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off the cuff экспромтом; спонтанно; без подготовки; с ходу M E A N I N G : impromptu I had no time to prepare a speech, so I said a few words off the cuff. ORIGIN: This is from the habit of speakers scribbling brief notes on their starched cuffs in the days when such garments were common. old banger развалюха, колымага, драндулет M E A N I N G : an old, dirty car which is almost worn out I have to visit my mother every month. She lives in the country and it takes hours to travel there by train. – Why don’t you buy yourself an old banger – it wouldn’t cost very much. ORIGIN: The expression derives from the fact that an old car often backfires and makes loud bangs. It must always be used in its full form because a banger without old is a slang word meaning sausage! on cloud nine на седьмом небе; на верху блаженства; вне себя (от радости) M E A N I N G : in a state of high excitement and happiness; be very happy, elated She has been on cloud nine ever since she was offered the job in Rotterdam. ORIGIN: This expression originates from the US weather bureau which identifies different types of cloud.
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