We've found 1081 phrases for AK (0.116 seconds):

a bad workman always blames his tools »    It is not the tools we use which make us good, but rather how we employ them.

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link »    An organization (especially a process or a business) is only as strong or powerful as its weakest person. A group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member.

a closed mouth gathers no feet »    One who does not speak can be certain he won't say anything embarrassing.

a day late and a dollar short »    Action that was taken too late and too feeble to be of any use.

a dumb priest never got a parish »    (Irish) Those who fail to speak up fail to get what they want.

a good beginning makes a good ending »    Good beginnings promise a good end; start off on a good note to reap the benefits at the end.

a good man is hard to find »    Men who make good husbands or workers are rare.

a leopard cannot change its spots »    One cannot change one's own nature.1597, William Shakespeare, Richard II Act i, Scene 1 (First Folio):King. Lyons make Leopards tame.Mowbray. Yea but not change his ?pots.1611, King James Version of the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23:Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe Chapter 32:End now all unkindness. Let us put the Jew to ransom, since the leopard will not change his spots, and a Jew he will continue to be.1918, Johnston McCulley, Thubway Tham's Inthane Moment:The leopard cannot change his spots, old boy.

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.

absence makes the heart grow fonder »    When someone or something is faraway, you realise how much you love (or miss) them or it.

according to »    According to the directions, the glue takes 24 hours to dry.

actions speak louder than words »    It is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.

add fuel to fire »    To inflame a situation, to make a situation worse.

add up »    To take a sum.

add up »    To make sense; to be reasonable or consistent.

albatross »    Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.

all hell breaks loose »    Vi A place or state of fury, turmoil, destruction, or chaos.

all kidding aside »    Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.

all over the place »    Everywhere, especially chaotically or in such a way as to make a mess.

all roads lead to Rome »    different paths can take one to the same goal

all talk and no action »    Speaking, promising, or boasting much, but doing little

all wet »    Thoroughly soaked; drenched.

all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy »    Too much focus on one's career is often viewed unfavorably.Too much hard work and not enough leisure time can be unhealthy.

allow for »    To take into account when making plans.

apple does not fall far from the tree »    A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, both in behavior and in physical characteristics.1842, E. A. Freidlaender (translator), Frederika Bremer (author), The Neighbours, ch. 10:It is impossible to look at Madam Rhen, without at once making the conclusion that she is pleasantness, hospitality, and loquacity itself; nor can one look upon her daughter Renetta without thinking, "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"1978, Dr. Isador Rosenfeld, "Doctor Asks Patient

ask for »    make a request

ass over teakettle »    Frantically.

ass over teakettle »    Tumbling upside down.

assume the mantle »    To take on a specific role or position, along with any associated responsibilites.

at stake »    In danger; hazarded; pledged; at risk.

autem quaver »    Quaker.

back down »    To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously has or has planned to.

back up »    For the non-striker to take a few steps down the pitch, in preparation to taking a run, just as the bowler bowls the ball.

baker's dozen »    Cousin.

baker's dozen »    Thirteen, a group of thirteen.

bakers dozen »    Thirteen.

ball-breaker »    A person or task which is excessively demanding or punishing.

bang about »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

bang around »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

bark up the wrong tree »    To attempt or pursue the wrong thing; to take the wrong approach; to follow a false lead.

barking dogs seldom bite »    People who make big threats never usually carry them out.

barrel »    A wave that breaks with a hollow compartment.

bash in »    To break or dent badly by hitting violently.

batten down »    To close or make watertight, referring to hatches and cargo.

be taken ill »    Due to sudden illness.

be taken ill »    To become ill.

beaver away »    To busily undertake a large task.

been there, done that »    An assertion that the speaker has personal experience or knowledge of a particular place or topic and is now bored.

been there, done that, bought the T-shirt »    Expresses the speaker's complete familiarity with a situation, with overtones of cynicism or exhaustion.

believe you me »    An emphatic form of "believe me"; you [the subject] had better believe me [the speaker].

bend over backwards »    To make a great effort; to take extraordinary care; to go to great lengths.

best laid plans »    A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.

big break »    A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.

big mouth »    The mouth of someone who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by inappropriately revealing information.

bird in the bosom »    A secret pledge that one makes for another.

birthday suit »    Nakedness; a lack of clothing.

bite of the reality sandwich »    A wake-up call, a reality check.

bite off more than one can chew »    To try to do too much; to take on or attempt more than one is capable of doing.

blaze a trail »    To set precedent or do something novel; to break new ground.

blind »    A player who is or was forced to make a bet.

blot out »    To make something undecipherable; to obliterate.

blow it »    To fail at something; to mess up; to make a mistake.

blow off »    To pass gas; to break wind.

blow smoke »    To speak with a lack of credibility, sense, purpose, or truth; to speak nonsense.

blow the whistle »    To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.

box the compass »    To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.

brace of shakes »    A very short time.

brace of shakes »    The time taken for a sail to shake or shiver twice as a ship comes into the wind.

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 leg »    To perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.

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.

break a sweat »    To put effort into something.

break a sweat »    To start sweating.

break away »    To leave suddenly.

break down »    To fail.

break down »    To become unstable, mentally or otherwise.

break down »    To decay.

break down »    To give more detail.

break even »    To neither gain nor lose money.

break even »    To stay the same; to neither advance nor regress.

break ground »    To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.

break ground »    To initiate a new venture, or to advance beyond previous achievements.

break ground »    To lift off the sea bottom when being weighed.

break in »    To enter by force or illicit means.

break in »    New function more naturally through use or wear.

break in the case »    A new discovery in a case.

break into »    To enter illegally or by force.

break into »    To open or begin to use.

break into »    To try to start in a profession or business.

break into »    To begin suddenly.

break new ground »    By extension, to initiate a new venture.

break new ground »    To begin excavating and levelling earth for a new building, or, originally, for cultivation.

break off »    To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.

break off »    To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping.

break one's duck »    To do something for the first time.

break one's duck »    To score one's first run in an innings.

break out »    To escape, especially forcefully or defiantly.

break out »    To bring out, use, or present.

break out »    To separate from a bundle.

break out »    To begin suddenly; to emerge in a certain condition.

break rank »    To march or charge out of the designated order in a military unit.

break someone's heart »    To cause a person to feel grief or sadness.

break the back of »    To achieve the greater part of some project.

break the bank »    To exhaust one's financial resources.

break the bank »    To win more money than is available to be paid.

break the buck »    Fall below the value of one dollar per share.[1].

break the ice »    To start to get to know people, by avoiding awkwardness.

break up »    To break or separate into pieces; to disintegrate or come apart.

break up »    To end a relationship.

break up »    To dissolve; to part.

break up »    Of a telephone conversation, to cease to be understandable because of a bad connection.

break up »    To break or separate into pieces.

break up »    To stop a fight; to separate people who are fighting.

break wind »    To flatulate; fart; to expel gases generated during digestion through the anus.

breakfast of champions »    An ironic appellation for beer, junk food, or other foods implied to be unhealthy.

breathe down someone's neck »    To follow someone too closely, making it uncomfortable for them.

bridge »    A particular form of one hand placed on the table to support the cue when making a shot in cue sports.

bright-line rule »    A clear-cut, easy to make decision.

brighten up »    To make cheerful.

bring about »    To cause to take place.

bring down »    To make a legitimate rulership lose their position of power.

bring down »    To make something flying fall to the ground. Usually by firing a weapon of some kind.

bring down »    To make someone feel bad emotionally.

bring forward »    To make something happen earlier than originally planned.

bring it weak »    To fail to accomplish an accomplishable task or to make an attempt at less than maximum effort; to "half-ass" or "fake the funk".

bring out »    To make a shy person more confident.

bring owls to Athens »    To undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical.

broad shoulders »    The ability to take criticism, or accept responsibility.

buck up »    Cheer up; take courage; take heart.

buck up »    Hurry up; make haste.

