We've found 1450 phrases for CT (0.116 seconds):

a day late and a dollar short »    Action that was taken too late and too feeble to be of any use.

a drop in the bucket »    An effort or action having very little overall influence, especially as compared to a huge problem.

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 life of its own »    An independent existence with some characteristics of life.

a man is known by the company he keeps »    People are similar in character to their friends.

a million times »    by a factor of a million

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 is worth a thousand words »    Alternative form of a picture paints a thousand words.

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 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.

a stopped clock is right twice a day »    A normally unreliable person or instrument can occasionally provide correct information, even if only by accident.

a watched pot never boils »    A process appears to go more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.

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.

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.

about turn »    A complete change of opinion, direction, etc.

about turn »    An about face; a military command to a formation of soldiers to reverse the direction in which they are facing.

above and beyond »    More than is expected or required.

abstract nonsense »    Details which involve diagram chasing.

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 the directions, the glue takes 24 hours to dry.

according to Hoyle »    In strict accordance with the rules, especially of card games; in the proper or expected manner.

act like a bull in a china shop »    To act rudely or clumsily in a delicate situation.

act on »    To act decisively on the basis of information received or deduced.

act one's age »    To be mature and not childish.

act out »    To go through the process of a scene from a play, a charade or a pointless exercise.

act out »    To express one's feelings through disruptive actions.

act up »    To misbehave; to cause trouble.

act up »    give trouble

actions speak louder than words »    It is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.

ad fontes »    Go to the sources: An expression emphasizing the importance of conducting fundamental research and of consulting primary sources.

add fuel to the fire »    To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.

add up to »    To have a particular effect.

Adds up »    To enhance. " ction.com">Law of attraction adds up to the success in life."

after the fact »    Too late; after something is finished or final.

against the clock »    In a time-restricted manner, to meet a deadline, hurriedly, timed.

against the grain »    Contrary to what is expected; especially, of behavior different from what society expects.

against the grain »    Unwillingly, reluctantly. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.

ahead of 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 at once »    Unexpectedly; without warning; all of a sudden.

all bark and no bite »    Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.

all hat and no cattle »    Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.

all hell breaks loose »    Vi A place or state of fury, turmoil, destruction, or chaos.

all nations »    A composition of all the different spirits sold in a dram-shop, collected in a vessel into which the drainings of the bottles and quartern pots are emptied.

all over grumble »    Unsatisfactory.

all right, my lover »    An informal affectionate greeting.

all talk and no action »    Speaking, promising, or boasting much, but doing little

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 things being equal »    Without considering or being affected by external factors.

all wet »    Utterly incorrect; erroneous; uninformed.

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.

almost doesn't count »    Near success (or correctness) is not deemed success (or correctness).

along the lines »    In a general direction or manner.

amateur hour »    A situation or activity in which the participants show a lack of skill, sound judgment, or professionalism.

amber nectar »    Lager beer.

an apple a day keeps the doctor away »    Apples are healthy and stave off illness.Eat healthy and you won't get sick.

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.

angle for »    To try to obtain something by subtle indirect means. Political manoeuvres, suggestion, etc.

another nail in one's coffin »    One in a series of factors which lead, or purport to lead, to downfall.

answer back »    To issue echo characters, protocol responses, reflexive connection requests, etc.

any press is good press »    Being mentioned in the media is beneficial to the subject because it gets publicity.

any way one slices it »    From any perspective; in every case.

anything goes »    There are no rules or restrictions.

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

apple of somebody's eye »    A favourite, a particular preference, or a loved one; the object of somebody's affections.

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.

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.

as far as »    With respect to; as relates to.

as is »    In its present state or condition, especially as a contractual condition of sale.

as well »    To the same effect.

as you sow, so shall you reap »    The personal consequences of one's actions are in proportion to the good or bad intentions towards others.

ask for »    To increase the likelihood of something by persisting in some action; to invite.

ask for it »    To provoke an unwanted action.

asleep at the switch »    Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity.

assault and battery »    . This legal distinction exists only in jurisdictions that distinguish assault as threatened violence rather than actual violence.

at cross purposes »    Against one another; contrary in direction or goals.

at odds »    In disagreement; conflicting.

auction off »    To sell something at an auction.

autem diver »    Pickpockets who practice in churches; also churchwardens and overseers of the poor.

babe magnet »    A person, especially a man, to whom women are attracted.

back burner »    A section of a stove used to keep some pots warm while one focuses on others.

back down »    To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously has or has planned to.

back off »    To become less aggressive, particularly when one had appeared committed to act.

back office »    The IT and infrastructure support services for a company, separate from the public face of the business.

back-cloth star »    An actor who stands upstage, forcing the other actors to face him and turn their backs to the audience, in order to gain more attention to himself.

backseat driver »    A passenger in a car who insists on giving the driver directions.

bad egg »    disreputable character

badge bunny »    A woman who is romantically attracted to police officers and who seeks out their companionship.

baggage »    In a metaphorical sense, factors that restrict a person's freedom, often in an intellectual or psychological way: emotional baggage.

balance out »    To counteract one another so as to be balanced.

balancing act »    A performance that involves balancing things precariously and suspensefully.

balancing act »    An effort to manage many conflicting or competing items or interests.

bang about »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

bang around »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

bang for the buck »    Efficiency; cost-effectiveness; value.

bang on »    Exactly at.

bang on about »    To keep talking endlessly about the same subject.

bang up job »    Something done very well; something performed above average or better than expected.

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.

barrow man »    A man under sentence of transportation; alluding to the convicts at Woolwich, who are principally employed in wheeling barrows full of brick or dirt.

basket case »    One made powerless or ineffective, as by nerves, panic or stress.

bat a thousand »    To achieve perfection.

bat an eyelash »    To react in any slight way; to respond.

bat an eyelid »    To react in any slight way; to respond.

bat away »    To knock an object, usually a ball.

bawl out »    To deliver a loud, hard scolding or lecture; to reprimand.

be had up »    To be accused of, or arrested for a criminal act.

be in for »    To be able to expect or anticipate; to be about to suffer, generally said of something unpleasant.

be off »    To be working against a present or former addiction to.

be the way to go »    Represent the best of all possible options or courses of action; pre-eminate over all other choices or alternatives.

beam up »    To teleport another person or object in the same manner.

bear on »    To influence, have an effect on.

beat one's head against a stone wall »    To waste effort on a futile project.

beauty is only skin deep »    What matters is a person's character, rather than his/her appearance.

because you touch yourself at night »    Used to humourously deflect a request for a reason.

beddable »    Sexually attractive.

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.

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 the counter »    Of drugs, dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription or other form of compliance.

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.

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 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.

best of both worlds »    A combination of two seemingly contradictory benefits.

better safe than sorry »    It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to suffer afterwards.

big boy »    A large object or person.

big picture »    The main film in a double feature.

big picture »    The totality of a situation.

bill of goods »    A collection of items purchased or offered for sale.

bird's-eye view »    The view from directly or high above.

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.

birds of a feather flock together »    People of similar character, background, or taste tend to congregate or associate with one another.

bit part »    small acting role

bit part »    small acting role

bit part »    small acting role

bite the bullet »    To accept a negative aspect of a situation in order to continue moving forward.

bite the hand that feeds you »    To cause harm to a benefactor.

black »    Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and colourless.

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 .

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.

blow a kiss »    To kiss one's hand, then blow on the hand in a direction towards the recipient.

blow off »    To shoot something with a gun, causing it to come disconnected.

blow out of proportion »    To overreact to or overstate; to treat too seriously or be overly concerned with.

blow the whistle »    To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.

blow the whistle »    To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.

blow-by-blow »    Detailing every action or occurrence completely.

blue state »    A state of the United States voting Democratic in a given election, or tending to vote Democratic in general.

board up »    To block doors or windows with boards, either to prevent access or as protection from storms, etc.

boot camp »    Indoctrination, physical fitness training and basic instruction in service-related subjects for recruits in the Navy and Marine Corps.

borganism »    An organization of autonomous organisms that exhibit collectivism: individual "units" that have merged to yield a unified construct. Such an amalgam may possess a collective consciousness, arguably an emergent phenomenon of social networking.

born in a barn »    Engaging in the annoying behavior of inappropriately, and usually neglectfully, leaving open a door or window.

boss about »    To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.

boss around »    To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.

bottle out »    To fail to perform a promised or planned action due to lack of courage.

bottom of the line »    The worst, the most lackluster, or lowest quality currently on the market, especially among selections in a product line.

bouncing off the walls »    Moving hyperactively.

bow out »    To resign, or leave, with one's credibility still intact.

bowl a googly »    Something unexpected, underhand or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

box on the ear »    Administered on the victim's ear, usually by an educator, to enforce attention.

box-office bomb »    A motion picture that generates relatively low revenue at the box office, especially that which is less than the budget for the motion picture.

bragging rights »    The prerogative to praise oneself for an accomplishment or for possession of a superior characteristic.

brain-dead »    Having an irreversible loss of brain function and cessation of brain activity.

brass ring »    Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.

break a leg »    A wish for a successful performance; primarily a valediction to an actor wishing him or her a successful theatrical stage performance.

break a leg »    To perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.

break ground »    To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.

break in »    New function more naturally through use or wear.

break the back of »    To achieve the greater part of some project.

break up »    Of a telephone conversation, to cease to be understandable because of a bad connection.

brickbat »    For example, it's quite common for magazines to have a section called Bouquets and Brickbats for compliments and criticisms.

bridge »    A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.

bridge »    A device which connects two or more computer buses, typically in a transparent manner.

bridge »    A system which connects two or more local area networks at layer 2.

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 edge which, if removed, changes a connected graph to one that is not connected.

