a chain is only as strong as its weakest link »
An organization (especially a process or a business) is only as strong or powerful as its weakest person. A group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member.
|
a closed mouth gathers no feet »
One who does not speak can be certain he won't say anything embarrassing.
|
a cut below »
Inferior to; of a lower quality than.
|
a day late and a dollar short »
Action that was taken too late and too feeble to be of any use.
|
a good beginning makes a good ending »
Good beginnings promise a good end; start off on a good note to reap the benefits at the end.
|
a good voice to beg bacon »
Said in ridicule of a bad voice.
|
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »
even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point
|
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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a little bird told me »
Of information which was gathered from a source not to be overtly exposed.
|
a nod is as good as a wink »
The hint, suggestion etc can be understood without further explaining.
|
a number of »
Several of.
|
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 picture paints a thousand words »
A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description.1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album:If a picture paints a thousand wordsThen why can't I paint you;The words will never showThe you I've come to know.1989, Alan Kay, quoted in K?o-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, ISBN 9971506645, p. 9:Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, ISBN 1904788734, p. 52:See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!
|
a pull of the hair for being unfair »
The general response to "A kick and a flick for being so quick", which is in turn a response in itself to "A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month".
|
a rising tide lifts all boats »
Benefits provided to a few may lead to conditions that are beneficial to all.
|
a rolling stone gathers no moss »
A person who never settles in one place will never be successful.A person who does not keep active will grow mouldy.
|
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.
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above and beyond »
More than is expected or required.
|
above one's bend »
Out of one's control or power.
|
accident of birth »
Reference to the fact that various benefits or detriments to the life of a person arise from the circumstances into which that person was born, these being entirely beyond his control.
|
according to »
According to him, every person was to be bought. - Thomas Babington Macaulay.
|
according to »
Our zeal should be according to knowledge. - Thomas Sprat.
|
account for »
To explain by relating circumstances; to show that some one, thing or members of a group are present or have been processed.
|
ace of spades »
The playing card belonging to the spades suit and featuring one pip.
|
across the board »
A racing bet where one bets that the same competitor will place in first, second and third.
|
act one's age »
To be mature and not childish.
|
act up »
To misbehave; to cause trouble.
|
add fuel to the fire »
To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.
|
add up »
To make sense; to be reasonable or consistent.
|
after all »
In the end; anyway; referring to something that was believed to be the case, but has now been shown not to be.
|
after one's own heart »
Of a person: having the same ideas, opinions or behaviour as oneself.
|
against the grain »
Contrary to what is expected; especially, of behavior different from what society expects.
|
against the grain »
To sand or plane a piece of wood parallel or nearly parallel to the fibers such that splinters forming ahead of the tool originate below the cutting surface.
|
age before beauty »
A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones.
|
agree to disagree »
To tolerate each other's opinion and stop arguing; to acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.
|
ahead of one's time »
Showing characteristics of changes yet to be; present in one's work before later advances in the field; coming earlier than could be generally accepted.
|
ahead of the game »
Having completed a task before it is due; ready, prepared, or anticipating.
|
air bed »
inflatable mattress
|
air rage »
Disruptive behaviour on an aircraft.
|
albatross »
Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.
|
all eyes and ears »
To be attentive.
|
all fur coat and no knickers »
Of superficial appearance and with no real substance beneath.
|
all it's cracked up to be »
As good as claims or reputation would suggest.
|
all that glitters is not gold »
Things that appear valuable or worthwhile might not actually be so, things that look nice might not be as good as they look.
|
all the marbles »
Everything; all that is to be had.
|
all things being equal »
Without considering or being affected by external factors.
|
all things come to those who wait »
(dated) A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.
|
all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy »
Too much focus on one's career is often viewed unfavorably.Too much hard work and not enough leisure time can be unhealthy.
|
all's fair in love and war »
unpleasant behavior is acceptable during love and conflict.
|
almighty dollar »
The dollar, satirically characterized as a being a god.
|
am I right or am I right »
Rhetorical question from somebody who has stated what they consider to be an unassailable truth.
|
amber nectar »
Lager beer.
|
and change »
And some quantity, but less than the increment to the next round number.
|
and counting »
Used to show that the number previously mentioned is continuously changing, i.e. increasing or decreasing.
|
angle for farthings »
To beg out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.
|
answer for »
To be held responsible for.
|
any press is good press »
Being mentioned in the media is beneficial to the subject because it gets publicity.
|
Apa Sâmbetei »
"for nothing", "to no result", or that what you have done was destroyed or is rendered useless after you finish it.
|
Apa Sâmbetei »
Saturday's waters.
|
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
|
April showers bring May flowers »
April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.By extension, that a period of discomfort can provide the basis for a period of happiness.
|
ark ruffian »
Rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, etc. A species of badger.
|
around the bend »
Crazy, insane.
|
arse about face »
Something that is placed or arranged the opposite way to the way it should be.
|
as best one can »
In the best possible way, given the circumstances.
|
as far as one knows »
To the best of one's knowledge.
|
as the crow flies »
In a straight line distance between two locations, as opposed to the road distance or over land distance.
|
at a loss »
Below the cost or price of purchase.
|
at all hours »
Late into the night or early morning; when people ought to be sleeping.
|
at best »
In the most favorable of conditions; at the most.
|
at hand »
Being at the moment the center of attention or the cause of trouble.
|
at heart »
In spirit; according to one's beliefs, views or feelings; deep down, really, fundamentally.
|
at one's beck and call »
In servitude to; at one’s command.
|
at peace with »
Not disturbed or upset by.
|
at sea »
Confused, lost, or adrift; bewildered.
|
at that »
In addition to what has been said; furthermore; moreover.
|
at that »
Now that it has been mentioned.
|
at the best of times »
At most.
|
autem mort »
A married woman; also a female beggar with several children hired or borrowed to excite charity.
|
avant la lettre »
An example of a term before the term was coined. Describing a term used anachronistically.
|
babe in arms »
An infant.
|
babe in the woods »
A person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless.
|
babe magnet »
A person, especially a man, to whom women are attracted.
|
babes in the wood »
Criminals in the stocks, or pillory.
|
back away »
Of your attention on the thing in front being avoided.
|
back in the day »
In the past; at one time, especially a time which is fondly remembered.
|
back of beyond »
A very remote place.
|
back off »
To become less aggressive, particularly when one had appeared committed to act.
|
back to the drawing board »
Back to the beginning following an unsuccessful attempt.
|
bad egg »
Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.
|
balance out »
To counteract one another so as to be balanced.
|
balloon goes up »
Something exciting or dangerous begins.
|
balls-up »
Something which becomes muddled or botched in some way.
|
bang up job »
Something done very well; something performed above average or better than expected.
|
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.
|
bank on »
To be sure of something. To depend on it.
|
bankers' hours »
The period between 10am and 3pm.
|
baptism by fire »
A trying ordeal that was not experienced before.
|
barnburner »
Liberal faction of the New York state United States Democratic Party in the mid 19th century.
|
barrel »
A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is discharged.
|
barrel »
A tube.
|
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.
|
barrel »
The ribs and belly of a horse or pony.
|
bat for both sides »
To be a batter for both teams in an amateur baseball game.
|
bat for the other team »
To be homosexual.
|
be after »
To try to obtain.
|
be after »
To try to capture.
|
be all ears »
To listen carefully or eagerly; to anticipate.
|
be along »
To arrive.
|
be around »
To be alive, existent, or present.
|
be at one's beck and call »
To be in the position of serving someone in any way they desire, usually unwillingly.
|
be glad to see the back of »
To be glad to get rid of someone; to be glad someone has left.
|
be had up »
To be accused of, or arrested for a criminal act.
|
be in a spot of bother »
To have a slight problem, to be in a predicament.
|
be in for »
To be able to expect or anticipate; to be about to suffer, generally said of something unpleasant.
|
be in on »
To be a party to a secret shared by a small group of people.
|
be left holding the baby »
To be left with the responsibility of resolving a problem.
|
be mother »
To pour out tea for others.
|
be my guest »
Do as you wish; go ahead; help yourself; go for it!.
|
be of two minds »
To be undecided or unsure; to equivocate; to have multiple opinions.
|
be off »
To leave.
|
be off »
To be working against a present or former addiction to.
|
be off »
To be away from.
|
be on about »
Talk about; mean, intend.
|
be on the edge of one's seat »
To be in suspense; to wait eagerly or anxiously for some resolution.
|
be on to »
To figure out; to realize the truth.
|
be still my heart »
Calm down, this situation is too exciting or overly distressing.
|
be taken ill »
Due to sudden illness.
|
be taken ill »
To become ill.
|
be that as it may »
Even if that is the case; whether that is true or not; nevertheless.
|
be the way to go »
Represent the best of all possible options or courses of action; pre-eminate over all other choices or alternatives.
|
be there for »
To be available to provide comfort and support for someone, especially in a period of difficulty.
|
be there or be square »
Used to encourage someone to go somewhere.
|
be up against »
To be challenged by someone or something stronger than oneself.
|
be-all and end-all »
Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.
|
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.
|
beam up »
To teleport another person or object in the same manner.
|
bear down »
To approach another vessel from windward.
|
bear down »
To press down on someone.
|
bear down »
To intensify one's efforts.
|
bear down »
When giving birth, to push.
|
bear down on »
To approach someone in a very determined way.
|
bear hug »
wrestling hold
|
bear in mind »
Remember; consider; note.
|
bear in with »
Nearer.
|
bear on »
To influence, have an effect on.
|
bear on »
To be relevant to.
|
bear out »
To corroborate, prove, or confirm; to demonstrate; to provide evidence for.
|
bear up »
To sail close to the wind.
|
bear up »
To endure hardship cheerfully.
|
bear with »
To be patient with.
|
beat a dead horse »
To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.
|
beat around the bush »
To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.
|
beat around the bush »
To treat a topic but omit its main points, often intentionally.
|
beat Banaghan »
An Irish saying of one who tells wonderful stories, or of something which is amazing and remarkable.
|
beat down »
To strike with great force.
|
beat down »
To haggle someone to sell at a lower price.
|
beat down »
To severely beat someone up.
|
beat feet »
To flee.
|
beat feet »
To run.
|
beat it »
To go away.
|
beat off »
To drive something away with blows.
|
beat off »
To masturbate.
|
beat off »
To waste time.
|
beat one's head against a stone wall »
To waste effort on a futile project.
|
beat one's meat »
To masturbate.
|
beat out »
To sound a rhythm on a percussion instrument such as a drum.
|
beat out »
To extinguish.
|
beat out »
To win by a narrow margin.
|
beat somebody to the punch »
To do something before somebody else is able to.
|
beat someone's brains out »
To beat someone very severely.
|
beat the crap out of »
To beat really badly.
|
beat the shit out of »
To beat really badly.
|
beat up »
To give a severe beating to.
|
beat up »
To alarm by a sudden attack.
|
beat up »
To sail to windward using a series of alternate tacks across the wind.
|
beat up »
To cause by some other means, injuries comparable to the result of being beaten up.
|
beat up »
To feel badly guilty and accuse oneself over something. Usually followed by over.
|
beat up »
Repeatedly bomb a military target or targets.
|
beat up »
To get something done, derived from the idea of beating for game.
|
beat up »
To verbally assault repeatedly.
|
beats me »
I don't know; I have no idea.
|
beauty is in the eye of the beholder »
Individuals have different inclinations on what is beautiful. Individuals have different beauty standards.
|
beauty is only skin deep »
What matters is a person's character, rather than his/her appearance.
|
beauty mark »
Or artificially using cosmetics.
|
beauty sleep »
C. 1900, Ralph Connor, The Man From Glengarry, ch. 23.
|
beauty sleep »
Extra sleep or a special nap.
|
beauty sleep »
Sleep before midnight, on the belief that early sleep hours conduce to health and beauty.[1].
|
beauty spot »
mole
|
beaver away »
To busily undertake a large task.
|
because you touch yourself at night »
Used to humourously deflect a request for a reason.
|
bed down »
To lie down to sleep for the night, usually of livestock or machinery.
|
bed down »
To put an animal to rest for the night.
|
bed of roses »
A comfortable or luxurious position.
|
bed of roses »
A pleasant or easy situation.
|
beddable »
Sexually attractive.
|
beddable »
[...] feminine, great body great legs great taste, trained and beddable, Jesus, how beddable.
|
beddy-bye »
Bedtime for a toddler, going to sleep, going to bed.
|
bee in one's bonnet »
Something of particular interest or concern; an obsession.
|
bee's knees »
Something excellent, outstanding.
|
beef to the hoof »
Fat, chubby, particularly with fat legs.
|
beefed out »
Having been improved greatly or upgraded; beefed up.
|
beefed out »
Muscular, often in an exaggerated way.
|
been there, done that »
An assertion that the speaker has personal experience or knowledge of a particular place or topic and is now bored.
|
been there, done that, bought the T-shirt »
Expresses the speaker's complete familiarity with a situation, with overtones of cynicism or exhaustion.
|
been there, done that, got the T-shirt »
Same as been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.
|
been to the rodeo »
Exposed to conmen and hucksters; experienced.
|
been to the rodeo »
N.d., Alan Neff, Precious Tribes, Vicious Lies, page 72.
|
beer and skittles »
Fun times.
|
beer and skittles »
Something pleasurable.
|
beer goggles »
The illusion that people are more attractive, brought on by alcohol consumption.
|
before you can say Jack Robinson »
Very quickly. Quicker than you expect.
|
beg off »
To avoid, or cancel some event that one has previously arranged with someone.
|
beg to differ »
To differ strongly in opinion or interpretation.
|
beggars can't be choosers »
(proverb) When resources are limited, one must accept even substandard gifts.
|
behind bars »
In jail or prison.
|
behind closed doors »
Public disclosure.
|
behind its time »
Showing characteristics of the past; present in one's work after later advances in the field; coming later than could be generally accepted.
|
behind somebody's back »
Without somebody's knowledge; secretly.
|
behind the bit »
An equestrian term, meaning that the horse is evading the bit.
|
behind the counter »
Of drugs, dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription or other form of compliance.
|
behind the eight ball »
At a disadvantage.
|
behind the scenes »
In secret; out of public view.
|
believe in »
To ascribe existence to.
|
believe in »
To ascribe some powers or other attributes to.
|
believe you me »
An emphatic form of "believe me"; you [the subject] had better believe me [the speaker].
|
bells and whistles »
Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.
|
belly up »
Dead or defunct.
|
below par »
Having a price below its face value.
|
below par »
Less than par for the hole or course.
|
below par »
Not up to the average or normal standard.
|
below the belt »
Of a punch, landing illegally, below the opponent's waist.
|
below the belt »
Unfair; dirty; not according to the generally accepted rules.
|
belt and suspenders »
Redundant systems, affording mutual backup in the event of one failing.
|
bench jockey »
A baseball term for a player, coach or manager who is annoying and distracts opposition players and umpires from his team's dugout bench with verbal repartee.
|
bend one's elbow »
To drink alcoholic beverages, especially at a public house or bar.
|
bend over backwards »
To make a great effort; to take extraordinary care; to go to great lengths.
|
bend somebody's ear »
Sorry to bend your ear with the whole story, but I think you ought to know.
|
bend somebody's ear »
To bore; to talk too long.
|
bend the truth »
To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.
|
bent on »
Completely determined; obstinate.
|
bent on a splice »
About to be married.
|
beside oneself »
Overcome; consumed by an emotion.
|
beside the point »
Irrelevant, moot.
|
best bet »
The best proposal or plan.
|
best laid plans »
A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.
|
best of both worlds »
A combination of two seemingly contradictory benefits.
