Π§ΠΈΡΠ°ΡΡ ΠΎΠ½Π»Π°ΠΉΠ½ Β«Π‘Π»ΠΎΠ²Π°ΡΡ Π°ΠΌΠ΅ΡΠΈΠΊΠ°Π½ΡΠΊΠΈΡ ΠΈΠ΄ΠΈΠΎΠΌ: 8000 Π΅Π΄ΠΈΠ½ΠΈΡΒ». Π‘ΡΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΡΠ° 32
ΠΠ²ΡΠΎΡ Adam Makkai
[cross] See: AT CROSS PURPOSES, CARRY ONEβS CROSS, DOUBLE CROSS, KEEP ONEβS FINGERS CROSSED at CROSS ONEβS FINGERS(1b).
[cross a bridge before one comes to it]{v. phr.} To worry about future events or trouble before they happen.βββUsually used in negative sentences, often as a proverb. β’/"Can I be a soldier when I grow up, Mother?" asked Johnny. "Donβt cross that bridge until you come to it," said his mother./ Compare: BORROW TROUBLE.
[cross-check(1)]{v.} To test the truth of by examining in different ways or by seeing different reports about. β’/If you see something in a book that may not be true, be sure to crosscheck it in other books./
[cross-check(2)]{n.} The testing of the truth of by checking one report against another or others. β’/A cross-check with other books will show us if this story is true./
[cross fire]{n.} 1. Firing in a fight or battle from two or more places at once so that the lines of fire cross. β’/The soldiers on the bridge were caught in the crossfire coming from both sides of the bridge./ 2. Fast or angry talking back and forth between two or more people; also, a dispute; a quarrel. β’/There was a cross fire of excited questions and answers between the parents and the children who had been lost in the woods./ β’/The principal and the graduates quarreled about the football team, and the coach was caught in the cross fire and lost his job./
[cross oneβs fingers]{v. phr.} 1a. To cross two fingers of one hand for good luck. β’/Mary crossed her fingers during the race so that Tom would win./ 11b. or [keep oneβs fingers crossed] {informal} To wish for good luck. β’/Keep your fingers crossed while I take the test./ 2. To cross two fingers of one hand to excuse an untruth that you are telling. β’/Johnny crossed his fingers when he told his mother the lie./
[cross oneβs heart] or [cross oneβs heart and hope to die] {v. phr.}, {informal} To say that what you have said is surely true; promise seriously that it is true.βββOften used by children in the longer form. Children often make a sign of a cross over the heart as they say it, for emphasis. β’/"Cross my heart, I didnβt hide your bicycle," Harry told Tom./ β’/"I didnβt tell the teacher what you said. Cross my heart and hope to die," Mary said to Lucy./
[cross oneβs mind] or [pass through oneβs mind] {v. phr.} To be a sudden or passing thought; be thought of by someone; come to your mind; occur to you. β’/At first Bob was puzzled by Virginiaβs waving, but then it crossed his mind that she was trying to tell him something./ β’/When Jane did not come home by midnight, many terrible fears passed through Motherβs mind./
[cross oneβs path]{v. phr.} To meet or encounter someone; to come upon someone more by accident than by plan. β’/Surprisingly, I crossed Johnβs path in Central Park one afternoon./
[cross street]{n.} A street that crosses a main street and runs on both sides of it. β’/Elm Street is a cross street on Main Street and there is a traffic light there./ Compare: THROUGH STREET.
[cross swords]{v. phr.}, {literary} To have an argument with; fight.βββOften used with "with". β’/Donβt argue with the teacher; youβre not old enough to cross swords with her./
[cross the wire]{v. phr.} To finish a race. β’/The Russian crossed the wire just behind the American./
[cross up]{v.}, {informal} 1. To block or upset; throw into confusion or disorder. β’/We were going to catch him at the gate, but he crossed us up by going in the back way./ β’/Father crossed up the surprise party we had planned for him by not getting back in time./ 2. To deceive or be false to. β’/George crossed up his partner by selling a lot of things secretly./
[crow] See: EAT CROW.
