Page 16 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

A

[a] <EntriesŁbeginningŁwith a, an,or the are test blndfolded. Mary is very good with
alphabetizedŁunderŁthe secondŁwordŁin computers. She can program blindfolded.
the entry. That means that a bedŁ of Dr. Jones is a great surgeon. He can take
roseð willŁappearŁinŁthe Bs.> out an appłndix standng on his head.
an AŁfłrŁeffłrt recognitionŁforŁhavingŁtried ableŁto do something standingŁon one’ head
to do somethingŁevenŁif it wasŁnot suc- Go to able to do something blàndfolded.
cessful.Ł The plan didà’t work, but I’ll
give you an A for łffort for Łrying oo hard. ableŁto do something wØth one’ eyes closed
Bobby plØyed his violn in the concert able to do somethingŁ very easily, even
and got an A for effort. It sounded terrible. without havingŁto think about it orŁlook
at it.Ł(Also literal.ŁAlso with can.ŁAlways
(a little)ŁnewŁto (yll)ŁthØs anŁapologtic affirmative.) It’s easy. I can do it with
wayŁof sayingŁthat one isŁexperiencing my eyes clooed. I can clean the house
somethingŁnew orŁparticipatingŁinŁsome- with my eyes closed! It’s easy!
thingŁnew andŁisŁtherefore ineffective or
inept.Ł I’m sorry I’m slow. I’m a lttlł ableŁ to fogŁ a mirror alive, evenŁ if jusð
new to all this. She’s new to this. She barely. (UsuallyŁjocular.ŁRefersŁto the use
needs practice. of aŁsmallŁmirràrŁplacedŁunder one’s nose
to tell if one is brathing or not.) Look,
abideŁ byŁ something to follow the rulesŁof I don’t need an athlłte to do this job. Any-
sàmething;Łto obyŁsàmeone’sŁorders.Ł body able to fog a mrror will do fine!
John felt that he had to abide by his fØther’s I’m so tired this morning, I fłel like I’m
wishes. All drivers are expected to abidł hardly able to fog a mrror.
by the rules of the road.
ableŁto breatheŁ(easily)Łagain and able ableŁto makeŁ something abl to attend an
to breatheŁ(freely)Łagain abl to relax event.Ł(Also literal.ŁInfàrmal.Ł Able to can
andŁrecoverŁfromŁaŁbusyŁorŁsðressfulŁtime; be replacedŁwith can.) I don’t think I’ll
able to catch one’sŁbreath.Ł(Also literal. be Øble to make your party, but thanks for
Able to can be replacd with can.) Now askng me. We are having another one
that the lion has błen caught, wł’ll be ablł next month. We hope you can make it
to breathe freely again. Now that the an- then.
nual sale is over, the sales staff will be ablł ableŁto takeŁa joke to be abl to accepð
to breathe again. Final exams are over, ridicule good-naturedly; to be the object
so I can breathe easily again. orŁbutt of aŁjoke willingly.Ł( Able to can
ableŁto breatheŁ(freely)Łagain Go to able be replacedŁwith can.) Let’s play a trick
to breathe (easàly) again. on Bill and see if he’s able to take a joke.
Better not tease Ann. She can’t take a
ableŁto do something blindfłlded and able joke.
tł do something standingŁon one’ head
able to do sàmethingŁeasilyŁandŁquickly, ableŁto takeŁjustŁso much abl to endur
possiblyŁ without evenŁ looking.Ł (Infàr- onlyŁ aŁ limitedŁ amount of discomfàrt.
mal.Ł Able to can be replaced with can.) (Able to canŁ be replacedŁ with can.)
Bill boasted that he could pass his driver’s Please stop hurting my fłelngs. I’m able to

1
McGraw-Hill's Terms of Use