a friend in need is a friend indeed »
A true friend is one who helps you when you are in need.
|
a good beginning makes a good ending »
Good beginnings promise a good end; start off on a good note to reap the benefits at the end.
|
a house is not a home »
A home is not merely a building but requires inhabitants and a friendly atmosphere.
|
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.
|
above one's bend »
Out of one's control or power.
|
after all »
In the end; anyway; referring to something that was believed to be the case, but has now been shown not to be.
|
all good things come to an end »
Nothing lasts forever.
|
all out »
The state of a side having no more men to bat, thus ending its innings.
|
all's well that ends well »
Problems do not matter if things turn out well in the end.
|
angle for farthings »
To beg out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.
|
Apa Sâmbetei »
"for nothing", "to no result", or that what you have done was destroyed or is rendered useless after you finish it.
|
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
|
arm's length »
Independent, but related.
|
around the bend »
Crazy, insane.
|
arse end of nowhere »
A very remote place.
|
as long as »
Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; so long as.
|
at last »
In the end; finally; ultimately.
|
at loose ends »
In an uncertain position or situation.
|
at the end of one's tether »
At the limit of one’s patience; frustrated or annoyed..
|
at the end of the day »
In summary; ultimately.
|
at the end of the road »
No longer in the competition. Voted off. Eliminated.
|
at the end of the road »
No longer living. Dead.
|
autem gogler »
Pretended French prophet.
|
back to square one »
Located back at the start, as after a dead-end or failure.
|
bail out »
To leave or not attend.
|
bang on about »
To keep talking endlessly about the same subject.
|
bang up cove »
A dashing fellow who spends his money freely.
|
banged up »
Spending time in prison or jail.
|
bank on »
To be sure of something. To depend on it.
|
barrel »
A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.
|
be on about »
Talk about; mean, intend.
|
be-all and end-all »
Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.
|
bear up »
To endure hardship cheerfully.
|
belt and suspenders »
Redundant systems, affording mutual backup in the event of one failing.
|
bend one's elbow »
To drink alcoholic beverages, especially at a public house or bar.
|
bend over backwards »
To make a great effort; to take extraordinary care; to go to great lengths.
|
bend somebody's ear »
Sorry to bend your ear with the whole story, but I think you ought to know.
|
bend somebody's ear »
To bore; to talk too long.
|
bend the truth »
To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.
|
better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all »
Having experience of love, even if it ended, is better than having no experience of love.Love is worthwhile despite the pain involved in separation.
|
bigger fish to fry »
A much more pressing issue to attend to.
|
birds of a feather flock together »
People of similar character, background, or taste tend to congregate or associate with one another.
|
birds of the feather flock together »
People who are alike physically tend to congregate and socialize together, despite government efforts at forced integration.
|
bite the bullet »
To endure a punishment or consequence with dignity or stoicism.
|
bitter end »
That part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains onboard when a ship is riding at anchor.
|
bitter end »
The end of a long and difficult process.
|
bitter pill »
Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.
|
blind »
Any device intended to conceal or hide; as, a duck blind.
|
blood is thicker than water »
Family relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.1866, Anthony Trollope, The Belton Estate, ch. 30,Blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?circa 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, The Scotch Twins, ch. 5,The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!
|
blow the whistle »
To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.
|
blue state »
A state of the United States voting Democratic in a given election, or tending to vote Democratic in general.
|
boot camp »
A short, intensive, quasi-military program generally aimed at young offenders as an alternative to a jail term.
|
bottom of the ninth »
In baseball, the second part of the ninth and final inning. The end of the game.
|
bowl out »
And thus end their innings.
|
boys will be boys »
It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.
|
break a leg »
To perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.
|
break off »
To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.
|
break up »
To end a relationship.
|
bridge »
An unintended solder connection between two or more components or pins.
|
bridge »
Cue for extended or tedious shots. Also called a spider.
|
bros before hoes »
(US, informal) A man should prioritize his male friends over his girlfriend or wife.
|
burn a hole in one's pocket »
To cause someone to be tempted to spend money.
|
burn one's candle at both ends »
To work extremely or excessively hard; to work too hard for good health or peace of mind.
|
business end »
The part of a tool or other similar item, that is physically used for its operation, rather than the part which is held.
