a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush »
It is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than a mere potential of a greater one.
|
a dime's worth »
An insignificant amount.
|
a dumb priest never got a parish »
(Irish) Those who fail to speak up fail to get what they want.
|
a house is not a home »
A home is not merely a building but requires inhabitants and a friendly atmosphere.
|
a penny saved is a penny earned »
A maxim for thrift that says that money not spent may be spent later, or may earn interest in the meantime
|
a question of »
The important question is; the necessary question is.
|
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.
|
abound in »
To have something in great numbers or quantities; to possess in such abundance as to be characterized by.
|
abound with »
To have something in great numbers or quantities; to possess in such abundance as to be characterized by.
|
ace in the hole »
A hidden or secret strength, or unrevealed advantage.
|
ace up one's sleeve »
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
|
ache for »
To desire, or want something, or someone, very much.
|
across the pond »
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
|
against the grain »
Unwillingly, reluctantly. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.
|
ahead of the game »
Having completed a task before it is due; ready, prepared, or anticipating.
|
all cats are gray at night »
Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.
|
all cats are gray in the dark »
Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.
|
all cats are grey at night »
Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.
|
all cats are grey in the dark »
In the dark, physical appearance is unimportant.
|
all important »
vital
|
all in a day's work »
A nonchalant dismissal of a significant accomplishment.
|
all the time »
Always; constantly; for the complete duration.
|
all's fair in love and war »
unpleasant behavior is acceptable during love and conflict.
|
amateur hour »
A situation or activity in which the participants show a lack of skill, sound judgment, or professionalism.
|
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.
|
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.
|
and change »
And some quantity, but less than the increment to the next round number.
|
answer for »
To guarantee.
|
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
|
arm and a leg »
A relatively high price for an item or service; an exorbitant price.
|
arm candy »
An attractive, seemingly romantic companion who accompanies a person in public simply so that one or both of the individuals can gain attention, enhance social status, or create an impression of sexual appeal.
|
arm's length »
Distant, detached.
|
around the clock »
All the time or seemingly all the time; constantly.
|
ask for it »
To provoke an unwanted action.
|
asleep at the switch »
Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity.
|
ass over teakettle »
Frantically.
|
assume the mantle »
To take on a specific role or position, along with any associated responsibilites.
|
at a moment's notice »
Immediately; instantaneously; without need of warning.
|
at all »
Indicating degree, quantity or frequency greater than zero; to the slightest degree, in any way, somewhat, rather.
|
at the drop of a hat »
Without any hesitation; instantly.
|
at the ready »
Ready; in a state of preparation or waiting; in position or anticipation.
|
avant la lettre »
An example of a term before the term was coined. Describing a term used anachronistically.
|
babe in arms »
An infant.
|
back-burner »
Having low urgency; not currently important.
|
bad news »
News of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events.
|
bad penny »
A person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one which repeatedly appears at inopportune times.
|
badge bunny »
A woman who is romantically attracted to police officers and who seeks out their companionship.
|
baggage »
Heavy baggage; women and children. Also a familiar epithet for a woman; as, cunning baggage, wanton baggage, &c.
|
bang straw »
A nick name for a thresher, but applied to all the servants of a farmer.
|
bank night »
An event where patrons are enticed to buy entry tickets into some venue, for example a movie theater, with the anticipation that they will be entered into a drawing to win an amount of money if their ticket is drawn and they are on-site at the time of the winning.
|
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.
|
bawdy basket »
The twenty-third rank of canters, who carry pins, tape, ballads, and obscene books to sell, but live mostly by stealing.
|
be all ears »
To listen carefully or eagerly; to anticipate.
|
be in for »
To be able to expect or anticipate; to be about to suffer, generally said of something unpleasant.
|
bear on »
To be relevant to.
|
beat around the bush »
To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.
|
bed of roses »
A pleasant or easy situation.
|
behind the eight ball »
At a disadvantage.
|
belt and suspenders »
Redundant systems, affording mutual backup in the event of one failing.
|
beside the point »
Irrelevant, moot.
|
between a rock and a hard place »
Having the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary.
|
big cheese »
A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.
|
big deal »
Something very important, difficult, or of concern.
