Говори и пиши как The Eсonomist

The Sunni-Shia schism may have lasted for 14 centuries, but most of that time it has lain dormant — потенциальный, скрытый.

A similar number of Britons live in France, but mainly for a sun­ny dotage in the bucolic south — старческое слабоумие, старческий маразм.

Mr Kim retorted that he would "surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire" — слабоумный (человек); ста­рик, впадающий в детство.

Falling birth-rates allowed parents to dote on fewer children, who were increasingly likely to go to school — души не чаять, слепо обожать.

The 75% income-tax rate is dottier than a pointilliste painting — немного чудаковатый, странный.

He claims several times not to care what people think of him, bit he doth protest too much — старомодное "do".

Dovish Chinese analysts express their usual hope that there will be a shift toward economic liberalisation — миролюбивые.

The humble mouse is a doughty workhorse of science- бесстрашный, доблестный, мужественный, неустрашимый.

Не appointed as vice-president his dour, dapper 74-year-old intel­ligence chief, General Omar Suleiman — строгий, суровый.

This I'm afraid is little but doublespeak dressed up in an academic format — демагогия.

With more poor people doubleing up with friends and family, some clients simply need help getting along better with their mothers — занимать то же помещение.

The departure of a Supreme Court justice is always momentous; Mr Scalia's is doubly so — вдвойне.

The central bank chief summoned the heads of the top 40 banks for a dour meeting earlier this week — строгий, суровый.

But a tough and sullen electorate has no patience with the dove­cotes

— голубятня.

Angela Merkel was the bossy dowager — вдова (титулованного лица, сохраняющая прежний титул).

Mid-budget films of the kind that tend to be nominated for awards were the first to be caught in the downdraft — нисходящий (воздуш­ный) поток.

South Africa is sliding downhill while much of the rest of the con­tinent is clawing — катиться по наклонной плоскости.

Politicians often protest that services are for dodgy financi­ers or downtrodden burger-flippers and that Germany deserves bet­ter; More competition is emerging for Japan's downtrodden brokers — подавленный, угнетенный, притесняемый.

The volume and value of home sales in Canada are now at record highs. In some areas the market looks downright frothy — полный, совершенный, абсолютный.

That's gotta be a downer for the Austrians — успокаивающий наркотик.

At home he has been backed by a doyen of Israel's foreign-policy pundits — дуайен, старшина дипломатического корпуса.

The real problem is not dozy small tax preparers but the complex­ity of the tax code itself — дремлющий; сонный.

On Union Street, the main shopping drag, vacancies have risen — улица, дорога, приманка.

Young professionals, often whites, are buying up old Victorian- style houses which they find charming but which the previous owners, often blacks, see as decrepit, draughty and expensive to maintain — продуваемый ветрами.

They share essential qualities: exhilarating draughtsmanship, boldly expressive colour and conceptual ambition — черчение.

By contrast, "dramedies" such as "Chuck" and "Ugly Betty" fuse comedy with more serious themes — смесь драмы и трагедии.

Chavez dragooned PDVSA into all manner of charitable work — заставлять, принуждать.

It is not a tourist draw

on the scale of the Edinburgh Festival — приманка, соблазн.

With his easy manner, shrewd sense of humour and slight southern drawl, Tony White is a far cry from the popular perception — протяжное произношение, медлительность речи.

Since then, the two sides have been at screwdrivers drawn — об­наженный (о шпаге).

The fourth phase, which has recently begun under the new ISAF commander, General John Allen, is drawdown and transition — сокра­щение.

The fourth phase, which has recently begun under the new ISAF commander, General John Allen, is drawdown and transition — сокращение (численности войск, размещенных в каком-л. регионе).

Leftover detritus that has no control system, such as the remnants of the Chinese satellite missile test, which left a reported 3,000 dribs and drabs in orbit — мелочи, крохи.

As results start to dribble out and it emerges which ticket looks strongest, much jockeying for position will take place — течь тонкой струйкой.

The drip-drip of allegations from Mr Nazarruddin's trial will im­plicate more people — капанье.

Switching to drip-feed irrigation means that watering becomes more precise, cutting consumption per unit of output — капельная подача.

Long seen as drippily Utopian, the idea of getting rid of nuclear weapons was suddenly taken on by think-tankers — глупо.