English-Russian dictionary of idioms, set expressions, etc. Natalya Belinskaya

2003 - 636s.

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From the compiler

I think that any person who was faced with the need to master a foreign language to a level slightly exceeding the level of a school “C” had to deal with expressions that at first glance were complete gobbledygook, although all the words seemed to be known. This apparent discrepancy between the meanings of words and the meaning of the phrase is most likely due to one of two reasons: either there is some kind of grammatical catch in this expression, or it itself should not be taken literally, but... But as “a”, and we need to figure it out .

Imagine a foreigner who, having a decent supply of Russian words, hears the following phrase: “They paid me, of course! Sleeves from the vest!” A competent foreigner knows what “sleeves” are in Russian. He quickly looks up what a “vest” is in the dictionary. And here the main torment begins: if a vest is sleeveless outerwear, then what kind of sleeves can it have (after all, then, by definition, it is no longer a vest!) and, most importantly, how can they be used?pay? And what is the famous “Kuzka’s mother” worth, which they periodically plan to show to selected people for some reason?

We can find ourselves in no less anecdotal situations, trying to literally translate even such a simple expression as “quite a few». « Quite" means "completely", "a few" - "some". How should a normal, that is, Russian-speaking, person interpret such an expression? Of course, as in “just a little.” What does it really mean? What we thought, only exactly the opposite: “quite a lot; quite a lot; a good half."

It is precisely in order to reduce the number of such misunderstandings to a minimum that this dictionary has been compiled. This includes, strictly speaking, not only idioms, that is, expressions that are not at all determined by the meaning of the words they contain, but also stable phrases, etc. They are not superfluous either!

If under an English phrase one more (or several) is given and only then a translation is given, it means that these expressions in English are synonymous, that is, they coincide in meaning. But you can find the second phrase in its “rightful” place, in accordance with the alphabetical order. Articles and the particle “to” are given only in cases of extreme necessity, due, as a rule, to their “non-standard” use or giving a special meaning to the phrase.

Let's continue the topic of idioms and talk about the features of their translation. Then I will offer, along with a translation into Russian, popular idioms of the English language that are useful to know in our modern life. I hope they will undoubtedly add “color” to your English speech.

Idioms are a feature of every language; they represent a very interesting category of stable verbal combinations, often having semantic meanings completely different from the meanings of the words of which they are composed.

The same thought in different languages ​​is expressed through a verbal formulation chosen according to the “ideas” that have developed among the people speaking that language. And although every nation has its own approach to understanding those life situations that any person encounters, regardless of his place of residence; Nevertheless, some semantic commonality of reasoning is found among all peoples.

Search for semantic commonality in translation

My point is that translations of idioms, in essence, like translations of proverbs and sayings from one language to another, often involve finding just expressions that are close in meaning.

For example, the English idiom:

• as good as gold - Russian translation: “like silk.”

The meaning is the same, it implies the behavior of someone, that is: obedient, flexible. But the comparisons are completely different.

I don’t think if we say the following words to a Russian speaker, he will interpret the meaning correctly:

- Your grandson was as good as gold all week.

Tell me, will you guess? So here's another example:

• Go against the grain (literal translation: to go against the grain) - Russian equivalent: to contradict someone’s principles.

I don’t think it’s so easy to guess what the true meaning of this idiom is by translating it literally.

• You have to refuse, if this idea goes against the grain. - You must refuse if this idea contradicts your principles.

There are some idioms in English that have no analogues in Russian, and when translating them, we simply indicate their semantic meanings:

At sixes and sevens - “sixes”, “sevens”, can you imagine what this could mean? This means being confused; if we talk about things, then this is what we mean: to be in a mess.
Example:

• I was at sixes and sevens after his words. “I was confused after his words.

Of course, there are a number of English idioms that we translate literally and get Russian idioms. That is, there are identical idiomatic expressions in both languages. If they were all like this, it would undoubtedly simplify the task of translating them, but this is not the case.

Here are examples of completely similar idioms in English and Russian:

• Аt the ends of the earth - at the edge of the earth
• Heel of Achilles - Achilles' heel
• Read somebody's mind - read other people's thoughts
• Follow in somebody's footsteps - follow in someone's footsteps
• Fortune smiles on/upon somebody - fate smiles on someone

Maybe we can do without them?

