We've found 4406 phrases for ER (0.162 seconds):

a bad workman always blames his tools »    It is not the tools we use which make us good, but rather how we employ them.

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush »    It is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than a mere potential of a greater one.

a cat can look at a king »    Alternative form of a cat may look at a king.1982, A J Ayer,

a cat may look at a king »    Even a purported inferior has certain abilities, even in the presence of a purported superior

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link »    An organization (especially a process or a business) is only as strong or powerful as its weakest person. A group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member.

a closed mouth gathers no feet »    One who does not speak can be certain he won't say anything embarrassing.

a cold day in Hell »    An event that will never happen.

a cut above »    Superior to; of a higher quality than.

a cut below »    Inferior to; of a lower quality than.

a different ballpark »    Something totally unrelated or of a vastly different scale or scope.

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

a dumb priest never got a parish »    (Irish) Those who fail to speak up fail to get what they want.

a gentleman and a scholar »    An admirable person.

a good man is hard to find »    Men who make good husbands or workers are rare.

a great deal »    Very much; to a great extent; a lot; lots.

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 little bird told me »    Of information which was gathered from a source not to be overtly exposed.

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

a man's home is his castle »    (US) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security

a nod is as good as a wink »    The hint, suggestion etc can be understood without further explaining.

a notch above »    Superior to; of a higher quality than.

a number of »    Several of.

a penny saved is a penny earned »    A maxim for thrift that says that money not spent may be spent later, or may earn interest in the meantime

a picture 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 pull of the hair for being unfair »    The general response to "A kick and a flick for being so quick", which is in turn a response in itself to "A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month".

a riddle wrapped up in an enigma »    Something very mysterious and hidden.

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 scholar and a gentleman »    An admirable person.

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 kettle never boils »    Alternative form of a watched pot never boils.

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 remain faithful to something or someone; to stand to; to adhere.

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 to »    Indicates something that will happen very soon; indicates that something is imminent.

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

above one's bend »    Out of one's control or power.

above the law »    Exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else.

absence makes the heart grow fonder »    When someone or something is faraway, you realise how much you love (or miss) them or it.

abut on »    To border on.

accident of birth »    Reference to the fact that various benefits or detriments to the life of a person arise from the circumstances into which that person was born, these being entirely beyond his control.

accident waiting to happen »    A thing or situation which is almost certain to eventually lead to an accident.

according to »    According to him, every person was to be bought. - Thomas Babington Macaulay.

according to »    In a manner conforming or corresponding to; in proportion.

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

account for »    To explain by relating circumstances; to show that some one, thing or members of a group are present or have been processed.

ace up one's sleeve »    A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

ache for »    To desire, or want something, or someone, very much.

acknowledge the corn »    To cop a plea; to admit to a small error but not a larger one.

across the board »    A racing bet where one bets that the same competitor will place in first, second and third.

across the board »    Pertaining to all categories or things.

across the pond »    On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

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

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

adams ale »    water

add insult to injury »    To further a loss with mockery or indignity.

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

admiral of the blue »    A landlord or publican wearing a blue apron, as was formerly the custom among men of that vocation.

after all »    In the end; anyway; referring to something that was believed to be the case, but has now been shown not to be.

after all »    in spite of everything

after one's own heart »    Of a person: having the same ideas, opinions or behaviour as oneself.

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 »    To sand or plane a piece of wood parallel or nearly parallel to the fibers such that splinters forming ahead of the tool originate below the cutting surface.

age before beauty »    A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones.

agree to disagree »    To tolerate each other's opinion and stop arguing; to acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.

ahead of one's time »    Showing characteristics of changes yet to be; present in one's work before later advances in the field; coming earlier than could be generally accepted.

albatross »    A double eagle, or three under par on any one hole.

albatross »    A long-term impediment, burden, or curse.

albatross »    Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.

all and sundry »    All, everyone.

all at once »    All at the same time; all together.

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

all clear »    permission to proceed

all duck or no dinner »    All or nothing.

all eyes »    Watching alertly or attentively.

all fired up »    Excited or energized; highly enthusiastic.

all fur coat and no knickers »    Of superficial appearance and with no real substance beneath.

all good things come to an end »    Nothing lasts forever.

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

all hell broke loose »    A great disaster happened or chaos ensued.

all holiday »    A saying signifying that it is all over with the business or person spoken of or alluded to/.

all in all »    Generally; for the most part; mostly.

all in all »    everything considered

all kidding aside »    Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.

all mouth and no trousers »    Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.

all mouth and trousers »    Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.

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 »    Done; finished; complete.

all over but the shouting »    The substance of the contest is complete, leaving only the cheering.

all over grumble »    Inferior.

all over grumble »    Unsatisfactory.

all over hell's half acre »    All over the place; everywhere.

all over the board »    Showing a wide range of values with no particular pattern.

all over the map »    Widely scattered or distributed; numerous and differing greatly.

all over the place »    Everywhere, especially chaotically or in such a way as to make a mess.

all over the place »    Inconsistent; lacking a clear pattern.

all over the shop »    Everywhere, scattered, disorganised.

all over with »    Completely finished; over.

all right, my lover »    An informal affectionate greeting.

all roads lead to Rome »    different paths can take one to the same goal

all talk and no cider »    All talk and no results.

all that »    Very.

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 that jazz »    Everything else related to something; other similar things.

all the marbles »    Everything; all that is to be had.

all the rage »    Very fashionable and popular, like a craze.

all the same »    Anyway; nevertheless; nonetheless.

all the time »    Very often; frequently.

all the way to Egery and back »    The long way; a roundabout route; a long distance to travel.

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

all things come to those who wait »    (dated) A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.

all told »    With everything included, counted or summed.

all very well »    All right, to a certain extent.

all very well »    True, as far as it goes.

all wet »    Utterly incorrect; erroneous; uninformed.

all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy »    Too much focus on one's career is often viewed unfavorably.Too much hard work and not enough leisure time can be unhealthy.

all's well that ends well »    Problems do not matter if things turn out well in the end.

all-over oneself »    Feeling self-satisfied.

almighty dollar »    The dollar, satirically characterized as a being a god.

along the lines »    In a general direction or manner.

am I right or am I right »    Rhetorical question from somebody who has stated what they consider to be an unassailable truth.

amber nectar »    Lager beer.

an apple a day »    Healthy eating and living using traditional temperate-zone fresh foods.

an Englishman's home is his castle »    (UK) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security

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.

and change »    And some quantity, but less than the increment to the next round number.

and counting »    Used to show that the number previously mentioned is continuously changing, i.e. increasing or decreasing.

and how »    Used to strongly confirm preceding utterance.

and shit »    Used after a noun or list of nouns in place of "etc".

and so forth »    Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.

and so on »    Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.

and then some »    Used to confirm preceding utterance, while implying that what was said or asked is an understatement.

ankle socks »    hosiery

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

answer back »    To reply impertinently; to talk back.

answer back »    To reply to a question at a later time.

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

answer for »    To be held responsible for.

answer for »    To guarantee.

answer on a postcard »    To give a brief answer or opinion.

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

anything goes »    There are no rules or restrictions.

Apa Sâmbetei »    "for nothing", "to no result", or that what you have done was destroyed or is rendered useless after you finish it.

Apa Sâmbetei »    Saturday's waters.

apple does not fall far from the stem »    Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.

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 does not fall far from the trunk »    Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.

apple never falls far from the tree »    Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.

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

apply oneself »    To put forth a concerted effort; to try; to focus.

Après-ski »    A place "after skiing". Typically a bar or pub where people go after a day on the slopes to ease off and meet other people.

April showers bring May flowers »    April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.By extension, that a period of discomfort can provide the basis for a period of happiness.

ark ruffian »    Rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, etc. A species of badger.

arm and a leg »    A relatively high price for an item or service; an exorbitant price.

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.

armed forces »    The Services

around Robin Hood's barn »    All over the place.

around the corner »    Imminent.

arse end of nowhere »    A very remote place.

arse over tit »    Tumbling; falling; upside-down; unstable or unbalanced.

arsy varsey »    Tumbling upside down; head over heels.

as a rule »    In general; most often.

as all get-out »    Extremely; to a superlative degree; very much.

as for »    with reference to

as if »    As though; in a manner suggesting.

as long as »    While; for some period of time.

as the crow flies »    In a straight line distance between two locations, as opposed to the road distance or over land distance.

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 around »    To enquire about something to different people.

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

ask in »    To invite someone to enter one's house.

ask my arse »    A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.

ask round »    To enquire about something to different people.

asphalt jungle »    A city or urban area, where the landscape is covered by pavement and the environment is alienating and unsafe.

ass over teakettle »    Frantically.

ass over teakettle »    Tumbling upside down.

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

at a pinch »    By the skin of one’s teeth; only just; Deo volente; perhaps; if you’re lucky..

at a pinch »    in an emergency

at a stand »    In a state of confusion or uncertainty; undecided what to do next.

at all »    Indicating degree, quantity or frequency greater than zero; to the slightest degree, in any way, somewhat, rather.

at bay »    Cornered; unable to flee.

at bay »    Unable to come closer; at a distance.

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

at cross-purposes »    Mutually misunderstanding each other's plans, intentions or meanings.

at full tilt »    At full speed; very quickly.

at hand »    Being at the moment the center of attention or the cause of trouble.

at large »    In general; as a whole.

at last »    After a long time; eventually.

at latter Lammas »    Never.

at loggerheads »    Unable to agree; opposing.

at loose ends »    In an uncertain position or situation.

at odds »    on bad terms

at once »    At the same time; simultaneously; together.

at one's beck and call »    In servitude to; at one’s command.

at one's fingertips »    Readily available.

at risk »    vulnerable

at sea »    Confused, lost, or adrift; bewildered.

at sea »    On the ocean or sea, typically of a ship or person aboard a ship.

at stake »    In danger; hazarded; pledged; at risk.

at that »    In addition to what has been said; furthermore; moreover.

at the end of one's tether »    At the limit of one’s patience; frustrated or annoyed..

at the end of the road »    No longer in the competition. Voted off. Eliminated.

at the end of the road »    No longer living. Dead.

at the mercy of »    In the power of; defenceless/defenseless against.

at will »    At one's preference; as one sees fit.

autem bawler »    A parson.

autem cackler »    Dissenters of every denomination.

autem dipper »    Anabaptist.

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

autem gogler »    Pretended French prophet.

autem mort »    A married woman; also a female beggar with several children hired or borrowed to excite charity.

autem quaver »    Quaker.

avant la lettre »    An example of a term before the term was coined. Describing a term used anachronistically.

avoir du pois lay »    Stealing brass weights off the counters of shops.

away with the fairies »    Not with it, dreaming, not all there.

babe in the woods »    A person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless.

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

baby blues »    Period and feeling of depressiveness after giving birth; a less severe form of postnatal depression.

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

back burner »    A state of low urgency; a state of low current importance.

back gammon player »    A sodomite.

back in the day »    In the past; at one time, especially a time which is fondly remembered.

back into »    To reverse a vehicle into a space.

back of beyond »    A very remote place.

back off »    To lower the setting of.

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

back onto »    To reverse a vehicle onto something.

back onto »    To overlook something from the rear.

back out »    To reverse a vehicle from a confined space.

back to square one »    Located back at the start, as after a dead-end or failure.

back up »    For the non-striker to take a few steps down the pitch, in preparation to taking a run, just as the bowler bowls the ball.

back up »    So as to stop the ball, and prevent overthrows.

back water »    A very remote, rural area.

back-assward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

back-asswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

back-burner »    Having low urgency; not currently important.

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.

backassward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

backasswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

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

backseat driver »    By extension, anybody offering unsolicited or unwelcome advice.

bad apple »    A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy, especially one who has an adverse influence on others.

bad blood »    A serious feud or grudge.

bad egg »    disreputable character

bad money drives out good »    Debased coinage (with low levels of precious metals) replaces purer coinage (with higher levels of precious metals).(metaphorically) Mediocre talent drives away real talent.

bad news »    An irritating, troublesome, or harmful person, situation, or thing.

bad penny »    A counterfeit or damaged penny.

bad penny »    A person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one which repeatedly appears at inopportune times.

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

bag of bones »    A skinny, malnourished person.

bag of rations »    A fussy or overly zealous military superior.

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

bail out »    To secure the release of an arrested person by providing bail money.

bail out »    To remove water from a boat by scooping it out.

baker's dozen »    Cousin.

baker's dozen »    Thirteen, a group of thirteen.

bakers dozen »    Thirteen.

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

balance the books »    To put or keep any closed or conservative system or its analysis in balance.

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

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

bald eagle »    american bird

bale out »    Alternative spelling of bail out.

ball up »    To hunch over and pull in one's arms and legs.

ball-breaker »    A person or task which is excessively demanding or punishing.

balloon goes up »    Something exciting or dangerous begins.

ballpark estimate »    A ballpark figure, a very rough approximation.

balls up »    Third-person singular simple present indicative form of ball up.

balum rancum »    A hop or dance, where the women are all prostitutes. N. B. The company dance in their birthday suits.

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 out »    To do something quickly, in a slipshod, or unprofessional manner.

bang straw »    A nick name for a thresher, but applied to all the servants of a farmer.

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

bank night »    An event where patrons are enticed to buy entry tickets into some venue, for example a movie theater, with the anticipation that they will be entered into a drawing to win an amount of money if their ticket is drawn and they are on-site at the time of the winning.

bankers' hours »    Any easy job, especially one with a short working day.

bankers' hours »    The period between 10am and 3pm.

banyan day »    In British naval tradition, this originally referred to a day of the week when galley kitchens served no meat on board ship.

banyan day »    In modern usage it refers to a picnic or cookout for the ship's crew.

baptism by fire »    A trying ordeal that was not experienced before.

bar fly »    A person who frequents bars or lounges to get drunk.

barge in »    To intrude; to enter or interrupt suddenly and without invitation.

barking dogs never bite »    Alternative form of barking dogs seldom bite.

barking dogs seldom bite »    People who make big threats never usually carry them out.

barn burner »    Any successful or impressive event.

barnburner »    Liberal faction of the New York state United States Democratic Party in the mid 19th century.

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.

barrel »    A solid drum, or a hollow cylinder or case.

barrel »    The hollow basal part of a feather.

barrel »    The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies for different articles and also in different places for the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A barrel of wine is 31 1/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196 pounds; of beer 31 gallons; of ale 32 gallons; of crude oil 42 gallons.

barrel of laughs »    A toy in the shape of a barrel that emits sounds of laughter.

barrel of laughs »    That which is enjoyable or entertaining.

barrel of monkeys »    Something very funny or amusing.

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.

base over apex »    Falling over in a jumbled heap.

bash out »    To write something very quickly, without much thought.

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

bass-ackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bass-ackwards »    Alternative form of ass-backwards.

bassackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bassackwards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bat a thousand »    To achieve perfection.

bat a thousand »    To reach first base on every at-bat.

bat around »    When at least nine batters bat in a half inning.

bat away »    To avoid by diverting the focus of a discussion.

bat for both sides »    To be a batter for both teams in an amateur baseball game.

bat for the other team »    To be homosexual.

batten down »    To close or make watertight, referring to hatches and cargo.

bawdy basket »    The twenty-third rank of canters, who carry pins, tape, ballads, and obscene books to sell, but live mostly by stealing.

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

bawl out »    To have a serious argument accompanied with shouting.

be after »    To try to obtain.

be after »    To try to capture.

be all ears »    To listen carefully or eagerly; to anticipate.

be at one's beck and call »    To be in the position of serving someone in any way they desire, usually unwillingly.

be in a spot of bother »    To have a slight problem, to be in a predicament.

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

be mother »    To pour out tea for others.

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

be on the edge of one's seat »    To be in suspense; to wait eagerly or anxiously for some resolution.

be still my heart »    Calm down, this situation is too exciting or overly distressing.

be that as it may »    Even if that is the case; whether that is true or not; nevertheless.

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

be there for »    To be available to provide comfort and support for someone, especially in a period of difficulty.

be there or be square »    Used to encourage someone to go somewhere.

be up against »    To be challenged by someone or something stronger than oneself.

be-all and end-all »    Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.

beam up »    To be teleported over a long distance by means of a specific imaginary technology, specifically from the surface of a planet to an orbiting starship.

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

bear down »    To approach another vessel from windward.

bear down on »    To approach someone in a very determined way.

bear in mind »    Remember; consider; note.

bear in with »    Nearer.

bear up »    To endure hardship cheerfully.

beat a dead horse »    To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.

beat Banaghan »    An Irish saying of one who tells wonderful stories, or of something which is amazing and remarkable.

beat down »    To haggle someone to sell at a lower price.

beat down »    To severely beat someone up.

beat out »    To sound a rhythm on a percussion instrument such as a drum.

beat someone's brains out »    To beat someone very severely.

beat up »    To give a severe beating to.

beat up »    To sail to windward using a series of alternate tacks across the wind.

beat up »    To cause by some other means, injuries comparable to the result of being beaten up.

beat up »    To feel badly guilty and accuse oneself over something. Usually followed by over.

beat up »    To get something done, derived from the idea of beating for game.

beat up »    To verbally assault repeatedly.

beauty is in the eye of the beholder »    Individuals have different inclinations on what is beautiful. Individuals have different beauty standards.

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

beaver away »    To busily undertake a large task.

bed down »    To lie down to sleep for the night, usually of livestock or machinery.

beddy-bye »    Bedtime for a toddler, going to sleep, going to bed.

bee in one's bonnet »    Something of particular interest or concern; an obsession.

beefed out »    Muscular, often in an exaggerated way.

been there, done that »    An assertion that the speaker has personal experience or knowledge of a particular place or topic and is now bored.

been there, done that, bought the T-shirt »    Expresses the speaker's complete familiarity with a situation, with overtones of cynicism or exhaustion.

been there, done that, got the T-shirt »    Same as been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.

been to the rodeo »    Exposed to conmen and hucksters; experienced.

beer and skittles »    Fun times.

beer and skittles »    Something pleasurable.

beer goggles »    The illusion that people are more attractive, brought on by alcohol consumption.

before you can say Jack Robinson »    Very quickly. Quicker than you expect.

beg to differ »    To differ strongly in opinion or interpretation.

beggars can't be choosers »    (proverb) When resources are limited, one must accept even substandard gifts.

behind 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 bit »    An equestrian term, meaning that the horse is evading the bit.

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

believe in »    To ascribe some powers or other attributes to.

believe you me »    An emphatic form of "believe me"; you [the subject] had better believe me [the speaker].

bells and whistles »    Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.

below par »    Not up to the average or normal standard.

below the belt »    Unfair; dirty; not according to the generally accepted rules.

belt and suspenders »    Redundant systems, affording mutual backup in the event of one failing.

bench jockey »    A baseball term for a player, coach or manager who is annoying and distracts opposition players and umpires from his team's dugout bench with verbal repartee.

bend one's elbow »    To drink alcoholic beverages, especially at a public house or bar.

bend over backwards »    To make a great effort; to take extraordinary care; to go to great lengths.

bend the truth »    To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.

bent on »    Completely determined; obstinate.

beside oneself »    Overcome; consumed by an emotion.

best laid plans »    A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.

best of the bunch »    The best or most preferred person or item within a group.

best regards »    Used as a polite closing of a letter.

bet dollars to donuts »    To suggest that something is very likely to be true or that one has a strong hunch about something.

bet the farm »    To be absolutely certain, to have no doubts.

better an egg today than a hen tomorrow »    It is better to have a sure thing now than a possibility of more later.

