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!
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act like a bull in a china shop »
To act rudely or clumsily in a delicate situation.
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act one's age »
To be mature and not childish.
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all eyes »
Watching alertly or attentively.
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all the tea in China »
Something priceless or invaluable.
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apple does not fall far from the tree »
A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, both in behavior and in physical characteristics.1842, E. A. Freidlaender (translator), Frederika Bremer (author), The Neighbours, ch. 10:It is impossible to look at Madam Rhen, without at once making the conclusion that she is pleasantness, hospitality, and loquacity itself; nor can one look upon her daughter Renetta without thinking, "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"1978, Dr. Isador Rosenfeld, "Doctor Asks Patient
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at hand »
Near; soon; approaching; imminent.
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autem mort »
A married woman; also a female beggar with several children hired or borrowed to excite charity.
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baggage »
Heavy baggage; women and children. Also a familiar epithet for a woman; as, cunning baggage, wanton baggage, &c.
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bat a thousand »
To achieve perfection.
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bat a thousand »
To achieve success at each attempt.
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bed down »
To lie down to sleep for the night, usually of livestock or machinery.
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big enchilada »
A very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.
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big enchilada »
Some item of high value, especially a top prize or reward.
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big fish in a small pond »
One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.
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big kahuna »
A boss, leader, chieftain, or top-ranking person in an organization.
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blow one's chances »
To forfeit opportunities to achieve some goal.
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bolt bucket »
A machine, especially an automobile. Implies that the machine is clunky or unreliable.
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boys and their toys »
Used to evoke the idea that adult men sometimes dote excessively on machines, automobiles, and gadgets in a childish manner.
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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.
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break ground »
To initiate a new venture, or to advance beyond previous achievements.
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break the back of »
To achieve the greater part of some project.
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bring about »
To accomplish, achieve.
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bring up »
To raise children.
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bring up »
To turn on power or start, as of a machine.
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bucket of bolts »
A piece of machinery that is not worth more than its scrap value, often of old cars.
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buy time »
Purposefully cause a delay to something, in order to achieve something else.
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by hand »
Manually; without the use of automation or machines.
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cat that ate the canary »
A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, prohibited, or private.
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cat's cradle »
A children's string game.
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catch out »
To put a batsman out by catching the batted ball before it touches the ground.
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catch up »
To be reaching something that had been ahead.
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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.
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chicken feed »
A very small or insignificant quantity, especially of money.
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chicken feed »
Food given to poultry.
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chicken out »
To shy away from a daring task; to decline, refuse, or avoid something due to fear or uncertainty.
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chickens coming home to roost »
Consequences visited upon someone who originally had appeared to escape them.
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child's play »
Something particularly simple or easy.
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children should be seen and not heard »
Children should behave well and be quiet, especially in the presence of adults.
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chill out »
Relax, take it easy.
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chime in »
To talk; to join in conversation or discussion.
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chin up »
Be happy; cheer up.
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chinese gooseberry »
kiwi fruit
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chip in »
To contribute.
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chip in »
To interrupt a discussion for the purpose of making a comment.
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chip in »
To make a contribution; help in a small way; especially, to pay for a part of something.
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chip in »
To put a chip shot in the hole.
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chip in »
To put into the pot the amount of chips or money required to continue.
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chip off the old block »
Someone who takes after their parent.
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chip on one's shoulder »
A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.
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chip on one's shoulder »
A habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.
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chip on one's shoulder »
A tendency to take offence quickly.
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chit chat »
gossip
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choke the chicken »
To masturbate.
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clogs to clogs in three generations »
(UK) Wealth earned in one generation seldom lasts through the third (grandchild
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colt over the fence »
An illegitimate child.
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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.
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crank out »
To produce in large volumes mechanically or as if by machine.
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cross the aisle »
To vote, unite, or otherwise co-operate with members of another political party in order to achieve governmental or political action.
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cut it fine »
To achieve something at the last possible moment, or with no margin for error.
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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.
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dicky-bird »
Endearing term for a small bird, often used when talking with young children.