bugger up »    To break or spoil something, or make it inoperative, useless etc.

bulletproof »    Unbreakable, very tough.

bump and grind »    A combination of movements resembling such a dance, as in road racing, whitewater kayaking, or exercising; any activity involving prolonged jarring or shaking.

business before pleasure »    An admonishment that discharging one's obligations must take precedence over devoting time to pursuits meant solely for one's own gratification.

busy work »    Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.

butt-naked »    Stark-naked, completely nude.

butt-naked »    With the buttocks bared.

by leaps and bounds »    Rapidly. Said of making progress.

cake crumbs »    Crumbs from a cake.

cake crumbs »    Hardly anything.

call a spade a spade »    To speak the truth; to say things as they really are.

call someone's bluff »    To take action on the basis that another person is bluffing.

call the shots »    To make the decisions;to be in charge;to give orders.

calling card »    A prepaid card or credit card, usually electronically readable, used to pay the charges when making a telephone call.

calling card »    A small printed card which identifies the bearer, traditionally presented for introduction when making a social visit to a home or when attending a formal social event or business meeting.

carpe diem »    seize the day, make the most of today, enjoy the present

carpe diem cras »    seize the day tomorrow, make the most of tomorrow

carry away »    To break under sudden pressure of violent wind.

carry on »    To take baggage or luggage onto an airplane, rather than check it.

carry the can »    To take responsibility, especially in a challenging situation.

cash cow »    Someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money; a moneymaker.

cast aspersions »    To make damaging or spiteful remarks.

catch air »    To make a jump.

catch big air »    Superlative of catch air; make a big jump high off the ground.

catch out »    To discover or expose as fake or insincere.

catch up »    To compensate for or make up a deficiency.

change one's mind »    To convince someone to make a decision differing from what a previous one.

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.

cheer up »    To make someone happy.

chill out »    Relax, take it easy.

chip in »    To interrupt a discussion for the purpose of making a comment.

chip in »    To make a contribution; help in a small way; especially, to pay for a part of something.

chip off the old block »    Someone who takes after their parent.

chip on one's shoulder »    A tendency to take offence quickly.

cite chapter and verse »    To speak authoritatively, providing detailed factual information.

clamp down on »    To take measures to stop something; to put an end to.

class clown »    A student who frequently makes jokes or pokes fun; a wiseacre.

clean up »    To make a large profit; to win by a large margin, or to win a large amount, especially in gambling. Also clean house.

clean up »    To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy.

climb up »    To make a gradual ascent or increase.

clothes don't make the man »    An aphorism meaning that you cannot judge a person solely by his appearance. Usually pertains to men.

cold comfort »    C. 1594, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, act 4, sc. 1.

come about »    To come to pass; to develop; to occur; to take place; to happen.

come along »    To progress; to make progress.

come full circle »    To make a complete change or reform.

come out »    To make a formal debut in society.

come round »    To make a regular circuit.

come the acid »    To make oneself unpleasant, especially by sarcasm.

come to a head »    To suddenly make mature or perfected that which was inchoate or imperfectly formed.

company »    As he had worked for the CIA for over 30 years, he would soon take retirement from the company.

cool it »    Calm down, relax, take a time out.

copious free time »    A hypothetical time set aside for performing time-consuming tasks, however insinuating that the speaker really has no free time.

coug it »    To suddenly lose a contest through reversal of fortune, mistakes, or bad judgment. The phrase is analogous to "blow it", or "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory".

cough up »    To lose a competition by one's own mistakes, usually near the end of the contest.

cover one's ass »    To make preparations or take precautions to ensure that one is not blamed or punished for one's conduct.

crack a crib »    To break into a house.

crack up »    To become insane; to suffer a mental breakdown.

crap out »    To break down.

creature comfort »    Any small item or detail that makes a person comfortable and at home.

cross my heart »    A declaration that the speaker is telling the truth.

cross the Rubicon »    To make an irreversible decision or to take an action with consequences.

crown jewels »    A part of a company sought by another in a hostile takeover.

cue up »    The act of taking aim on the cue ball with the cue in a game of snooker, or billiards, etc.

cut corners »    To do a less than thorough or complete job; to do something poorly or take short cuts.

cut of one's jib »    Someone’s general appearance or the implications thereof, especially in relation to making an impression or one’s style..

cut short »    Make shorter by cutting.

darn tootin' »    Absolutely correct; speaking the truth.

dead ringer »    Someone or something that very closely resembles another; someone or something easily mistaken for another.

deal breaker »    To fail.

devil's advocate »    One who debates from a view which they may not actually hold, usually to determine its validity, or simply for the sake of argument.

dig in »    To make a burst of hard work.

divide and conquer »    A combination of political, military and economic strategies that aim to gain and maintain power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.(computing) Applied to various algorithms, such as quicksort, that solve a problem by splitting it recursively into smaller problems until all of the remaining problems are trivial.(as imperative, proverb) In order to rule securely, don't allow alliances of your enemies.

do away with »    To destroy, eliminate, or make an end of.

do one's damnedest »    To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.

do one's darnedest »    To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.

dog's breakfast »    An unappealing mixture; a disorderly situation; a mess.

don't take any wooden nickels »    Do not permit yourself be cheated or duped; do not be naive.

dot the i's and cross the t's »    To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or thorough.

double Dutch »    A language game akin to pig Latin.

double talk »    Speaking in a mixture of real English and English-sounding gibberish, for humorous effect.

down to the short strokes »    In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

drag one's feet »    To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.

drama queen »    Who behaves and speaks in an overly dramatic manner so as to garner attention.

draw a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

draw back »    To withdraw from an undertaking.

draw on »    To appeal to, make a demand of, rely on; to utilize or make use of, as a source.

draw out »    To make something last for more time than is necessary; prolong; extend.

drink from a firehose »    To take a small amount from an enormous, hard-to-manage quantity.

drip »    To leak slowly.

drive one up the wall »    To make a person very angry or bored; to infuriate.

drive-by media »    Media professionals who "spray" a bunch of repetitive misstatements, mistaken and misinterpreted news reports to cause excitement and confusion. They then figuratively "drive off" leaving the cleanup of their mess and hysteria to others, to correct and properly explain and interpret.

drop a bollock »    To make a mistake.

drop a dime »    To make a phone call, usually means calling the police to report another's activities.

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 the ball »    To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.

duck soup »    Easy, or a piece of cake.

dummy up »    To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.

e pluribus unum »    A national motto of the United States of America, meaning "From many, one", or "out of many, one", referring to the integration of 13 independent colonies into one country, and that has taken an additional meaning, giving the pluralistic nature of American society from immigration.

ear tunnel »    A piece of jewelry that fits into a stretched earlobe hole and makes it seem like a peephole and makes it see-through.

early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise »    platitude from Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym Poor Richard.

eat crow »    To recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.

eat humble pie »    To admit one's faults; to make a humiliating apology.

eat someone out of house and home »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act II Scene I.

eat the wind »    To take a walk.

empty vessels make the most sound »    noisy, opinionated people are often stupid.

enough to make the angels weep »    Something so distressing that it causes one to lose hope and faith.

even up »    To make even; to make level

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,

every silver lining has a cloud »    Every good situation has the potential to turn bad.2007, Diab A. Shetayh, Actuality : The Reality RequiemA great partnership isn't a self-maintaining entity. Perseverance and persistence make it thrive. For every silver lining has a cloud. Ignorance of this reality is not an option.

f** this »    The phrase emphatically diminishes the activity or event referred to and expresses that the speaker will have no more to do with it.

fall apart »    To break into pieces through being in a dilapidated state.

fall on one's sword »    To voluntarily take the blame for a situation.

far be it »    A disclaimer stating that the person speaking will not do something.

