a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush »
It is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than a mere potential of a greater one.
|
a new broom sweeps clean »
New management will often make radical changes.
|
a picture paints a thousand words »
A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description.1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album:If a picture paints a thousand wordsThen why can't I paint you;The words will never showThe you I've come to know.1989, Alan Kay, quoted in K?o-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, ISBN 9971506645, p. 9:Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, ISBN 1904788734, p. 52:See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!
|
a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »
An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.
|
ace in the hole »
A hidden or secret strength, or unrevealed advantage.
|
ace up one's sleeve »
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
|
act one's age »
To be mature and not childish.
|
age before beauty »
A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones.
|
air rage »
Disruptive behaviour on an aircraft.
|
all the rage »
Very fashionable and popular, like a craze.
|
amber nectar »
Lager beer.
|
back-cloth star »
An actor who stands upstage, forcing the other actors to face him and turn their backs to the audience, in order to gain more attention to himself.
|
bad money drives out good »
Debased coinage (with low levels of precious metals) replaces purer coinage (with higher levels of precious metals).(metaphorically) Mediocre talent drives away real talent.
|
bad penny »
A counterfeit or damaged penny.
|
bag and baggage »
All one's possessions.
|
baggage »
Heavy baggage; women and children. Also a familiar epithet for a woman; as, cunning baggage, wanton baggage, &c.
|
baggage »
In a metaphorical sense, factors that restrict a person's freedom, often in an intellectual or psychological way: emotional baggage.
|
baggage »
Luggage; traveling equipment.
|
balancing act »
An effort to manage many conflicting or competing items or interests.
|
bang up job »
Something done very well; something performed above average or better than expected.
|
banyan day »
In modern usage it refers to a picnic or cookout for the ship's crew.
|
baptism by fire »
A rite of passage through the survival or success of a crisis.
|
bash about »
To physically damage something or assault someone.
|
be all ears »
To listen carefully or eagerly; to anticipate.
|
be on the edge of one's seat »
To be in suspense; to wait eagerly or anxiously for some resolution.
|
be there or be square »
Used to encourage someone to go somewhere.
|
been to the rodeo »
N.d., Alan Neff, Precious Tribes, Vicious Lies, page 72.
|
behind the eight ball »
At a disadvantage.
|
below par »
Not up to the average or normal standard.
|
bench jockey »
A baseball term for a player, coach or manager who is annoying and distracts opposition players and umpires from his team's dugout bench with verbal repartee.
|
bend one's elbow »
To drink alcoholic beverages, especially at a public house or bar.
|
blot one's copy book »
To damage one's own reputation through bad behavior.
|
blow a fuse »
To lose one's temper; to become enraged.
|
blow the whistle »
To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.
|
bottle out »
To fail to perform a promised or planned action due to lack of courage.
|
bounce back »
To recover from a negative without seemingly any damage.
|
break a leg »
A wish for a successful performance; primarily a valediction to an actor wishing him or her a successful theatrical stage performance.
|
break a sweat »
' , Karon Karter - The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Pilates Method page 119.
|
break a sweat »
January 2008, The Age - Walkovers blaze a trail for women's equal-pay theory.
|
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed »
Alert and in an eager, frisky, or playful mood; full of life.
|
buck up »
Cheer up; take courage; take heart.
|
can't wait »
To eagerly anticipate; to find it unbearable to wait for a forthcoming pleasurable event.
|
carry on »
To take baggage or luggage onto an airplane, rather than check it.
|
carry the message to Garcia »
To perform a requisite task despite obstacles.
|
carry the message to Garcia »
To perform a requisite task without having been informed specifically by what method to do so.
|
cash in »
To profit from; to use an opportunity to maximum advantage, especially financially.
|
cat and mouse game »
Two individuals and/or groups repeatedly keeping check on each other in a suspicious or self-protective way, often with the goal of one or both parties trying to gain a malicious advantage over the other.
|
catbird seat »
Expression used to describe an enviable position, often one of great advantage.
