a golden key can open any door »
Sufficient money can accomplish anything.
|
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.
|
a miss is as good as a mile »
A failure remains a failure, regardless of how close to success one has actually come.
|
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 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 stopped clock is right twice a day »
A normally unreliable person or instrument can occasionally provide correct information, even if only by accident.
|
abide by »
To accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it; to conform to; to acquiesce; as, to abide by an award.
|
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.
|
accident waiting to happen »
A thing or situation which is almost certain to eventually lead to an accident.
|
according to »
According to him, every person was to be bought. - Thomas Babington Macaulay.
|
according to »
According to the directions, the glue takes 24 hours to dry.
|
according to »
Based on what is said or stated.
|
according to »
In a manner conforming or corresponding to; in proportion.
|
according to »
Our zeal should be according to knowledge. - Thomas Sprat.
|
according to Hoyle »
In strict accordance with the rules, especially of card games; in the proper or expected manner.
|
account for »
To explain by relating circumstances; to show that some one, thing or members of a group are present or have been processed.
|
add up »
To accumulate; to amount to.
|
Adds up »
To enhance. " Law of attraction adds up to the success in life."
|
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.
|
all in a day's work »
A nonchalant dismissal of a significant accomplishment.
|
all's fair in love and war »
unpleasant behavior is acceptable during love and conflict.
|
allow for »
To take into account when making plans.
|
almost doesn't count »
Near success (or correctness) is not deemed success (or correctness).
|
an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with terms so attractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
|
an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with the results of failing to accept so unattractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
|
arm candy »
An attractive, seemingly romantic companion who accompanies a person in public simply so that one or both of the individuals can gain attention, enhance social status, or create an impression of sexual appeal.
|
at heart »
In spirit; according to one's beliefs, views or feelings; deep down, really, fundamentally.
|
back to the drawing board »
Back to the beginning following an unsuccessful attempt.
|
ballpark figure »
An educated guess or estimation within acceptable bounds.
|
baptism by fire »
A rite of passage through the survival or success of a crisis.
|
barn burner »
Any successful or impressive event.
|
bat a thousand »
To achieve success at each attempt.
|
bawl out »
To have a serious argument accompanied with shouting.
|
be had up »
To be accused of, or arrested for a criminal act.
|
beat up »
To feel badly guilty and accuse oneself over something. Usually followed by over.
|
beggars can't be choosers »
(proverb) When resources are limited, one must accept even substandard gifts.
|
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.
|
below the belt »
Unfair; dirty; not according to the generally accepted rules.
|
bite the bullet »
To accept a negative aspect of a situation in order to continue moving forward.
|
bitter pill »
Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.
|
blessed event »
An occurrence or occasion which is particularly noteworthy and enjoyable.
|
blow-by-blow »
Detailing every action or occurrence completely.
|
board up »
To block doors or windows with boards, either to prevent access or as protection from storms, etc.
|
bragging rights »
The prerogative to praise oneself for an accomplishment or for possession of a superior characteristic.
|
break a leg »
A wish for a successful performance; primarily a valediction to an actor wishing him or her a successful theatrical stage performance.
|
bridge »
A statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.
|
bring about »
To accomplish, achieve.
|
bring home the bacon »
To have a job and earn money or to lead a successful career.
|
bring it on »
Used to indicate one's willingness to accept a challenge, confront a threat, etc.
|
bring it weak »
To fail to accomplish an accomplishable task or to make an attempt at less than maximum effort; to "half-ass" or "fake the funk".
|
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.
|
broad shoulders »
The ability to take criticism, or accept responsibility.
|
build up »
To accumulate, to pile up.
|
bum rap »
A false accusation, or an injustice, especially one that leads to imprisonment.
|
burn rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
busy work »
Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.
|
by one's lights »
According to one's understanding.
|
by oneself »
Alone; without assistance, accompaniment, or help from others.
|
carry a tune »
To produce music, especially to sing, with accurate pitch.
