running start
Good progress at the beginning.
The team was off to a running start, having won the first two games.
Contributions of $5000 before the drive began gave the charity fund a running start.
salt of the earth
One who helps to make society good and wholesome; a basically good or valuable person.
Everyone here considers Syd and Susan the salt of the earth because they are so generous.
search one's heart
search one's soul
heart-searching
soul-searching
To study your reasons and acts; try to discover if you have been fair and honest.
The teacher searched his heart trying to decide if he had been unfair in failing Tom.
After much heart-searching, Jean told Beth she was sorry for the unkind things she had said.
The minister preached a soul-searching sermon about the thoughtless ways people hurt each other.
set one's heart on
have one's heart on
heart set
To want very much. To be very desirous of; hope very much to succeed in. Used with a verbal noun.
He set his heart on that bike.
He set his heart on winning the race.
She has her heart set on taking a trip abroad. She's been thinking about it for months.
Todd has his heart set on going to medical school and becoming a doctor.
smart alec
Надоедливый, напористый человек, который старается пустить пыль в глаза свои интеллектом.
Some smart Alec interrupted the game claiming that the answers were incorrect!
Какой-то умник прервал игру, заявив, что ответы были неправильные!
Don't be such a smart Alec.
Не надо так умничать.
softhearted
Generous; sympathetic.
Street beggars tend to exploit the softhearted nature of passersby.
start in
To begin to do something; start.
Fred started in weeding the garden.
The family started in eating supper.
To begin a career.
Bob started in as an office boy and became president.
To give a first job to.
The bank started him in as a clerk.
start out
To begin to go somewhere.
Bill started out for school on his bicycle.
Art started out on a voyage around the world.
To begin a career or life.
Harry started out as an errand boy in a business office.
We all start out in life as helpless infants.
To give one a first job.
The garage man started Pete out as a grease rack man.