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.

feed a cold, starve a fever »    Eating more will cure the common cold, and eating less will cure a fever.1887, J. H. Whelan, "The Treatment of Colds.", The Practitioner, vol. 38, pg. 180:"Feed a cold, starve a fever." There is a deal of wisdom in the first part of this advice. A person with a catarrh should take an abundance of light nutritious food, and some light wine, but avoid spirits, and above all tobacco.1968, Katinka Loeser, The Archers at Home, publ. Atheneum, New York, pg. 60:I have a cold. 'Feed a cold, starve a fever.' You certainly know that.2009, Shelly Reuben, Tabula Rasa, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ISBN 015101079X, pg. 60:They say feed a cold, starve a fever, but they don't tell you what to do when you got both, so I figured scrambled eggs, tea, and toast.

feet of clay »    To say that someone, who appears strong or invincible, in fact has a hidden weak point which could cause their fall.

field day »    A day of class taken away from school for a field trip.

fill up »    To make full.

fine feathers make fine birds »    Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.

firm up »    To make muscles more toned through physical exercise.

firm up »    To make tentative plans more definite.

fish for compliments »    To try to induce someone to make a compliment.

fish or cut bait »    To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.

flap one's gums »    To speak idly; to talk without effect.

fluff up »    To make a gaffe or blunder.

flunk out »    Often requiring a retaking of the course or academic year.

fly the freak flag »    To behave in a unconventional or unrestrained manner; to exhibit the uninhibited side of one's personality.

fold up »    To make or become more compact by folding.

fool's errand »    A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.

fool's errand »    Such an undertaking, assigned as a prank.

for all intents and purposes »    For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

for f**'s sake »    An expression of anger or frustration.

for goodness' sake »    This interjection expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.

for goodness' sake »    This interjection expresses surprise or amazement.

for heaven's sake »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

for my money »    Used to mark a statement made by the speaker as an opinion or something not known with certainty.

for Pete's sake »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.

for the sake of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

forbidden fruit »    Illicit pleasure; something that one should not take or get involved with, such as an another person's spouse.

fortune favors the bold »    Luck is usually on the side of those who take chances and risks.

foul up »    To botch; to make a mess of.

foul up »    To make a mistake, to go wrong.

freak flag »    Unconventional or unrestrained behavior; extreme, nonconformist views; the side of one's personality which harbors a tendency toward such behavior or such views.

free rein »    The absence of constraints; freedom to make decisions.

free ride »    An opportunity or benefit which has no cost, especially one enjoyed or undertaken at the expense of others.

frog in one's throat »    Any temporary physical difficulty in speaking.

from my cold, dead hands »    A statement that something will not be taken away from you until the day you die.

from time to time »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 3, sc. 3.

fry up »    Full English breakfast.

full English »    A cooked breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs, and other foods.

full of it »    Speaking nonsense; lying, exaggerating, or boasting.

full of shit »    Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.

funny money »    Money gained in a devious or sneaky manner.

gallows humor »    Comedy that makes light of death or other very serious matters.

get away »    make an escape

get back at »    To retaliate; to take revenge.

get bent out of shape »    To take offense; to become angry, agitated or upset.

get carried away »    To become excessively involved, to take something too far.

get moving »    To start hurrying to undertake a task.

get one's feet wet »    To begin gaining experience; To take a risk and try something new.

get one's wires crossed »    To get confused or mixed up; to make a mistake.

get someone's nose out of joint »    To become angry; to take offense or take exception.

get someone's nose out of joint »    To make someone angry.

get stuck »    To be unable to make progress.

get taken in »    To be fooled; to fall for.

get taken in »    To be unofficially fostered.

give 110%25 »    Make the maximum possible effort.

give and take »    A process of compromise or accommodation.

give hostage to fortune »    To take an action or make a statement that is risky because it could cause you trouble later.

give it one's best shot »    To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.

give or take »    Approximately; plus or minus some unknown amount.

give somebody the heave-ho »    To fire, expel or break up with someone.

give somebody what-for »    To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.

gloss over »    To cover up a mistake or a crime; to hush up or whitewash.

go along for the ride »    To accompany someone passively, or to take a passive role in a project.

go down »    To take place, happen.

go down the wrong way »    To swallow food or drink so that it goes down the wrong tube in one's throat and makes one cough or for a short period lose one's breath or choke.

go in for »    To engage or take part in something.

go jump in the lake »    Used to tell a person that to go away, or that their request will not be met.

go off »    To begin clanging or making noise.

go off at score »    Of a horse, to break suddenly into a gallop; of a person, suddenly to say or do something impetuous.

go off half-cocked »    To take a premature or ill-considered action.

go on »    To make a decision based on.

go out of one's way »    To make an extra effort.

go out on a limb »    To take a risk.

go places »    To make progress or achieve success.

go public »    Make public, announce publicly or to the press.

go round in circles »    To repeatedly do the same thing; without making any progress.

go south »    To become unfavorable; to decrease; to take a turn for the worse.

go the extra mile »    To make an extra effort; to do a particularly good job.

go to the wall »    To make an all-out effort.

God helps those who help themselves »    Fortune comes to those who make a genuine effort to accomplish things.

golden handshake »    A generous severance payment, especially as an inducement to leave employment.

good fences make good neighbors »    It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.

goodbye cruel world »    A call said before taking a stiff drink, especially a shot of vodka.

grace period »    A length of time during which rules or penalties do not take effect or are withheld.

grain of salt »    A bit of common sense and skepticism. Generally used in some form of to take with a grain of salt.

grass snake »    reptile

great oaks from little acorns grow »    Alternative form of mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

grind to a halt »    Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.

gussie up »    To make fancy or attractive, as by artificial or contrived means.

hack into »    To gain unauthorized entry to, particularly by exploiting little-known weaknesses.

hair of the dog »    An alcoholic drink taken the morning after to cure a hangover or withdrawal symptoms.

half-baked »    Partially cooked by heating in an oven.

hang a Louie »    Make a left turn while driving a vehicle.

hang a Ralph »    Make a right turn while driving a vehicle.

harden »    To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.

harden someone's heart »    To make someone more resistant to something.

harsh one's mellow »    To make someone feel bad emotionally.

has-been »    A formerly popular or influential person whose popularity or effectiveness has peaked and is now in decline. Typically said of professionals or celebrities whose primary success is behind them.

haste makes waste »    One makes mistakes when being too hasty.

have a go »    To make an attempt; to try.

have a look-see »    Take a look.

have a seat »    To sit down; to take a seat.

have a word with »    To talk or speak with.

have an axe to grind »    To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something.

have eyes bigger than one's belly »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

have eyes bigger than one's stomach »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

have the floor »    To have permission or time to speak, especially in a formal situation.

head south »    Alternative form of go south; to decrease or become unfavorable; to take a turn for the worse.

head up »    To lead or take the lead; to direct; to take charge.

hear, hear »    Let us hear and applaud the previous speaker; I endorse the previous statement; Expression of support, agreement, or enthusiasm for what has just been said.

heart-breaking »    That causes extreme sorrow or grief.

hedge one's bets »    To reduce the risk of making a mistake, by keeping one's options open.

hell hath no fury like a woman scorned »    A woman will make someone suffer if they reject her.

help oneself »    Take freely.

hem and haw »    To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.

his back is up »    He is offended or angry; an expression or idea taken from a cat; that animal, when angry, always raising its back. An allusion also sometimes used to jeer a crooked man.

hit on »    To flirt with; to approach and speak to (someone), seeking romance, love, sex, etc.

hit paydirt »    To strike it rich; to get lucky or have a big break.

hit the rock »    To make a gesture to show celebration, friendship, or to be part of a secret handshake by one person raising their fist so the fist is pointing at the person and the other person lightly punches the fist.

hold that thought »    Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.

holding pattern »    A path taken by an aircraft waiting to land.

honorable mention »    An award or recognition given to something that does not make it to a higher standing but is worth mentioning in an honorable way.

hoover up »    Quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from the plate rather than using cutlery.

hot button »    A central issue, concern or characteristic, especially one that motivates people to make a choice.

hot button »    The principal desire that a salesman needs to "hit" in order to make a sale.

hot cross buns »    good friday cakes

house of cards »    A structure or argument built on a shaky foundation.

hum and haw »    Procrastinate and take a long time before doing something or taking a decision.

