Основы теории английского языка. Листунова Е.И. - 38 стр.

       Idioms                                   Habitual collocations
I. Pure idioms
invariant, non-literal
a. devil-may-care, backlash, chin
wag, red herring, make off with,
spick and span, smell a rat, the
coast is clear, etc.
Restricted variance, non-literal
b. pitter-patter/pit-a-pat, take/have
forty winks, seize/grasp the nettle,
get/have/cold feet, etc.
II. Semi-literal idioms invariant
a) drop names, catch fire, kith and
kin, foot the bill, fat chance
you’ve got, etc.                         I. Restricted variance, semi lit-
Restricted variance                      eral explode a myth/theory
b) chequered career/history, blue        /notion/idea/belief, catch the
film/story/joke/gag/comedian,            post/mail, thin/flimsy excuse,
good morning/day, etc.                   etc.

Ill. Literal idioms invariant
a) on foot, one day; in sum; in the
meantime; on the contrary; arm in
arm; very important person (VIP);
potato crisps; tall, dark and
handsome; waste not, want not;
happy New Year, etc.

Restricted variance                     II. Restricted variance, literal
b) opt in favour of/for,                addled brains/eggs, in-the-not-
for example/order that/to,              instance, in too distant past
happy/merry, Christmas, etc.            /future, for certain/sure, po-
                                        tato/corn/wood, etc.chips, etc.
                                        III. Unrestricted variance,
                                        semi-literal catch a bus/plane/
                                        ferry, etc. train, run a business
                                        company, etc. theatre, by dint
                                        of hard work/patience/repeti-
                                        tion, etc.
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