Английские идиомы (34) - Expectation

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Как часто мы во что-то верим очень сильно... и очень часто ошибаемся... на этот раз без большого предисловия. Только напомню про программу "Английский как родной" - это лучший, хоть и не самый быстрый, путь к освоению английского языка.

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the calm before the storm or the lull before the storm

You describe a very quiet period as the calm before the storm or the lull before the storm if it is followed by a period of trouble or intense activity.

Things are relatively relaxed at the moment but I think it's probably the calm before the storm.

The Emergency Department is fairly quiet, it's probably the lull before the storm.

castles in the air

If you describe someone's plans as castles in the air, you mean that they are not realistic and have no chance of succeeding.

The population began to understand that the president's election promises had been castles in the air.

not count your chickens or not count your chickens before they're hatched

If you say that you are not counting your chickens (before they're hatched), you mean that you are not making plans for the future because you do not know for certain how a particular situation will develop.

If we get through to the next stage we'll be competing against some top-class sides, so I'm not counting my chickens.

When dealing with important financial arrangements, never count your chickens before they're hatched.

Note: You can also use the proverb don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched from which this expression comes.

The contract is not signed yet. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

feel something in your bones

If you say that you can feel something in your bones, you mean that you feel very strongly that you are right about something, although you cannot explain why.

Joe, I have a hunch you're going to lose tonight. I just feel it in my bones.

Note: You can also use know , believe, and sense instead of feel.

Tradition is very important - you'd think a conservative would know that in his bones.

Note: You can also say that you have a feeling in your bones.

I've got a feeling in my bones we're going to lose this by-election.

not have a prayer

If you say that someone does not have a prayer, you mean that it is impossible for them to achieve something.

The team was on such good form their opponents didn't have a prayer.

it's early days or it's early in the day

If you say that it's early days or it's early in the day, you mean that it is too soon to be sure about what will happen about a situation in the future. [BRITISH]

We haven't made a lot of progress, but it's early days yet.

The spokesman did not expect any immediate changes. 'It is very early in the day yet.'

like looking for a needle in a haystack

If trying to find something is like looking for a needle in a haystack, it is extremely difficult or impossible.

She was told by police that searching for the dog would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Note: This usage o f this expression is very variable.

It soon became clear that we were looking for a needle in a haystack.

It's very much a needle in a haystack situation that we're dealing with.

a long shot

If you describe a way of solving a problem as a long shot, you mean there is little chance that it will succeed but you think it worth trying.

Note: The reference here is to someone shooting at a target from a very long distance.

You could try to find her. It's a long shot but you could start with her old school.

on the cards

If something is on the cards, it is very likely to happen. [BRITISH]

Note: This is a reference to Tarot cards or other cards used to predict the future.

A major change in the way hospitals and schools are funded is on the cards.

on the off-chance

If you do something on the off-chance, you do it because there is a small chance that a good thing will happen even though you do not really expect it to. [mainly BRITISH]

She had turned up on the off-chance of catching a glimpse of the princess.

out of the blue

If something happens out of the blue it happens unexpectedly.

Note: This expression compares an unexpected event to a bolt of lightning from a blue sky.

Then, out of the blue a solicitor's letter arrived.

par for the course

If something that happens is par for the course, it is not good but it is what you expect.

Note: In golf, ‘par’ is the number of strokes a good golfer is expected to take for a particular hole or for the whole course.

There are leaves and branches all over the streets, and the power is out. But that's all par for the course in a hurricane.

not a snowball's chance in hell

If there is not a snowball's chance in hell of someone doing something or of something happening, there is no chance at all that they will do it or it will happen. [BRITISH, SPOKEN]

Do you seriously think he has a snowball's chance in hell of winning this election?

Note: You can also say that someone does not have a chance in hell of doing something.

They don't have a chance in hell of privatizing the economy. They have no idea how a free market works.

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