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.

bridge »    Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit.

bright line »    A clear distinction in the context of a legal or moral judgment.

bright-line rule »    A clearly defined rule or standard, comprised of objective factors, which leaves little or no room for varying interpretation.

bring back »    To reenact an old rule or law.

bring in »    To return a verdict in a court of law.

brown bag »    A short presentation or seminar on a given subject, especially one given at lunchtime.

brown bread »    Bread with a brown colour as distinct from white bread, wholemeal, granary or other specific types of bread.

brown power »    The production of electricity made from conventional sources, such as coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power.

built like a brick shithouse »    Exceptionally well constructed; strong or tough.

built like a tank »    Sturdy; exceptionally well constructed.

bulletproof »    Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.

bump and grind »    A combination of movements resembling such a dance, as in road racing, whitewater kayaking, or exercising; any activity involving prolonged jarring or shaking.

bundle of energy »    One who is especially lively, continually active, or industrious.

bundle of energy »    The energy associated with being lively, continually active, or industrious.

bundle of nerves »    A lively, continually active person.

bung up »    To close an opening with a cork, cork like object or other improvised obstruction.

burn one's bridges »    To destroy one's path, connections, reputation, opportunities, etc.

burn one's fingers »    To harm oneself; to suffer consequences of one's actions.

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 as usual »    The normal course of an activity, particularly in circumstances that are out of the ordinary.

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 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.

but seriously folks »    Directs attention to immediately preceding failed attempt at humor.

buzz up »    To allow entrance into a building from a higher floor by triggering an electronic lock.

by one's own hand »    As a result of one's own actions, especially with reference to death by suicide.

by the book »    In a manner which adheres strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.

by the numbers »    To do something exactly, precisely, or in a formulaic way.

by-the-book »    Adhering strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.

by-the-numbers »    Done in a predictable manner; formulaic.

call it a day »    To cease the activity for the day.

call it quits »    To conclude; to quit or stop an activity.

call off the dogs »    To ease up on after inflicting great punishment.

call on »    In a classroom, to select a student.

call on »    To request or ask of somebody; to select for a task.

call on »    To correct; to point out an error or untruth.

call someone's bluff »    To take action on the basis that another person is bluffing.

calling card »    A prepaid card or credit card, usually electronically readable, used to pay the charges when making a telephone call.

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.

camel's nose »    A metaphor for a situation where the permitting of some small act will lead consequently to a larger undesirable act or circumstance.

can of worms »    A complex, troublesome situation arising when a decision or action produces considerable subsequent problems.

cancel out »    To neutralize the effect of something.

carry on »    To act or behave; especially to act or behave so as to attract attention.

cash cow »    A product, service, or enterprise that generates ongoing, high net free cash flows.

cast off »    To discard or reject something.

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 and mouse game »    Two individuals and/or groups repeatedly keeping check on each other in a suspicious or self-protective way, often with the goal of one or both parties trying to gain a malicious advantage over the other.

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.

cat's pyjamas »    A highly sought-after and fancy example of something, usually referring to inanimate objects.

catch a cold »    To become infected with cold.

catch flies »    An ostensible product of awkwardly having one's mouth open wide.

catch on »    To begin to understand; to realize or detect.

caucus race »    A political competition; the game of campaigning and one-upmanship to get votes and be elected.

caucus race »    The competitive process in which a political party selects their candidate, esp. presidential; a primary election via caucus.

caught in the act »    To be found doing something that you weren't supposed to be doing, while you're doing it.

cave in »    The act of something collapsing or caving in.

cave in »    The act of relenting.

caveat lector »    Reader beware.

center field »    A central role in some activity that requires speed.

chain reaction »    A nuclear reaction in which particles produced by the fission of one atom trigger fissions of other atoms.

chain reaction »    A series of events, each one causing the next.

charge up »    To recharge, to give electrical power to something.

charity mugger »    A person employed by a charity, or by an intermediary fundraising agency employed by the charity, who stands in the street and invites passersby to set up standing orders or direct debits to make regular donations to the charity.

chase a rainbow »    To pursue something illusory, impractical, or impossible.

chat up »    In a friendly, open, or casual manner, sometimes also in a charming or affected manner, usually to curry favor, and sometimes flirtatiously with the intention of establishing a romantic or sexual encounter or relationship with that person.

che sera sera »    Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1604, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus:Why then belike we must sin, / And so consequently die. / Aye, we must die an everlasting death. / What doctrine call you this ? Che, sera, sera: / What will be*, shall be; Divinity adieu. / These Metaphysics of Magicians, / And necromantic books, are heavenly.

check out »    To examine or inspect; to espy.

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.

chew out »    To lecture, scold, reprimand, or rebuke.

chew the scenery »    To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.

chopped liver »    A person or object which is not worthy of being noticed; someone or something insignificant.

cite chapter and verse »    To speak authoritatively, providing detailed factual information.

clay »    A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.

clay »    An earth material with ductile qualities.

clean code »    Software code that is formatted correctly and in an organized manner so that another coder can easily read or modify it.

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.

clean up one's act »    To reform; to improve one's habits.

clear the decks »    To prepare for action.

clear up »    To clarify, to correct a misconception.

close enough for government work »    It is not worth investing additional time on perfecting this thing.

close to home »    Affecting people close to, or within, ones family circle.

close up shop »    To shut down a shop; to end a business activity.

close, but no cigar »    That's almost correct, but not quite.

clue in »    To inform, instruct, or tell.

cock a snook »    To spread one hand, place the thumb on the nose and wriggle some of the fingers as a gesture of disrespect.

cold comfort »    C. 1594, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, act 4, sc. 1.

cold shoulder »    A deliberate act of disrespect; a slight or snub.

cold turkey »    The physiological effects of such a withdrawal.

collect dust »    To remain untouched and unused for a long period of time.

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 about »    To tack; to change tack; to maneuver the bow of a sailing vessel across the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other; to position a boat with respect to the wind after tacking.

come across »    To give an appearance or impression; to project a certain image.

come around »    To change one's mind, especially to begin to agree or appreciate what one was reluctant to accept at first.

come down with »    To contract or get; to show symptoms of a minor illness.

come on »    A statement or sometimes action reflecting sexual or relational interest.

come online »    To enter service or become active.

come out with »    To say something unexpected.

come short »    Fail to meet (expectations or standards)

come to »    To befall; to affect; to happen to; to come upon.

come to a head »    To suddenly make mature or perfected that which was inchoate or imperfectly formed.

come to grips »    To confront or deal with directly.

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.

common ground »    A characteristic or interest shared by multiple people or systems.

company »    A group of individuals with a common purpose, as in a company of actors.

company »    In legal context, an entity that manufactures or sells products , or provides services as a commercial venture. A corporation.

company »    In non-legal context, any business, without respect to incorporation.

concrete jungle »    An urban or other populated area containing a high density of buildings constructed of concrete or similar materials, especially one which lacks greenery and which seems unattractive, harsh, or unsafe.

conk out »    To stop functioning.

conversation piece »    interesting object

cook up »    To manufacture; to falsify; to devise an elaborate lie.

cooking with gas »    Now doing something in an effective way.

cool one's jets »    To become less excited, intense, or active.

coop up »    To confine in a restricted place or situation.

cop-out »    Avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty; the action of copping out.

cordon off »    To protect from intrusion by enclosing in a rope barrier.

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.

coug it »    To suddenly lose a contest through reversal of fortune, mistakes, or bad judgment. The phrase is analogous to "blow it", or "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory".

could not get elected dogcatcher »    Is unpopular.

count on »    To rely upon, trust, or expect.

cover one's ass »    To make preparations or take precautions to ensure that one is not blamed or punished for one's conduct.

cramp someone's style »    To restrict someone's free actions, or to give the impression of such.

crank up »    To start something mechanical, an act that often used to involve cranking.

cream of the crop »    The best or most desirable among some selection.

crop up »    To occur, especially suddenly or unexpectedly.

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 Rubicon »    To make an irreversible decision or to take an action with consequences.

cruising for a bruising »    Following a course of action likely to result in injury or other trouble for oneself.

cry for help »    Acting out as a means of displaying a subconscious desire for attention or help.

cue up »    The act of taking aim on the cue ball with the cue in a game of snooker, or billiards, etc.

curveball »    An unexpected turn of events initiated by an opponent or chance.

cut a wide swath »    To clear a broad track through a grassland, woodland, geographical region, or other area, either by natural means or by human action.

cut it »    To suffice; to be effective or successful.

cut off »    To isolate or remove from contact.

cut out »    Well suited; appropriate; fit for a particular activity or purpose.

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 to the chase »    To get to the point; to get on with it; to state something directly.

damn the torpedoes »    Used to dismiss the risks of a dangerous action.

damn with faint praise »    To provide praise that is so minimal or inconsequential as to actually amount to criticism.

damp squib »    Anything that doesn’t work properly, or fails to come up to expectations..

dark horse »    A candidate who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice.

dark horse »    An unexpected success.

darn tootin' »    Absolutely correct; speaking the truth.

daylight robbery »    An exorbitant charge for a product or service.

dead »    Completely inactive; without power; without a signal.

dead »    Exact.

dead »    Unproductive.

dead as a doornail »    Unquestionably dead. Used for both inanimate objects and once living beings.

dead duck »    A project that is doomed to failure from the start.

dead on »    Exactly at.

dead shot »    Perfect shooter

deadweight »    A useless, usually encumbering factor.

death by spellcheck »    The problems caused by spellcheckers being incapable of correcting most homophone confusions.

death knell »    A sign or omen foretelling the death or destruction of something.

deathblow »    Something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc.

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.

deep thinker »    A person whose thoughts are profound; an intellectual.

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 »    ...grasp the demands and exactions of business life. He learns that the main thing to do is to "deliver the message to Garcia"....

desk jockey »    One who spends his or her time seated at a desk; especially one who is more concerned with procedure, paperwork, or administration than with its ultimate goal or practical consequence.

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.

devil's advocate »    One who debates from a view which they may not actually hold, usually to determine its validity, or simply for the sake of argument.

dictated but not read »    Dictated, as to a secretary or stenographer, but not proofread by the person who dictated the text so annotated.

die »    Followed by for. Often expressing wider contextual motivations, though sometimes indicating direct causes.

die »    Followed by with. Now rare as indicating direct cause.

die out »    To become extinct.

dime a dozen »    So common as to be practically worthless.

dirty laundry »    Unflattering facts or questionable activities that one wants to remain secret, but which some other may use to blackmail with.

dirty old man »    An adult male - usually middle-aged or elderly - who acts in a lecherous or lewd manner.

discretion is the better part of valour »    It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave speech or action.1597

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 drugs »    To abuse an illegal drug or drugs, especially as a result of chemical addiction.

do someone proud »    To cause someone to feel pride, admiration, or satisfaction.

do the honors »    Act as a host to guests.

do the honours »    Act as a host to guests.