You may say: why do I need to know some proverbs if the minimum vocabulary and the rules that I know are sufficient for me to communicate? But believe me, speaking today without these kinds of words and phrases is deadening the language, making it uninteresting. It's like watching a movie in black and white instead of color. It’s not for nothing that all these local stylistic features of colloquial speech are called coloristics of the language.

Imagine another case like this. You went to visit somewhere in America: maybe for a school program, maybe wanting to earn money, in general, the reasons may be different. At the same time, you seem to be not a “dummy” in English, and you even have a dictionary with colloquial slang with you. But after some time, you are surprised to realize that you do not understand half of what they tell you and cannot participate in dialogues. People around you laugh at jokes, and you can only smile tightly. Do you think anyone will want to communicate with you?

And the reason is not that you don’t know the language, but that your ear “stumbles” over several unfamiliar words every time. I repeat, just a few, but this sometimes makes the whole conversation incomprehensible. There are not so many idioms used in English speech in everyday life, although there are many idioms themselves. Therefore, I think it is not so difficult to remember them in order to make them full participants in your speech.

To better remember an idiom, you need to understand its meaning, which often seems ridiculous. To understand the meaning, it is good to know the history of certain idioms. Remember the story about raining cats? By the way, there is another version (village) of its origin, in addition to the terrible stories about the cesspool. In the old days, houses in villages were covered with straw, and this attracted local cats: they preferred to sleep on soft, fragrant beds. And frequent in

In England, heavy rains washed away unfortunate cats directly onto the heads of citizens.

But the idiom “To face the music” is about paying for one’s actions, we also talked about it last time. Oddly enough, she has a “military” origin. British soldiers were tried on the parade ground for their misdeeds, and while listening to the verdict, they stood facing not only the line, but also the orchestra, beating the drums. In short, this music was sad.

By the way, this English idiom is very consonant with our relatively recently appeared expression “face on table”, and is similar in meaning.

English idioms (50 words)

The time has come to start learning new idioms. The following 50 idioms, once learned, will surely make your English more expressive!

• As easy as pie- lighter than light
• The acid test- serious challenge
• All sixes- no matter, no difference
• Around the clock— around the clock
• All of a sudden- like a bolt from the blue
• Another cup of tea- a completely different matter
• Have been around- a lot to see, not born yesterday
• Buy some time- delay the decisive moment, gain time
• The battle of books- scientific dispute
• Behind closed doors- behind closed doors, secretly
• To call somebody/something in/into question- to question
• To carry the can- to be extreme, to be guilty without guilt
• Call the shots- to be your own master, to manage (everything)
• Clean as a whistle- clean as glass
• Have a close call- to be on the verge of death, tragedy
• Crunch time- very stressful period
• cry wolf- false alarm
• Deep six- get rid of, throw something away
• A dirty look- angry, dissatisfied look
• Done with mirrors- swindle
• Down at heel- shabby; sloppily dressed
• Draw the line- to put an end to
• Driving force— driving force; motive
• Eye candy- pleasing to the eye
• Have/ get egg on one’s face - disgrace yourself
• Eat one's words- take back words
• Eat Crow- repent, blame
• A eager beaver- hard worker, overzealous worker, zealous worker
• A fair field and no favor- game/fight on equal terms
• For old times" sake- in memory of past years, in the name of the past, out of old friendship
• From cradle to grave- from birth to death; all life
• Friends in high places- connections, profitable acquaintances
• Full as a trick- eat to your heart's content
• Foul play- unfair game
• Have the gift of the gab- have a good tongue, be able to speak eloquently
• Green old age- vigorous old age, blooming old age
• Half-and-half- so-so; neither this nor that
• Hobson's choice- choice without choice; no alternative choice
• An Indian summer- Indian summer, golden autumn
• In hot water- in trouble, in a difficult situation
• Ill at ease- not at ease
• In no time- in the blink of an eye
• Jump for joy- jump for joy
• To keep to oneself- avoid people, be unsociable
• Lame duck- loser, incompetent
• Live it up- good fun
• New blood- fresh strength, help
• Pie in the sky- empty dreams
• Strong language- strong expressions
• Take heart- do not lose heart, take courage, gather your courage, become bolder

Good luck! And see you again and share the article with your friends.

We also learned about the features of their translation from one language to another.

To refresh your memory, let me remind you:

Idiom (idiom) is a figure of speech that consists of several inextricably linked words (usually two or three), which have a meaning completely different from the general meaning of these words.

List of common idioms in English!

