been in the wars
been through the wars
Видавший виды; что-то что долго использовалось и за чем, возможно, был плохой уход.
He arrived in a car that looked as if it had been in the wars.
Он приехал на машине, которая выглядела, будто побывала на войне.
before one can say Jack Robinson
between two shakes of a lamb's tail
in the twinkling of an eye
Very quickly; suddenly. An overused phrase.
Очень быстро; неожиданно.
Before I could say Jack Robinson, the boy was gone.
She could do it in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.
Она могла это делать быстро и без затруднений.
bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Something we have, or can easily get, is more valuable than something we want that we may not be able to get; we shouldn't risk losing something sure by trying to get something that is not sure. A proverb.
Johnny has a job as a paperboy, but he wants a job in a gas station. His father says that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
blue in the face
Very angry or upset; excited and very emotional.
Дословно: до посинения.
Быть очень сердитым; быть очень возбужденным и эмоциональным.
Быть очень сердитым; быть очень возбужденным и эмоциональным.
Tom argued with Bill until he was blue in the face.
Mary scolded Jane until she was blue in the face, but Jane kept on using Mary's paints.
I’ve been arguing with my friend for 5 hours until I was blue in my face.
Я спорил со своим другом 5 часов до посинения.
brain trust
A group of specially trained, highly intelligent experts in a given field.
Группа специально обученных, одаренных экспертов в какой-либо области.
Albert Einstein gathered a brain trust around himself at the Princeton Institute of Advanced Studies.
Our company had troubles with taxes so our boss had to hire a brain trust.
У нашей компании были проблемы с налогами, поэтому нашему начальнику пришлось нанять группу экспертов.
bred in the bone
Belonging to your nature or character, especially from early teaching or long habit; natural from belief or habit; believing deeply. Often used with hyphens.
The Willett children's cleanness is bred in the none.
Joe is a bred-in-the-bone horseman; he has been riding since he was six.
bring out the big guns
wheel in the big guns
bring up the big guns
To make use of a concealed plan in order to defeat an opponent in an argument or in a game, debate, or competition.
The new computer software company decided to bring out the big guns to get ahead of the competition.
build castles in the air
build castles in Spain
To make impossible or imaginary plans, dream about future successes that are unlikely.
He liked to build castles in the air, but never succeeded in anything.
To build castles in Spain is natural for young people and they may work hard enough to get part of their wishes.