Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[tongues wag]{informal} People speak in an excited or gossipy manner; people spread rumors. •/If married women go out with other men, tongues will wag./ •/When the bank clerk showed up in an expensive new car, tongues wagged./

[tongue-tied] See: TIGHT-LIPPED.

[tongue twister]{n.} A word or group of words difficult to pronounce whose meaning is irrelevant compared to the difficulty of enunciation. •/"She sells sea shells by the seashore" is a popular American tongue twister./

[to no avail] or [of no avail(1)]{adj. phr.}, {formal} Having no effect; useless, unsuccessful. •/Tom’s practicing was of no avail. He was sick on the day of the game./ •/Mary’s attempts to learn embroidering were to no avail./

[to no avail(2)]{adv. phr.}, {formal} Without result; unsuccessfully. •/John tried to pull the heavy cart, but to no avail./ •/Mary studied hard for the test but to no avail./ Compare: IN VAIN.

[too] See: EAT ONE’S CAKE AND HAVE IT TOO.

[too bad]{adj.} To be regretted; worthy of sorrow or regret; regrettable. — Used as a predicate. •/It is too bad that we are so often lazy./ •/It was too bad Bill had measles when the circus came to town./

[too big for one’s breeches] or [too big for one’s boots]{adj. phr.} Too sure of your own importance; feeling more important than you really are. •/That boy had grown too big for his breeches. I’ll have to put him back in his place./ •/When the teacher made Bob a monitor, he got too big for his boots and she had to warn him./

[too ---- by half]{adj.} ({princ. British}) Much too; excessively. •/The heroine of the story is too nice by half; she is not believable./

[too close for comfort]{adj. phr.} Perilously near (said of bad things). •/When the sniper’s bullet hit the road the journalist exclaimed, "Gosh, that was too close for comfort!"/ Compare: CLOSE CALL, CLOSE SHAVE.

[too many cooks spoil the broth] or [stew] A project is likely to go bad if managed by a multiplicity of primary movers. — A proverb. •/When several people acted all at once in trying to reshape the company’s investment policy, Tom spoke up and said, "Let me do this by myself! Don’t you know that too many cooks spoil the broth?"/

[too many irons in the fire] See: IRONS IN THE FIRE.

[to one] See: TEN TO ONE, TWO TO ONE.

[to oneself(1)]{adv. phr.} 1. Silently; in the thoughts; without making a sign that others can see; secretly. •/Tom thought to himself that he could win./ •/Mary said to herself that Joan was prettier than Ann./ •/Bill laughed to himself when John fell down./ 2. Without telling others; in private; as a secret. — Used after "keep". •/Mary keeps her affairs to herself./ •/John knew the answer to the problem, but he kept it to himself./