|
charity mugger »
A person employed by a charity, or by an intermediary fundraising agency employed by the charity, who stands in the street and invites passersby to set up standing orders or direct debits to make regular donations to the charity.
|
cherry-pick »
To pick out the best, or most desirable items from a list or group, especially to obtain some advantage or to present something in the best possible light.
|
clear the decks »
To remove, or fasten, all loose material, or partitions prior to a naval engagement.
|
come across »
To give an appearance or impression; to project a certain image.
|
come of age »
To mature, or become fully developed.
|
come of age »
To reach a specific age where one is legally considered to be an adult.
|
come on »
An expression of encouragement.
|
consume mass quantities »
To eat or drink abundant amounts of food or beverage.
|
coon's age »
A very long time.
|
cradle robber »
A person who marries or becomes romantically involved with someone who is much younger or who employs or otherwise engages a young person for a purpose inappropriate for his or her age.
|
day and age »
A time period of years or more.
|
debris field »
Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
...grasp the demands and exactions of business life. He learns that the main thing to do is to "deliver the message to Garcia"....
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
...heaves in a deep breath, gathers himself as though he's crossed a continent to deliver the message to Garcia.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
Alternative form of carry the message to Garcia.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
Programmers are consistently dehumanized because so many do indeed deliver the message to Garcia only to be at best ignored.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
What we need is people who get the job done, no matter how. We don't want pickers who'll only learn if we use their preferred learning method. Have you read "A Message to Garcia" ? That's what we need today - young people who can deliver the message to Garcia.
|
dirty old man »
An adult male - usually middle-aged or elderly - who acts in a lecherous or lewd manner.
|
do a number on »
To damage; to treat harshly; to produce ill effects.
|
do the nasty »
To engage in sexual intercourse.
|
do without »
To manage despite the lack of something.
|
don't shit where you eat »
(idiomatic, vulgar) One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.1998 April 14, Nelson Navarro, "Ever faithful, ever true," Manila Standard (Philippines) (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):The guiding principle is Don't shit where you eat. Office romances are always destructive of morale and objectivity.2003 Oct. 8, Jonathan Valania, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Pussy," Philadelphia Weekly (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Limbaugh was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the NAB convention in, of all places, Philadelphia, thus violating the cardinal law of the animal kingdom: Don't shit where you eat.2006 Sept. 19, Michael Musto, "NY Mirror," Village Voice (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Mitchell refused to indulge in on-set romances with either gender. "You don't shit where you eat," he told me, plainly.
|
double Dutch »
A language game akin to pig Latin.
|
double Dutch »
Incomprehensible language.
|
down in the dumps »
Sad; lacking engagement or enthusiasm.
|
down in the mouth »
Sad or discouraged, especially as indicated by one's facial appearance.
|
drink from a firehose »
To take a small amount from an enormous, hard-to-manage quantity.
|
drop back »
Of a quarterback or other player in the backfield, to take a number of steps back from the line of scrimmage immediately after the snap or hike of the ball, to avoid defenders.
|
Drop out of warp »
Dis-engage the cruise control on the car
|
drop the gloves »
To remove a prior impediment to action; to prepare for or engage in a dispute.
|
drum up »
To generate or encourage; to campaign for.
|
due course »
Regular or appropriate passage or occurrence.
|
dumb down »
To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.
|
e mail »
electronic message
|
eager beaver »
Who is very excited or enthusiastic to begin a task.
|
economical with the truth »
Not telling the whole truth, especially in order to present a false image of a situation; untruthful; lying. Often used with sarcasm or satire.
|
egg on »
To encourage or coax a person to do something, especially something foolhardy or reckless.
|
egg somebody on »
To tease, provoke or encourage.
|
estate agent »
property seller
|
every cloud has a silver lining »
In every bad situation there is an element of good1881, National Academy of Code Administration (U.S.), Folio, page 417:Every cloud has a silver lining; but in the old-fashioned meeting-houses every cloud of hymnal melody generally had a nasal lining before the congregation...1887, Shakers, Religion, page 36:that "a little reserve and thou'lt fail surely," will prove to be true in our experience. Every cloud has a silver lining and so has every sorrow,1918, George Jean Nathan, Performing Arts, page 222:But the most popular attitude toward what we may call "sad" plays is the peculiar one of believing that, since every cloud has a silver lining,
|
f** someone over »
To exploit somebody in a way which result in an advantage to oneself, at the cost of the other party gaining a considerable disadvantage.