|
big enchilada »
A very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.
|
big fish in a small pond »
One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.
|
bitter pill »
Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.
|
blind date »
A romantic meeting between two people who have never met before.
|
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!
|
blow chunks »
To be very bad, inadequate, unpleasant, or miserable; to thoroughly suck.
|
blow off steam »
To rant or shout in order to relieve stress; to vent.
|
borne out »
Substantiated.
|
bottom line »
The summary or result; the most important information; the upshot; the net-net.
|
box the compass »
To know, and be able to recite the 32 points and quarter points of the magnetic compass from North, both clockwise and anticlockwise.
|
break out »
To escape, especially forcefully or defiantly.
|
bring owls to Athens »
To undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical.
|
brown noser »
One who sucks up; a bootlicker, ass-kisser, sycophant.
|
brown thumb »
Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.
|
bug out »
Miss school, play truant, play hooky.
|
bulletproof »
Reliable, infallible, sturdy or error-tolerant.
|
bunk off »
To play truant.
|
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.
|
can't wait »
To eagerly anticipate; to find it unbearable to wait for a forthcoming pleasurable event.
|
carry coals to Newcastle »
To do something that is unneeded or redundant.
|
carry one's own weight »
A variant of carry one's weight.
|
cash in »
To profit from; to use an opportunity to maximum advantage, especially financially.
|
cat and mouse game »
Two individuals and/or groups repeatedly keeping check on each other in a suspicious or self-protective way, often with the goal of one or both parties trying to gain a malicious advantage over the other.
|
catbird seat »
Expression used to describe an enviable position, often one of great advantage.
|
cattle call »
An audition which is open to the public and thus draws a large number of applicants, many of whom are inexperienced.
|
caught with one's pants down »
Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.
|
chalkface »
A musical concept or genre in which music is completely improvised and never played twice. Most often mixing elements of hip-hop, metal, punk and avant-garde jazz.
|
chase after »
To pursue someone with romantic intentions; to woo.
|
chat up »
In a friendly, open, or casual manner, sometimes also in a charming or affected manner, usually to curry favor, and sometimes flirtatiously with the intention of establishing a romantic or sexual encounter or relationship with that person.
|
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.
|
cherry pick »
To position oneself near the opponent's goal to attempt to receive an errant or intentional pass for an easy score, as in basketball or versions of soccer where offsides are not enforced.
|
cherry-pick »
To pick out the best, or most desirable items from a list or group, especially to obtain some advantage or to present something in the best possible light.
|
chew the scenery »
To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.
|
chicken feed »
A very small or insignificant quantity, especially of money.
|
chopped liver »
A person or object which is not worthy of being noticed; someone or something insignificant.
|
chump change »
A sum of money considered to be insignificant.
|
climb the walls »
To behave in a distressed or frantic manner; to feel very agitated.
|
come around »
To change one's mind, especially to begin to agree or appreciate what one was reluctant to accept at first.
|
come down to us »
To survive to the present day; to be extant in some form.
|
come out of the woodwork »
To appear or emerge as though out of nowhere, frequently in large numbers or quantity.
|
come the acid »
To make oneself unpleasant, especially by sarcasm.
|
coming out of one's ears »
In great or excess quantity.
|
consume mass quantities »
To eat or drink abundant amounts of food or beverage.
|
consume mass quantities »
To use large amounts of any resource.
|
covenant of salt »
A long-lasting agreement.
|
crack down on »
To enforce laws or punish more vigilantly.
|
cradle robber »
A person who marries or becomes romantically involved with someone who is much younger or who employs or otherwise engages a young person for a purpose inappropriate for his or her age.
|
cry wolf »
To raise a false alarm; to constantly warn others about an imagined threat, thereby failing to get assistance when a real threat appears.
|
cut a swath »
Variant form of cut a wide swath.
|
cut a wide swath »
To behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.
|
dawn of a new day »
A new beginning; a fresh start; an important, promising turning point.
|
day in, day out »
Every day; daily; constantly or continuously; especially, of something that has become routine or monotonous.
|
daylight robbery »
An exorbitant charge for a product or service.