Examples of idioms:

• To face the music(literal translation: facing the music) —
  Take responsibility for your misdeeds, clear up the mess

A completely unexpected meaning. Music usually evokes positive associations for us. It's all about the origin of this idiom. Previously, in the British Army, courts-martial were accompanied by

orchestra playing. Hence we have: face the music - face the judge and be held accountable for what you have done.

• Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve (literal translation: wearing someone’s heart on one’s sleeve) -
  Show your emotions, not be able to hide emotions

Such a strange solution to the idiom again lies in history. It is believed that in distant medieval times, knights tied a red ribbon on their sleeve, previously given by his lady, and thus expressed their feelings to her.

These established expressions are a kind of uniqueness of each language. It is the English language that is rich in such expressions. They are used every day and everywhere in the speech of English speakers. Today the need for their knowledge no longer raises any doubts. They make our speech more expressive and natural.

List of the most common idioms

There are thousands of different idiomatic expressions in the English language. However, many of them are used extremely rarely, and some have completely fallen out of use. I would like to offer you a short list of idioms that you might actually need. You can download this list of 75 popular English expressions along with translation and add freedom to your communication with English speakers

Idioms dictionary is your best assistant

Dictionary of Idioms in English I would like to recommend you a couple of books that can help you learn these amazing combinations of words and master the art of using them in speech. Why do you need a competent assistant? The fact is that the main difficulty in studying idioms is understanding their meaning. A literal translation will not achieve an understanding of their meaning; in many cases, such a translation is far from their real meaning. In addition, it is not always clear what positive or negative connotation an expression has. As is the case with the expression “face the music.”

1. The Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms is one of the best sources for those who want to study idiomatic expressions in depth. This dictionary contains about 7,000 modern English idioms. The dictionary helps students understand the meaning of amazing stable combinations of words, as well as use them correctly and confidently in speech.
2. Longman Pocket Idioms Dictionary - this dictionary contains about 3,000 interesting idioms, which are arranged by keywords in alphabetical order, which makes it easier to find the necessary figure of speech. Another of its advantages is its convenient, compact size; such a small dictionary can be taken, for example, on a trip and studied during free time from excursions, and then used in communication with native English speakers
3. English-Russian dictionary of idioms, set expressions, Belinskaya N. - its peculiarity is that in it you will find idioms along with Russian translation and explanation, while the two previous books offer interpretations of meanings in English. Suitable for different levels of language proficiency

Based on your level of English proficiency, as well as what results you want to achieve in learning idioms, you can choose and download a book or purchase it in a store. This book will be your assistant in learning fancy word combinations. If your language level is not high enough, you should choose a dictionary in which you can find the desired word combination with a Russian translation or equivalent. Good luck!

We recommend that you get acquainted with English idioms from the very beginning level, since in the process of learning English you can not only learn the vocabulary of a wide variety of topics along the way, but also better understand the way of thinking of the English, their habits and traditions. After all, behind each idiom there is a whole story, by becoming familiar with which you can learn the English idiom itself much faster and more effectively, and, most importantly, begin to use it in speech.

All idioms of the English language can be divided into two groups. The first is those that are identical in meaning in the Russian language, that is, such idioms, the literal translation of which coincides with a similar idiom in Russian. For example, the English idiom “to take the bull by the horns” is understandable to everyone who knows every single word of this idiom - “to take”, “the bull”, “by the horns”. Together we can “take the bull by the horns,” that is, get straight to the point. The meaning of this English idiom is clear to us, since the same one exists in the Russian language.

The second group is those English idioms whose meaning you simply need to learn or, having understood the history of the emergence of the English idiom itself, remember, relying on associations. For example, the English idiom, "donkey work" means unpleasant, boring work. However, the translation of each individual word “donkey” (donkey) and “work” (work) does not lead us to such a conclusion, to such a translation. But, imagining a donkey and its daily physical labor associated with carrying a load, the meaning of this English idiom becomes clear.

By studying idioms of the first group, that is, those that have a direct meaning, the literal translation of which is understandable to a Russian-speaking student, you can very quickly expand your vocabulary and learn many simple, but at the same time, words necessary for communication. The process of memorizing words from English idioms will be simplified by instant understanding and recognition of a phrase that you have repeatedly heard or used in your native speech.