|
best of the bunch »
The best or most preferred person or item within a group.
|
best regards »
Used as a polite closing of a letter.
|
bet dollars to donuts »
To suggest that something is very likely to be true or that one has a strong hunch about something.
|
bet the farm »
To be absolutely certain, to have no doubts.
|
better an egg today than a hen tomorrow »
It is better to have a sure thing now than a possibility of more later.
|
better safe than sorry »
It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to suffer afterwards.
|
better than sex »
Superlative; wonderful.
|
better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all »
Having experience of love, even if it ended, is better than having no experience of love.Love is worthwhile despite the pain involved in separation.
|
better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness »
In the face of bad times or hopelessness, it is more worthwhile to do some good, however small, in response than to complain about the situation.
|
between a rock and a hard place »
Having the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary.
|
between Scylla and Charybdis »
Similar in meaning to between a rock and a hard place.
|
between the jigs and the reels »
Eventually, despite all the confusion.
|
betwixt and between »
Neither one thing nor the other.
|
beyond one's pay grade »
Beyond one's capability.
|
beyond one's pay grade »
Beyond one's level of authority.
|
beyond the black stump »
Extremely remote, outside the populated area.
|
beyond the pale »
Describing behaviour that is considered to be outside the bounds of morality, good behaviour or judgement in civilised company.
|
big gun »
A large-caliber artillery piece.
|
birds and bees »
Informal sex education, especially describing the sexual activity of animals rather than that of people.
|
birds of a feather »
People having similar characters, backgrounds, interests, or beliefs.
|
bite someone's head off »
To severely berate someone.
|
bite the hand that feeds you »
To cause harm to a benefactor.
|
bitter pill »
Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.
|
black magic »
Magic derived from evil forces, as distinct from good or benign forces; or magic performed with the intention of doing harm.
|
black-on-black »
A reference to interactions between black people .
|
blanket term »
A word or phrase that is used to describe multiple groups of related things. The degree of relation may vary. Blanket terms often trade specificity for ease-of-use; in other words, a blanket term by itself gives little detail about the things that it describes or the relationships between them, but is easy to say and remember. Blanket terms often originate as slang, and eventually become integrated into the general vocabulary.
|
bleeding edge »
Something very current, or modern where there may actually be a hazard or risk in using it, such as with potentially unstable software. The term relates to a sword.
|
blessing in disguise »
A misfortune that has an unexpected benefit.
|
blimp out »
To become fat or fatter, especially as a result of excessive eating.
|
blind »
A covering for a window to keep out light. The covering may be made of cloth or of narrow slats that can block light or allow it to pass.
|
blind »
A forced bet.
|
blind »
A player who is or was forced to make a bet.
|
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!
|
blot one's copy book »
To damage one's own reputation through bad behavior.
|
blow a fuse »
To lose one's temper; to become enraged.
|
blow a gasket »
To become very angry or upset.
|
blow away »
Flabbergast; scintillate; impress greatly.
|
blow away »
To be dispersed as a result of being blown.
|
blow chunks »
To be very bad, inadequate, unpleasant, or miserable; to thoroughly suck.
|
blow hot and cold »
To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.
|
blow one's top »
To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.
|
blow out of proportion »
To overreact to or overstate; to treat too seriously or be overly concerned with.
|
blow someone's mind »
To astonish someone, to flabbergast someone.
|
blow up »
To explode or be destroyed by explosion.
|
blow up »
To become popular very quickly.
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boil down to »
to be equivalent to; to reduce to.
|
bone of contention »
Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached.
|
born in a barn »
Engaging in the annoying behavior of inappropriately, and usually neglectfully, leaving open a door or window.
|
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »
Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.
|
borne out »
Past participle of bear out.
|
bottom line »
The final balance; the amount of money or profit left after everything has been tallied.
|
bowl over »
To overwhelm with astonishment or wonder; to flabbergast.
|
bowled over »
to be astonished; overwhelmed; surprised; shocked
|
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.
|
boys will be boys »
It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.
|
brain fart »
A lapse in the thought process; an inability to think or remember something clearly.
|
brass monkey »
An Australian beer.
|
brass ring »
Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.
|
brass-neck »
To behave boldly or shamelessly.
|
breadwinner »
The member of a household who earns all or most of the income
|
break down »
To become unstable, mentally or otherwise.
|
break ground »
To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.
|
break ground »
To initiate a new venture, or to advance beyond previous achievements.
|
break ground »
To lift off the sea bottom when being weighed.
|
break into »
To open or begin to use.
|
break into »
To begin suddenly.
|
break new ground »
To begin excavating and levelling earth for a new building, or, originally, for cultivation.
|
break out »
To begin suddenly; to emerge in a certain condition.
|
break the bank »
To win more money than is available to be paid.
|
break the buck »
Fall below the value of one dollar per share.[1].
|
break up »
Of a telephone conversation, to cease to be understandable because of a bad connection.
|
breakfast of champions »
An ironic appellation for beer, junk food, or other foods implied to be unhealthy.
|
bridge »
A valence bond, atom or chain of atoms that connects two different parts of a molecule; the atoms so connected being bridgeheads.
|
bridge »
An elevated platform above the upper deck of a mechanically propelled ship from which it is navigated and from which all activities on deck can be seen and controlled by the captain, etc; smaller ships have a wheelhouse, and sailing ships were controlled from a quarterdeck.
|
bridge »
An unintended solder connection between two or more components or pins.
|
brighten up »
To become brighter.
|
bring back »
To cause someone to remember something from the past.
|
bring forth »
To produce, bear as fruit.
|
bring off »
To succeed in doing something considered to be very difficult.
|
bring owls to Athens »
Perhaps we have not been sufficiently aware that talking about access and its implications in Scandinavia is like bringing owls to Athens. — Herbert Burkert.
|
bring to heel »
To be forced to obey.
|
bring to heel »
To force someone to obey.
|
bring upon »
To cause to befall.
|
broad across the beam »
Without fat on the hips and the bottom.
|
broad in the beam »
Without fat on the hips and the bottom.
|
bros before hoes »
(US, informal) A man should prioritize his male friends over his girlfriend or wife.
|
bros before hos »
Alternative spelling of bros before hoes.
|
buckle down »
To put forth the needed effort; to focus; become serious; apply oneself.
|
buckle up »
To fasten one's seat belt or safety belt.
|
bugger off »
An expression of disagreement or disbelief.
|
build a better mousetrap »
To invent the next great thing; to have a better idea.
|
bundle of energy »
The energy associated with being lively, continually active, or industrious.
|
buried treasure »
Something, having been concealed for a long time, which later is found and is profitable.
|
burn a hole in one's pocket »
To cause someone to be tempted to spend money.
|
burn rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
bury the lead »
To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.
|
bury the lede »
To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.
|
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.
|
bust chops »
To nag; to berate or hound in an effort to elicit action.
|
bustle with »
To teem with; abound with; to exhibit an energetic and active abundance of a thing; to be full of a certain activity or active beings.
|
busy beaver »
Someone who is very busy or hard-working.
|
button-down »
Of a collar, able to be buttoned down to the shirt, as over a necktie.
|
by the numbers »
To do something exactly, precisely, or in a formulaic way.
|
by the way »
His mother will be coming for dinner tomorrow, and, by the way, she volunteered to bring dessert.
|
by virtue of »
Because of; on the grounds of; by reason of; due to; based on.
|
by-the-numbers »
Done in a predictable manner; formulaic.
|
call it a night »
To cease what one has been doing for the night.
|
call it a night »
To go to bed to sleep.
|
call the shots »
To make the decisions;to be in charge;to give orders.
|
calling card »
A small printed card which identifies the bearer, traditionally presented for introduction when making a social visit to a home or when attending a formal social event or business meeting.
|
calling card »
An attribute, object, or behavior which is distinctly characteristic of someone or something.
|
can't wait »
To eagerly anticipate; to find it unbearable to wait for a forthcoming pleasurable event.
|
carrot and stick »
Simultaneous rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior.
|
carry a torch for »
[2] To harbor feelings of love despite not being in a relationship; generally unrequited or after a relationship has ended, and sometimes implying secret feelings. There is the implication of keeping hope alive.
|
carry on »
To act or behave; especially to act or behave so as to attract attention.
|
carry on »
To continue or proceed as before.
|
carry the message to Garcia »
To perform a requisite task without having been informed specifically by what method to do so.
|
cast pearls before swine »
To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.
|
cast the first stone »
To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing that one is blameless.
|
castle in the air »
A visionary project or scheme; a day-dream; an idle fancy; a pipe dream; any plan, desire, or idea that is unlikely to be ever realized; a near impossibility.
|
cat in the sack »
Something to be suspicious of.
|
cat that ate the canary »
A person whose appearance and behavior suggest guilt mixed with other qualities, such as satisfaction or feigned nonchalance.
|
cat's cradle »
Any complicated structure which appears to be without purpose.
|
catbird seat »
Expression used to describe an enviable position, often one of great advantage.
|
catch a buzz »
To become slightly inebriated, but not yet be drunk.
|
catch a cold »
To become infected with cold.
|
catch dust »
To be rarely used.
|
catch fire »
Become engulfed with flames.
|
catch hell »
Be severely reprimanded, punished, or beaten.
|
catch it »
Be severely reprimanded, punished, or beaten.
|
catch on »
To begin to understand; to realize or detect.
|
catch on »
To become popular; to become commonplace; to become the standard.
|
catch out »
To put a batsman out by catching the batted ball before it touches the ground.
|
catch up »
To be reaching something that had been ahead.
|
catch-as-catch-can »
A. 1681, John Fryer, Richard Chiswell, Robert Roberts, Robert White, A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters, Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672 and Finished 1681.
|
catmeat »
Someone who has been badly beaten.
|
cattle call »
An audition which is open to the public and thus draws a large number of applicants, many of whom are inexperienced.
|
caucus race »
A political competition; the game of campaigning and one-upmanship to get votes and be elected.
|
caught between the devil and the deep blue sea »
Having a choice between two alternatives, both undesirable.
|
caught in the act »
To be found doing something that you weren't supposed to be doing, while you're doing it.
|
caught with one's hand in the cookie jar »
Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money.
|
caveat lector »
Reader beware.
|
cease to be »
To die.
|
center field »
The part of a baseball field which is beyond the infield and straight ahead left if you stand on home plate and face the pitcher.
|
chance'd be a fine thing »
Given to indicate that an aforementioned thing would be desirable but unlikely. Comparable to if I should be so lucky.
|
change hands »
To become the property of someone else; to be bought or sold.
|
change of heart »
A change of one's opinion, belief or decision.
|
change one's mind »
To decide differently than one had decided before.
|
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.
|
cheat on »
To be unfaithful to.
|
cheer up »
To become happy.
|
cherry pick »
To select only the best from a range of options.
|
cherry picking »
Selecting only the best from a group or other range of choices.
|
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 somebody out »
To berate; to shout at someone.
|
chew the cud »
To meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate.
|
chew the scenery »
To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.
|
children should be seen and not heard »
Children should behave well and be quiet, especially in the presence of adults.
|
chin up »
Be happy; cheer up.
|
chinese gooseberry »
kiwi fruit
|
chip on one's shoulder »
A habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.
|
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.
|
chump change »
An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.
|
circles around »
Far faster or better than.
|
circular firing squad »
A political party or other group experiencing considerable disarray because the members are engaging in internal disputes and mutual recrimination.
|
claim to fame »
That for which one has bragging rights; one's reason for being well-known or famous.
|
clam up »
To become silent; to stop talking, to shut up.
|
clean up »
To become clean, handsome, smart in appearance, e.g. for a special occasion, especially when it is out of character to be seen as such.
|
clear up »
Of stormy weather, to dissipate, to become calm.
|
climb the walls »
To behave in a distressed or frantic manner; to feel very agitated.
|
clock in »
To be measured at.
|
clock in »
To begin work.
|
closed book »
A person or thing that cannot be easily understood; someone or something incomprehensible or puzzling.
|
cloud up »
To become cloudy.
|
clout list »
A usually secret list containing the names of people who are to be given special access, benefits, or influence in a political or social situation, especially as a result of having personal, professional, or financial relationships with those in authority.
|
clue stick »
A metaphorical stick used to beat information or understanding into a slow learner.
|
cold hands, warm heart »
Implies inner beauty; a caring person; warm-hearted
|
Cold hands, warm heart; Dirty feet, no sweetheart! »
A few old timer's "fun" way to compliment a lady & to find out if she could be courted.
|
cold one »
A beer.
|
cold shoulder »
A deliberate act of disrespect; a slight or snub.
|
collect one's thoughts »
To become mentally composed, especially after being distressed, surprised, or disoriented; to become calm or organized in one's emotional state or thinking, as in preparation for a conversation, speech, decision, etc.
|
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 in »
Of a broadcast, such as radio or television, to have a strong enough signal to be able to be received well.
|
come in »
To join or enter; to begin playing with a group.
|
come in handy »
To be useful or helpful, especially at some time in the future.
|
come of age »
To mature, or become fully developed.
|
come of age »
To reach a specific age where one is legally considered to be an adult.
|
come off »
To become detached.
|
come on »
An expression of disbelief.
|
come online »
To enter service or become active.
|
come out »
To be discovered, be revealed.
|
come out »
To be published, be issued.
|
come out »
To walk onto the field at the beginning of an innings.
|
come out in the wash »
Of problems or difficulties, to work out, resolve, or become understood eventually and naturally.
|
come out of one's shell »
To become a naturist. To convert to naturism.
|
come out of the closet »
To tell others about homosexuality, bisexuality or any minority or disapproved-of belief, preference, etc., where previously this had been kept secret.
|
come out of the woodwork »
To appear or emerge as though out of nowhere, frequently in large numbers or quantity.
|
come to »
To befall; to affect; to happen to; to come upon.
|
come unhinged »
To become angered or crazy; to lose control of one's senses or sanity.
|
come up »
To appear before a judge or court.
|
come up »
To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly; to come to attention, present itself.
|
come up »
To begin to feel the effects of a recreational drug.
|
consume mass quantities »
To eat or drink abundant amounts of food or beverage.
|
cookie-cutter »
A solution to a problem that can be applied in many situations without modification.
|
cool down »
To become cooler, to be reduced in temperature.
|
cool down »
To become less agitated.
|
cool down »
To cause to become less agitated.
|
cool one's jets »
To become less excited, intense, or active.
|
copper beech »
tree
|
correlation does not imply causation »
(statistics) The observed correlation between two parameters, say, the growth of a market and the growth of a neighbor's child may, in fact, have nothing to do with each other's causation.
|
cost a pretty penny »
To be expensive.
|
cover one's bases »
To be thorough; to prepare thoroughly or completely.
|
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.
|
crack up »
To become insane; to suffer a mental breakdown.
|
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.
|
cream in one's jeans »
To experience an orgasm while clothed; to be thoroughly excited or delighted.
|
cream of the crop »
The best or most desirable among some selection.
|
crème de la crème »
Best of the best; something that's superlative. The very best.
|
cross paths »
To be, by chance, in the same physical place at the same time, as a result of two completely separate journeys.
|
cross someone's palm »
To give money to a person, especially as a bribe or as an inducement to perform a service.
|
cross the aisle »
Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.
|
cross the aisle »
To vote, unite, or otherwise co-operate with members of another political party in order to achieve governmental or political action.
|
cross the floor »
Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.
|
crunch numbers »
To figure; to do the math.
|
cry all the way to the bank »
To be happy due to the receipt of money, although expressing sorrow about the cause of such receipt.
