Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase read me1. (in radio communication) hear my voice; hear my message: Come in Mike H. from Wellington, New Zealand, do you read me , over? 2. (also: read my mind) know what I am thinking: He’s said before that he can always read me , that anyone can read me. That I’m almost too open for my own good. read someone’s lips—know what people are saying by looking at the shapes their lips make when they talk: We can hear words being spoken to us or read someone’s lips to interpret what they are saying if we are hearing impaired. ready at something • ready with something ready at something—proficient in a subject: The learned gentleman here began to discover that he was not quite so ready at arithmetic … and stopped short in his calculations. ready with something—prompt with smth. such as an answer, help, etc.: You must be ready with an explanation of why you need the money and what the use of the money will be. real life • real live real life—the life lived by actual people, as distinct from fiction, etc.: A deliberate documentary film must be a tran- script of real life , a bit of what actually happened. real live—(attrib., usually joc.) said of a person or thing actually existing (not pretended or simulated): Rosemary had taken a great deal of trouble to catch “a real live ” philosopher. real men • real people real men —1. said of actually existing men: How ungraspable is the fact that real men ever did fight in real armor. 2. men possessing the essential qualities expected of a male person: He was a real man , a real general man, he drove fast cars and flew an aeroplane as well as being a fine musician. real people —1. actual and not imaginary people: This form of literature uses real people or events as essential elements in an otherwise fictional rendition. 2. (Cinema or TV casting ) non-actors: We want you to cast for this scene on the street— get us some real people . reasonable to someone • reasonable with someone reasonable to someone—said of smth. appearing moderate or sensible to a person: The last session of Congress worked long and hard on this issue and their compromise seems to be rea - sonable to me. reasonable with someone—said of smb. trying to persuade a person in a judicious, way: I try to be very reasonable with him; I understand he is growing up and away from us but this behavior makes life miserable for all of us. receive a reward • receive an award receive a reward—receive smth. such as money in recom- pense or for some special service: He was captured in Pakistan and is now in jail. The informant received a reward for sharing this knowledge. receive an award—receive a prize, medal, etc. for outstand- ing performance or quality: Hoare received the award in 1980 for his contributions to the design of programming languages. receiving order • reception order receiving order—(legal) an order from a court which protects the debtor’s property and prevents creditors from suing him without the permission of the court: On 23 May 1983 a receiv - ing order was made, and on 11 November 1983 Mr. Dennis was adjudicated bankrupt. reception order—(legal) the official order required for deten- tion of a person in a mental hospital: The Reception Order of a justice is sufficient authority to take the patient to, and to receive him in an asylum, or to detain him there. receiving room • reception room receiving room—1. a place for the reception of things: The malt receiving room contains two malt grids with strong wire screens at the bottom. 2. a room to which visitors are admit- ted: The patient walks into the receiving room of the hospital for a diagnosis. reception room— = receiving room 2: He entered the paneled reception room , decorated in Danish modern. reckon of something • reckon on something reckon of something—be of the opinion concerning smth.: What do you reckon of the Joneses’ new house? reckon on something—depend on smth.; count on smth.: The proprietors of the Casino reckon on human foolishness and greed. red as a beetroot • red as cherries red as a beetroot—1. red in the face from feeling ashamed: If his friends talked about girls, he went as red as a beetroot . 2. sunburnt: After a day shooting around Sydney, they are as red as a beetroot ! But if it was only the harsh sun that they had to counter, life would have been easy. red as cherries —1. said of rosy complexion (indicating good health): Today you see them [women] bouncing, red as cher - ries , and tomorrow they exhibit themselves effete as dead weeds…. 2. said of flushed cheeks: My little brother, cheeks as red as cherries and eyes all a-glow, comes bursting in the house after a long day of sledding. 3. said of fresh red lips: She had long, lustrous, Japanese eyes, very quick and alert, lips as red as cherries and the most beautiful teeth in the world. red cap • red hat red cap —1. (UK) a military policeman: She used to take me to nightclubs tucked away which no officers or redcaps knew about. 2. (coll.) a railway porter: Why don’t you get a red cap to help you carry your bags. 3. the European goldfinch: Many birds seem to have particular names in these parts. Wood- peckers are called pickatrees, and goldfinches, red-caps . red hat—1. a cardinal’s hat as the symbol of the position: To receive the red hat he must go to Rome. 2. (UK Army) a staff officer: A number of very high-ranking officers were invited. …The visiting red hats were not impressed. Red Cross, the • red cross Red Cross, the —an international organization bringing relief to victims of war or natural disaster: The Red Cross woman brought me khaki trousers, skivvy shirt and a left shoe. red cross —the emblem of an ambulance service: A Daimler scout car, flying a red cross , was moving and halting … col- lecting wounded. red fever • red light fever red fever —1. an infectious disease with fever, headache, and rash, transmitted by rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis): Sick with red fever , John Lodi and his children do not catch up to Lafayette in Indian Territory until six months later. 2. (U.S., euph.) a sympathy to Communism, especially in the 1950s: He went underground and became part of the movement. He got the red fever ; for five years he really believed it was the answer. Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase scarlet fever1. an infectious disease caused by streptococcus bacteria and characterized by a sore throat, fever, and a sand- paper-like rash on reddened skin: Scarlet fever is predominantly a disease found in children. 2. (UK ironic, dated) a passion for soldiers (with reference to their scarlet uniforms): Nurse-maids are always ready to succumb to the “scarlet fever .” A red coat is all powerful with this class. red light fever1. nervousness in front of a live microphone or video camera: Obviously, the singer had red light fever . – 281 – red fever