It is the second group of idioms that creates the greatest difficulty for students of all levels studying English; it is misleading in exams, when talking with foreigners, when watching programs and films in English, listening to English podcasts and songs. Only practice will help here:

• systematically study 2-3 idioms a day, written down by yourself in a notebook or notebook
• try in each situation to remember at least one English idiom on the topic and use it in the topic
• re-read notes of English idioms in order to refresh your memory, while saying the idiom out loud, loudly and clearly
• draw those idioms that you can’t remember - the illustrations depicted in person will force you to repeatedly think about the meaning of the idiom, repeat its pronunciation to yourself or out loud, think about the meaning of each individual word
• be observant - when communicating in English, do not just listen to the interlocutor, but hear him - catch idioms in his speech, try to paraphrase what was said or heard using an English idiom

English idioms about animals, food, sports, travel, love, flowers, business, etc. will be an excellent help in conversations with English-speaking interlocutors, examiners and native speakers. You will become more confident in understanding English speech, and also express your point of view at ease and closer to the speech of the British and Americans, which will cause surprise and admiration for your level of language.

“Hold your horses!” - a rare case when an English idiom is translated into Russian word for word.

English idioms- This is an interesting, entertaining part of the language, but sometimes beginners pay too much attention to it. From this article you will learn what idioms are, whether they are worth learning, what is the difference between an idiom and, as well as where the butterflies in the stomach come from and what kind of spoon it is under which one sucks in fear.

What are idioms?

Idioms or phraseological units- these are stable figures of speech, indecomposable combinations of words, understood, as a rule, in a figurative meaning. The meaning of the entire expression is not determined by the meaning of the words included in it. Often the meaning of an idiom is difficult to guess and understand from the words it contains if you are not familiar with it.

For example: to be in the same boat. Literally it means: “to be in the same boat,” but the meaning of the idiom is different: “to be in the same situation, to experience the same difficulties.”

I understand your problem. We are in the same boat. – I understand your problem. I'm in the same position as you.

Idioms are called stable, indecomposable combinations because they are used in an unchanged form. For example, no one says to sit together in the same boat or to be in the same vessel. An idiom is used as a ready-made figurative template for some typical situation.

You can probably guess the meaning of the expression about a boat, especially when heard in context, but there are idioms whose meaning is impossible to guess.

I want to buy a Saturday night special but I'm scared to own it.

I'm sorry, what-? I want to buy...a Saturday Night Special? Saturday night special? Maybe I'm afraid to go to the Saturday sale?

“Saturday night special” is a small pistol or revolver. Very roughly the expression can be translated as “a special dish on Saturday evening.” It arose in the 1960s (now rarely used) and came from the fact that these cheap and accessible weapons were often used during drunken brawls in bars, which most often happened on weekend evenings. Many regulars of the hot spots had weapons, so often during a conflict someone would get a “special dish.”

Sometimes you come across insidious idioms - similar to Russian ones, but having a completely different meaning.

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

This literally means “no moss grows on a rolling stone.” By mistake, one might think that this is an analogue of our “water does not flow under a lying stone,” but the idiom about moss has a different meaning: a person who often changes his place of residence or occupation will never settle down, will not settle down. Accordingly, the equivalent will be this: “whoever cannot sit still will not make any good.”

It's funny to compare Russian and English idioms, which describe the same phenomenon, but in different words. For example, in Russian a poor swimmer is compared to an axe, and in English to a stone:

I'm not taking you to the river. You swim like a stone. - I won’t take you to the river. You float like an axe.

In Russian, about those who like to chat on the phone, we say “hanging” on the phone, and in English, “sitting.”

I couldn't call you. My sister was sitting on the phone. – I couldn’t call you, my sister was on the phone.

How many idioms are there in English?

There are thousands of idioms in the English language, but it is impossible to give an exact number, just as it is impossible to say the exact number of words in a language. For example, the Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms (M. McCarthy, 1998) has 5,782 dictionary entries, but in reality this number does not say much.

English idioms are no less living units of speech than words; their number is constantly changing. Some idioms live for centuries, while others fall out of use very quickly.

English idioms, proverbs, colloquial formulas, phrasal verbs and other similar units of speech

Idioms are easily confused with proverbs, various speech patterns, and phrasal verbs. Even scientists sometimes find it difficult to differentiate between them.

Idioms are a type formulaiclanguage(this term can be roughly translated as “communication formulas” or “speech patterns”) - stable, indivisible expressions that should be understood and taught as a single unit of speech, rather than a group of words.

These templates include:

1. Greetings and good wishes

• How are you? - How are you?
• Have a good day! - Have a good day!

