put the cart before the horse
Isn’t it rather putting the cart before the horse to buy the furniture when you haven’t yet moved to your new house?
держать (свое) слово
to keep one’s word
You must keep your word if you promised to help him.
держать в ежовых рукавицах (кого-л.)
to keep a tight rein on someone; to rule someone with a rod of iron
The teacher kept a tight rein on his students.
His wife rules him with a rod of iron.
держать в неведении (кого-л.)
to keep someone in the dark
Peter kept his wife in the dark about his plans to buy a new car.
держать в руках (кого-л./что-л.)
to have someone/something in the palm of one’s hand
The politician has the local press in the palm of his hand.
держать в узде (кого-л./что-л.)
to keep a tight rein on someone/something
She had to keep a tight rein on her feelings.
держать на почтительном расстоянии (кого-л.)
to keep someone at arm’s length
Jack wanted to know my sister better, but she kept him at arm’s length.
держать на коротком поводке (кого-л.)
to have someone on a string
He has his poor wife on a string – she always does what he says.
держать под каблуком (кого-л.)
to have someone in the palm of one’s hand
My sister has her husband in the palm of her hand.
держать порох сухим
to keep one’s powder dry
We must act cautiously and keep our powder dry.
держать рот на замке
to keep one’s mouth shut; to button one’s lip(s)
Will he keep his mouth shut about the mistake we made?
Button your lip about me being late for work.
держать руку на пульсе
to keep one’s finger on the pulse
My father has retired from the company now, but he still likes to keep his finger on the pulse.
держать ухо востро
to keep/have one’s ear to the ground; to keep one’s eyes open; to keep a weather eye open
If you keep your ear to the ground you’ll soon find a good job.
Keep your eyes open and see if you can learn something.
A crisis is boiling up. Keep a weather eye open.
держать хвост пистолетом
to keep one’s chin up
Keep your chin up – things will get better.
держать язык за зубами
to hold one’s tongue; to keep mum
I don’t think he can be trusted to hold his tongue.
Please keep mum about my plans to go into medicine.
держаться за юбку (кого-л.)
to be tied to someone’s apron-strings
He can’t make any decisions himself because he is tied too much to his mother’s apron-strings.
держаться на ниточке
to hang by a thread
His chances to win the election were hanging by a thread.
детские игрушки
child’s play; kids’ stuff
My brother is an experienced mountaineer, so climbing that mountain was child’s play to him.
Making chairs is kid’s stuff to my father.
дешевле пареной репы
dirt cheap
He got that computer dirt cheap.
до второго пришествия
till kingdom come
I don’t want to wait till kingdom come for you to decide what to do.
до кончиков ногтей
to one’s fingertips
He is an artist to his fingertips.
до мозга костей
to the backbone; through and through
Your brother is a gentleman to the backbone.
She is a liar through and through.
до поры до времени
for the time being
I am staying at the hotel for the time being.
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