Научная электронная библиотека

Монографии, изданные в издательстве Российской Академии Естествознания

№ п/п

Английская БФЕ

Словарная дефиниция

1.

The old Adam

the primitive, sinful nature of a man which is concealed under a veneer of good breeding and education

2.

not to know someone from Adam

to have no knowledge or recollection of someone. ‘I can’t think why the man by the window keeps waving at me; I don’t know him from Adam!’

3.

the mark of Cain

the stain of a crime or misdeed on one’s reputation. ‘You will bear the mark of Cain for the rest of your life for your cruelty to her children.’ The allusion is to the murder of Abel by his brother, Cain. ‘And the Lord set a mark upon Cain lest any finding him should kill him’ (Genesis IV. 9)

4.

to raise Cain

to create a terrible row, to explode with anger. ‘He will raise Cain when he hears his son has been expelled from school.’ So called because the name of Cain is associated with the most violent temper

5.

to be a Daniel come to judgement

to show judgement and wisdom beyond one’s years. ‘A Daniel come to judgement, yea, a Daniel! O wise young judge, how I do honour thee!’ (Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, IV, i)

6.

they are like David and Jonathan

inseparable friends. A perfect friendship (2 Samuel I, 26)

7.

a David and Goliath situation

a situation in which one adversary is hopelessly outmatched by the other. ‘How can you possibly compete with the shop across the road. They have a hundred times more capital than you. It’s a David and Goliath situation’

8.

the worship of Mammon

an excessive love of wealth which is pursued at the cost of one’s duty to family and friends. Mammon is a synonym of avarice and the worship of money. ‘You cannot serve God and Mammon’ (Luke XVI, 13)

9.

to try the patience of Job

to provoke even the most patient person. ‘I’ve explained it to you a hundred times and you still don’t understand! You would try the patience of Job!’ Job was afflicted with every possible calamity but learned from God to bear his misfortunes with courage and patience. From the Old Testament. cf. ‘to try the patience of a saint’

10.

a Job’s comforter

someone who calls to offer sympathy but makes matters worse by blaming the bereaved person for what has happened. ‘I was so sorry to learn of your little boy’s death. What a pity he was never inoculated.’ In the Book of Job (Old Testament), Job is reproached by his friends for bringing calamity on himself by his disobedience to God

11.

to out-herod Herod

to exceed Herod in cruelty and wickedness. It was King Herod who had the babes of Bethlehem put to death (Matthew II, 16). The phrase comes from Shakespeare: ‘I would have such a fellow shipped for o’erdoing Termagant; it out-herods Herod’ (Hamlet, III, 2, 1)

12.

to play Judas

to be a traitor. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver

13.

the kiss of Judas

any display of affection whose purpose is to conceal an act of treachery. It was the kiss of Judas that betrayed Jesus to the Roman soldiers (Matthew XXVI, 49)

14.

a piece of Jesuitry

a very subtle argument, full of sophistry and logic carried to extremes