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

better than sex »    Superlative; wonderful.

better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all »    Having experience of love, even if it ended, is better than having no experience of love.Love is worthwhile despite the pain involved in separation.

better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness »    In the face of bad times or hopelessness, it is more worthwhile to do some good, however small, in response than to complain about the situation.

betwixt and between »    Neither one thing nor the other.

beyond the pale »    Describing behaviour that is considered to be outside the bounds of morality, good behaviour or judgement in civilised company.

big boy »    A large object or person.

big boys »    The people or bodies with the most influence and/or power.

big break »    A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.

big cheese »    A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.

big deal »    Something very important, difficult, or of concern.

big enchilada »    A very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.

big fat »    Complete, utter, total.

big gun »    A large-caliber artillery piece.

big gun »    Someone who is powerful or influential most often in plural form.

big kahuna »    A boss, leader, chieftain, or top-ranking person in an organization.

big mouth »    The mouth of someone who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by inappropriately revealing information.

big shot »    A person with a reputation of importance or power.

big up »    To increase one's muscle mass through exercise.

big up »    To proclaim or exaggerate the importance of.

big wheel »    A person with a great deal of power or influence, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.

big wheel »    Ferris wheel.

bigger fish to fry »    A higher valued result or target to reach.

bigger fish to fry »    A much more pressing issue to attend to.

bigwig »    A person of importance to a group or organization.

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

bird in the bosom »    A secret pledge that one makes for another.

birds and bees »    Informal sex education, especially describing the sexual activity of animals rather than that of people.

birds of a feather »    C1710, Jonathan Swift, "A Conference," lines 11-12.

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.

birds of the feather flock together »    People who are alike physically tend to congregate and socialize together, despite government efforts at forced integration.

bit on the side »    Secondary lover, mistress.

bite me »    An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party.

bite one's tongue »    To forcibly prevent oneself from uttering a word.

bite someone's head off »    To severely berate someone.

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

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.

black »    Lacking cream, milk, and creamer.

black »    Overcrowded.

black and blue »    Covered in bruises.

black magic »    Magic derived from evil forces, as distinct from good or benign forces; or magic performed with the intention of doing harm.

black sheep »    A disliked person; one who is disfavored.

black sheep »    A nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person.

black-on-black »    A reference to interactions between black people .

blame Canada »    A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.

blanket term »    A word or phrase that is used to describe multiple groups of related things. The degree of relation may vary. Blanket terms often trade specificity for ease-of-use; in other words, a blanket term by itself gives little detail about the things that it describes or the relationships between them, but is easy to say and remember. Blanket terms often originate as slang, and eventually become integrated into the general vocabulary.

bleeding edge »    Something very current, or modern where there may actually be a hazard or risk in using it, such as with potentially unstable software. The term relates to a sword.

blimp out »    To become fat or fatter, especially as a result of excessive eating.

blind »    A covering for a window to keep out light. The covering may be made of cloth or of narrow slats that can block light or allow it to pass.

blind »    A player who is or was forced to make a bet.

blind »    An 1800s baseball term meaning no score.

blind as a bat »    Nearly totally blind, having a very poor sense of vision.

blind date »    A romantic meeting between two people who have never met before.

blink of an eye »    A very short period of time; quickly.

blood is thicker than water »    Family relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.1866, Anthony Trollope, The Belton Estate, ch. 30,Blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?circa 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, The Scotch Twins, ch. 5,The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!

blot out »    To make something undecipherable; to obliterate.

blow a fuse »    To lose one's temper; to become enraged.

blow a gasket »    To become very angry or upset.

blow away »    Flabbergast; scintillate; impress greatly.

blow away »    To be dispersed as a result of being blown.

blow chunks »    To be very bad, inadequate, unpleasant, or miserable; to thoroughly suck.

blow chunks »    To suffer from explosive diarrhea.

blow hot and cold »    To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.

blow off »    To vent, usually, to reduce pressure in a container.

blow off steam »    To rant or shout in order to relieve stress; to vent.

blow one's top »    To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.

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

blow over »    To blow on something causing it to topple.

blow over »    To pass naturally; to go away; to settle or calm down.

blow someone out of the water »    To trounce; to defeat someone thoroughly, at a game or in battle.

blow someone's mind »    To astonish someone, to flabbergast someone.

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 up »    To become popular very quickly.

blow up »    To suddenly get very angry.

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

blue moon »    The moon tinted towards blue as it appears in the sky, caused by dust or smoke in the atmosphere.

blue moon »    The third full moon in a quarter that contains four rather than the usual three full moons.

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

bluewash »    To tout a business or organization's commitment to social responsibility, and to use this perception for public relations and economic gain; to present a humanitarian front in this manner.

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

bogged down »    Stuck; mired, as in detail, difficulty; delayed or made slower.

bone up »    To study or cram, especially in order to refresh one's knowledge of a topic.

boo boo »    blunder

booby prize »    A prize or status, often unwelcome, awarded as a joke or disincentive to the loser of a contest or for poor performance.

book in »    register

boot camp »    A short, intensive, quasi-military program generally aimed at young offenders as an alternative to a jail term.

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

boot up »    To start a computer using its bootstrap procedure.

booze can »    A nightclub or bar, especially one which operates illegally or is otherwise disreputable.

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.

borganism »    Some forms of government.

born in a barn »    Lacking a sense of etiquette; ill-mannered.

born in a barn »    Of humble birth, especially when referring to Jesus Christ.

born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »    Born rich or in a wealthy family.

born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »    Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.

born yesterday »    New, naive, innocent, inexperienced or easily deceived.

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 line »    The final balance; the amount of money or profit left after everything has been tallied.

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

bottoming the house »    The process by where someone cleans their house 'from top to bottom'. It is a very thorough clean indeed, even more so than 'spring cleaning'.

bought the farm »    Simple past tense and past participle of buy the farm: died; often refers to death in battle.

bounce back »    To recover from a negative without seemingly any damage.

bouncing off the walls »    Moving hyperactively.

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

bowl of cherries »    An enjoyable experience.

bowl over »    To overwhelm with astonishment or wonder; to flabbergast.

bowled over »    to be astonished; overwhelmed; surprised; shocked

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

box the compass »    To know, and be able to recite the 32 points and quarter points of the magnetic compass from North, both clockwise and anticlockwise.

box the compass »    To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.

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.

boxer shorts »    underwear

boys and their toys »    Used to evoke the idea that adult men sometimes dote excessively on machines, automobiles, and gadgets in a childish manner.

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.

brace of shakes »    A very short time.

brace of shakes »    The time taken for a sail to shake or shiver twice as a ship comes into the wind.

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

brain fart »    A lapse in the thought process; an inability to think or remember something clearly.

brain fart »    Something ill-considered and said or done impulsively.

brain surgeon »    Someone very intelligent.

brain surgeon »    Someone who does brain surgery.

brain surgery »    Something that is overly complex, detailed or confusing.

brain surgery »    Surgery on any part of the nervous system, especially the brain; neurosurgery.

brain teaser »    puzzle

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

branch out »    To expand in the manner of branches.

branch out »    To attempt something new or different, but related.

brass monkey »    An Australian beer.

brass monkey »    Said of the weather when it is very cold.

brass monkeys »    Very cold.

brass neck »    A person with gall.

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

brass-necked »    Nervy; cheeky; shameless.

bread and butter »    Bread spread with butter.

bread and butter »    That which is central or fundamental, as to one's business, survival, or income; a staple or cornerstone.

breadwinner »    The member of a household who earns all or most of the income

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 a sweat »    ' , Karon Karter - The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Pilates Method page 119.

break a sweat »    January 2008, The Age - Walkovers blaze a trail for women's equal-pay theory.

break down »    To become unstable, mentally or otherwise.

break even »    To neither gain nor lose money.

break even »    To stay the same; to neither advance nor regress.

break in »    To enter by force or illicit means.

break in the case »    A new discovery in a case.

break into »    To enter illegally or by force.

break off »    To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.

break out »    To begin suddenly; to emerge in a certain condition.

break rank »    To march or charge out of the designated order in a military unit.

break someone's heart »    To cause a person to feel grief or sadness.

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

break the buck »    Fall below the value of one dollar per share.[1].

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

break wind »    To flatulate; fart; to expel gases generated during digestion through the anus.

breakfast of champions »    An ironic appellation for beer, junk food, or other foods implied to be unhealthy.

brickbat »    A criticism or uncomplimentary remark hurled at artwork or other recipient.

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

bridge »    A prosthesis replacing one or several adjacent teeth.

bridge »    A song contained within another song, often demarcated by meter, key, or melody.

bridge »    A statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.

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 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.

bridge »    Cue for extended or tedious shots. Also called a spider.

bridge »    The upper bony ridge of the human nose.

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed »    Alert and in an eager, frisky, or playful mood; full of life.

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

brighten up »    To become brighter.

brighten up »    To make cheerful.

brim over »    To overflow over the brim.

bring back »    To cause someone to remember something from the past.

bring down »    To make a legitimate rulership lose their position of power.

bring down the house »    To garner enthusiastic or wild applause.

bring forth »    To create, generate, bring into existence.

bring forward »    To call up for consideration.

bring forward »    To make something happen earlier than originally planned.

bring home the bacon »    To have a job and earn money or to lead a successful career.

bring in »    To introduce a person or group of people to an organisation.

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

bring off »    To succeed in doing something considered to be very difficult.

bring out »    To make a shy person more confident.

bring owls to Athens »    Forgive me, then, for bringing owls to Athens as a thanks-offering. — Goethe, in a letter to Wilhelm von Humboldt.

bring owls to Athens »    Perhaps we have not been sufficiently aware that talking about access and its implications in Scandinavia is like bringing owls to Athens. — Herbert Burkert.

bring owls to Athens »    To undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical.

bring up »    To bring from a lower position to a higher position.

bring up »    To turn on power or start, as of a machine.

broad shoulders »    The ability to take criticism, or accept responsibility.

broken vessel »    A person who is destroyed or forgotten, or who feels flawed or broken.

broken-hearted »    Alternative spelling of brokenhearted. Feeling depressed, despondent, or hopeless, especially over losing a love.

bros before hoes »    (US, informal) A man should prioritize his male friends over his girlfriend or wife.

bros before hos »    Alternative spelling of bros before hoes.

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

brown noser »    One who sucks up; a bootlicker, ass-kisser, sycophant.

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

brown thumb »    Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.

brush up »    To review; to improve an existing but rusty or under-developed skill.

buck up »    Cheer up; take courage; take heart.

bucket of bolts »    A piece of machinery that is not worth more than its scrap value, often of old cars.

buckle down »    To put forth the needed effort; to focus; become serious; apply oneself.

bugger all »    Nothing.

bugger off »    Go away.

bugger off »    An expression of disagreement or disbelief.

bugger up »    To break or spoil something, or make it inoperative, useless etc.

build a better mousetrap »    To invent the next great thing; to have a better idea.

built like a brick shithouse »    Of a person, with an exceptionally well-developed chest.

built like a tank »    Broad shouldered and of solid, muscular build.

bulletproof »    Reliable, infallible, sturdy or error-tolerant.

bulletproof »    Unbreakable, very tough.

bum around »    To wander around idly to no purpose; to loaf or loiter.

bum chum »    A male’s homosexual partner..

bum rap »    An undeservedly unfavorable portrayal or reputation.

bum steer »    Bad advice, regardless of intention.

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.

bump and grind »    A sexually suggestive dance involving exaggerated hip movements, especially a striptease dance.

bump off »    To kill, especially to murder.

bump up »    To promote a person to a higher grade.

bumper crop »    A large yield; an excess of something.

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.

bundle of nerves »    A person with an especially nervous, excitable, or fearful disposition.

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

bunk off »    We all bunked off school yesterday to watch the football.

bunny hop »    A dance from the big band era, a variation of the conga.

bunny hop »    A jump made where both wheels leave the ground.

buried treasure »    Something, having been concealed for a long time, which later is found and is profitable.

buried treasure »    Treasure stashed underground or underwater.

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

burn out »    To tire due to overwork.

burn rubber »    To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.

burn up »    To anger; to annoy.

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.

bush league »    A low-ranking or inferior level among groups, professions, organizations, etc.

bush league »    A professional sports association at the lower levels of minor league organization.

bush telegraph »    A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds, word-of-mouth relay, or smoke signals.

business before pleasure »    An admonishment that discharging one's obligations must take precedence over devoting time to pursuits meant solely for one's own gratification.

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.

bust a cap in someone's ass »    Alternative form of pop a cap in someone's ass.

bust chops »    To nag; to berate or hound in an effort to elicit action.

bust one's chops »    To exert oneself.

bustle with »    To teem with; abound with; to exhibit an energetic and active abundance of a thing; to be full of a certain activity or active beings.

busy beaver »    Someone who is very busy or hard-working.

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.

but then »    Then again, on the other hand; used to show that the opposite viewpoint is possible.

but who's counting »    Used as a retort or comeback, often to deprecate oneself or another for excessive concern or attention to.

butter fingers »    A clumsy person who always drops things, a klutz.

butter up »    To flatter, especially with the intent of personal gain.

butterfly upon a wheel »    An innocent person crushed by life's adversities.

button-down »    Conservative; conventional; unimaginative.

button-down »    Of a collar, able to be buttoned down to the shirt, as over a necktie.

button-down »    Serious; staid; businesslike.

buttoned-down »    Alternative form of button-down.

buy out »    To purchase the ownership of a company.

buy straw hats in winter »    Of stocks, to buy when both demand and price is low, sell when demand and price is high.

buy time »    Purposefully cause a delay to something, in order to achieve something else.

buy to let »    To purchase a property as in investment, and to let it out for rental instead of living in it.

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

by a long shot »    By a wide margin; indicates a very big difference or disparity.

by all means »    Yes certainly; definitely.

by and large »    Mostly, generally; with few exceptions.

by far »    To a considerably large extent, easily.

by hook or by crook »    By any means possible; one way or another.

by no means »    Certainly not; definitely not.

by one's lights »    According to one's understanding.

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

by oneself »    Alone; without assistance, accompaniment, or help from others.

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 same token »    For a similar reason; in a similar manner; similarly; likewise; along the same lines.

by the way »    His mother will be coming for dinner tomorrow, and, by the way, she volunteered to bring dessert.

by the way »    [...] I had counted on a life-lease of the profits, whereas I only received those of a few short years. But this is by the way.

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

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

call it even »    To declare debts resolved or favors or other exchange equitable.

call off the dogs »    During a one-sided sports contest, to remove the first-string unit of a team from the game after dominating the opponent.

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

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

call out »    To order into service; to summon into service.

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

call the shots »    To make the decisions;to be in charge;to give orders.

call up »    An order to report for military service.

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 through the eye of a needle »    Hyperbole to illustrate that something is almost impossible to do or to happen.

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.

can't wait »    To eagerly anticipate; to find it unbearable to wait for a forthcoming pleasurable event.

Cannon fodder »    Military personnel who are regarded as expendable when attacking the enemy.

cap over the windmill »    In a crazed manner.

captain of industry »    A prominent business person who owns or is the highest-ranking executive of one or more major firms, especially one who has considerable wealth and influence.

carry a torch for »    [2] To harbor feelings of love despite not being in a relationship; generally unrequited or after a relationship has ended, and sometimes implying secret feelings. There is the implication of keeping hope alive.

carry away »    To break under sudden pressure of violent wind.

carry on »    To take baggage or luggage onto an airplane, rather than check it.

carry someone's water »    To do someone's bidding; to serve someone's interests.

carry the message to Garcia »    To perform a requisite task despite obstacles.

carry the message to Garcia »    To perform a requisite task without having been informed specifically by what method to do so.

carry water for »    To perform menial tasks for; to serve; to assist.

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

cash cow »    Someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money; a moneymaker.

cast aspersions »    To make damaging or spiteful remarks.

cast pearls before swine »    To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.

cast the first stone »    To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing that one is blameless.

castle in the air »    A visionary project or scheme; a day-dream; an idle fancy; a pipe dream; any plan, desire, or idea that is unlikely to be ever realized; a near impossibility.

cat 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 in the meal-tub »    Something concealed; a hidden danger.

cat that ate the canary »    A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, prohibited, or private.

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 meow »    A highly sought-after and fancy example of something.

cat's meow »    A self-satisfied person.

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

catch big air »    Superlative of catch air; make a big jump high off the ground.

catch hell »    Be severely reprimanded, punished, or beaten.

catch it »    Be severely reprimanded, punished, or beaten.

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

catch out »    To discover or expose as fake or insincere.

catch-as-catch-can »    A. 1681, John Fryer, Richard Chiswell, Robert Roberts, Robert White, A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters, Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672 and Finished 1681.

catch-as-catch-can »    Intermittent; only when possible or when the opportunity presents itself.

cattle call »    An audition which is open to the public and thus draws a large number of applicants, many of whom are inexperienced.

caught between the devil and the deep blue sea »    Having a choice between two alternatives, both undesirable.

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

caught with one's hand in the cookie jar »    Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money.

cause a stir »    To cause controversy, or raise a disturbance.

cave in »    The location where something has caved in.

caveat lector »    Reader beware.

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

center field »    The defensive position in the outfield in the middle, typically played by a player that can run fast.

center field »    The part of a baseball field which is beyond the infield and straight ahead left if you stand on home plate and face the pitcher.

ceterum censeo »    A formulaic expression used to end a speech by reinforcing one, often unrelated, major view.

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.

chalkface »    A cliff or quarry exposing chalk, e.g. the White Cliffs of Dover.

chalkface »    A musical concept or genre in which music is completely improvised and never played twice. Most often mixing elements of hip-hop, metal, punk and avant-garde jazz.

change hands »    To become the property of someone else; to be bought or sold.

change horses in midstream »    To change plans or approaches at an inopportune time, such as when an effort is already underway, generally considered an inadvisable thing to do.

change one's mind »    To convince someone to make a decision differing from what a previous one.

change one's mind »    To decide differently than one had decided before.

change one's tune »    To reconsider; rethink; to reach a different conclusion.

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

charge up »    To motivate, to instill someone with determination.

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 after »    To chase someone.

chase after »    To pursue someone with romantic intentions; to woo.

chase tail »    Partner.

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 sara sara »    Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1892 March 17, Cigarette,

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.

cheaper by the dozen »    Things are handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.

cheat sheet »    A sheet of paper containing notes used to assist on a test.

cheat sheet »    Any summary or quick reference used as a shortcut or reminder, a crib sheet.

cheaters never prosper »    One does not gain from cheating.

check out »    To have one's purchases recorded and bagged at a supermarket, and pay for it.

check out »    To obtain computer source code from a repository.

cheek by jowl »    In close proximity; crammed uncomfortably close together.

cheer on »    To cheer and support a team, to barrack, to root for.

cheer up »    To become happy.

cheer up »    To make someone happy.

cherry pick »    To position oneself near the opponent's goal to attempt to receive an errant or intentional pass for an easy score, as in basketball or versions of soccer where offsides are not enforced.

cherry pick »    To select only the best from a range of options.

cherry picking »    Selecting only the best from a group or other range of choices.

cherry-pick »    To pick out the best, or most desirable items from a list or group, especially to obtain some advantage or to present something in the best possible light.

chew somebody out »    To berate; to shout at someone.

chew the cud »    To meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate.

chew the fat »    To chat idly or generally waste time talking.

