за деревьями леса не видеть

not to see the wood for the trees

When people get stressed they often can’t see the wood for the trees.

за здорово живешь

for kicks

The boy said that he had stolen the car just for kicks.

за плечами (у кого-л.)

under one’s belt

Gerald has a lot of experience under his belt.

за решеткой

behind bars

He spent five years behind bars after being convicted of forgery.

забот полон рот (у кого-л.)

to have one’s hands full; to have a lot on one’s plate

He has her hands full looking after four children.

Sorry, I can’t help you – I’ve got too much on my plate at the moment.

заводить волынку

to harp on the same string

I wish you’d stop harping on the same string every time I light a cigarette. I won’t give up smoking.

заговаривать зубы (кому-л.)

to spin someone a yarn

He managed to spin me a yarn about being ill to explain his lateness.

загонять в угол (кого-л.)

to box someone into a corner

Her convincing arguments quickly boxed me into a corner.

задавать головомойку (кому-л.)

to haul someone over the coals

The teacher hauled the boy over the coals for being late for school.

задавать тон

to set the pace; to call the tune

His work sets the pace for future experiments.

The secretary calls the tune in the office.

задевать за живое (кого-л.)

to cut someone to the quick; to hit/touch a (raw) nerve

Her angry words cut me to the quick.

I think I touched a nerve when I asked him about his children.

задирать нос

to put on airs and graces

Because they have a big house she is always putting on airs and graces.

закатывать истерику

to have/throw a fit

She’ll have a fit when she knows you’ve broken her vase.

закидывать удочку

to put out feelers

They put out feelers to see if anyone was interested in buying the shop.

закон джунглей

the law of the jungle

закрывать глаза (на что-л.)

to close one’s eyes to something; to turn a blind eye to something

She chose to close her eyes to her son’s rude behaviour.

The director always turned a blind eye to her mistakes in order to prevent trouble.

закрыть лавочку

to shut up shop; to put up the shutters

They’d worked hard all morning and at half past three they decided to shut up shop and go home.

During the war many shops had to put up the shutters.

закусить удила

to take the bit between one’s teeth

There was a lot of work to be finished, so he took the bit between his teeth and stayed late at the office.

зализывать раны

to lick one’s wounds

Tom was still licking his wounds from his marriage break-up.

заметать следы

to cover one’s tracks

The criminals have covered their tracks very cleverly.

замолвить словечко (за кого-л.)

to put in a good word for someone

My father is going to put in a good word for me in the hope that the boss will give me another chance.

запеть на другой лад

to change one’s tune

She said she liked travelling by car, but when she saw the road she changed her tune.

запретный плод

forbidden fruit

Forbidden fruit is always the most desirable.

заразительный смех

an infectious laugh

His laugh was so infectious that we all joined in.

заснуть вечным сном

to be called to one’s eternal rest

застигать врасплох (кого-л.)

to take someone by surprise; to catch someone with one’s pants/trousers down

The news took us by surprise.

He asked me where I’d been last night and I was caught with my pants down.

застигать на месте преступления (кого-л.)

to catch someone red-handed; to catch someone in the act

The police caught the burglars red-handed.

The thief was caught in the act of breaking into the shop.

затаить дыхание

to hold one’s breath