1500 русских и 1500 английских идиом, фразеологизмов и устойчивых словосочетаний

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.