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 drive faster than your guardian angel can fly »    Driving (a vehicle) very fast is a dangerous act.

don't get me started »    About the subject currently being discussed.

don't shit where you eat »    (idiomatic, vulgar) One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.1998 April 14, Nelson Navarro, "Ever faithful, ever true," Manila Standard (Philippines) (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):The guiding principle is Don't shit where you eat. Office romances are always destructive of morale and objectivity.2003 Oct. 8, Jonathan Valania, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Pussy," Philadelphia Weekly (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Limbaugh was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the NAB convention in, of all places, Philadelphia, thus violating the cardinal law of the animal kingdom: Don't shit where you eat.2006 Sept. 19, Michael Musto, "NY Mirror," Village Voice (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Mitchell refused to indulge in on-set romances with either gender. "You don't shit where you eat," he told me, plainly.

doorprikken »    To puncture.

double cream »    dairy product

double talk »    Speaking in a mixture of real English and English-sounding gibberish, for humorous effect.

down on one's luck »    Unlucky or undergoing a period of bad luck, especially with respect to financial matters.

down pat »    Thoroughly practiced, rehearsed, or understood.

down to the wire »    At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.

down-to-earth »    Practical; realistic; pragmatic.

drag »    To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.

drag one's feet »    To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.

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.

draw out »    To physically extract, as blood from a vein.

draw out »    To extract, bring out, as concealed information; elicit; educe.

draw the short straw »    To select the shortest straw or other object while drawing straws.

drive-by media »    Media professionals who "spray" a bunch of repetitive misstatements, mistaken and misinterpreted news reports to cause excitement and confusion. They then figuratively "drive off" leaving the cleanup of their mess and hysteria to others, to correct and properly explain and interpret.

drop a dime »    To make a phone call, usually means calling the police to report another's activities.

drop the gloves »    To remove a prior impediment to action; to prepare for or engage in a dispute.

drop the writ »    To call a federal or provincial election.

drug of choice »    Substance that a suspect is addicted to.

dry eye »    Keratoconjunctivitis sicca , an eye disease caused by decreased tear production.

dry run »    A practice; a rehearsal.

dumb down »    To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.

dummy run »    A trial or practice before the real attempt.

dummy up »    To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.

e mail »    electronic message

each to his own »    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion or tastes.My housemate is a strict vegan. I personally could never not eat meat, but each to his own.

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.

easy on the eyes »    Attractive; beautiful.

eat one's words »    To regret or retract what one has said.

eat someone out of house and home »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act II Scene I.

edge out »    To win in a contest or a game by a narrow margin of victory.

end up »    To conclude, turn out, sometimes unexpectedly.

end up »    To arrive at a destination, sometimes unexpectedly.

err on the side of caution »    To act in the least risky manner in a situation where one is uncertain about the consequences.

eureka moment »    The moment of a sudden unexpected discovery.

even keel »    Of a business or other activity which is under control and running smoothly.

every dog has its day »    Everyone has a time of success and satisfaction.

Every rose has it's thorns »    everything, even if it seems perfect, has faults

every silver lining has a cloud »    Every good situation has the potential to turn bad.2007, Diab A. Shetayh, Actuality : The Reality RequiemA great partnership isn't a self-maintaining entity. Perseverance and persistence make it thrive. For every silver lining has a cloud. Ignorance of this reality is not an option.

every which way »    All over; in every direction.

evil twin »    A duplicate or counterpart of something or someone that acts in a contrary, nefarious, or insidious manner.

execution style »    Resembling an execution; with the victim aware, but unable to defend himself or resist.

extract the urine »    To mess around, cajole.

eye candy »    A very attractive person or persons, or the salient visible physical attributes of same.

eye candy »    Any object or sight with considerable visual appeal.

eye for an eye »    Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.

eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth »    Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.

f** this »    The phrase emphatically diminishes the activity or event referred to and expresses that the speaker will have no more to do with it.

f** with »    To mess with; to interact with in a careless or inappropriate way.

face off »    Either an actual or a figurative face to face confrontation, especially a bitter one.

face that would stop a clock »    A shockingly attractive face.

face that would stop a clock »    A shockingly unattractive face.

face the music »    To accept or confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.

face to face »    In person; directly; in the physical presence of somebody.

face value »    No more or less than what is stated; a literal or direct meaning or interpretation.

faceplant »    The act of landing face first, often associated with bailing during extreme sports.

factor space »    A space obtained from another by identification of points that are equivalent to one another in some equivalence relation.

factor space »    In a product space.

factotum »    A general servant.

factotum »    A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.

factotum »    Jack of all trades.

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.

facts on the ground »    Some aspects of the situation in a particular location.

fair enough »    An expression used to concede a point; denotes that, upon consideration, something is correct or reasonable; an expression of acknowledgment or understanding.

fair game »    Actions permissible by the rules.

fair game »    An goal or object that may legitimately be sought.

fair sex »    Women collectively.

fall off »    A hip hop term; to completely lose the plot in terms of artistic direction.

fall off the wagon »    To cease or fail at a regimen of self-improvement or reform; to lapse back into an old habit or addiction.

fall short »    To be less satisfactory than expected; to be inadequate or insufficient.

fall together »    To contract.

false step »    An erroneous action or decision.

farm out »    To subcontract some task to another; to outsource.

fashion plate »    A picture, usually an advertisement, showing the latest fashion in clothing.

fear »    A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.

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 the dragon »    To buy or sell products labeled as "Made in China.".

feet of clay »    To say that someone, who appears strong or invincible, in fact has a hidden weak point which could cause their fall.

fence in »    To restrict freedom.

fifteen minutes of fame »    A very short time in the spotlight or brief flurry with fame, after which the person or subject involved is quickly forgotten.

fifth wheel »    A type of trailer hitch, which consists of a horseshoe-shaped plate on a multi-directional pivot, with a locking pin to couple with the kingpin of a truck trailer.

fight off »    To resist, particularly an infection or an emotion.

final cut »    A group, after a selection process getting rid of other candidates.

finders keepers »    The doctrine that whoever finds something is allowed to keep it

fine print »    The details, restrictions, terms, or conditions, especially of a contract, often printed in very small type.

fire drill »    An organised practice to prepare occupants of an office, school or other public building for evacuation in the event of a fire.

fire off »    To ask an unexpected question rapidly.

fire on all cylinders »    To operate as effectively as possible.

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.

fishtail »    The tail of a fish, or an object resembling this.

fit as a fiddle »    Perfectly fit; in excellent health.

fits and starts »    Activity which is intermittent, variable in intensity, and prolonged by interruptions.

flap one's gums »    To speak idly; to talk without effect.

flash in the pan »    A transient occurrence with no long-term effect.

flat-footed »    Unprepared to act.

flesh out »    To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.

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.

flower »    An inflorescence that resembles a flower, but actually contains many small florets, such as a sunflower.

fly in the face of »    To act in a manner highly contrary to; to counteract or contradict.

fly-by-night »    A creatures which flies at night; a nocturnal flier or traveler.

fold up »    To make or become more compact by folding.

for all intensive purposes »    Misconstruction of “for all intents and purposes”.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].

for all intents and purposes »    For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

for goodness' sake »    This interjection expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.

for goodness' sake »    This interjection expresses surprise or amazement.

for the love of »    Used to form interjections expressing exasperation.

for the nonce »    For the time being, with the expectation that the situation may change.

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.

fork over »    Hundreds of spectators forked over the 70 bucks for tickets.

forked tongue »    The characteristic of deceptiveness; duplicity; untruthfulness.

four-eyes »    A person who wears spectacles.

four-on-the-floor »    Characterised by a steady, uniformly accented beat with a 4/4 time signature.

fourth wall »    The boundary between the fiction and the audience.

fourth wall »    The imaginary invisible wall at the front of the stage in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play.

from time to time »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 3, sc. 3.

front runner »    The most likely winners in a contest, election, etc.

full marks »    To exclaim complete satisfaction with someone's efforts.

full of beans »    Incorrect; uninformed; exaggerating or expressing falsehood.

full of shit »    Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.

funny stuff »    Irregular, often illegal, activities.

game plan »    Any strategy devised to reach a given objective.

gapers' block »    A traffic jam resulting from motorists slowing to look at a motor vehicle collision or other roadside distraction.

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"

gear up »    To prepare for an activity.

get a rise out of »    To obtain a reaction from someone, especially one of annoyance.

get a room »    A jocular or sarcastic expression commanding a couple to stop displaying affection in public, and to rent a hotel or motel room to continue amorous activities in private.

get away with »    To do something which is prohibited, forbidden or generally not allowed, and not be punished for the action.

get in »    To be elected to some office.

get in »    To secure membership at a selective school.

get in someone's hair »    To hinder someone or interfere with their actions.

get into trouble »    To perform an action which is illegal, prohibited, forbidden or proscribed and to become subject to punishment for such action.

get off one's high horse »    To stop acting in an imperious, overbearing or bossy manner.

get on somebody's case »    To lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.

get on someone's wick »    To annoy or upset someone, usually by repeated disagreeable actions.

get one's act together »    To become serious, organized, worthwhile, etc.

get one's foot in the door »    To initiate contact or a relationship; to gain access, especially to an entry-level job.

get the ball rolling »    To begin; to start some action; to set in motion.

ghost train »    fairground attraction

give 'em enough rope »    Allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.

give a sneck posset »    To give someone a cold reception; to close the door on someone; to reject them.

give away the store »    To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.

give face »    To honor; to pay respect.

give him enough rope and he'll hang himself »    If one gives someone enough freedom of action, they may destroy themselves by foolish actions.

give hostage to fortune »    To take an action or make a statement that is risky because it could cause you trouble later.

give over »    To devote oneself to a particular activity.

give somebody a piece of one's mind »    To express one's opinion strongly; to voice one's disagreement or dissatisfaction.

give somebody the brush-off »    To rebuff, snub or curtly reject someone.

give somebody the cold shoulder »    To snub, resist or reject somebody; to regard somebody distantly.

give somebody the runaround »    Especially by providing useless information or directions .

give someone the chair »    To execute a person by means of the electric chair.

give the time of day »    To acknowledge somebody; to give somebody any respect or attention.

go all the way »    To continue to the conclusion of a task or project.

