a different ballpark »
Something totally unrelated or of a vastly different scale or scope.
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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.
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ace in the hole »
A hidden or secret strength, or unrevealed advantage.
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adams ale »
water
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ale post »
A maypole.
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all eyes »
Watching alertly or attentively.
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as is »
In its present state or condition, especially as a contractual condition of sale.
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autem mort »
A married woman; also a female beggar with several children hired or borrowed to excite charity.
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bad money drives out good »
Debased coinage (with low levels of precious metals) replaces purer coinage (with higher levels of precious metals).(metaphorically) Mediocre talent drives away real talent.
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bale out »
Alternative spelling of bail out.
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bar star »
A female who frequents bars or lounges, usually late at night.
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barrel »
The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies for different articles and also in different places for the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A barrel of wine is 31 1/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196 pounds; of beer 31 gallons; of ale 32 gallons; of crude oil 42 gallons.
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beyond the pale »
Describing behaviour that is considered to be outside the bounds of morality, good behaviour or judgement in civilised company.
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bill of goods »
A collection of items purchased or offered for sale.
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blue note »
Notes added to the major scale for expressive quality in jazz and blues music, particularly the flatted third, fifth and seventh.
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blue whale »
largest mammal
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boil down to »
to be equivalent to; to reduce to.
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break a leg »
A wish for a successful performance; primarily a valediction to an actor wishing him or her a successful theatrical stage performance.
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bridge »
A valence bond, atom or chain of atoms that connects two different parts of a molecule; the atoms so connected being bridgeheads.
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bright-eyed and bushy-tailed »
Alert and in an eager, frisky, or playful mood; full of life.
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bros before hoes »
(US, informal) A man should prioritize his male friends over his girlfriend or wife.
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bum chum »
A male’s homosexual partner..
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buried treasure »
Something, having been concealed for a long time, which later is found and is profitable.
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call in »
To withdraw something from sale or circulation.
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cat in the meal-tub »
Something concealed; a hidden danger.
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circuit slugger »
A talented baseball batter that hits home runs.
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cock-and-bull story »
A far-fetched and fanciful story or tale of highly dubious validity.
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come out »
To be discovered, be revealed.
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crown jewels »
The male genitalia.
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cry for help »
In her second year at the school Alexis stopped doing her homework and would often scribble on walls. Her teachers wondered whether this was a cry for help, or if she was simply misbehaving.
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dead men tell no tales »
Once someone is dead, they can no longer communicate, hence killing someone is the best way to keep him/her quiet.
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debris field »
Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.
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dirty old man »
An adult male - usually middle-aged or elderly - who acts in a lecherous or lewd manner.
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don't shit where you eat »
(idiomatic, vulgar) One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.1998 April 14, Nelson Navarro, "Ever faithful, ever true," Manila Standard (Philippines) (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):The guiding principle is Don't shit where you eat. Office romances are always destructive of morale and objectivity.2003 Oct. 8, Jonathan Valania, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Pussy," Philadelphia Weekly (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Limbaugh was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the NAB convention in, of all places, Philadelphia, thus violating the cardinal law of the animal kingdom: Don't shit where you eat.2006 Sept. 19, Michael Musto, "NY Mirror," Village Voice (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Mitchell refused to indulge in on-set romances with either gender. "You don't shit where you eat," he told me, plainly.
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draw out »
To extract, bring out, as concealed information; elicit; educe.
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due course »
A. 1399, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales.
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factor space »
A space obtained from another by identification of points that are equivalent to one another in some equivalence relation.
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familiarity breeds contempt »
The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.
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first among equals »
A person or position that if formally equivalent to others in a group, but is superior in some attribute.
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garbage in, garbage out »
(computing, information technology) If input data is not complete, accurate, and timely, then the resulting output is unreliable and of no useful value.1963, Raymond Crowley, "Robot Tax Collector Seeks Indications of 'Fudging'," Times Daily (Alabama, USA), 1 April (retrieved 26 July 2010):Officials explained that the quality of the computer's work depends on the quality of the data fed into it. Neil Hoke, administrative assistant to Stewart, quoted an adage of computer men: "Garbage in, garbage out."2008, Roger K. Lewis, "'In Architectural Design, Brains and Talent Trump the Best Software," Washington Post, 19 July (retrieved 26 July 2010):The old caveat "GIGO"
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good old boy »
A male friend or chum, especially a schoolmate; a man with an established network of friends who assist one another in social and business situations; a decent, dependable fellow.
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grab bag »
A gift, purchase, etc. whose contents are concealed until after a selection is made.
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gut feeling »
An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.
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happily ever after »
Living happily until death. Typically associated with fairy tales.
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have a whale of a time »
To enjoy oneself greatly.