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.

hunger is the best sauce »    Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.

hunker down »    To take shelter; to prepare oneself for some eventuality; to focus on a task.

idiot light »    Any warning light or indicator on the dashboard of a car, designed to alert the driver of problems, such as the parking brake being on or the oil being low.

if it's all the same »    If it makes no difference; if nobody minds; if it doesn't bother anyone.

if pigs had wings they would fly »    (colloquial) Expresses speakers skepticism toward a hypothetical argument by another.

if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen »    If you cannot handle the pressure, you should not be in a position where you have to deal with it.

in a bake »    Very angry.

in a bind »    In a difficult situation, usually of one's own making; having a dilemma; faced with a problem or a set of problems for which there is no easy solution.

in all one's glory »    Completely naked.

in the altogether »    Naked.

in the black »    Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.

in the making »    In development; in the process of being made.

in the pink »    Nude, naked.

in the twinkling of an eye »    Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".

in the wake of »    As a result of.

in the wake of »    Following.

in the wake of »    In the noticeable disturbance of water behind .

in two shakes »    Very quickly; without delay.

in vino veritas »    drunken folks speak truth, one tells the truth under the influence of alcohol

it takes all kinds to make a world »    Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds.

it takes two to tango »    Some things need the active cooperation of two parties; blame is to be laid on both parties in a conflict.

it's about time »    Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.

it's all Greek to me »    I don’t understand any of it; it makes no sense..

it's better to ask forgiveness than permission »    The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than value of delaying to get permission.

it's not the whistle that pulls the train »    Boasting and loud talk should not be mistaken for the work that produces real achievements; bravado is no proof of action.1956, James Reston, "Washington: It's Not the Whistle that Pulls the Train," New York Times, 1 July, p. E8:

jack it in »    An imperative to stop doing something that the speaker finds annoying.

jolly someone along »    To make someone happy or compliant, as by encouragement or flattery.

jump through hoops »    To put forth effort for the sake of appearance or demonstration.

jump to conclusions »    Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.

jumped-up »    Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.

keep it up »    To maintain or continue a positive streak.

keep one's eye on the ball »    My ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.

keep one's mouth shut »    To keep a secret; to refrain from speaking indiscreetly or carelessly.

keep your friends close, and your enemies closer »    One should be on their toes and alert of their surroundings if malicious people are around, to ensure such people can't wreak havoc in one's life.

key off »    To take as a controlling input datum.

kick down »    To break or demolish something by physical bodily force.

kick off »    To make the first kick in a game or part of a game.

kick oneself »    To reproach oneself for making a mistake or missing an opportunity.

kick someone when they are down »    To make it worse for someone who is going through a difficult time.

kick the bucket »    Of a machine, to break down such that it cannot be repaired.

kill off »    To eliminate, or make extinct.

kiss and make up »    To settle one's differences and forgive.

knock on wood »    A self-directive to undertake the customary action to ward off bad luck.

knock on wood »    To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted my a presumptuous statement.

la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »    The drop of water that makes the vase overflow.

labor of love »    A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.

lash out »    To make a sudden blow.

lash out »    To make a fierce verbal attack.

last word »    A final decision, or the right to make such a decision.

laughing stock »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.

lay off »    To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.

lay up »    To take out of active service.

leather working »    The technology of making products from leather.

let slip »    To divulge a secret, as by accident or mistake.

lift a finger »    To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.

like hot cakes »    Quickly, especially by purchase or consumption.

look daggers »    To stare sharply at someone to indicate disapproval without actually speaking.

Loose cannon »    A cannon that breaks loose during battle or a storm and causes serious damage to the ship and its crew.

lucky break »    A stroke of luck; a fortunate event, particularly of the sort that propels one to success, fame, etc.

mad money »    A sum of money kept in reserve or to insulate oneself financially in the event of the sudden breakdown of a relationship in which one is economically dependent.

make a decision »    To decide.

make a fool of oneself »    To appear foolish to others.

make a go of it »    To attempt; especially, to attempt to make a living.

make a killing »    To win or earn a large amount of money.

make a leg »    To make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back.

make a living »    To earn enough income to support oneself and, if applicable, one's family.

make a meal of »    That is the eleventh edit that you have made to that word, you are really making a meal of it.

make a meal of »    To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated.

make a monkey out of »    To cause a person, organization, or action to appear foolish or inferior; to subject someone or something to ridicule..

make a mountain out of a molehill »    To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.

make a name for oneself »    To gain fame.

make a pig's ear of »    To do badly; to make a mess of.

make a point »    To argue or promote an idea.

make a point »    To take care in doing something of something; to pay attention or ensure that something is done.

make a pug face »    To put on a sorry face, as a pug would look.

make a pug-face »    Putting on a sorry face, as a pug would look.

make a splash »    To do something that attracts attention.

make a stink »    To complain; to demand attention or remedy for a problem.

make a virtue of necessity »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 4, sc.1.

make a virtue of necessity »    To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.

make amends »    To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.

make an example of »    He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.

make an example of »    To punish someone so as to be a warning to others.

make an exhibition of oneself »    She had far too much to drink and made an exhibition of herself by flirting with everyone.

make an exhibition of oneself »    To embarrass oneself or others in public.

make an honest woman »    Especially if she is having a sexual relationship.

make believe »    To pretend or imagine.

make book »    To be very confident.

make book »    To gamble, either by placing or taking bets.

make do with »    To get along with whatever is available.

make for »    To move towards.

make for »    ????, translator unknown, author Galileo Galilei, Two Chief World Systems.

make for »    To tend to produce or result in.

make for »    head towards

make fun of »    To tease, ridicule or make jokes about.

make game of »    To ridicule; to jest.

make haste »    hurry

make hay »    To cut grass to turn into hay for animal feed.

make hay »    To take advantage of an opportunity.

make hay while the sun shines »    To act while an opportunity exists; to take action while a situation is favorable.

make head or tail of »    To determine to be good or bad.

make head or tail of »    To understand even minimally.

make headway »    To progress; to move forward.

make it »    To become famous and successful.

make it »    To have sex.

make it »    To reach a place.

make it »    To survive, to live through something.

make it big »    To become famous and successful.

make it do or do without »    If you don't have a lot of money, extend the life of what you have.

make it snappy »    Do it quickly; be quick about it.

make it up as one goes along »    To improvise continuously.

make light of »    To regard without due seriousness; to joke or disregard inappropriately.

make no bones about »    To see no difficulty in, have no objection to.

make off »    To run away; to exit.

make off with »    To steal something and run.

make oneself scarce »    To leave or depart, or to avoid or stay away.

make out »    To discern.

make out »    To designate as the recipient.

make out »    To characterize as; often with to be.

make out »    To kiss or to make love.

make out »    To succeed; to turn out or end up.

make out »    To fabricate a story.

make out like a bandit »    To profit greatly; to get an excessively good deal.

make over »    To renovate or to convert to a different use.

make over »    To transfer ownership, especially by means of a legal document.

make quick work of »    To accomplish a specified task easily and quickly.

make sense »    To be coherent or reasonable.

make sense »    To decipher or understand.

make short work of »    To make a task quicker or easier.

make someone's day »    To make someone happy or to be a source of satisfaction.

make someone's skin crawl »    To disturb or bother; to frighten or disgust.

make someone's teeth itch »    To bother or unsettle a person; to put someone on edge.

make sure »    To verify; to recheck; to use extra care or caution.

make the cut »    To succeed; to be chosen out of a field of candidates or possibilities.

make the grade »    To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.

make the most of »    To profit as much as possible from.

make the welkin ring »    By extension of.

make the welkin ring »    By extension of , to celebrate or revel.

make the welkin ring »    To make a loud noise.

make tracks »    To leave in a hurry.

make tracks »    To leave or depart; to go away.

make up »    To constitute; to compose; to form.

make up »    To compensate, fill in or catch up.

make up »    To assemble, or mix.

make up »    To apply cosmetics or makeup.

make up »    To resolve, forgive or smooth over an argument or fight.

make up one's mind »    To decide; to reach a conclusion.

make waves »    To cause a disturbance.

make waves »    To upset the status quo.

man of few words »    A man who doesn't speak much, or speaks only for a short period of time.

man up »    To "be a man about it"; to do the things a good man is traditionally expected to do, such as: taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; displaying bravery or toughness in the face of adversity; providing for one's family, etc.