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 apeshit »    To behave in an extreme manner; to act without restraint, especially by becoming explosively angry.

go batshit »    To become completely irrational; to react in an irrationally extreme manner.

go blue »    Of states and counties, to be carried by a Democratic candidate in a given U.S. election.

go by »    To pass, to go past, without much interaction.

go by the board »    To be superseded, rejected, or obliterated; to pass by with little consequence; to amount to nothing.

go down »    To stop functioning, to go offline.

go in off »    To pot the cue ball accidentally after hitting the object ball.

go mad »    Used to indicate that the second verb represents an action that is out of character.

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 off half-cocked »    To take a premature or ill-considered action.

go out »    To become extinct, to expire.

go red »    Of states or counties, to be carried by a Republican candidate in a given U.S. election.

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 someone's head »    To strongly affect a person, especially to the detriment of their senses or mental faculties.

go to the mat »    To continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.

go to the mattresses »    To go to war; to use ruthless tactics; to act without restraint.

go with the flow »    To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.

good to go »    Ready for some specific task or ready for normal activity, especially after preparation or recovery.

good turn »    A good deed; a thoughtful or selfless act.

goof off »    To dawdle; to engage in idle activity or inactivity.

grab bag »    A gift, purchase, etc. whose contents are concealed until after a selection is made.

grab bag »    Any random assortment, selection or possibility.

grace period »    A length of time during which rules or penalties do not take effect or are withheld.

grass roots »    People and society at the local level rather than at the national centre of political activity.

grate »    A horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.

gratuitous violence »    The artificial depiction of excessive violence.

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.

greenwash »    A false or misleading picture of environmental friendliness used to conceal or obscure damaging activities.

grind to a halt »    Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.

gunboat diplomacy »    The pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of military power.

gunshy »    Fearing the consequences of repeating an act, especially after being reprimanded.

gussie up »    To make fancy or attractive, as by artificial or contrived means.

gut factor »    Feelings about what feels right or wrong, good or bad. An inner persuasion that one may feel convinced is the appropriate decision.

gut feeling »    An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.

gut reaction »    An instantaneous reaction made without thought.

hair-splitting »    The act of finding exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.

halfway decent »    Good - better than expected.

ham it up »    To act or emote, especially to overact or act badly.

hand in hand »    Naturally, ordinarily or predictably together; commonly having a correlation or relationship.

handwriting on the wall »    Alternative form of writing on the wall. A divine prediction or sentence to fate.

hard done by »    Used, cheated, dejected.

hard-nosed »    Guided by practical experience and observation rather than by theory.

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.

hatchet job »    A treatment which serves primarily to disparage its subject; a piece of criticism which aims to destroy a reputation.

haul off »    To alter course so as to get farther away from an object.

have a bun in the oven »    To be pregnant; to be expecting a baby.

have a screw loose »    A phrase meaning that the subject is insane or irrational.

have a seat »    A polite directive to sit down.

have an axe to grind »    To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something.

have eyes in the back of one's head »    To be particularly, especially uncannily, observant; a perceived ability to see in all directions at once.

have it coming »    To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions.

have it large »    To engage intensely in pleasure-seeking activities.

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 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 head in the clouds »    To have fantastic or impractical dreams; to think impractically.

have one's heart set on »    To want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality.

have one's work cut out for one »    To face a large task or project.

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.

he-man »    A strong, virile or sexually active man.

head start »    A factor conducive to superiority and success.

head up »    To lead or take the lead; to direct; to take charge.

head-on »    Direct, abrupt, blunt or unequivocal; not prevaricating.

head-on »    Of a collision, from the front or in the direction of motion.

hell hath no fury like a woman scorned »    A woman will make someone suffer if they reject her.

hell or high water »    Highly adverse circumstances; acts of God.

hem and haw »    To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.

here goes nothing »    Indicates a lack of confidence or certainty about the activity about to be tried.

hiding to nothing »    A situation in which victory has little or no value, but defeat has a huge cost.

high ground »    A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.

high noon »    Exactly noon; midday; the middle of the day.

high road »    A course of action which is honorable, dignified, or respectable.

historical figure »    A fictional or fabricated person who was was given historical importance in legends and myth.

hit a snag »    To encounter an unexpected problem or delay.

hit one out of the ballpark »    To hit a fair ball so well that the ball flies over all of the spectators' seats and lands outside the stadium.

hit one out of the ballpark »    To produce a spectacular achievement.

hit someone for six »    Be affected in a devastating way by some unexpected news.

hit the bricks »    To participate in a workplace strike or other job action; to participate in a public protest, especially one involving picketing.

hit the ground running »    To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.

hit the nail on the head »    To identify something exactly; to arrive at exactly the right answer.

hold back »    To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power.

hold off »    To delay commencing an action (until some specified time or event has passed).

hold one's own »    To stand up to; to give a respectable performance; to provide worthy competition.

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.

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 with the hare and run with the hounds »    To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.

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.

holding pattern »    Any failure to advance; useless or unproductive activity.

home away from home »    A place in which one is as comfortable as one's actual home.

homeless dumping »    The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the streets instead of placing them into the custody of a relative or shelter or retaining them in a hospital where they may require expensive medical care.

honey trap »    The use of a seductive woman to entice a man into revealing secret information.

hoover up »    Into a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.

hoover up »    Quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from the plate rather than using cutlery.

horse of a different color »    An unrelated or only incidentally related matter with distinctly different significance.

horse opera »    A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.

horse's mouth »    Source; someone who directly experienced or witnessed something.

horses for courses »    The practice of choosing the best person for a particular job.

hospital pass »    Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.

hot and cold »    Ambivalent; having conflicting emotions.

hot button »    A central issue, concern or characteristic, especially one that motivates people to make a choice.

hot desking »    The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.

hot lunch »    A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.

hot potato »    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 to trot »    Eager for sexual activity.

house of cards »    A structure made by laying cards perpendicularly on top of each other.

house of cards »    A structure or argument built on a shaky foundation.

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.

how do you like them apples »    Directed jestingly or mockingly at someone who has received surprising information, ridiculing the situation.

how's the weather »    Indicating a change of subject to unimportant topics.

hustle and bustle »    A large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding.

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 the shoe fits »    If it has all of the characteristics of a thing, it probably is that thing.

in aid to this fact »    In addition to; and futhermore.

in business »    Engaged in business activity.

in business »    Ready to proceed in a desired activity.

in character »    Acting as the character, not as oneself.

in fact »    Actually, in truth.

in fact »    Resulting from the actions of parties.

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 line »    Suitable or appropriate; keeping with expectations, norms, ideals, or rules.

in no uncertain terms »    With great clarity, emphasis, or exactness; without any ambiguity.

in one's pocket »    Subject to one's whims because of bribery.

in person »    actually present

in so far as »    With respect to.

in spite of »    Despite, irrespective of, notwithstanding.

in stride »    Without disturbing one's course of activities.

in the act »    In the process of doing something; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.

in the cards »    Destined or fated to happen; predicted or foreseen.

in the clear »    Not guilty or not suspected of wrongdoing.

in the dock »    Under scrutiny; subject to critical inspection.

in the doghouse »    In trouble; the subject of somebody's anger or disapproval.

in the swim »    Actively participating in the flow of events; very involved.

in the way »    Obstructing, blocking, or hindering.

in touch »    In contact, or in communication.

in vain »    In a disrespectful manner, especially when concerning religion.

inside baseball »    Technical matters concerning baseball not apparent to spectators.

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.

installed base »    The number of units of a system or product that are currently in use.

it is what it is »    This circumstance is simply a fact and must be accepted or dealt with as it exists.

it is what it is »    This thing has its own distinct nature; this thing is itself.

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 all Greek to me »    I tried reading the instructions, but it’s all Greek to me..

it's all grist to the mill »    Everything referred to in the present context has some sort of use.1999, Simon Blackburn, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press paperback, ISBN 0199690871), ch. 7 section 6: "Kant

it's 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:

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

it's one's funeral »    One's decisions or actions will bring undesirable consequences only on oneself.

itchy trigger finger »    A tendency to act in haste or without consideration.

ivory tower »    A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.

jack in »    To stop doing a regular activity. Often a job or studies.

jack in »    To insert an electronic coupling into a receptacle; to connect to something, whether involving a physical medium or not.

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 setting »    The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.

jet-setting »    The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.

joe job »    An act of e-mail spamming where the sender's identity and address are those of an innocent third party, intended either to tarnish that person's reputation or to flood that person's e-mail with bounces.

jump rope »    A single jump in this game or activity, counted as a measure of achievement.

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.

jump rope »    The length of rope, sometimes with handles, casing or other additions, used in that activity.

jump ship »    To depart a project without warning.

jump the gun »    To act or begin too soon or without due caution.

just another pretty face »    Someone who is attractive, but not too distinguished.

just like that »    Unexpectedly, without warning.

just what the doctor ordered »    Exactly what is necessary or useful in a given situation.

kangaroo court »    A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.

keep from »    To protect or preserve from.

keep it up »    To maintain one's erection.

keep one on one's toes »    To keep one attentive, active, busy or alert.

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.

kernel of truth »    A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.

kick in »    To kick or strike so as to cause the object struck to collapse or fall inwards.

kick in »    To start or connect suddenly.

kick in »    To contribute, especially to a collection of money.