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have the blues »
To be depressed, to have a low morale.
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head girl »
senior female pupil
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here you are »
Said when you hand something over to someone or do a favour to them, usually to draw the recipient's attention to the exchange; Equivalent to “thank you” when receiving something..
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hide one's light under a bushel »
For a person to keep some talent or skill hidden from other people. The tone is that a person having a talent which they can be proud of ought not hide it.
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hold one's breath »
To inhale and then intentionally close the epiglottis so that one's breath is not exhaled.
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hot and cold »
Ambivalent; having conflicting emotions.
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hot button »
The principal desire that a salesman needs to "hit" in order to make a sale.
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how's tricks »
Informal greeting roughly equivalent to How are you?.
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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.
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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.
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in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »
Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.
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jumble sale »
fundraising event
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keep a weather eye open »
To be alert; to concentrate on a matter in hand.
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keep a weather eye open »
To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.
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keep down »
To lie low. To stay concealed by not standing up.
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keep one on one's toes »
To keep one attentive, active, busy or alert.
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keep one's lips sealed »
To keep quiet; to keep a secret; to not tell.
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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.
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king »
A male monarch; member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.
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lion »
A large cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly to much of Europe. The term may apply to the species as a whole, to individuals, or to male individuals. It also applies to related species like mountain lions.
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live wire »
An especially energetic, alert, or vivacious person.
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lot lizard »
A customer or salesperson at a used car lot.
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lucky dip »
September 2005, BBC News - Dome sale 'was like a lucky dip'.
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mama's boy »
A male person, especially a young man or boy, who is overly attached to or influenced by his mother; a sissy.
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man of parts »
A man that is talented in multiple areas of life. This includes but is not limited to the area of seduction. He puts very little emphasis on memorized scripts or "peacocking" and instead relies on individualized ways to charm a woman.
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mark up »
To increase the price of something between its wholesale and retail phase.
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melon head »
A melon-headed whale.
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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.
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mother hen »
A female chicken who bears eggs or chicks.
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mouth breather »
A person who routinely inhales and exhales through the mouth, instead of through the nose.
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my lips are sealed »
See keep one's lips sealed.
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nice guy »
An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.
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nickel and dime »
Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.
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on one's toes »
Attentive, active, busy or alert.
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on the ball »
Alert, active, or attentive; on top of things.
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one and the same »
The same person or thing. Used to emphasize the identity or equivalence of two things.
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out of stock »
Temporarily unavailable for sale.
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packing heat »
Carrying one or more firearms on one's person, especially in a concealed manner.
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piece of ass »
A male prostitute.
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pig in a poke »
Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.
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pitched battle »
A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.
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rain cheque »
Any voucher or note issued by a store to allow a customer to get a special or sale price later if an item is out of stock.
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red flag »
A cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong.
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run through »
To impale a person with a blade, usually a sword.
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show off »
To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.
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shrouded »
Concealed or hidden from sight, as if by a shroud.
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sitting duck »
An obvious or unconcealed target.
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six of one, half a dozen of the other »
The two alternatives are equivalent or indifferent; it doesn't matter which one we choose.
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skirt chaser »
A man with amorous intentions who habitually seeks out female companionship.
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soft shoe »
A speech, explanation, sales pitch, or other set of remarks delivered in a restrained or conciliatory manner in order to persuade, distract, or otherwise influence someone.
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sow one's wild oats »
To spread one's genes around by impregnating many females.
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spaghetti western »
Nickname for a motion picture produced by an Italian-based company and filmed in Europe, depicting a tale of cowboys and desperadoes set in the American Old West.
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sticker shock »
Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.
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stone's throw »
A short distance, roughly equivalent to how far a person can throw a stone.
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sword and sandal »
Of or pertaining to a genre of books or films relating fantasy-adventure tales involving heroic exploits in ancient or biblical times.
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tall tale »
A greatly exaggerated, fantastic story.
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tell tales »
To be lying, to be making false claims.
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tell you the truth »
Used to positively assert the frank honesty of an associated statement of set of statements; equivalent to "to you tell the truth".
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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.
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throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn
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tip off »
To alert or inform someone.
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tip the scales »
To turn to one side a balanced situation.
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tit for tat »
Equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.
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under one's hat »
Concealed; confidential; secret.
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up hill and down dale »
Here and there; everywhere.
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up to »
Considering all members of an equivalence class the same.
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up to snuff »
Mentally alert, shrewd, savvy.
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whale on »
To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.
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whale on »
To beat heavily on anything.
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where there's smoke, there's fire »
If there is telltale evidence of some event, the event is probably occurring.
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wide awake »
Awake and very alert.
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you snooze you lose »
If you are not alert and attentive, you will not be successful.
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| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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