Текст книги "1500 русских и 1500 английских идиом, фразеологизмов и устойчивых словосочетаний"

между Сциллой и Харибдой

between Scylla and Charybdis

мелкая сошка

small fry

The boss is too snobbish to greet the small fry.

мерить взглядом (кого-л.)

to look someone up and down

She looked me up and down and I knew she thought I was improperly dressed for the party.

мертвого разбудит

loud enough to wake the dead

The noise was loud enough to wake the dead.

мертвый сезон

the off season

This town is very quiet in the off season.

место под солнцем

a place in the sun

John worked very hard to earn his place in the sun.

метать бисер перед свиньями

to cast pearls before swine

She tried to show the beauty of Latin poetry to her students but it was just casting pearls before swine.

минута в минуту

on the dot

She promised to come at nine o’clock on the dot.

молоко на губах не обсохло

to be still wet behind the ears

He has no experience of the job – he is still wet behind the ears.

молочные реки и кисельные берега

a land of milk and honey

Many people regard the United States as a land of milk and honey.

мороз по коже пробежал (у кого-л.)

a shiver down someone’s spine

Every time I hear that song, I feel a shiver down my spine.

мочиться против ветра

to piss against the wind

To argue with the director is like pissing against the wind.

мутить воду

to muddy the waters

I found different definitions in other dictionaries which only muddied the waters further.

мухи не обидит

wouldn’t hurt a fly

My dog barks a lot, but really he wouldn’t hurt a fly.

на верху блаженства

on top of the world

Daniel is on top of the world – he’s just got a new job.

на вес золота

worth one’s weight in gold

She is a good secretary. She is worth her weight in gold.

на всякий случай

to be on the safe side

We should come to the station at least an hour before the train leaves, just to be on the safe side.

на глазах (у кого-л.)

before someone’s (very) eyes

The boy stole the sweets before my very eyes.

на голову выше (кого-л.)

head and shoulders above someone

Mary thinks her husband stands head and shoulders above any other man.

на голом месте

from scratch

His house was destroyed by fire and he had to start building again from scratch.

на каждом шагу

at every turn

He encountered unexpected difficulties at every turn.

на коленях

on bended knees

He was willing to go to her on bended knees to ask forgiveness.

на месте (кого-л.)

in someone’s shoes

If I were in your shoes I wouldn’t trust him.

на ногах

on one’s feet

The doctor has been on his feet all day long in the operating room.

на ножах (с кем-л.)

at daggers drawn (with someone); at loggerheads (with someone)

They’ve been at daggers drawn with their neighbours for years.

The government and the trade unions were often at loggerheads.

на носу

(a)round the corner; close/near at hand

Winter is just around the corner. Are you prepared?

The exams are close at hand.

на первый взгляд

at first sight; on the face of it

At first sight, the problem appeared quite simple, but it actually turned out to be very difficult.

On the face of it, her husband is clearly in the wrong, but do we know the whole story?

на плохом счету (у кого-л.)

in someone’s bad/black books

I don’t know what I’ve done to get into his bad books.

на своих двоих

on shanks’s pony

My car didn’t start and I had to go the whole way on shanks’s pony.

на свой страх и риск

at one’s own risk

But remember that the sea is dangerous. You swim at your own risk.

на седьмом небе

in seventh heaven; on cloud nine

The girl was in seventh heaven with her new toy.

Peter has been on cloud nine since his engagement to Mary.

на уме (у кого-л. что-л.)

to have something on one’s mind

I could see he had something on his mind.

на хорошем счету (у кого-л.)

in someone’s good books

Paul has been in the manager’s good books since he increased last year’s sales.

на худой конец

if the worst comes to the worst; as a last resort

If the worst comes to the worst, we could always sell the car.

If we can’t get the money in any other way, I suppose we could, as a last resort, borrow from your rich uncle.

на черный день

for a rainy day

I put aside a little money each month for a rainy day.

набивать карман

to line one’s pockets

The agent has been lining his pockets with the profits for the last three years.

набивать руку (в чем-л.)

to get the hang of something; to get one’s hand in (at something)

The task seemed difficult at first, but after a few weeks I got the hang of it.