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.

kick off the team »    In sports, to dismiss an athlete from a team, usually for misconduct, poor academic performance or other offenses.

kick out »    To stop, stall, or disconnect suddenly.

kick the habit »    To recover from or quit an addiction or habit. For example, to quit smoking, drinking, burping, or drug addiction.

kick up »    To function improperly.

kicking and screaming »    With extreme reluctance.

kids will be kids »    You cannot expect children to act like adults.

kill off »    To eliminate, or make extinct.

kind »    Affectionate, showing benevolence.

king of hearts »    picture card

kiss of death »    Something that may seem good and favourable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.

knacker's yard »    A place to send a person or object that is spent beyond all reasonable use.

knee high to a grasshopper »    Short; especially relating to when the subject was a small child.

knock around »    To do a relaxing activity.

knock on wood »    A self-directive to undertake the customary action to ward off bad luck.

knock on wood »    To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted my a presumptuous statement.

knock up »    In the morning as by knocking at the door; rouse; call; summon; also, to go door-to-door on election day to persuade a candidate's supporters to go to the polling station and vote. See also knocker up.

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 »    A secondary, often unintended effect.

knock-on effect »    The continued running of an engine after the ignition has been turned off; dieseling.

know the score »    Be aware of a situation, especially of the consequences of misconduct.

knowledge is power »    With knowledge and/or education, one's potential or ability to succeed in the pursuit of his objectives will certainly increase.

la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »    The final thing that is too much and forces a reaction; the straw that broke the camel's back.

labor of love »    A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.

laced-up »    Fixed in the sprockets of the projector.

lady's man »    A man who attracts women and enjoys their company.

landing strip »    A cultivated pubic hair pattern in which much of the pubic hair is removed, leaving only a central vertical line or rectangle.

last word »    The finest, highest, or ultimate representative of some class of objects.

laughing stock »    An object of ridicule, someone who is publicly ridiculed; a butt of sport.

laughing stock »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.

lay about »    To strike blows in all directions.

lay down »    To specify, institute, enact, assert firmly, state authoritatively, establish or formulate .

lay up »    To take out of active service.

lay up »    To go out of active service.

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.

leading lady »    starring actress

leaf through »    Rapidly reading short sections at random.

lean and mean »    Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.

leather working »    The technology of making products from leather.

leave well enough alone »    To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient.

leave well enough alone »    To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient

legal duty »    A duty prescribed by the law, to act or forbear from acting.

lemon law »    A law dealing with defective items, especially automobiles, and consumers' rights.

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's roll »    Used to suggest that an action should begin.

level up »    To progress to the next level of player character stats and abilities. Often used in role-playing games when the character has aquired enough experience points.

light bucket »    Nickname for a reflecting telescope, especially one with a relatively large aperture and suitable for observing deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies.

like gangbusters »    Vigorously, rapidly, zealously, or forcibly; in a manner which has considerable impact.

like the back end of a bus »    Very unattractive.

like water off a duck's back »    Without immediate or lasting effects.

line one's pockets »    To accumulate personal wealth, especially in an illegal or morally objectionable manner.

link whoring »    The practice of going out of one's way to place links to one's website on someone else's webpage.

lip service »    Empty talk; words absent of action or intention.

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 one »    Someone who is easily fooled, victimized, or ridiculed.

live up »    To fulfil the expectations placed upon.

live wire »    An electrical wire through which there is a flow of electrical current.

lock horns »    To come into conflict.

lone gunman »    An individual person who acts on his or her own initiative, without partners, especially one who has sole responsibility for doing something questionable, confidential, or iniquitous.

long absent, soon forgotten »    Love fades away when people are distant and don't keep close physical contact.

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.

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 after »    To watch or protect; to keep safe.

look before you leap »    Don't jump into something too precipitously; be at least a bit foresightful or circumspect.

look daggers »    To stare sharply at someone to indicate disapproval without actually speaking.

look forward »    To anticipate or expect; especially, to expect something to be pleasant.

look forward to »    To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure.

look off »    To mislead by directing one's apparent attention away from one's true object of intent.

look out for number one »    To act in one's own interests; to act in a manner advantageous primarily to oneself.

look up to »    To show respect or admiration for.

Loose cannon »    An uncontrolled or unpredictable person who causes damage to his own friends, faction, political party, etc.

lose face »    To lose the respect of others, to be humiliated or experience public disgrace.

lose one's touch »    To lose one's special mastery of or knack for a particular skill or activity.

lose the plot »    To cease to be behaving in a predictable and/or rational manner.

lose touch »    To cease to be familiar with someone or something or to cease to communicate or have contact.

love is blind »    A person who is in love can see no faults or imperfections in the person who is loved.

low road »    A course of action which is undignified, wrongful, or otherwise unseemly.

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.

lucky dip »    A selection solely at random.

made in China »    Cheaply manufactured in East Asia.

made in China »    Manufactured in the People's Republic of China.

made in Japan »    Cheaply manufactured in East Asia.

made in Japan »    Manufactured in Japan.

made in the shade »    In a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living, or general well-being.

make a monkey out of »    To cause a person, organization, or action to appear foolish or inferior; to subject someone or something to ridicule..

make a splash »    To do something that attracts attention.

make a virtue of necessity »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 4, sc.1.

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 hay while the sun shines »    To act while an opportunity exists; to take action while a situation is favorable.

make no bones about »    To see no difficulty in, have no objection to.

make out »    To characterize as; often with to be.

make someone's day »    To make someone happy or to be a source of satisfaction.

make the grade »    To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.

man of parts »    A man that is talented in multiple areas of life. This includes but is not limited to the area of seduction. He puts very little emphasis on memorized scripts or "peacocking" and instead relies on individualized ways to charm a woman.

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.

managerial inbreeding »    Bad management, caused by managers making poor selection choices in recruitment, rewards, and promotions of the staff that report to them, leading to another generation of managers who lack the necessary skill sets to reward and promote the most effective staff.

map out »    To organise the basic plan for a project.

march to the beat of a different drum »    To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and expectations.

match made in hell »    A very unsuccessful or conflicting combination of two people or things.

matter of course »    An expected or customary outcome.

matter of fact »    A fact.

matter of fact »    A more factual correction.

matter of fact »    Something completely true.

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

measure up »    To meet expectations; to be as good as.

memory lane »    A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.

mess up »    To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.

mess up »    To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.

middle of nowhere »    Nowhere; any place lacking population, interesting things, or defining characteristics.

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!

mind one's p's and q's »    To be very careful to behave correctly.

mind the store »    To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.

mind-numbing »    Excessively boring, tedious, or dull; repetitive; of an activity, etc., lacking any interest or variety that might serve as intellectual stimulation.

miss the boat »    To fail to take advantage of an opportunity; to overlook or be too late to pursue an option or course of action.

mixed bag »    By extension, a group of entities with few characteristics in common; an assortment.

mixed bag »    Something tending to have both good and bad results or characteristics; something having a mixture of advantages and disadvantages.

mixed message »    Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.

monkey around »    To act foolishly.

monkey business »    An activity that is considered silly, or stupid, or time-wasting.

monkey business »    An activity that may be considered illegal, questionable, or a vice, but not felonious.

monkey business »    Wasting time, or effort, on some foolish project.

monkey on one's back »    An addiction, especially to narcotic drugs.

monkey wrench »    A problem, obstacle or dilemma; something unexpected or troublesome.

mop up »    To fix problems; to correct or repair.

morning person »    A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.

mother hen »    An outspoken and overprotective woman dealing with others' affairs.

mouth breather »    A person who is boorish, stupid, or otherwise unattractive.

mouth of a sailor »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

mouthful of marbles »    An indistinct, muffled or garbled manner of speaking.

move heaven and earth »    To do whatever is necessary, including extreme or unusual actions; to go to extremes.

mover and shaker »    Someone who has power and influence in some field or activity.

movie star »    famous film actor

mum's the word »    The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged.

music to one's ear »    Some unexpected good news; a favorable outcome after some initial confusion or delay.

needle in a haystack »    Something that is difficult or impossible to locate; something impossibly complex or intractable.

nervous hit »    A production which receives generally favorably notice, but is not assured of success.

nice guy »    An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.

night person »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.

nighthawk »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.

no brainer »    Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.

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 great shakes »    Unexceptional; not special or noteworthy; not very effective.

no holds barred »    Without restrictions on holds or what opponents may do.

no ifs, ands, or buts »    Period; exactly so; without modification, limitation, or addendum.

no man is an island »    All people are connected to other people and dependent on other people.1623, John Donne,

no matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney »    Regardless of how many clever points or fine distinctions one makes, what one is saying is still false or is still nonsense.

no screaming hell »    Something that is not particularly effective or impressive; something that is below expectations.

no smoke without fire »    Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.

no two ways about it »    No other possible action, choice or option.

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

nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat »    The idea/proposed action is inconsequential to the current situation.

nose test »    An inspection of an object using the sense of smell, as for freshness of food.

nose test »    An inspection of the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.

not a pretty sight »    Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.

not all it's cracked up to be »    Not as good as claimed; falling short of expectations.

not on your tintype »    An answer indicating outright rejection or denial; no way; absolutely not.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Ambrose Bierce , The Fiend's Delight In conclusion, his respect for letter-writing ladies is so great that he would not touch one of them with a ten-foot pole.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Ambrose Bierce, The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Vol. 8.

now you're cooking »    A phrase, often given in response, meaning that the subject has switched to a more suitable or more efficient approach.

now you're talking »    A phrase indicating agreement with a previously stated suggestion to change a course of action.

object lesson »    A lesson taught using a familiar or unusual object as a focus.

object lesson »    A punishment intended as a deterrent to others.

object lesson »    An example that typifies a principle.

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.

odd and curious »    A way to designate special coins, namely coins that are both odd and imperfect or seriously damaged.

odd one out »    A visual puzzle where the guesser has to choose which word/picture/symbol etc. does not fit with the others.

of an »    Indicates a more or less habitual activity during the given part of the day.

off one's game »    Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.

off the chain »    Free from work or direct supervision. In reference to slave labor, where workers are chained, or to the figurative chain of workers of an assembly line.

off the hook »    Of a telephone, having an open connection; not hung up.

off the mark »    Inaccurate; not correct or appropriate.

off the radar »    Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.

off the rails »    In an abnormal manner, especially in a manner that causes damage or malfunctioning.

old hand »    A person who is experienced at a certain activity.

old hat »    Something widely or long practiced, known, or accepted; something conventional.