|
cry for help »
In her second year at the school Alexis stopped doing her homework and would often scribble on walls. Her teachers wondered whether this was a cry for help, or if she was simply misbehaving.
|
crying shame »
A situation that is considered to be a disgrace, or deplorable.
|
crying shame »
It's a crying shame that so much money has been wasted on this pointless political campaign.
|
cube out »
To reach the volume limit of a container.
|
curiosity killed the cat »
One should not be curious about things that can be dangerous.
|
cut a wide swath »
To behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.
|
cut down »
To insult, to belittle.
|
cut it »
To suffice; to be effective or successful.
|
cut one's teeth »
To begin; to gain early experience.
|
cut short »
Interrupt and curtail before the planned end time.
|
cut somebody some slack »
To be patient or lenient with somebody; to relax standards or expectations.
|
cut the mustard »
To suffice; to be good or effective enough.
|
cut up »
To be upset.
|
cut up »
To behave like a clown.
|
dark horse »
A candidate who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice.
|
date with destiny »
An inevitable future event or encounter, especially one which is likely to be momentous.
|
dawn of a new day »
A new beginning; a fresh start; an important, promising turning point.
|
dawn on »
To occur to somebody; to be realized.
|
day in, day out »
Every day; daily; constantly or continuously; especially, of something that has become routine or monotonous.
|
day one »
The very beginning.
|
daylight robbery »
An exorbitant charge for a product or service.
|
dead as a dodo »
That has become out of date.
|
dead as a doornail »
Unquestionably dead. Used for both inanimate objects and once living beings.
|
dead men tell no tales »
Once someone is dead, they can no longer communicate, hence killing someone is the best way to keep him/her quiet.
|
dead tree edition »
Paper version of a publication that can be found online.
|
deadbeat dad »
A man, especially one who is divorced or estranged from his partner, who fails to provide monetary child support when he is legally required to do so.
|
deadweight »
A useless, usually encumbering factor.
|
death by spellcheck »
The problems caused by spellcheckers being incapable of correcting most homophone confusions.
|
death knell »
The tolling of a bell announcing death.
|
debris field »
Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.
|
deer in the headlights »
A mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety fear, panic, surpriseand/or confusion, or substance abuse. The behavioral signs are like a deer subjected to a car's headlights, such as widely opened eyes and a lack of motor reactions.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
Programmers are consistently dehumanized because so many do indeed deliver the message to Garcia only to be at best ignored.
|
den of iniquity »
A place of immoral behavior, usually of a sexual type.
|
depend on »
To be dependent on something or someone for support or help.
|
desperate times call for desperate measures »
In adverse circumstances actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice.
|
devil is in the details »
The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable.
|
diamonds are a girl's best friend »
A statement that suggests, while love is a luxury, material wealth (particularly jewellery) is more valuable in the long run.
|
die »
To stop living; to become dead; to undergo death.
|
die down »
To become less virulent.
|
die out »
To become extinct.
|
dig in »
To begin eating.
|
dimber damber upright man »
The chief of a gang of thieves or gypsies.
|
dime a dozen »
So common as to be practically worthless.
|
dirty money »
Money that is illegally gained, illegally transferred or illegally utilized. Especially money gained through forgery, bribery, or thievery.
|
discretion is the better part of valour »
It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave speech or action.1597
|
do a »
To emulate the behavior/behaviour that is generally attributed to the individual named.
|
do a number on »
To damage; to treat harshly; to produce ill effects.
|
do as I say and not as I do »
Don't imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.
|
do justice »
To really allow to be apprehended in its full scope.
|
Do the best and live the rest »
First do your work with your 100% dont think about the result
|
do the trick »
To work; to be successful; to solve a problem.
|
does a bear shit in the woods »
Rhetorical question in response to a question where the answer is an emphatic yes.
|
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.
|
dog it »
To underperform; to lag behind; to fail to exert effort.
|
don't be penny wise and pound foolish »
Don't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.
|
don't count your chickens before they're hatched »
You should not count on something before it happens.
|
don't cry over spilt milk »
It is no use worrying about unfortunate events which have already happened and which cannot be changed.
|
don't drop the soap »
(idiomatic) Used as a mockery to someone who is about to be or should be confined in prison.
|
don't get me started »
About the subject currently being discussed.
|
don't hold your breath »
"Don't wait." Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned to is unlikely to happen soon or at all.
|
don't let the bedbugs bite »
Used to wish a person a good night's sleep.
|
don't shoot the messenger »
The bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news.
|
don't take any wooden nickels »
Do not permit yourself be cheated or duped; do not be naive.
|
done deal »
An agreement that has been finally resolved or decided.
|
doss down »
To sleep on someone's sofa or floor because there is no bed spare.
|
dot the i's and cross the t's »
To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or thorough.
|
double talk »
Speaking in a mixture of real English and English-sounding gibberish, for humorous effect.
|
double up »
After a fly ball has been caught.
|
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.
|
down the tubes »
Into a state of collapse or failure.
|
down to the short strokes »
In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.
|
drag »
To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.
|
drain the swamp when up to one's neck in alligators »
(idiomatic) When performing a long and complex task, and when you've gotten utterly immersed in secondary and tertiary unexpected tangential subtasks, it's easy to lose sight of the initial objective. This sort of distraction can be particularly problematic if the all-consuming subtask or sub-subtask is not, after all, particularly vital to the original, primary goal, but ends up sucking up time and resources (out of all proportion to its actual importance) only because it seems so urgent.
|
drama queen »
Who behaves and speaks in an overly dramatic manner so as to garner attention.
|
draw a blank »
To be unable to produce a required piece of information.
|
draw out »
To use means to entice or force to be more open or talkative.
|
drop back »
Of a quarterback or other player in the backfield, to take a number of steps back from the line of scrimmage immediately after the snap or hike of the ball, to avoid defenders.
|
drown out »
To cover, obscure, or hide by being louder than.
|
drug of choice »
The best-choice medication to treat a particular medical problem.
|
dry out »
To have excess water evaporate or be otherwise removed.
|
dry out »
To sober up; to cease to be drunk.
|
dry rot »
timber decay
|
due course »
A. 1803, Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey.
|
due to »
because of
|
duly noted »
In a due, fit, or becoming manner; as it ought to be; properly.
|
dumb down »
To become simpler in expression or content; to become unacceptably simplistic.
|
dummy run »
A trial or practice before the real attempt.
|
dye in the wool »
To dye woolen fibers before they are spun into thread.
|
dyed-in-the-wool »
Dyed before being formed into cloth.
|
dyed-in-the-wool »
Firmly established in a person's beliefs or habits; deeply ingrained in the nature of a person or thing.
|
eager beaver »
Who is very excited or enthusiastic to begin a task.
|
ear tunnel »
A piece of jewelry that fits into a stretched earlobe hole and makes it seem like a peephole and makes it see-through.
|
early bath »
Being shown a red card in soccer.
|
early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise »
platitude from Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym Poor Richard.
|
earn one's keep »
To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.
|
ears are burning »
Being the topic of discussion in another place; or sensing that this is happening.
|
easy on the eyes »
Attractive; beautiful.
|
eat crow »
To recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.
|
eat for two »
To be pregnant.
|
eat one's hat »
Used in a result clause to express disbelief in the conditional clause proposition.
|
eat one's own dog food »
To test the beta programs that are in the test phase on one's own computers; to dogfood.
|
eat one's own dog food »
To use or consume the economic goods or services that oneself is producing; to be part of a closed household economy.
|
eat one's young »
To betray a constituent or charge out of self-serving interests or desperation; savaging.
|
eat out of somebody's hand »
To behave in a docile, submissive way towards somebody.
|
eat someone's dust »
To be outrun.
|
eat someone's dust »
To get one to be on a losing end.
|
eat up »
To accept or believe entirely, immediately, and without questioning.
|
empty promise »
A promise that is either not going to be carried out, worthless or meaningless.
|
enough is enough »
One should be satisfied, there should be no more
|
err on the side of »
To behave in a manner which favours or which is biassed toward.
|
esprit de corps »
A shared spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group, for example of a military unit.
|
even money »
A bet which offers odds of 1 to 1.
|
every cloud has a silver lining »
In every bad situation there is an element of good1881, National Academy of Code Administration (U.S.), Folio, page 417:Every cloud has a silver lining; but in the old-fashioned meeting-houses every cloud of hymnal melody generally had a nasal lining before the congregation...1887, Shakers, Religion, page 36:that "a little reserve and thou'lt fail surely," will prove to be true in our experience. Every cloud has a silver lining and so has every sorrow,1918, George Jean Nathan, Performing Arts, page 222:But the most popular attitude toward what we may call "sad" plays is the peculiar one of believing that, since every cloud has a silver lining,
|
every king needs a queen »
Every man needs a woman to be with for the rest of his life.
|
every man has a price »
Everyone can be bribed or corrupted for a certain price.
|
every man Jack »
All the members of a group with no exceptions.
|
everybody and their brother »
A large number of people; most people.
|
everyone and their brother »
A large number of people; most people.
|
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
|
experience is the best teacher »
Lessons learned from experience are the most lasting.
|
eye of the beholder »
The evaluation depending on perception of person who sees and considers.
|
facts on the ground »
A euphemism, similar to fait accompli, used as an oblique way of saying that discussions over the possession of a given piece of territory has been rendered moot by the presence of military forces.
|
fair game »
An goal or object that may legitimately be sought.
|
faith will move mountains »
Belief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.
|
fall apart »
To break into pieces through being in a dilapidated state.
|
fall apart »
To be emotionally in crisis.
|
fall behind »
To be progressively below average in performance.
|
fall between two stools »
To attempt two tasks and fail at both, when either one could have been accomplished singly.
|
fall by the wayside »
To fail to be completed, particularly for lack of interest; to be left out.
|
fall for »
To be fooled; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick.
|
fall for »
be deceived by
|
fall in line »
To submit to the rules of a higher authority; obey; conform.
|
fall into »
To be classified as; to fall under.
|
fall off »
To become detached or to drop from.
|
fall off a truck »
Of an item of merchandise, to come into a person's possession without having been paid for; to be acquired illegally.
|
fall off the back of a lorry »
Of an item of merchandise, to come into a perons's possession without having been paid for; to have been acquired illegally.
|
fall off the turnip truck »
To be naive, uninformed, or unsophisticated, in the manner of a rustic person.
|
fall on deaf ears »
Of a request, complaint, etc, to be ignored.
|
fall over »
Of an argument, to fail to be valid.
|
fall short »
To be less satisfactory than expected; to be inadequate or insufficient.
|
fall through »
To be unsuccessful, abort, come to nothing/naught; to be cancelled; not to proceed.
|
fall through the cracks »
To be missed; to escape the necessary notice or attention.
|
false friend »
A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.
|
familiarity breeds contempt »
The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.
|
fancypants »
Alternative spelling of fancy pants. The condition of being overly showy; concerned more about one's reputation than anything else.
|
far be it »
A disclaimer stating that the person speaking will not do something.
|
far be it »
Pewtey in Marriage Guidance Counselor from And Now For Something Completely Different.
|
fear »
Extreme veneration or awe, as toward a supreme being or deity.
|
feather one's nest »
To achieve benefits, especially financial ones, by taking advantage of the opportunities with which one is presented; to amass a comfortable amount of personal wealth.
|
feed a cold, starve a fever »
Eating more will cure the common cold, and eating less will cure a fever.1887, J. H. Whelan, "The Treatment of Colds.", The Practitioner, vol. 38, pg. 180:"Feed a cold, starve a fever." There is a deal of wisdom in the first part of this advice. A person with a catarrh should take an abundance of light nutritious food, and some light wine, but avoid spirits, and above all tobacco.1968, Katinka Loeser, The Archers at Home, publ. Atheneum, New York, pg. 60:I have a cold. 'Feed a cold, starve a fever.' You certainly know that.2009, Shelly Reuben, Tabula Rasa, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ISBN 015101079X, pg. 60:They say feed a cold, starve a fever, but they don't tell you what to do when you got both, so I figured scrambled eggs, tea, and toast.
|
feed into »
To be a tributary of another river or waterway.
|
feed the dragon »
To buy or sell products labeled as "Made in China.".
|
feel free »
Don't be ashamed, be my guest.
|
feel one's oats »
To feel energetic or frisky; to behave in a vigorous or bold manner.
|
feel one's oats »
To feel important; to be empowered.
|
feel up to »
To be confident in being able to do something.
|
few and far between »
Rare and scarce.
|
fill in »
To fill; to replace material that is absent or has been removed.
|
fill up »
To become full.
|
fine feathers make fine birds »
Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.
|
fine line »
A difference, albeit vague and difficult to discern.
|
fire away »
To begin shooting at an enemy.
|
fire away »
To begin to talk or present information quickly.
|
first among equals »
In the British and other parliamentary systems, a term used to describe the relationship of the prime minister to the other members of the cabinet.
|
first come, first served »
People will be dealt with in the order they arrive.
|
first of all »
Firstly; before anything else.
|
first rate »
Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.
|
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
|
fish or cut bait »
To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.
|
fit into »
To be of the right size and shape to be placed in a location.
|
fit into »
To be of similar cultural or social status as the members of a group of people.
|
fit to be tied »
Very agitated or distressed; enraged.
|
five will get you ten »
I strongly believe.
|
flat-earther »
A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.
|
flat-earther »
A person who believes or advocates the theory that the earth is flat.
|
flick the bean »
To masturbate by stimulating the clitoris.
|
flight of fancy »
An idea, narrative, suggestion, etc. which is extremely imaginative and which appears to be entirely unrealistic, untrue, or impractical; thinking which is very speculative.
|
flip one's lid »
To be explosively angry.
|
flower »
A plant that bears flowers.
|
flower »
Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.
|
flower »
The best examples or representatives of a group.
|
flower »
The best state of things; the prime.
|
flutter in the dovecote »
A disturbance, usually one caused within a prescribed group of people.
|
fly off the handle »
To become very angry or enraged; to throw a fit or go crazy.
|
fly the freak flag »
To behave in a unconventional or unrestrained manner; to exhibit the uninhibited side of one's personality.
|
fold up »
To make or become more compact by folding.
|
food chain »
The feeding relationships between species in a biotic community.
|
fools rush in where angels fear to tread »
A person who does not plan ahead and think matters through becomes involved in risky or unfavorable situations which prudent people avoid.
|
for starters »
as a beginning
|
for the heck of it »
For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.
|
for the hell of it »
For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.
|
for the nonce »
For the time being, with the expectation that the situation may change.
|
for the record »
For the purpose of being recorded.
|
for the sake of it »
For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.
|
for the time being »
Temporarily; until later.
|
force of habit »
An act that has been repeated to the point where the performance of the act becomes automatic.
|
force someone's hand »
Bring about a situation which necessitates an agent to act, often causing a plan to be executed prematurely.
|
four poster »
bed
|
four score and seven years ago »
As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.
|
four-on-the-floor »
Characterised by a steady, uniformly accented beat with a 4/4 time signature.
|
four-on-the-floor »
Relating to a vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission mounted beside the driver on the floor of the vehicle.
|
fourth wall »
The boundary between the fiction and the audience.
|
freak flag »
Unconventional or unrestrained behavior; extreme, nonconformist views; the side of one's personality which harbors a tendency toward such behavior or such views.
|
free ride »
An opportunity or benefit which has no cost, especially one enjoyed or undertaken at the expense of others.
|
fresh out of »
Of someone who has recently left one stage of life to begin another.
|
fresh start »
A new beginning, without prejudices.
|
friend with benefits »
A friend with whom one has such a relationship.
|
friend with benefits »
A friendship with no reserves when it comes to the release of shared sexual tension thus leading to sexual fraternization.