It won’t take you long to get your hand in at the game.

навострить уши

to prick up one’s ears

He pricked up his ears when they mentioned his name.

навязнуть в зубах

to be sick and tired of someone/something; to be sick to death of someone/something

I’m sick and tired of hearing about your new car.

I’m sick to death of her complaints.

нагонять тоску (на кого-л.)

to give someone the hump

He really gives me the hump with his boring stories.

надевать маску

to play a part

Don’t let him fool you – he’s just playing a part.

надрывать душу (кому-л.)

to break someone’s heart

The boy really broke his mother’s heart when he run away from home.

надрывать животики

to be in stitches; to split one’s sides (laughing)

It was quite funny and the audience was in stitches.

My friends nearly split their sides when I showed them my new hat.

нажимать на все педали

to pull out all the stops

We’ll have to pull out all the stops if we want to get to the station in time.

называть вещи своими именами

to call a spade a spade

Let’s call a spade a spade. The boy is a liar.

намылить голову (кому-л.)

to haul someone over the coals; to give someone the rough edge of one’s tongue

He was hauled over the coals for being absent without permission.

The boss gave me the rough edge of his tongue because I was so late for work.

напрашиваться на неприятности

to ask for it/trouble

He was really asking for it by threatening the police officer.

напугать до смерти (кого-л.)

to put the fear of God into someone; to frighten/scare someone out of one’s wits

Driving with Ralph in his racing car puts the fear of God into me.

The dog frightened the little girl out of her wits.

наставить нос (кому-л.)

to pull a fast one on someone; to pull the wool over someone’s eyes

She certainly pulled a fast one on me.

Don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes. I know what’s going on.

наступать на любимую мозоль (кому-л.)

to hit/touch a (raw) nerve

The newspaper article must have touched a nerve with a lot of readers.

наступать на пятки (кому-л.)

to be hard on someone’s heels

Our competitors are hard on our heels – we must improve our design.

находить общий язык (с кем-л.)

to find common ground (with someone)

The two sides seem unable to find any common ground.

начинать с нуля

to start from scratch; to start from square one

My sister moved to another town where she had to start from scratch.

We lost all our clients and had to start again from square one.

не ахти какой

nothing to write home about

The film was nothing to write home about.

не бог весть что

no great shakes; not much cop

His girlfriend is no great shakes.

The book wasn’t much cop.

не в духе

out of sorts; out of humour

I’ve been feeling tired and a little out of sorts.

William is out of humour this morning. He has been shouting at everybody.

не в курсе дела

out of the picture

The whole plan is a secret and she wants to keep everybody out of the picture.

не в своей тарелке

ill at ease; out of one’s element

I always feel ill at ease when I meet his wife.

When it comes to poetry, I’m out of my element.

не в своем уме

out of one’s head; off one’s head/rocker/nut

He must be out of his head to go swimming on such a cold day.

Spending that much on a dress! She must be off her rocker.

не в форме

out of sorts/form; below par; under the weather

The horse is out of form; it’s not likely to win the race.

I was feeling a little below par this morning.

He was tired and a bit under the weather.

не верить своим глазам

cannot believe one’s eyes

When I saw her husband washing up the dishes, I couldn’t believe my eyes!

не верить своим ушам

cannot believe one’s ears

I was shocked to learn that he had been fired, I couldn’t believe my ears.

не видеть дальше собственного носа

cannot see beyond the end of one’s nose

It’s obvious to me, but she can’t see beyond the end of her nose.

не все дома

not all there

Sometimes I think he is not all there.

не давать ни отдыха ни срока (кому-л.)

keep someone’s nose to the grindstone; to keep someone on the trot

The new boss believes in hard work and keeps his workers’ noses to the grindstone all the time.

My wife keeps me on the trot.

Не дай Бог!

God/heaven forbid!

I hope the car won’t break down. – God forbid!

не за горами

(a)round the corner; close/near at hand

Spring is right around the corner.

The examinations are close at hand.

не иметь ни малейшего представления (о чем-л.)

not to know the first thing about something

I’m afraid I don’t know the first thing about engines.