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.

on a full stomach »    Directly after eating, after a meal.

on acid »    Exaggerated, bizarre or unpredictable.

on all fours »    Similar in nature or effect to something else; consistent.

on end »    Upright; erect; endways.

on one's high horse »    Self-righteous; proceeding on the belief one is more correct or proper than others.

on one's toes »    Attentive, active, busy or alert.

on steroids »    To a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.

on the anvil »    Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.

on the back burner »    Not immediate; inactive; receiving less than full or regular attention.

on the ball »    Alert, active, or attentive; on top of things.

on the blink »    Functioning erratically, malfunctioning; not working or not working well. Usually refers to a mechanical or electronic device.

on the button »    Exactly, precisely.

on the defensive »    Prepared to defend or protect against criticism, attack or aggression.

on the dot »    Exactly; precisely, especially of a numerical quantity.

on the fly »    Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.

on the go »    Actively traveling; busy; moving often.

on the line »    On a level with the eye of the spectator; said of a picture, as hung in an exhibition of pictures.

on the make »    Actively seeking a romantic encounter or relationship.

on the make »    Actively seeking an opportunity for self-advancement; eager to ingratiate oneself to others in order to secure some advantage.

on the nose »    Exactly; precisely.

on the plus side »    Positively; from a favorable view or perspective.

on the right track »    Using the correct general approach to a particular task or problem; pursuing something in a promising way.

on track »    Proceeding as planned, as expected, or in a manner consistent with an established pattern.

one at a time »    Individually, as opposed to collectively; slowly or methodically, figuratively.

one fell swoop »    One stroke; one action or event with many results.

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's bark is worse than one's bite »    The individual acts threatening but is relatively harmless.

one-man band »    An organisation or business that is effectively run by only one person.

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-night stand »    An occasion when a performer or team of them expects to perform at a theater for a single evening.

one-trick pony »    A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.

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.

opposites attract »    people who are completely different make ideal partners.

orphan drug »    But which is not manufactured or marketed because the demand is insufficient to cover the costs of supply.

other days, other ways »    People of the past thought and acted differently.

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 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 fix »    Wrong, broken, nonfunctional.

out of house and home »    In a manner that deprives one of dwelling or some aspect thereof.

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 order »    Not functioning properly.

out of the blue »    Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.

out of the way »    Not obstructing or hindering; not in the way.

out of touch »    No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.

out of touch »    No longer maintaining contact or communications.

out of whole cloth »    Fabricated, fictitious.

out the door »    The exact image, a lookalike.

out the door »    Exact, correct.

outside world »    The rest of the world outside of some closed, restricted, or remote environment.

over a barrel »    In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.

over and out »    Used to signal the end of a conversation, especially one conducted by CB radio or the like.

over the top »    Bold; beyond normal, expected, or reasonable limits; excessive; outrageous.

overkill »    A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.

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.

painting rocks »    Pointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment but in fact merely disguising the unemployment level.

palace politics »    The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers within a government, especially as involving internal rivalry and intrigue.

palm off »    To attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.

pan out »    By swirling dirt or crushed rock in a pan of water, in the manner of a traditional prospector seeking gold.

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 .

paper trail »    A written record, history, or collection of evidence.

paper trail »    The records left by a person or organization in the course of activities.

par for the course »    To be expected; normal; common; usual.

parade of horribles »    A rhetorical device employing a series of progressively more terrible results following from an act.

pass muster »    To adequately pass a formal or informal inspection.

pass the buck »    To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.

patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels »    The appeal to patriotism is often used to distract the public from real issues.

pay for it »    To suffer the consequences of one's actions.

pay the fiddler »    To face the consequences of one’s actions..

payback's a bitch »    Usually a complete sentence as an interjection: I am amused that someone got their revenge on you...but you certainly had it coming.

payback's a bitch »    Usually a complete sentence: I will get revenge when you least expect it.

peaches-and-cream »    Of facial complexion, smooth, with attractive yellow-pink coloring.

peachy keen »    Extremely good, exactly right; all right. Often used in the negative or with an ironic or sarcastic connotation to mean the opposite.

pearl of wisdom »    A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.

peashooter »    A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.

peashooter »    Any small or ineffective gun.

penalty box »    That is assessed after an infraction.

pencil whip »    To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.

penny for your thoughts »    Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted.

perfect storm »    A powerful hurricane or other major weather disturbance, especially as produced by a combination of meteorological conditions.

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 on »    To bully or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.

pick one's nose »    The act of picking one's nose, insertion of a finger or other object into one's nostril.

pick up »    To collect an object, especially in passing.

pick up »    To collect a passenger.

pick up »    To notice, detect or discern, often used with "on".

pick up »    To point out (a person's behaviour, habits or actions),in a critical manner.

pickle »    An affectionate term for a loved one.

piece of ass »    A very attractive woman, when considered as a sex object.

piece of ass »    An act of intercourse, especially a one night stand.

piece of cake »    A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple to do.

piece of work »    A product or manufactured article, especially an item of art or craft.

piffy on a rock bun »    A person ignored or sidelined from an activity.

pile up »    To collect or accumulate, as a backlog.

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.

pink slip »    An automobile roadworthiness inspection certificate.

piss up a rope »    To engage in futile or impossible activity.

pitch a tent »    To have an erection that shows through the trousers.

plan on »    To expect; to prepare future actions based on.

play along »    To take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.

play around »    To engage in sexual practices outside of marriage.

play hardball »    To act rough and ruthless, especially in politics or business.

play it by ear »    To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.

play one's cards right »    To act sensibly; to make the right moves.

play possum »    To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.

play silly buggers »    To act in a stupid or reckless manner.

play the race card »    To assert that race or racism is responsible for a course of events, especially when race is not of particular significance to the issue in question; to attempt to inspire a particular reaction by raising the issue of race.

play the same tape »    To repeat exactly what one previously said or did.

plead the fifth »    To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.

plead the fifth »    To refuse to answer a question, or refuse to speak, especially when the response would reflect badly on the speaker.

pleased as Punch »    Pleased with one's actions or achievements.

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.

point of no return »    The point in an aircraft's flight when there is insufficient fuel to reverse direction and return to the place of origin.

point the finger »    To accuse; to direct or imply blame.

poison pen »    A usually intentionally rude, spiteful, and/or condescending piece of writing directed at a person, group, lifestyle, way of thought, or other target.

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.

pop out »    To leave a room or building with the expectation of returning soon.

possession is nine-tenths of the law »    One who has possession of a thing has some right to it; a popular statement of the doctrine of adverse possession.

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.

potty mouth »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

pound sand »    To engage in a futile activity.

power chord »    A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power chords make extensive use of intervals such as open fourths and fifths.

power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely »    The corrupting influence of power is total when one's power is total.Lord Acton see: Wikiquote

power point »    electrical socket

power up »    To turn the electrical power on to a device as a precondition to make it operational.

power up »    To become ready for operation as a result of the provision of electrical power.

practice makes perfect »    If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.

pretty pictures »    Image supplements in a presentation: graphs, charts, etc.

price out of the market »    To charge an exorbitant price for a service or product so that no one will purchase it.

private eye »    A private personal detective, employed to gather information about someone.

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.

puddle jumper »    A small passenger airplane, typically used for shorter connecting trips to smaller airports.

pull somebody's leg »    To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting. It usually implies teasing or goading by jokingly lying.

pull the plug »    To cease from production or publication.

pull the trigger »    To commit to a course of action.

pull together »    To unite for a common objective.

pump up »    To inflate with a pumping action.

push one's luck »    To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.

put a damper on »    To stop people from enjoying an activity.

put about »    To change direction.

put across »    To perform a theatrical production.

put by »    To perform an action without attracting attention.

put into practice »    To take a theory and make it a practical reality.

put one's mind to it »    To apply oneself; to exert a directed effort.

put oneself across »    To explain one's ideas and opinions clearly so that another person can understand them and get a picture of your personality.

put out »    The statistic of the number of outs a defensive player directly caused.

put someone down as »    To assume someone has a particular character from very little information.

put something into perspective »    To compare with something similar to give a clearer, more accurate idea.

put through its paces »    To test completely; to exercise the full range of abilities or functions.

put through the wringer »    To interrogate or scrutinize closely; to subject to some trial or ordeal.

put together »    To assemble, construct, or build.

question mark »    The punctuation mark “?”, used at the end of a sentence to indicate a question..

quick-and-dirty »    Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.

quick-and-dirty »    Of or pertaining to the creation or repair of software or hardware in a manner which permits operation within a brief period of time, although with compromised functionality or reliability.

quiet down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

quieten down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

rag bagger »    A sailboat, usually a cruising sailboats which tend to carry and store lots of supplies along the deck, or any sailboat that looks like a neglected vessel, or messy vessel.

rag the puck »    To proceed slowly at any activity in order to use up time; to stall for time.

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 the bar »    To raise standards or expectations, especially by creating something to a higher standard.

raise the spectre »    To cause concern that something unfortunate might happen.

rake »    A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.

rake »    The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.

ramp up »    Of a project or operation, to start up.

rat race »    An activity or situation which is congested with participants and which is hectic or tedious, especially in the context of a busy, modern urban lifestyle.

read somebody the riot act »    To scold or berate somebody; to reprimand.

reckon on »    To plan on; to expect.

reckon upon »    To plan upon; to expect.

red state »    A state of the United States voting Republican in a given election, or tending to vote Republican in general.

red-handed »    In the act of wrongdoing.

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.

reflect on »    To think carefully about something, and give it due consideration.

reflect on »    At run-time using reflection.

reflect on »    To give an impression of .

reflect upon »    To reflect on.

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.

ride herd on »    To supervise a group of people, such as workers, and/or their actions, i.e. their work.

ride roughshod over »    To act in a bullying or inconsiderate manner; to display disregard towards someone or something.

ride shotgun »    To assist and protect.

ride tall in the saddle »    To act or conduct oneself in a manner that is imposing, impressive, resolute, or manly.

ride tall in the saddle »    To ride a horse in an erect, imposing manner.

right as rain »    Correct; factually accurate.

right back »    Used in several informal constructions to indicate return -- especially imminent return to a point of origin.

right on the money »    Exact; precise; exactly right.

rim job »    Anilingus; act where one person licks the other's anus.

ring false »    To seem to be incorrect, or implausible.

ring off »    To finish a telephone conversation and disconnect.