|
cast the first stone »
To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing that one is blameless.
|
cast up one's accounts »
To vomit.
|
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.
|
chalk up to »
To attribute or account for something.
|
cherry pick »
To position oneself near the opponent's goal to attempt to receive an errant or intentional pass for an easy score, as in basketball or versions of soccer where offsides are not enforced.
|
city slicker »
One accustomed to a city or urban lifestyle or unsuited to life in the country.
|
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.
|
clock up »
To accumulate a large amount of time.
|
clock up »
To accumulate a large distance.
|
close shave »
A near accident or mishap; a dangerous or risky encounter or incident.
|
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.
|
come about »
To come to pass; to develop; to occur; to take place; to happen.
|
come across »
To find, usually by accident.
|
come along »
To accompany.
|
come around »
To change one's mind, especially to begin to agree or appreciate what one was reluctant to accept at first.
|
come through »
To succeed.
|
come to terms »
To accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful.
|
come unstuck »
To get into trouble, to have an accident or mishap, to go off the rails.
|
come what may »
In spite of anything that might happen; whatever may occur.
|
comfort woman »
A woman forced, or supposedly recruited, into brothels by the Japanese occupation forces during World War II.
|
cook the books »
To manipulate accounting information, esp. illegally, by a corporation.
|
cotton to »
To like; approve of, accept, or tolerate.
|
crop up »
To occur, especially suddenly or unexpectedly.
|
cross the line »
To overstep a boundary, rule, or limit; to go too far or do something unacceptable.
|
crown jewels »
The jewelry that accompany the office of rulership in a monarchy. I.e., crown, scepter, signet ring, etc.
|
cut it »
To suffice; to be effective or successful.
|
cut one's coat according to one's cloth »
Live according to your means.
|
dark horse »
An unexpected success.
|
dawn on »
To occur to somebody; to be realized.
|
do the trick »
To work; to be successful; to solve a problem.
|
don't shoot the messenger »
The bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news.
|
dress up »
To wear smart clothes for an occasion.
|
dry eye »
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca , an eye disease caused by decreased tear production.
|
due course »
Regular or appropriate passage or occurrence.
|
dumb down »
To become simpler in expression or content; to become unacceptably simplistic.
|
early bath »
Being shown a red card in soccer.
|
eat up »
To accept or believe entirely, immediately, and without questioning.
|
every dog has its day »
Everyone has a time of success and satisfaction.
|
every time »
At each occasion that.
|
evil twin »
A rogue wireless access point installed near a legitimate one for purposes of eavesdropping or phishing.
|
face the music »
To accept or confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.
|
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.
|
fall between two stools »
To attempt two tasks and fail at both, when either one could have been accomplished singly.
|
fall in with »
To accept a set of generally agreed rules, or a suggestion.
|
fall through »
To be unsuccessful, abort, come to nothing/naught; to be cancelled; not to proceed.
|
fat chance »
Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.
|
feather in one's cap »
An accomplishment; particularly one that is flaunted or boasted of.
|
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.
|
fight off »
To succeed in defeating a challenge, or an attack.
|
fire drill »
An organised practice to prepare occupants of an office, school or other public building for evacuation in the event of a fire.
|
flash in the pan »
A career notable for early success not followed by significant accomplishment.
|
flash in the pan »
A transient occurrence with no long-term effect.
|
for keeps »
To compete seriously, with a strong resolve to win or succeed, as in sports or business.
|
four-on-the-floor »
Characterised by a steady, uniformly accented beat with a 4/4 time signature.
|
from time to time »
Occasionally; sometimes; once in a while.
|
full of oneself »
Egotistical, believing oneself to be superior to others; preoccupied with one's own work, interests, point of view, etc.
|
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 at »
gain access to
|
get by »
To subsist; to succeed, survive, or manage, at least at a minimum level.
|
get in »
To enter a place; to gain access.
|
get off the ground »
To succeed or begin to succeed.