|
deep-six »
To get rid of something unwanted.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
What we need is people who get the job done, no matter how. We don't want pickers who'll only learn if we use their preferred learning method. Have you read "A Message to Garcia" ? That's what we need today - young people who can deliver the message to Garcia.
|
dicky-bird »
A insignificant sound or thing.
|
dirty laundry »
Unflattering facts or questionable activities that one wants to remain secret, but which some other may use to blackmail with.
|
do something with mirrors »
To jokingly pretend that one did something using magic mirrors, that one is a magician; a joking explanation of the fantastic or the unexplained.
|
double up »
To double the quantity, amount or duration of something.
|
double-edged sword »
A benefit that is also a liability, or that carries some significant but non-obvious cost or risk.
|
down for the count »
Decisively beaten; rendered irrelevant for the long term.
|
drag »
To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.
|
drag one's feet »
To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.
|
drink from a firehose »
To take a small amount from an enormous, hard-to-manage quantity.
|
drug on the market »
Something which is overabundant at the moment and thus not in demand.
|
due course »
A. 1399, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales.
|
dusty miller »
One of several species of plants with leaves of a dusty appearance: Centaurea cineraria, Senecio cineraria, and Lychnis coronaria.
|
eat for two »
To be pregnant.
|
eat out »
To dine at a restaurant or such public place.
|
elephant in the room »
A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.
|
even Homer nods »
Not even the most vigilant and expert are immune from erring.
|
every Jack has his Jill »
everybody will find someone to have a romantic relationship with at some point in their life
|
everything happens for a reason »
All events are purposeful.Everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as failure. Mary-Kate OlsenPeople like to say "everything happens for a reason." If you repeat that in your head long enough that starts to sound like "anything can happen with a razor." Laura KightlingerI believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think it's important to seek out that reason - that's how we learn. Drew Barrymore
|
f** someone over »
To exploit somebody in a way which result in an advantage to oneself, at the cost of the other party gaining a considerable disadvantage.
|
face the music »
To accept or confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.
|
face up to »
To confront a condition or situation, typically one that is unpleasant or uncomfortable.
|
faceplant »
Death or defeat in popular multiplayer online games.
|
faceplant »
The act of landing face first, often associated with bailing during extreme sports.
|
factotum »
A general servant.
|
fair weather friend »
Only when it is advantageous or easy.
|
fancypants »
Alternative spelling of fancy pants. The condition of being overly showy; concerned more about one's reputation than anything else.
|
fat of the land »
The greatest part of anything; the finest and most abundant share of resources; the cream of the crop.
|
fear »
A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.
|
feast or famine »
A situation in which something is always either extremely abundant or in extremely short supply.
|
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.
|
feel one's oats »
To feel important; to be empowered.
|
fire drill »
An organised practice to prepare occupants of an office, school or other public building for evacuation in the event of a fire.
|
flash in the pan »
A career notable for early success not followed by significant accomplishment.
|
flower »
A plant that bears flowers.
|
flower »
Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.
|
fly in the ointment »
Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.
|
for all intents and purposes »
For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.
|
four score and seven years ago »
As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.
|
fox in the henhouse »
A relationships wherein a predator is granted free reign within the prey's home confinement, often used in the political sense.
|
fresh off the boat »
Newly arrived from a foreign place, especially as an immigrant who is still unfamiliar with the customs and language of his or her new environment.
|
from scratch »
From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.
|
garbage in, garbage out »
(computing, information technology) If input data is not complete, accurate, and timely, then the resulting output is unreliable and of no useful value.1963, Raymond Crowley, "Robot Tax Collector Seeks Indications of 'Fudging'," Times Daily (Alabama, USA), 1 April (retrieved 26 July 2010):Officials explained that the quality of the computer's work depends on the quality of the data fed into it. Neil Hoke, administrative assistant to Stewart, quoted an adage of computer men: "Garbage in, garbage out."2008, Roger K. Lewis, "'In Architectural Design, Brains and Talent Trump the Best Software," Washington Post, 19 July (retrieved 26 July 2010):The old caveat "GIGO"
|
get a leg up »
To gain some advantage; to get a head start.
|
get down to brass tacks »
Deal with the important details.
|
get into someone's pants »
To have sex with.
