asphalt jungle »
A city or urban area, where the landscape is covered by pavement and the environment is alienating and unsafe.
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ball up »
To crush into a ball shape.
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barrel of laughs »
A toy in the shape of a barrel that emits sounds of laughter.
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base over apex »
Falling over in a jumbled heap.
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bawdy basket »
The twenty-third rank of canters, who carry pins, tape, ballads, and obscene books to sell, but live mostly by stealing.
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break out »
To escape, especially forcefully or defiantly.
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cheaper by the dozen »
Things are handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.
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cheat sheet »
A sheet of paper containing notes used to assist on a test.
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chickens coming home to roost »
Consequences visited upon someone who originally had appeared to escape them.
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crab mentality »
A way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.
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cut red tape »
To reduce bureaucracy.
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dead tree edition »
Paper version of a publication that can be found online.
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desk jockey »
One who spends his or her time seated at a desk; especially one who is more concerned with procedure, paperwork, or administration than with its ultimate goal or practical consequence.
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do a bunk »
To escape or flee under incriminating circumstances.
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dodge a bullet »
To have a narrow escape; to avoid injury or disaster.
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fall through the cracks »
To be missed; to escape the necessary notice or attention.
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fifth wheel »
A type of trailer hitch, which consists of a horseshoe-shaped plate on a multi-directional pivot, with a locking pin to couple with the kingpin of a truck trailer.
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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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fire escape »
emergency exit
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fit into »
To be of the right size and shape to be placed in a location.
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fly the coop »
To depart hastily or unannounced; to escape or flee.
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fly the coop »
To escape from a pen or similar enclosure.
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gapers' block »
A traffic jam resulting from motorists slowing to look at a motor vehicle collision or other roadside distraction.
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get away »
escape
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get away »
make an escape
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get bent out of shape »
To take offense; to become angry, agitated or upset.
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give somebody the slip »
To evade, escape, or get away from somebody.
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go apeshit »
To behave in an extreme manner; to act without restraint, especially by becoming explosively angry.
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hang paper »
To write a bad check.
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hear on the grapevine »
To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.
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hear through the grapevine »
To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.
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in any way, shape, or form »
In any way at all; whatsoever.
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in no way, shape, or form »
Not in any way at all; not at all, nohow.
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in shape »
I guess I'd better get my room in shape if I have guests.
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in shape »
I hope to get in shape for summer swimsuit season.
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in shape »
In a good state of physical fitness or bodily appearance.
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in shape »
In good condition, repair; in a good state.
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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
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let slip »
allow to escape
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light bucket »
Nickname for a reflecting telescope, especially one with a relatively large aperture and suitable for observing deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies.
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naked ape »
A human being.
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no comment »
An "official" refusal to relay any further information, as a response to a newspaper reporter's question.
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noughts and crosses »
pen and paper game
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off the radar »
Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.
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paper »
A newspaper or anything used as such .
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paper »
A sheet material used for writing on or printing on , usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.
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paper »
A written document that reports scientific or academic research and is usually subjected to peer review before publication in a scientific journal or in the proceedings of a scientific or academic meeting .
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paper »
A written document, generally shorter than a book , in particular one written for the Government.
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paper »
Money.
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paper »
Wallpaper.
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paper »
Wrapping paper.
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paper trail »
A written record, history, or collection of evidence.
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paper trail »
The records left by a person or organization in the course of activities.
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peel grapes »
To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.
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pencil pusher »
One who does routine office work; someone involved mainly in paperwork.
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play possum »
To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.
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play the same tape »
To repeat exactly what one previously said or did.
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potter's clay »
A person or people created and shaped by God.
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pretzel »
A toasted bread or cracker usually in the shape of a loose knot.
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read somebody's lips »
To discern what somebody is saying by watching the shape of the mouth rather than by hearing the sounds of the words.
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red tape »
A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.
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round off »
To change the shape of an object to make it more circular.
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run a mile »
To escape, flee or leave a situation or relationship, usually as a result of a shocking or sudden announcement or revelation.
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run away »
escape
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run for one's money »
A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation.
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scrape off »
To remove something by a scraping action.
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scrape the bottom of the barrel »
To use the least desirable parts of something.
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scrape through »
To marginally manage to progress.
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scrape together »
To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.
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serpentine »
Having the shape or form of a snake.
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shape up »
To improve; to correct one's bad habits or behavior.
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shape up »
To take shape; to transform into or become.
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shape up or ship out »
To either improve one's behavior or else be required to leave; to either improve one's performance in an activity or else withdraw from that activity completely.
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shell out »
To use a program's "shell escape" function to execute an unrelated command or to invoke a subsidiary, interactive shell.
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sit out »
To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.
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slip someone's mind »
To be forgotten; to escape one's memory.
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slip through the cracks »
To escape notice or lack sufficient attention.
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soft as a grape »
someone who is limited in their ability
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sour grapes »
A putting down or expression of disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.
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spanner »
A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.
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stand from under »
To escape something falling or being thrown from above.
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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.
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stop up »
To increase the aperture of a photographic lens, moving from an f/stop represented by a higher number to an f/stop represented by a lower number and causing more light to pass into the camera.
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tape off »
To cordon.
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taper off »
To diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
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tempus fugit »
time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.
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throw shapes »
To act tough or put up a front. For example, to threaten a person by making "karate chops" at them, without actually doing harm or knowing karate.
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throw under the bus »
To betray or blame; to use as a scapegoat.
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under lock and key »
Imprisoned with little or no chance of escape.
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urban fabric »
The physical aspect of urbanism, emphasizing building types, thoroughfares, open space, frontages, and streetscapes; while excluding without prejudice to this useful term, environmental, functional, economic and sociocultural aspects.
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way out of a paper bag »
A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.
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wind back »
To wind a tape, cassette, or film, etc towards the beginning; to rewind.
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yellow journalism »
Material published in a broadcast or periodical, such as a tabloid newspaper or magazine, which is sensationalistic and of questionable accuracy and taste.
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yellow press »
Newspapers which publish sensationalist articles rather than well researched and sober journalism.
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