Базовый курс английского языка - Эккерсли К.Э.
ISBN 5-7871-0174-X
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1 "the dogs" = dog-racing.
2 poke = bag (a word no longer used with this meaning except in this phrase).
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would be "changing horses in midstream"-a risky business. He knows, too, that there are some things you can't force people to do. As he would say, "you can lead a horse to the water, but you can't make it drink". And he would, of course, be too generous-hearted to "look a gift horse in the mouth". He's a cheerful, hard-working fellow, "works like a horse". He hopes he will always be like that and "die in harness". He isn't proud, "riding the high horse", and is always willing to help others in difficulty, "putting his shoulder to the wheel" or "helping lame dogs over stiles".
He pities the poor fellow who has "never had a dog's chance" and "leads a dog's life", perhaps because misfortune always "dogged his , footsteps".
OLAF: Oh yes, the policeman always "dogs"1, the criminal in the crime stories.
MR. PRIESTLEY: Yes, and the criminal tries to "throw him off the scent", perhaps by "drawing a red herring across the track", and the poor policeman goes on dogging him until he is "dog tired".
Our hero and his wife get on very well together; they don't lead a "cat and dog life". She, of course, never makes "catty"2 remarks, nor will she fuss "like a cat on hot bricks" if he goes out when it is "raining cats and dogs ". She doesn't worry too much; she knows that "care killed a cat". She has her independence of mind, too, and knows that the humblest have their rights even in the presence of the greatest. As she says, "a cat may look at a king".
Our wise man isn't easily deceived, for when you try to trick him with a cock-and-bull story he, like his dog, "smells a raf. He's careful what company he keeps. "Birds of a feather flock together," he says, and he mixes with people of his own kind, not with "queer fish". With them he'd feel "like a fish out of water".
He's making a success in life, too. If you give him a difficult job to do you'll find you've "backed3 a winner". Three or four other men tried for a job he's doing but they were just "also rans"; he "left them
1 to dog = follow closely behind, as a dog does
2 catty = spiteful
3 to back = to put a bet on.
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at the post". I know that for a fact, I got it "straight from the horse's mouth"; from a man who had entrusted him with a big job.
But I'd better stop or you'll think I am "riding my horse to death".
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Работа с глаголом (17): pull
Вот примеры употребления глагола pull:
I went to the dentist to have a tooth pulled out.
They are, going to pull that building down (or: pull down that building).
The man has been very ill but I think he will pull round (= get better).
The child ran in front of the car and I had to pull up (= stop) quickly to avoid an accident.
The boy pulled a face when he took the unpleasant-tasting medicine.
Take the car a little further along the street; you will find a place to pull in there.
Colour Idioms
We have numerous "colour" idioms in the language. Here are some grouped under the various colours:
red
When I hear of cruelly to animals it makes me see red (= become violently angry).
I caught the thief red-handed (= in the very act).
You are not answering my question. You are trying to draw a red herring across the track (= lead the attention away from the real point).
As soon as he led the conversation round to borrowing money I saw the red light (= was aware of approaching danger).
On boat-race night the College students paint the town red (= have a gay, high-spirited, noisy time).
The mention of that man's name to him is like a red rag to a bull (= something that causes violent anger).
pink
His behaviour was the pink of perfection (= perfect).
"How are you?" "Oh, I'm in the pink" (= very well), (slang) /
He looks at life through rose-coloured spectacles (= optimistically, seeing everything in a pleasant light).
blue
He was blue in the face with cold.
I'm feeling rather blue (in the blues) today (= rather miserable).
He spends all his time reading blue books (= Government publications).
A thing like that only happens once in a blue moon (= very rarely).
The news was a great shock to me: it came absolutely out of the blue (- was quite unexpected).
green
I hope you live to a green old age (= age full of youthful strength).
He's very green (= easily deceived), (slang)
She was green with jealousy (= very jealous).
white
Though I believe in telling the truth I think a white lie (= a lie told for a good purpose) is sometimes justified.
He boasted a lot about his courage but when danger came he showed the white feather (= was a coward).
Many attempts have been made to whitewash the man's reputation (= to make it appear good and honourable) but the fact remains that he is a rogue.
black
I won't believe it unless I see it in black and white (= in writing).
After the fight one of the boxers had a black eye.
You can never believe what he says; he will swear black is white if it suits his purpose.