|
get into trouble »
To become pregnant.
|
get it over with »
To do or finish, especially said of something unpleasant.
|
get something over with »
To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.
|
giant panda »
chinese animal
|
give ear »
Dante Gabriel Rosetti, A Death-Parting, lines 5-6.
|
give somebody the cold shoulder »
To snub, resist or reject somebody; to regard somebody distantly.
|
give the devil his due »
To acknowledge the positive qualities of a person who is unpleasant or disliked.
|
glutton for punishment »
One persistent in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.
|
go along with »
To comply with something, even if reluctantly; to accept or tolerate.
|
go commando »
To not wear underpants.
|
go Dutch »
To pay for one's own food and bills, or split the cost, when eating at a restaurant or going out for entertainment.
|
go from zero to hero »
To change from negative outcome to positive outcome. To improve one's fortunes significantly.
|
go native »
Of a contractor or consultant, to begin working directly as an employee for a company and cease to work through a contracting firm or agency.
|
go native »
To adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants, especially when dwelling in a colonial region; to become less refined under the influence of a less cultured, more primitive, or simpler social environment.
|
go out with »
Date, be involved in a romantic relationship with.
|
golden handcuffs »
Any arrangement or agreement designed to provide extremely favorable benefits or pay, so as to discourage participant from wanting to leave, especially to retain a choice employee.
|
golden rule »
The principle that one should treat other people in the manner in which one would want to be treated by them.
|
gone to the dogs »
To have fallen into disrepair or ruin; to have been stagnant or depreciated.
|
grand poobah »
A person who is important or high-ranking.
|
grasp all, lose all »
one who wants everything, may lose it all
|
greasy spoon »
An inexpensive diner or other informal restaurant, especially one specializing in frying or grilling.
|
greatest thing since sliced bread »
A relatively recent invention likely to significantly improve people's lives.
|
grow cold »
To wane; to lose interest or enthusiasm for something or someone; to become disenchanted or to fall out of love with someone.
|
guilt trip »
A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.
|
gut reaction »
An instantaneous reaction made without thought.
|
hair-splitting »
The act of finding exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.
|
hair-splittingly »
With exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.
|
hand over fist »
Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.
|
harden »
To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.
|
harden someone's heart »
To make someone more resistant to something.
|
hatchet man »
Someone who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.
|
have a bun in the oven »
To be pregnant; to be expecting a baby.
|
have ants in one's pants »
To be agitated and constantly fidgeting.
|
have ants in one's pants »
To be sexually excited.
|
have eyes in the back of one's head »
To be particularly, especially uncannily, observant; a perceived ability to see in all directions at once.
|
have it your way »
Do something the way you want to, but be prepared for the consequences.
|
have one's head in the clouds »
To have fantastic or impractical dreams; to think impractically.
|
have one's heart set on »
To want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality.
|
have other fish to fry »
To have more important things to do.
|
have to do »
To relate; to be relevant.
|
head over heels »
At top speed; frantically.
|
heart of glass »
A very fragile romantic state.
|
hell on earth »
A very unpleasant situation; torment, particularly when widespread.
|
herd cats »
To attempt to control those resistant to control.
|
high ground »
A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.
|
high on the hog »
Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly.
|
highway robbery »
Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.
|
hold all the aces »
To be in a strong position when one is competing with someone else, having all the advantages.
|
hold one's liquor »
To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming a significant amount of alcohol.
|
horse's ass »
A jerk; an unpleasant, unlikable person; an asshole.
|
hot lunch »
A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.
|
hot potato »
An awkward or delicate problem with which nobody wants to be associated.
|
how's the weather »
Indicating a change of subject to unimportant topics.
|
if you lie with dogs you will get fleas »
It is important whom to choose as one's closest acquanitances.
|
if you want a thing done well, do it yourself »
It is better to do something oneself, than rely on others to do it well.
|
in a canter »
Without much effort; easily.
|
in broad daylight »
In a blatant and publicly visible manner.
|
in the driver's seat »
Having the most important role in a storyline or recognition. Of primary importance.
|
in the fast lane »
In a lifestyle, employment position, or other set of circumstances where the rapid pace is exciting, frantic, or risky.