|
fair weather friend »
Only when it is advantageous or easy.
|
fall behind »
To be progressively below average in performance.
|
false friend »
A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.
|
far be it »
Pewtey in Marriage Guidance Counselor from And Now For Something Completely Different.
|
feather one's nest »
To achieve benefits, especially financial ones, by taking advantage of the opportunities with which one is presented; to amass a comfortable amount of personal wealth.
|
fend and prove »
To engage in argument.
|
fight a losing battle »
To continue to wage war when it is clear that one is not going to win.
|
film out »
To transfer images or animation from videotape or digital files to a traditional celluloid film print.
|
first port of call »
The first port that a vessel calls in at after the start of a voyage.
|
fit to be tied »
Very agitated or distressed; enraged.
|
five-finger discount »
Theft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.
|
fly off the handle »
To become very angry or enraged; to throw a fit or go crazy.
|
fold one's tent »
To withdraw, especially in a discreet manner; to disengage; to quit.
|
force someone's hand »
Bring about a situation which necessitates an agent to act, often causing a plan to be executed prematurely.
|
forewarned is forearmed »
Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.1863, Charles Reade, Hard Cash, ch. 4:[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.1885, G. A. Henty, Saint George for England, ch. 4:Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.circa 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind":"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."
|
fourth wall »
The imaginary invisible wall at the front of the stage in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play.
|
fresh off the boat »
Newly arrived from a foreign place, especially as an immigrant who is still unfamiliar with the customs and language of his or her new environment.
|
fresh out of »
Of someone who has recently left one stage of life to begin another.
|
from cover to cover »
All the way to the last page.
|
from scratch »
From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.
|
front and center »
A command to come to the center of attention of an assemblage, as of military personnel or students.
|
fruit of the union »
A child, especially from a marriage or similar union.
|
garbage in, garbage out »
(computing, information technology) If input data is not complete, accurate, and timely, then the resulting output is unreliable and of no useful value.1963, Raymond Crowley, "Robot Tax Collector Seeks Indications of 'Fudging'," Times Daily (Alabama, USA), 1 April (retrieved 26 July 2010):Officials explained that the quality of the computer's work depends on the quality of the data fed into it. Neil Hoke, administrative assistant to Stewart, quoted an adage of computer men: "Garbage in, garbage out."2008, Roger K. Lewis, "'In Architectural Design, Brains and Talent Trump the Best Software," Washington Post, 19 July (retrieved 26 July 2010):The old caveat "GIGO"
|
get »
Lineage.
|
get a leg up »
To gain some advantage; to get a head start.
|
get by »
To subsist; to succeed, survive, or manage, at least at a minimum level.
|
give hostage to fortune »
He was very cautious with his words and gave no hostages to fortune.
|
give hostage to fortune »
To take an action or make a statement that is risky because it could cause you trouble later.
|
go for broke »
To wager everything.
|
go for it »
A cry of encouragement.
|
go in for »
To engage or take part in something.
|
go in the out door »
To engage in anal sex.
|
go native »
Of a contractor or consultant, to begin working directly as an employee for a company and cease to work through a contracting firm or agency.
|
go on the rampage »
To behave violently or to riot.
|
golden handcuffs »
Any arrangement or agreement designed to provide extremely favorable benefits or pay, so as to discourage participant from wanting to leave, especially to retain a choice employee.
|
gongoozle »
To leisurely watch the passage of boats, from the bank of a canal, lock or bridge.
|
good on you »
An exclamation of encouragement or congratulation; well done.
|
goof off »
To dawdle; to engage in idle activity or inactivity.
|
granary »
A storage facility for grain or sometimes animal feed.
|
grow a pair »
To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation in which one has so far failed to do so.
|
hatchet job »
A treatment which serves primarily to disparage its subject; a piece of criticism which aims to destroy a reputation.