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

chicken feed »    A very small or insignificant quantity, especially of money.

chicken out »    To shy away from a daring task; to decline, refuse, or avoid something due to fear or uncertainty.

chime in »    To talk; to join in conversation or discussion.

chin up »    Be happy; cheer up.

chinese gooseberry »    kiwi fruit

chip in »    To interrupt a discussion for the purpose of making a comment.

chip off the old block »    Someone who takes after their parent.

chip on one's shoulder »    A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.

chip on one's shoulder »    A habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.

chip on one's shoulder »    A tendency to take offence quickly.

chopped liver »    A Jewish food made by frying liver and onions in schmaltz.

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

chrome horn »    The front bumper of a car when used to bump another vehicle, usually to inform the driver of the other vehicle, that the first car would like to pass.

chump change »    A sum of money considered to be insignificant.

chump change »    An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.

chump-change »    Of or pertaining to something of little monetary value.

circle the wagons »    To draw a wagon train into a circle to allow the wagons to provide cover when under attack.

circles around »    Far faster or better than.

circuit slugger »    A talented baseball batter that hits home runs.

circular firing squad »    A political party or other group experiencing considerable disarray because the members are engaging in internal disputes and mutual recrimination.

cite chapter and verse »    To provide specific references from an authoritative book, as the Bible or a book of statutes or rules, to support a statement.

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

city slicker »    One accustomed to a city or urban lifestyle or unsuited to life in the country.

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.

clay »    The material of the human body.

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

clean house »    To clean the interior of a house.

clean house »    To reform by removing undesirable personnel and procedures.

clean someone's clock »    To defeat decisively, in a physical fight or other competition or negotiation.

clean up »    To become clean, handsome, smart in appearance, e.g. for a special occasion, especially when it is out of character to be seen as such.

clear the decks »    To remove, or fasten, all loose material, or partitions prior to a naval engagement.

clear up »    Of stormy weather, to dissipate, to become calm.

climb the walls »    To behave in a distressed or frantic manner; to feel very agitated.

clogs to clogs in three generations »    (UK) Wealth earned in one generation seldom lasts through the third (grandchild

close as wax »    Miserly.

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

close off »    To seal or block the entrance to a road, an area, or a building so that people cannot enter.

close shave »    A near accident or mishap; a dangerous or risky encounter or incident.

close shave »    A shave that is very short or near the skin.

close the stable door after the horse has bolted »    To attempt to prevent a problem only to find it has already happened.

close up »    To move people closer together.

close up »    To shut a building or a business for a period of time.

close up »    To heal a cut or other wound.

closed book »    A person or thing that cannot be easily understood; someone or something incomprehensible or puzzling.

clothes don't make the man »    An aphorism meaning that you cannot judge a person solely by his appearance. Usually pertains to men.

clout list »    A usually secret list containing the names of people who are to be given special access, benefits, or influence in a political or social situation, especially as a result of having personal, professional, or financial relationships with those in authority.

clue stick »    A metaphorical stick used to beat information or understanding into a slow learner.

clutter up »    To fill with rubbish.

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.

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

cock of the walk »    A proud or conceited person.

cock of the walk »    W:The Pogues - w:The Irish Rover.

cold fish »    A heartless individual; a person lacking empathy and emotion.

cold hands, warm heart »    Implies inner beauty; a caring person; warm-hearted

Cold hands, warm heart; Dirty feet, no sweetheart! »    A few old timer's "fun" way to compliment a lady & to find out if she could be courted.

cold one »    A beer.

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

cold snap »    A period of exceptionally cold weather.

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.

colt over the fence »    An illegitimate child.

combine harvester »    farm vehicle

come a cropper »    To fall headlong from a horse.

come a cropper »    To suffer some misfortune; to fail.

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 down »    To recover from drug-induced euphoria.

come hell or high water »    Regardless of the hardships.

come in »    To enter.

come in »    To join or enter; to begin playing with a group.

come of age »    To reach a specific age where one is legally considered to be an adult.

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

come on »    To get one's period, start menstruating.

come on »    To encounter, discover; to come upon.

come online »    To enter service or become active.

come out »    To be discovered, be revealed.

come out in the wash »    Of problems or difficulties, to work out, resolve, or become understood eventually and naturally.

come out of one's shell »    To become a naturist. To convert to naturism.

come out of the closet »    To tell others about homosexuality, bisexuality or any minority or disapproved-of belief, preference, etc., where previously this had been kept secret.

come out of the woodwork »    To appear or emerge as though out of nowhere, frequently in large numbers or quantity.

come round »    To recover consciousness.

come round »    To cease anger or hostility.

come the acid »    To exaggerate.

come to »    To recover consciousness after fainting etc.

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

come to terms »    To accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful.

come to terms »    To reach an agreement or settle a dispute.

come unhinged »    To become angered or crazy; to lose control of one's senses or sanity.

come up »    To come to a higher position.

come up »    To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly; to come to attention, present itself.

come what may »    In spite of anything that might happen; whatever may occur.

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

company »    A unit of firefighters and their equipment.

company »    As he had worked for the CIA for over 30 years, he would soon take retirement from the company.

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

company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

con man »    swindler

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.

consume mass quantities »    To eat or drink abundant amounts of food or beverage.

controlled substance »    Except for very limited professional testing purposes.

conversation piece »    interesting object

cook up »    To prepare a heroin dose by heating.

cookie-cutter »    A solution to a problem that can be applied in many situations without modification.

cookie-cutter »    Of or pertaining to cookie cutters.

cookie-cutter »    Of or pertaining to identical looking things.

cool down »    To become cooler, to be reduced in temperature.

cool down »    To cause something temperature to lower.

coon's age »    A very long time.

cop a feel »    To stealthily fondle someone in a sexual manner.

cop out »    To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.

cop-out »    A person who cops out.

cop-out »    An excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty; a reason offered when someone cops out.

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

copious free time »    A hypothetical time set aside for performing time-consuming tasks, however insinuating that the speaker really has no free time.

copper beech »    tree

copper-bottomed »    Having lower parts made of or covered by copper.

copper-bottomed »    Thoroughly reliable.

copy typist »    office worker

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

corner the market »    To have exclusive possession; to possess something to a high or excessive degree.

corner the market »    To monopolize a resource or commodity, as with the intent of driving up prices.

corporation pop »    Water.

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.

cotton on »    To realize; come to understand.

cotton to »    To like; approve of, accept, or tolerate.

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.

couldn't happen to a nicer »    Sarcastically asserts that those in question thoroughly deserve their fate.

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

cover one's bases »    To be thorough; to prepare thoroughly or completely.

cover up »    To conceal or disguise.

crab mentality »    A way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.

crack up »    To become insane; to suffer a mental breakdown.

cradle robber »    A person who marries or becomes romantically involved with someone who is much younger or who employs or otherwise engages a young person for a purpose inappropriate for his or her age.

crank up »    To increase, as the volume, power or energy of something.

crash and burn »    To fail utterly.

cream in one's jeans »    To ejaculate while wearing one's trousers.

cream in one's jeans »    To experience an orgasm while clothed; to be thoroughly excited or delighted.

creature comfort »    Any small item or detail that makes a person comfortable and at home.

creature feature »    A horror film in which one or more monsters plays a prominent role.

creep into »    To enter something or somewhere by creeping.

creep into »    To enter surreptitiously.

crème de la crème »    Best of the best; something that's superlative. The very best.

crocodile tear »    A tear shed insincerely, in a false display of sorrow or some other emotion.

cross my heart »    A declaration that the speaker is telling the truth.

cross someone's palm »    To give money to a person, especially as a bribe or as an inducement to perform a service.

cross the aisle »    Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.

cross the aisle »    To vote, unite, or otherwise co-operate with members of another political party in order to achieve governmental or political action.

cross the floor »    Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.

cross the line »    To overstep a boundary, rule, or limit; to go too far or do something unacceptable.

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

crown jewels »    A part of a company sought by another in a hostile takeover.

crown jewels »    The jewelry that accompany the office of rulership in a monarchy. I.e., crown, scepter, signet ring, etc.

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

crunch numbers »    To figure; to do the math.

cry for help »    In her second year at the school Alexis stopped doing her homework and would often scribble on walls. Her teachers wondered whether this was a cry for help, or if she was simply misbehaving.

cry one's eyes out »    To weep for an elongated time, or in an excessive manner.

cry someone a river »    To try to obtain the sympathy of another person by complaining or sniveling.

cry someone a river »    To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.

cry the blues »    To complain, especially in order to obtain sympathy for one's own purportedly sad situation.

cry wolf »    To raise a false alarm; to constantly warn others about an imagined threat, thereby failing to get assistance when a real threat appears.

crying shame »    A situation that is considered to be a disgrace, or deplorable.

crystal clear »    Completely clear and understood.

crystal-clear »    Completely clear and understood.

cube out »    To reach the volume limit of a container.

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

cup of tea »    Whatever suits or interests one.

curiosity killed the cat »    One should not be curious about things that can be dangerous.

curry favor »    To seek to gain favor by flattery or attention.

curveball »    A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and middle fingers down and resulting in motion down "curve".

cut a rug »    To dance, especially in a vigorous manner and in one of the dance styles of the first half of the twentieth century.

cut a wide swath »    To behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.

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 and dried »    Simple, straightforward, clear, or certain.

cut corners »    To do a less than thorough or complete job; to do something poorly or take short cuts.

cut in »    To intrude or interrupt.

cut in »    Especially, to dance with someone who is already dancing by replacing his or her partner.

cut in »    When painting, to paint edges, corners, or trim in preparation for rolling larger areas.

cut it fine »    To achieve something at the last possible moment, or with no margin for error.

cut of one's jib »    Someone’s general appearance or the implications thereof, especially in relation to making an impression or one’s style..

cut off »    To interrupt.

cut off one's nose to spite one's face »    To harm oneself as a result of attempting to harm an adversary.

cut one's teeth »    To begin; to gain early experience.

cut short »    Interrupt and curtail before the planned end time.

cut short »    Make shorter by cutting.

cut up »    To cut into smaller pieces.

cut up »    To aggressively move in front of another vehicle.

cutie pie »    A cute person.

cutie pie »    A small hand-held radiation meter.

damn by association »    Discredit or condemn a position, person, or thing by attacking those things with which he/she/it is associated.

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

damned if one does and damned if one doesn't »    A dilemma where either choice results in a negative outcome.

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

damson jam »    fruit preserve

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

darken somebody's doorstep »    To enter somebody else's home uninvited.

darn tootin' »    Absolute, utter, complete, very.

date with destiny »    An inevitable future event or encounter, especially one which is likely to be momentous.

day and age »    A time period of years or more.

day in, day out »    Every day; daily; constantly or continuously; especially, of something that has become routine or monotonous.

day nursery »    creche

day one »    The very beginning.

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

dead »    Broken or inoperable.

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

dead »    No longer living.

dead »    No longer used or required.

dead »    Without interest to one of the senses; dull; flat.

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 as a doorknob »    Entirely, unquestionably or certainly dead.

dead duck »    One who is in serious danger or trouble.

dead end »    A path or strategy that goes nowhere or is blocked on one end.

dead heat »    A close race or contest in which no winner is apparent.

dead in the water »    Nearly dead, doomed.

dead last »    The standings, often by a considerable margin to the next-to-last-place finisher or after an exceptionally poor showing or season.

dead men tell no tales »    Once someone is dead, they can no longer communicate, hence killing someone is the best way to keep him/her quiet.

dead ringer »    Someone or something that very closely resembles another; someone or something easily mistaken for another.

dead shot »    Perfect shooter

dead tree edition »    Paper version of a publication that can be found online.

dead wood »    Personnel no longer contributing to an organization.

deadbeat dad »    A man, especially one who is divorced or estranged from his partner, who fails to provide monetary child support when he is legally required to do so.

deadstick landing »    When a pilot lands a plane after the engine has died; a landing lacking any propulsion control.

deadweight »    A useless, usually encumbering factor.

deal breaker »    To fail.

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

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

deep water »    A difficult or embarrassing situation.

deep water »    Waters suitable for deep-draft ships, especially ocean-going.

deep-six »    To throw something overboard from a ship.

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 goods »    To keep one's promises.

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"....

deliver the message to Garcia »    ...heaves in a deep breath, gathers himself as though he's crossed a continent to deliver the message to Garcia.

deliver the message to Garcia »    Alternative form of carry the message to Garcia.

deliver the message to Garcia »    Programmers are consistently dehumanized because so many do indeed deliver the message to Garcia only to be at best ignored.

deliver the message to Garcia »    What we need is people who get the job done, no matter how. We don't want pickers who'll only learn if we use their preferred learning method. Have you read "A Message to Garcia" ? That's what we need today - young people who can 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.

desperate times require desperate measures »    Alternative form of desperate times call for desperate measures.

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 »    A canon lawyer appointed by the Church to argue against the canonization of the proposed candidate.

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.

diamond in the rough »    A person whose goodness or other positive qualities are hidden by a harsh or unremarkable surface appearance.

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.

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 from. General use, though somewhat more common in medical or scientific contexts.

die »    Followed by of. General use.

die »    To stop living; to become dead; to undergo death.

different as chalk and cheese »    Two things which are superficially alike but very different in substance.

dig up »    To discover something by digging; to unearth.

dig up dirt »    To examine in order to find negative information for public opinion, usually with the purpose of embarrassing or discrediting a person.

dim bulb »    A person who is slow-witted.

dimber damber upright man »    The chief of a gang of thieves or gypsies.

diplomatic flu »    An illness feigned by one or more government officials or other public figures as an excuse for an absence really based on political reasons.

dirty laundry »    A clothes hamper or other container used to place unclean or soiled laundry.

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

dirty money »    Money that is illegally gained, illegally transferred or illegally utilized. Especially money gained through forgery, bribery, or thievery.

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

dirty word »    A word that is considered vulgar, not necessarily sexual in nature.

dirty word »    The name of a topic that a person does not like to hear or discuss.

disc jockey »    radio presenter

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

dish out »    To distribute or deliver something.

dish up »    To serve cooked food.

dishpan hands »    Hands which are rough, reddish, and dry, as from irritation and chafing caused by immersion in hot water mixed with detergent.

divide and conquer »    A combination of political, military and economic strategies that aim to gain and maintain power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.(computing) Applied to various algorithms, such as quicksort, that solve a problem by splitting it recursively into smaller problems until all of the remaining problems are trivial.(as imperative, proverb) In order to rule securely, don't allow alliances of your enemies.

do a »    To emulate the behavior/behaviour that is generally attributed to the individual named.

do a bunk »    To escape or flee under incriminating circumstances.

do a number on »    To damage; to treat harshly; to produce ill effects.

do a slow burn »    To experience a gradually increasing feeling of anger or frustration.

do one's damnedest »    To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.

do one's darnedest »    To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.

do something with mirrors »    To insinuate one has performed a magic or optical trick with the use of hidden mirrors, insinuating trickery and sham.

do the hard yards »    To perform a difficult task or tasks.

do the honors »    Perform a duty.

do the honours »    Perform a duty.

do the math »    You can do the calculation yourself, with the implication that you don't have to trust someone else's assertions.

do the nasty »    To engage in sexual intercourse.

do what%3F »    An intensified version of what or huh.

do-or-die »    Requiring a determined or desperate effort to avoid the consequences of failure.

dodge a bullet »    To have a narrow escape; to avoid injury or disaster.

does a bear shit in the woods »    Rhetorical question in response to a question where the answer is an emphatic yes.

does Macy's tell Gimbel's »    (US, dated, colloquial, rhetorical question) A rhetorical question with the implied answer being that competitors do not share business secrets with one another.

dog and pony show »    Any presentation or display that is overly contrived or intricate.

dog and pony show »    Originally, a small, traveling circus featuring animals as entertainment.

dog it »    To underperform; to lag behind; to fail to exert effort.

dog's breakfast »    An unappealing mixture; a disorderly situation; a mess.

dog's life »    A life of indolence where the individual may do as he or she pleases, just like a pampered dog.

dog's life »    A miserable, unhappy existence.

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 cry over spilled milk »    Alternative spelling of don't cry over spilt milk.

don't cry over spilt milk »    It is no use worrying about unfortunate events which have already happened and which cannot be changed.

don't dip your pen in company ink »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

don't drive faster than your guardian angel can fly »    Driving (a vehicle) very fast is a dangerous act.

don't drop the soap »    (idiomatic) Used as a mockery to someone who is about to be or should be confined in prison.

don't give up your day job »    Implying that they could not earn a living from it without other regular employment.

don't go there »    Don't start talking about that.

don't let the bedbugs bite »    Used to wish a person a good night's sleep.

don't look at me »    A response indicating that one is not willing or able to perform a task.

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.

don't shoot the messenger »    The bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news.

don't take any wooden nickels »    Do not permit yourself be cheated or duped; do not be naive.

don't try to teach grandma how to suck eggs »    Don't presume to give advice to those who are more experienced.

doss down »    To sleep on someone's sofa or floor because there is no bed spare.

dot the i's and cross the t's »    To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or thorough.

double back »    To retrace one's steps; to go back where one has already gone.

double booked »    Of a single resource, reserved for two different users at the same time.

double Dutch »    A date where both man and woman pay for their portion of the bill.

double Dutch »    A game of jump rope with two ropes and frequently two jumpers.

double entendre »    A phrase that has two meanings, especially where one is innocent and literal, the other risqué, bawdy, or ironic; an innuendo..

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

double up »    After a fly ball has been caught.

double-tongued »    Saying one thing to one person and something different to another; double talking; deceitful in speech.

down and out »    In trouble; in a bad time or situation or having very bad luck.

down for the count »    Decisively beaten; rendered irrelevant for the long term.

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 the drain »    Wasted, squandered; irretrievable.

down the road, not across the street »    Along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.

down to the short strokes »    In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

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

down under »    In Australia.

down-and-outer »    Someone who is down and out.

drain the swamp when up to one's neck in alligators »    (idiomatic) When performing a long and complex task, and when you've gotten utterly immersed in secondary and tertiary unexpected tangential subtasks, it's easy to lose sight of the initial objective. This sort of distraction can be particularly problematic if the all-consuming subtask or sub-subtask is not, after all, particularly vital to the original, primary goal, but ends up sucking up time and resources (out of all proportion to its actual importance) only because it seems so urgent.

drama queen »    Any exaggeratedly dramatic person.

drama queen »    Who behaves and speaks in an overly dramatic manner so as to garner attention.

draw a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

draw back »    To withdraw from an undertaking.

draw on »    To advance, continue; to move or pass slowly or continuously, as under a pulling force.

draw on »    To approach, come nearer, as evening.

draw the line »    To set a boundary, rule, or limit, especially on what one will tolerate.

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

dressed to the nines »    Very fancily or formally dressed; wearing very showy or splendid clothing.

dribs and drabs »    A series of negligible amounts.

drift off »    To fall asleep in a gradual manner.

drill down »    To examine information at another level or in greater detail; especially in a database, to navigate to a more detailed level or record.

drink off »    To drink the entirety of in a short period; originally and especially, in a single gulp.

drip »    To have a superabundance of valuable things. Usually followed by "with".

drive home »    With tangible or powerful demonstration.

drive one up the wall »    To make a person very angry or bored; to infuriate.

drive out »    Out of somewhere.

drive the porcelain bus »    To vomit, especially while drunk or hung over.

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 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.

drop off »    To deliver; to deposit or leave.

drop the ball »    To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.

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

drown out »    To cover, obscure, or hide by being louder than.

drug on the market »    Something which is overabundant at the moment and thus not in demand.

drum up »    To generate or encourage; to campaign for.

druther »    Would rather; would prefer to.

druthers »    Wishes, preferences, or ways.