не к месту

beside the point; out of place

Your observation is very interesting, but beside the point.

Her dress was very beautiful, but I thought it looked out of place.

не мытьем, так катанием

by hook or by crook; by fair means or foul

I’ll get your brother to come, by hook or by crook.

He is determined to win by fair means or foul.

не находить себе места

to have kittens

The boy didn’t get home last night and his mother was having kittens wondering what to do.

не падать духом

to keep one’s chin up

When her husband left her, she had to keep her chin up for the sake of the children.

не первой молодости

no spring chicken

She looks younger than she is, but she is no spring chicken.

не по дням, а по часам

by leaps and bounds

The profits are increasing by leaps and bounds.

не спускать глаз (с кого-л./чего-л.)

to keep an eye on someone/something

She asked me to keep an eye on her suitcase.

не стесняться в выражениях

not to mince one’s words

She told him emphatically not to come again, she didn’t mince her words.

не терять головы

to keep one’s head; to keep a level head

She kept her head when she found that the house was on fire.

Hugh is known for his ability to keep a level head in every situation.

не чувствовать под собой ног (от счастья и т. п.)

to walk on air; to be beside oneself

John has been walking on air since he got the job.

The children were beside themselves on the last day of school.

не шутка

no joke; no laughing matter

It was no joke when my car broke down in the middle of the busy motorway.

The loss of a passport is no laughing matter.

невооруженным глазом

with the naked eye

These stars are too far away to be seen with the naked eye.

нем как рыба

(as) silent as the grave

нести вздор

to talk through one’s hat

You’re talking through your hat. I don’t believe you.

нести свой крест

to bear one’s cross

Nobody could help him. He just had to bear his cross.

нестись сломя голову

to break one’s neck

I broke my neck trying to get there in time to meet you.

ни в грош не ставить (кого-л./что-л.)

to set little store by someone/something

Jane sets little store by her husband’s opinion.

ни в жизнь

not on your life

Will you marry her? – Not on your life!

ни в одном глазу

(as) sober as a judge

All my friends were drunk, but I was sober as a judge.

ни за какие коврижки

not for love or money; not for all the tea in China

I won’t do it for love or money.

I wouldn’t go back there for all tea in China.

ни рыба ни мясо

neither fish nor fowl

It tasted of neither fish nor fowl.

ни с того ни с сего

without rhyme or reason

Three men attacked Joe without rhyme or reason.

ни свет ни заря

bright and early

She got up bright and early.

ни слуху ни духу (о ком-л./чем-л.)

neither hide nor hair of someone/something

I thought I left the documents on the table, but I couldn’t find either hide nor hair of them.

ни то ни се

betwixt and between

The dinner we had yesterday at the restaurant was betwixt and between.

ниже пояса

below the belt

I think it was a bit below the belt to embarrass her in front of other guests.

никоим образом

by no means; not by a long chalk

I was by no means certain that they would sign the contract.

I haven’t yet finished the work by a long chalk.

ничего особенного

nothing to write home about

The concert was nothing to write home about.

ничего подобного

nothing of the kind

Isn’t your son a doctor? – Nothing of the kind – he is an actor.

нож в спину

a stab in the back

I trusted him, so it was quite a stab in the back for me when he offered the job to someone else.

носить на руках (кого-л.)

to think the world of someone

He thinks the world of his wife and gives her lots of presents.

носиться в воздухе

to be in the air

There was tension in the air.

нужно как собаке пятая нога (кто-л./что-л.)

to need something/someone like one needs a hole in the head

I need this extra work like I need a hole in the head.

нюхом чуять

to feel it in one’s bones

She knew Adam would marry her daughter. She felt it in her bones.

обагрять руки кровью (чьей-л.)

to have (someone’s) blood on one’s hands

обводить вокруг пальца (кого-л.)

to take someone for a ride

The boy is so dumb everybody takes him for a ride.

обдавать холодом (кого-л.)

to give someone the cold shoulder

I thought that Lucy and I were friends, but when I greeted her this morning she gave me the cold shoulder.

обжечь себе пальцы

to get one’s fingers burnt

I got my fingers burnt by investing money in your friend’s company.