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.

road movie »    A film in which much of the action takes place during a journey, especially one involving overland travel.

roadwarrior »    A person who carries a mobile device such as a laptop or PDA and uses wireless internet connections to work.

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.

rock up »    To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.

roll down the windows »    To flail one's arms in a circular motion when off-balance, as to mimic the act of rolling down a car window.

root cause »    An initiating cause of a chain of events which leads to an outcome or effect of interest.

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.

round off »    To change the shape of an object to make it more circular.

rule of thumb »    A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.

rule out »    To reject an option from a list of possibilities.

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 after »    To make a determined effort to win someone's affections.

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.

run over »    To practice quickly, briefly.

run roughshod over »    To treat roughly or without care, respect, or moderation; to act without control; to damage.

run something up the flagpole »    To float an idea that one suspects might be controversial.

run through »    To pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a group, organisation, or system.

save face »    To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.

scrape off »    To remove something by a scraping action.

scrape together »    To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.

scratch the surface »    To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.

screen out »    To use a screen, grate, sieve or similar means to separate large from small objects or particles.

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.

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.

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.

see the forest for the trees »    To discern an overall pattern from a mass of detail; to see the bigger picture, or the broader, more general situation. Generally used in the negative.

see through »    To be able to predict or read someone.

seeing is believing »    You need to see something to believe it; visible facts cannot be denied.

sell »    To pretend that an opponent's blows or maneuvers are causing legitimate injury; to act.

sell out »    To sell all of a product that is in stock.

sell-by date »    The final date on which a perishable product can be legally sold to the public.

send somebody packing »    To expel or eject somebody; to chase off or force out.

separate the wheat from the chaff »    To select only that which is of value.

serpentine »    Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of snakes.

serpentine »    Sinuous; curving in alternate directions.

set aside »    To disagree with something and reject or overturn it.

set back »    To delay or obstruct.

set off »    To count an addition in one thing against a reduction in something else.

set straight »    To correct; to make right or true.

settle on »    To make a decision or selection; to decide.

sex up »    To make more sexually attractive.

sex up »    To take part in sexual acts with.

shake a leg »    To get busy; to get going; to be productive.

shape up »    To improve; to correct one's bad habits or behavior.

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.

sharp tongue »    The practice or characteristic of speaking to others in a harsh, critical, or insulting manner.

shell out »    To use a program's "shell escape" function to execute an unrelated command or to invoke a subsidiary, interactive shell.

shit a brick »    To react strongly or excessively, especially in anger or fear.

shit or get off the pot »    To choose between taking action now, or foregoing the opportunity until a later date.

shit-eating grin »    A broad smile indicating self-awareness that may suggest self-satisfaction, smugness, discomfort, or embarrassment.

shoot 'em up »    A short story, novel, television show, film, computer game, or other narrative which depicts considerable gunplay.

shoot first and ask questions later »    To act boldly.

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 oneself in the foot »    To act against one's own interests, e.g., by saying what one is really thinking.

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.

short leash »    Forcing one to function within a strict set of rules, or under great scrutiny or oversight.

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 on looks »    Plain, unattractive.

shotgun approach »    An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.

show somebody the door »    To dismiss or reject; to exclude someone who was formerly included.

showstopper »    A performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive reaction strong enough to pause the production.

shrinking violet »    A very shy person, who avoids contact with others if avoidable.

shroud »    That which clothes, covers, conceals, or protects; a garment.

shuffle »    The act of shuffling cards.

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.

side issue »    An issue or topic which is not of direct significance to a primary concern.

sigh of relief »    A reassurance or support, something that reduces stress from an arduous activity.

sight unseen »    Not having seen the object beforehand.

sign in »    To take some action to access a secured program or web page on a computer; to log in.

silver bullet »    Any straightforward solution perceived to have great effectiveness or bring miraculous results.

silver screen »    The cinema screen onto which movies are projected.

sit out »    To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.

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.

slam dunk »    A task expected to present no difficulty.

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 logical argument that follows a chain of events or causes and effects to some conclusion.

smart off »    To show disrespect verbally.

smell like a rose »    To be regarded as appealing, virtuous, or respectable; to be untainted or unharmed.

smell test »    An assessment of a subject's ability to detect and distinguish odors.

smell test »    An inspection of an object using the sense of smell, as for freshness of food.

smell the barn »    To experience heightened anticipation or to act with renewed speed or energy as one approaches a destination, goal, or other desired outcome, like a livestock animal at day's end returning to its barn.

smoke signal »    An indirect message or indication, especially concerning a future event.

snake oil »    A fraudulent, ineffective potion or nostrum; panacea.

snake oil »    Any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.

snazz up »    To improve appearance or appeal by increasing stylishness or functionality, or by adding other attractive features.

snipe hunt »    A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.

so much as »    Even; suggests a minimum, especially regarding what might be expected.

soft sawder »    "If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!" —Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" — first usage.

soft shoe »    A speech, explanation, sales pitch, or other set of remarks delivered in a restrained or conciliatory manner in order to persuade, distract, or otherwise influence someone.

soft spot »    A sentimental fondness or affection.

some people »    Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.

song and dance »    An excessively complex set of instructions.

sort out »    To organise or separate into groups, as a collection of items, so as to make tidy.

sow the wind, reap the whirlwind »    Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to him.

spaghetti western »    Nickname for a motion picture produced by an Italian-based company and filmed in Europe, depicting a tale of cowboys and desperadoes set in the American Old West.

spanner »    A problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome.

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.

spectator sport »    A sporting activity which has a relatively high ratio of watchers to direct participants.

spectator sport »    An activity which consists of watching or observing.

spectator sport »    Something, especially a process or activity, which is a popular object of observation; an activity which a person prefers to watch rather than to participate in.

spic and span »    Perfectly clean.

spin doctor »    news manager

spit it out »    To overcome reluctance to say something particular or to speak in general.

spot check »    A cursory inspection or examination or the inspection or examination of a sample of something.

spot on »    Exact or correct.

squaring the circle »    The historical problem of how to construct, using compass and ruler, a square having the same area as a given circle.

squint like a bag of nails »    To squint very much, as though one's eyes were directed as many ways as the points of a bag of nails.

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.

stab in the back »    An act of betrayal or treachery.

staircase wit »    Thinking of an idea or course of action too late to use it effectively, or the tendency to do so.

stand by »    To wait in expectation of some event; to make ready.

stand by »    To do nothing. To be inactive in a situation.

stand corrected »    Said to acknowledge someone who corrects something that one says or writes that was not correct.

stand in for »    To replace; to act as a double or substitute for.

stand on end »    To stand erect, bristle, especially from fear.

steal somebody's thunder »    To detract from somebody's accomplishments or glory; to undermine.

step down »    To gradually reduce something, a little at a time, as an electronic step down transformer.

step on a rake »    To fall victim to a hazard.

step on it »    To act quickly.

step up to the plate »    To initiate action; to assume a responsibility.

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 it to the man »    To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government.

stick up »    To protect one's status.

stick up for »    To defend or protect.

stickhandle »    To deal capably and swiftly with a situation, especially in a manner which deflects potential problems.

still water runs deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect

still waters run deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect.

stir-crazy »    By extension, restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity.

stop the lights »    An interjection expressing exasperation or incredulity. or to illustrate the humour in a situation.

straight from the horse's mouth »    Directly from the source; firsthand.

straight from the shoulder »    Done in a direct manner; blunt.

straighten out »    To correct or rectify.

straighten out »    To correct; to stop doing something wrong.

strike while the iron is hot »    To act on an opportunity promptly; to avoid waiting.

strip away »    To ignore a factor which obscures the reality.

stuffed shirt »    One who is overly official or officious; somebody in charge but not necessarily in power or effective.

stump up »    To pay for something. Often indicating reluctance to pay.

stupid is as stupid does »    A person's intelligence may be judged by the wisdom of his or her actions.

suck hind tit »    To be the youngest or most neglected child.

sugarcoated »    Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.

sure enough »    Just like one would expect.

swear on a stack of Bibles »    To make a promise or give one's assurance with great conviction.

sweetheart deal »    A transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.

swing for the fences »    To act in a way that might generate a very good result, but which also has a large chance of failing.

swing state »    A state which may vote Democratic or Republican, in a given election or generally; a purple state.

swot up on »    To study particularly hard to learn a subject quickly.

tag team »    Two or more people or groups acting alternately to accomplish some task.

tail between one's legs »    A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.

take a bow »    To accept applause at the end of a performance in a theatre. Often this includes actually bowing to the audience.

take a leaf out of someone's book »    To adopt an idea or practice of another person.

take a picture »    To photographically capture an image.

take a shot in the dark »    To try on something without having any knowledge about the subject.

take away »    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.

take away »    To subtract or diminish something.

take back »    To retract an earlier statement.

take down »    To remove a temporary structure such as scaffolding.

take effect »    To become active; to become effective.

take exception »    To take offense; to object or protest.

take five »    To take a five-minute break from some activity, take a short break from some activity.

take its toll »    To affect, especially negatively; to damage or degrade; to cause destruction.

take liberties »    To behave disrespectfully, especially to make unwanted sexual advances.

take sitting down »    To tolerate, accept, or acquiesce; to take no action.

take the biscuit »    To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.

take the cake »    To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.

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 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.

talk is cheap »    It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.

talk like an apothecary »    To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.

talk of the town »    A subject discussed by many people.

talk out one's ass »    To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

talk up »    In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.

tar with the same brush »    To characterize using the same undesirable attribute, especially unjustly.

tart up »    To modify or repackage a product, service, or idea to make it more attractive or easier to sell.

task force »    A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.

tear away »    To remove oneself reluctantly; often expressed in the negative.

tear one's hair out »    To react with extreme agitation.

teething troubles »    Small problems such as are to be expected with some any new and untried system or product.

tell off »    To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.

telling off »    A reprimand, reproach, or lecture.

ten a penny »    So common as to be practically worthless.