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

dry out »    To have excess water evaporate or be otherwise removed.

dry out »    To sober up; to cease to be drunk.

dry rot »    timber decay

due course »    A. 1399, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales.

due course »    A. 1735, Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels.

due course »    A. 1803, Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey.

duly noted »    In a due, fit, or becoming manner; as it ought to be; properly.

dumb bunny »    A stupid person.

dumb down »    To become simpler in expression or content; to become unacceptably simplistic.

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.

dummy up »    To not answer questions.

dust off »    To use something after a long time without it.

dusty miller »    A formulaic phrase for a miller, related to the dust generated in the milling process.

dusty miller »    One of several species of plants with leaves of a dusty appearance: Centaurea cineraria, Senecio cineraria, and Lychnis coronaria.

dye in the wool »    To dye woolen fibers before they are spun into thread.

dyed-in-the-wool »    Firmly established in a person's beliefs or habits; deeply ingrained in the nature of a person or thing.

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.

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.

eager beaver »    Who is very excited or enthusiastic to begin a task.

ear splitting »    very loud

early bath »    Being shown a red card in soccer.

early bird catches the worm »    Alternative form of early bird gets the worm.

early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise »    platitude from Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym Poor Richard.

earn one's keep »    To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.

ears are burning »    Being the topic of discussion in another place; or sensing that this is happening.

easy as falling off a log »    Very easy.

easy as pie »    Very easy.

eat crow »    To recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.

eat one's heart out »    To feel overwhelming sorrow, jealousy or longing, to grieve.

eat one's own dog food »    To test the beta programs that are in the test phase on one's own computers; to dogfood.

eat one's own dog food »    To use or consume the economic goods or services that oneself is producing; to be part of a closed household economy.

eat one's young »    To betray a constituent or charge out of self-serving interests or desperation; savaging.

eat out »    To perform cunnilingus.

eat pussy »    To perform cunnilingus.

eat someone out of house and home »    To consume such a portion of one's store of food that little is left for the owner.

economical with the truth »    Not telling the whole truth, especially in order to present a false image of a situation; untruthful; lying. Often used with sarcasm or satire.

egg on »    To encourage or coax a person to do something, especially something foolhardy or reckless.

elbow room »    Room or space in which to move or maneuver.

elephant in the room »    A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.

embarrassment of riches »    An abundance or overabundance of something; too much of a good thing.

emperor's new clothes »    Something obvious and embarrassing that is politely ignored or that goes unacknowledged.

empty promise »    A promise that is either not going to be carried out, worthless or meaningless.

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.

engine room »    A compartment on a ship in which the engine machinery is located.

engine room »    The source of power in a team or other group.

enough is as good as a feast »    Just the right amount is as good as more than enough: there is no value in excess.

enough is enough »    One should be satisfied, there should be no more

enquire after »    To ask about the health of someone.

err on the side of »    To behave in a manner which favours or which is biassed toward.

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

esprit de corps »    A shared spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group, for example of a military unit.

estate agent »    property seller

esthetically challenged »    Of a person, ugly.

eureka moment »    The moment of a sudden unexpected discovery.

even Homer nods »    Not even the most vigilant and expert are immune from erring.

even Jove nods »    Alternative form of even Homer nods.

even keel »    A state of having one's emotions under control and balanced.

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

even money »    A bet which offers odds of 1 to 1.

even so »    nevertheless

every cloud has a silver lining »    In every bad situation there is an element of good1881, National Academy of Code Administration (U.S.), Folio, page 417:Every cloud has a silver lining; but in the old-fashioned meeting-houses every cloud of hymnal melody generally had a nasal lining before the congregation...1887, Shakers, Religion, page 36:that "a little reserve and thou'lt fail surely," will prove to be true in our experience. Every cloud has a silver lining and so has every sorrow,1918, George Jean Nathan, Performing Arts, page 222:But the most popular attitude toward what we may call "sad" plays is the peculiar one of believing that, since every cloud has a silver lining,

every day is a school day »    You learn something new every day.

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

every Jack has his Jill »    everybody will find someone to have a romantic relationship with at some point in their life

every king needs a queen »    Every man needs a woman to be with for the rest of his life.

every last »    Every; without exception; used for emphasis.

every little helps »    Even the smallest things are helpful when towards a goal.

every man has a price »    Everyone can be bribed or corrupted for a certain price.

every man Jack »    All the members of a group with no exceptions.

every nook and cranny »    Everywhere.

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

every rule has an exception »    Alternative form of there is an exception to every rule.

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 time »    At each occasion that.

every time »    Used to express a strong preference for something.

every which way »    All over; in every direction.

every which way »    In all sorts of ways or manners.

every which where »    A more emphatic version of everywhere.

everybody and his cousin »    Everybody; a huge crowd; too many people.

everybody and their brother »    A large number of people; most people.

everyone and their brother »    A large number of people; most people.

everything and the kitchen sink »    Alternative form of everything but the kitchen sink.

everything but the kitchen sink »    Almost everything, whether needed or not.

everything happens for a reason »    All events are purposeful.Everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as failure. Mary-Kate OlsenPeople like to say "everything happens for a reason." If you repeat that in your head long enough that starts to sound like "anything can happen with a razor." Laura KightlingerI believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think it's important to seek out that reason - that's how we learn. Drew Barrymore

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

experience is the best teacher »    Lessons learned from experience are the most lasting.

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.

eye of the beholder »    The evaluation depending on perception of person who sees and considers.

f** all »    Nothing at all or very little.

f** it »    An expression of great indifference or nonchalance.

f** someone over »    To exploit somebody in a way which result in an advantage to oneself, at the cost of the other party gaining a considerable disadvantage.

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.

f**ing hell »    An exclamation of anger.

face off »    The starting point, in a match of ice hockey. Two players face each other, for snatching the puck.

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

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 »    Death or defeat in popular multiplayer online games.

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

factotum »    A general servant.

factotum »    A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.

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.

fail over »    To automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.

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 to middling »    Only tolerably good.

fair weather friend »    Only when it is advantageous or easy.

faith will move mountains »    Belief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.

fall away »    To cease to support a person or cause.

fall behind »    To be progressively below average in performance.

fall between two stools »    To attempt two tasks and fail at both, when either one could have been accomplished singly.

fall by the wayside »    To fail to be completed, particularly for lack of interest; to be left out.

fall in »    Of a soldier, to get into position in a rank.

fall in line »    C. 2004, Career Soldiers, "Won't Waste My Life".

fall in line »    To submit to the rules of a higher authority; obey; conform.

fall in with »    To accept a set of generally agreed rules, or a suggestion.

fall into »    To be classified as; to fall under.

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

fall off a truck »    Of an item of merchandise, to come into a person's possession without having been paid for; to be acquired illegally.

fall off the back of a lorry »    Of an item of merchandise, to come into a perons's possession without having been paid for; to have been acquired illegally.

fall off the turnip truck »    To be naive, uninformed, or unsophisticated, in the manner of a rustic person.

fall on »    To experience; to suffer; to fall upon.

fall on one's face »    To fail, especially in a dramatic or particularly decisive manner.

fall on one's sword »    To resign from a job or other position of responsibility, especially when pressured to do so.

fall over »    To fall from an upright or standing position to a horizontal or prone position.

fall over »    Of an argument, to fail to be valid.

fall over »    Of a computer program, to crash.

fall together »    To contract.

fall upon »    To fall on; to experience; to suffer.

falling out »    A disagreement; a major difference of opinion.

false step »    An erroneous action or decision.

familiarity breeds contempt »    The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.

fancypants »    Alternative spelling of fancy pants. The condition of being overly showy; concerned more about one's reputation than anything else.

far and wide »    Over a great distance, or large area; nearly everywhere.

far be it »    A disclaimer stating that the person speaking will not do something.

far be it »    Pewtey in Marriage Guidance Counselor from And Now For Something Completely Different.

far cry »    Something very dissimilar or different.

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

farmer's tan »    The tan line left by clothing, especially, by a short-sleeved shirt.

fashion plate »    A person who dresses in especially stylish fashions.

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

fat lip »    A swelling on the lip, especially one resulting from a punch or other blow.

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

fear »    Extreme veneration or awe, as toward a supreme being or deity.

feast or famine »    A situation in which something is always either extremely abundant or in extremely short supply.

feather in one's cap »    An accomplishment; particularly one that is flaunted or boasted of.

feather one's nest »    To achieve benefits, especially financial ones, by taking advantage of the opportunities with which one is presented; to amass a comfortable amount of personal wealth.

federal case »    Any over-exaggerated ordeal.

feed a cold, starve a fever »    Eating more will cure the common cold, and eating less will cure a fever.1887, J. H. Whelan, "The Treatment of Colds.", The Practitioner, vol. 38, pg. 180:"Feed a cold, starve a fever." There is a deal of wisdom in the first part of this advice. A person with a catarrh should take an abundance of light nutritious food, and some light wine, but avoid spirits, and above all tobacco.1968, Katinka Loeser, The Archers at Home, publ. Atheneum, New York, pg. 60:I have a cold. 'Feed a cold, starve a fever.' You certainly know that.2009, Shelly Reuben, Tabula Rasa, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ISBN 015101079X, pg. 60:They say feed a cold, starve a fever, but they don't tell you what to do when you got both, so I figured scrambled eggs, tea, and toast.

feed into »    To be a tributary of another river or waterway.

feel one's oats »    To feel energetic or frisky; to behave in a vigorous or bold manner.

feel one's oats »    To feel important; to be empowered.

feel up »    To grope someone in a sexual manner.

fencepost problem »    In computer programming, a problem dealing with how to treat the initial or boundary values of a discrete problem.

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.

fifteen minutes of fame »    Alternate form of 15 minutes of fame.

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.

fifth wheel »    A very large trailer that is towed with a pickup truck.

fifth wheel »    A very large truck trailer; an 18-wheeler.

fifth wheel »    Anything superfluous or unnecessary.

fight fires »    To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.

fight tooth and nail »    To use every means possible to overcome a difficult opposition.

figure out »    To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.

fill in »    To fill; to replace material that is absent or has been removed.

fill somebody's shoes »    To do somebody's job; to perform or assume somebody's role.

fill the bill »    To satisfy a need; to serve a purpose; to fulfill specified requirements.

film critic »    movie reviewer

film out »    To transfer images or animation from videotape or digital files to a traditional celluloid film print.

filter down »    Of a liquid; to move slowly down to lower substrate levels.

filter down »    Of information, or resources; to move slowly down to lower levels of an organisation, or population.

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

final cut »    In the movie industry, the final released version of the film.

find one's feet »    To grow in confidence in a new situation as one gains experience.

find out »    To discover, as by asking or exploring.

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

fine feathers make fine birds »    Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.

fine line »    A difference, albeit vague and difficult to discern.

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

fine words butter no parsnips »    Talking about doing something does not get it done.

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 escape »    emergency exit

fire hose »    A hose used to deliver water in case of fire.

fire off »    To write a note or letter quickly.

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

fire up »    To excite; to infuse with energy.

firm up »    To make muscles more toned through physical exercise.

first among equals »    A person or position that if formally equivalent to others in a group, but is superior in some attribute.

first among equals »    In the British and other parliamentary systems, a term used to describe the relationship of the prime minister to the other members of the cabinet.

first come, first served »    People will be dealt with in the order they arrive.

first loser »    Second place.

first loser »    The second place finisher in auto racing competition.

first port of call »    The first port that a vessel calls in at after the start of a voyage.

first rate »    Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.

first things first »    Deal with matters of highest priority first; deal with matters in logical sequence.1922, H. G. Wells, The Secret Places of the Heart, ch.4,"First things first," said Sir Richmond. If we set about getting fuel sanely, if we do it as the deliberate, co-operative act of the whole species, then it follows that we shall look very closely into the use that is being made of it.1999, Frank Pellegrini, "House Republicans Quell Mutiny Over Tax Bounty," Time, 23 Jul.,Judging by the polls

fish or cut bait »    To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.

fish out »    To deplete the supply of fish in a given body of water.

fish to fry »    A matter to attend to.

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

fit into »    To be of similar cultural or social status as the members of a group of people.

fit to be tied »    Very agitated or distressed; enraged.

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

five-finger discount »    Theft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.

flash in the pan »    A career notable for early success not followed by significant accomplishment.

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

flat-earther »    A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.

flat-earther »    A person who believes or advocates the theory that the earth is flat.

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.

flipside »    Later or tomorrow.

flipside »    A necessary consequence or corollary of something; especially one seen as opposite, or as pro versus con.

flog a dead horse »    To attempt to get extra work out of a ship's crew during the dead horse period.

flower »    Typically including sepals, petals, stamens, and ovaries; often conspicuously colourful.

flower »    A plant that bears flowers.

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

flower »    Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.

flower »    The best examples or representatives of a group.

flower »    The best state of things; the prime.

flower »    The vulva, especially the labia majora.

fluff up »    To make a gaffe or blunder.

flutter in the dovecote »    A disturbance, usually one caused within a prescribed group of people.

flutter in the dovecote »    I further argued that the principal cause for the political deadlock that persisted for thirty years after the guns fell silent was Israeli intransigence rather than Arab intransigence. The appearance of the first wave of revisionist studies excited a great deal of interest and controversy in the media and more than a flutter in the academic dovecote. — Israel Confronts Its Past.

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

fly in the ointment »    Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.

fly off the handle »    To become very angry or enraged; to throw a fit or go crazy.

fly on the wall »    A quiet, non-participating, or unseen observer; an eavesdropper or witness.

fly the freak flag »    To behave in a unconventional or unrestrained manner; to exhibit the uninhibited side of one's personality.

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

fly-by-night »    One who departs or flees at night in order to avoid creditors, law enforcement etc. .

flying visit »    A very short visit.

fold one's tent »    To withdraw, especially in a discreet manner; to disengage; to quit.

food chain »    A hierarchy.

fool's errand »    A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.

fool's errand »    Such an undertaking, assigned as a prank.

fools rush in where angels fear to tread »    A person who does not plan ahead and think matters through becomes involved in risky or unfavorable situations which prudent people avoid.

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

for crying out loud »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

for f**'s sake »    An expression of anger or frustration.

for good »    Forever; permanently.

for good and all »    Permanently, forever.

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

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

for heaven's sake »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

for keeps »    Permanently.

for keeps »    To compete seriously, with a strong resolve to win or succeed, as in sports or business.

for kicks »    In order to obtain pleasure or excitement; for fun.

for my money »    Used to mark a statement made by the speaker as an opinion or something not known with certainty.

for Pete's sake »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.

for starters »    as a beginning

for that matter »    As far as that is concerned.

for the birds »    Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.

for the heck of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

for the hell of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

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

for the most part »    Mostly; in general; usually.

for the sake of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

for the time being »    Temporarily; until later.

forbidden fruit »    Illicit pleasure; something that one should not take or get involved with, such as an another person's spouse.

forbidden fruit is the sweetest »    Forbidden things have more worthwhile short-term consequences.

force of habit »    An act that has been repeated to the point where the performance of the act becomes automatic.

forewarned is forearmed »    Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.1863, Charles Reade, Hard Cash, ch. 4:[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.1885, G. A. Henty, Saint George for England, ch. 4:Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.circa 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind":"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."

forewarned, forearmed »    Alternative form of forewarned is forearmed.

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

fork over »    I forked over half the allotment this morning.

fork over »    To turn over soil with a gardening fork.

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

fortune favors the brave »    Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.

fortune favours the bold »    Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.

fortune favours the brave »    Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.

fountain of youth »    Anything reputed to have the power to restore health and vitality or to restore a youthful appearance.

four poster »    bed

four score and seven years ago »    As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.

four-eyes »    A person who wears spectacles.

four-leaf clover »    A bringer of good luck.

four-leaf clover »    An uncommon variation of the clover, having four leaves instead of the usual three.

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

four-on-the-floor »    Relating to a vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission mounted beside the driver on the floor of the vehicle.

fourth estate »    Journalism or journalists considered as a group; the Press.

fourth estate »    Which governed legislation.

fox in the henhouse »    A relationships wherein a predator is granted free reign within the prey's home confinement, often used in the political sense.

freak flag »    Unconventional or unrestrained behavior; extreme, nonconformist views; the side of one's personality which harbors a tendency toward such behavior or such views.

free ride »    An opportunity or benefit which has no cost, especially one enjoyed or undertaken at the expense of others.

french letter »    A condom.

fresh legs »    Somebody who has yet to play in a match, and therefore has plenty of energy.

fresh off the boat »    Newly arrived from a foreign place, especially as an immigrant who is still unfamiliar with the customs and language of his or her new environment.

fresh out of »    Of someone who has recently left one stage of life to begin another.

friend with benefits »    A friendship with no reserves when it comes to the release of shared sexual tension thus leading to sexual fraternization.

from A to Z »    Covering a complete range; comprehensively.

from cover to cover »    All the way to the last page.

from here to Sunday »    Everywhere; all over the place.

from here to ya-ya »    A very long distance.

from pillar to post »    To another; hither and thither, to and fro.

from the bottom of one's heart »    In earnest; sincerely; with one's full feeling.

from the get-go »    From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.

from the word go »    From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.

front and center »    A command to come to the center of attention of an assemblage, as of military personnel or students.

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

fruit of the poisonous tree »    And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.

fruit salad »    dessert dish

fudge the issue »    Adopt a solution to a specific problem which does not address the larger, more general problem of which the specific problem is an instance.

full English »    A cooked breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs, and other foods.

full of beans »    Energetic and enthusiastic.

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

full of it »    Speaking nonsense; lying, exaggerating, or boasting.

full of oneself »    Egotistical, believing oneself to be superior to others; preoccupied with one's own work, interests, point of view, etc.

full of shit »    Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.

full speed ahead »    Maximum effort without reservations or delay.

full tilt »    As quickly as possible; very rapidly.

full tilt boogie »    In an extremely focused manner.

full to the gills »    Completely or overly full.

full-fledged »    Having all its feathers; able to fly.

funny money »    Bills of any foreign currency or of counterfeit origin.

funny money »    Money gained in a devious or sneaky manner.

gallows humor »    Comedy that makes light of death or other very serious matters.

gandy dancer »    A railway laborer, especially a member of a crew which carries rails and affixes them to ties.

gang up »    To join together, as a gang.

gang up on »    To join together in a gang in order to overpower someone else.

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"

get a handle on »    To build or acquire a basic level of understanding or control.

get a jump on »    To start early, especially to start before something begins or before others begin.

get a load of »    To experience someone or something, especially by looking or listening.

get along »    To be together or coexist well, without arguments or trouble.

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

get away with murder »    To do something bad or illegal and not be punished.

get better »    To improve.

get better »    To recover from an illness.

get by the balls »    To have complete control over someone, especially of a woman abusing a man's infatuation with her.

get cold feet »    To become nervous or anxious and reconsider a decision about an upcoming event.

get high »    To intoxicate oneself with drugs or other substances.

get in »    To enter a place; to gain access.

get in »    To get into or inside something, literally or figuratively.

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 it »    To "get what's coming to him/her"; to feel one's wrath; to receive punishment; to receive a retaliation; to receive a beating.

get it »    To possess a preferred outlook on a given issue or issues.

get it »    To realize or understand why a joke is funny.

get it »    To understand, comprehend, or grasp.

get it over with »    To do or finish, especially said of something unpleasant.

get moving »    To start hurrying to undertake a task.

get off »    To stop touching or interfering with something or someone.

