Большой русско-английский фразеологический словарь
У ВОРОТ
•У ВОРОТ; У ДВЕРЕЙ
[PrepP; these forms only;subj-complwith copula]
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1.[subj:abstr, often the name of a month, a noun denoting a seasonetc]
⇒sth.is very close,sth.will come very soon, in the immediate future:
-X у ворот••≈X is just (right) around the corner;
-X is close (near) at hand;
-X is almost upon us;
-it's almost X.
2.[subj: human (usu.pl) orcollect]
⇒some people are in immediate proximity (tos.o.), nearby:
-X-ы у ворот••≈Xs are (right) at the doorstep;
-Xs are (knocking) at person Y's (the) door;
-Xs are at the gate(s);
-Xs are almost upon person Y.
♦ Обезумевшими глазами [люди] хватали с обрывков нового приказа на стенах бесстрашные слова: "ЗА ДЕЛО! ВСЕ В РЯДЫ! БЕЙТЕ ТРЕВОГУ, ВРАГ У ВОРОТ!" (Федин 1).Their [the people's] panic-stricken eyes grasped the fearless words from scraps of a new order on the walls: "TO WORK! EVERYONE TO THE RANKS! SOUND THE ALARM, ENEMY AT THE GATES!" (1a).