at any rate
In any case; anyhow.
It isn't much of a car, but at any rate it was not expensive.
at this rate
at that rate
At a speed like this or that; with progress like this or that.
John's father said that if John kept going at that rate he would never finish cutting the grass.
So Johnny has a whole dollar! At this rate he'll be a millionaire.
"Three 100's in the last four tests! At this rate you'll soon be teaching the subject," Tom said to Mary.
blow the whistle on
rat on
To inform against; betray.
Сообщить о чьих-то действиях, как правило незаконных; предать; "настучать".
The police caught one of the bank robbers, and he blew the whistle on two more.
I blew a whistle for the man who stole old lady's bag.
Я дал показания против человека, укравшего сумку пожилой леди.
To act against, stop, or tell people the secrets of (crime or lawlessness).
The mayor blew the whistle on gambling.
The police blew the whistle on hot reading.
cut rate
A lower price; a price less than usual.
Toys are on sale at the store for cut rates.
cut-rate
Sold for a price lower than usual; selling cheap things.
If you buy cut-rate things, be sure they are good quality first.
John's brother bought a cut-rate bicycle at the second-hand store.
There is a cut-rate drug-store on the corner.
disappear into thin air
evaporate into thin air
vanish into thin air
To disappear quickly, without leaving a trace.
Money seems to disappear into thin air these days.
Jack just vanished into thin air before the meeting had started.
first-rate
Excellent, superb
The food served in that four-star restaurant is truly first-rate.
The Beverly Hills Hotel provides first-rate service to its guests.
from scratch
start from scratch
With no help from anything done before; from the beginning; from nothing.
Dick built a radio from scratch.
In sewing class, Mary already knew how to sew a little, but Jane had to start from scratch.