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 somebody's nerves »    To annoy or irritate; to bother.

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

get one's butt somewhere »    Go somewhere, especially quickly.

get one's claws into »    Have a controlling influence over.

get one's feet wet »    To begin gaining experience; To take a risk and try something new.

get one's finger out »    To free one's finger.

get one's finger out »    To proceed with the matter in hand.

get one's knickers in a twist »    To become overwrought or unnecessarily upset over a trivial matter.

get one's marching orders »    To be dismissed disgracefully.

get out of Dodge »    To leave; in particular to leave a difficult or dangerous environment with all possible haste.

get out of here »    To leave or exit a place.

get out of here! »    An exclamation of disbelief.

get over »    To forget, and move on.

get over »    To overcome something.

get over »    To recover from something.

get over »    surmount

get over »    cross, surmount

get somebody's goat »    To annoy, infuriate, bother, or incense.

get someone's back up »    To annoy a person either deliberately or inadvertently.

get something over with »    To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.

get something straight »    To understand; to clarify.

get stuck into »    Get busy with; become occupied with; become immersed in.

get taken in »    To be unofficially fostered.

get the axe »    To be fired, axed, terminated.

get the better of »    To overwhelm or overcome; to influence heavily; to tend to control or persuade.

get the drift »    To understand, at least at some basic or general level.

gild the lily »    To embellish or improve something unnecessarily; to add superfluous attributes to something.

ginger beer »    soft drink

ginger snap »    biscuit

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

give as good as one gets »    To behave toward others in a manner resembling or commensurate with their behavior towards oneself, especially in a situation where one is insulted or otherwise ill-treated.

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

give chase »    To chase or pursue a person.

give head »    To perform oral sex on another person.

give hostage to fortune »    He was very cautious with his words and gave no hostages to fortune.

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

give it the gun »    Literal meaning.

give me liberty or give me death »    A set-phrase indicating enormous displeasure at any over-authoritarian policy or law.

give notice »    To announce one's intent to leave a job; to inform an employer that one is leaving.

give of oneself »    To devote oneself unselfishly to a task, especially to give time and energy.

give over »    To devote oneself to a particular activity.

give over »    To entrust something to another.

give over »    Usually as an imperative. To tell someone to stop molesting, fooling around, or saying silly things. Or sometimes to stop saying flattering things.

give some skin »    To greet or congratulate someone by slapping his or her palm; see slap me five.

give somebody an earful »    To shout very loudly at someone.

give somebody pause »    To give somebody cause for concern.

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

give somebody what-for »    To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.

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

give the devil his due »    To acknowledge the positive qualities of a person who is unpleasant or disliked.

give the elbow »    To terminate the employment of.

glimmer »    A faint light; a dim glow.

glimmer »    A faint or remote possibility.

glimmer »    A flash of light.

gloss over »    To cover up a mistake or a crime; to hush up or whitewash.

gloss over »    To treat something with less care than it deserves; to skimp.

glutton for punishment »    One persistent in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.

go against the grain »    To defy convention; to do something in a manner that is unusual or out of the ordinary.

go all out »    To reserve nothing; to put forth all possible effort or resources.

go all the way »    To have sexual intercourse.

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 back on »    To be treacherous or faithless to; betray; as, to go back on friends.

go ballistic »    To become very angry and irrational.

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

go between »    an intermediary

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 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 by the board »    To fall or to go overboard; to be cast over the side of a ship.

go commando »    To not wear underpants.

go down »    To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.

go down »    To decrease; to change from a greater value to a lesser one.

go down »    To perform oral sex.

go down the pan »    To fail or degenerate rapidly.

go down the tubes »    To fail or degenerate rapidly.

go down the wrong way »    To swallow food or drink so that it goes down the wrong tube in one's throat and makes one cough or for a short period lose one's breath or choke.

go downhill »    To worsen or degenerate.

go Dutch »    To pay for one's own food and bills, or split the cost, when eating at a restaurant or going out for entertainment.

go figure »    Expresses perplexity, confusion, surprise, or puzzlement.

go for »    To go somewhere in order to get something.

go for broke »    To try everything possible or do last thing possible in a final attempt.

go for broke »    To wager everything.

go from strength to strength »    To continue to get stronger[1].

go from zero to hero »    To become very popular after being unpopular.

go from zero to hero »    To change from negative outcome to positive outcome. To improve one's fortunes significantly.

go in for »    To enter a competition.

go in for »    To have an interest in or approve of something.

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

go in one ear and out the other »    Failed to pay attention.

go it alone »    To do something alone or independently, especially something that is normally or better done in groups.

go jump in the lake »    Used to tell a person that to go away, or that their request will not be met.

go large »    To supersize.

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

go native »    To adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants, especially when dwelling in a colonial region; to become less refined under the influence of a less cultured, more primitive, or simpler social environment.

go off »    To explode metaphorically; to become very angry.

go off at score »    Of a horse, to break suddenly into a gallop; of a person, suddenly to say or do something impetuous.

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

go off the boil »    Cease to boil when heat is no longer applied.

go off the boil »    To lose interest; to pall.

go out with »    Often in hopes that the relationship will become more longterm as in definition 1.

go over »    To create a response or impression.

go over »    To look at carefully; to scrutinize; to analyze.

go overboard »    Fall out of a vessel.

go overboard »    Go too far, be excessive.

go the distance »    To have the endurance to see a difficult sustained challenge to its natural end without faltering.

go the distance »    To participate in a boxing match for its maximum number of rounds.

go the whole hog »    To do something as entirely or completely as possible; to reserve or hold back nothing.

go through hell »    To have a miserable experience.

go through the mill »    To experience the suffering or discipline necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or to a certain mental state.

go to pot »    To decline or deteriorate.

go to seed »    To deteriorate; to decline into an unkempt or debased condition.

go to seed »    To pass from flowering or ripening to the formation of seeds.

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

go to the dogs »    To decline or deteriorate.

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

go to town »    To proceed enthusiastically, vigorously, or expertly.

go to work »    Beat up, batter.

go to work »    To begin performing some task or work.

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

God works in mysterious ways »    Expressing confidence that a conundrum has a solution despite it not being apparent.Expressing that a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run.Person A: It seems that I'm about to be fired from my job.Person B: Well, God works in mysterious ways - maybe it'll be the kick you need to apply to university...

gold mine »    A plentiful stockpile of something sought after.

gold mine »    A very profitable economic venture.

gold standard »    A monetary system where the value of circulating money is linked to the value of gold.

gold standard »    A test or measure of comparison that is considered ultimate or ideal.

golden duck »    The score of zero runs after getting out on the first ball faced.

golden handshake »    A generous severance payment, especially as an inducement to leave employment.

golden hello »    A payment offered to an employee as an inducement to join, especially if currently working for a competitor.

golden rule »    The principle that one should treat other people in the manner in which one would want to be treated by them.

golden ticket »    A qualification, person or thing that can provide lucrative opportunities.

golf widow »    A woman who is deprived of her husband's time and attention due to his regular absence in order to play golf.

gongoozle »    To observe things idly.

good and »    Very; exceptionally; utterly.

good drunk »    A person who is cheerful and companionable when intoxicated, retaining reasonable control of his or her mental and emotional faculties.

good egg »    A good person, someone to be trusted; a friend.

good fences make good neighbors »    It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.

good luck with that »    An expression wishing someone success in an unlikely enterprise.

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.

good things come to those who wait »    A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.

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

good to go »    Ready for use or ready for normal operation, especially after repair or renewal.

goon squad »    A group of individuals serving as enforcers, bodyguards, and the like, especially persons hired for such a purpose and using violent, thuggish methods.

goose is cooked »    All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success.

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

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

grain of salt »    A bit of common sense and skepticism. Generally used in some form of to take with a grain of salt.

granary »    A fertile, grain-growing region.

grand poobah »    A person who is important or high-ranking.

grasp all, lose all »    one who wants everything, may lose it all

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

grass widow »    A mother out of wedlock.

grass widower »    A divorcé..

grass widower »    A married man whose wife is away.

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

gravy train »    An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.

gray area »    A part that is not clear or certain; something that is open to interpretation.

grease payment »    A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.

grease someone's palm »    To bribe a person.

greasy spoon »    An inexpensive diner or other informal restaurant, especially one specializing in frying or grilling.

great minds think alike »    Used to emphasize a coincidence, or two people reaching the same conclusion in any manner at the same time.

great oaks from little acorns grow »    Alternative form of mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

great unwashed »    A contemptuous term for the populace, particularly the working class.

green fingers »    A seemingly natural gardening ability.

green light »    Approval, or permission to proceed.

green state »    A state that is, or is perceived as, environmentally friendly.

green thumb »    A person with this skill.

green with envy »    Consumed by envy; envious to the point where it is noticeable to others.

greener pastures »    Any place or condition that is more favorable or beneficial.

grey area »    A topic that is not clearly one thing or the other.

grey area »    An area intermediate between two mutually exclusive states or categories where the border between the two is fuzzy.

ground rules »    The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.

group captain »    raf officer

grow cold »    To wane; to lose interest or enthusiasm for something or someone; to become disenchanted or to fall out of love with someone.

grunt work »    That is considered undesirable and therefore delegated to underlings.

guilt trip »    A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.

guinea pig »    A tailless rodent of the Cavia genus, with short ears and larger than a hamster; the species Cavia porcellus is often kept as a pet.

gulp down »    To eat very quickly without chewing the food properly.

gun it »    To accelerate or speed up quickly or suddenly.

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.

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

had better »    Should; ought to; need to.

hair of the dog »    An alcoholic drink taken the morning after to cure a hangover or withdrawal symptoms.

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

hair-splittingly »    With exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.

halcyon days »    A period of calm, often nostalgic: “halcyon days of yore”, “halcyon days of youth”..

halcyon days »    Period of calm during the winter, when storms do not occur.

half a mind »    A moderate inclination.

halfway decent »    Good - better than expected.

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

hammer and tongs »    With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.

hammer home »    Until or so that a person or group of people understands it.

hammer out »    To come to an agreement after much arguing.

hand down »    To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor.

hand down »    To forward to the proper officer .

hand in »    To give something to a responsible person.

hand in glove »    In very close cooperation.

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

hand off »    To pass or transfer something to someone.

hand over »    To relinquish control or possession of something to someone.

hand over fist »    Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.

hand-in-glove »    Closely cooperative.

handle with kid gloves »    To treat something very delicately or carefully.

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

hang about »    To stay, linger or loiter.

hang around »    To stay, linger or loiter.

hang by a thread »    To be in danger, calling for precise caution. To be in a precarious situation.

hang out to dry »    To abandon someone who is in need or in danger.

hang paper »    To write a bad check.

hang up »    To terminate a phone call.

hanging offence »    A crime so serious that it is punishable by means of death by hanging.

happily ever after »    Living happily until death. Typically associated with fairy tales.

happy camper »    One who is thoroughly content or satisfied.

hard as nails »    Very hard; tough.

hard cheese »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard feelings »    Resentment, anger.

hard lines »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard shoulder »    mortorway shopping area

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

hardwired »    Designed to perform a specific task.

hardwired »    In humans and animals, genetically determined, instinctive behavior, as opposed to learned behavior.

harsh one's mellow »    Disturbing someone otherwise in a state of calm.

harsh one's mellow »    To annoy or irritate; to bother.

harsh one's mellow »    To get on one's nerves.

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.

hatchet man »    A professional killer.

hatchet man »    Someone who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.

haul his ashes »    A euphemism for sexual intercourse.

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

haul off »    To draw back the arm in order to punch.

haul somebody over the coals »    To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.

have a fit »    To experience an epileptic seizure.

have a flat »    To be the owner of an apartment.

have a green thumb »    A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.

have a handle on »    To be in control; to understand or grasp.

have a heart »    To be kind or sympathetic; to treat others kindly.

have 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 been around »    To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive.

have butterflies in one's stomach »    To be nervous, uncertain, or anxious.

have egg on one's face »    To suffer embarrassment or humiliation; to damage one's reputation.

have eyes bigger than one's belly »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

have eyes bigger than one's stomach »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

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

have had it up to here »    To have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or forbearance.

have in mind »    To consider, to contemplate, to intend.

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

have it in for »    To be very angry at; to have a grudge against.

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 it off »    To engage in sexual intercourse.

have one's back to the wall »    To have no other options remaining.

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 ears lowered »    To get a haircut.

have one's head in the clouds »    To daydream; to think about matters other than the present reality.

have one's name on it »    To be reserved for someone.

have one's number on it »    Te be destined for someone.

have other fish to fry »    C. 1710, Jonathan Swift, The Journal to Stella, ch. 2, Letter 15.

have other fish to fry »    To have more important things to do.

have someone by the short hairs »    To have someone in a difficult situation in which he or she is without alternatives and can be controlled.

have someone's guts for garters »    To reprimand severely.

have the biscuit »    To be of no further use; to be near death.

have the floor »    To have permission or time to speak, especially in a formal situation.

have the run of »    To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will.

have the time of one's life »    To enjoy oneself more than ever before.

have to do with the price of tea in China »    To have any relation or bearing whatsoever on the topic at hand, usually used to emphasize the lack of relationship of a non sequitur.

he who laughs last laughs best »    success is better after having previously endured ridicule.

he who laughs last laughs hardest »    Alternative form of he who laughs last laughs best.

he who smelt it dealt it »    (colloquial, originally) A person who calls attention to or complains about a fart is likely trying to pretend it wasn't his or her own.(colloquial, by extension) Used to suggest that a person calling attention to or complaining about a given problem may in fact be the source of the problem.

head and shoulders »    "He was head and shoulders above the others in the law firm.".

head and shoulders »    "She was head and shoulders better than any of her rivals.".

head and shoulders »    To a considerable degree; better; outstanding.

head for the hills »    To travel to a higher elevation, especially to a rural region on vacation.

head honcho »    The person in charge; the highest-ranking person in an organization.

head over heels »    At top speed; frantically.

head over heels »    Hopelessly smitten.

head over heels »    Tumbling upside down.

head scratcher »    A device used to scratch the head.

head scratcher »    A particularly puzzling or confusing event.

head scratcher »    December 2007, W:Daily News Tribune - Golden Globes nominations a head-scratcher.

head scratcher »    July 2002, Fox News - Attorney: Williams' Kids Near Compromise About Father's Remains.

head south »    Alternative form of go south; to decrease or become unfavorable; to take a turn for the worse.

head start »    A factor conducive to superiority and success.

head to toe »    Entirely; completely; over one's full body.

heads or tails »    A game to bet upon a which side of a coin lays face up after it is thrown.

hear out »    To listen to someone until that person has finished.

hear the grass grow »    To be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.

hear the grass grow »    To hear very well due to being in an exceptionally quiet environment.

hear, hear »    Let us hear and applaud the previous speaker; I endorse the previous statement; Expression of support, agreement, or enthusiasm for what has just been said.

heart of glass »    A very fragile romantic state.

heart to heart »    A sincere, serious, or personal conversation.

heat up »    To heat, to cause to become hotter.

heat wave »    A period of exceptionally hot weather.

heat wave »    spell of hot weather

hedge one's bets »    To place bets with a third party in order to offset potential losses.

heebie-jeebies »    A general feeling of anxiety, fear, uneasiness, or nausea.

hell and half of Georgia »    A very large region; everywhere.

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

hell on earth »    A very unpleasant situation; torment, particularly when widespread.

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

hell raiser »    wild pleasure seeker

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

hen's teeth »    Anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen’s teeth.

hens' teeth »    Alternative form of hen's teeth.

herd cats »    To attempt to control those resistant to control.

here and now »    immediately

here and there »    From time to time.

here and there »    In one place and another.

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

here you are »    Said when you hand something over to someone or do a favour to them, usually to draw the recipient's attention to the exchange; Equivalent to “thank you” when receiving something..

here's to »    Denoting proposed salutation while drinking alcohol, toast.

hereinabove »    Above this, in this document.

hic Rhodus, hic salta »    (politics) Prove what you can do, here and now.

hide nor hair »    A trace, indication, or evidence, especially of a person.

hide one's light under a bushel »    For a person to keep some talent or skill hidden from other people. The tone is that a person having a talent which they can be proud of ought not hide it.

high and low »    everywhere

high as a kite »    Very much under the influence of drugs, extremely high.

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

high horse »    An appearance or sense of smug superiority.

highway robbery »    Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.

hind tit »    An inferior source of food or other resources.

hindsight is 20/20 »    (idiomatic) In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time of the choice.

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.

historical figure »    A person who lived long ago, usually of some historical note or importance.

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

hit home »    To be especially memorable or meaningful; to be fully understood, believed or appreciated.

hit man »    hired killer

hit on »    To discover, pinpoint; to think up; to realize; to invent.

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 someone for six »    To hit another person very hard.

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 ceiling »    To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.

hit the gas »    Go, go faster.

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

hit the pavement »    Literal meaning.

hit the pavement »    To get moving in an automobile or other road vehicle.

hit the road »    To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.

hit the rock »    To make a gesture to show celebration, friendship, or to be part of a secret handshake by one person raising their fist so the fist is pointing at the person and the other person lightly punches the fist.

hocus pocus »    chicanery

hoist by one's own petard »    To be hurt, or destroyed by one's own plot or device, of one's own doing which one intended for another; to be "blown up by one's own bomb".

hold a candle »    To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.

hold a grudge »    Far longer than is reasonable.

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

hold forth »    To extend or offer, propose.

hold one's liquor »    To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming a significant amount of alcohol.

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

hold one's water »    To be patient; to control one's impulses.

hold one's water »    To hold one's urine.

hold out »    To set something aside or save it for later.

hold over »    Something left from an earlier time.

hold somebody's hand »    To grasp or hold a person's hand.

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 that thought »    To pause in a conversation for an interruption.

hold that thought »    Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.

hold the fort »    To assume responsibility, especially in another’s absence..

hold up one's end »    I'm holding up my end and you had better hold up yours.

hold water »    To withstand scrutiny or criticism; to be valid.

hold with the hare and run with the hounds »    To 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 »    A path taken by an aircraft waiting to land.

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

hole in one »    Any rare, wonderful, or remarkable accomplishment.

holy mackerel »    An expression of surprise.

home in on »    To focus or narrow down to something; to find or draw closer, as by trial and error or a gradual seeking process.

home is where the heart is »    One's true home is where one feels happiest.

home is where you hang your hat »    Rather than feeling nostalgic or sentimental, one should simply accept any place where one happens to reside as one's home.1948, Ruth L. Yorck, "D.P.

home run »    A four-base hit, a homer.

home run »    Sexual Intercourse.

home run »    baseball term

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.

honorable mention »    An award or recognition given to something that does not make it to a higher standing but is worth mentioning in an honorable way.

hook line and sinker »    completely

hook, line and sinker »    Naively or unquestioningly.

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.

horizontal dancing »    Sexual intercourse.

horizontal mambo »    Sexual intercourse.

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 opera »    An equestrian show, as in a circus.

horse's ass »    A jerk; an unpleasant, unlikable person; an asshole.

horse's ass »    A thing or person which is visually unappealing.

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

Horsefeathers »    Absolute nonsense; poppycock

horses for courses »    A person suited for one job may not be suited for another job, regardless of their expertise in the former job.

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

hospital pass »    A poorly executed pass to a team-mate causing the receiver to present an easy target for a defender, and thus be tackled hard.

hospital pass »    A throw that stays in the air long enough that it allows too many people to get underneath it, increasing the risk of injury and a trip to the hospital. Thus, a hospital pass.

hospital pass »    An unwinnable case, often passed to a newly-qualified member of the firm.