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

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 bigger they are, the harder they fall »    The larger something is, the more disastrous and spectacular its downfall

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 more things change, the more they stay the same »    A proverb making the observation that turbulent changes do not affect reality on a deeper level other than to cement the status quo.

the name of the game »    The overall purpose; the principal goal, or objective.

the nose knows »    Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.

the road to hell is paved with good intentions »    well-intended acts can lead to disaster

the shoemaker's children go barefoot »    One often neglects those closest to oneself.

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.

the way to a man's heart is through his stomach »    Cooking for a man is a good way to win his affections.

the whole shooting match »    Everything; the entire collection, endeavor, or activity.

them's the facts »    That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.

there is an exception to every rule »    Usually said in a situation when the rule is incorrect and unusable.

there ya go »    You have done it precisely correctly.

there you go »    You have done it, or are doing it, correctly.

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 time like the present »    Now (i.e., the present time) is an appropriate time to take a particular action.

think of England »    To tolerate or endure bad sex. Used in conjunction with "I just lie on my back and.." "I just go through the motions and..." etc.

think over »    To ponder or reflect on a subject.

think through »    To fully consider an action, and understand all its consequences.

third degree »    Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession.

thorn in the flesh »    Ivar Specto. The Soviet Union and the Muslim World, 1917-1958.

thrash out »    To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.

three Rs »    The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.

three Rs »    The basic precepts of any subject matter.

three-martini lunch »    A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.

throw a fit »    To become angry, enraged, or upset; to act or react with an outburst, as by shouting, swearing, etc.

throw a spanner in the works »    To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.

throw dirt enough, and some will stick »    If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say

throw down »    To accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to "represent".

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.

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

throw one's cap over the windmill »    To act in a crazed manner.

throw one's weight around »    To exercise influence or authority especially to an excessive degree or in an objectionable manner.

throw shapes »    To act tough or put up a front. For example, to threaten a person by making "karate chops" at them, without actually doing harm or knowing karate.

throw somebody a curve »    To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

throw to the dogs »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as into the streets.

throw to the wolves »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as onto the streets, especially towards predators.

throw up »    To erect.

throwing money away »    The act of spending money foolishly; wasting money without regard of the consequences.

thumb one's nose »    To act disrespectfully, especially by flouting the object of disrespect.

thumb one's nose »    To place a thumb upon the tip of the nose, usually while simultaneous wiggling one's fingers, in a gesture of disrespect.

tie someone's hands »    To render one powerless to act, to thwart someone.

tie up »    link, connection

tie up loose ends »    To deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.

tiger team »    A specialized group tasked with testing the effectiveness of an organization's ability to protect assets by attempting to circumvent, defeat or otherwise thwart that organization's internal and external security.

tilt at windmills »    To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

time and material »    A form of contractual compensation involving payment for materials used and at agreed rates for the those involved in performing the services.

time and tide wait for no man »    action is necessary without delay

time is money »    When a person's time is not used productively; time is valuable and should not be wasted.

time out »    To call for a suspension of activity or conversation.

timeserver »    A device, node or program that distributes the correct time to clients in a network.

tip one's hat »    To acknowledge or show respect; to honor.

tip one's hat »    To briefly remove or tap one's hat as a gesture of greeting, deference, or respect.

tit for tat »    Equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.

to a fare-thee-well »    To the greatest extent or to completion; to a state of refinement or perfection.

to a T »    Precisely; exactly; perfectly; with great attention to detail.

to all intents and purposes »    For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

to the letter »    Literally, exactly, to follow the rules as they're written.

to the point »    Relevant or pertinent; succinct; specific.

to the victor go the spoils »    The winner of a conflict wins additional benefits, beyond just the subject of the conflict.

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.

tomato tomato »    Uses insignificant pronunciation difference to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard.

too hot to hold »    A place that has too much police activity to harbor a fugitive unnoticed.

too many cooks spoil the broth »    If too many people try to take charge at a task, the end product might be ruined.

top dog »    In a competition, the one expected to win.

top of the line »    The best, fanciest, or highest quality, especially among selections in a product line.

toss-upness »    The quality of being a toss-up, usually used in reference to a toss-up state in American presidential elections.

touch up »    To make slight corrections or adjustments; to fill in or perfect.

touchy-feely »    Having a fondness for physical contact with other people, especially to an excessive degree.

track record »    An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

trench mouth »    Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.

trick of the trade »    A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.

trick out »    To trick out; to mod or customize an object, typically for the purpose of both personalization as well as enhancing the object's performance capabilities and more particularly for the purpose of performing stunts with that object.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to react excessively or violently at the slightest provocation.

true believer »    A strict follower of a religious doctrine.

trump up »    Heavily publicise, promote or market a product.

try out »    To undergo a test before being selected for a team etc.

tune in »    To select a channel, station, etc., as on television or radio.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn away »    To avert or deflect something.

turn back »    To reverse one's direction and retrace one's steps.

turn down »    To reposition by turning, flipping, etc. in a downward direction.

turn loose »    To roam freely or to act freely.

turn on »    To attract, give pleasure, or encourage.

turn out »    To refuse service or shelter; to eject or evict.

turn the other cheek »    To accept a punishment or an injury and not act out revenge or retaliate.

turn the page »    To move on to new involvements or activities; to make a fresh start.

turn up »    To show up; to appear suddenly or unexpectedly.

turn up for the book »    A very unexpected, usually pleasant, surprise.

turn-on »    Something that attracts, gives pleasure, or encourages, especially sexually.

twenty-twenty hindsight »    Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.

two birds with one stone »    Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.

two can play that game »    The tactics and/or strategies of an enemy can be used against him.

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

two wrongs make a right »    A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another

under a cloud »    Under suspicion; subject to critical inspection.

under fire »    Subjected to enemy attack.

under one's belt »    Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

under one's nose »    Directly in front of one; clearly visible.

under one's wing »    Under one's protection, sponsorship, or tutelage.

under pressure »    Being subjected to physical pressure.

under pressure »    Subjected to pressure.

under the gun »    The first player to act on the first round of betting in Texas hold 'em.

under the impression »    Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.

under the influence »    Drunk; intoxicated; affected by alcohol.

under the radar »    Without attracting notice; in an undetected or secretive manner.

under the table »    Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.

university of life »    The real world as a source of instruction, as opposed to a formal education.

untar »    To extract a tar archive.

up against »    In contact with, abutting.

up the creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation with no means of rectifying it.

up to scratch »    Sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality.

up-and-coming »    Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.

ups and downs »    Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.

urban fabric »    The physical aspect of urbanism, emphasizing building types, thoroughfares, open space, frontages, and streetscapes; while excluding without prejudice to this useful term, environmental, functional, economic and sociocultural aspects.

venus flytrap »    insect-eating plant

victory at sea »    Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.

virgin territory »    By extension, ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.

vote in »    To collectively approve a nominee into an office or position as a result of voting.

vote out »    To expel the holder of an office or other position through an act of voting.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To defer action or decision until another matter is finished or resolved.

walk a tightrope »    To undertake a precarious course of action.

walk in on »    To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.

walk the walk »    Act competently, like an expert.

war bride »    A woman who marries a man who is on active duty military in wartime.

warm up »    To prepare for executing an already-learned activity by a limited amount of additional practice.

warts and all »    Of or pertaining to a description or other depiction which reveals the full range of characteristics of a person or thing, including the shortcomings and imperfections.

wash out »    To lose traction while going around a turn, especially in cycling, motorsports and skiing/snowboarding.

wash over »    To pass unnoticed so that one is unaffected by it.

wash over »    Said of the way an emotion affects one suddenly.

wash over »    Of open water. To surge over the banks, or other retaining structure.

watch one's mouth »    In the imperative form, used as a warning to avoid or stop using inappropriate language, especially profanity, or disrespectful utterances.

watch one's mouth »    To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.

watch over »    To guard and protect.

way out of a paper bag »    A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.

weaker vessel »    A woman; women collectively.

wear off »    To diminish in effect.

wear out »    To cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use, especially hard, heavy, or careless use.

wear out »    To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.

wee small hours »    He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.

weigh down »    To act as a ballast for.

wet blanket »    A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

wet boy »    A contractor assassin or hit man.

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.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

what goes around comes around »    The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle.A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person.

what it says on the tin »    Exactly what is described or what one would expect from the name.

whatever it takes »    Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.

when he's at home »    In reality; in fact; when it comes down to it.

when push comes to shove »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is critical or urgent; when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult.

when the going gets tough, the tough get going »    in difficult times, it is the strong-willed who take action.

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.

when, as, and if »    Used to indicate the timing and contingency of some obligation in contracts, especially financial.

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.

whistle Dixie »    To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.

whistle walk »    The path slaves took to deliver food from the kitchen building of a plantation to the main dining room. Slaves were expected to whistle during this walk in order to assure their masters that they were not eating the food.

white coat hypertension »    Elevated blood pressure measured by a medical practitioner and deemed to result from the patient's emotional response to the medical environment.

whitewash »    A victory without reply.

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.

wild horses »    A force not subject to human control and normally stronger than a man.

willy nilly »    Without regard for consequences or the will of those affected.

wine tosser »    A person who talks a great deal about wine but actually knows very little.

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.

wishful thinking »    The illusion that what one would like is actually true.

work like a charm »    works great - exactly as expected

work out »    To extract gradually.

work out »    To conclude with the correct solution.

work the room »    To interact enthusiastically with the attendees at an event, by moving among them, greeting them, and engaging them in conversation.

work the room »    To interact with one's audience, taking queues from its reactions and adapting one's performance or words to elicit the audience's attention and enthusiasm.

world »    An individual or group perspective or social setting.

world »    Human collective existence; existence in general.

worm's-eye view »    A view of an object from below, from the ground.

wrap around one's fingers »    To make one susceptible to desire, in that their behavior or actions are influenced.

wrap up »    To fold and secure something to be the cover or protection for something.

wrap up »    To wear more clothes as protection from the weather; to bundle up.

wreak havoc »    To cause damage, disruption, or destruction.

wreck havoc »    cause destruction

write one's own ticket »    To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

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

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.

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