[crow before one is out of the woods]{v. phr.} To be glad or brag before you are safe from danger or trouble.βββUsually used in negative sentences, often as a proverb, "Donβt crow before you are out of the woods." β’/John thought his team would win because the game was almost over, but he didnβt want to crow before they were out of the woods./ Often used in a short form, "out of the woods". β’/Mary nearly died during the operation, and she is not out of the woods yet./
[crown jewels]{n. pl.} The crown, staff, and jewels used for the crowning of a king or queen; the crown and jewels representing royal power and authority. β’/The crown jewels are handed down from one king to the next when the new king is crowned./
[crow to pick] See: BONE TO PICK or CROW TO PICK.
[crust] See: UPPER CRUST.
[crux of the matter]{n. phr.} The basic issue at hand; the core essence that one must face. β’/The crux of the matter is that he is incompetent and we will have to fire him./
[cry] See: FAR CRY, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, HUE AND CRY.
[cry] or [scream bloody murder] {v. phr.} To bitterly and loudly complain against an indignity. β’/Pete cried bloody murder when he found out that he didnβt get the promotion he was hoping for./
[cry before one is hurt] or [holler before one is hurt] {v. phr.}, {informal} To complain when there is no reason for it; become upset because you are worried or afraid.βββUsed in negative sentences. β’/When Billy went to the barber, he began to cry before the barber cut his hair and his father told him not to cry before he was hurt./βββOften used as a proverb. β’/John was worried because he would soon have a new boss. His mother said, "Donβt cry before youβre hurt!"/ Syn.: BORROW TROUBLE.
[cry buckets]{v. phr.} To shed an excessive amount of tears. β’/Grandma is crying buckets over the loss of our cat./
[cry for] or [cry out for] {v.}, {informal} To need badly; be lacking in. β’/It has not rained for two weeks and the garden is crying for it./ β’/The school is crying out for good teachers./
[cry out]{v.} 1. To call out loudly; shout; scream. β’/The woman in the water cried out "Help!"/ 2. To complain loudly; protest strongly.βββUsed with "against". β’/Many people are crying out against the new rule./
[cry out for] See: CRY FOR.
[cry over spilled milk] or [cry over spilt milk] {v. phr.}, {informal} To cry or complain about something that has already happened; be unhappy about something that cannot be helped. β’/After the baby tore up Sueβs picture book, Sueβs mother told her there was no use crying over spilled milk./ β’/You have lost the game but donβt cry over spilt milk./ Compare: MAKE ONEβS BED AND LIE IN IT, WATER OVER THE DAM or WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
[crystal ball]{n.} A ball, usually made of quartz crystal (glass) that is used by fortune-tellers. β’/The fortune-teller at the fair looked into her crystal ball and told me that I would take a long trip next year./ 2. Any means of predicting the future. β’/My crystal ball tells me youβll be making the honor roll./
[crystal gazing]{n.} The attempt to predict future events. β’/The magicianβs specialty was crystal gazing./
[cry uncle] See: SAY UNCLE.
[cry wolf]{v. phr.} To give a false alarm; warn of a danger that you know is not there. β’/The general said that the candidate was just crying wolf when he said that the army was too weak to fight for the country./ (From an old story about a shepherd boy who falsely claimed a wolf was killing his sheep, just to start some excitement.)
[cub scout]{n.} A member of the Cub Scouts, the junior branch of the Boy Scouts for boys 8-10 years of age. β’/Jimmie is only seven, too young to be a Cub Scout./
[cucumber] See: COOL AS A CUCUMBER.
[cudgel] See: TAKE UP THE CUDGELS FOR.
[cudgel oneβs brains] See: BEAT ONEβS BRAINS OUT.
