Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[big head]{n.}, {informal} Too high an opinion of your own ability or importance; conceit. •/When Jack was elected captain of the team, it gave him a big head./ Compare: SWELLED HEAD.

[big house]{n.} A large jail or prison. •/The rapist will spend many years in the big house./

[big lie, the]{n.}, {informal} A major, deliberate misrepresentation of some important issue made on the assumption that a bold, gross lie is psychologically more believable than a timid, minor one. •/We all heard the big lie during the Watergate months./ •/The pretense of democracy by a totalitarian regime is part of the big lie about its government./

[big mouth] or [big-mouthed] See: LOUD MOUTH, LOUD-MOUTHED.

[big shot] or [big wig] {n.} An important or influential person. •/Elmer is a big shot in the State Assembly./

[big stink]{n.}, {slang} A major scandal; a big upheaval. •/I’ll raise a big stink if they fire me./

[big time]{n.}, {informal} 1. A very enjoyable time at a party or other pleasurable gathering. •/I certainly had a big time at the club last night./ 2. The top group; the leading class; the best or most important company. •/After his graduation from college, he soon made the big time in baseball./ •/Many young actors go to Hollywood, but few of them reach the big time./

[big-time]{adj.} Belonging to the top group; of the leading class; important. •/Jean won a talent contest in her home town, and only a year later she began dancing on big-time television./ •/Bob practices boxing in the gym every day; he wants to become a big time boxer./ — Often used in the phrase "big-time operator". •/Just because Bill has a new football uniform he thinks he is a big-time operator./ Compare: SHOW OFF. Contrast: SMALL-TIME.

[big top]{n.} The main tent under which a circus gives its show; the circus and circus life. •/Lillian Leitzel was one of the great stars of the big top./ •/The book tells of life under the big top./

[big wheel]{n.}, {informal} An influential or important person who has the power to do things and has connections in high places. •/Uncle Ferdinand is a big wheel in Washington; maybe he can help you with your problem./

[big yawn]{n.} A very boring person, story or event. •/I love my grandma very much, but the stories she tells sure are a yawn./

[bill] See: CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH, FILL THE BILL.

[bind] See: DUTY BOUND, IN A BIND, MUSCLE BOUND, ROOT-BOUND.

[bingo card]{n.}, {slang} A response card, bound into a periodical, containing numbers keyed to editorial or advertising matter, giving the reader the opportunity to send for further information by marking the numbers of the items he is interested in; such a card can be mailed free of charge. •/Jack thinks he is saving time by filling out bingo cards instead of writing a letter./

[bird] See: EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM or EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM, EAT LIKE A BIRD, FINE FEATHERS DO NOT MAKE FINE BIRDS, FOR THE BIRDS, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.

[bird has flown]{slang} The prisoner has escaped; the captive has got away. •/When the sheriff returned to the jail, he discovered that the bird had flown./