Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[on call]{adj. phr.} 1. Having to be paid on demand. •/Jim didn’t have the money ready even though he knew the bill was on call./ 2. Ready and available. •/This is Dr. Kent’s day to be on call at the hospital./ •/The nurse is on call for emergency cases./

[once] See: AT ONCE, EVERY NOW AND THEN or EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

[once and for all]{adv. phr.} 1. One time and never again; without any doubt; surely; certainly; definitely. •/Let me say, for once and for all, you may not go to the party Saturday./ •/For once and for all, I will not go swimming with you./ 2. Permanently. •/Bill and Tom asked the teacher to settle the argument once and for all./ •/The general decided that two bombs would destroy the enemy and end the war once and for all./

[once bitten, twice shy] See: BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.

[once for all] See: ONCE AND FOR ALL.

[once in a blue moon]{adv. phr.} Very rarely; very seldom; almost never. •/Coin collecting is interesting, hut you find a valuable coin only once in a blue moon./ •/Once in a blue moon someone grows a very pale marigold, but no truly white marigolds have been raised./

[once in a while]{adv. phr.} Not often; not regularly; sometimes; occasionally. •/We go for a picnic in the park once in a while./ •/Once in a while the puppy would run away, but usually he stayed in the yard./ Syn.: AT TIMES, FROM TIME TO TIME, NOW AND THEN.

[once-over]{n.}, {slang} 1. A quick look; a swift examination of someone or something. — Usually used with "give" or "get". •/The new boy got the once-over from the rest of the class when he came in./ •/Bob gave his paper the once-over before handing it in./ 2. or [once-over-lightly] A quick or careless job, especially of cleaning or straightening; work done hastily for now. •/Ann gave her room a quick once-over-lightty with the broom and dust cloth./ •/"Just give my hair the once-over," Al said to the barber./ Compare: LICK AND A PROMISE.

[once upon a time]{adv. phr.} Sometime before now, long ago. •/Once upon a time she was thought to be the most talented actress in the country./ — Often used at the beginning of fairy stories. •/Once upon a time there lived a king who had an ugly daughter./

[on cloud nine]{adj. phr.}, {slang} Too happy to think of anything else; very happy. •/Ada has been on cloud nine since the magazine printed the story she wrote./ •/We were on cloud nine when our team won the state championship./ Compare: ON TOP OF THE WORLD, WALK ON AIR.

[on condition that]{conj.} Providing that; if. •/I will lend you the money on condition that you pay it back in one month./ •/She agreed to act in the play on condition that she could keep her costumes./

[on deck]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. On a floor of a ship open to the outdoors. •/The passengers were playing shufflehoard on deck./ •/The sailors kept busy cleaning and painting on deck./ 2. {informal} Ready to do something; present. •/The scout leader told the boys to be on deck at 8:00 Saturday morning for the hike./ •/Dick was at bat, and Bob was on deck./