|
from my cold, dead hands »
A statement that something will not be taken away from you until the day you die.
|
from scratch »
From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.
|
from soup to nuts »
From beginning to end; throughout.
|
from the get-go »
From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.
|
from the ground up »
From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals.
|
from the word go »
From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.
|
fruit of the poisonous tree »
And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.
|
full as a goog »
Having eaten too much, or being drunk.
|
full of beans »
Energetic and enthusiastic.
|
full of beans »
Incorrect; uninformed; exaggerating or expressing falsehood.
|
full of oneself »
Egotistical, believing oneself to be superior to others; preoccupied with one's own work, interests, point of view, etc.
|
gandy dancer »
A railway laborer, especially a member of a crew which carries rails and affixes them to ties.
|
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 grip »
To relax; to calm down; to stop being angry; to come to one's senses or become more rational.
|
get a jump on »
To start early, especially to start before something begins or before others begin.
|
get a kick out of »
To be delighted by; to be amused by.
|
get along »
To be together or coexist well, without arguments or trouble.
|
get away with »
To do something which is prohibited, forbidden or generally not allowed, and not be punished for the action.
|
get away with murder »
To do something bad or illegal and not be punished.
|
get bent out of shape »
To take offense; to become angry, agitated or upset.
|
get better »
To improve.
|
get better »
To recover from an illness.
|
get carried away »
To become excessively involved, to take something too far.
|
get cold feet »
To become nervous or anxious and reconsider a decision about an upcoming event.
|
get down to business »
To become involved with something work-related.
|
get in »
To be elected to some office.
|
get in »
To secure membership at a selective school.
|
get into one's stride »
To become familiar with something recently learnt.
|
get into trouble »
To become pregnant.
|
get into trouble »
To perform an action which is illegal, prohibited, forbidden or proscribed and to become subject to punishment for such action.
|
get it »
To "get what's coming to him/her"; to feel one's wrath; to receive punishment; to receive a retaliation; to receive a beating.
|
get off »
Behaviour.
|
get off »
To become sexually aroused.
|
get off »
To move from being on top of to not being on top of it.
|
get off »
To move to not being on top of it.
|
get off one's high horse »
To stop acting in an imperious, overbearing or bossy manner.
|
get off the ground »
To succeed or begin to succeed.
|
get off with »
To befriend someone and snog them, especially in a public place.
|
get on somebody's case »
To lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.
|
get one's act together »
To become serious, organized, worthwhile, etc.
|
get one's back up »
To become angry, defensive, or irritable.
|
get one's feet wet »
To begin gaining experience; To take a risk and try something new.
|
get one's knickers in a twist »
To become overwrought or unnecessarily upset over a trivial matter.
|
get one's marching orders »
To be dismissed disgracefully.
|
get out of bed on the wrong side »
To start the day in a bad mood for no apparent reason.
|
get out of here! »
An exclamation of disbelief.
|
get someone's back up »
To annoy a person either deliberately or inadvertently.
|
get someone's nose out of joint »
To become angry; to take offense or take exception.
|
get something over with »
To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.
|
get stuck »
To be unable to make progress.
|
get stuck into »
Get busy with; become occupied with; become immersed in.
|
get taken in »
To be fooled; to fall for.
|
get taken in »
To be unofficially fostered.
|
get the axe »
To be fired, axed, terminated.
|
get the bacon bad »
To be morbidly obese.
|
get the ball rolling »
To begin; to start some action; to set in motion.
|
get the better of »
To overwhelm or overcome; to influence heavily; to tend to control or persuade.
|
get the boot »
To be dismissed from employment.
|
get the boot »
To be voted off a competition in a reality television show.
|
get the chop »
To be dismissed from employment.
|
get the chop »
To be eliminated from a competition in a reality television program.
|
get the sack »
To be fired
|
gild the lily »
To embellish or improve something unnecessarily; to add superfluous attributes to something.
|
ginger beer »
soft drink
|
give 'em enough rope »
Allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.
|
give as good as one gets »
To behave toward others in a manner resembling or commensurate with their behavior towards oneself, especially in a situation where one is insulted or otherwise ill-treated.
|
give hostage to fortune »
To take an action or make a statement that is risky because it could cause you trouble later.
|
give it one's best shot »
To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.
|
give me liberty or give me death »
A set-phrase indicating enormous displeasure at any over-authoritarian policy or law.
|
give somebody what-for »
To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.
|
give the lie to »
To prove something to be false; to refute.
|
glad rags »
best clothes
|
glow worm »
beetle
|
go ahead »
To proceed; to begin.
|
go apeshit »
To behave in an extreme manner; to act without restraint, especially by becoming explosively angry.
|
go back on »
To be treacherous or faithless to; betray; as, to go back on friends.
|
go back to the drawing board »
To start again; to scrap a previous idea or plan and try again from the beginning.
|
go ballistic »
To become very angry and irrational.
|
go batshit »
To become completely irrational; to react in an irrationally extreme manner.
|
go belly-up »
To die.
|
go belly-up »
To fail or fold; especially, to close or shut down a business; to go out of business.
|
go between »
an intermediary
|
go blue »
Of states and counties, to be carried by a Democratic candidate in a given U.S. election.
|
go by the board »
To be superseded, rejected, or obliterated; to pass by with little consequence; to amount to nothing.
|
go by the board »
To fall or to go overboard; to be cast over the side of a ship.
|
go by the wayside »
To become obsolete or outmoded.
|
go down »
To be received or accepted.
|
go down the tubes »
To fail or degenerate rapidly.
|
go down the wrong way »
To swallow food or drink so that it goes down the wrong tube in one's throat and makes one cough or for a short period lose one's breath or choke.
|
go for »
To be equally valid or appropriate.
|
go from zero to hero »
To become very popular after being unpopular.
|
go it alone »
To do something alone or independently, especially something that is normally or better done in groups.
|
go jump in the lake »
Used to tell a person that to go away, or that their request will not be met.
|
go mad »
To become insane.
|
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 off »
To explode metaphorically; to become very angry.
|
go off »
To begin clanging or making noise.
|
go off »
To putrefy or become inedible.
|
go off the boil »
To become less successful.
|
go off the boil »
To become of diminished intensity or urgency.
|
go on the rampage »
To behave violently or to riot.
|
go out »
To be turned off or extinguished.
|
go out »
To become extinct, to expire.
|
go out the window »
To vanish or cease, especially due to lack of care, attention, etc.; to be discarded, disregarded, or ignored.
|
go out with »
Often in hopes that the relationship will become more longterm as in definition 1.
|
go out with »
Date, be involved in a romantic relationship with.
|
go overboard »
Go too far, be excessive.
|
go red »
Of states or counties, to be carried by a Republican candidate in a given U.S. election.
|
go red »
To become sunburnt.
|
go south »
To become unfavorable; to decrease; to take a turn for the worse.
|
go the distance »
To participate in a boxing match for its maximum number of rounds.
|
go the way of the dinosaurs »
To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go off the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.
|
go the way of the dodo »
To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go out of the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.
|
go to work »
Beat up, batter.
|
go to work »
To begin performing some task or work.
|
go too far »
To exceed an unstated limit, especially a limit of acceptable behaviour.
|
go up in smoke »
To be completely ruined.
|
go west »
To die; to become destroyed.
|
go with the flow »
To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.
|
go without »
Be deprived of.
|
go without saying »
To be obvious, apparent or clear, or already established.
|
god forbid »
Don't let it be.
|
God works in mysterious ways »
Expressing confidence that a conundrum has a solution despite it not being apparent.Expressing that a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run.Person A: It seems that I'm about to be fired from my job.Person B: Well, God works in mysterious ways - maybe it'll be the kick you need to apply to university...
|
going to the dogs »
In such a poor state that it should be left to the dogs.
|
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.
|
golden ticket »
A philosophy that a quick fix can be achieved.
|
gone to the dogs »
To have fallen into disrepair or ruin; to have been stagnant or depreciated.
|
good egg »
A good person, someone to be trusted; a friend.
|
good fences make good neighbors »
It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.
|
good things come to those who wait »
A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.
|
goodbye cruel world »
A call said before taking a stiff drink, especially a shot of vodka.
|
goodbye cruel world »
An exclamation made before commiting suicide, or in a suicide note.
|
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.
|
grease someone's palm »
To bribe a person.
|
green about the gills »
Having the appearance of being ill.
|
greener pastures »
Any place or condition that is more favorable or beneficial.
|
grey area »
An area intermediate between two mutually exclusive states or categories where the border between the two is fuzzy.
|
grind to a halt »
Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.
|
ground rules »
The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.
|
grow a pair »
To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation in which one has so far failed to do so.
|
grow cold »
To wane; to lose interest or enthusiasm for something or someone; to become disenchanted or to fall out of love with someone.
|
grow on »
To become more likeable to someone.
|
grow out of »
To become too physically large for something, especially clothes.
|
grow out of »
To become too mature for something.
|
grow up »
To mature and become an adult.
|
gunshy »
Being afraid to use a gun.
|
gunshy »
Fearing the consequences of repeating an act, especially after being reprimanded.
|
hack it »
To cope with, to be successful in.
|
had better »
Should; ought to; need to.
|
halfway decent »
Good - better than expected.
|
hang an arse »
To hang back, to be afraid to advance.
|
hang by a thread »
To be in danger, calling for precise caution. To be in a precarious situation.
|
hang in the balance »
To be in a precarious situation, unsure of the future.
|
happy medium »
A balanced position between two opposite extremes.
|
harden »
To become hard.
|
harden »
To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.
|
hardwired »
In humans and animals, genetically determined, instinctive behavior, as opposed to learned behavior.
|
has-been »
A formerly popular or influential person whose popularity or effectiveness has peaked and is now in decline. Typically said of professionals or celebrities whose primary success is behind them.
|
haste makes waste »
One makes mistakes when being too hasty.
|
hatchet man »
Someone who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.
|
have a blast »
To thoroughly enjoy; to be excited or have lots of fun.
|
have a bun in the oven »
To be pregnant; to be expecting a baby.
|
have a fit »
To become suddenly enraged.
|
have a flat »
To be the owner of an apartment.
|
have a handle on »
To be in control; to understand or grasp.
|
have a heart »
To be kind or sympathetic; to treat others kindly.
|
have a pair »
To be manly.
|
have a way with »
To be skilled, adept, or graceful in something.
|
have ants in one's pants »
To be agitated and constantly fidgeting.
|
have ants in one's pants »
To be sexually excited.
|
have bats in one's belfry »
To be crazy or eccentric.
|
have been around »
To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive.
|
have butterflies in one's stomach »
To be nervous, uncertain, or anxious.
|
have eyes bigger than one's belly »
To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.
|
have eyes bigger than one's stomach »
To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.
|
have 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 got »
To be obliged.
|
have had it up to here »
To have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or forbearance.
|
have it in for »
To be very angry at; to have a grudge against.
|
have it your way »
Do something the way you want to, but be prepared for the consequences.
|
have one's ducks in a row »
To be organized; to have one's affairs in order; specifically, to have a multi-person effort coordinated towards the exact same goal.
|
have one's hands full »
To be busy or thoroughly preoccupied.
|
have one's name on it »
To be reserved for someone.
|
have one's number on it »
Te be destined for someone.
|
have second thoughts »
To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.
|
have someone by the short hairs »
To have someone in a difficult situation in which he or she is without alternatives and can be controlled.
|
have the biscuit »
To be of no further use; to be near death.
|
have the blues »
To be depressed, to have a low morale.
|
have the time of one's life »
To enjoy oneself more than ever before.
|
have the wind up »
To be frightened or disturbed.
|
have tickets on oneself »
To be conceited.
|
have to do »
To relate; to be relevant.
|
have to do with the price of tea in China »
To have any relation or bearing whatsoever on the topic at hand, usually used to emphasize the lack of relationship of a non sequitur.
|
he who laughs last laughs best »
success is better after having previously endured ridicule.
|
he who laughs last laughs hardest »
Alternative form of he who laughs last laughs best.
|
he who smelt it dealt it »
(colloquial, originally) A person who calls attention to or complains about a fart is likely trying to pretend it wasn't his or her own.(colloquial, by extension) Used to suggest that a person calling attention to or complaining about a given problem may in fact be the source of the problem.
|
head and shoulders »
"She was head and shoulders better than any of her rivals.".
|
head and shoulders »
To a considerable degree; better; outstanding.
|
head scratcher »
December 2007, W:Daily News Tribune - Golden Globes nominations a head-scratcher.
|
head south »
Alternative form of go south; to decrease or become unfavorable; to take a turn for the worse.
|
head start »
For example, prior to the beginning of a race.
|
heads or tails »
A game to bet upon a which side of a coin lays face up after it is thrown.
|
heads will roll »
Some people will be fired for incompetence.
|
hear the grass grow »
To be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.
|
hear the grass grow »
To hear very well due to being in an exceptionally quiet environment.
|
hear, hear »
Let us hear and applaud the previous speaker; I endorse the previous statement; Expression of support, agreement, or enthusiasm for what has just been said.
|
heat up »
To heat, to cause to become hotter.
|
hedge one's bets »
To place bets with a third party in order to offset potential losses.
|
hedge one's bets »
To reduce the risk of making a mistake, by keeping one's options open.
|
hem and haw »
To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.
|
hen's teeth »
Anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen’s teeth.
|
here goes nothing »
Indicates a lack of confidence or certainty about the activity about to be tried.
|
hide one's light under a bushel »
For a person to keep some talent or skill hidden from other people. The tone is that a person having a talent which they can be proud of ought not hide it.
|
high cotton »
The best of times; a time of well being.
|
highway robbery »
Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.
|
hill of beans »
Something of no importance.
|
hit home »
To be especially memorable or meaningful; to be fully understood, believed or appreciated.
|
hit someone for six »
Be affected in a devastating way by some unexpected news.
|
hit the big time »
To become successful and widely known.
|
hit the ceiling »
To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.
|
hit the ground running »
To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.
|
hit the hay »
To go to bed.
|
hit the road »
To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.
|
hit the rock »
To make a gesture to show celebration, friendship, or to be part of a secret handshake by one person raising their fist so the fist is pointing at the person and the other person lightly punches the fist.
|
hit the rocks »
To be at a low point in one's pursuits.
|
hit the roof »
To be explosively angry.
|
hit the sack »
To go to bed.
|
hit the spot »
To be particularly pleasing or appropriate; to be just right.
|
hoist by one's own petard »
To be hurt, or destroyed by one's own plot or device, of one's own doing which one intended for another; to be "blown up by one's own bomb".
|
hold a candle »
To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.
|
hold all the aces »
To be in a strong position when one is competing with someone else, having all the advantages.
|
hold one's horses »
To be patient; to wait.
|
hold one's liquor »
To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming a significant amount of alcohol.
|
hold one's water »
To be patient; to control one's impulses.
|
hold that thought »
Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.
|
hold up one's end »
I'm holding up my end and you had better hold up yours.
|
hold water »
To withstand scrutiny or criticism; to be valid.
|
hold with the hare and run with the hounds »
To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.
|
hold your fire »
Wait, don't retaliate, calm down, be quiet.
|
honesty is the best policy »
Honesty is the most honorable and fulfilling way to live one's life.
|
horses for courses »
A person suited for one job may not be suited for another job, regardless of their expertise in the former job.
|
horses for courses »
The practice of choosing the best person for a particular job.
|
hospital pass »
A poorly executed pass to a team-mate causing the receiver to present an easy target for a defender, and thus be tackled hard.
|
hospital pass »
An unwinnable case, often passed to a newly-qualified member of the firm.