|
in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »
Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.
|
in the twinkling of an eye »
Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".
|
in the twinkling of an eye »
Immediately; instantaneously.
|
inside joke »
A joke that is understood or meant to be understood only by certain people who are in the know about the details.
|
inside track »
Any advantage.
|
it never rains but it pours »
Unfortunate events occur in quantity.
|
it's all grist to the mill »
Everything referred to in the present context has some sort of use.1999, Simon Blackburn, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press paperback, ISBN 0199690871), ch. 7 section 6: "Kant
|
it's not what you know but who you know »
For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know
|
jolly someone along »
To make someone happy or compliant, as by encouragement or flattery.
|
jump rope »
The activity, game or exercise in which a person must jump, bounce or skip repeatedly while a length of rope is swung over and under, both ends held in the hands of the jumper, or alternately, held by two other participants. Often used for athletic training and among schoolchildren. Variations involve speed, chants, varied rope and jumper movement patterns, multiple jumpers and/or multiple ropes.
|
keep one's eye on the ball »
To maintain one's concentration fixed on one important theme.
|
kick butt »
To be impressive; to be decisively good or pleasant.
|
knocked up »
"pregnant", typically outside of marriage.
|
last resort »
The only remaining, unwanted, option or choice.
|
lay off »
made redundant
|
legwork »
Work, especially research or preparation, that involves significant walking, travel, or similar effort.
|
let-down »
A disappointment or anticlimax.
|
lick one's chops »
To anticipate something eagerly.
|
lie back and think of England »
Used to preface any unpleasant but inevitable experience.
|
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.
|
lion »
The arms of the University of the West Indies are Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished Or on a Chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. Crest: A Pelican proper. . See talk page.
|
live large »
To have a lavish or overly-extravagant lifestyle.
|
long absent, soon forgotten »
Love fades away when people are distant and don't keep close physical contact.
|
look forward »
To anticipate or expect; especially, to expect something to be pleasant.
|
look forward to »
To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure.
|
look out »
Be vigilant and aware.
|
look out for number one »
To act in one's own interests; to act in a manner advantageous primarily to oneself.
|
lose out »
To be at a disadvantage.
|
lucky dip »
A game in which prizes are covered up and mixed together in a container, so that contestants can dip their hand into the container and randomly pull out a prize.
|
make a meal of »
To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated.
|
make hay »
To take advantage of an opportunity.
|
meatball surgery »
A nickname for surgery that is meant to be performed rapidly to stabilize the patient as quickly as possible.
|
meaty »
Substantial.
|
mess up »
To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.
|
miss the boat »
To fail to take advantage of an opportunity; to overlook or be too late to pursue an option or course of action.
|
mixed bag »
Something tending to have both good and bad results or characteristics; something having a mixture of advantages and disadvantages.
|
moment of truth »
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
|
morning, noon and night »
Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.
|
motor mouth »
One who talks incessantly; a chatty or loquacious person.
|
move the goalposts »
To alter the agreed basis, scope, standards or target of a procedure or task during its course, especially to do so to someone's advantage.
|
necker's knob »
A knob attached to the steering wheel of an automobile, especially before the widespread availability of power steering, helping the driver steer with one arm and leaving the other arm free to provide romantic attention to a companion.
|
neither here nor there »
Not important; having no significance or influence on the question at hand; not related; not relevant; not germane; not pertinent.
|
never mind »
It is not important; do not fret.
|
nice guy »
An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.
|
nip and tuck »
So evenly matched that the advantage shifts from one to the other, and the outcome is uncertain.
|
nip in the bud »
To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.
|
no smoke without fire »
Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.
|
not the end of the world »
It's of minor importance, at least not as important as it first seemed.
|
off the radar »
Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.
|
on pins and needles »
Feeling sharp anticipation or anxiety; in a state of suspense.
|
on the dot »
Exactly; precisely, especially of a numerical quantity.
|
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 run »
Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.
|
on the whole »
For the most part; apart from some insignificant details.
|
on top »
In a dominant position.
|
one in the eye for »
An event or achievement which is unpleasant for someone, especially for those who considered it impossible or unwelcome; an annoyance.