|
busted flush »
Anything which ends up worthless despite great potential.
|
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.
|
can it »
To silence; to quit doing something; to put an end to something.
|
Cannon fodder »
Military personnel who are regarded as expendable when attacking the enemy.
|
carry a torch for »
[2] To harbor feelings of love despite not being in a relationship; generally unrequited or after a relationship has ended, and sometimes implying secret feelings. There is the implication of keeping hope alive.
|
cash cow »
Someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money; a moneymaker.
|
caught with one's hand in the cookie jar »
Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money.
|
ceterum censeo »
A formulaic expression used to end a speech by reinforcing one, often unrelated, major view.
|
chase down »
To pursue and apprehend someone.
|
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.
|
chip on one's shoulder »
A tendency to take offence quickly.
|
circle the wagons »
To prepare to defend against an attack.
|
clamp down on »
To take measures to stop something; to put an end to.
|
climb up »
To gradually ascend something.
|
close in on »
To catch up with in a chase; to near the end of a pursuit.
|
close up shop »
To shut down a shop; to end a business activity.
|
coals to Newcastle »
A pointless venture, in the sense of sending something to a place where it's made, or where they already have an abundance.
|
cold turkey »
The sudden and complete withdrawal of a dependent substance, especially of a drug.
|
come down »
To descend.
|
come down to »
To depend upon, basically, ultimately or in essence.
|
come out »
To end up or result.
|
cough up »
To lose a competition by one's own mistakes, usually near the end of the contest.
|
cut off »
To end abruptly.
|
cut short »
Interrupt and curtail before the planned end time.
|
dead air »
An unintended interruption in a radio broadcast during which there is no sound; a similar interruption of a television broadcast in which there is neither sound nor a video signal.
|
dead end »
A path or strategy that goes nowhere or is blocked on one end.
|
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 end »
A situation where expertise or experience is required.
|
deep end »
The part of a swimming pool with relatively deep water.
|
deep pockets »
An ample supply of money, especially money which one is willing to spend; the possessor of such money.
|
deep six »
To discard, cancel, halt; to completely put an end to something.
|
depend on »
To be dependent on something or someone for support or help.
|
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.
|
diamonds are a girl's best friend »
A statement that suggests, while love is a luxury, material wealth (particularly jewellery) is more valuable in the long run.
|
dicky-bird »
Endearing term for a small bird, often used when talking with young children.
|
dive in »
To start a new endeavor enthusiastically and wholeheartedly.
|
do away with »
To destroy, eliminate, or make an end of.
|
do in »
To kill or end.
|
do justice »
To really allow to be apprehended in its full scope.
|
do something with mirrors »
To jokingly pretend that one did something using magic mirrors, that one is a magician; a joking explanation of the fantastic or the unexplained.
|
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 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.
|
double entendre »
A phrase that has two meanings, especially where one is innocent and literal, the other risqué, bawdy, or ironic; an innuendo..
|
double entendre »
Plural form of double entendre.
|
down for the count »
Decisively beaten; rendered irrelevant for the long term.
|
down to the wire »
At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.
|
drag out »
To extend or lengthen excessively.
|
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 make something last for more time than is necessary; prolong; extend.
|
draw stumps »
To declare an end to the days play, and remove the bails and sometimes the stumps.
|
dressed to the nines »
Very fancily or formally dressed; wearing very showy or splendid clothing.
|
drop back »
Of a quarterback or other player in the backfield, to take a number of steps back from the line of scrimmage immediately after the snap or hike of the ball, to avoid defenders.
|
dumb down »
To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.
|
dummy up »
To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.
|
e pluribus unum »
A national motto of the United States of America, meaning "From many, one", or "out of many, one", referring to the integration of 13 independent colonies into one country, and that has taken an additional meaning, giving the pluralistic nature of American society from immigration.
|
eat someone's dust »
To get one to be on a losing end.
|
end of »
A short form of end of story.
|
end of the line »
Final cessation or discontinuance of a process, institution, or person, especially one which has existed for a considerable period of time; death.
|
end of the line »
The termination point of a railway or similar transportation system.
|
end of the world »
Any change that seems catastrophic or devastating.
|
end of the world »
End of habitability for life on Earth.