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.

many a mickle makes a muckle »    (UK) a lot of small amounts together, become a large amount.

many hands make light work »    A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.

measure twice and cut once »    (literally, carpentry) One should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material.1872, "Dressmaking," Hall's Journal of Health, vol. 19, no. 12, p. 280:Look at Carpenters! . . . In old times it was a proverb "Measure twice, and cut once."(figuratively, by extension) Plan and prepare in a careful, thorough manner before taking action.2008, Hilary Johnson, "Mergers rattle bank relations," Financial Week, 9 Nov. (retrieved 9 Nov. 2008):Mr. Paz noted that since the onset of the credit crisis, eBay, like other companies, hasn

meet one's maker »    To die or to pass into the afterlife.

mess up »    To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.

mess up »    To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.

mess up »    To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.

mess up »    To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.

might makes right »    The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.

mighty oaks from little acorns grow »    Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!

mind the store »    To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.

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.

moment of truth »    A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.

money maker »    A woman's buttocks.

money maker »    Something profitable.

morning person »    A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.

mouthful of marbles »    An indistinct, muffled or garbled manner of speaking.

mover and shaker »    Someone who has power and influence in some field or activity.

mug's game »    A foolish, profitless, or hopeless undertaking.

naked ape »    A human being.

naked as a jaybird »    Stark naked; nude; especially, naked in a public setting and without embarrassment.

narrow down »    Make more specific.

night person »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.

nighthawk »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.

no brainer »    Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.

no great shakes »    Unexceptional; not special or noteworthy; not very effective.

no matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney »    Regardless of how many clever points or fine distinctions one makes, what one is saying is still false or is still nonsense.

no slave to fashion »    A person whose style of clothing and appearance are unconventional, informal, or slovenly; a person who takes little interest in how he or she is dressed.

nobody's perfect »    Used when someone's mistakes or flaws are acknowledged, to remind that everyone else makes mistakes and has flaws1995, New York Magazine Vol. 28, No. 5, 30 January 1995, The de-moralization of society (Book Review)Hypocrisy, particularly in sexual matters, is excused on the grounds that hey, nobody's perfect, and at least folks back then felt bad enough to lie.2000, Madonna, Nobody's PerfectI feel so sad. What I did wasn't right. I feel so bad and I must say to you: Sorry, but nobody's perfect. Nobody's perfect. What did you expect? I'm doing my best

not to put too fine a point on it »    Used to apologise for a possibly impolite statement one is making.

nothing ventured, nothing gained »    If one takes no risks, one will not gain any benefits.

nudge nudge wink wink »    A phrase added at the end of the sentence to hint that the speaker is referring to something else, euphemistically.

nut-cutting time »    Time to gather nuts before they are taken by other animals or buried in snow.

nuts and bolts »    The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.

nutty as a fruitcake »    Behaving in an eccentric, foolish, or kooky manner; very nutty.

on a roll »    Having a streak of good luck or good progress or success.

on about »    Speaking about, talking of.

on the anvil »    Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.

on the make »    Actively seeking a romantic encounter or relationship.

on the make »    Actively seeking an opportunity for self-advancement; eager to ingratiate oneself to others in order to secure some advantage.

on the uptake »    In understanding or in the ability to absorb new information; especially in the phrases "quick on the uptake" and "slow on the uptake".

on tiptoe »    We crept out on tiptoe so as not to wake the children.

one can't hold two watermelons in one hand »    do not attempt to take on more than you can handle

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »    Words spoken by Neil Armstrong when taking the first steps on the moon.

one step at a time »    Slowly and carefully, ensuring that each action has been completed successfully before taking the next.

one swallow does not a summer make »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one swallow does not make a summer »    A sign is not proof

one swallow doesn't make a summer »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

open one's big mouth »    To speak about things, when it would be better to stay silent.

opposites attract »    people who are completely different make ideal partners.

orange up »    To make more orange.

orange up »    To make more prominent by making orange or adding orange colour.

out of character »    Not in character; not successfully performing within the mindset of a given character in a theatrical performance. See also break character, drop character.

out of the way »    Taken care of.

out to lunch »    Away eating lunch or for a midday break; especially, away from work or a job.

parting shot »    An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.

pass through »    To make something move through something else.

pave the way »    To make future development easier.

pay out »    To repay, take revenge.

pencil-neck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

pencil-necked »    Insubstantial; weak.

pencilneck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones »    Do not criticize others if you have weaknesses yourself.

pep up »    To make stronger or more interesting.

physical break »    A short break in a meeting or in a classroom setting, intended to improve attention.

pick on »    To bully or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.

piece of cake »    A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple to do.

piece of cake »    One slice of cake.

pipe up »    To speak up.

pitch woo »    To make love.

play along »    To take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.

play down »    To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.

play for love »    To play a game of cards without stakes.

play it safe »    To take a cautious, risk-free approach.

play Old Harry »    To play the devil; to make mischief.

play one's cards right »    To act sensibly; to make the right moves.

play up »    To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.

plead the fifth »    To refuse to answer a question, or refuse to speak, especially when the response would reflect badly on the speaker.

plump up »    To shake or arrange so as to be fatter or more evenly distributed.

pop the cherry »    To break the hymen; to lose one's virginity.

potter »    One who makes pots and other ceramic wares.

power chord »    A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power chords make extensive use of intervals such as open fourths and fifths.

power up »    To turn the electrical power on to a device as a precondition to make it operational.

practice makes perfect »    If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.

pre-war »    Describing the period before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

preach to the choir »    Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.

press the flesh »    To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.

pride comes before a fall »    A person who is extremely proud of his or her abilities will often suffer a setback or failure, because he or she tends to be overconfident and to make errors of judgment.

prime of life »    The period of one's mature life when one is at a peak of health and performance.

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 a face »    To make an abnormal facial expression.

pull one's socks up »    To start making an effort; to renew or redouble one's efforts.

pull the other leg »    In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe what another has just said.

push one's luck »    To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.

put a foot wrong »    To make a mistake.

put a lid on it »    To be quiet; shut up; to stop talking about something or making noise.

put away »    To take a large lead in a game.

put down »    To make prices, or taxes, lower.

put forth »    To give or supply; to make or create.

put hair on somebody's chest »    To make a person stronger or more masculine.

put into practice »    To take a theory and make it a practical reality.

put on the dog »    To dress up; to put on airs; to make a show of wealth and/or importance; to be pretentious.

put one's back into »    To make a strenuous effort to do something.

put one's best foot forward »    To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.

put one's foot down »    To make a car go faster, accelerate.

put one's foot in it »    To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.

put one's foot in one's mouth »    To misspeak; to say something embarrassing or wrong.

put one's money where one's mouth is »    More generally, to take an obvious stake in the truth of a claim that one is making.

put one's money where one's mouth is »    To make or take a bet.

put up »    To house, shelter, or take in.

quake in one's boots »    To be frightened, scared, or nervous.

queer one's pitch »    To make a task more difficult for the speaker.

quick on the uptake »    Able to readily understand things; intelligent.

quiet down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

quieten down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

raise somebody's hackles »    Make someone angry.

raise the stakes »    To increase in significance or risk.

raise the stakes »    To raise the stakes of a hand of poker.

rake »    A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.

rake »    A lot, plenty.

rake »    A set of coupled rail vehicles, normally coaches or wagons.

rake »    The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.

rake »    The sloped edge of a roof at or adjacent to the first or last rafter.

rat run »    A small road that people venture down when they want to sneak off the motorway and take a short cut.

real job »    A hobby that takes all of a person's free time.

reality check »    A check or review to make sure something is consistent, reasonable, etc.

reality check »    A wake-up call, reminder.

rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic »    To do something pointless or insignificant that will soon be overtaken by events, or that contributes nothing to the solution of a current problem.

reckon with »    To take into account.

revenge is a dish best served cold »    An expression that emotional detachment is ideal when taking revenge, as one is righting the wrongs that have been done to the doer.

ring back »    To make another phone call to the same person.

ring in »    To make a phone call to one's usual place of work.

ring out »    To make a phone call from an internal phone system to a general telephone network number.

rise from the ashes »    To make a comeback after a long hiatus. To come back into common use or practice. To come back into popularity. To come back to being a thing of today.

road movie »    A film in which much of the action takes place during a journey, especially one involving overland travel.

rob Peter to pay Paul »    To solve a problem in a way that makes another problem worse.