|
hot desking »
The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.
|
hot mess »
Refers to a person, thing, or situation in such a state of disarray or disapproval by peers, often in reference to physical appearance, perceived to be disastrously embarrassing, pitiful, or beyond repair.
|
hot on somebody's heels »
Close behind; pursuing or following closely.
|
hot potato »
A child's game in which players pass a ball or other item between them, with the object of avoiding being left holding the item when time expires.
|
hot potato »
An awkward or delicate problem with which nobody wants to be associated.
|
hot to trot »
Eager to begin; anxious to get going.
|
hot up »
To become more heated.
|
hothouse »
An environment in which growth or development is encouraged; a hotbed.
|
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.
|
huckleberry above a persimmon »
Something better than something else.
|
hum and haw »
Procrastinate and take a long time before doing something or taking a decision.
|
humble pie »
Humility, being humble.
|
hung the moon »
To view or be viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.
|
hunger is a good sauce »
(dated) Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.1854, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Shirley Brooks, Francis Cowley Burnand, Owen Seaman, Punch, Vol. XXVI, Punch Publications Ltd., page 74:His bread and cheese were somewhat dry, to be sure; his ale had become flat, and considerably warmer than was desirable; but hunger is a good sauce, and thirst is not particular.
|
hunger is the best sauce »
Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.
|
hunger is the best spice »
When one is hungry, anything will taste good.
|
ice over »
To become covered in ice, usually of a body of water.
|
ice up »
To become clogged with ice, usually of a mechanical device.
|
idiot light »
Any warning light or indicator on the dashboard of a car, designed to alert the driver of problems, such as the parking brake being on or the oil being low.
|
idiot mittens »
Mittens connected by yarn or string running through one sleeve, along the back and out the other sleeve of a coat, to prevent the mittens becoming lost. Generally worn by small children.
|
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.
|
if it ain't broke, don't fix it »
Leave something alone; avoid correcting, fixing, or improving what is already sufficient, as it could end up being detrimental
|
if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle »
(colloquial, vulgar, humorous) It is fruitless to speculate about counterfactual situations."We would have won the match if we'd had a decent goalkeeper.""And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle!"
|
if need be »
If necessary; if there is a need.
|
if needs be »
If need be; if there is a need.
|
if you can't beat them, join them »
If your adversaries are stronger than yourself, it is better to join the adversaries.
|
if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen »
If you cannot handle the pressure, you should not be in a position where you have to deal with it.
|
if you love somebody, set them free »
One should be willing to let go of someone they love if they truly love them.
|
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 addition »
Also; as well; besides.
|
in bed »
Lying on a bed, especially under some bedsheets.
|
in bed with »
Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.
|
in bed with »
Sharing one's bed with.
|
in case »
In the event; should there be a need.
|
in cold blood »
In a ruthless and unfeeling manner; premeditated and deliberate.
|
in for a dime, in for a dollar »
Americanised form of in for a penny, in for a pound.1983, Allen Drury, Decision, p. 356:In for a dime, in for a dollar, he thought crazily, and said what he had to say in a voice he forced to stay level and calm.1998, Ellen Miller, Like Being Killed, p. 47:In for a dime, in for a dollar. I whispered to Gerry,
|
in for an inch, in for a mile »
Given that one is partly involved in or committed to a project, action, position, etc., there is no reason to refrain from becoming fully involved or fully committed.
|
in full swing »
Proceeding fully, quickly, or completely; thoroughly begun and in progress.
|
in one's pocket »
Subject to one's whims because of bribery.
|
in order »
In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.
|
in shape »
I guess I'd better get my room in shape if I have guests.
|
in spades »
Beyond doubt.
|
in the first place »
To begin with; earlier; first; at the start.
|
in the making »
In development; in the process of being made.
|
in the wake of »
In the noticeable disturbance of water behind .
|
in the works »
Being planned or worked upon.
|
in unity there is strength »
More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.
|
inside joke »
A joke that is understood or meant to be understood only by certain people who are in the know about the details.
|
installed base »
The number of units of a system or product that are currently in use.
|
it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God »
The rich can afford more immoral behavior than the poor.
|
it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog »
(rare or obsolete, proverb) If a person is determined to punish someone, they will find a way to do so.1596
|
it is what it is »
This circumstance is simply a fact and must be accepted or dealt with as it exists.
|
it takes all kinds to make a world »
Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds.
|
it takes two to tango »
Some things need the active cooperation of two parties; blame is to be laid on both parties in a conflict.
|
it's about time »
Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.
|
it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good »
There is usually something of benefit to someone, no matter how bad the situation.
|
it's better to ask forgiveness than permission »
The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than value of delaying to get permission.
|
it's not the whistle that pulls the train »
Boasting and loud talk should not be mistaken for the work that produces real achievements; bravado is no proof of action.1956, James Reston, "Washington: It's Not the Whistle that Pulls the Train," New York Times, 1 July, p. E8:
|
jack of all trades, master of none »
A master of integration, who knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring their disciplines together in a practical manner; a polymath; a renaissance man.
|
jet-setter »
A member of the jet set, a rich person who travels for pleasure.
|
jive turkey »
Someone who is jiving, as in behaving in a glib and disingenuous fashion.
|
jive turkey »
Someone who is jiving, as in dancing. Often applied to people being funny or showy.
|
jump »
To propel oneself rapidly upward such that momentum causes the body to become airborne.
|
jump about »
To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.
|
jump about »
To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.
|
jump around »
To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.
|
jump around »
To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.
|
jump the gun »
To act or begin too soon or without due caution.
|
jump the gun »
To begin a race too soon, before the starting gun goes off.
|
jump the queue »
To move into a queue ahead of others who have been waiting longer or that have a higher priority; push in.
|
jump the shark »
To undergo a storyline development which is so ridiculous that previous quality is considered to have been lost.
|
jump to conclusions »
Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.
|
jumped-up »
Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.
|
just deserts »
A punishment or reward that is considered to be what the recipient deserved.
|
just for fun »
For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.
|
just in case »
In the event; should there be a need.
|
keep a weather eye open »
To be alert; to concentrate on a matter in hand.
|
keep it down »
To be quiet.
|
keep it real »
To be authentic, true to oneself; to be cool.
|
keep mum »
Do not talk; especially keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.
|
keep one's eye on the ball »
My ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.
|
keep oneself to oneself »
To be introverted; to stay away from others.
|
keep out »
After being warned, he kept out.
|
keep shtum »
Don't tell anyone; especially, keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.
|
keep up appearances »
To pretend to be all right or that everything is going well.
|
keep up with »
To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.
|
keep your friends close, and your enemies closer »
One should be on their toes and alert of their surroundings if malicious people are around, to ensure such people can't wreak havoc in one's life.
|
keep your shirt on »
An admonition to be more patient or to calm down.
|
kick ass »
To be very impressive.
|
kick ass »
To beat someone at something.
|
kick ass »
To beat someone in a fight.
|
kick butt »
To be impressive; to be decisively good or pleasant.
|
kick the bucket »
Of a machine, to break down such that it cannot be repaired.
|
kick with the other foot »
To belong to a different religion.
|
kids will be kids »
You cannot expect children to act like adults.
|
kill off »
To represent or portray as being dead.
|
kill the fatted calf »
To begin a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return.
|
kill the messenger »
To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.
|
kind »
Affectionate, showing benevolence.
|
king »
A male monarch; member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.
|
knacker's yard »
A place to send a person or object that is spent beyond all reasonable use.
|
kneel before »
To kneel in front of someone or something, especially in order to worship or supplicate.
|
knock around »
To be in an unknown place.
|
knock around »
To hit someone, or behave violently towards them.
|
knock back »
To drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly or often.
|
knock on wood »
To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted my a presumptuous statement.
|
knock out of the box »
To cause a pitcher to be replaced by heavy hitting.
|
knock out of the box »
To cause something to be replaced by something else.
|
knock the living daylights out of »
To knock out; to hit and cause to be unconscious.
|
knock up »
To exhaust; wear out; weary; beat; tire out; to fatigue until unable to do more.
|
knock up »
To become exhausted or worn out; to fail of strength; to become wearied, as with labor; to give out.
|
knock up »
To gently hit the ball back and forth before a tennis match, as practice or warm-up, and to gauge the state of the playing surface, lighting, etc. See knock-up.
|
knock-on effect »
The continued running of an engine after the ignition has been turned off; dieseling.
|
knocked for a six »
to be defeated; outwitted; outfoxed; beaten
|
know like the back of one's hand »
To be intimately knowledgeable about something, especially a place.
|
know the score »
Be aware of a situation, especially of the consequences of misconduct.
|
ladies first »
A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.
|
lady abbess »
A bawd, the mistress of a brothel.
|
lame joke »
An attempt at humor which is perceived to have been used previously to the point of being cliche, or was never funny to begin with.
|
land on one's feet »
To be lucky, or successful, often in difficult situations.
|
last minute »
Point in time, too close to a deadline to reasonably begin a critical task.
|
last word »
The final statement uttered by a person before death.
|
late bloomer »
A person who reaches puberty comparatively later than their peers.
|
laugh all the way to the bank »
To be happy due to the receipt of money.
|
laughter is the best medicine »
It is healthy to laugh.
|
laundry list »
Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered.
|
lay down »
To lie down; to place oneself in a reclined or horizontal position, on a bed or similar, for the purpose of resting.
|
lay off »
To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.
|
lay rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
lead »
Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.
|
lead a charmed life »
To always be lucky and safe from danger.
|
lead time »
The amount of time between the initiation of some process and its completion, e.g. the time required to manufacture or procure a product; the time required before something can be provided or delivered.
|
lean and mean »
Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.
|
leave behind »
To abandon.
|
left field »
The part of a baseball field which is beyond the infield and to your left if you stand on home plate and face the pitcher.
|
left-handed compliment »
A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.
|
legal beagle »
A skillful and adroit attorney.
|
legal duty »
A duty prescribed by the law, to act or forbear from acting.
|
lemonize »
To damage something and then deny or be aloof from the damage.
|
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
|
let down »
To disappoint; to betray or fail somebody.
|
let her rip »
To set off or allow to begin.
|
let it be »
To leave something to follow its natural course.
|
let the cat out of the bag »
To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.
|
let's roll »
Used to suggest that an action should begin.
|
level best »
The very best that one can do.
|
lick one's wounds »
He's just off licking his wounds. He'll be back to try again.
|
life's a bitch »
An expression of acceptance of misfortune.1950, Joy Davidman, Weeping Bay, page 184:She'd have been willing enough to use them, poor dead little bitch. Life's a bitch. Life's a bad joke.
|
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.
|
light up »
To become light, to brighten.
|
lighten up »
To become less serious and more cheerful or casual; to relax.
|
little pitchers have big ears »
Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).
|
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.
|
live in sin »
To cohabit as if man and wife without being married.
|
loaded for bear »
Mentally prepared for a daunting situation or confrontation.
|
loaded for bear »
Thoroughly equipped, as for a demanding task or confrontation.
|
loaded word »
Any word, set phrase or idiom that has strong positive or negative connotations beyond their ordinary definition.
|
long goodbye »
Nickname for Alzheimer's disease, especially for the final phase of the disease, during which the patient suffers a progressive decline of cognitive and motor skills and gradually loses the ability to recognize and to communicate with family and friends.[1]; nickname for the relationship between a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease and that person's family or friends.
|
long shot »
A master shot, the primary wide shot of a scene into which the closeups will be edited later.
|
long time »
Used as part of greeting of two people who have not been in contact for a long time.
|
long ways, long lies »
Someone who comes back from a far-off country can tell lies without fear of being contradicted.
|
look back »
To look behind oneself.
|
look before you leap »
Don't jump into something too precipitously; be at least a bit foresightful or circumspect.
|
look forward »
To anticipate or expect; especially, to expect something to be pleasant.
|
look like »
To be similar in appearance to; resemble.
|
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.
|
loom large »
be prominent
|
loose end »
A small job that needs to be done, or minor problem that needs to be resolved, before a task can be considered complete.
|
loose end »
The end of a rope that has not been fastened.
|
loose ends »
Leftover items that have not been addressed or attended to.
|
lose face »
To lose the respect of others, to be humiliated or experience public disgrace.
|
lose it »
To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.
|
lose one's cool »
To become upset or disconcerted; to lose one's temper.
|
lose one's mind »
To become mad, insane.
|
lose one's temper »
To be explosively angry. To get very cross.
|
lose out »
To be at a disadvantage.
|
lose the number of one's mess »
To die, to perish.
|
lose the plot »
To cease to be behaving in a predictable and/or rational manner.
|
lose the plot »
To have one's results decline severely in quality or suddenly fall below an acceptable standard, especially when compared to past excellence.
|
lose touch »
To cease to be familiar with someone or something or to cease to communicate or have contact.
|
love nest »
A room, especially a bedroom or boudoir, used for sexual intercourse.
|
low blow »
An unfair or illegal blow that lands below the opponent’s waist; a groin attack..
|
low-hanging fruit »
Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.
|
lower the boom »
To use one's superior physical strength; clobber.
|
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.
|
luck out »
To experience great luck; to be extremely fortunate or lucky.
|
lucky dip »
September 2005, BBC News - Dome sale 'was like a lucky dip'.
|
made in the shade »
In a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living, or general well-being.
|
make a virtue of necessity »
To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.
|
make an example of »
He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.
|
make an example of »
To punish someone so as to be a warning to others.
|
make believe »
To pretend or imagine.
|
make book »
To be very confident.
|
make book »
To gamble, either by placing or taking bets.
|
make head or tail of »
To determine to be good or bad.
|
make it »
To become famous and successful.
|
make it big »
To become famous and successful.
|
make it snappy »
Do it quickly; be quick about it.
|
make out »
To characterize as; often with to be.
|
make sense »
To be coherent or reasonable.
|
make someone's day »
To make someone happy or to be a source of satisfaction.
|
make the cut »
To succeed; to be chosen out of a field of candidates or possibilities.
|
make the grade »
To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.
|
man up »
To "be a man about it"; to do the things a good man is traditionally expected to do, such as: taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; displaying bravery or toughness in the face of adversity; providing for one's family, etc.
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many a mickle makes a muckle »
(UK) a lot of small amounts together, become a large amount.
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many hands make light work »
A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.
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march to the beat of a different drum »
To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and expectations.
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mark my words »
Listen to me; used before a statement one wishes to emphasize.
|
mark up »
To increase the price of something between its wholesale and retail phase.
|
match made in heaven »
A marriage that is likely to be happy and successful because the two people are very compatible with each other.