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dimber damber upright man »
The chief of a gang of thieves or gypsies.
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don't count your chickens before they're hatched »
You should not count on something before it happens.
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down to the wire »
At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.
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drawing near »
approaching
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engine room »
A compartment on a ship in which the engine machinery is located.
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face off »
The starting point, in a match of ice hockey. Two players face each other, for snatching the puck.
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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.
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feed the dragon »
To buy or sell products labeled as "Made in China.".
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feed the dragon »
To the People's Republic of China.
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fruit of one's loins »
One's child, children, or descendents.
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fruit of the union »
A child, especially from a marriage or similar union.
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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"
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get off »
To stop touching or interfering with something or someone.
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get one's marching orders »
To be dismissed disgracefully.
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giant panda »
chinese animal
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go for the gold »
To attempt to achieve the maximum reward or result in an endeavor.
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go places »
To make progress or achieve success.
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go through hell »
Winston Churchill.
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golden ticket »
A philosophy that a quick fix can be achieved.
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great minds think alike »
Used to emphasize a coincidence, or two people reaching the same conclusion in any manner at the same time.
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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.
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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.
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hide and seek »
children's game
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hit one out of the ballpark »
To produce a spectacular achievement.
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hocus pocus »
chicanery
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hold your fire »
Do not discharge your weapon. Used originally for weapons needing a spark or lighting of a fuse to ignite gunpowder, now sometimes used to mean any weapon launching a projectile.
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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.
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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.
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if looks could kill »
A phrase said upon catching sight of someone's giving you a particularly nasty look of discontent or disapproval.
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in the works »
In a mechanism or machine.
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in touch »
The ball, or a player, is in touch when it, or he, is outside the playing area or touching the touchlines of the playing area.
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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:
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jump rope »
A single jump in this game or activity, counted as a measure of achievement.
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jump rope »
The activity, game or exercise in which a person must jump, bounce or skip repeatedly while a length of rope is swung over and under, both ends held in the hands of the jumper, or alternately, held by two other participants. Often used for athletic training and among schoolchildren. Variations involve speed, chants, varied rope and jumper movement patterns, multiple jumpers and/or multiple ropes.
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kick the bucket »
Of a machine, to break down such that it cannot be repaired.
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kids will be kids »
You cannot expect children to act like adults.
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knee high to a grasshopper »
Short; especially relating to when the subject was a small child.
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last burst of fire »
A state of exertion where one gives one's all; expending all of one's remaining energy in a final effort to achieve one's goal.
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late bloomer »
A person who lives a child's life comparatively later than their peers.
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less is more »
That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated; simplicity is preferable to complexity; brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity.1855, Robert Browning, "Men and Women":Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged.1954, "'Less Is More'," Time, 14 Jun.:The essence of Mies's architectural philosophy is in his famous and sometimes derided phrase, "Less is more." This means, he says, having "the greatest effect with the least means."2007, Gia Kourlas, "Dance Review: An Ordered World Defined With Soothing Spareness," New York Times, 3 Mar. (retrieved 22 Oct. 2008):The program, which features two premieres
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letters after one's name »
A list of abbreviations, separated by commas, representing the academic qualifications and civil or military honours achieved by a person.
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lie back and think of England »
. "think of England" refers to the importance of children.
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like father, like son »
A son will have traits similar to his father upon reaching adulthood.
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lion »
A Chinese foo dog.
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lion »
The arms of the University of the West Indies are Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished Or on a Chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. Crest: A Pelican proper. . See talk page.
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little pitcher »
A child.
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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).
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long arm »
Influence, far-reaching power.
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made in China »
Cheaply manufactured in East Asia.
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made in China »
Manufactured in the People's Republic of China.
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made in China »
Of poor or low quality.
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make for »
????, translator unknown, author Galileo Galilei, Two Chief World Systems.
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mark time »
Marching in place; not going anywhere.
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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.
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mother hen »
A female chicken who bears eggs or chicks.
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necktie party »
An execution by hanging, especially a lynching.