|
get one's foot in the door »
To initiate contact or a relationship; to gain access, especially to an entry-level job.
|
get stuck into »
Get busy with; become occupied with; become immersed in.
|
give and take »
A process of compromise or accommodation.
|
go along for the ride »
To accompany someone passively, or to take a passive role in a project.
|
go along with »
To comply with something, even if reluctantly; to accept or tolerate.
|
go down »
To be received or accepted.
|
go in off »
To pot the cue ball accidentally after hitting the object ball.
|
go off the boil »
To become less successful.
|
go places »
To make progress or achieve success.
|
go too far »
To exceed an unstated limit, especially a limit of acceptable behaviour.
|
go with the flow »
To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.
|
God helps those who help themselves »
Fortune comes to those who make a genuine effort to accomplish things.
|
good luck with that »
An expression wishing someone success in an unlikely enterprise.
|
goose is cooked »
All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success.
|
gravy train »
An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.
|
gun it »
To accelerate or speed up quickly or suddenly.
|
hack it »
To cope with, to be successful in.
|
halcyon days »
Period of calm during the winter, when storms do not occur.
|
hand down »
To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor.
|
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.
|
have bats in one's belfry »
To be crazy or eccentric.
|
have it made »
To have accomplished all there is to do; to have no further work or difficulty; to have achieved a lifestyle characterized by good fortune and comfort.
|
have one's hands full »
To be busy or thoroughly preoccupied.
|
he who laughs last laughs best »
success is better after having previously endured ridicule.
|
head start »
A factor conducive to superiority and success.
|
hen's tooth »
Anything not naturally occuring.
|
hit it big »
To have great success.
|
hit the big time »
To become successful and widely known.
|
hold someone's feet to the fire »
To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce him or her to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for his or her actions.
|
hole in one »
Any rare, wonderful, or remarkable accomplishment.
|
home is where you hang your hat »
Rather than feeling nostalgic or sentimental, one should simply accept any place where one happens to reside as one's home.1948, Ruth L. Yorck, "D.P.
|
home run »
A success; especially, a popular success.
|
hot spot »
dangerous place; accident place
|
in for a penny, in for a pound »
Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof; accepting that one must
|
in order »
In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.
|
in unity there is strength »
More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.
|
in vain »
Without success; ending in failure.
|
inside job »
A crime or other illicit action committed by or with the help of someone either employed by the victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs and premises.
|
it is what it is »
This circumstance is simply a fact and must be accepted or dealt with as it exists.
|
it never rains but it pours »
Unfortunate events occur in quantity.
|
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 not what you know but who you know »
For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know
|
jack up »
To raise, increase, or accelerate; often said of prices, fees, or rates. See also jack up the price.
|
jump at »
To accept something enthusiastically. Usually an opportunity, or chance, or job etc.
|
jump at the chance »
To immediately accept an offer.
|
keep a weather eye open »
To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.
|
keep away from »
To deny access to.
|
kernel of truth »
A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.
|
kick off »
To force the weaning of a bovine cow's calf by restricting the calf's access to its mother's udders. Used figuratively or literally.
|
kill the messenger »
To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.
|
knock down »
To hit or knock (something), intentionally or accidentally, so that it falls.
|
knowledge is power »
With knowledge and/or education, one's potential or ability to succeed in the pursuit of his objectives will certainly increase.
|
land on one's feet »
To be lucky, or successful, often in difficult situations.
|
lay an egg »
To produce a failure or flop; to do something which is unsuccessful.
|
lay rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
let slip »
To divulge a secret, as by accident or mistake.
|
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.
|
like it or lump it »
To accept a situation whether one agrees with it or not.
|
line one's pockets »
To accumulate personal wealth, especially in an illegal or morally objectionable manner.
|
live one »
Someone who is eccentric, nonconformist, or otherwise peculiar.
|
log out »
To exit an account in a computer system so that it doesn't recognize you until you log in again.
