Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[survival of the fittest]{n. phr.} The staying alive or in action of the best prepared; often: idea that those living things best able to adjust to life survive and those unable to adjust die out. •/Life in the old West was often a case of survival of the fittest./ •/With changes in the world’s climate, dinosaurs died but many smaller animals lived on. It was survival of the fittest./ •/On the 50-mile hike it was survival of the fittest; only 12 out of 25 Scouts finished./

[suspicion] See: ABOVE SUSPICION.

[swallow] See: LOOK LIKE THE CAT THAT ATE THE CANARY.

[swallow hook, line, and sinker] See: HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER.

[swallow one’s pride]{v. phr.} To bring your pride under control; humble yourself. •/After Bill lost the race, he swallowed his pride and shook hands with the winner./ Compare: EAT ONE’S WORDS,

[swallow one’s words] 1. To speak unclearly; fail to put enough breath into your words. •/Phyllis was hard to understand because she swallowed her words./ 2. See: EAT ONE’S WORDS.

[swallow up]{v. phr.} To do away with; absorb; engulf. •/My expenses are so great that they swallow up my modest salary./

[swan song]{n. phr.}, {literary} A farewell or last appearance. •/The famous soprano gave her swan song in La Traviata before she retired./

[SWAT team]{n.}, {informal} Police unit trained for especially hazardous or sensitive law-enforcement assignments; short for Special Weapons and Tactics. •/Joe made the SWAT team of the NYPD due to his athletic skills./

[swathe] See: CUT A SWATHE.

[swear by]{v.} 1. To use as the support or authority that what you are saying is truthful; take an oath upon. •/A witness swears by the Bible that he will tell the truth./ •/In ancient Greece a doctor swore by Apollo, the god of healing, that he would be a good doctor./ •/John swore by his honor he would return the bike./ 2. To have complete confidence in; be sure of; trust completely. •/When John has to go somewhere fast, he swears by his bike to get there./ •/We can be sure that Fred will come on time, since his friend Tom swears by him./

[swear in] or [swear into]{v.} To have a person swear or promise to do his duty as a member or an officer of an organization, government department, or similar group. — "Swear into" is used when the name of the group is given. •/Mary and Ann will be sworn into the club tonight./ •/Fred was sworn in as class president./ •/Many new men were sworn into the army last month./ •/At the inauguration, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court swore in the new President./

[swear off]{v.}, {informal} To give up something you like or you have got in the habit of using by making a promise. •/Mary swore off candy until she lost ten pounds./ •/John has sworn off dessert for Lent./

[swear out]{v.} To get (a written order to do something) by swearing that a person has broken the law. •/The policeman swore out a warrant for the suspect’s arrest./ •/The detectives swore out a search warrant./

[sweat] See: BY THE SWEAT OF ONE’S BROW.