|
one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »
A cliché used to exaggerate an accomplishment or milestone..
|
one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »
Words spoken by Neil Armstrong when taking the first steps on the moon.
|
one-night stand »
A single sexual encounter between two individuals, where at least one of the parties has no immediate intention or expectation of establishing a longer-term sexual or romantic relationship. As the phrase implies, the relationship lasts for only one night.
|
ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »
(biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.
|
out of one's league »
In a situation in which one is mismatched with one or more others, whose accomplishments, preparedness, or other characteristics are on a significantly higher or lower level than one's own.
|
out of touch »
No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.
|
outsider »
A competitor or contestant who has little chance of winning; a long shot; a dark horse.
|
over a barrel »
In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.
|
pachyderm »
A member of the obsolete taxonomic group Pachydermata, grouping of thick-skinned, hoofed animals such as the rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephant, pig and horse.
|
pachyderm »
Someone with thick skin. It is used for animals such as an elephant or a hippopotamus.
|
party animal »
A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.
|
pay through the nose »
To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.
|
pea patch »
A small piece of land planted with peas.
|
pee off »
Euphemistic variant of piss off.
|
pelt of the dog »
An immoderate, excessive quantity of alcohol drunk the morning after whilst suffering withdrawal symptoms or a hangover, which goes beyond alleviating the complaint to causing drunkenness; cf. hair of the dog.
|
pencil-neck »
An insubstantial person; a weakling.
|
pencil-necked »
Insubstantial; weak.
|
pencilneck »
An insubstantial person; a weakling.
|
pick up »
To meet and seduce somebody for romantic purposes, especially in a social situation, sometimes used with "on".
|
pick up the tab »
To accept a charge and pay for it, especially at a bar or restaurant.
|
pickle »
A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown.
|
play down »
To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
|
play dumb »
To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.
|
play Old Harry »
Blenkiron and I have been moving in the best circles as skilled American engineers who are going to play Old Harry with the British on the Tigris. — John Buchan, "Greenmantle", 1916..
|
play up »
To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.
|
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.
|
potter »
One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.
|
prawn cocktail offensive »
A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.
|
pre-war »
Describing the most recent or significant war in a culture's history.
|
price out of the market »
To charge an exorbitant price for a service or product so that no one will purchase it.
|
problem child »
A child who is particularly difficult to raise or educate, especially due to a lack of self-control and disruptive and antisocial behavior.
|
proverbs come in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.
|
pull one's finger out »
To stop wasting time in preliminaries, and concentrate on the important task.
|
purple prose »
Extravagant or flowery writing, especially in a literary work.
|
push the boat out »
To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.
|
put aside »
To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.
|
quantum mechanics »
Something overly complicated or detailed.
|
quantum mechanics »
The branch of physics which studies matter and energy at the level of atoms and other elementary particles, and substitutes probabilistic mechanisms for classical Newtonian ones.
|
rat race »
An activity or situation which is congested with participants and which is hectic or tedious, especially in the context of a busy, modern urban lifestyle.
|
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 job that can't be replaced advantageously by a machine or a procedure.
|
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.
|
redolent »
Fragrant or aromatic; having a sweet scent.
|
ring off the hook »
Of a telephone, to ring constantly or excessively.
|
ringside seat »
Any vantage point providing an excellent view.
|
rip off »
To charge an exorbitant or unfair rate.
|
road to Damascus »
A road to Damascus moment, or change, is an important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal, of ideas or beliefs occurs.
|
rob the cradle »
To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.
|
robber baron »
In Europe, an aristocrat who charged exorbitant fees or otherwise exacted money from people who journeyed across land or waterways which he controlled.
|
roll out the red carpet »
To extend the utmost hospitality; to treat someone as an honored guest; to welcome or host, especially in a showy or extravagant manner.
|
round off »
To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.
|
rub off on »
To adapt to a way of behaving after constant exposure to it.
|
rumor mill »
A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.
|
run rampant »
To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.
|
sabre-rattling »
A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.
|
scare the pants off of »
To scare or startle thoroughly.
|
scissorbill »
The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.
|
sea legs »
The ability, when walking aboard ship, to anticipate the motion of the deck so as to walk steadily without losing balance.