Rome wasn't built in a day »    It takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive.

rough up »    To make rough, to roughen.

round off »    To change the shape of an object to make it more circular.

round out »    To make more complete by adding details.

rub in »    To irritatingly make a point.

rub it in »    To add insult to injury; to emphasize one's strengths or another's weaknesses in a manner that degrades another.

rub salt in the wound »    To make an injury feel worse.

rule out »    To make something impossible.

rules are made to be broken »    it is acceptable to break rules.

run a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

run after »    To make a determined effort to win someone's affections.

run away »    To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile.

run back »    To take someone home by car. Give someone a lift to their house.

run off »    To make photocopies, or print.

run up »    To make something, usually an item of clothing, very quickly.

same difference »    It makes no difference; it amounts to the same thing.

save face »    To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.

see a man »    To take one's leave for some urgent purpose, especially to go to the bathroom.

see you later »    A phrase used at parting, and not necessarily implying that the person being addressed will be seen later by the speaker.

seize the day »    To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.

sell a bargain »    A species of wit, much in vogue about the latter end of the reign of Queen Anne, and frequently alluded to by Dean Swift, who says the maids of honour often amused themselves with it. It consisted in the seller naming his or her hinder parts, in answer to the question, What? which the buyer was artfully led to ask. As a specimen, take the following instance: A lady would come into a room full of company, apparently frightened, crying out "It is white, and follows me!" As soon as someone responded "What?" she sold him the bargain, by saying "Mine arse".

sell like hot cakes »    To sell fast.

sell wolf tickets »    To make empty threats or promises; to bluff.

send up »    To make prices or temperatures etc. rise.

senior note »    A bond that takes priority over other debt securities sold by the issuer. In the event the issuer goes bankrupt, senior debt must be repaid before other creditors receive any payment.

serpentine »    Having the shape or form of a snake.

serpentine »    Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of snakes.

set straight »    To correct; to make right or true.

settle on »    To make a decision or selection; to decide.

sex up »    To make more palatable or acceptable to the general public; to improve the image or perception.

sex up »    To make more sexually attractive.

sex up »    To take part in sexual acts with.

shake a leg »    To get busy; to get going; to be productive.

shake on it »    To agree; to close a deal.

shake the pagoda tree »    To find a source of easy enrichment; to become absurdly rich in a short time.

shanks' nag »    Transportation by foot. To "take a shanks' nag" means using one's own legs to walk.

shape up »    To take shape; to transform into or become.

sharp tongue »    The practice or characteristic of speaking to others in a harsh, critical, or insulting manner.

shit or get off the pot »    To choose between taking action now, or foregoing the opportunity until a later date.

shoot first and ask questions later »    To take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.

shoot one's mouth off »    To make reckless or exaggerated statements.

shoot the moon »    To take a risk which may result in great rewards; to succeed after taking such a risk.

short strokes »    The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

show off »    To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.

show up »    To make visible; to expose.

sign in »    To take some action to access a secured program or web page on a computer; to log in.

silver-tongue »    The trait of being clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.

sing from the same hymnbook »    To make the same or similar statements, especially to express the same opinions in public as a result of a prior agreement.

sirloin steak »    cut of beef

sit in for »    To substitute; to take somebody's place.

skin in the game »    A stake; something at risk.

sleep on it »    To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.

slip of the pen »    A mistake in handwriting.

slip of the tongue »    A mistake in speech.

slip up »    To err, falter; to make a mistake.

slip-up »    A mistake or error; a minor misstep.

smallpox blanket »    An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.

smart arse »    One who is particularly flippant or insolent or tends to make snide remarks or jokes.

snake eyes »    Two ones, after rolling two dice.

snake in the grass »    A treacherous person.

snake oil »    A fraudulent, ineffective potion or nostrum; panacea.

snake oil »    A type of 19th century patent medicine sold in the United States that claimed to contain snake fat, supposedly a Native American remedy for various ailments.

snake oil »    Any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.

snake oil »    Snake oil is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat joint pain.

sneak off »    To leave a place, or a meeting, without being seen or heard.

sneak up »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

sneak up on »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

so-and-so »    A name used to take the place of an epithet.

soak up »    Absorb.

sob story »    A sad story told to make others feel sympathy for the teller.

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.

softroader »    . This involves increased ground clearance with tyre, wheel, and suspension tweaks, skid plates and refers to mini SUV or wagons.

sort out »    To organise or separate into groups, as a collection of items, so as to make tidy.

spanner »    A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.

speak for »    To speak on somebody's behalf.

speak for »    To claim, reserve, or occupy.

speak for oneself »    Expressing disagreement with an opinion expressed by another.

speak for oneself »    To provide an opinion only on one's own behalf.

speak of the devil »    An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

speak of the devil and he appears »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

speak one's mind »    To state one's thoughts or opinions honestly or frankly.

speak out »    To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known.

speak to »    To give evidence regarding something; to attest for.

speak to »    To address a particular topic.

speak to »    To resonate with, to strike a chord in.

speak up »    To talk more loudly or plainly.

speak up »    To make oneself or one's opinions known; to advocate or assert oneself.

speak with a forked tongue »    To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.

spice up »    To make more exotic, fun or extravagant.

spill one's guts »    To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.

spin one's wheels »    To make no progress despite making an effort; to get nowhere.

spit it out »    To overcome reluctance to say something particular or to speak in general.

split up »    Cease to be together, break apart from the group.

squeaky wheel gets the grease »    The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.

stand by »    To wait in expectation of some event; to make ready.

stand to reason »    To make sense; to seem logical, reasonable, or rational.

stay up »    To remain awake, to not go to bed.

step on a rake »    To fall victim to a hazard.

step on a rake »    To step on the tines of a garden rake, causing the handle of the rake to rise from the ground rapidly, invariably striking the person walking in the face.

stick it to the man »    To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government.

stick one's neck out »    To take a risk, putting oneself in a vulnerable position.

sticks and stones »    Evocative of the saying "sticks and stones may (or will) break my bones, but words (or names) will never hurt (or harm) me".1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped

stop and smell the roses »    To relax; to take time out and enjoy or appreciate life.

straight out of the chute »    Something done immediately, or "from the beginning". Taken from rodeo routine: the bucking bronco, or bull, or the calf for the calf-roping contest is kept in a narrow pen, a chute, until it is released and dashes out to its fate.

straighten out »    To make straight.

streak of good luck »    A series of lucky events.

stuff up »    To make a big mistake.

swear on a stack of Bibles »    To make a promise or give one's assurance with great conviction.

sweet tooth »    A liking for foods that are sweet; a weakness for sweets.

sweeten the pot »    To make something more desirable.

swim with sharks »    To take a huge risk.

swiss roll »    cake

take a back seat »    To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.

take a bath »    To bathe.