|
end of the world »
End of humanity.
|
end of the world »
End of the planet Earth.
|
end up »
To conclude, turn out, sometimes unexpectedly.
|
end up »
To arrive at a destination, sometimes unexpectedly.
|
end up »
To eventually do.
|
execution style »
Resembling an execution; with the victim aware, but unable to defend himself or resist.
|
eye of the beholder »
The evaluation depending on perception of person who sees and considers.
|
facts on the ground »
A euphemism, similar to fait accompli, used as an oblique way of saying that discussions over the possession of a given piece of territory has been rendered moot by the presence of military forces.
|
fade out »
A type of transition used in movies usually at the end of a scene, in which the transition fades to black from the cut.
|
fair weather friend »
Only when it is advantageous or easy.
|
false friend »
A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.
|
fend and prove »
To engage in argument.
|
fend away »
To turn something away; to ward off.
|
fend off »
Away; to turn away; to defend against; to repel with force or effort.
|
fight a losing battle »
To try to do something so difficult that it will probably end in failure.
|
final curtain »
The end to something which has longed for a long time.
|
fish or cut bait »
To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.
|
fish to fry »
A matter to attend to.
|
freak flag »
Unconventional or unrestrained behavior; extreme, nonconformist views; the side of one's personality which harbors a tendency toward such behavior or such views.
|
friend with benefits »
A friend with whom one has such a relationship.
|
friend with benefits »
A friendship with no reserves when it comes to the release of shared sexual tension thus leading to sexual fraternization.
|
from soup to nuts »
From beginning to end; throughout.
|
fruit of one's loins »
One's child, children, or descendents.
|
garbage in, garbage out »
(computing, information technology) If input data is not complete, accurate, and timely, then the resulting output is unreliable and of no useful value.1963, Raymond Crowley, "Robot Tax Collector Seeks Indications of 'Fudging'," Times Daily (Alabama, USA), 1 April (retrieved 26 July 2010):Officials explained that the quality of the computer's work depends on the quality of the data fed into it. Neil Hoke, administrative assistant to Stewart, quoted an adage of computer men: "Garbage in, garbage out."2008, Roger K. Lewis, "'In Architectural Design, Brains and Talent Trump the Best Software," Washington Post, 19 July (retrieved 26 July 2010):The old caveat "GIGO"
|
get at »
intend
|
get at »
mean, intend
|
get it »
To understand, comprehend, or grasp.
|
get off lightly »
End up with a mild punishment.
|
get off with »
To befriend someone and snog them, especially in a public place.
|
get one's end away »
To have sex.
|
get the better of »
To overwhelm or overcome; to influence heavily; to tend to control or persuade.
|
go back on »
To be treacherous or faithless to; betray; as, to go back on friends.
|
go by the board »
To estimate the velocity of a boat or ship in knots by casting overboard the knotted line to whose end is attached the lead and thereafter counting the knots in the line as it goes aft along the side boards of the vessel.
|
go down »
To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.
|
go for »
To endure, sustain or spend time.
|
go for the gold »
To attempt to achieve the maximum reward or result in an endeavor.
|
go it alone »
To do something alone or independently, especially something that is normally or better done in groups.
|
go the distance »
To have the endurance to see a difficult sustained challenge to its natural end without faltering.
|
go the way of »
To end up the same way as. To receive the same fate as.
|
go to pot »
To come to a bad end.
|
good egg »
A good person, someone to be trusted; a friend.
|
good old boy »
A friendly, unambitious, relatively uneducated, sometimes racially biased white man who embodies the stereotype of the folksy culture of the rural southern USA.
|
good old boy »
A male friend or chum, especially a schoolmate; a man with an established network of friends who assist one another in social and business situations; a decent, dependable fellow.
|
gravy train »
An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.
|
green state »
A state that is, or is perceived as, environmentally friendly.
|
greenwash »
A false or misleading picture of environmental friendliness used to conceal or obscure damaging activities.
|
guilt trip »
Remarks intended to produce such a feeling.
|
hang out »
To spend time doing nothing in particular.
|
hang out with »
To spend time with friends, doing nothing in particular.
|
have in mind »
To consider, to contemplate, to intend.