|
seat-of-the-pants »
Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.
|
second banana »
A person who serves in a supporting, secondary, or subsidiary capacity; an assistant.
|
sell out »
To abandon one's supporters or principles to seek profit or other personal advantage.
|
shit one's pants »
To be extremely frightened.
|
shit one's pants »
To involuntarily defecate into one's pants or other clothing.
|
shoo-in »
A candidate or contestant generally agreed upon as the presumptive winner; somebody who is well-liked or widely agreed upon.
|
shotgun approach »
An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.
|
shotgun wedding »
A wedding in which the bride is already pregnant.
|
show up »
To outperform or one-up, often in an arrogant manner.
|
shy bairns get nowt »
If you're too shy, or don't ask, you will not get what you want.A' forgot te ask hor for me money back!Wye, shy bairns get nowt
|
sing along »
A gathering or event where participants are encouraged to add their voices in song.
|
sitting pretty »
In a favorable situation, especially a situation in which one possesses an advantage.
|
size up »
To evaluate; to estimate or anticipate the magnitude, difficulty, or strength of something.
|
sleeping at the switch »
Variant form of asleep at the switch.
|
slop bowl »
One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.
|
small change »
A minor or insignificant amount of money.
|
smart arse »
One who is particularly flippant or insolent or tends to make snide remarks or jokes.
|
smart chance »
A substantial quantity of something.
|
smell the barn »
To experience heightened anticipation or to act with renewed speed or energy as one approaches a destination, goal, or other desired outcome, like a livestock animal at day's end returning to its barn.
|
snot-nosed »
Young and arrogant or conceited.
|
so there »
A defiant expression used to finish a poorly-made argument.
|
soapbox »
Especially when only tangentially relevant to an ongoing discussion.
|
soft mick »
An extravagant person.
|
space out »
To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.
|
spectator sport »
A sporting activity which has a relatively high ratio of watchers to direct participants.
|
spice up »
To make more exotic, fun or extravagant.
|
spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar »
To have something important fail for want of a small amount of money or effort.
|
sprain one's ankle »
To be pregnant.
|
spruce up »
To dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and neatly.
|
standard fare »
Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.
|
stars in one's eyes »
The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.
|
step out »
To date, to be in a romantic relationship.
|
stew in one's juices »
To be alone and self-absorbed in an uncomfortable state of mind, especially while experiencing the unpleasant effects of one's own actions.
|
stop press »
The event or news article important enough to delay or interrupt the print, or require a reprint, of a publication, particularly of a newspaper edition.
|
stop the presses »
An imperative form used to introduce especially new, important, surprising, or recent developments.
|
suffer fools gladly »
To be tolerant of stupidity or incompetence in other people.
|
sweep someone off their feet »
To seduce someone romantically.
|
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.
|
sword and sorcery »
Of or pertaining to a genre of narratives—including short stories, novels, television shows, films, and computer games—which combines wizardry and other fantastical supernatural elements with violent combat using medieval weaponry..
|
take a back seat »
To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.
|
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 apart »
To dismantle something into it's component pieces.
|
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 liberties »
To behave disrespectfully, especially to make unwanted sexual advances.
|
take off »
To quantify.
|
take one's eye off the ball »
To lose one's concentration on what is most important.
|
take something in one's stride »
Not to allow oneself to be set back, daunted, upset or embarrassed by unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.
|
take to the cleaners »
To take a significant quantity of a person's money or valuables, through gambling, unfavorable investing, fraud, litigation, etc.
|
talk like an apothecary »
To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.
|
talk someone's ear off »
To talk excessively or far more than is wanted or appreciated.
|
tall tale »
A greatly exaggerated, fantastic story.
|
tear away »
To remove oneself reluctantly; often expressed in the negative.
|
thanks for nothing »
Expression of displeasure towards a person who has not provided what was wanted.