take a bath »    To lose a large amount of money in an investment.

take a bead on »    To aim a gun at something.

take a bite »    To eat a quick, light snack.

take a bow »    To accept applause at the end of a performance in a theatre. Often this includes actually bowing to the audience.

take a breather »    To take a break; to pause or relax briefly.

take a bullet »    To purposely receive a gunshot that was intended for another.

take a chance »    To risk; to try something risky.

take a crack at »    To attempt or try.

take a crap »    To defecate.

take a dim view of »    To dislike; to regard with skepticism, disbelief, disfavor, etc.

take a dive »    To feign a knockout in order to lose intentionally.

take a dive »    To lose or fail intentionally.

take a gamble »    To risk; to try something risky.

take a gander »    To take a look; to check or examine.

take a hike »    To go away; to leave or depart.

take a hike »    To go hiking.

take a joke »    To accept a joke at one's expense.

take a leaf out of someone's book »    To adopt an idea or practice of another person.

take a leak »    To urinate.

take a licking »    To suffer a defeat or a beating.

take a look »    To examine or observe.

take a number »    Recognize that many others are in the same situation; recognize that one's concerns are not of high priority; be prepared to wait.

take a picture »    To photographically capture an image.

take a powder »    To leave in a hurry; run away; scram; depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with a connotation of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.

take a risk »    To do something risky.

take a seat »    To sit down; to become seated.

take a shit »    To defecate.

take a shot in the dark »    To try on something without having any knowledge about the subject.

take a spill »    To trip or fall.

take a spin »    To go for a ride; especially, to try riding or driving something.

take a stab at »    To attempt or try.

take a stab at »    To guess.

take a stand »    To assert an opinion or viewpoint; to defend one's point of view or beliefs.

take a tumble »    To fall in price or value.

take a tumble »    To fall off something, or down something.

take a walk in the snow »    See walk in the snow.

take aback »    To surprise or shock; to discomfit.

take aback »    Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly.

take after »    In appearance or habit.

take after »    To follow someone's example.

take against »    To stop liking someone. Become unfriendly.

take against »    He took against me when I was promoted over him.

take apart »    To dismantle something into it's component pieces.

take apart »    To soundly defeat someone, or a team.

take apart »    To criticise someone.

take apart »    To move someone away from others to be able to talk to, or give them something in private.

take away »    To remove something and put it in a different place.

take away »    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.

take away »    To subtract or diminish something.

take away »    To leave a memory or impression in one's mind that you think about later.

take away »    To make someone leave a place and go somewhere else. Usually not with the person's consent.

take away »    To prevent, or limit, someone from being somewhere, or from doing something.

take away from »    To make something seem not so good or interesting.

take back »    To retract an earlier statement.

take back »    To cause to remember some past event or time.

take back »    To resume a relationship.

take back »    To regain possession of something.

take back »    To return something.

take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »    If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,

take down »    To remove something from a wall or similar vertical surface to which it is fixed.

take down »    To remove something from a hanging position.

take down »    To write a note. Usually to record something that is said.

take down »    To remove a temporary structure such as scaffolding.

take down »    To lower an item of clothing without removing it.

take down a peg »    Alternative form of pull down a peg.

take effect »    To become active; to become effective.

take exception »    To take offense; to object or protest.

take exception to »    Express offense at; to.

take five »    To break something up.

take five »    To take a five-minute break from some activity, take a short break from some activity.

take flight »    To flee.

take for granted »    To assume something to be true without verification or proof.

take for granted »    To give little attention to or to underestimate the value of, to fail to appreciate.

take heart »    Be courageous; regain one's courage.

take ill »    To become ill.

take in »    To deceive; to hoodwink.

take in »    To foster or adopt a child informally.

take in »    To shorten or make it smaller.

take in »    To absorb or comprehend.

take in »    To receive into your home for the purpose of processing for a fee.

take into account »    Or pay attention to; to notice.

take it easy »    An informal greeting for parting or closing.

take it easy »    Immediately calm yourself down; your state of panic does not help.

take it easy »    To relax or rest.

take it from me »    Believe me, rest assured.

take it or leave it »    It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.

take it out on »    To unleash one's anger on [a person or thing other than the one that caused it].

take it to the bank »    Said to emphasize that something is known for sure.

take its toll »    To affect, especially negatively; to damage or degrade; to cause destruction.

take kindly »    To accept or condone.

take leave of one's senses »    To go crazy; to stop behaving rationally.

take liberties »    To behave disrespectfully, especially to make unwanted sexual advances.

take lying down »    To endure without complaint or protest.

take no notice of »    To ignore.

take off »    To remove.

take off »    To imitate, often in a satirical manner.

take off »    To leave the ground and begin flight; to ascend into the air.

take off »    To become successful, to flourish.

take off »    To depart.

take off »    To quantify.

take off »    To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.

take on »    To acquire, bring in, or introduce.

take on »    To begin to have or exhibit.

take on »    To assume responsibility for.

take on »    To attempt to fight or compete.

take one's eye off the ball »    To lose one's concentration on what is most important.

take one's hat off to »    To publicly praise or thank.

take one's leave »    Say goodbye.

take one's lumps »    To endure through criticism or other adversity.

take one's lumps »    To receive physical abuse and to survive.

take one's time »    To go about something slowly and carefully.

take one's time »    To take more time to do something than is considered acceptable.

take out »    Alternative spelling of takeout.

take out of context »    To interpret something in a manner in which it was not intended to be understood, often deliberately.

take out the trash »    To forcefully remove people from a place.

take out the trash »    To remove rubbish from a place.

take over »    To assume control of something, especially by force; to usurp.

take over »    To adopt a further responsibility or duty.

take over »    To relieve someone temporarily.

take over »    To buy out the ownership of a business.

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take over »    To annex a territory by conquest or invasion.

take over »    To become more successful than someone or something else.

take part »    To participate or join.

take part »    To share or partake.

take sides »    To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.

take sitting down »    To tolerate, accept, or acquiesce; to take no action.

take somebody's word for it »    To believe what somebody tells one.

take someone's point »    To agree with what a person says; to understand a person's argument and be persuaded by it.

take someone's point »    To grasp the essential meaning of what a person is saying.

take something in one's stride »    Not to allow oneself to be set back, daunted, upset or embarrassed by unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.

take something in stride »    To cope with something without much effort; to accept or manage something well.

take the biscuit »    To be of no further use; to be near death.

take the biscuit »    To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.

take the bull by the horns »    To confront a difficulty, rather than avoiding it.

take the cake »    To be especially good or outstanding.

take the cake »    To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.

take the fall »    To assume blame for oneself.

take the field »    To go out onto the playing field.

take the fifth »    To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.

take the heat »    To take the blame; to be the focus of anger or scrutiny; to take the consequences.

take the lead »    To assume leadership over a group.

take the lead »    To become the leader, to advance into first place.

take the liberty »    To act on one's own authority.

take the Michael »    Alternative form of take the mickey, usually considered more polite.

take the mick »    Alternative form of take the mickey.

take the mickey »    To ridicule or mock.

take the offensive »    To attack instead of defending; to be bold and proactive.

take the piss »    Are you takin' the piss? You'll get yer 'ead bashed in.

take the piss »    Everyone takes the piss out of the bankers these days.

take the piss »    To ridicule or mock.

take the plunge »    To get engaged.

take the rap »    To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the actions of another.

take the red pill »    To understand the world in its previously unknown reality.

take the reins »    To assume charge over.

take the shadow for the substance »    To be easily deceived, credulous, superficial.

take the stand »    To testify as a witness in a trial.

take the wheel »    To assume control of a situation.

take the wheel »    To be in control of the steering wheel of a vehicle or a vessel.

take the wind out of someone's sails »    To discourage someone greatly; to cause someone to lose hope or the will to continue.

take things as they come »    To accept and deal with events as they occur, with a composed state of mind.

take to »    To adapt to; to learn, grasp or master.