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match made in hell »
A marriage that is likely to be unhappy or abusive and unsuccessful because the two people are very incompatible with each other.
|
may the Force be with you »
Used to wish someone luck with a difficult endeavor.
|
meal ticket »
A ticket or voucher that can be exchanged for food.
|
mean the world to »
To be loved or cared about a great deal by.
|
measure twice and cut once »
(literally, carpentry) One should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material.1872, "Dressmaking," Hall's Journal of Health, vol. 19, no. 12, p. 280:Look at Carpenters! . . . In old times it was a proverb "Measure twice, and cut once."(figuratively, by extension) Plan and prepare in a careful, thorough manner before taking action.2008, Hilary Johnson, "Mergers rattle bank relations," Financial Week, 9 Nov. (retrieved 9 Nov. 2008):Mr. Paz noted that since the onset of the credit crisis, eBay, like other companies, hasn
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measure up »
To meet expectations; to be as good as.
|
meatball surgery »
A nickname for surgery that is meant to be performed rapidly to stabilize the patient as quickly as possible.
|
melt into »
To become a liquid by melting.
|
member for Barkshire »
Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.
|
memory lane »
A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.
|
mercury »
A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.
|
mess up »
To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.
|
mess up »
To manhandle; beat up; rough up.
|
middle ground »
A compromise position between extremes.
|
mighty oaks from little acorns grow »
Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!
|
mills of the gods grind slowly »
Justice may arrive slowly, but it cannot be avoided.
|
mind one's p's and q's »
To be very careful to behave correctly.
|
mind you »
Mind that you; be careful that you.
|
miner's canary »
A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.
|
miners' canary »
A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.
|
misery loves company »
Misery is easier to bear when one is not the only one miserable.1995, Chris Abbott,
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miss out »
To miss an experience or lose an opportunity, etc. that should not be missed.
|
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.
|
mocking is catching »
An admonishment to be careful of criticising others, lest the same happen to you.Mocking is Catching was the title of a 1726 song by Henry Carey.
|
monkey business »
An activity that may be considered illegal, questionable, or a vice, but not felonious.
|
more like it »
Better, more desirable.
|
mother hen »
A female chicken who bears eggs or chicks.
|
much of a muchness »
Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them.
|
muck about »
To be playful; full of fun and high spirits.
|
mull over »
To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.
|
mum's the word »
The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged.
|
murder will out »
A murderer will always be discovered.
|
murder will out »
Secrets or hidden crimes will eventually be exposed or discovered.
|
mutton dressed as lamb »
A mature woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if a deliberate attempt to appear young.
|
my arse »
Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.
|
my eye »
Expression of disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.
|
my foot »
Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.
|
my way or the highway »
Will be excluded.
|
naked ape »
A human being.
|
ne'er cast a clout til May be out »
Advice not to change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.
|
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.
|
never in a month of Sundays »
Never in a month of Sundays would I have imagined that you'd be this tall in real life!.
|
never mind »
Do not be concerned.
|
night owl »
One who stays up late at night or goes to bed late.
|
nightcap »
A beverage drunk before bed that is usually alcoholic.
|
nightcap »
A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas. Nightcaps were common in northern Europe before central heating was available, when homes were cold at night.
|
no glove, no love »
Without a condom, there will be no sex.
|
no good deed ever goes unpunished »
Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.
|
no good deed goes unpunished »
Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.
|
no pain, no gain »
One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.
|
no screaming hell »
Something that is not particularly effective or impressive; something that is below expectations.
|
noarch »
Short for "no architecture". It is a term used mainly in package management systems to mark packages which are architecture independent. Such packages usually contain graphics, documentation or similar data that can be used on any architecture.
|
nobody's perfect »
Used when someone's mistakes or flaws are acknowledged, to remind that everyone else makes mistakes and has flaws1995, New York Magazine Vol. 28, No. 5, 30 January 1995, The de-moralization of society (Book Review)Hypocrisy, particularly in sexual matters, is excused on the grounds that hey, nobody's perfect, and at least folks back then felt bad enough to lie.2000, Madonna, Nobody's PerfectI feel so sad. What I did wasn't right. I feel so bad and I must say to you: Sorry, but nobody's perfect. Nobody's perfect. What did you expect? I'm doing my best
|
non-starter »
An idea or argument that cannot be sensibly debated.
|
none of someone's business »
A matter that someone is not entitled to be involved in or informed about.
|
not all it's cracked up to be »
Not as good as claimed; falling short of expectations.
|
not be able to get a word in edgeways »
To be unable to say a single word because of someone else's talkativeness.
|
not be caught dead »
To refuse completely to do something.
|
nothing ventured, nothing gained »
If one takes no risks, one will not gain any benefits.
|
number one »
First; foremost; best.
|
number one with a bullet »
Superlative; impossible to beat.
|
nut-cutting time »
Time to gather nuts before they are taken by other animals or buried in snow.
|
nutty as a fruitcake »
Behaving in an eccentric, foolish, or kooky manner; very nutty.
|
object lesson »
Anything used an example or lesson which serves to warn others as to the outcomes that result from a particular action or behavior, as exemplified by the fates of those who followed that course.
|
of an »
Belonging to the same.
|
of course »
Asserts that the associated phrase should not be argued, particularly if it is obvious or there is no choice in the matter.
|
off chance »
A condition of not being likely or probable.
|
off one's game »
Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.
|
off one's game »
Playing or competing below one's usual level of performance.
|
off the beaten path »
In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.
|
off the beaten track »
In a place or places not commonly visited.
|
off the radar »
Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.
|
off the table »
Beyond consideration.
|
old money »
Families that have been wealthy for generations or members of such families.
|
old money »
The monetary system used in the United Kingdom before decimalisation and consisting of pounds, shillings, and pence.
|
old school »
Characteristic of a style, outlook, or method employed in a former era, remembered either as inferior to the current style, or alternately, remembered nostalgically as superior or preferable to the new style, the older denoting something that would be considered out of date or out of fashion to some, but as such, is considered by others as cool and hip.
|
old time used to be »
Ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend. Often used in songs.
|
old time used to be »
Roberta, lyrics by Leadbelly.
|
old time used to be »
Somebody Loan Me A Dime. lyrics by Boz Scaggs.
|
on accident »
Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.
|
on hold »
On reserve; being held for someone.
|
on ice »
Not being used, or not to be used e.g.
|
on one's deathbed »
Close to death.
|
on one's feet »
Being stable or capable, especially in a financial or emotional sense.
|
on one's feet »
Being standing up.
|
on one's feet »
Being well again after a bout of illness.
|
on one's hands »
Being one's liability or responsibility; with which one is lumbered.
|
on one's high horse »
Self-righteous; proceeding on the belief one is more correct or proper than others.
|
on purpose »
Purposefully; with intention; deliberately.
|
on the anvil »
Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.
|
on the ball »
Being in control of the ball.
|
on the cuff »
On credit, with payment to be made later.
|
on the face of it »
Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.
|
on the pull »
Seeking the intimate company of a member of the opposite sex.
|
on the sly »
Slyly, in an inconspicuous manner, so as not to be seen; secretly; stealthily.
|
on the tip of one's tongue »
Known but not quite remembered.
|
on wheels »
Mobile; able to be moved.
|
once bitten, twice shy »
One is cautious in the future if one has been hurt in the past.
|
once or twice »
A small, indefinite number of times.
|
one good turn deserves another »
One act of kindness should be paid back by another act of kindness.
|
one step at a time »
Slowly and carefully, ensuring that each action has been completed successfully before taking the next.
|
one thousand »
Used in a common chronometric counting scheme, in which each iteration is sequentially numbered and supposed to be approximately one second in length.
|
one up »
To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.
|
one's days are numbered »
Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.
|
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.
|
one-track mind »
That said to be possessed by someone who is obsessed with something or only able to think of one thing.
|
one-up »
To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.
|
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.
|
open fire »
To begin firing at something or someone.
|
open one's big mouth »
To speak about things, when it would be better to stay silent.
|
opposite number »
A person who holds a position in an organization that corresponds to that held by another person in an other organization; a counterpart.
|
orange up »
To become more orange.
|
orphan drug »
But which is not manufactured or marketed because the demand is insufficient to cover the costs of supply.
|
out of bounds »
Beyond the bounds of civility or morality; extremely unreasonable.
|
out of character »
Inconsistent with one's personality, disposition, or usual expected behaviour.
|
out of character »
Not acting; not "on"; behaving within one's natural personality rather than that of a character in a performance piece.
|
out of date »
Not current, outmoded, out of style, or too old to be used.
|
out of kilter »
Disturbed; out of order; not working or adjusted properly.
|
out of line »
Inappropriate or unsuitable, especially by reason of being unmannerly or indelicate.
|
out of one's depth »
To be in a situation which one is poorly prepared or unprepared to handle.
|
out of sight »
The notice was out of sight behind the door.
|
out of sight »
You better stay out of sight for a few days.
|
out of the mouths of babes »
The greatest wisdom comes from children, who are not afraid or weary of the world and its pressures.
|
out on the tiles »
I've had a pint of bitter and now I'm feeling better and I'm out on the tiles." Led Zeppelin in their song "Out on the tiles", 1970.
|
outside the box »
Beyond the bounds of convention.
|
over a barrel »
In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.
|
over one's head »
More complex or confusing than one can understand; beyond one’s comprehension..
|
over the top »
Bold; beyond normal, expected, or reasonable limits; excessive; outrageous.
|
owing to »
because of
|
pachyderm »
A member of the obsolete taxonomic group Pachydermata, grouping of thick-skinned, hoofed animals such as the rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephant, pig and horse.
|
paint with a broad brush »
To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.
|
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 .
|
par for the course »
To be expected; normal; common; usual.
|
parking lot »
An open area, generally paved, where automobiles may be left when not in use.
|
part and parcel »
An integral or essential piece; that which must be done or accepted as part of something else.
|
parting shot »
An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.
|
party animal »
A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.
|
party crasher »
Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.
|
patience is a virtue »
it is better to be patient than impatient
|
pay attention »
To be attentive; to focus one's attention.
|
pay for »
To be punished or held accountable for.
|
pay off »
To bribe, especially to deter oversight.
|
pay off »
To become worthwhile after a lapse.
|
pay one's dues »
To acquire status or to earn the right to enjoy certain benefits, especially through lengthy experience, hardship, or service to an organization.
|
pay one's dues »
To outlay money which is owed as a membership fee or price of admission.
|
pay the freight »
To bear the cost.
|
peashooter »
A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.
|
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 whip »
To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.
|
perfect storm »
A situation where a calamity is caused by the convergence and amplifying interaction of a number of factors.
|
perp walk »
The intentional public display before news cameras of someone in police custody, especially someone famous or notorious, for the purpose of satisfying public interest, demonstrating the authorities' effectiveness, or shaming the person.
|
pick of the litter »
The best person or item in a group.
|
pick up »
To learn, to grasp; to begin to understand.
|
pick up »
To point out (a person's behaviour, habits or actions),in a critical manner.
|
pick up stitches »
Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.
|
pickle »
A cucumber preserved in a solution, usually a brine or a vinegar syrup.
|
pipe down »
To be quiet; to refrain from being noisy.
|
piss and vinegar »
Exuberance or enthusiasm, especially to an excessive degree; bravado; youthful energy.
|
pitched battle »
A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.
|
play around »
To behave in a silly, or childish, or irresponsible way.
|
play ball »
An expression used at the beginning of a game of baseball.
|
play dumb »
To pretend to be mute.
|
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 fast and loose »
To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.
|
play fast and loose »
To ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits ones purpose.
|
play hookey »
To be absent without permission, especially from school.
|
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 one against another »
To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.
|
play the fool »
To behave in a foolish or comical manner.
|
play the ponies »
To bet on horse racing.
|
play up »
To misbehave.
|
plead the fifth »
To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.
|
plump up »
To shake or arrange so as to be fatter or more evenly distributed.
|
point blank »
The distance between a gun and a target such that it requires minimal effort in aiming it. In particular no allowance needs to be made for the effects of gravity, target movement or wind in aiming the projectile.
|
poison tree bears poison fruit »
Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.
|
pony in the barn »
An exciting and real prospect, something to be legitimately excited about.
|
potter about »
To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.
|
potter around »
To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.
|
pound of flesh »
Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.
|
pour oil on troubled waters »
To calm something or someone who is tenacious or misbehaving.
|
pour out »
To leave a place quickly, and in large numbers.
|
power behind the throne »
Someone who appears to be without special status, but who has great covert influence on a person in authority.
|
power up »
To become ready for operation as a result of the provision of electrical power.
|
powers that be »
The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially as seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.
|
pre-war »
Describing the period before a war.
|
pre-war »
Describing the period before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.
|
preach to the choir »
Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.
|
preprogram »
To predispose to certain thoughts or behaviours.
|
prevention is better than cure »
it is better to prevent the creation of a bad thing, than to destroy it.
|
pride comes before a fall »
A person who is extremely proud of his or her abilities will often suffer a setback or failure, because he or she tends to be overconfident and to make errors of judgment.
|
pride cometh before a fall »
Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.
|
pride goes before a fall »
Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.
|
pride goeth before a fall »
Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.
|
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.
|
prone out »
In order to be propelled shorewards by a broken wave.
|
pronunciamiento »
A military uprising or coup in Spain or the Spanish American republics, particularly in the 19th century. They received this designation because coups were usually accompanied by a statement declaring the existing government null and void.
|
proverbs go in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1932, Bertrand Russell,
|
proverbs run in pairs »
Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work."1863, Sir Richard Burton, Abeokuta and the Camaroons Mountains, vol. 1, Tinsley (London), p. 309:Moreover, all the world over, proverbs run in pairs, and pull both ways: for the most part one neutralizes, by contradiction, the other.
|
puff up »
To become proud.
|
pulcher »
Beautiful, fair.
|
pulcher »
Beauty.
|
pull a »
To emulate a behaviour generally attributed to the individual named.
|
pull my finger »
A phrase used when playing a prank regarding flatulence, in which a mark is asked to pull the finger of the person playing the prank, who simultaneously flatulates so as to suggest a causal relationship between the pulling of the finger and the resulting expulsion of gas.
|
pull oneself together »
To become mentally focused after a period of being unfocused.
|
pull oneself up by one's bootstraps »
To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only on one's own effort or abilities.
|
pull teeth »
To remove teeth, usually because they are diseased or damaged.
|
pull the other leg »
In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe what another has just said.
|
pull the other one, it's got bells on »
The implication is that one leg has been pulled, and the joker will have more fun with the other one due to the bells.
|
pull the other one, it's got bells on »
Monty Python's Holy Grail.
|
push one's luck »
To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.
|
push the envelope »
To go beyond established limits; to pioneer.
|
put a lid on it »
To be quiet; shut up; to stop talking about something or making noise.
|
put a sock in it »
To be quiet; to shut one's mouth; to stop talking.
|
put down »
To insult, belittle, or demean.
|
put down roots »
To feel that one belong in a place.
|
put on airs »
To become haughty, to assume a haughty manner.
|
put on the dog »
To dress up; to put on airs; to make a show of wealth and/or importance; to be pretentious.
|
put one's best foot forward »
To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.
|
put one's money where one's mouth is »
To make or take a bet.
|
put out »
The statistic of the number of outs a defensive player directly caused.
|
put someone's back up »
To annoy someone deliberately.
|
put the bee on »
To beg; to borrow money from.
|
put the bee on »
To finish off, to beat.
|
put the cart before the horse »
To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities.
|
put the cat among the pigeons »
Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way. — The Times, 19 September 1994.
|
quake in one's boots »
To be frightened, scared, or nervous.
|
quarter of »
"I need twenty minutes to get to the shop." "You'll be late. It's already a quarter of.".
|
quarter of »
Fifteen minutes before the next hour.
|
quiet down »
To become quieter.
|
quiet down »
To make someone or something become quieter.
|
quieten down »
To become quieter.
|
quieten down »
To make someone or something become quieter.
|
rack one's brain »
To struggle to think of or remember something.
|
rag the puck »
To retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.
|
rain check »
In social interactions, a polite way to turn down an invitation, with the implication one is simply postponing it and that another time would be acceptable.
|
raise Cain »
To behave in a disruptive manner.
|
ramp up »
To be in the process of learning a new ability.
|
raring to go »
Extremely eager or anxious to begin.
|
reach an early grave »
To be sentenced to death before the age of 18.
|
reach an early grave »
To die young. To die before the age of 80.
|
reach for the stars »
To have high hopes, to be ambitious.
|
read between the lines »
To infer a meaning that is not stated explicitly.
|
read somebody the riot act »
To scold or berate somebody; to reprimand.
|
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.
