poor as a church mouse
Penniless; broke; extremely poor.
The newly arrived boat people were poor as church mice.
put one's house in order
set one's house in order
To arrange your affairs in good order.
Организовывать свои дела в правильном, хорошем порядке.
Grandfather knew he would not live long and set his house in order.
When Mr. Black died, his lawyer helped the widow put her house in order.
The government should put its own house in order before telling other countries what to do.
Правительство должно привести в порядок свои дела, прежде чем указывать другим странам, что делать.
You’d better put your own house in order before telling me what to do.
Сначала бы сам навел порядок в своих делах, а потом бы говорил, что мне делать.
put to use
To use.
During the early part of the Korean war the cooks and office workers of the U.S. Army were put to use in battle.
Henry decided to put his dictionary to use.
I wish you'd put the lawn mower to use!
quiet as a mouse
Дословно: Тихий как мышь.
The burglar was as quiet as a mouse as he moved around the house.
Грабитель двигался по дому тише мыши.
roughhouse
rough house
Riotous play or commotion.
Шумная ссора, драка.
I told the boys they can play in the attic if there is no roughhouse.
They made a rough house out of a little problem.
Они создали шумную ссору из-за маленькой проблемы.
To play very wildly; be running around as young boys usually do.
"Stop roughhousing this minute," Grandma cried. "Your father will be home soon."
shout from the housetops
shout from the rooftops
To tell everyone; broadcast, especially one's own personal business.
Mr. Clark was so happy when his son was born that he shouted the news from the housetops.
When Mary bleached her hair, her neighbors shouted it from the housetops.
show cause
To give a reason or explanation.
The judge asked the defendants to show cause why they should not be held without bail.
tongues wag
tongues to wag
cause tongues to wag
make tongues wag
set tongues wagging
People speak in an excited or gossipy manner; people spread rumors.
If married women go out with other men, tongues will wag.
When the bank clerk showed up in an expensive new car, tongues wagged.