Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц - Makkai Adam (книга жизни .txt) 📗

[kneeling bus]{n.}, {informal} A bus equipped with a hydraulic device to enable it to drop almost to curb level for greater ease of boarding and leaving vehicle, as a convenience for elderly or handicapped passengers. •/The man on crutches was pleased to see the kneeling bus./

[knell] See: DEATH KNELL.

[knit] See: CLOSE-KNIT.

[knitting] See: STICK TO ONE’S KNITTING or TEND TO ONE’S KNITTING.

[knock] See: SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS.

[knock about] or [knock around] {v.} To travel without a plan; go where you please. •/After he graduated from college, Joe knocked about for a year seeing the country before he went to work in his father’s business./ Compare: KICK AROUND.

[knock back on one’s heels] See: SET BACK ON ONE’S HEELS.

[knock cold]{v. phr.}, {informal} To render unconscious. •/The blow on the chin knocked Harry cold./

[knock down]{v. phr.} To reduce; lower. •/The realtors said that if we decided to buy the house, they would knock the price down by 10%./

[knocked out]{adj.}, {slang} Intoxicated; drugged; out of one’s mind. •/Jim sounds so incoherent, he must be knocked out./

[knock for a loop] or [throw for a loop] {v. phr.}, {slang} To surprise very much. •/When I heard they were moving, I was really knocked for a loop./ •/The news of their marriage threw me for a loop./

[knock it off]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To stop talking about something considered not appropriate or nonsensical by the listener.?—?Used frequently as an imperative. •/Come on, Joe, knock it off, you’re not making any sense at all!/ 2. To cease doing something; to quit.?—?Heavily favored in the imperative. •/Come on boys, knock it off, you’re breaking the furniture in my room!/

[knock off]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To burglarize someone. •/They knocked off the Manning residence./ 2. To murder someone. •/The gangsters knocked off Herman./

[knock off one’s feet]{v. phr.} To surprise (someone) so much that he does not know what to do. •/Her husband’s death knocked Mrs. Jones off her feet./ •/When Charlie was given the prize, it knocked him off his feet for a few minutes./ Compare: BOWL OVER(2), SWEEP OFF ONE’S FEET.

[knock one’s block off]{v. phr.}, {slang} To hit someone very hard; beat someone up. •/Stay out of my yard or I’ll knock your block off./ •/Jim will knock your block off if he catches you riding his bike./

[knock oneself out]{v. phr.}, {informal} To work very hard; make a great effort. •/Mrs. Ross knocked herself out planning her daughter’s wedding./ •/Tom knocked himself out to give his guests a good time./ Compare: BREAK ONE’S NECK, FALL OVER BACKWARDS, OUT OF ONE’S WAY.

[knock on wood]{v. phr.} To knock on something made of wood to keep from having bad luck.?—?Many people believe that you will have bad luck if you talk about good luck or brag about something, unless you knock on wood; often used in a joking way. •/Charles said, "I haven’t been sick all winter." Grandfather said, "You’d better knock on wood when you say that."/

[knockout]{n.}, {slang} 1. Strikingly beautiful woman. •/Sue is a regular knockout./ 2. A straight punch in boxing that causes one’s opponent to fall and lose consciousness. •/The champion won the fight with a straight knockout./

[knock out]{v. phr.} To make helpless, unworkable, or unusable. •/The champion knocked out the challenger in the third round./ •/The soldier knocked out two enemy tanks with his bazooka./

[knock over]{v. phr.} To overturn; upset. •/I accidentally knocked over the Chinese lamp that fell on size floor and broke./

[knock the living daylights out of]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To render (someone) unconscious (said in exaggeration). •/The news almost knocked the living daylights out of me./

[knock the stuffing out of] See: KNOCK THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF.

[knot] See: TIE IN KNOTS, TIE THE KNOT.

[knotty problem]{n. phr.} A very complicated and difficult problem to solve. •/Doing one’s income tax properly can present a knotty problem./

[know] See: FOR ALL ONE KNOWS, GOD KNOWS or GOODNESS KNOWS or HEAVEN KNOWS, IN THE KNOW, NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN or NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO JUMP.

[know a thing or two about]{v. phr.} To be experienced in; have a fairly considerable knowledge of. •/Tom has dealt with many foreign traders; he knows a thing or two about stocks and bonds./

[know enough to come in out of the rain]{v. phr.} To have good sense; know how to take care of yourself.?—?Usually used in the negative. •/Bob does so many foolish things that his mother says he doesn’t know enough to come in out of the rain./ •/Sally may look stupid, but she knows enough to come in out of the rain./

[know-how]{n.}, {slang} Expertise; ability to devise and construct. •/The United States had the know-how to beat the Soviet Union to the moon in 1969./

[know if one is coming or going] or [know whether one is coming or going] {v. phr.} To feel able to think clearly; know what to do.?—?Usually used in the negative or with limiters. •/On Monday, the car broke down; on Tuesday, Mother broke her arm; on Wednesday, the children all became ill with the mumps; by Thursday, poor Father didn’t know if he was coming or going./ •/My cousin is so much in love that she scarcely knows whether she’s coming or going./ Compare: IN A FOG.

[know in one’s bones] See: FEEL IN ONE’S BONES.

[know-it-all]{n.} A person who acts as if he knows all about everything; someone who thinks no one can tell him anything new. •/After George was elected as class president, he wouldn’t take suggestions from anyone; he became a know-it-all./?—?Also used like an adjective. •/The other students didn’t like George’s know-it-all attitude./

[knowledge] See: A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE.

[know one in high places]{v. phr.} To be connected with people in power. •/Ted’s grandfather was the mayor of Chicago so he knows people in high places./

[know one is alive]{v. phr.} Not to notice a person.?—?Used with negative or limiting words and in questions. •/She was a good-looking girl but she didn’t know I was alive./ Compare: GIVE A HANG.

[know one’s own mind]{v. phr.} To no( hesitate or vacillate; be definite in one’s ideas or plans. •/It is impossible to do business with Fred, because he doesn’t know his own mind./

[know one’s place]{v. phr.} To be deferential to one’s elders or superiors. •/Ken is a talented teaching assistant, but he has a tendency to tell the head of the department how to run things. Somebody ought to teach him to know his place./

[know one’s way around] or [know one’s way about] {v. phr.} 1. To understand how things happen in the world; he experienced in the ways of the world. •/The sailor had been in the wildest ports in the world. He knew his way around./ Compare: HAVE BEEN AROUND. 2. or {informal} [know one’s onions] or [know one’s stuff] To have experience and skill in an activity. •/Before trying to make any pottery, it is better to get advice from someone who knows his stuff in ceramics./ Compare: DRY BEHIND THE EARS.