2. Prepositional phrases

• In a minute - in a minute.
• Once in a while - from time to time.

3. Proverbs, sayings, aphorisms (sayings, proverbs, quotations)

• Bad news travels fast - bad news travels quickly.
• Buy the best and you only cry once - the stingy one pays twice (lit.: buy the best and you only cry once).

4.

• To look for - to search.
• To sign in – register.

5. Stable phrases, collocations

• Blond hair – blond hair (the word “blond” is firmly associated with “hair”)
• Deeply disappointed - deeply disappointed (“deeply” is the first thing “disappointed” is associated with)

6. Conversational speech formulas

• You've gotta be kidding! - You must be joking!
• You see what I'm saying? – Do you understand what I mean?

7. Idioms

• A penny for your thought - What are you thinking about?
• To give the green light - Give green light (permission).

Note: classification from the textbook “English Idioms in Use: Intermediate. Self-study and classroom use.” Michael McCarthy, Felicity O'Dell.

As you can see, it is sometimes very difficult to draw the line between idioms and similar expressions. For example, a phrasal verb to look for(to search) cannot be called an idiom - there is nothing idiomatic in it, that is, any figurative meaning. But phrasal verb to sail through it is already easy to confuse with an idiom, because it has a figurative meaning.

To sail through- literally “to sail through something,” that is, to quickly overcome it. Meaning: easy to handle. For example:

to sail through exams – easy to pass exams.

Another case is proverbs. A proverb is essentially a special case of an idiom; an idiom expressing a generally accepted truth based on the experience of many generations, common sense, and folk wisdom.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Literally: A bird in your hands is worth two birds in the bushes.

Analogue: Better a bird in the hand than a pie in the sky.

Apparently, this is why in dictionaries, and even more so in various collections of idioms on the Internet, not only idioms are often found, but also everything that is even remotely similar to them has at least a hint of idiomaticity, including individual words in a figurative meaning .

How important is it to know English idioms?

Sometimes I come across the opinion that English idioms are almost essential knowledge, because in English they occur very often.

To be honest, not that often.

I believe that know idioms are really useful and interesting, but learn they don't make any special sense. Let's consider two cases: knowledge of idioms for their use in speech and for understanding speech or text.

1. Use of idioms in speech

Many idioms have a stylistic connotation, are used in informal speech, and are characteristic of certain social or age groups. Let's take an example from the Russian language. Two ninth graders are talking during a labor lesson:

- Why are you kicking ass? Help me make a stool.

- Hold your pocket wider!

Can you imagine ninth graders talking like that? I can't. Maybe 50 years ago, but not now. Here's a more realistic example:

– Why are you tossing around with bullshit? Help me make a stool.

- Yeah, right now, he ran away!

Inappropriate use of idioms can “make the day” for your interlocutors. It seems like they were trying to show off their intelligence, but it turned out that they ended up in a puddle. Therefore, you should use idioms in speech carefully, only if you know exactly what they mean and in what situations they can be used. Especially if the conversation is business or official.

There is such a linguistic story. One foreign diplomat in the USSR, before an official meeting, asked the guide about the meaning of the phrase “all Ivanovskaya.” They explained to him what this meant “loudly”; previously, on Ivanovskaya Square in the Kremlin, heralds proclaimed royal decrees, and they had to shout loudly so that everyone could hear. But they did not explain to him that the expression acquired a humorous connotation over time, and the diplomat at the reception, raising his glass, said that he wanted to make a toast “in full Ivanovskaya.”

2. Understanding idioms

From my own experience, I can say that when communicating with native speakers, idioms are rare. Often found:

• colloquial clichés (to take a shower - to take a shower, to make a suggestion - to make a proposal),
• phrasal verbs (to look after - to look after, to work out - to play sports),
• prepositional groups (wait for a while - wait a little).

But it’s precisely idioms, that is, stable phrases with a figurative meaning, like it rains cats and dogs(it's raining cats and dogs), when pigs fly(when the cancer whistles on the mountain) - rarely. Your interlocutors understand that English is not your native language and try to speak without any special difficulties.

By the way, many have noticed that when you talk to a foreigner in a group, you understand him well, but when they talk to each other, nothing is clear. People speak among themselves in a language familiar to them, without making allowance for the “foreignness” of the interlocutor, so their speech can be full of slang and incomprehensible jokes.

