draw a line in the sand
Установить определенные границы, за пределами которых какая-либо ситуация или активность неприемлемы.
That's it! We're going to draw a line in the sand and make this our final proposal.
Достаточно! Мы подводим черту и делаем это нашим последним предложением.
drop in the bucket
A relatively small amount; a small part of the whole.
Our university needs several million dollars for its building renovation project; $50,000 is a mere drop in the bucket.
eyes in the back of one's head
Ability to know what happens when your back is turned.
Mother must have eyes in the back of her head, because she always knows when I do something wrong.
fat is in the fire
Something has happened that will cause trouble or make a bad situation worse.
He found out you took it? Well, the fat's in the fire now.
feet on the ground
get one's feet on the ground
keep one's feet on the ground
have one's feet planted firmly in the ground
An understanding of what can be done; sensible ideas. Used with a possessive.
John has his feet on the ground; he knows he cannot learn everything at once.
Ted dreams of sudden riches, but Henry keeps his feet on the ground and expects to work for his money.
Mrs. Smith was a dreamer, but her husband was a man with his feet on the ground.
fill the gap
fill in the gap
To supply a missing piece of information; provide a clue during the course of solving a mystery.
Sherlock Holmes said, "These fingerprints are bound to fill the gap in our investigation."
finger in the pie
Something to do with what happens; part interest or responsibility.
Готовить предстоящее событие, быть вовлеченным, участвовать.
When the girls got up a Christmas party, I felt sure Alice had a finger in the pie.
The Jones Company was chosen to build the new hospital and we knew Mr. Smith had a finger in the pie.
Jack is a boy with a finger in every pie at school, from dramatics to football.
For information about the town development project, you should talk to John Brown. He has a finger in every pie.
Если вам нужна информация о проекте развития города, вам следует поговорить с Джоном. Он в курсе многих дел.
Did I tell you my boss is threatening to fire me because I'm too weird? But I don't really care because I've got all my other jobs. On Monday I’m a fire eater, on Tuesdays I'm a brain surgeon, on Wednesdays I'm a clown, on Thursdays I'm an astronaut and on Fridays I'm... a traffic warden. I've got my fingers in many pies!
Я говорил вам, мой шеф грозится уволить меня, потому что я слишком странный? Но меня это действительно не волнует, потому что у меня есть много других профессий. В понедельник я глотатель огня, по вторникам я нейрохирург, по средам я клоун, по четвергам я астронавт, а по пятницам я... инспектор дорожного движения! У меня действительно много занятий!
fish in muddy waters
fisth in troubled waters
To take advantage of a troubled or confusing situation; seek personal advantage.
Предпринять некоторые действия, чтобы получить выгоду; "ловить рыбку в мутной воде".
With the police disorganized after the collapse of communism in Europe, many criminals started to fish in troubled waters.
I hate people fishing in troubled waters in order to gather information.
Я ненавижу людей, которые «ловят рыб в мутной воде», чтобы собирать информацию.