|
long shot »
Something unlikely; something that has little chance of happening or working. The term arose from the accuracy of early ship guns, which were effective only at close range and unlikely to hit the mark at any great distance.
|
look-in »
A chance to participate, compete, or succeed.
|
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.
|
lucky break »
A stroke of luck; a fortunate event, particularly of the sort that propels one to success, fame, etc.
|
lump it »
To endure, accept, put up with a situation one does not like.
|
made in the shade »
In a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living, or general well-being.
|
make it »
To become famous and successful.
|
make it big »
To become famous and successful.
|
make out »
To succeed; to turn out or end up.
|
make quick work of »
To accomplish a specified task easily and quickly.
|
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 staff adequately; to staff up; to successfully fill all needed labor positions.
|
match made in heaven »
A marriage that is likely to be happy and successful because the two people are very compatible with each other.
|
match made in heaven »
A very successful combination of two people or things.
|
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.
|
match made in hell »
A very unsuccessful or conflicting combination of two people or things.
|
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
|
memory lane »
A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.
|
moment of truth »
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
|
money talks »
It is easier to accomplish goals using money instead of just talk.
|
mum's the word »
The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged.
|
near miss »
narrowly avoided accident
|
nervous hit »
A production which receives generally favorably notice, but is not assured of success.
|
new school »
A style, way of thinking, or method for accomplishing a task that is typical of the current era, as opposed to former eras.
|
no dice »
An unacceptable alternative.
|
no smoke without fire »
Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.
|
nothing to sneeze at »
Not bad; decent; acceptable; worthwhile.
|
now and then »
Sometimes; occasionally.
|
nutty as a fruitcake »
Behaving in an eccentric, foolish, or kooky manner; very nutty.
|
off the mark »
Inaccurate; not correct or appropriate.
|
old hat »
Something widely or long practiced, known, or accepted; something conventional.
|
on a regular basis »
Regularly, occurring in regular time intervals or patterns.
|
on a roll »
Having a streak of good luck or good progress or success.
|
on accident »
Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.
|
on an irregular basis »
Irregularly, occurring in irregular time intervals or patterns.
|
on high »
"According to those on high there is no global warming".
|
on the bounce »
Consecutively, in succession.
|
on the bubble »
Uncertain of success.
|
on the clock »
Working at one's job; occupied in some manner during one's hours of remunerated employment.
|
on the same wavelength »
In rapport or complete accord.
|
on the straight and narrow »
Honest; proceeding according to rules and plans.
|
once in a while »
Occasionally; sometimes.
|
one by one »
Individually in succession; one at a time.
|
one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »
A cliché used to exaggerate an accomplishment or milestone..
|
one step at a time »
Slowly and carefully, ensuring that each action has been completed successfully before taking the next.
|
one-hit wonder »
A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.
|
one-hit wonder »
A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.
|
one-night stand »
An occasion when a performer or team of them expects to perform at a theater for a single evening.
|
one-off »
Occurring once; one-time.
|
one-upmanship »
A succession of instances of outdoing a competitor.
|
one-upmanship »
The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.
|
ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »
(biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.
|
out of character »
Not in character; not successfully performing within the mindset of a given character in a theatrical performance. See also break character, drop character.
|
out of nowhere »
In an unexpected or inexplicable manner of arrival or occurrence.
|
out of one's league »
In a situation in which one is mismatched with one or more others, whose accomplishments, preparedness, or other characteristics are on a significantly higher or lower level than one's own.
|
out of reach »
Inaccessible or unattainable.
|
out of sight »
Not accessible to view.
|
pan out »
To succeed; to proceed according to plan; to result or end up.
|
park the car in Harvard Yard »
A sentence used to illustrate that the Boston accent is non-rhotic; typically pronounced "pahk the cah in Hahvad Yahd".
|
part and parcel »
An integral or essential piece; that which must be done or accepted as part of something else.
|
pay for »
To be punished or held accountable for.
|
pearl of wisdom »
A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.
