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.
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allow for »
To take into account when making plans.
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an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with terms so attractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
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an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with the results of failing to accept so unattractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
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angle for »
To try to obtain something by subtle indirect means. Political manoeuvres, suggestion, etc.
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answer back »
To reply impertinently; to talk back.
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answer back »
To reply to a question at a later time.
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answer back »
To issue echo characters, protocol responses, reflexive connection requests, etc.
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answer for »
To be held responsible for.
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answer for »
To guarantee.
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answer on a postcard »
To give a brief answer or opinion.
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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
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at cross-purposes »
Mutually misunderstanding each other's plans, intentions or meanings.
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barrow man »
A man under sentence of transportation; alluding to the convicts at Woolwich, who are principally employed in wheeling barrows full of brick or dirt.
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beam up »
To be teleported over a long distance by means of a specific imaginary technology, specifically from the surface of a planet to an orbiting starship.
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beat up »
To cause by some other means, injuries comparable to the result of being beaten up.
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best laid plans »
A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.
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blood is thicker than water »
Family relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.1866, Anthony Trollope, The Belton Estate, ch. 30,Blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?circa 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, The Scotch Twins, ch. 5,The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!
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bottoming the house »
The process by where someone cleans their house 'from top to bottom'. It is a very thorough clean indeed, even more so than 'spring cleaning'.
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break in »
To enter by force or illicit means.
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bridge »
A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
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bridge »
A device which connects two or more computer buses, typically in a transparent manner.
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by all means »
Yes certainly; definitely.
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by dint of »
By reason of; by means of.
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by hook or by crook »
By any means possible; one way or another.
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by no means »
Certainly not; definitely not.
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carry off »
To transport away.
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caucus race »
A political competition; the game of campaigning and one-upmanship to get votes and be elected.
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change horses in midstream »
To change plans or approaches at an inopportune time, such as when an effort is already underway, generally considered an inadvisable thing to do.
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che sera sera »
Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1604, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus:Why then belike we must sin, / And so consequently die. / Aye, we must die an everlasting death. / What doctrine call you this ? Che, sera, sera: / What will be*, shall be; Divinity adieu. / These Metaphysics of Magicians, / And necromantic books, are heavenly.
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chew the cud »
To meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate.
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come full circle »
To complete a cycle of transition, returning to the point of origin.
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cream in one's jeans »
To ejaculate while wearing one's trousers.
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cream in one's jeans »
To experience an orgasm while clothed; to be thoroughly excited or delighted.
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cry for help »
Acting out as a means of displaying a subconscious desire for attention or help.
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cut a wide swath »
To behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.
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cut a wide swath »
To clear a broad track through a grassland, woodland, geographical region, or other area, either by natural means or by human action.
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cut one's coat according to one's cloth »
Live according to your means.
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dirty money »
Money that is illegally gained, illegally transferred or illegally utilized. Especially money gained through forgery, bribery, or thievery.
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does a bear shit in the woods »
Rhetorical question in response to a question where the answer is an emphatic yes.
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does Macy's tell Gimbel's »
(US, dated, colloquial, rhetorical question) A rhetorical question with the implied answer being that competitors do not share business secrets with one another.
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draw out »
To use means to entice or force to be more open or talkative.
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drop a dime »
To make a phone call, usually means calling the police to report another's activities.
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dummy up »
To not answer questions.
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end of the line »
The termination point of a railway or similar transportation system.
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fade out »
A type of transition used in movies usually at the end of a scene, in which the transition fades to black from the cut.
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fight tooth and nail »
To use every means possible to overcome a difficult opposition.
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film out »
To transfer images or animation from videotape or digital files to a traditional celluloid film print.
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firm up »
To make tentative plans more definite.
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first things first »
Deal with matters of highest priority first; deal with matters in logical sequence.1922, H. G. Wells, The Secret Places of the Heart, ch.4,"First things first," said Sir Richmond. If we set about getting fuel sanely, if we do it as the deliberate, co-operative act of the whole species, then it follows that we shall look very closely into the use that is being made of it.1999, Frank Pellegrini, "House Republicans Quell Mutiny Over Tax Bounty," Time, 23 Jul.,Judging by the polls
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flash in the pan »
A transient occurrence with no long-term effect.