|
he who laughs last laughs best »
success is better after having previously endured ridicule.
|
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.
|
hear on the grapevine »
To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.
|
hear through the grapevine »
To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.
|
hear, hear »
Let us hear and applaud the previous speaker; I endorse the previous statement; Expression of support, agreement, or enthusiasm for what has just been said.
|
his back is up »
He is offended or angry; an expression or idea taken from a cat; that animal, when angry, always raising its back. An allusion also sometimes used to jeer a crooked man.
|
historical figure »
A fictional or fabricated person who was was given historical importance in legends and myth.
|
hit the rock »
To make a gesture to show celebration, friendship, or to be part of a secret handshake by one person raising their fist so the fist is pointing at the person and the other person lightly punches the fist.
|
hoist by one's own petard »
To be hurt, or destroyed by one's own plot or device, of one's own doing which one intended for another; to be "blown up by one's own bomb".
|
hold forth »
To extend or offer, propose.
|
hold out »
To hold something out; to extend forward.
|
hold out »
To survive, endure.
|
hold up one's end »
I'm holding up my end and you had better hold up yours.
|
hold up one's end »
To hold up one's end of the bargain; to fulfill one's promise or obligation.
|
home run »
The portion of a journey that ends at home.
|
horse sense »
Common sense, especially with a connotation of folk wisdom independent from, and trumping, formal education.
|
hospital pass »
A poorly executed pass to a team-mate causing the receiver to present an easy target for a defender, and thus be tackled hard.
|
house of cards »
A structure made by laying cards perpendicularly on top of each other.
|
hurt someone's feelings »
To offend or hurt someone.
|
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
|
in a league of one's own »
Far excelling even the closest contender; not having any worthy competition.
|
in for a penny, in for a pound »
Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof; accepting that one must
|
in the toilet »
Finished; to an end.
|
in the wind »
Impending or in the offing; imminent.
|
in vain »
Without success; ending in failure.
|
inner circle »
The closest of friends of a person.
|
it's never too late to mend »
You
|
itchy trigger finger »
A tendency to act in haste or without consideration.
|
jack of all trades »
One competent in many endeavors, especially one who excels in none of them.
|
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 on the bandwagon »
To profit from a craze; to join a trend.
|
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.
|
keep up appearances »
To pretend to be all right or that everything is going well.
|
keep up with the Joneses »
To do or buy things for status, show, or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends or neighbors.
|
keep your friends close, and your enemies closer »
One should be on their toes and alert of their surroundings if malicious people are around, to ensure such people can't wreak havoc in one's life.
|
knacker's yard »
A place to send a person or object that is spent beyond all reasonable use.
|
knacker's yard »
That area of a slaughterhouse where carcasses unfit for human consumption are rendered down to produce useful materials such as glue.
|
knock around »
To spend time with someone as a friend.
|
knock out »
To render someone unconscious, as by a blow to the head.
|
knock-on effect »
A secondary, often unintended effect.
|
last burst of fire »
A state of exertion where one gives one's all; expending all of one's remaining energy in a final effort to achieve one's goal.
|
last of the big spenders »
Someone who doesn't spend much money.
|
lay down »
To give up, surrender, or yield , usually by placing it on the ground.
|
lay out »
expend money
|
lean on »
To depend upon for support.
|
lend a hand »
To help or assist, especially voluntarily.
|
let go and let God »
To consciously surrender one's free will to the will of God.
|
like the back end of a bus »
Very unattractive.
|
live paycheck to paycheck »
To spend all that one earns without saving anything.
|
long goodbye »
Nickname for Alzheimer's disease, especially for the final phase of the disease, during which the patient suffers a progressive decline of cognitive and motor skills and gradually loses the ability to recognize and to communicate with family and friends.[1]; nickname for the relationship between a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease and that person's family or friends.
|
long run »
An extended period of time.
|
Loose cannon »
An uncontrolled or unpredictable person who causes damage to his own friends, faction, political party, etc.
|
loose end »
A small job that needs to be done, or minor problem that needs to be resolved, before a task can be considered complete.
|
loose end »
The end of a rope that has not been fastened.
|
loose ends »
Leftover items that have not been addressed or attended to.
|
loose ends »
unresolved details
|
lump it »
To endure, accept, put up with a situation one does not like.