take to »    To enter; to go into or move towards.

take to »    To begin, as a new habit or practice.

take to one's heels »    To leave; especially, to flee or run away.

take to task »    To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.

take to the cleaners »    To take a significant quantity of a person's money or valuables, through gambling, unfavorable investing, fraud, litigation, etc.

take to the hills »    To flee or vanish; to run away.

take up »    That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.

take up the cudgel for »    To make a defense for in lieu of another person.

take up the gauntlet »    To accept a challenge.

take up with »    To form a close relationship with someone.

take up with »    To be contented to receive; to receive without opposition; to put up with.

take upon »    To take charge of an item of business, or an obligation, as a personal initiative.

take with a pinch of salt »    Not take entirely seriously.

taking to ones heels »    running away

taking upon oneself »    venturing

talk a blue streak »    To talk for a long time, at great length, or to the point of tedium.

talk a mile a minute »    To speak quickly or excessively.

talk down »    To speak condescendingly or as though the listener is inferior.

talk is cheap »    It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.

talk of the devil »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

talk out of turn »    To make a remark or provide information when it is inappropriate or indiscreet to do so, or when one does not have permission or the authority to do so.

talk out one's ass »    To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.

talk the talk »    Speak like an expert, claim to be knowledgeable about something.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

talk up »    In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.

tart up »    To modify or repackage a product, service, or idea to make it more attractive or easier to sell.

tell off »    To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.

tell tales »    To be lying, to be making false claims.

tell the truth »    To speak frankly.

test the waters »    To explore or probe, as before making a commitment.

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

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.

the ball is in your court »    It is your turn to do something; often making a decision.

the end of one's rope »    At the limit of one’s patience, when one is so frustrated or annoyed that one can no longer take it..

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you take »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the icing on the cake »    Something wonderful at the end of something good.

the more things change, the more they stay the same »    A proverb making the observation that turbulent changes do not affect reality on a deeper level other than to cement the status quo.

the nose knows »    Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you take »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the shoemaker's children go barefoot »    One often neglects those closest to oneself.

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »    (proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.

them's the breaks »    (idiomatic) That is the way things happen; that's life.

there are two sides to every question »    One should not make a judgement until one hears the other side.

there you have it »    Used to introduce a speaker's interpretation of what has just transpired or been described.

there's no time like the present »    Now (i.e., the present time) is an appropriate time to take a particular action.

thin out »    To make or become sparse.

thin-skinned »    Overly sensitive to criticism; quick to take offence; touchy.

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.

throw a sickie »    To take a day off from work, supposedly because of ill health. The illness could be either real or feigned.

throw down »    To fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand.

throw enough mud at the wall and 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.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.

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

throw shapes »    To act tough or put up a front. For example, to threaten a person by making "karate chops" at them, without actually doing harm or knowing karate.

tire out »    To make someone tired; to exhaust.

to all intents and purposes »    For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

to err is human »    Everyone makes mistakes.

to go »    Served in a package or takeout container so as to be taken away from a restaurant rather than eaten on the premises.

to thine own self be true »    The easiest person to deceive is oneself."This above all:to thine own self be true,and it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man." -William Shakespeare

today we are all »    An expression indicating that the speaker empathizes with members of an identifiable group that was the subject of a disaster, and projects that others empathize as well.

tomorrow is another day »    Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed

tone down »    To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.

tone down »    To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.

tone up »    To strengthen and make the muscles of the body firmer by regular excercise.

tongue-tied »    Unable to speak; at a loss for words.

too many cooks spoil the broth »    If too many people try to take charge at a task, the end product might be ruined.

top it all off »    To emphasize or underscore; to make something even better or worse.

touch a nerve »    To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.

touch up »    To make slight corrections or adjustments; to fill in or perfect.

tough call »    A choice or judgment which is difficult to make, especially one involving only two alternatives.

track record »    An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

tube steak »    A frankfurter.

tune in, turn on, drop out »    Pay attention to the new way of living; take drugs; abandon the established ways.

tune up »    To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.

tune up »    To make preparations for vigorous exercise; to warm up.

turn one's back »    To forsake, to abandon; to ignore.

turn out »    To produce; make.

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 up »    To belay or make fast a line on a cleat or pin.

two wrongs don't make a right »    (ethics) A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.1915, William MacLeod Raine, The Highgrader, ch. 15:"But when it comes to taking what belongs to another

two wrongs make a right »    A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another

under the impression »    Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.

under way »    A vessel is said to be underway when she is not anchored, moored, aground, or beached[1]. Compare with make way.

underwater basket weaving »    "Sure, somewhere out there, college slackers were taking broom ball and underwater basket weaving." — The Columbus Dispatch, September 15, 2005.

unwashed masses »    Of people who are considered by someone to be somehow uneducated, uninformed, godless, or in some other way unqualified for inclusion in the speaker's elite circles.

up the ante »    To make something more desirable.

up the ante »    To raise the stakes of a hand of poker.

up with the larks »    To wake up early, to be an early bird.

variety is the spice of life »    Variety is what makes life interesting

wait up »    To stay awake waiting for somebody to return.

wake up and smell the coffee »    To face reality and stop deluding oneself.

wake up on the wrong side of bed »    To feel grumpy, irritable; to be easily annoyed.

walk a tightrope »    To undertake a precarious course of action.

walk it off »    To deal with an negative emotional event without complaint; to take it like a man.

walk the talk »    To do what one said one could do, or would do, not just making empty promises. To walk one's talk is to be innocent of hypocrisy.

warm up »    To make an audience enthusiastic or animated before a show.

wash down »    To help to swallow by drinking a liquid, after eating something, or taking a pill.

waste away »    To lose energy and become weak and feeble.

waste breath »    To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.

water down »    To make weaker.

water down »    To simplify or oversimplify; to make easier; to make less difficult.

watered-down »    Weakened or simplified.

weak sister »    A person or thing which is the least robust or least dependable member of a group.

weak sister »    A person who is cowardly or indecisive.

weaker vessel »    A woman; women collectively.

weigh in »    To bring in one's weight, metaphorically speaking, to bear on an issue.

wet blanket »    A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

whatever creams your twinkie »    Do what you will, whatever makes you happy.

whatever floats your boat »    What makes you happy; what stimulates you.

whatever it takes »    Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.

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.

when the going gets tough, the tough get going »    in difficult times, it is the strong-willed who take action.

whistle in the dark »    To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.

whistle-stop train tour »    A tour in a political campaign that makes many brief stops in small communities.

whole enchilada »    All of something or a group of related things taken in totality.

wide awake »    Awake and very alert.

willful ignorance »    A bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt. It may also be shown as for a person to have no clue in a decision but still goes ahead in their decision.

win over »    To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.

wing it »    To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.

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.

wipe the slate clean »    To forget about previous differences and disagreements, and make a fresh start.

wishful thinking »    Decision-making based on self-delusion.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work at »    To make a physical or mental effort to progress some specified task.

work out »    To make sense of.

work the room »    To interact with one's audience, taking queues from its reactions and adapting one's performance or words to elicit the audience's attention and enthusiasm.

wrap around one's fingers »    To make one susceptible to desire, in that their behavior or actions are influenced.

wreak havoc »    To cause damage, disruption, or destruction.

write down »    To make a downward adjustment in the value of an asset.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink »    You can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it.

you can't judge a book by its cover »    It is not possible to make reliable judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.

you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear »    It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.

you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

you can't take it with you »    It is not possible to take one's material wealth to whatever world may await one after death.1900, E. Phillips Oppenheim, A Millionaire of Yesterday, ch. 6:"The clause which

you make the bed you lie in »    A person's circumstances are normally the result of his or her own actions.

you never know what you've got till it's gone »    Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.

you pays your money and you takes your choice »    Each person should make their own decisions.

you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

zoom in »    So as to make it larger and possibly more detailed.

zoom out »    So as to make it smaller and possibly less detailed.

BTW, Why won't you become an editor?