ободрать как липку (кого-л.)

to take someone to the cleaners

I have been completely taken to the cleaners; I haven’t a penny left.

оборотная сторона медали

the other side of the coin

One must look at the other side of the coin.

обретать второе дыхание

to get one’s second wind

Jack became very tired while jogging, but after a while he got his second wind.

одним махом

in one fell swoop

The guests ate all the snacks in one fell swoop.

одним миром мазаны

to be tarred with the same brush; to be cut from the same cloth

I don’t believe all these politicians – they are all tarred with the same brush.

She and her husband are cut from the same cloth.

одним словом

in a word

In a word, he was lying.

одного поля ягода

birds of a feather; two of a kind

I think that he and his girlfriend are birds of a feather.

The sisters are two of a kind, they like the same things.

одному Богу известно

God/heaven knows

She never had any money. How she lived, God knows.

оказаться на высоте положения

to rise to the occasion

It was a difficult task, but she rose to the occasion.

осиное гнездо

a hornet’s nest

оставить в покое (кого-л.)

to get off someone’s back

I’m tired of your criticism. Why don’t you get off my back and let me do my work!

оставляет желать лучшего

to leave a lot to be desired

His wife’s cooking leaves a lot to be desired.

оставлять в дураках (кого-л.)

to make a fool of someone

He made a fool of me by pretending to be a capable musician, but he couldn’t play a note.

острый язычок

a sharp tongue

She was known for her sharp tongue.

от «а» до «я»

from ‘A’ to ‘Z’

He knows his job from ‘A’ to ‘Z’.

от всего сердца

from the bottom of one’s heart; with all one’s heart and soul

The boy was very helpful and I thanked him from the bottom of my heart.

She loves her husband with all her heart and soul.

от горшка два вершка

knee-high to a grasshopper

I haven’t seen your brother since he was knee-high to a grasshopper.

от греха подальше

out of harm’s way

She parked her car off the road – out of harms way.

от силы

at the most; at the (very) outside

It will take two hours at the most to get there.

It’ll take 45 minutes, an hour at the very outside.

отбиваться от рук

to get out of hand

‘Don’t let the children get out of hand!’ Mother warned me.

отбирать хлеб (у кого-л.)

to take the bread out of someone’s mouth

If he opens his shop next door to mine, he’ll be taking the bread out of my mouth.

отводить душу

to pour out one’s heart

She came to my room and poured her heart out to me.

отдавать Богу душу

to meet one’s maker

отдавать должное (кому-л./чему-л.)

to do justice to someone/something

The meal was well cooked and we did justice to it.

отдавать жизнь

to lay down one’s life

He was ready to lay down his life for his country.

отдавать концы

to kick the bucket; to turn up one’s toes

I was so ill, I thought I was going to kick the bucket.

The dog turned up his toes last night. He was nearly fifteen years old.

отдавать сердце (кому-л.)

to lose one’s heart to someone

She lost her heart to the new teacher.

отделять плевелы от пшеницы

to separate the wheat from the chaff

открывать глаза (кому-л. на что-л.)

to open someone’s eyes to something

I opened her eyes to her husband’s unfaithfulness.

откуда ни возьмись

out of the blue; all of a sudden

His brother appeared on my doorstep out of the blue.

They were speaking quietly when all of a sudden there was a deafening noise.

отогревать змею на груди

to nurse a viper in one’s bosom

отодвигать на задний план (кого-л./что-л.)

to put someone/something in the shade

His tremendous success put us all in the shade.

отправляться на тот свет

to go to the other side

отставать от времени

to be behind the times

Many of her ideas were behind the times.

падать духом

to lose heart

The garrison lost heart and surrendered.

падать на бесплодную почву

to fall on stony ground

Her appeal has fallen on stony ground.

падать с неба (кому-л.)

to drop into someone’s lap

She can’t stand people who don’t work and expect money to drop into their laps.

палец о палец не ударить

not to do a hand’s turn

The boy is very lazy. He has never done a hand’s turn in his life.

пальцем не пошевелить

not to lift a finger

His parents wouldn’t lift a finger to help us.