|
peel out »
To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.
|
pi%C3%A8ce de r%C3%A9sistance »
A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..
|
pick up speed »
accelerate
|
pick up the tab »
To accept a charge and pay for it, especially at a bar or restaurant.
|
piece de resistance »
A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..
|
pile up »
To collect or accumulate, as a backlog.
|
pile-up »
A traffic accident or collision involving multiple vehicles.
|
pinch and a punch for the first of the month »
Said the first day of a new month, accompanied by a pinch and a punch to the victim.
|
play fast and loose »
To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.
|
play it by ear »
To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.
|
play it by ear »
To play a song according to how it sounds, rather than from a written score.
|
point the finger »
To accuse; to direct or imply blame.
|
point the finger at »
To accuse or blame.
|
pop off »
To release flatulence, in most cases, in short rapid succession.
|
pot calling the kettle black »
A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.
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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.
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pull off »
To achieve; to succeed at something difficult.
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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.
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pull the other leg »
In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe what another has just said.
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push one's luck »
To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.
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put one's foot down »
To make a car go faster, accelerate.
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put something into perspective »
To compare with something similar to give a clearer, more accurate idea.
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put the hammer down »
To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.
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put words in somebody's mouth »
To attribute to somebody something he or she did not say; to claim inaccurately that somebody said or intended something.
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queer fish »
An odd or eccentric person.
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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.
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real McCoy »
The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.
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reckon for »
To answer for; to pay the account for.
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reckon with »
To settle accounts with or to settle claims with.
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reckon with »
To take into account.
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rest on one's laurels »
To rely on a past success instead of trying to improve oneself further.
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right as rain »
Correct; factually accurate.
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rivet counter »
A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.
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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.
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rules are made to be broken »
it is acceptable to break rules.
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rules OK »
To be popularly accepted, or supported by the general majority of people.
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run for one's money »
A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation.
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run hot and cold »
To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure.
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run up »
To accumulate a debt.
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said and done »
Agreed to and accomplished or finished.
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screw back »
To cue the cue ball in such a way as to impart backspin. On impact, the ball will follow a reverse trajectory according to the spin.
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seagull approach »
The occurence of casual, ill-informed and hasty decisions or comments made by outside authorities who lack an understanding of the local issues or a real understanding of the facts of a particular situ.
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seagull manager »
A manager who comes into the workplace or office only on occasion, especially when a problem arises or to criticize or critique employees.
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sell ice to Eskimos »
To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.
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set in one's ways »
Driven by habit; inclined or determined to continue according to one's custom or established preferences.
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set the Thames on fire »
To achieve something amazing; to do something which brings great public acclaim.
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settle for »
To accept or allow something, especially something not entirely desirable.
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sex up »
To make more palatable or acceptable to the general public; to improve the image or perception.
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sexual congress »
Loose translation of the title of Aristophanes' play Ecclesiazousae, more literally translated as Assemblywomen.
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shoot the messenger »
To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.
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shoot the moon »
To take a risk which may result in great rewards; to succeed after taking such a risk.
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shotgun approach »
An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.
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sign in »
To take some action to access a secured program or web page on a computer; to log in.
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sink or swim »
To fail or succeed, no matter what.
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sit still »
To accept, tolerate, or acquiesce.
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slim chance »
Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.
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smash hit »
Something that is tremendously popular or successful.
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smoke like a chimney »
To smoke tobacco frequently.
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smooth operator »
A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc.
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snowball's chance in hell »
Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.
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soccer player »
footballer
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soft touch »
A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.
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soft touch »
A person or group which is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one which loans or readily gives money to another.
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spare tire »
Excess weight or fat accumulated near the waist.
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speak for »
To claim, reserve, or occupy.
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special needs »
Needs for special care, services or accommodations.
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speed up »
To accelerate, to increase speed.
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spill over »
To enter into another zone by way of accident or overcrowding; to overflow.