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

hot button »    The principal desire that a salesman needs to "hit" in order to make a sale.

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 mess »    A warm meal, usually cooked in a large pot, often similar to a stew or porridge; or, service of such a heated meal to soldiers.

hot mess »    Refers to a person, thing, or situation in such a state of disarray or disapproval by peers, often in reference to physical appearance, perceived to be disastrously embarrassing, pitiful, or beyond repair.

hot 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 spot »    dangerous place; accident place

hot to trot »    Eager for sexual activity.

hot to trot »    Eager to begin; anxious to get going.

hot under the collar »    Worried.

hot up »    To increase in temperature.

hotheaded »    Easily excited or angered.

house cooling party »    A party to celebrate when a person decides to leave a house or flat, and sometimes to help prepare the space for the incoming residents.

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

household name »    A genericized trademark or anepronym.

household name »    A very well-known public figure.

how are you »    An informal greeting, not requiring a literal response. Typical responses include.

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's the weather »    An inquiry about the weather.

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

huckleberry above a persimmon »    Something better than something else.

humble pie »    A pie made from the offal of deer or hog.

hung the moon »    To view or be viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.

hunger is a good sauce »    (dated) Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.1854, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Shirley Brooks, Francis Cowley Burnand, Owen Seaman, Punch, Vol. XXVI, Punch Publications Ltd., page 74:His bread and cheese were somewhat dry, to be sure; his ale had become flat, and considerably warmer than was desirable; but hunger is a good sauce, and thirst is not particular.

hunger is the best sauce »    Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.

hunger is the best spice »    When one is hungry, anything will taste good.

hunker down »    To take shelter; to prepare oneself for some eventuality; to focus on a task.

hunker down »    To stubbornly hold to a position.

ice cream »    dessert item

ice over »    To become covered in ice, usually of a body of water.

idiot light »    Any warning light or indicator on the dashboard of a car, designed to alert the driver of problems, such as the parking brake being on or the oil being low.

idiot mittens »    Mittens connected by yarn or string running through one sleeve, along the back and out the other sleeve of a coat, to prevent the mittens becoming lost. Generally worn by small children.

if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »    With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.

if it's all the same »    If it makes no difference; if nobody minds; if it doesn't bother anyone.

if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle »    (colloquial, vulgar, humorous) It is fruitless to speculate about counterfactual situations."We would have won the match if we'd had a decent goalkeeper.""And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle!"

if need be »    If necessary; if there is a need.

if needs be »    If need be; if there is a need.

if pigs had wings »    Never.

if pigs had wings they would fly »    (colloquial) Expresses speakers skepticism toward a hypothetical argument by another.

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

if you can't beat them, join them »    If your adversaries are stronger than yourself, it is better to join the adversaries.

if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen »    If you cannot handle the pressure, you should not be in a position where you have to deal with it.

if you want a thing done well, do it yourself »    It is better to do something oneself, than rely on others to do it well.

in a bake »    Very angry.

in a bind »    In a difficult situation, usually of one's own making; having a dilemma; faced with a problem or a set of problems for which there is no easy solution.

in a canter »    Without much effort; easily.

in a flash »    Very quickly.

in a league of one's own »    Far excelling even the closest contender; not having any worthy competition.

in a pig's eye »    Very unlikely; probably never.

in a pinch »    In an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.

in Abraham's bosom »    No longer living. Dead.

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

in all my born days »    Ever.

in any way, shape, or form »    In any way at all; whatsoever.

in bed »    Lying on a bed, especially under some bedsheets.

in black and white »    Explicitly, in writing, clearly and without doubt or misunderstanding, without any grey areas.

in black and white »    Having it displayed using shades of gray/gray rather than colour/color .

in black and white »    Using shades of grey/gray rather than colour/color.

in broad daylight »    In a blatant and publicly visible manner.

in case »    In the event; should there be a need.

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

in clover »    Happy and contented.

in clover »    In a condition of prosperity.

in cold blood »    In a ruthless and unfeeling manner; premeditated and deliberate.

in detail »    Thoroughly; including every detail.

in focus »    Clearly perceived.

in for a dime, in for a dollar »    Americanised form of in for a penny, in for a pound.1983, Allen Drury, Decision, p. 356:In for a dime, in for a dollar, he thought crazily, and said what he had to say in a voice he forced to stay level and calm.1998, Ellen Miller, Like Being Killed, p. 47:In for a dime, in for a dollar. I whispered to Gerry,

in for 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 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 fun »    as a joke; not serious

in hand »    under control

in heaven's name »    An intensifier used with questions.

in hot water »    In trouble; in the position of arousing somebody's anger or displeasure.

in kind »    In the form of goods and service rather than money.

in layman's terms »    Explaining something in simple words.

in laymen's terms »    In layman's terms.

in light of »    Given, considering.

in no time »    Very soon.

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

in one hell of a hurry »    In a very great hurry; very fast or hastily.

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

in one's stockinged feet »    Wearing socks, stockings or other hosiery on one's feet but no shoes.

in order »    Appropriate, worthwhile.

in order »    Complete, finished.

in order »    In a sequence.

in order »    In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.

in order »    Ready, prepared; orderly; tidy.

in other words »    Stated or interpreted another way; introduces an explanation.

in person »    actually present

in shape »    I guess I'd better get my room in shape if I have guests.

in shape »    I hope to get in shape for summer swimsuit season.

in spades »    To excess, a lot, considerably; without restraint.

in tandem »    together

in the altogether »    Naked.

in the black »    Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.

in the dark »    Without light; somewhere that is dark.

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

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

in the driver's seat »    Having the most important role in a storyline or recognition. Of primary importance.

in the fast lane »    In a lifestyle, employment position, or other set of circumstances where the rapid pace is exciting, frantic, or risky.

in the first place »    To begin with; earlier; first; at the start.

in the hot seat »    Under pressure to perform; under scrutiny; at the center of attention.

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »    Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.

in the long run »    After a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.

in the pink »    In very good health.

in the reign of Queen Dick »    When pigs fly; never.

in the running »    Of a candidate, potential or likely; worthy of consideration.

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

in the twinkling of an eye »    Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".

in the wake of »    In the noticeable disturbance of water behind .

in the way »    Obstructing, blocking, or hindering.

in this day and age »    In the current time period of years.

in thunderation »    In any set of circumstances whatsoever.

in too deep »    In a situation where one can't cope.

in touch »    The ball, or a player, is in touch when it, or he, is outside the playing area or touching the touchlines of the playing area.

in two shakes »    Very quickly; without delay.

in unity there is strength »    More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.

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

in view of »    Considering.

in vino veritas »    drunken folks speak truth, one tells the truth under the influence of alcohol

in your face »    An exclamation of derision or contempt.

index finger »    digit

inner circle »    The closest of friends of a person.

inquire after »    To ask about the health of someone.

inside baseball »    Matters of interest only to insiders.

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.

inside joke »    A joke that is understood or meant to be understood only by certain people who are in the know about the details.

inside track »    The lane or track nearest to the interior.

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

into detail »    Thoroughly; including every detail.

is the Pope Catholic »    The answer to the question is, obviously, resoundingly affirmative.

it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings »    There are more developments yet to come.

it ain't the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God »    The rich can afford more immoral behavior than the poor.

it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog »    (rare or obsolete, proverb) If a person is determined to punish someone, they will find a way to do so.1596

it is not the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

it isn't the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

it never rains but it pours »    Unfortunate events occur in quantity.

it pays to advertise »    Good qualities do not get rewarded automatically.

it takes all kinds to make a world »    Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds.

it takes two to tango »    Some things need the active cooperation of two parties; blame is to be laid on both parties in a conflict.

it's about time »    Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.

it's all good »    Used to express unconcern.

it's all Greek to me »    I don’t understand any of it; it makes no sense..

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 an ill wind that blows nobody any good »    There is usually something of benefit to someone, no matter how bad the situation.

it's better to ask forgiveness than permission »    The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than value of delaying to get permission.

it's never too late to mend »    You

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

jack it in »    An imperative to stop doing something that the speaker finds annoying.

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.

jack of all trades, master of none »    A person who has a competent grasp of many skills but who is not outstanding in any one.

jack up »    To raise, increase, or accelerate; often said of prices, fees, or rates. See also jack up the price.

jack up »    To ruin; wreck; mess up; screw up; sometimes as a bowdlerized substitution for f** up.

jack-tar »    Alternative spelling of jacktar.

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

jet-setter »    A member of the jet set, a rich person who travels for pleasure.

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

jew down »    To bargain or haggle with a seller in order to obtain a lower price for a good or service.

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.

joe job »    An uninteresting, low-level, low-paying job.

join the club »    An expression of sympathy for a shared experience.

jolly someone along »    To make someone happy or compliant, as by encouragement or flattery.

jumbo jet »    airliner

jump »    By jerking the body violently.

jump »    That is further forward.

jump »    To employ a move in certain board games where one game piece is moved from one legal position to another passing over the position of another piece.

jump about »    To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.

jump about »    To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.

jump around »    To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.

jump around »    To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.

jump at the chance »    To immediately accept an offer.

jump down »    To leave an elevated position to a lower position by one jump.

jump in »    To enter something quickly. Usually a mode of transport.

jump on »    To attack someone verbally, or criticise them over strongly for small errors.

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 the queue »    To desire preferential treatment, undue influence; impatient.

jump the queue »    To move into a queue ahead of others who have been waiting longer or that have a higher priority; push in.

jump the shark »    To undergo a storyline development which is so ridiculous that previous quality is considered to have been lost.

jump up »    To move from one position to a higher position by one jump.

jumped-up »    Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.

jungle telegraph »    A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds or a relay of runners.

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

just deserts »    A punishment or reward that is considered to be what the recipient deserved.

just for fun »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

just in case »    In the event; should there be a need.

just like that »    In that manner.

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.

keel over »    Of a vessel: to roll so far on its side that it cannot recover; to capsize.

keel over »    To collapse in a faint; to black out; to die.

keep a weather eye open »    To be alert; to concentrate on a matter in hand.

keep a weather eye open »    To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.

keep at »    To persist in.

keep at »    preserve with

keep buggin on »    Never quit; go on

keep from »    To protect or preserve from.

keep it real »    In the imperative, an exhortation used as a departing salutation.

keep it up »    To maintain one's erection.

keep on »    Persist or continue.

keep on truckin' »    To continue or persist, regardless of circumstances or setbacks; to keep trying or striving.

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

keep one's cool »    To remain composed, calm, and even-tempered, especially in a provocative situation.

keep one's eye on the ball »    My ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.

keep one's pecker up »    Remain cheerful; keep smiling.

keep oneself to oneself »    To be introverted; to stay away from others.

keep out »    To refrain from entering a place or condition.

keep out »    After being warned, he kept out.

keep out »    To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

keep out of »    To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

keep the wolf from the door »    To ward off poverty or hunger.

keep up »    To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating.

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.

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

kettle of fish »    A situation which is recognized as different from or as an alternative to some other situation, and which is not necessarily unfavorable.

kick around »    To wander loose; to float around; to hang around.

kick ass »    To be very impressive.

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 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.

kick up the arse »    A severe reprimand, especially one to motivate someone into doing something.

kick with the other foot »    To belong to a different religion.

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs »    To seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit.

kill the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

king »    A male monarch; member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.

king »    A powerful or influential person.

kiss and make up »    To settle one's differences and forgive.

kiss of death »    A kiss on the cheek that signifies the death of the receiver, as delivered by a mob boss or one with such influence.

kiss up »    To pay false flattery to another, particularly a superior at work, in order to get special attention.

kiss up »    To pay false flattery.

kiss up to »    To pay false flattery to; to flatter in excess.

kit and caboodle »    Everything entirely, the whole lot.

kit and kaboodle »    Everything; the lot.

kitchen table software »    Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.

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.

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

kneel before »    To kneel in front of someone or something, especially in order to worship or supplicate.

knight in shining armor »    A person who will rescue a dangerous situation; a hero.

knock back »    To drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly or often.

knock for a loop »    To astonish; to surprise very much.

knock off »    An imitation, especially one of poorer quality.

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

knock out »    To render someone unconscious, as by a blow to the head.

knock out »    To exhaust a personal or animal.

knock out of the box »    To cause a pitcher to be replaced by heavy hitting.

knock over »    To bump or strike something in such a way as to tip it.

knock over »    To rob; to stage a heist.

knock together »    To assemble something quickly; to knock up.

knock up »    To put together, fabricate, or assemble, particularly if done hastily or temporarily. See also knock together.

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

know something inside and out »    To know something very thoroughly.

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

knuckle dragger »    A large, strong, and rather dimwitted person.

knuckle under »    To yield or cooperate when pressured or forced to do so.

l'esprit de l'escalier »    The experience of thinking of a devastating rejoinder only after leaving the scene of the debate.

la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »    The drop of water that makes the vase overflow.

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.

ladies man »    Alternative spelling of lady's man.

ladies' man »    Alternative spelling of lady's man.

lady or tiger »    A pure gamble with highly divergent outcomes.

lady's man »    A womanizer.

lame joke »    An attempt at humor which is perceived to have been used previously to the point of being cliche, or was never funny to begin with.

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

lap up »    To revel in, to overtly enjoy.

lapsed academic »    A person formerly employed as a professor or researcher in a university or other institution of higher education, especially one who no longer attempts to remain current in his or her former academic field.

larger-than-life »    Of greater size or magnitude than is naturally or normally the case.

larger-than-life »    Very imposing, renowned, or impressively influential.

lash out »    To make a fierce verbal attack.

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.

last trump »    Forever.

last word »    The final statement uttered by a person before death.

last-ditch »    Final, as a last resort; done in desperation.

late bloomer »    A person who lives a child's life comparatively later than their peers.

late bloomer »    A person who reaches puberty comparatively later than their peers.

latter day »    modern

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

laughter is the best medicine »    It is healthy to laugh.

laundry list »    Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered.

lay a finger on »    If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.

lay a finger on »    To merely touch.

lay about »    To set about, with infinitive or gerund.

lay down »    To give up, surrender, or yield , usually by placing it on the ground.

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

lay down the law »    To authoritatively or dogmatically assert what is permitted or not permitted.

lay off »    From employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance package.

lay off »    To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.

lay out »    To arrange in a certain way.

lay rubber »    To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.

lay up »    To take out of active service.

lay up »    To go out of active service.

lead »    A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.

lead »    I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top. — Bacon.

lead »    Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.

lead »    Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.

lead a charmed life »    To always be lucky and safe from danger.

lead nowhere »    To have no purpose, to result in nothing.

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.

leader of the free world »    The President of the United States.

leap year »    Period of 366 days

leather working »    The technology of making products from leather.

leave no stone unturned »    To do a task very carefully and thoroughly, not missing any step.

leave no stone unturned »    To search thoroughly for something, looking in every conceivable place.

leave nothing to the imagination »    To cover or hide very little or nothing.

leave somebody in the lurch »    To abandon somebody; especially, to abandon somebody and leave him or her in a difficult situation.

leave to one's own devices »    To leave alone, unsupervised, without assistance.

left and right »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

left field »    The part of a baseball field which is beyond the infield and to your left if you stand on home plate and face the pitcher.

left, right and center »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

left-handed compliment »    A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.

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 down »    lower

let go »    To no longer hold on.

let go an anchor to the windward of the law »    To keep within the letter of the law.

let go and let God »    To consciously surrender one's free will to the will of God.

let her rip »    To set off or allow to begin.

let in »    allow to enter

let someone have it »    To verbally assail someone.

let the cat out of the bag »    To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.

letters after one's name »    A list of abbreviations, separated by commas, representing the academic qualifications and civil or military honours achieved by a person.

level best »    The very best that one can do.

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.

licence to print money »    A means of generating a large income with little effort.

licence to print money »    The authority to print money, usually given to a central bank exclusively as the issuer of currency.

lick one's chops »    To anticipate something eagerly.

lick one's wounds »    To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat.

lick out »    To perform cunnilingus on.

lie back and think of England »    . "think of England" refers to the importance of children.

lie back and think of England »    Used to preface any unpleasant but inevitable experience.

life and limb »    Existence together with bodily faculties.

life is like a box of chocolates »    Life is full of surprises, you never know what will happen next.

life of Riley »    An ideal life of carefree prosperity and contentment.

life of the party »    A person who participates in entertainment events in a very enthusiastic manner and who has a leading role in inspiring others to join in the spirit of festivity.

life's not all skittles and beer »    Skittles and Beer refers to the carefree, indulgent bar life; skittles being a British pub game. Thus, life's not all skittles and beer means that not everything is about pleasure.

lift a finger »    To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.

lift up »    To elevate to a higher position.

light a fire under »    To start sooner or move faster.

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.

light middleweight »    type of boxer

lighten up »    To become less serious and more cheerful or casual; to relax.

like a cat on a hot tin roof »    Jumpy, nervous.

like father, like son »    A son will have traits similar to his father upon reaching adulthood.

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

like it or lump it »    To accept a situation whether one agrees with it or not.

like nobody's business »    In an extreme manner; rapidly; excessively; like crazy.

like the back end of a bus »    Very unattractive.

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

lily-livered »    Cowardly, lacking bravery.

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

link whore »    Someone who goes to great lengths to get other people to link to his/her website or blog.

lion »    A famous person.

lion »    A large cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly to much of Europe. The term may apply to the species as a whole, to individuals, or to male individuals. It also applies to related species like mountain lions.

lion »    The arms of the University of the West Indies are Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished Or on a Chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. Crest: A Pelican proper. . See talk page.

lion's den »    Any dangerous or frightening place.

lion's share »    The majority; a large or generous portion.

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

liquid courage »    Alcohol drunk to induce a feeling of courage in the drinker.

listen up »    To listen closely; to pay attention. Often used in the imperative.

little pitcher »    A child.

little pitchers have big ears »    Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).

little pitchers have long ears »    Alternative form of little pitchers have big ears.

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 it up »    To have a wonderful life; to live fully and have fun.

live large »    To have a lavish or overly-extravagant lifestyle.

live on »    To survive solely by consuming a certain thing.

live one »    A person, thing, or situation which is particularly interesting, noteworthy, or urgent.

live one »    Someone who is eccentric, nonconformist, or otherwise peculiar.

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

live wire »    An especially energetic, alert, or vivacious person.

lock up »    To imprison or incarcerate someone.

lock up »    To invest in something long term.

log off »    To depart from conversation; to say goodbye.

log out »    To exit an account in a computer system so that it doesn't recognize you until you log in again.

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 arm »    Influence, far-reaching power.

long drink »    Any drink containing more than 5 ounces of liquid and less than 9 ounces. Typically, a long drink will have lots of ice and mixer.

long finger »    A state of postponement or procrastination.

long finger »    Middle finger.

long finger »    [hire purchase]] or credit.

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.

long shot »    A master shot, the primary wide shot of a scene into which the closeups will be edited later.

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 story short »    Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story.

longpig »    Human flesh when cooked in cannabalistic rituals in certain Pacific Islands, due to the allegeded similarity to cooked pork.

look after »    To watch or protect; to keep safe.

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

look into »    To investigate, explore, or consider.

look on »    To watch; to observe.

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

look over »    To scan-read and check for errors.

look the other way »    To ignore something wrong. Similar to connive.

look through rose-tinted glasses »    Alternative spelling of wear rose-colored glasses.

look up »    To look in an upwards manner.

look-in »    A quick short pass to a receiver running diagonally toward the center of the field.