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no pain, no gain »
One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.
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no spring chicken »
Said of a person who is no longer particularly young.
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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.
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notch up »
To achieve something.
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nugget of truth »
January 2008, Chicago Tribune - Clinton's Hispanic edge over Obama.
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nut-cutting time »
Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.
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oil burner »
A machine that uses oil as its fuel.
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on the way »
Coming, approaching.
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on tiptoe »
We crept out on tiptoe so as not to wake the children.
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one in the eye for »
An event or achievement which is unpleasant for someone, especially for those who considered it impossible or unwelcome; an annoyance.
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one-hit wonder »
A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.
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one-trick pony »
A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.
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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.
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out of the mouths of babes »
The greatest wisdom comes from children, who are not afraid or weary of the world and its pressures.
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overkill »
An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.
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pickle »
A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown.
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pig out »
They watched the game and pigged out on chips and pizza.
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play around »
To behave in a silly, or childish, or irresponsible way.
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play hardball »
To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.
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play Old Harry »
To play the devil; to make mischief.
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pleased as Punch »
Pleased with one's actions or achievements.
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pocket money »
child's allowance
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pope's nose »
The tail end piece of a cooked chicken.
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poster boy »
See poster child.
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poster child »
One who is a prototypical or quintessential example of something.
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poster girl »
See poster child.
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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.
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problem child »
Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or annoyance.
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pull off »
To achieve; to succeed at something difficult.
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punch in »
To enter a workplace by punching a time card.
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read somebody's lips »
To discern what somebody is saying by watching the shape of the mouth rather than by hearing the sounds of the words.
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real job »
A job that can't be replaced advantageously by a machine or a procedure.
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rock up »
To work one's way vertically up a chimney or cleft using a rocking movement.
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rubber-chicken dinner »
A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.
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run away »
To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile.
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run down »
To find something or someone after searching for a long time.
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run down »
To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device.
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second childhood »
A childlike state in any adult, resulting from mental illness, trauma, or other conditions.
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second childhood »
The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.
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seize the day »
To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.
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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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sex machine »
Any machine that is used for sexual pleasure.
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sex machine »
Someone with considerable sexual prowess.
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shoot the bull »
To chinwag; to talk idly.
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shoot the moon »
To achieve the lowest score possible, such that the player is usually rewarded with bonus points.
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shroud »
The branching top of a tree; foliage.
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small fry »
One or more children.
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smoke like a chimney »
To smoke tobacco frequently.
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snake oil »
Snake oil is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat joint pain.
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spare the rod and spoil the child »
If one does not discipline a child, he or she will never learn obedience and good manners.
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spectator sport »
An activity which consists of watching or observing.
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spit the dummy »
To a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner.
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suck hind tit »
To be the youngest or most neglected child.
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take in »
To foster or adopt a child informally.
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take up »
That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.
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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.
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the end justifies the means »
Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.
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the 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."
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the shoemaker's children go barefoot »
One often neglects those closest to oneself.
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the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »
(proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.
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the world is one's oyster »
In order to achieve something in this world, one has to grab the opportunity.
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three Rs »
The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.
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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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trigger-happy »
Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.
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turn off »
To power down; to stop a device by switching it off.
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turn on »
To power up; to start a device by switching it on.
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two-fisted drinker »
Either someone who can handle their liquor well, or an alcoholic clutching a drink in each hand.
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untar »
To extract a tar archive.
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up one's alley »
Matching a person's interests or abilities well.
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up to no good »
Misbehaving, being mischievous.
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up to something »
Doing something mischievous or scheming.
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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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whatever it takes »
Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.
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when the chips are down »
When the pressure is on; when the situation is urgent or critical.
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white goods »
fridges, washing machines, etc
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who's 'she', the cat's mother%3F »
A rebuke especially directed towards children for having referred to their mother, or any other woman in the third person, instead of using a properly respectful title or their name when appropriate.
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whole enchilada »
All of something or a group of related things taken in totality.
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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.
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you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »
In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.
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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.
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