|
have a fit »
To become suddenly enraged.
|
have at »
To attack; to engage in combat with.
|
have egg on one's face »
To suffer embarrassment or humiliation; to damage one's reputation.
|
have it large »
To engage intensely in pleasure-seeking activities.
|
have it off »
To engage in sexual intercourse.
|
high ground »
A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.
|
hit the headlines »
To appear prominently in the news, especially on the front page.
|
hold all the aces »
To be in a strong position when one is competing with someone else, having all the advantages.
|
hold down »
To continue, to hold and to manage well.
|
hold with the hare and run with the hounds »
To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.
|
hot dog »
sausage in a roll
|
hot to trot »
Eager for sexual activity.
|
hot to trot »
Eager to begin; anxious to get going.
|
hothouse »
An environment in which growth or development is encouraged; a hotbed.
|
hunger is a good sauce »
(dated) Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.1854, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Shirley Brooks, Francis Cowley Burnand, Owen Seaman, Punch, Vol. XXVI, Punch Publications Ltd., page 74:His bread and cheese were somewhat dry, to be sure; his ale had become flat, and considerably warmer than was desirable; but hunger is a good sauce, and thirst is not particular.
|
in business »
Engaged in business activity.
|
in Dutch »
Written or spoken in the dutch language.
|
in its infancy »
Still in an early stage.
|
in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »
Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.
|
in this day and age »
In the current time period of years.
|
inside track »
Any advantage.
|
it's a long road that has no turning »
encouragement when things are not going well. Just as a long road eventually has a turning, problems also eventually have a solution, even though one might have to wait.
|
it's not what you know but who you know »
For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know
|
jolly someone along »
To make someone happy or compliant, as by encouragement or flattery.
|
keep up with »
To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.
|
keep up with »
To manage to follow .
|
keep up with the Joneses »
To do or buy things for status, show, or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends or neighbors.
|
kid around »
To engage in playful fun.
|
king »
A playing card with the image of a king on it.
|
knock back »
To drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly or often.
|
knock over »
To rob; to stage a heist.
|
knocked up »
"pregnant", typically outside of marriage.
|
lay off »
From employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance package.
|
lemonize »
To damage something and then deny or be aloof from the damage.
|
lick one's chops »
To anticipate something eagerly.
|
life's a bitch »
An expression of acceptance of misfortune.1950, Joy Davidman, Weeping Bay, page 184:She'd have been willing enough to use them, poor dead little bitch. Life's a bitch. Life's a bad joke.
|
link whoring »
The practice of going out of one's way to place links to one's website on someone else's webpage.
|
lion »
An individual who shows strength and courage, attributes associated with the lion.
|
lion »
The arms of the University of the West Indies are Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished Or on a Chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. Crest: A Pelican proper. . See talk page.
|
liquid courage »
Alcohol drunk to induce a feeling of courage in the drinker.
|
lock lips »
To kiss on the lips; to engage in a French kiss.
|
look out for number one »
To act in one's own interests; to act in a manner advantageous primarily to oneself.
|
Loose cannon »
A cannon that breaks loose during battle or a storm and causes serious damage to the ship and its crew.
|
Loose cannon »
An uncontrolled or unpredictable person who causes damage to his own friends, faction, political party, etc.
|
lose out »
To be at a disadvantage.
|
make hay »
To take advantage of an opportunity.
|
managerial inbreeding »
Bad management, caused by managers making poor selection choices in recruitment, rewards, and promotions of the staff that report to them, leading to another generation of managers who lack the necessary skill sets to reward and promote the most effective staff.
|
marry in haste, repent at leisure »
Getting married too soon will lead to a bad marriage.
|
match made in heaven »
A marriage that is likely to be happy and successful because the two people are very compatible with each other.
|
match made in hell »
A marriage that is likely to be unhappy or abusive and unsuccessful because the two people are very incompatible with each other.
|
mend fences »
To repair damage to a friendship or relationship after a disagreement or other mishap.
|
mess of pottage »
Something of trivial value, especially of immediate value.
