Чтение онлайн

[next to(1)]{adv.} Almost; nearly. •/It was next to impossible to believe that in a month the grass would be green and flowers would be blooming./ •/It was next to unthinkable that the boy would steal./

[next to(2)]{prep.} Just after; second to. •/Next to his family, baseball was his greatest love./ •/Next to pizza, Bob liked hamburger best./

[next to nothing]{n. phr.} Very little; almost nothing. •/They gave me next to nothing for my old car when I traded it in for a new one./ •/When he first started to work, Mr. Black earned next to nothing./

[nice Nelly(1)] or [nice Nellie]{n.}, {informal} Someone who acts too good to be true; a prude; a prig. •/We took him for a nice Nelly when he wouldn’t fight./

[nice Nelly(2)] or [nice Nellie]{adj.}, {informal} Too careful not to say or do anything wrong or improper; too proper; prudish. •/Her nice Nelly behavior made her unpopular at school./

[Nick] See: FULL OF THE OLD NICK.

[nick] See: IN THE NICK OF TIME.

[nigger in the woodpile]{n. phr.}, {slang} Something unexpected that changes a situation; a hidden factor or trick. — Racist and offensive, but commonly used in the past. •/I knew there had to be a nigger in the woodpile, because the man was being much too generous./ •/When the salesman gave him an extra tire for his bike, the boy suspected a nigger in the woodpile./

[night] See: FLY-BY-NIGHT, MAKE A NIGHT OF IT.

[night and day] See: DAY AND NIGHT.

[nightcap]{n.} A good-night drink; a drink taken just before bedtime. •/Let’s have a nightcap and then go to sleep./ •/Would you like to come up to my place for a nightcap?/

[night letter]{n.} A telegram sent at night at a cheaper rate and delivered in the morning. •/I waited until after six o’clock in the evening before sending the telegram home because I can say more for the same price in a night letter./

[night life]{n. phr.} Entertainment at night. •/People in the city are able to find more night life than those who live in the country./

[night owl]{n. phr.} One who sleeps during the day and stays up or works during the night. •/Tom hardly ever sleeps at night; he prefers to work by lamp light and has become a regular night owl./ Compare: GRAVEYARD SHIFT.

[nine] See: CAT HAS NINE LIVES, ON CLOUD NINE.

[nine-to-five job]{n. phr.} A typical office job that starts at 9 A.M. and ends at 5 P.M. with a one-hour lunch break at 12 noon or 1 P.M. •/We professors are not too well paid but I could never get used to a nine-to-five job./

[ninety] See: GAY NINETIES.

[nip and tuck]{adj. or adv.}, {informal} Evenly matched; hard fought to the finish. •/The game was nip and tuck until the last minute./ •/A was a nip and tuck race right to the finish line./ •/The two salesmen fought nip and tuck for the contract all the way./ Compare: NECK AND NECK.

[nip in the bud]{v. phr.} To check at the outset; prevent at the start; block or destroy in the beginning. •/The police nipped the plot in the bud./ •/The teacher nipped the disorder in the bud./

[no account(1)]{adj.} Of no importance. •/The lowly clerk’s opinion is of no account in this matter./

[no account(2)]{n. phr.} A person of low social station. •/Fred was first considered a no account but he soon proved himself to be a person of great ability./

[nobody] See: IT’S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD.

[nobody home]{slang} 1. Your attention is somewhere else, not on what is being said or done here; you are absent-minded. •/The teacher asked him a question three times but he still looked out the window. She gave up, saying, "Nobody home."/ 2. You are feeble-minded or insane. •/He pointed to the woman, tapped his head, and said, "Nobody home."/

[nobody’s fool]{n. phr.} A smart person; a person who knows what he is doing; a person who can take care of himself. •/In the classroom and on the football field, Henry was nobody’s fool./ Contrast: BORN YESTERDAY.

[nod] See: LAND OF NOD.

[nodding acquaintance]{n.} Less than casual acquaintance. •/I have never spoken to the chancellor; we have only a nodding acquaintance./

[no deal] or [no dice] or [no go] or [no sale] or [no soap]{slang} Not agreed to; refused or useless; without success or result; no; certainly not. — Used in the predicate or to refuse something. •/Billy wanted to let Bob join the team, but I said that it was no deal because Bob was too young./ •/"Let me have a dollar." "No dice!" answered Joe./ •/I tried to get Mary on the telephone but it was no go./ •/"Let’s go to the beach tomorrow." "No sale, I have my music lesson tomorrow."/ •/I asked Dad for a new bicycle but it was no soap./ Compare: NOTHING DOING, NO USE.

[no doubt]{adv.} 1. Without doubt; doubtless; surely; certainly. •/No doubt Susan was the smartest girl in her class./ 2. Probably. •/John will no doubt telephone us if he comes to town./

[no end]{adv.}, {informal} 1. Very much; exceedingly. •/Jim was no end upset because he couldn’t go swimming./ 2. Almost without stopping; continually. •/The baby cried no end./