In films, TV shows, and books, idioms sometimes appear, but usually the meaning is guessed from the context. For example, without context it is impossible to understand the meaning of the expression: “Put your John Hancock here”. Who is John Hancock? But in the film I came across this expression in context.

According to legend, D. Hancock signed such a sweeping signature so that King George III could read it without glasses.

The doctor gives the patient a document, a pen, points his finger at the place for painting and says: “Put your John Hancock here.” The patient takes a pen and signs. Clearly John Hancock is a signature. Later I read that John Hancock was one of the American politicians who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and left the most noticeable (“ministerial”, as they say in Russian) painting. Therefore, in America the expression “John Hancock” has become an informal synonym for the word “signature”.

Although sometimes, especially in text, the idiom is completely impossible to understand. If you read a phrase in which all the words individually are understandable, but together they form some strange nonsense like “pot calling the kettle black” (who would say, whose cow would moo), you are definitely looking at an idiom . But this happens quite rarely; you don’t have to look into the idiom dictionary twice per page of text.

Online English idiom dictionaries

The easiest way to find the meaning of an idiom is to search for it in Yandex and look at 2-3 results, because sometimes you come across definitions that are not entirely correct. But besides this obvious method, there are also dictionaries of idioms, for example:

An online dictionary of English idioms, or rather, a section of the dictionary dedicated to idioms. Convenient search by keywords, there are examples of use. Everything is in English.

A slang dictionary, which over the course of several years has actually grown into a dictionary of everything that even slightly smacks of slang, idiom, figurativeness: sayings, proverbs, idioms, Internet memes, aphorisms, etc. The advantage of the dictionary: it is maintained in wiki mode, i.e. it is ruled by whoever wants, therefore the style is alive, and the examples are lifelike. But this is also a disadvantage: you can stumble upon low-quality information. The article rating system helps you choose the right option.

A quick note about translating English idioms

If you suddenly need to translate an idiom from English into Russian or vice versa, you need to take into account an important point: idioms are extremely rarely translated verbatim; usually you need to select equivalent expression from another language, or translate descriptively, taking into account the context.

I will give examples.

1. The idiom is translated literally.

To give the green light. -Give the green light.

In both languages ​​the expression means “to give permission”, the literal translation being the exact equivalent. But this is rare.

2. An equivalent can be found for an idiom.

When pigs fly. – When the crayfish whistles on the mountain; after the rain on Thursday.

Both options correspond exactly to the meaning of the expression “when will pigs fly”: never.

3. It is impossible or difficult to find an equivalent for the idiom.

There are idioms for which it is difficult to find an analogue. A classic example is “Kuzka’s Mother” by Khrushchev. In 1959, Khrushchev told Nixon: “We have at our disposal means that will have dire consequences for you. We’ll show you Kuzka’s mother!” Translator Viktor Sukhodrev was not at a loss and translated the expression allegorically: “We’ll show you what’s what” (we’ll show you what is what).

Do I need to learn idioms?

If you have recently started learning English, you still have a small vocabulary, and reading a page of English text causes a headache, then actively learn, learn by heart English idioms are not needed. Idioms are a fairly advanced part of the language, not a priority at the initial stage. If you memorize a list of 100 or 200 idioms, in practical terms it will give you very little, since they do not occur very often, but you will completely worry your head.

However, idioms are perceived by many as an interesting, curious part of the language, something like amazing facts or “did you know that...?” In this case, you can simply read idioms at your leisure, as something entertaining.

If you actively read and listen in English, then you will sometimes come across idioms. I think it's worth it remember at the level of understanding, but there is no point in learning so thoroughly that you can use it freely in speech - these are not such common and necessary expressions.

Fortunately, remembering idioms at the level of understanding is quite simple, thanks to their brightness, imagery, and sometimes an entertaining story of origin, because it is the unusual and vivid that is best imprinted in the memory.

Popular English idioms with translation - a selection from personal experience

In conclusion, I will give a selection of idioms that I had to become familiar with in practice: I did not read them in a textbook, but heard them from someone, came across them while reading, and for some reason I remembered them. Here is my personal list of popular idioms.

• Piece of cake- as simple as shelling pears, simpler than steamed turnips, literally: a piece of pie.

I learned this expression as a child. In the movie “Terminator 2,” John Connor, the future savior of humanity, hacks into an ATM using some kind of electronic device and steals money from it. “Piece of cake,”- John says and runs away, and the translator says: “Easier than a steamed turnip.”