пан или пропал

sink or swim

It’s too late to help Helen. It’s sink or swim for her now.

пара пустяков

child’s play; a piece of cake

I found it child’s play to ride a bicycle.

That was easy, a piece of cake.

парень не промах

nobody’s fool

He was perfectly aware of what was happening, he was nobody’s fool.

перебегать дорогу (кому-л.)

to steal a march on someone

He has stolen a march on his competitors by starting the spring sales one week earlier than them.

перебиваться с хлеба на квас

to live from hand to mouth

I knew that his parents lived from hand to mouth during the war.

переводить дух

to catch one’s breath

After the game of tennis she had to sit down and catch her breath.

переворачиваться в гробу

to turn in one’s grave

If your uncle knew what you were doing with his favourite garden, he would turn in his grave.

перегибать палку

to overstep the mark

The director overstepped the mark when he shouted at his secretary.

перед лицом (чего-л.)

in the face of something

Caution was forgotten in the face of great danger.

перейти Рубикон

to cross the Rubicon

перемывать косточки (кому-л.)

to pick someone to pieces

They started to pick Daniel to pieces as soon as he was out of the room.

пересчитать все ребра (кому-л.)

to beat the living daylights out of someone; to knock the stuffing out of someone

If I ever see you with my wife again, I’ll beat the living daylights out of you.

The neighbour caught Tom stealing fruits from his garden and knocked the stuffing out of the boy.

петь дифирамбы (кому-л.)

to sing someone praises

You must have made a good impression on her parents. They were singing your praises that evening.

Пиррова победа

a Pyrrhic victory

пить горькую

to drink like a fish

The man drinks like a fish. He is drunk every night.

пища для размышлений

food for thought

His suggestions certainly provide food for thought.

платить втридорога

to pay through the nose; to pay the earth

I’ve got a ticket, but I had to pay through the nose for it.

I paid the earth for this joint of beef.

платить той же монетой (кому-л.)

to give someone a dose/taste of one’s own medicine

We will give him a taste of his own medicine for the wrongs he has done to us.

плечом к плечу

shoulder to shoulder

The soldiers were marching shoulder to shoulder.

плоть от плоти и кровь от крови

one’s own flesh and blood

Your sister has nowhere to live, so you have to take her into your house; after all, she is your own flesh and blood.

плыть в руки (кому-л.)

to drop into someone’s lap

All the best things in life must be worked for – they won’t drop into your lap.

плыть по течению

to drift with the tide

She was just drifting with the tide, relaxing and letting things happen.

плыть против течения

to swim/go against the tide

It’s better to live a quiet life than swim against the tide.

по горло (в чем-л.)

up to one’s ears/eyes/neck/eyeballs (in something)

Sorry, but I can’t come to your party. I’ve been up to my ears in work these past few days.

по правде говоря

to tell you the truth

What do you think of this book? – To tell you the truth, I haven’t read it yet.

по старой памяти

for old times’ sake

Do you want to meet for a drink sometime, just for old times’ sake?

по уши влюбиться

to fall head over heels (in love)

My brother fell head over heels in love with Mary.

Побойся Бога!

Have a heart!

Have a heart! We have to have a break sometimes.

повернуть колесо истории вспять

to put/turn the clock back

Times have changed and we can’t turn the clock back.

повернуться негде

not enough room to swing a cat

Their house is very small. There isn’t enough room to swing a cat.

повисать в воздухе

to be up in the air

Our plans are up in the air.

под башмаком (у кого-л.)

under someone’s thumb; in the palm of someone’s hand

Tom is completely under his wife’s thumb.

They would never dare contradict her. She’s got them in the palm of her hand.

под боком (у кого-л.)

at one’s elbow

I have all the books I need at my elbow.

под крылышком (у кого-л.)

under someone’s wing

I wasn’t doing well in mathematics, so the teacher took me under her wing.

под мухой

under the influence; to have had one too many; to have had a few (too many)

The police stopped him, because he was driving under the influence.

He looks as if he has had one too many.

She’s had a few; you should take her home and put her to bed.