|
reckon without »
To ignore that which cannot readily be ignored.
|
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.
|
red herring »
A clue that is misleading or that has been falsified, intended to divert attention.
|
red hot »
to be keen; he is the favourite to win
|
rediscover fire »
To relearn fundamental concepts, principles or practices that had been previously well known and widely practiced at a prior time in human society.
|
reinvent the wheel »
To redo work unnecessarily when it has already been done satisfactorily; to rethink an already working system, technique, etc. in a pointless attempt to improve it.
|
rely on »
To be confident in.
|
rely on »
To be dependent upon.
|
remains to be seen »
Is not yet known.
|
rest assured »
Be sure; no need to worry; trust.
|
rest his soul »
Used parenthetically to mark the referent as being deceased.
|
revenge is a dish best served cold »
An expression that emotional detachment is ideal when taking revenge, as one is righting the wrongs that have been done to the doer.
|
rex-pat »
A repeat expatriate, one who becomes ex-patriated a second time.
|
ride the short bus »
To have a need for a special education program, as because learning disabled.
|
ring a bell »
To seem at least vaguely familiar.
|
ring around »
To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.
|
ring false »
To seem to be incorrect, or implausible.
|
ring hollow »
To seem to be false or implausible; to be unconvincing.
|
ring out »
To make a phone call from an internal phone system to a general telephone network number.
|
ring round »
To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.
|
rise from the ashes »
To make a comeback after a long hiatus. To come back into common use or practice. To come back into popularity. To come back to being a thing of today.
|
rise up »
To rebel.
|
rivet counter »
A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.
|
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.
|
road to Damascus »
That was my Road to Damascus moment. They played one hit after another and this is the song I remember most clearly.
|
rob the cradle »
To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.
|
robber baron »
Especially in the 19th-century and early 20th-century, a business tycoon who had great wealth and influence but whose methods were morally questionable.
|
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 in wealth »
To be very rich.
|
ropable »
Alternative spelling of ropeable. Able to be roped.
|
rose-colored glasses »
An optimistic perception of something; a positive opinion; seeing something in a positive way, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.
|
rough up »
To manhandle or beat up.
|
round down »
To the greatest integer that is not greater than it, or to some other lower value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.
|
round off »
To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.
|
round the bend »
Crazy, mad or insane.
|
round up »
To the smallest integer that is not less than it, or to some other greater value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.
|
rub off on »
To adapt to a way of behaving after constant exposure to it.
|
rubber-chicken dinner »
A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.
|
rules are made to be broken »
it is acceptable to break rules.
|
rules OK »
To be popularly accepted, or supported by the general majority of people.
|
rumor campaign »
A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.
|
run about »
To be very busy doing many different things.
|
run afoul of »
To become entangled in; to run aground on.
|
run around »
To be very busy doing many different things.
|
run away with »
To be misled by imagining that one's desires can come true.
|
run hot and cold »
To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure.
|
run into »
To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.
|
run off with »
To leave with someone with the intention of living with them or marrying them. Usually in secret because other people think it is wrong.
|
run over »
To briefly describe.
|
run rampant »
To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.
|
run something up the flagpole »
To float an idea that one suspects might be controversial.
|
run up against »
Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.
|
sabre-rattling »
A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.
|
sacred cow »
Something which cannot be tampered with, or criticized, for fear of public outcry.
|
safe and sound »
Having come to no harm, especially after being exposed to danger.
|
scare out of one's wits »
To frighten someone to such an extent that they behave irrationally.
|
scare the bejeebers out of »
To thoroughly terrify.
|
scratch the surface »
To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.
|
sea legs »
Ability to travel by ship without becoming seasick.
|
second childhood »
The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.
|
second nature »
A mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.
|
second string »
In sports, a unit of players that plays behind the first string.
|
see red »
To be angry or irritated.
|
see red »
To receive a red card, and be dismissed from the playing field.
|
see through »
To be able to predict or read someone.
|
see you later »
A phrase used at parting, and not necessarily implying that the person being addressed will be seen later by the speaker.
|
seeing is believing »
You need to see something to believe it; visible facts cannot be denied.
|
seek and ye shall find »
something can be found if it is looked for.
|
sell »
To be sold.
|
sell down the river »
To betray, especially in a manner which causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed.
|
sell ice to Eskimos »
To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.
|
sell-by date »
The final date on which a perishable product can be legally sold to the public.
|
send away »
To send to a particular place for a long time, as a family member, an employee, etc.
|
send up »
To be put in prison.
|
senior note »
A bond that takes priority over other debt securities sold by the issuer. In the event the issuer goes bankrupt, senior debt must be repaid before other creditors receive any payment.
|
serve time »
To be in prison or a similar institute.
|
set foot »
To go to a place , or to be there.
|
set in »
become established
|
set off »
To begin; to cause; to initiate.
|
set off »
To leave; to begin a journey or trip.
|
set to »
begin work
|
set to work »
To begin working at.
|
set to work »
To begin working.
|
set to work »
To cause to begin working.
|
sexual relation »
Behaviour of a sexual nature between one or more individuals.
|
sexual tension »
Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.
|
shake a leg »
To get busy; to get going; to be productive.
|
shake the pagoda tree »
To find a source of easy enrichment; to become absurdly rich in a short time.
|
shape up »
To improve; to correct one's bad habits or behavior.
|
shape up »
To take shape; to transform into or become.
|
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.
|
she'll be apples »
Everything will be all right.
|
she'll be right »
OK, no problem, everything will be all right.
|
shit one's pants »
To be extremely frightened.
|
shit or get off the pot »
To choose between taking action now, or foregoing the opportunity until a later date.
|
shoot first and ask questions later »
To take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.
|
shoot off at the mouth »
To disclose some information that was supposed to be secret.
|
shoot oneself in the foot »
To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.
|
shoot the messenger »
To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.
|
short fuse »
The personality trait of being quick to anger.
|
short of a length »
Of a ball that pitches short of a good length; a ball that bounces closer to the bowler than the area of the pitch regarded as the best for dismissing or restricting the scoring of the batsman.
|
short strokes »
The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.
|
short temper »
The personality trait of being quick to anger.
|
shotgun »
A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.
|
shotgun shack »
A house with no internal barrier between the front and back doors.
|
show one's true colors »
To reveal how one really is, as opposed to how one has been portrayed.
|
shrug off »
To ignore or disregard; to be indifferent.
|
shut one's face »
To stop talking; to be quiet.
|
shut one's mouth »
To stop talking; to be quiet.
|
shut the hell up »
Indicating disbelief.
|
sick joke »
A joke which is in poor taste, especially one which depicts as amusing a situation which the listener considers to be tragic or disgusting.
|
sight for sore eyes »
A pleasing sight, something that is beautiful to look at.
|
sight unseen »
Not having seen the object beforehand.
|
sign off »
Term used to describe the closing of a radio or television station's studios and cessation of a broadcasting signal, usually during the overnight hours.
|
sign on »
The time of day when a radio or television station begins broadcasting, usually after being off the air for several hours.
|
silence is golden »
Peace and quiet have immense value.Often the best choice is to say nothing.
|
silver bullet »
A bullet made of silver, usually with reference to the folkloric belief that such bullets are the only weapons which can kill a werewolf.
|
silver-tongue »
The trait of being clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.
|
sink in »
Become clear in one's mind.
|
sink one's teeth into »
To become involved in; particularly in an enthusiastic manner.
|
sirloin steak »
cut of beef
|
skeleton crew »
The minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency or shut down, and at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.
|
sleep on »
To consider after a period of sleep, implying a decision will be made the next day.
|
sleep together »
To be intimate with another person in the same bed.
|
sleep with »
To share a bed or bedroom with.
|
sleep with the fishes »
To be killed and have one's body disposed off in the sea or other body of water.
|
slip into something a little more comfortable »
To wear something suitable to be stripped off by a lover.
|
slip someone's mind »
To be forgotten; to escape one's memory.
|
slippery as an eel »
So crafty, or cunning that they cannot be caught by the police, although it is known that they are acting illegally.
|
slippery slope »
A chain of events that, once initiated, cannot be halted; especially one in which the final outcome is undesirable or precarious.
|
slob »
A term used to insult a lazy, obese person.
|
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 arms »
Firearms designed to be carried and fired by a single person; often held in the hand.
|
smallpox blanket »
An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.
|
smell like a rose »
To be regarded as appealing, virtuous, or respectable; to be untainted or unharmed.
|
sneak off »
To leave a place, or a meeting, without being seen or heard.
|
sneak up »
To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.
|
sneak up on »
To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.
|
sniff out »
To find, especially to find something that cannot be seen.
|
so much as »
Even; suggests a minimum, especially regarding what might be expected.
|
sober up »
To become sober.
|
social death »
The alienation of certain people from society to the point of being forgotten, excluded, or ignored in society.
|
soft hearted »
Be kind; Fall for someone
|
some days you get the bear, other days the bear gets you »
One cannot always overcome a powerful adversary.
|
sound as a bell »
In excellent condition.
|
sow one's wild oats »
To indulge in a period of irresponsible behavior, particularly sexually; Often used in reference to young adults or to the recently divorced.
|
space out »
To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.
|
spare the rod and spoil the child »
If one does not discipline a child, he or she will never learn obedience and good manners.
|
spark spread »
The difference between the cost of the fuel required to produce a unit of electricity, and the price of that same unit of electricity.
|
speak for »
To speak on somebody's behalf.
|
speak for oneself »
To provide an opinion only on one's own behalf.
|
speak with a forked tongue »
To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.
|
spill one's seed »
To masturbate or to ejaculate when the penis has been withdrawn from one's partner.
|
spill the beans »
To reveal a secret; to disclose.
|
split up »
Cease to be together, break apart from the group.
|
sprain one's ankle »
To be pregnant.
|
spread out »
Become further apart.
|
square one »
The place where one begins; a lack of progress.
|
stab in the back »
An act of betrayal or treachery.
|
stand back »
To stand a long way behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a fast bowler.
|
stand by »
To do nothing. To be inactive in a situation.
|
stand from under »
To escape something falling or being thrown from above.
|
stand off »
To prevent any would-be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture.
|
stand on its own »
To be independent of others.
|
stand on one's own two feet »
To be independent. To survive without any help.
|
stand out »
To be obvious or conspicuous, in contrast to one's surroundings.
|
stand up »
To stand immediately behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a slow or spin bowler, and to attempt to stump the batsman.
|
stare someone in the face »
To be extremely visible and obvious.
|
stars in one's eyes »
The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.
|
start off »
To begin.
|
start off on the wrong foot »
To begin badly; especially, to begin a relationship badly.
|
start over »
To begin again; to return to the beginning.
|
start up »
To begin to operate.
|
start up »
To begin.
|
stay up »
To remain awake, to not go to bed.
|
step out »
To date, to be in a romantic relationship.
|
stepping razor »
A dangerous person, who is not to be messed with.
|
stepping stone »
A stone that can be stepped on in crossing something, especially a marsh or creek.
|
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.
|
stick in the mud »
A person unwilling to participate in activities, often because he or she believes the activity is not wholly kosher; a party pooper.
|
stick one's nose in »
To be nosy; to meddle or interfere in the affairs of another.
|
stick out »
To protrude; to extend beyond.
|
stick out »
To be prominent, noticeable, or obtrusive.
|
sticking at nothing »
Being ruthless
|
stiff upper lip »
The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, associated with stereotypical British people.
|
stop someone in his tracks »
To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.
|
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.
|
straight man »
A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.
|
straight out of the chute »
Something done immediately, or "from the beginning". Taken from rodeo routine: the bucking bronco, or bull, or the calf for the calf-roping contest is kept in a narrow pen, a chute, until it is released and dashes out to its fate.
|
strange bedfellows »
An unusual combination or political alliance.
|
strap on a pair »
To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation where one has so far failed to do so.
|
strip off »
To be removed by stripping.
|
strut one's stuff »
To behave, or to perform in a showy or ostentatious manner, especially in a way to impress others; to show off.
|
stuck up »
Snobbish, conceited; believing oneself to be better than others; haughty.
|
stuff up »
Cause to be blocked.
|
stupid is as stupid does »
A person's intelligence may be judged by the wisdom of his or her actions.
|
suck donkey balls »
To be terrible, of extremely poor quality.
|
suck hind tit »
To be last in line.
|
suck hind tit »
To be the youngest or most neglected child.
|
suck in »
To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.
|
suck into »
To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.
|
suck up »
To adulate or flatter somebody excessively, generally to obtain some personal benefit or favour.
|
suffer fools gladly »
To be tolerant of stupidity or incompetence in other people.
|
sugarcoated »
Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.
|
swan song »
A final performance or accomplishment, especially one before retirement.
|
sweat bullets »
To sweat profusely; especially, to be very nervous or anxious.
|
sweet dreams »
Phrase said to someone before they fall asleep, wishing them a good sleep.
|
swing the lead »
To pretend to be unwell so that you do not have to work.
|
switch off »
To alternate between; to trade.
|
tail between one's legs »
A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.
|
take a back seat »
To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.
|
take a bead on »
To aim a gun at something.
|
take a dim view of »
To dislike; to regard with skepticism, disbelief, disfavor, etc.
|
take a licking »
To suffer a defeat or a beating.
|
take a number »
Recognize that many others are in the same situation; recognize that one's concerns are not of high priority; be prepared to wait.
|
take a seat »
To sit down; to become seated.
|
take a stand »
To assert an opinion or viewpoint; to defend one's point of view or beliefs.
|
take against »
To stop liking someone. Become unfriendly.
|
take apart »
To move someone away from others to be able to talk to, or give them something in private.
|
take away »
To prevent, or limit, someone from being somewhere, or from doing something.
|
take back »
To cause to remember some past event or time.
|
take effect »
To become active; to become effective.
|
take for granted »
To assume something to be true without verification or proof.
|
take heart »
Be courageous; regain one's courage.
|
take ill »
To become ill.
|
take it from me »
Believe me, rest assured.
|
take it or leave it »
It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.
|
take leave of one's senses »
To go crazy; to stop behaving rationally.
|
take liberties »
To behave disrespectfully, especially to make unwanted sexual advances.
|
take off »
To leave the ground and begin flight; to ascend into the air.
|
take off »
To become successful, to flourish.
|
take on »
To begin to have or exhibit.
|
take out of context »
To interpret something in a manner in which it was not intended to be understood, often deliberately.
|
take over »
To become more successful than someone or something else.
|
take somebody's word for it »
To believe what somebody tells one.
|
take someone's point »
To agree with what a person says; to understand a person's argument and be persuaded by it.
|
take something in one's stride »
Not to allow oneself to be set back, daunted, upset or embarrassed by unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.
|
take the biscuit »
To be of no further use; to be near death.
|
take the biscuit »
To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.
|
take the cake »
To be especially good or outstanding.
|
take the cake »
To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.
|
take the fifth »
To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.
|
take the heat »
To take the blame; to be the focus of anger or scrutiny; to take the consequences.
|
take the lead »
To become the leader, to advance into first place.
|
take the liberty »
To act on one's own authority.
|
take the offensive »
To attack instead of defending; to be bold and proactive.
|
take the rap »
To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the actions of another.
|
take the shadow for the substance »
To be easily deceived, credulous, superficial.
|
take the wheel »
To be in control of the steering wheel of a vehicle or a vessel.
|
take to »
To begin, as a new habit or practice.
|
take to task »
To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.
|
take up with »
To be contented to receive; to receive without opposition; to put up with.
|
talk the talk »
Speak like an expert, claim to be knowledgeable about something.
|
talk up »
In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.
|
tan someone's hide »
To beat or spank someone.