|
mess up »
To damage; injure.
|
miner's canary »
A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.
|
miners' canary »
A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.
|
miss the boat »
To fail to take advantage of an opportunity; to overlook or be too late to pursue an option or course of action.
|
mixed bag »
Something tending to have both good and bad results or characteristics; something having a mixture of advantages and disadvantages.
|
mixed message »
Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.
|
mouth of a sailor »
The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.
|
move the goalposts »
To alter the agreed basis, scope, standards or target of a procedure or task during its course, especially to do so to someone's advantage.
|
nest egg »
A natural or artificial egg placed in a bird's nest, to encourage the bird to lay its own eggs there.
|
nightcap »
A beverage drunk before bed that is usually alcoholic.
|
nine lives »
Durability; near immunity to damage.
|
nip and tuck »
So evenly matched that the advantage shifts from one to the other, and the outcome is uncertain.
|
nip in the bud »
To stop something at an early stage.
|
noarch »
Short for "no architecture". It is a term used mainly in package management systems to mark packages which are architecture independent. Such packages usually contain graphics, documentation or similar data that can be used on any architecture.
|
nose test »
An inspection of the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.
|
not a sausage »
Absolutely nothing, none of something.
|
not a sausage »
Jill: Not a sausage I'm afraid, I'm just visiting.
|
not a sausage »
John: Do you know how I get to the town center from here?.
|
odd and curious »
A way to designate special coins, namely coins that are both odd and imperfect or seriously damaged.
|
off the rails »
In an abnormal manner, especially in a manner that causes damage or malfunctioning.
|
on average »
Usually, typically; as a rule; as often as not.
|
on board »
Even when I am on board the plane, I can never feel secure that my luggage is, too.
|
on board »
It's a good idea, but let's see if we can get a few more of the management team on board.
|
on the clock »
Displayed numerically on the mileage or kilometric gauge.
|
on the clock »
Of a taxicab, engaged for hire; displayed numerically as time or fare on the meter of a taxicab.
|
on the make »
Actively seeking an opportunity for self-advancement; eager to ingratiate oneself to others in order to secure some advantage.
|
one side »
You should move to one side and allow me to go through the passageway you are blocking.
|
ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »
(biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.
|
out the door »
The exact image, a lookalike.
|
over a barrel »
In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.
|
over the top »
Bold; beyond normal, expected, or reasonable limits; excessive; outrageous.
|
pardon my French »
Please excuse my swearing or bad language.
|
pick up stitches »
Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.
|
piss up a rope »
To engage in futile or impossible activity.
|
pitched battle »
A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.
|
play around »
To engage in sexual practices outside of marriage.
|
play dumb »
To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.
|
play on words »
A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.
|
pop the question »
To propose marriage.
|
pork sausages »
bangers
|
potty mouth »
The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.
|
pound sand »
To engage in a futile activity.
|
pretty pictures »
Image supplements in a presentation: graphs, charts, etc.
|
proverbs come in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.
|
proverbs run in pairs »
Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work."1863, Sir Richard Burton, Abeokuta and the Camaroons Mountains, vol. 1, Tinsley (London), p. 309:Moreover, all the world over, proverbs run in pairs, and pull both ways: for the most part one neutralizes, by contradiction, the other.
|
pull teeth »
To remove teeth, usually because they are diseased or damaged.
|
pump iron »
To lift weights; to engage in weight or strength training.
|
put someone in mind of »
To remind someone of; to inspire a mental image or awareness of; to cause thoughts concerning.
|
quote unquote »
Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.
|
rain on someone's parade »
To disappoint or discourage someone.
|
raring to go »
Extremely eager or anxious to begin.
|
rattle someone's cage »
To demand attention; to nag, nudge, or remind.
|
reach an early grave »
To be sentenced to death before the age of 18.
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reach an early grave »
To die young. To die before the age of 80.
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real job »
A job that can't be replaced advantageously by a machine or a procedure.
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real job »
A job which requires the employee to, work regular hours for a consistent wage that often exceeds the provisions of applicable minimum wage legislation. A job that produces a living wage.
