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.
верить на слово (кому-л.)
to take someone’s word for it; to take someone on trust
John will be late again. Take my word for it.
He always took his friends on trust.
вертеться как белка в колесе
to be on the go
With three children to look after she is always on the go from morning till night.
вертеться на языке (у кого-л.)
to be on the tip of one’s tongue
What’s the name of that tree? Hold on, it’s on the tip of my tongue.
вертеться под ногами (у кого-л.)
to be under someone’s feet
I can’t cook the dinner with three children under my feet all the time.
верхушка айсберга
the tip of the iceberg
The reported cases of the disease might be only the tip of the iceberg.
вечный сон
the long sleep
вешать