Loose cannon »    A cannon that breaks loose during battle or a storm and causes serious damage to the ship and its crew.

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 ends »    Leftover items that have not been addressed or attended to.

lord of the flies »    A ruler over a worthless kingdom; leader of a meaningless microcosm.

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

lose it »    To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.

lose one's cool »    To become upset or disconcerted; to lose one's temper.

lose one's shirt »    To lose all of one's money; to go broke; to undergo financial ruin or disaster.

lose one's shit »    To lose one's temper.

lose one's temper »    To be explosively angry. To get very cross.

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

lose the number of one's mess »    To die, to perish.

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

lose the plot »    To have one's results decline severely in quality or suddenly fall below an acceptable standard, especially when compared to past excellence.

lost errand »    A mission likely to fail.

lot lizard »    A customer or salesperson at a used car lot.

lot lizard »    A low or stupid person.

louse up »    Mess up; confuse; put into a state of disorder.

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

love nest »    A room, especially a bedroom or boudoir, used for sexual intercourse.

loved up »    Alternative spelling of loved-up.

low blow »    A rhetorical attack that is considered unfair or unscrupulous.

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

lower the boom »    To suddenly overpower, with "on".

lower the boom »    To use one's superior physical strength; clobber.

lower the boom on »    To punish someone.

lower the boom on »    To terminate or abolish something.

lubrication payment »    A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.

luck out »    To experience great luck; to be extremely fortunate or lucky.

lucky dip »    A game in which prizes are covered up and mixed together in a container, so that contestants can dip their hand into the container and randomly pull out a prize.

lucky dip »    September 2005, BBC News - Dome sale 'was like a lucky dip'.

lump together »    To put different items or groups together and treat them, or think of them as one single group.

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.

mad money »    A sum of money, often relatively small in amount, kept in reserve to use for impulsive, frivolous purposes.

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

main verte »    Green thumb.

make a fool of oneself »    To appear foolish to others.

make a meal of »    To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated.

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 mountain out of a molehill »    To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.

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 an example of »    He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.

make an example of »    To punish someone so as to be a warning to others.

make an exhibition of oneself »    She had far too much to drink and made an exhibition of herself by flirting with everyone.

make an exhibition of oneself »    To embarrass oneself or others in public.

make book »    To be very confident.

make book »    To gamble, either by placing or taking bets.

make do with »    To get along with whatever is available.

make head or tail of »    To determine to be good or bad.

make head or tail of »    To understand even minimally.

make light of »    To regard without due seriousness; to joke or disregard inappropriately.

make out »    To discern.

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

make over »    To renovate or to convert to a different use.

make over »    To transfer ownership, especially by means of a legal document.

make sense »    To be coherent or reasonable.

make sense »    To decipher or understand.

make short work of »    To make a task quicker or easier.

make someone's skin crawl »    To disturb or bother; to frighten or disgust.

make someone's teeth itch »    To bother or unsettle a person; to put someone on edge.

make sure »    To verify; to recheck; to use extra care or caution.

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

make up »    To resolve, forgive or smooth over an argument or fight.

mama's boy »    A male person, especially a young man or boy, who is overly attached to or influenced by his mother; a sissy.

man of few words »    A man who doesn't speak much, or speaks only for a short period of time.

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 proposes, God disposes »    Things don't always work out as they were planned.

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.

manoeuvre the apostles »    To rob Peter to pay Paul; that is, to borrow money of one man to pay another.

many a mickle makes a muckle »    (UK) a lot of small amounts together, become a large amount.

many hands make light work »    A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.

many happy returns »    A greeting, usually for birthdays, in reference to the passing year; Happy birthday!.

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

mark time »    Marching in place; not going anywhere.

mark up »    To add coding to text so that it will display properly on a computer.

marry in haste, repent at leisure »    Two things together too soon will lead to problems.

match made in heaven »    A marriage that is likely to be happy and successful because the two people are very compatible with each other.

match made in heaven »    A very successful combination of two people or things.

match made in hell »    A marriage that is likely to be unhappy or abusive and unsuccessful because the two people are very incompatible with each other.

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

matter of course »    A natural or logical outcome.

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.

me three »    Used to express agreement, after someone has already said "me too".

meal ticket »    A ticket or voucher that can be exchanged for food.

meals on wheels »    Food delivered to the homes of those unable to cook for themselves.

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 twice, cut once »    Alternative form of measure twice and cut once.

meat market »    A market where meat is sold.

meat rack »    A place where people can meet looking for sexual partners.

meatball surgery »    A nickname for surgery that is meant to be performed rapidly to stabilize the patient as quickly as possible.

meaty »    Of a person or a body part, large and solid.

meet one's maker »    To die or to pass into the afterlife.

melting pot »    Come together and are homogenized.

member for Barkshire »    Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.

mend fences »    To repair damage to a friendship or relationship after a disagreement or other mishap.

mercury »    A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.

mess up »    To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.

mess up »    To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.

mess up »    To botch, bungle; to perform poorly on.

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

mess up »    To discombobulate, utterly confuse, or confound psychologically; to throw into a state of mental disarray.

mess with »    To interfere.

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

might makes right »    The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.

mike up »    To fit a microphone and transmitter to a person. Usually for television performers, or for police informers.

mill around »    To move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area.

mince words »    To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms.

mind one's own business »    To concern oneself only with what is of interest to oneself and not interfere in the affairs of others.

mind one's P's and Q's »    Alternative spelling of mind one's p's and q's.

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

mind over matter »    Willpower alone can overcome a physical problem.

mind the store »    To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.

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

mine arse on a bandbox »    An answer to the offer of any thing inadequate to the purpose for which it is proffered, like offering a bandbox for a seat.

miner's canary »    A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.

miner's canary »    Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.

miners' canary »    A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.

miners' canary »    Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.

mint sauce »    serve this with lamb

misery loves company »    Misery is easier to bear when one is not the only one miserable.1995, Chris Abbott,

misfortunes never come singly »    bad things or situations always come in groups, they never come in a single way.

miss out »    To miss an experience or lose an opportunity, etc. that should not be missed.

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

miss the point »    To fail to grasp the meaning of an utterance.

mix apples and oranges »    To mix two totally different things.

mix up »    To confuse or reverse.

mix up »    misunderstanding

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.

mock up »    To create a model or demonstration; to create a preliminary version or sample.

mocking is catching »    An admonishment to be careful of criticising others, lest the same happen to you.Mocking is Catching was the title of a 1726 song by Henry Carey.

moment of truth »    A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.

money can't buy happiness »    Money can buy external things, but true happiness comes from inside.

money doesn't grow on trees »    You must work in order to have money.

money maker »    A woman's buttocks.

money maker »    Something profitable.

money talks »    It is easier to accomplish goals using money instead of just talk.

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 on one's back »    A state of persistent distress or worry or the cause of such a state.

monkey wrench »    A wrench with a smooth adjustable jaw to grip different sizes of nuts.

month of Sundays »    A very long time; too long.

mop the floor with somebody »    To trounce or defeat thoroughly or in a humiliating manner.

moral high ground »    A position or point of view which is ethically superior or more reputable, in comparison to others which are under consideration.

more cry than wool »    Asserted but not grounded in reality.

more haste, less speed »    When we are in a hurry, we often end up completing our task slower.

more like it »    Better, more desirable.

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 »    A female chicken who bears eggs or chicks.

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

motor mouth »    One who talks incessantly; a chatty or loquacious person.

mouse potato »    A person who spends excessive amounts of time using a computer.

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

mouth breather »    A person who routinely inhales and exhales through the mouth, instead of through the nose.

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.

move on »    To leave somewhere for another place.

move the goal posts »    To unilaterally change the rules, or terms of an agreement, especially in an unfair or underhand way.

move the goalposts »    To alter the agreed basis, scope, standards or target of a procedure or task during its course, especially to do so to someone's advantage.

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

much of a muchness »    Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them.

muck about »    To do somethings with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works.

muck out »    To clean the excrement and other rubbish from the area where an animal is kept, such as a horse stable or a dog kennel.

muckety muck »    A person in a position of power, authority, or status.

mug's game »    A foolish, profitless, or hopeless undertaking.

mull over »    To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.

murder will out »    A murderer will always be discovered.

murder will out »    Secrets or hidden crimes will eventually be exposed or discovered.

muscle in »    To interfere, or intrude forcibly.

muscle in on »    To interfere with, or intrude on something forcibly.

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

mutton dressed as lamb »    A mature woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if a deliberate attempt to appear young.

mutual admiration society »    A group of two or more people, in a workplace or other social environment, who routinely express considerable esteem and support for one another, sometimes to the point of exaggeration or pretense.

naff off »    A mild version of f** off.

nail biter »    A nervous or uncomfortable situation.

nail biter »    An engaging or exciting cliffhanger.

nail biter »    One who bites or chews his or her fingernails.

nail down »    Firm or certain.

ne'er cast a clout til May be out »    Advice not to change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.

ne'er do well »    useless

nearly never bulled a cow »    (Irish) Near enough is not good enough.

necessity is the mother of innovation »    Alternative form of necessity is the mother of invention.

necessity is the mother of invention »    A person who is in great need of something will find a way to get it.

neck and neck »    Very close in progress, as in a race or contest.

necker's knob »    A knob attached to the steering wheel of an automobile, especially before the widespread availability of power steering, helping the driver steer with one arm and leaving the other arm free to provide romantic attention to a companion.

neither fish nor fowl »    Said of something not easily categorized or not fitting neatly into any established group.

neither here nor there »    Not important; having no significance or influence on the question at hand; not related; not relevant; not germane; not pertinent.

nervous as a cat »    "She's as nervous as a cat.".

nervous as a cat »    Very nervous.

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

nest egg »    A natural or artificial egg placed in a bird's nest, to encourage the bird to lay its own eggs there.

nest egg »    A savings; a reserve of money.

never change a running system »    Don't change something that is working

never in a million years »    Absolutely not.

never in a month of Sundays »    At no time whatsoever.

never in a month of Sundays »    Never in a month of Sundays would I have imagined that you'd be this tall in real life!.

never look a gift horse in the mouth »    Alternative form of don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

never mind »    Do not be concerned.

never mind »    I withdraw my previous statement.

never mind »    It is not important; do not fret.

never you mind »    Do not concern yourself with it; it is none of your business.

new school »    A style, way of thinking, or method for accomplishing a task that is typical of the current era, as opposed to former eras.

nickel and dime »    Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.

nickel-and-dime »    Alternative spelling of nickel and dime.

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.

nightcap »    A beverage drunk before bed that is usually alcoholic.

nightcap »    A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas. Nightcaps were common in northern Europe before central heating was available, when homes were cold at night.

nightcap »    The second game of a doubleheader.

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

nine day wonder »    Something that generates interest for a limited time and is then abandoned.

nip and tuck »    So evenly matched that the advantage shifts from one to the other, and the outcome is uncertain.

nip in the bud »    To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.

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 comment »    An "official" refusal to relay any further information, as a response to a newspaper reporter's question.

no cover »    Without a cover charge.

no dice »    An unacceptable alternative.

no fear »    certainly not

no glove, no love »    Without a condom, there will be no sex.

no good deed ever goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

no great shakes »    Unexceptional; not special or noteworthy; not very effective.

no holds barred »    Without reserve; in an especially ruthless or vicious manner.

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 »    regardless of

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 nevermind »    No difference.

no pain, no gain »    One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.

no rest for the wicked »    (humorous) People who are wicked must work harder than normal people.

no score »    In a sporting event, a score of zero to zero.

no slave to fashion »    A person whose style of clothing and appearance are unconventional, informal, or slovenly; a person who takes little interest in how he or she is dressed.

no spring chicken »    Said of a person who is no longer particularly young.

no time like the present »    A shortened form of there's no time like the present

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

non-starter »    An idea or argument that cannot be sensibly debated.

non-starter »    Someone or something who was listed to start in a race, but did not start in the race.

non-starter »    Something that is not going to happen.

none of someone's business »    A matter that someone is not entitled to be involved in or informed about.

none too »    Not very

nose test »    An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

nose-pick »    To pick boogers from the nose.

nose-picker »    One who picks their nose.

nose-picking »    To insert a finger into one's nostril, especially to remove mucus.

nosebleed seat »    A seat high in the back of bleachers, stands, or the balcony at a theater.

not a pretty sight »    Something disappointing, disquieting, disreputable, or otherwise unworthy of admiration.

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

not a sausage »    John: Do you know how I get to the town center from here?.

not give a monkey's »    Not to have the slightest interest or concern.

not in Kansas anymore »    No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings; in the big city.

not much of anything »    Very little; not a lot.

not on your life »    Absolutely not; under no circumstances.

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

not quite »    Almost, very nearly.

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.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong aversion.

not very »    Not.

noughts and crosses »    pen and paper game

nudge nudge wink wink »    A phrase added at the end of the sentence to hint that the speaker is referring to something else, euphemistically.

nugget of truth »    A small amount of truth in a generally untrue statement.

nugget of truth »    January 2008, Chicago Tribune - Clinton's Hispanic edge over Obama.

number one »    First; foremost; best.

number one with a bullet »    Superlative; impossible to beat.

nut-cutting time »    Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.

nut-cutting time »    Time to gather nuts before they are taken by other animals or buried in snow.

nuts and bolts »    The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.

nutty as a fruitcake »    Behaving in an eccentric, foolish, or kooky manner; very nutty.

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

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 and curious »    On the Isle of Man, the common or general man.

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

odd one out »    Something or someone in a group that is different or exceptional, that does not fit.

of a »    Every.

of all people »    Especially; more than other people.

of course »    Asserts that the associated phrase should not be argued, particularly if it is obvious or there is no choice in the matter.

off and on »    Intermittently.

off balance »    Surprised; perplexed.

off one's dot »    Off one's rocker; bananas; mad.

off one's game »    C. 1910, Ralph Henry Barbour, "The Dub" in The New Boy at Hilltop and Other Stories.

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

off one's game »    Playing or competing below one's usual level of performance.

off one's rocker »    Crazy; insane.

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 deep end »    Crazy, erratic, or irrational.

off the hook »    Performing extraordinarily well.

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

off the reservation »    Violating rules.

off the table »    Beyond consideration.

off the wagon »    No longer maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from an undesirable habit, especially drinking alcohol.

off-color »    Considered dirty, vulgar or obscene.

off-roader »    A vehicle that is designed to drive off the road.

offer affordances »    To give elbow room or leeway for something to happen.

offer one's condolences »    To offer sympathy to someone.

oil burner »    A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.

oil burner »    A heating device which burns fuel oil; an oil furnace.

oil burner »    A machine that uses oil as its fuel.

Old Fart »    An elderly person who holds views that are considered old-fashioned.

old fogey »    Old person.

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

old hat »    Something uninteresting, hackneyed, or passé due to overuse or long-standing familiarity..

old hat »    Something with which one is very familiar, or in which one is experienced or skilled.

old masters »    great painters

old money »    Families that have been wealthy for generations or members of such families.

old money »    The imperial system of measurement, as opposed to the metric system.

old saw »    A cliché, saying, or overused expression; especially a proverb or maxim.

old school »    Characteristic of a style, outlook, or method employed in a former era, remembered either as inferior to the current style, or alternately, remembered nostalgically as superior or preferable to the new style, the older denoting something that would be considered out of date or out of fashion to some, but as such, is considered by others as cool and hip.

old time used to be »    Roberta, lyrics by Leadbelly.

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

on a regular basis »    Regularly, occurring in regular time intervals or patterns.

on a shoestring »    On a very tight budget; with few resources or little money.

on a whim »    Done without thinking seriously about the consequences.

on accident »    Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.

on acid »    Exaggerated, bizarre or unpredictable.

on an irregular basis »    Irregularly, occurring in irregular time intervals or patterns.

on at »    to pester; to irritate; to annoy

on average »    Usually, typically; as a rule; as often as not.

on board »    Even when I am on board the plane, I can never feel secure that my luggage is, too.

on board »    Is that new teammate properly on board yet?.

on cloud nine »    Very happy, blissful.

on edge »    Tense, nervous or irritable.

on end »    Upright; erect; endways.

on good terms with »    Friendly towards; having good relations with.

on high »    "According to those on high there is no global warming".

on hold »    On reserve; being held for someone.

on ice »    Performed by ice skaters as an ice show.

on its merits »    Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.

on one's feet »    Being well again after a bout of illness.

on one's hands »    Being one's liability or responsibility; with which one is lumbered.

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

on one's own »    Alone; by oneself; without the companionship or assistance of others.

on one's soapbox »    Stating or professing one's opinion; attempting to persuade others of something.

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

on one's watch »    During the period of time when one is in a position of authority or responsibility.

on opposite sides of the barricades »    Of starkly different, opposite views on an issue.

on purpose »    Purposefully; with intention; deliberately.

on second thought »    After reconsidering; on further consideration.

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

on sufferance »    Unwillingly agreed to or barely tolerated.

on tenterhooks »    In a state of suspense or apprehension.

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 brink »    Very nearly; imminent; close.

on the bubble »    Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.

on the bubble »    Uncertain of success.

on the clock »    Displayed numerically on the mileage or kilometric gauge.

on the clock »    In the official time expired in a game or other sporting event.

on the clock »    In the official time remaining in a game or other sporting event.

on the clock »    Of a taxicab, engaged for hire; displayed numerically as time or fare on the meter of a taxicab.

on the clock »    Remunerated per unit of time.

on the clock »    Working at one's job; occupied in some manner during one's hours of remunerated employment.

on the cuff »    On credit, with payment to be made later.

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

on the face of it »    Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.

on the fence »    Undecided; wavering in one's opinion.

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

on the ladder »    Figuratively a property ladder, owning property.

on the level »    A discreet reference to freemasonry.

on the level »    Honest, sincere, straightforward.

on the line »    In a contest or enterprise.

on the loose »    Not incarcerated or in captivity; not under control.

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 mend »    Healing or recovering, as from an injury or illness.

on the mend »    Improving or undergoing restoration to a previous, more favorable condition.

on the other hand »    From another point of view.

on the outs »    On unfriendly terms; estranged.

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

on the point »    Very nearly; imminent; close.

on the pull »    Seeking the intimate company of a member of the opposite sex.

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

on the sly »    Slyly, in an inconspicuous manner, so as not to be seen; secretly; stealthily.

on the spot »    At that very moment; right away.

on the spot »    Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.

on the spur of the moment »    On very short notice; spontaneously.

on the square »    A discrete, unassuming reference to freemasonry.

on the tip of one's tongue »    Known but not quite remembered.

on the uptake »    In understanding or in the ability to absorb new information; especially in the phrases "quick on the uptake" and "slow on the uptake".

on the verge »    Very near or close.

on the wagon »    By extension, maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from some other undesirable habit.

on the wane »    In a period of decrease or decline.

on thin ice »    In a dangerous, hazardous, or delicate situation; at risk.

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

on-the-spot »    In the right place at this very moment.

once and for all »    Finally, permanently, conclusively.

once in a blue moon »    Never.

once in a blue moon »    Very rarely; very infrequently.

once or twice »    A small, indefinite number of times.

once you go black, you never go back »    An expression assuming that once a person of another race gets in a sexual relationship with a black person they won't return to their own race.

one and all »    All, everyone.

one and the same »    The same person or thing. Used to emphasize the identity or equivalence of two things.

one another »    Used of a reciprocal relationship among a group of more than two people or things; compare each other.

one another »    each other

one can run but one can't hide »    There is nothing someone can do to evade something.You can run but you can't hide.

one can't hold two watermelons in one hand »    do not attempt to take on more than you can handle

one card shy of a full deck »    Mentally deranged; demented; insane.

one good turn deserves another »    One act of kindness should be paid back by another act of kindness.

one in the eye for »    An event or achievement which is unpleasant for someone, especially for those who considered it impossible or unwelcome; an annoyance.

one of his majesty's bad bargains »    A worthless soldier, a malingeror.