|
mad money »
A sum of money kept in reserve or to insulate oneself financially in the event of the sudden breakdown of a relationship in which one is economically dependent.
|
make a meal of »
To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated.
|
make amends »
To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.
|
make believe »
To pretend or imagine.
|
make for »
To tend to produce or result in.
|
make it do or do without »
If you don't have a lot of money, extend the life of what you have.
|
make out »
To succeed; to turn out or end up.
|
may the Force be with you »
Used to wish someone luck with a difficult endeavor.
|
mend fences »
To repair damage to a friendship or relationship after a disagreement or other mishap.
|
mend one's ways »
To recognise one's failings and attempt to remedy them.
|
miss the mark »
To fail to reach the result that was intended.
|
mix up »
To mix or blend.
|
mixed bag »
Something tending to have both good and bad results or characteristics; something having a mixture of advantages and disadvantages.
|
more haste, less speed »
When we are in a hurry, we often end up completing our task slower.
|
mouse potato »
A person who spends excessive amounts of time using a computer.
|
muck about »
To do random unplanned work or spend time idly.
|
nice guy »
An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.
|
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 pain, no gain »
One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.
|
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.
|
not the end of the world »
It's of minor importance, at least not as important as it first seemed.
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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.
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nudge nudge wink wink »
A phrase added at the end of the sentence to hint that the speaker is referring to something else, euphemistically.
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object lesson »
A punishment intended as a deterrent to others.
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odds and ends »
Miscellaneous things.
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off the deep end »
Crazy, erratic, or irrational.
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off the radar »
Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.
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off the rails »
Off the intended path.
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old time used to be »
Ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend. Often used in songs.
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on end »
Remarkably long; continuously.
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on end »
Upright; erect; endways.
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on good terms with »
Friendly towards; having good relations with.
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on the bubble »
Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.
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on the defensive »
Prepared to defend or protect against criticism, attack or aggression.
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on the mend »
Healing or recovering, as from an injury or illness.
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on the mend »
Improving or undergoing restoration to a previous, more favorable condition.
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on the outs »
On unfriendly terms; estranged.
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one swallow does not a summer make »
One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.
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one swallow doesn't make a summer »
One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.
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one who hesitates is lost »
A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.
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one's days are numbered »
Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.
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ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »
(biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.
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open ended »
without definite limits
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out of it »
Not participating in some trend or group.
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over and out »
Used to signal the end of a conversation, especially one conducted by CB radio or the like.
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pan out »
To succeed; to proceed according to plan; to result or end up.
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parting shot »
An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.
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party animal »
A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.
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party crasher »
Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.
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pass out »
To graduate, usually marked by the ceremony at the end of their training.
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pea patch »
A realm of endeavor.
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pendre la cr%C3%A9maill%C3%A8re »
To have a housewarming party.
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penny pincher »
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
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physical break »
A short break in a meeting or in a classroom setting, intended to improve attention.
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pinchpenny »
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
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piss away »
To spend wastefully.
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pitch in »
To help out; lend assistance; contribute; to do one's part.
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play dumb »
To pretend to be mute.
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play dumb »
To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.
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play on words »
A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.
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plead the fifth »
To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.
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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.
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pope's nose »
The tail end piece of a cooked chicken.
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pride comes before a fall »
A person who is extremely proud of his or her abilities will often suffer a setback or failure, because he or she tends to be overconfident and to make errors of judgment.
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prop up the bar »
To spend time drinking alcohol at the bar in a pub.
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punch bowl waterfall »
A plunging waterfall descending from a narrow stream into a pool.
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push the boat out »
To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.
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put an end to »
To terminate or abolish something.
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put away »
To send someone to prison.
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put off »
To offend, repulse, or frighten.
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put words in somebody's mouth »
To attribute to somebody something he or she did not say; to claim inaccurately that somebody said or intended something.
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question mark »
The punctuation mark “?”, used at the end of a sentence to indicate a question..
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rabble rouser »
Someone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.
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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.
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rag bagger »
A sailor who tends to sail on messy cruising vessels.
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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.
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rag-chewing »
A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.
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rebound relationship »
A relationship proceeding a longterm relationship, usually short in duration and used to help mend the "broken heart".