|
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 fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get »
(vulgar) The sexual satisfactions that one receives from a spouse or romantic partner are not sufficient to compensate for the significant periods of bad faith and unpleasant treatment which such relationships routinely involve.1971, Allen Churchill, The Literary Decade, ISBN 9780135375228:Years later she expressed her disillusionment with sex by saying, "The fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."1999, Ben Sonnenberg, Lost Property: Memoirs and Confessions of a Bad Boy, ISBN 9781582430454, p. 93:Maitland got drunk at his parties and threw his arm around you and pulled you over to his wife and made you look down her dress, saying, "The trouble with marriage is that the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."2008, Joseph Heywood, Blue Wolf In Green Fire, ISBN 9781599213590, p. 63:"I can't believe a little pussy got me into dis mess." "Shit happens," Service said. "Sometimes the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."
|
the long and short of it »
The gist; the essence or substance; the most important or salient features; said of a summary or digest.
|
the pits »
Something miserable or unpleasant.
|
the rabbit died »
A statement spoken to indicate one's own pregnancy, or that someone has found out they are pregnant.
|
the shoe is on the other foot »
The roles of people in a situation have been reversed, such the advantage has shifted to a party which was previously disadvantaged.
|
the straw that broke the camel's back »
A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.
|
the thing of it »
The important point to consider.
|
the upper hand »
An advantage or lead.
|
think one's shit doesn't stink »
To be arrogant or snobbish; to feel superior to others.
|
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.
|
three skips of a louse »
Said about some trifling or insignificant matter.
|
throw dirt enough, and some will stick »
If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say
|
throw one's toys out of the pram »
To lose one's temper; to throw a tantrum.
|
time out of mind »
The distant past beyond anyone's memory.
|
timeserver »
A person who conforms to current opinions, especially for reasons of personal advantage; an opportunist.
|
tip one's hand »
To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage.
|
to all intents and purposes »
For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.
|
to beat the band »
Very vigorously; at a frantic pace; to a high degree; in large quantities.
|
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 the moon »
To a very distant or unreachable place.
|
to the point »
Relevant or pertinent; succinct; specific.
|
tomato tomato »
Uses insignificant pronunciation difference to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard.
|
too big for one's britches »
Too large to fit into one's pants.
|
touch with a barge pole »
Get romantically involved with.
|
trash out »
To criticize the person spoken to in a rant.
|
tuck in »
To push the fabric at the bottom of a shirt under the pants.
|
turn a blind eye »
To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.
|
turn back »
No turn a dial anticlockwise or adjust a clock or other meter to an earlier time or reading.
|
turn the tables »
To reverse a situation, such that the advantage has shifted to the party which was previously disadvantaged.
|
turn up for the book »
A very unexpected, usually pleasant, surprise.
|
two-bit »
Insignificant or worthless.
|
until hell freezes over »
Forever; One will never in their life get the results that they want, no matter what they're doing involving the situation.
|
up the ante »
To make something more desirable.
|
up the ante »
To raise the stakes of a hand of poker.
|
venus flytrap »
insect-eating plant
|
walk in the park »
Something easy or pleasant, especially by comparison to something.
|
waste not, want not »
If one is not wasteful then one will not be needy.
|
way back when »
A time in the distant past.
|
wear out »
Of a shirt, not tucked into the pants; worn in a casual manner.
|
weed out »
To remove unwanted elements from a group.
|
what's the good of »
What is the purpose or advantage of.
|
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.
|
where there's muck there's brass »
(UK, Irish) There is money to be made in unpleasant dirty jobs.
|
whistle walk »
The path slaves took to deliver food from the kitchen building of a plantation to the main dining room. Slaves were expected to whistle during this walk in order to assure their masters that they were not eating the food.
|
white elephant »
An albino elephant.
|
white elephant »
An ornament etc that is unwanted or is a financial burden; an unprofitable investment.
|
white hole »
A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.
|
wine merchant »
vintner
|
with bated breath »
Eagerly; with great anticipation.
|
wolf in sheep's clothing »
Something harmful or problematic disguised as something peaceful or pleasant.
|
worth one's while »
Good and important enough for one to spend time, effort, or money on.
|
you can't always get what you want »
It is not always possible to get what is wanted.
|
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 don't dip your pen in company ink »
One should avoid romantic relationships in the workplace.
|
you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone »
It is advantageous not to rely solely on being nice.
|
you never know what you've got till it's gone »
Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.
|
zoom out »
To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a smaller image, or a more distant view.
|
| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
[