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red mist »
Uncontrollable rage.
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right on »
An expression of enthusiasm or encouragement.
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ringside seat »
Any vantage point providing an excellent view.
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rob the cradle »
To use a young person for a purpose inappropriate to his or her age.
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run into the ground »
To mismanage to the point of ruin.
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run roughshod over »
To treat roughly or without care, respect, or moderation; to act without control; to damage.
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scissorbill »
And railroad term for someone who refused to join the union or who openly colluded with management to thwart the union.
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scrape through »
To marginally manage to progress.
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scream »
An entertaingly outrageous person.
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seagull manager »
A manager who comes into the workplace or office only on occasion, especially when a problem arises or to criticize or critique employees.
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secret agent »
spy
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see a man about a horse »
A message signaling one needs to go missing for a short while, for any reason, without giving a real explanation.
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sell out »
To abandon one's supporters or principles to seek profit or other personal advantage.
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set the stage »
To prepare; to establish the basis or required conditions.
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sex up »
To make more palatable or acceptable to the general public; to improve the image or perception.
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shoot oneself in the foot »
To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.
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shroud »
The branching top of a tree; foliage.
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sign in »
To take some action to access a secured program or web page on a computer; to log in.
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sing along »
A gathering or event where participants are encouraged to add their voices in song.
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sitting pretty »
In a favorable situation, especially a situation in which one possesses an advantage.
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smear campaign »
An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.
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smoke signal »
A method of long-distance communication sometimes used in ancient and undeveloped societies, consisting of messages conveyed by means of columns or intermittent puffs of smoke.
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smoke signal »
An indirect message or indication, especially concerning a future event.
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so so »
average
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soft sawder »
"How the old boy swallowed my soft sawder and Brummagem notes!" —Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man.
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soft sawder »
"If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!" —Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" — first usage.
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spanner »
A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.
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spare tyre »
An extra tyre carried in case one of the vehicle's tyres is damaged or deflated.
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spin doctor »
news manager
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stage of the game »
A point in the progress of an ongoing dispute or process.
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stop up »
To fill a hole or cavity, or block an opening or passage, as with a plug.
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strap on a pair »
To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation where one has so far failed to do so.
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sweeten the pot »
To increase a wager.
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take a picture »
To photographically capture an image.
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take heart »
Be courageous; regain one's courage.
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take its toll »
To affect, especially negatively; to damage or degrade; to cause destruction.
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take sides »
To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.
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take something in stride »
To cope with something without much effort; to accept or manage something well.
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take the plunge »
To get engaged.
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take the wind out of someone's sails »
To discourage someone greatly; to cause someone to lose hope or the will to continue.
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talk dirty »
To use profane language, especially sexual vulgarities for the purpose of arousal.
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talk like an apothecary »
To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.
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tart up »
To modify or repackage a product, service, or idea to make it more attractive or easier to sell.
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tear up »
To damage.
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tear up the pea patch »
To put on a notable performance, especially in sports; to go on a rampage.
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that's the way life is »
That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.
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the beast with two backs »
Two people engaged in sexual intercourse.
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the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get »
(vulgar) The sexual satisfactions that one receives from a spouse or romantic partner are not sufficient to compensate for the significant periods of bad faith and unpleasant treatment which such relationships routinely involve.1971, Allen Churchill, The Literary Decade, ISBN 9780135375228:Years later she expressed her disillusionment with sex by saying, "The fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."1999, Ben Sonnenberg, Lost Property: Memoirs and Confessions of a Bad Boy, ISBN 9781582430454, p. 93:Maitland got drunk at his parties and threw his arm around you and pulled you over to his wife and made you look down her dress, saying, "The trouble with marriage is that the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."2008, Joseph Heywood, Blue Wolf In Green Fire, ISBN 9781599213590, p. 63:"I can't believe a little pussy got me into dis mess." "Shit happens," Service said. "Sometimes the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."
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the man in the street »
average person
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the shoe is on the other foot »
The roles of people in a situation have been reversed, such the advantage has shifted to a party which was previously disadvantaged.
