out of one's sails
take the wind out of one's sails
To surprise someone by doing better or by catching him in an error.
John came home boasting about the fish he had caught; it took the wind out of his sails when he found his little sister had caught a bigger one.
Dick took the wind out of Bob's sails by showing him where he was wrong.
sail close to the wind
To be on the borderline between legality and illegality.
Быть на грани законного и не законного; рисковать.
The wealthy tycoon sailed close to the wind during Prohibition.
He seems to invest his money well although he often sails close to the wind.
Кажется, он надежно вложил деньги, хотя он всегда рискует.
second wind
second breath
get one's second wind
The easier breathing that follows difficult breathing when one makes a severe physical effort, as in running or swimming./
After the first quarter mile, a mile runner usually gets his second wind and can breathe better.
We climbed with labored breathing for half an hour, but then got our second wind and went up more easily.
The refreshed feeling you get after first becoming tired while doing something and then becoming used to it.
Tom became very tired of working at his algebra, but after a while he got his second wind and began to enjoy it.
straw in the wind
A small sign of what may happen.
The doctor's worried face was a straw in the wind.
The quickly-called meeting of the President and his cabinet was a straw in the wind.
three sheets in the wind
three sheets to the wind
Unsteady from too much liquor; drunk.
The sailor came down the street, three sheets in the wind.
throw caution to the winds
throw discretion to the winds
To be daring; make a bold or risky move.
Быть бесстрашным; совершить дерзкий или рискованный поступок; забыть об опасности.
Hearing that Apaches were planning to start a war, the whites decided to throw caution to the winds and attack the Apaches first.
The weather was so good; he threw caution to the wind and went sailing alone.
Погода была такая хорошая, что он забыл обо всех опасностях и вышел в море один.
tilt at windmills
To do battle with an imaginary foe (after Cervantes' Don Quixote).
John is a nice guy but when it comes to departmental meetings he wastes everybody's time by constantly tilting at windmills.
way the wind blows
how the wind blows
The direction or course something may go; how things are; what may happen.
Most senators find put which way the wind blows in their home state before voting on bills in Congress.