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flutter in the dovecote »
I further argued that the principal cause for the political deadlock that persisted for thirty years after the guns fell silent was Israeli intransigence rather than Arab intransigence. The appearance of the first wave of revisionist studies excited a great deal of interest and controversy in the media and more than a flutter in the academic dovecote. — Israel Confronts Its Past.
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fly-by-night »
Businesses that appear and disappear rapidly, or that give an impression of transience.
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four-on-the-floor »
Relating to a vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission mounted beside the driver on the floor of the vehicle.
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full of beans »
Energetic and enthusiastic.
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full of beans »
Incorrect; uninformed; exaggerating or expressing falsehood.
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get off »
To disembark from mass transportation, such as a bus or train.
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give away the store »
To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.
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give birth »
To produce new life into the world; to have a baby. Transitive when used with to.
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give someone the chair »
To execute a person by means of the electric chair.
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grease payment »
A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.
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groaning »
That groans.
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gussie up »
To make fancy or attractive, as by artificial or contrived means.
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hand down »
To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor.
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hand off »
To pass or transfer something to someone.
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hanging offence »
A crime so serious that it is punishable by means of death by hanging.
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hardwired »
In humans and animals, genetically determined, instinctive behavior, as opposed to learned behavior.
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hill of beans »
Something of no importance.
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hit the nail on the head »
To identify something exactly; to arrive at exactly the right answer.
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hot desking »
The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.
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how do I get to Carnegie Hall »
A set phrase, spoken as a rhetorical question, which is answered "Practice, practice, practice!" or sometimes with the humorous literal directions to Seventh Avenue between 56th and 57th.
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if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »
With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.
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is the Pope Catholic »
The answer to the question is, obviously, resoundingly affirmative.
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jack up »
To raise, hoist, or lift a thing using a jack, or similar means.
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jump in »
To enter something quickly. Usually a mode of transport.
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jump on »
To board a public transport vehicle.
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keep one's cards close to one's chest »
To avoid revealing one's thoughts, circumstances, or plans.
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kiss of death »
Something that may seem good and favourable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.
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less is more »
That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated; simplicity is preferable to complexity; brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity.1855, Robert Browning, "Men and Women":Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged.1954, "'Less Is More'," Time, 14 Jun.:The essence of Mies's architectural philosophy is in his famous and sometimes derided phrase, "Less is more." This means, he says, having "the greatest effect with the least means."2007, Gia Kourlas, "Dance Review: An Ordered World Defined With Soothing Spareness," New York Times, 3 Mar. (retrieved 22 Oct. 2008):The program, which features two premieres
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licence to print money »
A means of generating a large income with little effort.
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life's not all skittles and beer »
Skittles and Beer refers to the carefree, indulgent bar life; skittles being a British pub game. Thus, life's not all skittles and beer means that not everything is about pleasure.
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live by the sword, die by the sword »
One who uses violence can expect a violent response. It is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible.(figuratively) One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey poetic justice.
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low-hanging fruit »
Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.
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lubrication payment »
A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.
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make for »
????, translator unknown, author Galileo Galilei, Two Chief World Systems.
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make over »
To transfer ownership, especially by means of a legal document.
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mike up »
To fit a microphone and transmitter to a person. Usually for television performers, or for police informers.
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mine arse on a bandbox »
An answer to the offer of any thing inadequate to the purpose for which it is proffered, like offering a bandbox for a seat.
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muck around »
Means the same as muck about.
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not in Kansas anymore »
No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings; in the big city.
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not on your tintype »
An answer indicating outright rejection or denial; no way; absolutely not.
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off board »
Not on or in a means of transportation.
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on board »
On or in a means of transportation.
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on the spot »
Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.
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on the straight and narrow »
Honest; proceeding according to rules and plans.
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on wheels »
Having wheels affixed to the bottom, and so transportable.
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one-upmanship »
A succession of instances of outdoing a competitor.
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one-upmanship »
The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.
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over the transom »
Said of an unsolicited work submitted for publication.
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pass the buck »
To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.
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pass through »
To transit something.
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pay the freight »
To pay for the cost of transport.