|
taper off »
To diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
|
teacher's pet »
A student who is perceived to be favored by the teacher.
|
teething troubles »
Small problems such as are to be expected with some any new and untried system or product.
|
tell apart »
To be able to know the difference between things; to distinguish.
|
tell it to Sweeney »
I do not believe what you said.
|
tell it to the marines »
I do not believe what you said.
|
tell off »
To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.
|
tell tales »
To be lying, to be making false claims.
|
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.
|
ten a penny »
So common as to be practically worthless.
|
test bed »
Any venue, setup, etc. used for experimentation, testing, proving a concept, etc.
|
test the waters »
To explore or probe, as before making a commitment.
|
that is »
to be precise
|
that'll be the day »
Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.
|
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 apple doesn't fall far from the tree »
A child grows up to be very similar to its parents in the way they act and in their physical abilities.
|
the beast with two backs »
Two people engaged in sexual intercourse.
|
the bee's knees »
Most excellent; surpassingly wonderful; cool.
|
the bends »
decompression sickness
|
the calm before the storm »
A period of peace before a disturbance or crisis; an unnatural or false calm before a storm.
|
the course of true love never did run smooth »
There will always be problems in a relationship.
|
the early bird gets the worm »
Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are only available to the first competitors.
|
the end all-be all »
Something ultimate; the best part of something; the thing which solves all problems associated with something.
|
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.
|
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 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.".
|
the man »
The best man for a job.
|
the man »
The oppressive powers that be, including the government and corporations; the system, as coordinated outside of one’s control..
|
the nose knows »
Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.
|
the pen is mightier than the sword »
More influence and power can be usurped by writing than by fighting.
|
the pick of the litter »
The absolute best one has to offer.
|
the plot thickens »
Used, often ironically, to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation.
|
the proof of the pudding is in the eating »
The only real test of something is as what it is intended to be used for.
|
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.
|
there but for the grace of God go I »
A recognition that others' misfortune could be one's own, if it weren't for the blessing/kindness/luck bestowed by fate or the Divine.Man's fate is in God's hands.More generally, our fate is not entirely in our own hands.
|
there may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnace »
Even if a person is in his or her senior years, with gray hair, he or she can still have ambition and energy, especially sexual energy.
|
there you have it »
Used to introduce a speaker's interpretation of what has just transpired or been described.
|
there's a sucker born every minute »
There are a great number of fools in the world, and there always be.
|
there's no accounting for taste »
When it comes to subjective matters of taste, people have wildly different opinions.Disagreements about matters of taste can't be objectively resolved.
|
there's no point crying over spilt milk »
You should not be upset over something that cannot be undone.
|
there's nowt so queer as folk »
Nothing is as strange as people can be.
|
thin edge of the wedge »
Beginning; opening; precedent.
|
thin out »
To make or become sparse.
|
think better of it »
To change one's mind; especially to decide against.
|
think one's shit doesn't stink »
To be arrogant or snobbish; to feel superior to others.
|
third string »
A unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.
|
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.
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three-martini lunch »
A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.
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throw a fit »
To become angry, enraged, or upset; to act or react with an outburst, as by shouting, swearing, etc.
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throw a sickie »
To take a day off from work, supposedly because of ill health. The illness could be either real or feigned.
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throw a spanner in the works »
To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.
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throw cold water on »
To belittle or dismiss; to cast doubt upon; to debunk.
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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
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throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.
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throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn
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throw under the bus »
To betray or blame; to use as a scapegoat.
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time is money »
When a person's time is not used productively; time is valuable and should not be wasted.
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time out of mind »
A lengthy duration of time, longer than is readily remembered.
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time out of mind »
The distant past beyond anyone's memory.
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timing is everything »
Consideration of other events can greatly influence some desired outcome (such as an audience laughing to a comedian's joke).Telling the old joke about a butt-crack was not a good idea, just as the plumber arrived, Bob.You know what they say: "timing is everything." I'm sure we can find another plumber before the house floods.
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tip of the iceberg »
Only the beginning; just a small indication of a larger possibility; a problem is much bigger than it seems.
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to be honest »
Frankly, honestly.
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to be sure »
Admittedly, undoubtedly, certainly.
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to be the cat's whiskers »
To perform better than was generally supposed possible.
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to beat the band »
Very vigorously; at a frantic pace; to a high degree; in large quantities.
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to boot »
Moreover, on top of that, besides, also.
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to give a person line »
To allow a person more or less liberty until it is convenient to stop or check him/her, like a hooked fish that swims away with the line.
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to go »
Belonging to the subgroup that have not passed or have not been finished or have not been addressed yet.
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to go »
Served in a package or takeout container so as to be taken away from a restaurant rather than eaten on the premises.
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to the victor go the spoils »
The winner of a conflict wins additional benefits, beyond just the subject of the conflict.
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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 »
An expression indicating that the speaker empathizes with members of an identifiable group that was the subject of a disaster, and projects that others empathize as well.
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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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tomorrow is another day »
Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed
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too big for one's boots »
Far less capable than one's claims to be.
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too many cooks spoil the broth »
If too many people try to take charge at a task, the end product might be ruined.
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top it all off »
To emphasize or underscore; to make something even better or worse.
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top of the line »
The best, fanciest, or highest quality, especially among selections in a product line.
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top oneself »
To outdo oneself or do more than one's previous best.
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top shelf »
Best, or high quality.
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toss-upness »
The quality of being a toss-up, usually used in reference to a toss-up state in American presidential elections.
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touch a nerve »
To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.
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touch cloth »
To be on the point of soiling oneself.
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touch of the tar brush »
Of South Asian or Afro-Caribbean in their background and/or in their appearance.
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touch off »
To start; to cause, especially used for unstable situations that may magnify if disturbed.
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tough love »
The compassionate use of stringent disciplinary measures, to attempt to improve someone's behavior.
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tourner autour du pot »
To beat around the bush.
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treat them mean, keep them keen »
A woman will be more interested in a man if he is not kind to her.
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trigger-happy »
Having a tendency or desire to shoot a firearm irresponsibly before adequately identifying the target.
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trigger-happy »
Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.
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trip out »
To have a fit, to become enraged.
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true believer »
A strict follower of a religious doctrine.
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truth be told »
Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.
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truth will out »
A mystery will always be solved, or a truth will always be discoveredTruth will eventually and inevitably be discovered.
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try out »
To undergo a test before being selected for a team etc.
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tube steak »
A frankfurter.
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tuck in »
To bed.
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turf war »
A dispute over territory between rival gangs.
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turf war »
A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.
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turn a blind eye »
To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.
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turn a hair »
To become afraid or visibly upset.
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turn against »
To rebel or oppose something formerly supported.
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turn away »
To bend or turn from a fixed course.
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turn in »
To go to sleep; retire to bed.
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turn in one's grave »
To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.
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turn into »
To transform into; become.
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turn on »
To rebel; to go against something formerly supported.
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turn over a new leaf »
To engage in self-improvement; to begin a good habit or shed a bad habit.
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turn to stone »
To become completely still, not moving.
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turn to stone »
To cause something to become stone.
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turn up »
To belay or make fast a line on a cleat or pin.
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twelve-ounce curls »
Drinking beer.
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twist in the wind »
To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.
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two can play that game »
The tactics and/or strategies of an enemy can be used against him.
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two cents »
A nearly worthless amount, alluding to placing a copper penny on each of the eyelids of a pauper's or slave's body before burial.
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two heads are better than one »
Some problems may be solved more easily by two (or more) people working together than by one working alone.
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two wrongs don't make a right »
(ethics) A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.1915, William MacLeod Raine, The Highgrader, ch. 15:"But when it comes to taking what belongs to another
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two's company, three's a crowd »
One companion is better than two.
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under a spell »
Bewitched, held by the power of a magical spell.
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under one's belt »
Already done; within one's experience; practiced.
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under one's breath »
Softly, so as not to be heard.
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under pressure »
Being subjected to physical pressure.
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under the gun »
The first player to act on the first round of betting in Texas hold 'em.
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under the wire »
At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.
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under way »
A vessel is said to be underway when she is not anchored, moored, aground, or beached[1]. Compare with make way.
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underwater basket weaving »
"Sure, somewhere out there, college slackers were taking broom ball and underwater basket weaving." — The Columbus Dispatch, September 15, 2005.
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unring a bell »
To perform the impossible.
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unring a bell »
To reverse the irreversible.
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unring a bell »
To reverse the ringing of a bell.
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unwashed masses »
Of people who are considered by someone to be somehow uneducated, uninformed, godless, or in some other way unqualified for inclusion in the speaker's elite circles.
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up to »
Considering all members of an equivalence class the same.
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up to eleven »
Beyond the maximum possible threshold.
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up to no good »
Misbehaving, being mischievous.
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up with the larks »
To wake up early, to be an early bird.
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up-and-comer »
Someone who is up-and-coming, who has begun to be successful in some field and is likely to become even more successful in the future.
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up-and-coming »
Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.
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valley of death »
The phase of a startup business beginning with the entrepreneur's fulltime commitment to it and ending when the business has achieved sustainable cash flow.
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verge on »
To approach or come close to something; to border or be on the edge of something.
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victory at sea »
Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.
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virgin territory »
By extension, ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.
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virgin territory »
Land that has never been explored or developed.
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vote with one's feet »
To show support for something by going to or otherwise being present somewhere.
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wack out »
To become deranged.
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wail on »
To beat heavily on anything.
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wake up on the wrong side of bed »
To feel grumpy, irritable; to be easily annoyed.
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walk on eggshells »
To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.
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walk on eggshells »
To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.
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walk the line »
To behave in an authorized or socially accepted manner, especially as prescribed by law or morality; to exercise self-control.
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walk the line »
To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc..
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walk the plank »
To be forced to resign from a position in an organization.
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walk the talk »
To do what one said one could do, or would do, not just making empty promises. To walk one's talk is to be innocent of hypocrisy.
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walls have ears »
There is a risk of being heard, so pay attention to what you say.
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waltz Matilda »
To travel with a swag; that is, with one's belongings wrapped in a cloth.
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warm down »
Gentle excercise at the end of a training session before cooling off.
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warm up »
To make an audience enthusiastic or animated before a show.
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warm up »
To become warmer.
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wash up »
To be carried on to land by water.
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washed out »
Of clothes. When they lose some of their original colour from being washed so often.
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washed out »
To be very tired and lacking energy.
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waste away »
To lose energy and become weak and feeble.
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waste not, want not »
If one is not wasteful then one will not be needy.
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watch one's mouth »
To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.
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watch one's step »
To be cautious.
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watch out »
To be aware or conscious; to look closely or carefully; to use caution. Often used in the imperative.
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water over the dam »
An event or set of events which has already happened and cannot be changed.
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water under the bridge »
Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.
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wax lyrical »
To become, or tend to become lyrical.
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weak sister »
A person or thing which is the least robust or least dependable member of a group.
|
wear down »
To have one's long hair styled in a free, low-hanging, unencumbered style; i.e., not in an up-do or ponytail.
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wear off »
To disappear because of being abraded, over-polished, or abused.
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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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wear out »
To cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use, especially hard, heavy, or careless use.
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wear out »
To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.
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wear out »
To become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary, as by continued strain or exertion.
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wear rose-colored glasses »
To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.
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weigh down »
To be too much for someone to cope with.
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weigh in »
To bring in one's weight, metaphorically speaking, to bear on an issue.
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well ain't that the catfish in the trap »
A sentence commonly spoken in the Southern United States. It can often be used in place of "well, I'll be damned". Used to express surprise.
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well begun is half done »
Much depends on the beginning of an endeavor.
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wet behind the ears »
Inexperienced; not seasoned; new; just beginning.
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whale on »
To beat heavily on anything.
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what in God's name »
Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.
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what it says on the tin »
Exactly what is described or what one would expect from the name.
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what on Earth »
Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.
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what the Devil »
Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.
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what the dickens »
Euphemism for what the Devil, used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning a question.
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what with »
Owing to; because of; as a result of.
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what's up with »
Used to express disbelief or curiosity.
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whatever it takes »
Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.
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when in Rome, do as the Romans do »
behave as those around do
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when the shit hits the fan »
A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.
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when you're up to your neck in alligators, it's easy to forget that the initial objective was to drain the swamp »
Only because it seems so urgent.
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where there's muck there's brass »
(UK, Irish) There is money to be made in unpleasant dirty jobs.
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where's the beef »
Where is the content? So what?.
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whisper campaign »
A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.
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white lie »
A deliberate, untrue statement which does no harm or is intended to produce a favorable result.
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who shot John »
A long and involved explanation; a thing of which an explanation would be long and involved.
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why in God's name »
Used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning question.
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why on Earth »
Used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.
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why the dickens »
Euphemism for why the Devil, used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.
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willful ignorance »
A bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt. It may also be shown as for a person to have no clue in a decision but still goes ahead in their decision.
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wimp out »
To behave like a wimp.
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wind back »
To wind a tape, cassette, or film, etc towards the beginning; to rewind.
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wind down »
To slow; to become calmer or less busy.
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winter rat »
An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.
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work against the clock »
To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.
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work around the clock »
To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.
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world-beater »
Someone or something superior to all others of its sort.
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worm's-eye view »
A view of an object from below, from the ground.
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worth the risk »
The benefit of the success is more valuable than the problems caused by the potential loss.
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wrap around one's fingers »
To make one susceptible to desire, in that their behavior or actions are influenced.
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wrap it before you tap it »
wear a condom before sexual intercourse.
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wrap up »
To fold and secure something to be the cover or protection for something.
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write one's own ticket »
To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.
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year dot »
A very long time ago, from the beginning or as far back as one can remember.
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yellow press »
Newspapers which publish sensationalist articles rather than well researched and sober journalism.
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yellow-bellied »
Pertaining to an animal or reptile that has a yellow belly.
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yellow-bellied »
Uncourageous.
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yellowbelly »
A coward.
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yellowbelly »
Someone from Lincolnshire.
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yes-man »
A person of unquestioning obedience.
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you are what you eat »
If you eat well, you will be well; but if you eat badly you will feel bad
|
you bet »
Certainly; you're welcome; a reply to thank you or to a request.
|
you bet »
Expresses support, agreement, certainty or emphasis.
|
you can't fight city hall »
(chiefly US) Nothing can be done to change the situation, because it is a governmental decision.I see they're going to build the airport after all. I suppose you can't fight city hall.
|
you can't get a quart into a pint pot »
What is being discussed is not possible.They've asked me to get to New York by five o'clock, but you can't get a quart into a pint pot!
|
you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »
In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.
|
you can't polish a turd »
(vulgar) Something inherently bad cannot be improved.
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you can't say fairer than that »
That is good, reasonable, or fair; one cannot hope for a better decision or outcome.
|
you can't unring a bell »
Some things can't be undone.
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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.
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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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you know what »
A phrase used to get someone's attention before announcing something.
|
you made your bed, now sleep in it »
A moralizing rejection said to someone looking for an easy out, especially of a situation they put themselves into.
|
you make the bed you lie in »
A person's circumstances are normally the result of his or her own actions.
|
you never know what you've got till it's gone »
Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.
|
you only get what you give »
There is a positive correlation between the effort one puts in and the benefits one receives.
|
you snooze you lose »
If you are not alert and attentive, you will not be successful.
|
you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette »
In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.
|
your mileage may vary »
It may work differently in your situation, or be different in your experience.
|
your mileage may vary »
To express a possible difference in taste, "this is just my opinion, your opinion may be different".
|
zip it »
Be quiet; the same as zip one's lip.
|
zip one's lip »
To stop talking; to be quiet.
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| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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