• To ring a bell- to remind of something, about something, lit.: to ring a bell.

The expression is used in interrogative form, for example:

Look at this photo, does it ring a bell? – Look at this photo, doesn’t it remind you of anything?

The idiom was encountered several times in films, in detective stories, and was remembered because of its imagery. The ringing of a bell, symbolizing a sudden thought.

• Rule of thumb– a simple rule, an approximate method of assessment, lit.: rule of thumb.

Rule of thumb is a simple, practical method for measuring something inaccurately. Linguist Paul Nation likes to use the expression, both in scientific papers and in lectures. For example (quoting from memory):

The rule of thumb is that a native speaker knows about 20,000 words. – An approximate guideline is this: a native speaker knows about 20,000 words.

Other examples:

I never weigh anything when I’m cooking. I just do it by rule of thumb. – I never weigh anything. I eyeball everything.

A good rule of thumb is that a portion of rice is two handfuls. – A rough rule is this: a serving of rice is two handfuls.

The origin of the idiom is not precisely established. One version says that the “rule of thumb” came from the ancient method of measurement among carpenters - using a finger, rather than measuring instruments. Of course, everyone’s fingers are different, so this “roulette” was not very accurate, but it was easy to use. According to another version, the expression comes from a law that supposedly existed in England, according to which a husband was allowed to beat his wife with a stick, but no thicker than his thumb.

• To have a crush on someone. - Falling in love with someone.

The expression is often found in teen comedies, teen literature, and sitcoms such as “The Friends” or “How I met Your Mother.”

I once came across an expression in a film with a pirated translation. It was something like:

Billy had a crush on that girl. “One day Billy fell right on this girl’s head.

Well, how can you not remember this?

• Totally different ball game– It’s a completely different matter, literally: a different ball game.

I have only heard this expression from one person, but many times. Do you know how some people have favorite words and phrases? Just such a case. One of my acquaintances in America, a kind old man who loved to speak wisdom and talk about old times, very often said something like.

Las Vegas is fun but New Orleans is a totally different ball game! – Las Vegas is fun, but New Orleans is a completely different matter!

• To make money– earn, lit.: make money.

From the textbook I learned that “to earn money” is “to earn money”. But when I started communicating with foreigners, it turned out that they simply don’t say that. A much more common expression is: to make money.

You came here to make money, didn't you? – You came to earn money, didn’t you?

• To pay the bills– cover basic expenses, provide for oneself, lit.: pay bills.

In the film “The Devil Wears Prada,” a young journalist Andrea came to New York after university and got a job as an assistant to Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of a popular fashion magazine. The work turned out to be difficult and unpleasant due to Miranda's tough temper, but for Andrea it was a chance to make a career.

Celebrating the event with friends, Andrea makes a toast: “To job that pays the rent”. The translation sounded like “for a job that pays the rent.” An unprepossessing and strange toast, it seemed to me.

Later I learned that there is an expression to pay the bills– cover basic expenses (housing, food, clothing). Moreover, it is usually used in the third person, in expressions like job that pays the bills- this is what they say about a job that may not be to your liking, but brings in enough money to live on. In other words, about work that you have to endure because of money.

Being a waitress isn’t so prestigious, but it pays the bills. – Working as a waitress is not very prestigious, but it’s enough to live on.

Job that pays the rent is a variation of this expression (rent - rent for housing). At the party, Andrea complained that the job was not the most pleasant, and the boss was just a devil, but her friends convinced her that “millions of girls would kill for this position”, it was worth being patient for the sake of future well-being. Andrea agreed and raised a glass to the new job that she is forced to endure in order not only to earn a living, but also to ensure a bright future for herself.

• Don't give up the day job– literally: don’t quit your job (for this activity), meaning: you’re not that good at it (to quit your job).

Under day job understand the main work, unlike part-time job(part-time job, part-time job). Expression “Don't give up the day job” literally means that you should not quit your main job in order to get another job or do something else. This is what they might say if a person shares plans to become, for example, a professional artist and make a living from it, but the interlocutor very much doubts his talent:

– I want to become an artist. – I want to become an artist.

– Don't give up your day job. - Just don’t quit your job yet.

I came across the expression on one English-language website, where issues of various creative arts were discussed and, in particular, making money through drawing, writing, etc. One of the participants advised everyone “not to quit work,” for which he was pecked to death by the offended community.

