be in a stew
To be worried, harassed, upset.
Al has been in a stew ever since he got word that his sister was going to marry his worst enemy.
be in labor
To be in parturition; experience the contractions of childbirth.
Vane had been in labor for eight hours before her twin daughters were finally born.
be in the hat
Быть в затруднительном положении.
I’m really sorry, but I can’t lend the money. I am in the hat now.
Мне правда очень жаль, но я не могу одолжить тебе денег. Я сам сейчас в затруднительном положении.
be in
To be popular or fashionable, to be available at one’s work or home.
Most young people tend to want anything that is in at the time, but a few don’t care about current trends.
Could you please tell me when Mrs. Zachary will be in? I’d like to talk to her soon.
These days, designer jeans are in and long skirts are out.
be into something
get into something
To have taken something up partly as a nobby, partly as a serious interest of sorts (basically resulting from the new consciousness and self-realization movement that originated in the late Sixties).
Roger's wife is into women's liberation and women's consciousness.
Did you know that Syd is seriously into transcendental meditation?
Jack found out that his teenage son is into pot smoking and gave him a serious scolding.
What sports are you into? I don’t have any time to get into sports.
be itching to
have an itch for
To have a very strong desire to do something.
Jack is itching to travel abroad.
be looking up
things are looking up
Informal way to say that conditions are improving.
Things are looking up at our university as the governor promised a 5% salary raise.
The board chairman is glad to report that things are looking up for the company after several years of declining sales.
Prospects for building that new library in the downtown area are looking up.
be the making of
To account for the success of someone or something.
The strict discipline that we had to undergo in graduate school was the making of many a successful professor.
The relatively low cost and high gas mileage are the making of Chevrolet's Geo Metro cars.