’s sake, stop making that noise!
разбивать сердце (кому-л.)
to break someone’s heart
If he leaves her, it’ll break her heart.
разбить лед
to break the ice
I was quite nervous, but Paul broke the ice by offering me a drink.
разбить наголову (кого-л.)
to wipe the floor with someone
Did your team win? – Yes, we wiped the floor with them!
раздавить бутылочку
to crack a bottle
On their tenth wedding anniversary they cracked a bottle with their friends.
размять ноги
to stretch one’s legs
We’ve been sitting here all the evening. Let’s go out for a walk and stretch our legs.
разносить в пух и прах (кого-л./что-л.)
to tear someone/something to bits/pieces; to pull someone/something to pieces
The teacher tore his work to bits.
My article was pulled to pieces by the editor.
разрубить Гордиев узел to cut the Gordian knot
рай земной
(a) heaven on earth
He says that his new job is heaven on earth.
ранняя пташка
an early bird
My husband was always an early bird. He got up at 6 o’clock every day of the week.
раскачивать лодку
to rock the boat
Don’t criticise the director in front of the customers; you won’t help by rocking the boat.
раскидывать мозгами
to rack one’s brains
A man waved his hand at me. I waved back, racking my brains to remember who he was.
раскрывать карты
to put one’s cards on the table; to show one’s cards
Why don’t you put your cards on the table, so we could make a decision?
I wouldn’t show your cards if I were you. It is better to keep your intentions to yourself.
расправлять крылья
to spread one’s wings
You can’t keep your son at home forever – you must encourage him to spread his wings.
рассеивать опасения (чьи-л.)
to put/set someone’s mind at rest
Your friend is not going to be fired. You can put his mind at rest on that score.
Рассказывай это своей бабушке!
Tell it to the marines!
He has a yacht? Tell it to the marines!
рвать и метать
to rant and rave; to blow one’s top
If I’m even ten minutes late, the boss starts ranting and raving about my laziness.
My husband blew his top when I told him about the car.
рвать на себе волосы
to tear one’s hair out