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the upper hand »
An advantage or lead.
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there's no fool like an old fool »
Age does not bring wisdom.
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those who will not when they may, when they will they shall have nay »
(archaic) One should take immediate advantage of an opportunity that may not be available later.
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throw a fit »
To become angry, enraged, or upset; to act or react with an outburst, as by shouting, swearing, etc.
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throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn
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thumb a ride »
To flag or signal a passing vehicle in hopes of securing passage.
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tilt at windmills »
To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.
|
timeserver »
A person who conforms to current opinions, especially for reasons of personal advantage; an opportunist.
|
tin ear »
Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.
|
tin god »
An individual that abuses or exceeds his authority over others, frequently in petty ways; for example a low-level manager in situational comedies and other entertainment.
|
tip one's hand »
To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage.
|
to go »
Served in a package or takeout container so as to be taken away from a restaurant rather than eaten on the premises.
|
trip out »
To have a fit, to become enraged.
|
trip out »
To have as an image in one's mind.
|
turn off »
To repulse, disgust, or discourage.
|
turn on »
To attract, give pleasure, or encourage.
|
turn over a new leaf »
To engage in self-improvement; to begin a good habit or shed a bad habit.
|
turn the air blue »
To speak a stream of bad language; to curse and swear.
|
turn the page »
To move on to new involvements or activities; to make a fresh start.
|
turn the page »
To proceed to the next page in a book.
|
turn the tables »
To reverse a situation, such that the advantage has shifted to the party which was previously disadvantaged.
|
turn-on »
Something that attracts, gives pleasure, or encourages, especially sexually.
|
under one's wing »
Under one's protection, sponsorship, or tutelage.
|
urban fabric »
The physical aspect of urbanism, emphasizing building types, thoroughfares, open space, frontages, and streetscapes; while excluding without prejudice to this useful term, environmental, functional, economic and sociocultural aspects.
|
wage war »
A figurative allusion to pay discrepancies.
|
walk out »
To stage a walkout or strike.
|
watch one's mouth »
In the imperative form, used as a warning to avoid or stop using inappropriate language, especially profanity, or disrespectful utterances.
|
watch one's mouth »
To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.
|
way to go »
An expression of congratulations, encouragement, or approval.
|
wear out »
To cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use, especially hard, heavy, or careless use.
|
weather the storm »
To reach the end of a very difficult situation without too much harm or damage.
|
what you see is what you get »
The image corresponds to the reality.
|
what you see is what you get »
The screen image resembles the printed output.
|
what's the good of »
What is the purpose or advantage of.
|
what's up »
A casual greeting with usage similar to "How are you?" or "Nice to meet you".
|
when the cat's away »
People are likely to take advantage of the absence of authority or enforcement of compliance.
|
when the cat's away the mice will play »
In the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.
|
whistle Dixie »
To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.
|
white marriage »
An unconsummated marriage.
|
winkle out »
Tom managed to winkle the truth out of John eventually.
|
winter rat »
An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.
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with bated breath »
Eagerly; with great anticipation.
|
wits' end »
A. 1911, John Muir, in John Muir and Michael P. Branch, John Muir's Last Journey: South to the Amazon and East to Africa, 2002, page 138.
|
work spouse »
A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.
|
wreak havoc »
To cause damage, disruption, or destruction.
|
wrestling with a pig »
To engage in a pointless task that leaves one worse off for having made an honest attempt.
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yellow-bellied »
Uncourageous.
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you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone »
It is advantageous not to rely solely on being nice.
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you know it »
Indicates agreement, approval, encouragement.
|
you knows it »
Indicates agreement, approval, encouragement.
|
you're never too old to learn »
It is possible to learn new things, at any age; (implying) follow your desires and dreams
|
your mileage may vary »
It may work differently in your situation, or be different in your experience.
|
your mileage may vary »
To express a possible difference in taste, "this is just my opinion, your opinion may be different".
|
zip up »
To convert a computer file into a smaller package.
|
zoom in »
To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a larger image, or a closer view.
|
zoom out »
To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a smaller image, or a more distant view.
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