в объятиях Морфея

in the land of Nod

She was in the land of Nod and I didn’t want to wake her.

в одно ухо входит, а в другое выходит

to go in one ear and out the other

Everything she says to her son seems to go in one ear and out the other.

в одной лодке

in the same boat

When I told her that I was broke she said that she was in the same boat.

в первую очередь

in the first place

In the first place, I don’t have enough money to buy a new house.

в подметки не годиться (кому-л.)

cannot hold a candle to someone

She can’t hold a candle to her mother when it comes to cooking.

в полном разгаре

in full swing

The party was in full swing.

в порядке вещей

all in a day’s work

Dealing with complaints from quests is all in a day’s work to anyone working in a hotel.

в поте лица

by the sweat of one’s brow

I can proudly say that whatever I achieved was by the sweat of my brow.

в своей стихии

in one’s element

She is in her element when she’s singing.

в своем уме

in one’s right mind

You’re not in your right mind! That sounds crazy!

в стельку пьяный

as drunk as a lord

When he came home last night, he was as drunk as a lord.

в ус не дуть

not to give a damn

She was unemployed, but she didn’t give a damn.

в форме

on form

John was back on form and nobody could beat him.

в хороших руках

in good hands

This hospital is excellent – your mother will be in good hands.

в худшем случае

if the worst comes to the worst

If the worst comes to the worst, we’ll have to stay in the hotel for another night.

в чем мать родила

in one’s birthday suit; in the buff/altogether/raw

I used to go down to the beach and swim in my birthday suit.

He always sleeps in the raw.

в шкуре (кого-л.)

in someone’s skin

I wouldn’t want to be in your skin.

важная птица

a big cheese/gun/noise/shot/wheel

She is one of the directors of our company – a big noise.

валится из рук (у кого-л.)

to be all fingers and thumbs

I’m all fingers and thumbs today. Can you thread this needle for me?

валить с ног (кого-л.)

to lay someone low

The blow laid him low.

I was laid low by the flu for about two weeks.

валиться с ног

to be ready/fit to drop; to be on one’s last legs

After walking several miles I was ready to drop.

I worked all day in the garden and felt like I was on my last legs.

валять дурака

to play the fool

My father told me to stop playing the fool and start working hard for my examinations.

вбивать в голову (что-л. кому-л.)

to get something into someone’s head

The teacher couldn’t get the Latin grammar into his pupils’ heads.

вбивать себе в голову

to get it into one’s head

For some reason, he got it into his head that everybody was persecuting him.

вверх дном

upside down

The children turned the house upside down.

вводить в курс дела (кого-л.)

to put someone in the picture

I was new to this project and the manager put me in the picture.

вдоль и поперек (досконально)

inside out; backwards and forwards; through and through

He has lived in London for 30 years and knows the city inside out.

She knows the fashion business backwards and forwards.

I’ve studied his report through and through but couldn’t find any mistakes.

вдоль и поперек (во всех направлениях)

far and wide, the length and breadth of something

The police searched far and wide for the missing girl.

We travelled the length and breadth of the town looking for a good hotel.

вдохнуть жизнь (во что-л.)

to breathe life into something

The new director will help to breathe life into the project.

везет как утопленнику (кому-л.)

just someone’s luck

It was just my luck that the train left five minutes before I got to the station.