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reckon on »
To count on or depend on.
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reckon upon »
To count upon or depend upon.
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red herring »
A clue that is misleading or that has been falsified, intended to divert attention.
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red state »
A state of the United States voting Republican in a given election, or tending to vote Republican in general.
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rely on »
To be dependent upon.
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ring around »
To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.
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ring round »
To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.
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roll out the red carpet »
To extend the utmost hospitality; to treat someone as an honored guest; to welcome or host, especially in a showy or extravagant manner.
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round the bend »
Crazy, mad or insane.
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rub up against »
Of pets. To touch a person's body in a friendly manner, seeking attention.
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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.
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run around after »
To spend a lot of time doing things for another person or group of people. Often used when that person could reasonably do the things for themselves.
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run around with »
To spend a lot of time with a person or group of people. Often used to talk about a person's group of friends that one does not like much.
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run into »
To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.
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run into »
To cause to blend into.
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save face »
To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.
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see someone's point »
To comprehend the meaning that someone is trying to convey.
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sell »
To pretend that an opponent's blows or maneuvers are causing legitimate injury; to act.
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sell »
To promote a particular viewpoint; to manipulate towards a desired end.
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sell a bargain »
A species of wit, much in vogue about the latter end of the reign of Queen Anne, and frequently alluded to by Dean Swift, who says the maids of honour often amused themselves with it. It consisted in the seller naming his or her hinder parts, in answer to the question, What? which the buyer was artfully led to ask. As a specimen, take the following instance: A lady would come into a room full of company, apparently frightened, crying out "It is white, and follows me!" As soon as someone responded "What?" she sold him the bargain, by saying "Mine arse".
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send away »
To dismiss from one's presence.
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send away »
To send to a particular place for a long time, as a family member, an employee, etc.
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send away for »
To write to a business or other organisation, requesting a thing.
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send somebody packing »
To expel or eject somebody; to chase off or force out.
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send to Coventry »
To ostracize, or systematically ignore someone.
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send up »
To be put in prison.
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send up »
To imitate someone or something for the purpose of satirical humour.
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send up »
To make prices or temperatures etc. rise.
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send up »
parody
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show the flag »
To represent one's country or some other group in a manner intended to suggest the authority or importance of that country or group.
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show up »
To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically.
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shut down »
To close, terminate, or end.
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sing the praises of »
To commend someone's attributes to others.
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sit in »
To attend something for one time, as a visitor.
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sit through »
To unwillingly stay seated until the end of an event.
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skip out »
To shirk; to avoid attending or to leave early, especially without permission.
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skip rope »
To jump over a rope, both of whose ends are held by the jumper or by two others, while the rope is moved under the jumper's feet in a continual rhythm; to play the game of jump rope or exercise by jumping rope.
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smart arse »
One who is particularly flippant or insolent or tends to make snide remarks or jokes.
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smash hit »
Something that is tremendously popular or successful.
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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.
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so long as »
Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; as long as.
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spend a penny »
To use the toilet.
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staircase wit »
Thinking of an idea or course of action too late to use it effectively, or the tendency to do so.
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stand on end »
To stand erect, bristle, especially from fear.
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stand on its own »
To be independent of others.
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stand on one's own two feet »
To be independent. To survive without any help.
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stick it to the man »
To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government.
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stick out »
To protrude; to extend beyond.
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stick up for »
To defend or protect.
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sticks and stones »
Evocative of the saying "sticks and stones may (or will) break my bones, but words (or names) will never hurt (or harm) me".1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped
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stretch out »
To lie fully extended.
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stretch out »
To fully extend a part of the body.
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string up »
To suspend by means of rope, cord or similar material.
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summer and winter »
Endured.
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summer and winter »
To spend extended periods of time with; to test.
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swing the lead »
To pretend to be unwell so that you do not have to work.
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take a bow »
To accept applause at the end of a performance in a theatre. Often this includes actually bowing to the audience.
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take a bullet »
To purposely receive a gunshot that was intended for another.
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take a stand »
To assert an opinion or viewpoint; to defend one's point of view or beliefs.
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take against »
To stop liking someone. Become unfriendly.
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take in »
To absorb or comprehend.
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take lying down »
To endure without complaint or protest.
