Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[steal one’s thunder]{v. phr.} To do or say something, intentionally or not, that another person has planned to say or do. •/Fred intended to nominate Bill for president, but John got up first and stole Fred’s thunder./ •/Mary was going to sing "Oh! Susanna," but Ellen did it first and Mary said Ellen had stolen her thunder./ •/Smith heard that Jones was going to offer a new law which people wanted, so he himself proposed the law first, stealing Jones' thunder./

[steal the show]{v. phr.} To act or do so well in a performance that you get most of the attention and the other performers are unnoticed. •/Mary was in only one scene of the play, but she stole the show from the stars./

[steal the spotlight]{v. phr.} To attract attention away from a person or thing that people should be watching. •/When the maid walked on the stage and tripped over a rug, she stole the spotlight from the leading players./ •/Just as the speaker began, a little dog ran up the aisle, and stole the spotlight from him./

[steal up on]{v. phr.} To stealthily approach one; sneak up on someone. •/The thief stole up on his victim, snatched her purse, and ran away./

[steam] See: LET OFF STEAM or BLOW OFF STEAM, UNDER ONE’S OWN STEAM.

[steamed up]{adj.}, {informal} Excited or angry about or eager to do something. •/The coach gave the team a pep talk before the game, and he got them all steamed up to win the game./ •/When Mary found out that Jane had not kept their secret, she became all steamed up./ •/Bill was all steamed up about the movie he had just seen./

[steel] See: MIND LIKE A STEEL TRAP.

[steer clear of]{v.} 1. To steer a safe distance from; go around without touching. •/A ship steers clear of a rocky shore in stormy weather./ 2. {informal} To stay away from; keep from going near. •/Fred was angry at Bill, and Bill was steering clear of him./ •/Some words Martha always spells wrong. She tries to steer clear of them./

[stem the tide]{v. phr.} To resist; hold back something of great pressure or strength. •/The way to stem the tide of juvenile delinquency is to strengthen education and to pass a stiff gun control law./

[step] See: IN STEP, OUT OF STEP, TAKE STEPS.

[step all over] See: WALK OVER.

[step down]{v.} 1. To come down in one move from a higher position to a lower. •/As soon as the train stopped, the conductor stepped down to help the passengers off./ 2. To make go slower little by little. •/The train was approaching the station, so the engineer stepped it down./ Compare: SLOW DOWN, STEP UP. 3. To leave a job as an official or some other important position. •/When the judge became ill, he had to step down./

[step in]{v.} 1. To go inside for a quick visit. •/It was a cold night, and when the policeman passed, we invited him to step in for a cup of coffee./ 2. To begin to take part in a continuing action or discussion, especially without being asked. •/When the dogs began to fight, John stepped in to stop it before they were hurt./ •/When Bill had done as much as he was able to on his model plane, his father stepped in to help him./