[cue in]{v. phr.}, {informal} To add new information to that which is already known. β’/Letβs not forget to cue in Joe on what has been happening./
[cuff] See: OFF-THE-CUFF, ON THE CUFF.
[culture vulture]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A person who is an avid cultural sightseer, one who seeks out cultural opportunities ostentatiously, such as going to the opera or seeing every museum in a town visited, and brags about it. β’/Aunt Mathilda is a regular culture vulture; she spends every summer in a different European capital going to museums and operas./
[cup] See: IN ONEβS CUPS.
[cup of tea] also [dish of tea] {n. phr.}, {informal} 1. Something you enjoy or do well at; a special interest, or favorite occupation. Used with a possessive. β’/You could always get him to go for a walk: hiking was just his cup of tea./ Compare: DOWN ONEβS ALLEY. 2. Something to think about; thing; matter. β’/Thatβs another cup of tea./ Compare: KETTLE OF FISH.
[curb service]{n.} Waiting on customers while they sit in their cars. β’/Families with small children often look for hamburger stands that offer curb service./
[curiosity killed the cat]{informal} Getting too nosy may lead a person into trouble.βββA proverb. β’/"Curiosity killed the cat," Fredβs father said, when he found Fred hunting around in closets just before Christmas./
[curl] See: PIN CURL.
[curl oneβs hair]{v. phr.}, {slang} To shock; frighten; horrify; amaze. β’/Wait till you read what it says about youβββthisβll curl your hair./ β’/The movie about monsters from another planet curled his hair./
[curl up]{v.} 1a. To become curly or wavy. β’/Bacon curls up when it is cooked./ 1b. To roll oneself into a ball. β’/Tim curled up in bed and was asleep in five minutes./ 2. See: FOLD UP.
[current] See: SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT.
[curry favor]{v.} To flatter or serve someone to get his help or friendship. β’/Joe tried to curry favor with the new teacher by doing little services that she didnβt really want./ β’/Jim tried to curry favor with the new girl by telling her she was the prettiest girl in the class./ Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.
[curve] See: THROW A CURVE.
[cut] See: FISH OR CUT BAIT.
[cut a class]{v. phr.} To be truant; to deliberately miss a class and do something else instead. β’/"If you keep cutting classes the way you do, you will almost surely flunk this course," Johnβs professor said to him./
[cut a figure]{v. phr.} To make a favorable impression; carry off an activity with dignity and grace. β’/With his handsome face and sporty figure, Harry cuts quite a figure with all the ladies./
[cut across]{v.} 1. To cross or go through instead of going around; go a short way. β’/John didnβt want to walk to the corner and turn, so he cut across the yard to the next street./ 2. To go beyond to include; stretch over to act on; affect. β’/The love for reading cuts across all classes of people, rich and poor./
[cut-and-dried]{adj. phr.} Decided or expected beforehand; following the same old line; doing the usual thing. β’/The decision of the judge was cut-and-dried./ β’/The ways of the kingβs court were cut-and-dried./ β’/People at the convention heard many cut-and-dried speeches./
[cut and run]{v.}, {informal} To abandon an unfavorable situation. β’/When the price of coffee dropped sharply many investors wanted to cut and run./
[cut a swathe]{v. phr.} 1a. To mow a path through a field. β’/The farmer cut a swathe through the high grass with his scythe./ 1b. To cut down as if by mowing. β’/The machine gun cut a swathe in the lines of enemy soldiers./ 2. {informal} To attract notice; make an impression; seem important. β’/The movie star cut a wide swathe when he walked down the street./ β’/John tries to show off and cut a big swathe with the girls./ Compare: GO OVER(6), MAKE A HIT.
[cut back]{v.} 1. To change direction suddenly while going at full speed. β’/The halfback started to his left, cut back to his right, and ran for a touchdown./ 2. To use fewer or use less. β’/After the big job was finished, the builder cut back the number of men working for him./ β’/The school employed forty teachers until a lower budget forced it to cut back./