Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[under the hammer]{adv. phr.} Up for sale at auction. •/The Brights auctioned off the entire contents of their home. Mrs. Bright cried when her pewter collection went under the hammer./ •/The picture I wanted to bid on came under the hammer soon after I arrived./

[under the nose of] See: UNDER ONE’S NOSE.

[under the sun]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} On earth; in the world. — Used for emphasis. •/The President’s assassination shocked everyone under the sun./ •/Where under the sun could I have put my purse?/

[under the table] See: UNDER THE COUNTER.

[under the thumb of] See: UNDER ONE’S THUMB.

[under the weather]{adv. phr.} In bad health or low spirits. •/Mary called in today asking for a sick day as she is under the weather./

[under the wire]{adv. phr.} With a narrow time limit; in the last minute. •/The journalist’s new lead article on Russia was due in press at 5 P.M., and he got it in at 4:57, just under the wire./

[underway]{adv. phr.} In progress; in motion. •/The yearly fund-raising campaign for the renovation of our university campus is already underway./

[under wraps]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} Not allowed to be seen until the right time; not allowed to act or speak freely; in secrecy; hidden. — Usually used with "keep". •/We have a new player, hut we are keeping him under wraps until the game./ •/What the President is planning will be kept under wraps until tomorrow./ •/The spy was kept under wraps and not allowed to talk to newspapermen./ Compare: UNDER COVER.

[unknown quantity]{n.} Someone or something whose value and importance are not known, especially in a certain situation, time or place; a new and untested person or thing. •/What we would find if we could fly to the moon is an unknown quantity./ •/The new player is still an unknown quantity. We’ll find out how good he is in the game./

[unseen] See: SIGHT UNSEEN.

[until all hours]{adv. phr.} Until very late at night. •/He is so anxious to pass his exams with flying colors that he stays up studying until all hours./

[until hell freezes over]{adv. phr.}, {slang} Forever, for an eternity. •/He can argue until hell freezes over; nobody will believe him./ Contrast: WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER.

[until the last gun is fired] See: TILL THE LAST GUN IS FIRED.

[unturned] See: LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED.

[up against]{prep. phr.} Blocked or threatened by. •/When she applied to medical school, the black woman wondered whether she was up against barriers of sex and race prejudice./

[up against it]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Faced with a great difficulty or problem; badly in need. •/The Smith family is up against it because Mr. Smith cannot find a job./ •/You will be up against it if you don’t pass the test. You will probably fail arithmetic./ Compare: HARD UP, END OF ONE’S ROPE, BACK TO THE WALL(2).

[up and about] or [around]{adv. phr.} Recovered and able to move about; once again in good health after an illness. •/My sister was ill for several weeks, but is now up and about again./