• Butterflies in the stomach– excitement, love, a sinking of the soul, goosebumps, a feeling in the pit of the stomach, literally: butterflies in the stomach.

“Every time I see you, I get butterflies in my stomach. But it’s okay... The acid kills them almost instantly!”

“Butterflies in the stomach” is a case when a literally translated idiom has become entrenched in the language and has become commonly used, and quite recently.

A few years ago I watched an interview with Natalia O’Shea (Helavisa), the leader of the group “Melnitsa”. Speaking, if I’m not mistaken, about the creative process, she tried to explain a certain inspired state and said that it was difficult to describe, but in English there is a suitable expression “butterflies in the stomach”. This just conveys this feeling!

Later, the “butterflies” began to flutter across pages on social networks and ceased to be a curiosity. Usually the newfangled Russian expression “butterflies in the stomach” is used to mean “the feeling of falling in love,” although in English it has a broader meaning: a physical feeling in the stomach caused by excitement. That is, it can be not only love, but also, for example, anxiety in front of the public.

Whenever I have to speak in public, I get butterflies in my stomach. – When I have to speak in front of an audience, my soul freezes with excitement.

In Russian there is an exact analogue of this expression: sucks in the pit of the stomach. In both cases, what is meant is a completely physiological sensation associated with compression of the gastric pouch as a result of a reduction in blood flow (from stress, anxiety, fear, etc.). However, depending on the context, it may be more appropriate to use a less anatomically accurate, but more appropriate equivalent: the soul freezes, goosebumps run, takes the breath away.

• Jump scare– in horror films: sudden frightening of the viewer, lit.: jumping fright.

One of the most basic and most effective scare tools in the arsenal of horror film and game makers, it's the reason why I dislike the genre. In its most primitive form it looks like this.

The hero sneaks with a flashlight along the dark corridor of the castle/psychiatric hospital/vampire lair, the music escalates the tense atmosphere. He approaches the large mirror on the wall, and then a rustling sound is heard behind him and a shadow flashes. The hero turns around sharply and sees that it is just a mouse. He, exhaling, says: “Yes, it’s just a damn mouse!”, turns to the mirror, AND THERE!!! Plus a sharp, screeching sound effect. Such scares make the viewer literally jump in place (apparently, that’s where the name comes from).

The technique is a hackneyed one; among connoisseurs of the genre it is believed that it is used in cheap horror films. In good horror, they scare you in much more subtle, deep ways, forcing you not just to jump up occasionally, dropping popcorn, but to sit in suspense throughout the entire film, and by the end, simply burning your nervous system to the ground.

I became familiar with this movie term when I was watching a walkthrough of the super scary game PT on YouTube. Someone wrote in the comments that frequent use jump scare he was disappointed - such a good game and such a cheap reception.

• The bottom line- essence, summary, lit.: bottom line, leading line.

Expression the bottom line similar to the Russian “drawing a line” and means about the same: inference, conclusion. For example, a long article may end with a paragraph “Conclusion” or “The Bottom Line”. In scientific papers they do not write this way, since the expression has a colloquial, informal connotation.

The bottom line can also mean:

1. The main idea, a short summary.

It's hard to explain but the bottom line is that they don’t get along. “It’s hard to explain, but the point is that they don’t get along with each other.”

1. The total amount in a financial document, profit or loss for the year.

How will the rise in interest rates affect our bottom line? – How will an increase in the interest rate affect annual income?

I most often came across the expression in the meaning of “conclusion” in educational articles and videos.

• Street smart- worldly mind, street smart, knowing life, lit.: street smart.

I heard the expression in a conversation with American journalist John Alpert. Talking about how he began making documentaries, he noted that he had never been super smart, except perhaps in an everyday way, in a street smart way.

Street smart- this is a mind that is acquired not at school and reading books, but on the street, in life, in everyday life. It is also understood in a narrower sense: the ability to survive on the street.

If you spend your life reading books, you are not going to last in the real world. You gotta be street smart to survive. – If you spend your whole life reading books, you won’t last in the real world. To survive, you need to know life.

The Bottom Line

When talking about the beauty and richness of a language, we often turn to its phraseology and idioms, because idioms are closely related to the culture, history, and customs of native speakers. However, when learning a foreign language, especially at the initial stage, there is no need to pay great attention to idioms - there are things that have higher priority. In addition, due to their imagery, brightness, and curious etymology, idioms are remembered without much difficulty, and some are easily deciphered without a dictionary.