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squirrel away »
To stash or hide; to hoard, collect, save, or accumulate; to create a reserve, stash, or hoard of some supply, so as to recall a squirrel's burying of nuts.
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steal somebody's thunder »
To detract from somebody's accomplishments or glory; to undermine.
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step on it »
To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.
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step up »
accelerate
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stumble across »
To discover or find something by accident.
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stumble on »
To discover or find something by accident.
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stumble upon »
To discover or find something by accident.
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success has many fathers, failure is an orphan »
Many will seek credit for success, few will accept responsibility for failure.
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swan song »
A final performance or accomplishment, especially one before retirement.
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tag along »
To accompany, join, or follow; to go with.
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tag team »
Two or more people or groups acting alternately to accomplish some task.
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take a bow »
To accept applause at the end of a performance in a theatre. Often this includes actually bowing to the audience.
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take a joke »
To accept a joke at one's expense.
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take into account »
Or pay attention to; to notice.
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take it or leave it »
It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.
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take kindly »
To accept or condone.
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take off »
To become successful, to flourish.
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take one's time »
To take more time to do something than is considered acceptable.
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take over »
To become more successful than someone or something else.
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take sitting down »
To tolerate, accept, or acquiesce; to take no action.
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take something in stride »
To cope with something without much effort; to accept or manage something well.
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take things as they come »
To accept and deal with events as they occur, with a composed state of mind.
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take to task »
To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.
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take up the gauntlet »
To accept a challenge.
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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.
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the early bird gets the worm »
Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are only available to the first competitors.
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the terrorists will have won »
Phrase used following a description of an activity to indicate that if that activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, an which is an unacceptable result.
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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.
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thief in the night »
Something stealthy or that occurs without warning.
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thin end of the wedge »
Something that if allowed or accepted to a small degree would lead to systematic encroachment.
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third time's a charm »
One is sure to succeed at a task or event on the third try.
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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 down »
To accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to "represent".
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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 off »
To introduce errors or inaccuracies; to skew.
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tie up »
To occupy, detain, keep busy, or delay.
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tip one's hand »
In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand.
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to hand »
accessible
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to the point »
Relevant or pertinent; succinct; specific.
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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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too big for one's britches »
Disturbingly confident, unacceptably cocky.
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touch%C3%A9 »
An acknowledgement of the success, appropriateness or superiority of an argument, sometimes used sarcastically to mock one's opponent's absurd logic.
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touch%C3%A9 »
Used in a conversation or debate to concede a point as true, often in response to a successful counter of one's own logic.
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travel iron »
holiday accessory
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tried and true »
Well-established and tested; known to work or succeed based on extensive experience.
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trip to the woodshed »
An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered.
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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 the other cheek »
To accept a punishment or an injury and not act out revenge or retaliate.
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twiddle one's thumbs »
To wait or dawdle; to accomplish nothing useful or lack a useful occupation.
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two for two »
Successful at both of two efforts.
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two left feet »
Exhibiting particular clumsiness, especially at dancing or at soccer.
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up to scratch »
Sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality.
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up to snuff »
Adequate; of acceptable or quality; satisfying an appropriate standard.
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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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uphill battle »
A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.
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used to »
Accustomed to; in the habit of.
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walk in the snow »
An occasion when a momentous career decision is made, especially a decision to resign or retire.
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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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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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whack-a-mole »
The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.
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what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander »
If something is acceptable for one person, it is acceptable for another.
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where there's smoke, there's fire »
If there is telltale evidence of some event, the event is probably occurring.
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wide of the mark »
Inaccurate.
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will on »
To wish intensely that someone succeeds in what they are doing. Often implies a silent, or almost inaudible wish.
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work out »
To succeed.
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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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yellow journalism »
Material published in a broadcast or periodical, such as a tabloid newspaper or magazine, which is sensationalistic and of questionable accuracy and taste.
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you snooze you lose »
If you are not alert and attentive, you will not be successful.
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zero in on »
To successfully narrow down a search.
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