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pick up »
To answer a telephone. See pick up the phone.
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pin down »
To corner somebody in order to get a firm answer.
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play hardball »
To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.
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plead the fifth »
To refuse to answer a question, or refuse to speak, especially when the response would reflect badly on the speaker.
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plus »
(literally) The more it changes, the more it's the same thing (sometimes loosely translated as the more things change, the more they stay the same).Although the outward appearance may change, fundamentals are constant.
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pound the pavement »
To campaign diligently; to seek something, such as business, employment, or answers.
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pump up »
To inflate by means of a pump.
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pump up »
To cause one's muscles to swell by means of focussed weightlifting.
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reckon for »
To answer for; to pay the account for.
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red face test »
A hypothetical test of a person's embarrassment, that is either passed or failed. Saying one passes the red face test means one would not blush and thus would not be embarrassed by disclosing something to others or doing something, and saying one fails the red face test means a situation would cause them discernible embarrassment.
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rubber-chicken dinner »
A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.
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rule of thumb »
A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.
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screen out »
To use a screen, grate, sieve or similar means to separate large from small objects or particles.
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sea change »
A profound transformation.
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sell »
To agree to transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.
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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".
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sexual congress »
Loose translation of the title of Aristophanes' play Ecclesiazousae, more literally translated as Assemblywomen.
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shanks' nag »
Transportation by foot. To "take a shanks' nag" means using one's own legs to walk.
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shanks' pony »
Transportation by foot.
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shape up »
To take shape; to transform into or become.
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shift gears »
To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.
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shoot the moon »
To hit the moon, with a rocket or by other means.
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smoke signal »
A method of long-distance communication sometimes used in ancient and undeveloped societies, consisting of messages conveyed by means of columns or intermittent puffs of smoke.
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soft touch »
A person or group which is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one which loans or readily gives money to another.
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spill the beans »
To reveal a secret; to disclose.
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standard fare »
The usual price for travel by air, rail, or another means of transport.
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stat whore »
Through unscrupulous or tacky means.
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stately home »
mansion
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step down »
To gradually reduce something, a little at a time, as an electronic step down transformer.
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string up »
To suspend by means of rope, cord or similar material.
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sweetheart deal »
A transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.
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talk back »
To reply impertinently; to answer in a cheeky manner.
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the end justifies the means »
Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.
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the ends justify the means »
Alternative form of the end justifies the means.
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the jig is up »
An expression used to mean "We have been caught out and have no defence", or if spoken to a person who's just been found out as the perpetrator of an offense, it means "You've been discovered.".
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there you have it »
Used to introduce a speaker's interpretation of what has just transpired or been described.
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three-on-the-tree »
On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.
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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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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
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today we are all »
August 12, 2008:, Robert Barnes, "McCain to Georgian President: "Today, We Are All Georgians"", Washington Post.
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today we are all »
September 12, 2001: Jean-Marie Colombani, "Today, We Are All Americans", Le Monde.
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turn down »
To reduce the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.
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turn into »
To transform into; become.
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turn up »
To increase the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.
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two for two »
In baseball, meeting two out of two attempts at-bat. Specifically, it means the batter has reached base safely two out of two times.
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under the table »
Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.
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up the creek without a paddle »
In a difficult situation with no means of rectifying it.
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upset the applecart »
To spoil carefully laid plans or arrangements; to spoil something.
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wear one's heart on one's sleeve »
To be extremely transparent, open, or forthright about one's emotions.
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wheel around »
To transport someone or something to various locations by pushing a wheeled transporter such as a wheelchair or a wheelbarrow or trolley.
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when in Rome, do as the Romans »
Alternative form of when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
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when in Rome, do as the Romans do »
behave as those around do
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window dressing »
A means of creating a deceptively favourable impression of something or someone; something for appearance only.
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without fail »
Certainly; by all means; as a matter of importance.
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word of mouth »
Verbal means of passing of information.
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you get what you pay for »
In commercial transactions, the quality of goods and services increases as the prices increase, i.e., the more one pays, the better the merchandise.2003, Michael Blumenthal, "For Whom the School Bell Tolls," Time, 7 Dec.:Though it may sound unapologetically capitalistic to say so
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| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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