под ногами (у кого-л.)

under someone’s feet

They don’t seem to mind having three children under their feet all the time.

под носом (у кого-л.)

under someone’s nose

This all went on under her nose, without her noticing anything.

под рукой (у кого-л.)

close/near at hand; on hand; at one’s elbow

Have you got a pen near at hand?

We had plenty of food on hand.

John has always a pot of coffee at his elbow.

подводить под монастырь (кого-л.)

to get someone into hot water

Your carelessness got us into hot water.

подготавливать почву (для чего-л.)

to pave the way for something; to set the stage for something

The government needs to pave the way for the introduction of the new monetary system.

His work set the stage for the development of computer technologies.

поджав хвост

with one’s tail between one’s legs

He went off with his tail between his legs when everybody found out what he had done.

поджилки трясутся (у кого-л.)

to shake in one’s shoes

He shook in his shoes when he heard that noise.

подкладывать свинью (кому-л.)

to do the dirty on someone

I know who did the dirty on me. He won’t get away with it.

подливать масла в огонь

to add fuel to the fire

Jane just added fuel to the fire by laughing at his threats.

поднимать на смех (кого-л./что-л.)

to make fun of someone/something

Please stop making fun of his appearance. It hurts his feelings.

поднимать перчатку

to pick up the gauntlet

поднимать руку (на кого-л.)

to raise one’s hand against someone

Don’t you ever raise your hand against your brother again!

подопытный кролик

a guinea pig

Try your experiments on someone else. I don’t want to be a guinea pig.

подрезать крылья (кому-л.)

to clip someone’s wings

His wife has decided against having children. She thinks they would clip her wings.

подсластить пилюлю

to sugar the pill

позолотить ручку (кому-л.)

to cross someone’s palm with silver

Cross my palm with silver and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.

поймать с поличным (кого-л.)

to catch someone red-handed; to catch someone in the act

The police caught the thief red-handed when he was breaking into the shop.

I know who broke the window. I caught him in the act.

показать, где раки зимуют (кому-л.)

to give someone what for; to give someone something to remember one by

The teacher gave her what for because she was so late.

If they don’t stop that noise I’ll give them something to remember me by!

показывать когти

to show one’s teeth

She has always been such a nice woman, but when I accidentally scratched her car she really showed her teeth.

показывать нос (кому-л.)

to cock a snook at someone; to thumb one’s nose at someone

As soon as the teacher turned his back, the boy cocked a snook at him.

She married a very rich man and thumbed her nose at those who previously looked down at her.

показывать пальцем (на кого-л.)

to point the finger (at someone)

I don’t want to point the finger at anyone, but somebody has to answer for the expenses.

показывать пятки

to show a clean pair of heels; to take to one’s heels

The thief quickly showed a clean pair of heels when the police found him breaking into a shop.

The boy saw me and took to his heels.

показывать свое настоящее лицо

to show one’s true colours

It is hard to tell what he is thinking. He never shows his true colours.

покупать кота в мешке

to buy a pig in a poke

Are you sure you are not buying a pig in a poke?

положить на обе лопатки (кого-л.)

to beat someone hollow

He is bad at tennis and you can beat him hollow on the court.

получать по мозгам

to get it in the neck

The boy got it in the neck for being late.

поменяться ролями (с кем-л.)

to turn the tables on someone

In the first game they beat us, but in the next game our team turned the tables and won 5–1.

попадать в переплет

to get into deep water

Kate had a premonition that she was getting into deep water.

попадать в точку

to hit the nail on the head; to hit the bull’s-eye; to hit the mark

You are one hundred percent correct, you’ve hit the nail on the head.

Your idea really hit the bull’s-eye.

It was a random guess, but it had hit the mark.

попадать впросак

to put one’s foot in it; to drop a clanger

She is always putting her feet in it, talking without thinking.

I think I dropped a clanger when I called her by her ex-husband name.

попадать не в бровь, а в глаз

to hit the nail on the head; to hit the bull’s-eye; to hit the mark

The moment he said it he knew he had hit the nail on the head.

Paul could usually hit the bull’s eye.

You certainly hit the mark when you said that the girl was very lazy.

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