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take off »
To leave the ground and begin flight; to ascend into the air.
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take one's lumps »
To endure through criticism or other adversity.
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take out of context »
To interpret something in a manner in which it was not intended to be understood, often deliberately.
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take sides »
To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.
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take the offensive »
To attack instead of defending; to be bold and proactive.
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talk down »
To speak condescendingly or as though the listener is inferior.
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the bends »
decompression sickness
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the end all-be all »
Something ultimate; the best part of something; the thing which solves all problems associated with something.
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the end justifies the means »
Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.
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the end of one's rope »
At the limit of one’s patience, when one is so frustrated or annoyed that one can no longer take it..
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the ends justify the means »
Alternative form of the end justifies the means.
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the finger »
An obscene gesture, typically consisting of extending the middle finger at somebody.
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the icing on the cake »
Something wonderful at the end of something good.
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the proof of the pudding is in the eating »
The only real test of something is as what it is intended to be used for.
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the road to hell is paved with good intentions »
well-intended acts can lead to disaster
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the straw that broke the camel's back »
A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.
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the whole shooting match »
Everything; the entire collection, endeavor, or activity.
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the world is one's lobster »
(UK, humorous) intentional misrendering of the proverb "the world is one's oyster"
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thin end of the wedge »
Something that if allowed or accepted to a small degree would lead to systematic encroachment.
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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.
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think tank »
A group of which performs research and develops reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporations, interest groups, or government.
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throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.
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throw in at the deep end »
To introduce a person to a new situation without adequately preparing him or her.
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throw money away »
To spend money foolishly or indiscriminately; to waste money without regard of the consequences.
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throw out »
To dismiss or expel someone from any longer performing duty or attending somewhere.
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throwing money away »
The act of spending money foolishly; wasting money without regard of the consequences.
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tie someone's hands »
To render one powerless to act, to thwart someone.
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tie up loose ends »
To deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.
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to that end »
For that reason, with that goal, intending to produce that result.
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tomorrow is another day »
Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed
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tongue-in-cheek »
Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.
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too many cooks spoil the broth »
If too many people try to take charge at a task, the end product might be ruined.
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top up »
To extend the credit of something.
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tough cookie »
A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person.
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tough out »
To endure.
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trigger-happy »
Having a tendency or desire to shoot a firearm irresponsibly before adequately identifying the target.
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turn away »
To bend or turn from a fixed course.
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turn in one's grave »
To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.
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turn out »
To result; end up.
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turn out »
To attend; show up.
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up front »
Open, honest; tending to disclose information; truthful.
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valley of death »
Death; or a place or period where death is impending.
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valley of death »
The phase of a startup business beginning with the entrepreneur's fulltime commitment to it and ending when the business has achieved sustainable cash flow.
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walk on eggshells »
To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.
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warm down »
Gentle excercise at the end of a training session before cooling off.
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wax lyrical »
To become, or tend to become lyrical.
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weak sister »
A person or thing which is the least robust or least dependable member of a group.
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weather the storm »
To reach the end of a very difficult situation without too much harm or damage.
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weekend warrior »
A part-time soldier, or reservist.
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weekend warrior »
A person who indulges in a sport or pastime on an infrequent basis, usually on weekends when work commitments are not present.
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well begun is half done »
Much depends on the beginning of an endeavor.
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when all is said and done »
In the end; ultimately.
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whisper campaign »
A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.
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white lie »
A deliberate, untrue statement which does no harm or is intended to produce a favorable result.
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wits' end »
A. 1911, John Muir, in John Muir and Michael P. Branch, John Muir's Last Journey: South to the Amazon and East to Africa, 2002, page 138.
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wits' end »
Limit of one's sanity or mental capacity; point of desperation.
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work one's fingers to the bone »
Work especially hard, usually for an extended period.
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work the room »
To interact enthusiastically with the attendees at an event, by moving among them, greeting them, and engaging them in conversation.
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worth one's while »
Good and important enough for one to spend time, effort, or money on.
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write down »
In a simple or condescending style.
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write off »
To record an expenditure as an expense.
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you never know what you've got till it's gone »
Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.
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yours sincerely »
A polite formula to end a letter, especially when the recipient’s name is known to the sender.
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