до ручки
to be at the end of one’s tether
I am at the end of my tether, and if I hear that noise again, I’ll scream.
доходить до ушей (чьих-л.)
to come to someone’s ears
It has come to our ears that you have bought a new house.
дрожать как осиновый лист
to shake like a leaf
The boy stood in the corner shaking like a leaf.
дурной глаз
the evil eye
Nothing is going right for him – he is sure somebody put the evil eye on him.
дух захватывает (у кого-л.)
to take someone’s breath away
The girl was so beautiful she took my breath away.
душа нараспашку (у кого-л.)
to wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve
I think she was really disappointed about your absence, but she is not a person who wears her heart on her sleeve.
душа общества
the life and soul of the party
He is so quiet at work that you’d never think he was the life and soul of the party last night.
душа ушла в пятки (у кого-л.)
to have one’s heart in one’s boots; one’s heart sank to one’s boots
I had my heart in my boots when I went to see the director.
When I saw his face, my heart sank to my boots.
души не чаять (в ком-л.)
to think the world of someone
She thinks the world of her husband.
дым коромыслом
all hell breaks loose
All hell broke loose in the house when the children started to play cowboys and Indians.
дырявая голова
to have a head/memory like a sieve
I can’t remember her name – I’ve got a memory like a sieve.
дышать на ладан (быть при смерти)
to have one foot in the grave
His children treat him as though he has one foot in the grave.
дышать на ладан (существовать последние дни)
to be on one’s last legs
My fridge is on its last legs – I’ve had it twenty years.
если бы да кабы
if wishes were horses, beggars would ride
если уж на то пошло
come to that
I haven’t seen Judy for a long time. Come to that, I haven’t seen her husband either.
ехать в Тулу со своим самоваром
to carry coals to Newcastle
Taking her flowers would be like carrying coals to Newcastle – she grows flowers in her own garden.
ждать, откуда ветер подует
to see how the wind blows; to see which way the cat jumps
Before we tell them about our plans, I think we should see which way the wind blows.
My husband always waits to see which way the cat is going to jump before making a decision.
жечь корабли
to burn one’s boats
I’ve burnt my boats by telling my boss that I was leaving, but I haven’t got another job.
Жив курилка!
there is life in the old dog yet
жив-здоров
safe and sound; alive and kicking
Her son returned safe and sound from the war.
The last time I saw John, he was alive and kicking.
живого места не оставить (на ком-л.)
to beat someone black and blue; to beat the living daylights out of someone
The man beat Tom black and blue for stealing.
If you do that again, I’ll beat the living daylights out of you.
жить как кошка с собакой
to lead a cat and dog life
She and her brother lead a cat and dog life. They are always quarrelling.
жить не по средствам
to live beyond one’s means
No wonder the Browns are deeply in debt; they have been living beyond their means for years.
жребий брошен
the die is cast
I’m not sure that I’ll find a better job but the die is cast – I’ve told my boss I wanted to leave.
за спиной