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »    A cliché used to exaggerate an accomplishment or milestone..

one step forward, two steps back »    A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

one swallow does not a summer make »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one swallow does not make a summer »    A sign is not proof

one swallow doesn't make a summer »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one thousand »    Used in a common chronometric counting scheme, in which each iteration is sequentially numbered and supposed to be approximately one second in length.

one up »    To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.

one who hesitates is lost »    A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.

one's days are numbered »    Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.

one's jig is up »    Alternative form of the jig is up. [for one].

one-hit wonder »    A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.

one-hit wonder »    A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.

one-horse town »    A very small town.

one-man band »    A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.

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 performing animal that knows only one trick.

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

one-up »    To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.

onesie-twosie »    Individually or in very small groups, rather in larger batches.

ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »    (biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.

open one's big mouth »    To speak about things, when it would be better to stay silent.

opening time »    hour at which a pub can start serving

opposite number »    A person who holds a position in an organization that corresponds to that held by another person in an other organization; a counterpart.

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

or else »    Otherwise or as an alternative.

or so »    approximately; there abouts

or what »    Or something else; allows for the existence of an unexpressed alternative to what was said.

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.

other half »    A spouse.

out of bounds »    Prohibited to enter.

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 gas »    Tired; lacking energy or motivation.

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

out of kilter »    Disturbed; out of order; not working or adjusted properly.

out of line »    Inappropriate or unsuitable, especially by reason of being unmannerly or indelicate.

out of luck »    Experiencing a temporary misfortune.

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 »    Inappropriate or unsuitable.

out of order »    Not functioning properly.

out of order »    Out of normal sequence.

out of place »    Not in the proper situation or arrangement, or inappropriate for the circumstances.

out of pocket »    Lacking funds, or suffering a loss.

out of proportion »    Not in a proper or pleasing relation to other things, especially in terms of size.

out of reach »    The adult magazines were out of reach of toddlers.

out of sight »    Superb, excellent.

out of sight »    You better stay out of sight for a few days.

out of the box »    Immediately, without intervention from the customer.

out of the running »    No longer in competition.

out of the way »    Improper or offensive.

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

out of the woods »    Out of peril; likely to recover or prevail over trouble; finished with the worst or most threatening part of a problem or illness.

out of this world »    Exceptionally high quality; wonderful; marvellous.

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

out of touch »    No longer maintaining contact or communications.

out of whack »    Not in proper alignment.

out of whack »    Not in proper balance; unbalanced.

out of whack »    Not working or operating properly.

out on one's ear »    Fired, dismissed or thrown out, especially for some wrongdoing or otherwise with disgrace.

out on the tiles »    I've had a pint of bitter and now I'm feeling better and I'm out on the tiles." Led Zeppelin in their song "Out on the tiles", 1970.

out the window »    Made obsolete; altered drastically as a result of situational change.

out-and-out »    Complete, utter.

outshout »    To merit the most attention or praise.

outshout »    To shout louder or for longer than another.

outside world »    The world external to the human mind.

outsider »    A competitor or contestant who has little chance of winning; a long shot; a dark horse.

outsider »    A newcomer with little or no experience in an organization or community.

outsider »    One who is not part of a community or organization.

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 and over »    Repeatedly; again and again; many times.

over my dead body »    Under no circumstances; absolutely not.

over one's head »    More complex or confusing than one can understand; beyond one’s comprehension..

over one's head »    Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.

over the hill »    Old, past the prime of life.

over the moon »    Delighted, thrilled.

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

over the transom »    Said of an unsolicited work submitted for publication.

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

overkill »    An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.

overleap »    To ignore.

overleap »    To leap over, to jump over, to cross by jumping.

overleap »    To omit.

ox is in the ditch »    This is a big problem; there is unavoidable or demanding work ahead.

pachyderm »    A member of the obsolete taxonomic group Pachydermata, grouping of thick-skinned, hoofed animals such as the rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephant, pig and horse.

pachyderm »    Someone who is insensitive.

pachyderm »    Someone with thick skin. It is used for animals such as an elephant or a hippopotamus.

pachyderm »    What others say about him or her.

pack away »    To store away, place out of the way, or stash, especially for the longer term.

pack up »    To put back together.

packing heat »    Carrying one or more firearms on one's person, especially in a concealed manner.

pain in the ass »    Something that causes discomfort or is otherwise troublesome.

paint oneself into a corner »    To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.

paint the town red »    To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.

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 newspaper or anything used as such .

paper »    A sheet material used for writing on or printing on , usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.

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 »    A written document, generally shorter than a book , in particular one written for the Government.

paper »    Money.

paper »    Wallpaper.

paper »    Wrapping paper.

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.

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

park that thought »    Alternative form of hold that thought.

parking lot »    An open area, generally paved, where automobiles may be left when not in use.

parting shot »    An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.

party animal »    A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.

party crasher »    Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.

party pooper »    Someone who unnecessarily dampens fun.

pass by »    To pass over. disregard, overlook.

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

pass muster »    To measure up to a particular standard.

pass out »    To graduate, usually marked by the ceremony at the end of their training.

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.

patience is a virtue »    it is better to be patient than impatient

pave the way »    To make future development easier.

pay for »    To exchange for, especially money for goods or services.

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

pay off »    To bribe, especially to deter oversight.

pay off »    To become worthwhile after a lapse.

pay one's dues »    To acquire status or to earn the right to enjoy certain benefits, especially through lengthy experience, hardship, or service to an organization.

pay one's dues »    To outlay money which is owed as a membership fee or price of admission.

pay the fiddler »    To contribute in order to participate.

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

pay the piper »    To pay a monetary debt or experience unfavorable consequences, especially when the payment or consequences are inevitable in spite of attempts to avoid them.

pay through the nose »    To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.

pay up »    To pay for something in total, after a certain amount of time after receiving a purchase.

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.

peace and quiet »    Tranquility; freedom from stress or interruptions.

peaches and cream »    A very enjoyable experience.

peanut gallery »    Any source of heckling, unwelcome commentary or criticism, especially from a know-it-all or of an inexpert nature.

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

peashooter »    Any small or ineffective gun.

peel grapes »    To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.

peel out »    To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.

peg it »    To run away; to leg it; to scarper.

pelt of the dog »    An immoderate, excessive quantity of alcohol drunk the morning after whilst suffering withdrawal symptoms or a hangover, which goes beyond alleviating the complaint to causing drunkenness; cf. hair of the dog.

penalty box »    That is assessed after an infraction.

pencil pusher »    One who does routine office work; someone involved mainly in paperwork.

pencil-neck »    A person with a very thin neck.

pencil-neck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

pencil-necked »    Having a very thin neck.

pencilneck »    A person with a very thin neck.

pencilneck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

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

penny pincher »    One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.

people person »    Someone who is happier or more skilled at dealing with people rather than things or concepts.

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones »    Do not criticize others if you have weaknesses yourself.

pep up »    To make stronger or more interesting.

per se »    by or in itself

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.

personal computers »    PCs

peter out »    To dwindle; to trail off; to diminish to nothing.

pi%C3%A8ce de r%C3%A9sistance »    A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..

pick of the litter »    The best person or item in a group.

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 a passenger.

pick up »    To learn, to grasp; to begin to understand.

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.

pick up »    To answer a telephone. See pick up the phone.

pick up speed »    accelerate

pick up stitches »    Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.

pickle »    Any vegetable preserved in vinegar and consumed as relish.

pickle »    A cucumber preserved in a solution, usually a brine or a vinegar syrup.

pickle »    A difficult situation, peril.

pickle »    An affectionate term for a loved one.

pickle »    The brine used for preserving food.

piece de resistance »    A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..

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.

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

pig in a poke »    Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.

pin down »    To corner somebody in order to get a firm answer.

pinch-hit »    To bat in place of another player.

pinch-hit »    To do something in the place of another person who is not able to perform or is less skilled; to substitute or stand in for somebody.

pinchpenny »    One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.

pink slip »    An automobile roadworthiness inspection certificate.

pink slip »    Notice of the termination of employment.

piping hot »    Very hot.

piss and vinegar »    Exuberance or enthusiasm, especially to an excessive degree; bravado; youthful energy.

piss off »    To annoy, anger.

pissing contest »    A boys' prankish competition to determine who can urinate the furthest up a wall.

pissing contest »    An argument which is instigated, or exacerbated while consuming alcohol.

pissing contest »    An immature dispute over some trivial matter.

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

pitch woo »    To flatter.

play around »    To work with in a non-serious manner.

play ball »    To work together; to cooperate.

play dumb »    To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.

play fast and loose »    To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.

play fast and loose »    To ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits ones purpose.

play hardball »    To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.

play hookey »    To be absent without permission, especially from school.

play hooky »    To miss school, work, or other duties without permission or an excuse.

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

play it by ear »    To play a song according to how it sounds, rather than from a written score.

play Old Harry »    Blenkiron and I have been moving in the best circles as skilled American engineers who are going to play Old Harry with the British on the Tigris. — John Buchan, "Greenmantle", 1916..

play one against another »    To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.

play possum »    To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.

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

play the field »    To date more than one person at the same time.

play the fool »    To behave in a foolish or comical manner.

play the race card »    Mark Fuhrman, Murder in Brentwood p.153.

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 to the gallery »    To appeal to the least sophisticated parts of an audience in order to obtain maximum approval.

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

plug away »    To persist or continue, as with an effort.

plump up »    To shake or arrange so as to be fatter or more evenly distributed.

plus  »    (literally) The more it changes, the more it's the same thing (sometimes loosely translated as the more things change, the more they stay the same).Although the outward appearance may change, fundamentals are constant.

plus fours »    knickerbockers

poacher turned gamekeeper »    A person who now works against the same people they once supported.

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 of no return »    The point in any journey, process, or sequence of events when it is no longer possible to reverse course or stop the process.

point out »    To identify with a bodily gesture, notably by pointing a finger or implement.

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

point the finger at »    To accuse or blame.

poison »    Something that harms a person or thing.

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.

poor power »    Limited ability.

pop in »    To visit in an impromptu manner.

pop someone's cherry »    To deflower someone.

pop the cherry »    To break the hymen; to lose one's virginity.

pore over »    To examine something carefully and attentively.

pork sausages »    bangers

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.

poster boy »    See poster child.

poster child »    One who is a prototypical or quintessential example of something.

poster girl »    See poster child.

pot calling the kettle black »    A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.

potter »    God, the creator.

potter »    One who makes pots and other ceramic wares.

potter »    One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.

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.

potter's clay »    A nation or kingdom.

potter's clay »    A person or people created and shaped by God.

potter's clay »    I am the potter’s clay.

potter's clay »    The clay used by a potter.

potter's clay »    We are but potter’s clay.

potter's field »    A public place where strangers, paupers, and criminals are buried.

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

pound of flesh »    Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.

pound the pavement »    To campaign diligently; to seek something, such as business, employment, or answers.

pour oil on troubled waters »    To calm something or someone who is tenacious or misbehaving.

pour out »    To serve a drink into a cup or glass.

pour out »    To leave a place quickly, and in large numbers.

power behind the throne »    Someone who appears to be without special status, but who has great covert influence on a person in authority.

power 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.

powers that be »    The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially as seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.

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

prawn cocktail offensive »    A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.

pre-war »    Describing the period before a war.

pre-war »    Describing the period before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

preach to the choir »    Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.

preprogram »    To predispose to certain thoughts or behaviours.

press stud »    snap fastener

press the flesh »    To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.

pretty penny »    A considerable amount of money; a high price or a high income.

pretzel »    A toasted bread or cracker usually in the shape of a loose knot.

prevail upon »    To convince; to persuade.

prevention is better than cure »    it is better to prevent the creation of a bad thing, than to destroy it.

price on one's head »    A compensation for capturing or killing a person, especially someone guilty of a crime.

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

pride comes before a fall »    A person who is extremely proud of his or her abilities will often suffer a setback or failure, because he or she tends to be overconfident and to make errors of judgment.

pride cometh before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

pride goes before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

pride goeth before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

prime of life »    The period of one's mature life when one is at a peak of health and performance.

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

prize fighter »    boxer

problem child »    Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or annoyance.

prone out »    In order to be propelled shorewards by a broken wave.

pronunciamiento »    A military uprising or coup in Spain or the Spanish American republics, particularly in the 19th century. They received this designation because coups were usually accompanied by a statement declaring the existing government null and void.

proverbs come in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.

proverbs go in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1932, Bertrand Russell,

proverbs hunt in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.

proverbs often come in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.

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.

pulcher »    Beautiful, fair.

pulcher »    Beauty.

pulcher »    Noble, honorable, excellent.

pull a »    To emulate a behaviour generally attributed to the individual named.

pull an all-nighter »    Work diligently throughout the night.

pull my finger »    A phrase used when playing a prank regarding flatulence, in which a mark is asked to pull the finger of the person playing the prank, who simultaneously flatulates so as to suggest a causal relationship between the pulling of the finger and the resulting expulsion of gas.

pull one's finger out »    To stop wasting time in preliminaries, and concentrate on the important task.

pull oneself together »    To become mentally focused after a period of being unfocused.

pull oneself up by one's bootstraps »    To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only on one's own effort or abilities.

pull out »    To use coitus interruptus as a method of birth control.

pull out »    To remove something from a container.

pull out »    To maneuver a vehicle from the side of a road onto the lane.

pull out all the stops »    To reserve or hold back nothing.

pull over »    To cause to pull over.

pull rank »    To assert one's authority over a subordinate who disagrees.

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 someone down a peg »    To lower someone's high self-opinion.

pull the other leg »    In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe what another has just said.

pull the other one, it's got bells on »    The implication is that one leg has been pulled, and the joker will have more fun with the other one due to the bells.

pull the other one, it's got bells on »    Monty Python's Holy Grail.

pull the plug »    To unplug or cut power.

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

pull the trigger »    To fire a gun.

pull together »    To unite for a common objective.

pull up »    Lift upwards or vertically.

pump up »    To excite a person or group to a frenzy.

punch bowl waterfall »    A plunging waterfall descending from a narrow stream into a pool.

punch in »    To enter a workplace by punching a time card.

purple prose »    Extravagant or flowery writing, especially in a literary work.

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

push the envelope »    To go beyond established limits; to pioneer.

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

put a stop to »    To terminate or abolish something.

put across »    To explain or state something clearly and understandably.

put across »    To perform a theatrical production.

put all one's eggs in one basket »    Rather than diversifying.

put an end to »    To terminate or abolish something.

put aside »    To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.

put away »    To strike out a batter.

put away »    To catch a fly ball or tag out a baserunner.

put back »    To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time.

put by »    To preserve food by canning, freezing, drying, etc.

put by »    To perform an action without attracting attention.

put down »    To administer euthanasia to, as an animal too old or ill to cure.

put down »    To replace the telephone receiver and terminate a call. To hang up.

put down »    To make prices, or taxes, lower.

put down »    To place a baby somewhere to sleep.

put down for »    To record that someone has offered to help, or contribute something.

put forward »    To propose for consideration.

put forward »    To change the time in a time zone to a later time.

put hair on somebody's chest »    To make a person stronger or more masculine.

put on airs »    To become haughty, to assume a haughty manner.

put one foot in front of the other »    To move forward, progress steadily.

put one foot in front of the other »    To walk, decomposed to stress the fundamentality of the task.

put one over »    To fool, trick or deceive.

put one's foot down »    To make a car go faster, accelerate.

put one's foot in it »    To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.

put one's hands together »    To clap; to applaud.

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

put one's money where one's mouth is »    More generally, to take an obvious stake in the truth of a claim that one is making.

put one's money where one's mouth is »    To make or take a bet.

put one's shoulder to the wheel »    To work or exert oneself heavily or with full 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 oneself in someone's shoes »    To try to look at a situation from a different point of view; as if one were the other person. To empathise.

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

put out feelers »    To explore or watch for; ask around; investigate.

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

put someone in mind of »    To remind someone of; to inspire a mental image or awareness of; to cause thoughts concerning.

put someone's back up »    To annoy someone deliberately.

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

put the cart before the horse »    To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities.

put the cat among the pigeons »    If you set the cat among the pigeons, you will cause a flutter in the dovecote.

put the cat among the pigeons »    Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way. — The Times, 19 September 1994.

put the clock back »    To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time.

put the clock forward »    To change the time in a time zone to a later time.

put the hammer down »    To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.

put the pedal to the metal »    To exert maximum effort.

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 to the test »    To test something or someone; to evaluate, scrutinize or explore by testing or experimentation.

put together »    To assemble, construct, or build.

put two and two together »    To figure out; to deduce or discern.

put up »    To house, shelter, or take in.

put up one's dukes »    Prepare to fight; literally, to raise your fists.

put up with »    To tolerate, suffer through, or allow, esp. something annoying.

put your hands together »    Clap; applaud.

quake in one's boots »    To be frightened, scared, or nervous.

quantum mechanics »    Something overly complicated or detailed.

quantum mechanics »    The branch of physics which studies matter and energy at the level of atoms and other elementary particles, and substitutes probabilistic mechanisms for classical Newtonian ones.

quarter of »    "I need twenty minutes to get to the shop." "You'll be late. It's already a quarter of.".

quarter of »    Fifteen minutes before the next hour.

quarter past »    Fifteen minutes past any hour.

queer fish »    An odd or eccentric person.

queer one's pitch »    To make a task more difficult for the speaker.

question mark »    Doubt or uncertainty.

quick on the uptake »    Able to readily understand things; intelligent.

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.

quicumque vult »    A forward girl, ready to oblige every man that shall ask her.

quiet down »    To become quieter.

quiet down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

quieten down »    To become quieter.

quieten down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

quite a bit »    A considerable amount.

rabble rouser »    Someone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.

rack one's brain »    To struggle to think of or remember something.

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 bagger »    A sailor who tends to sail on messy cruising vessels.

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.

rag-chewing »    A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.

rags to riches »    In a biographical context, from poverty to exceptional wealth.

rain cats and dogs »    To rain very heavily.

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.

rain check »    To provide a service at a later date.

rain cheque »    Any postponement, especially of an offer.

rain cheque »    Any voucher or note issued by a store to allow a customer to get a special or sale price later if an item is out of stock.

rain dogs and cats »    To rain very heavily.

rain or shine »    Regardless of what the circumstances are, and how the weather is.

rainy day »    A difficult period of need, when things do not go right.

raise a hand »    To volunteer.

raise Cain »    To behave in a disruptive manner.

raise one's hand »    To volunteer.

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

raise the flag and see who salutes »    It generates, usually as a preliminary step.

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

raise the stakes »    To raise the stakes of a hand of poker.

rake »    The sloped edge of a roof at or adjacent to the first or last rafter.

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

raring to go »    Extremely eager or anxious to begin.

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 between the lines »    To infer a meaning that is not stated explicitly.

read out »    To read something and say the words to inform other people.

read out »    To read some data and inform the person using the device.

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

read somebody's lips »    To discern what somebody is saying by watching the shape of the mouth rather than by hearing the sounds of the words.

real deal »    A thing or person which is genuine, authentic, or worthy of serious regard.

real job »    A hobby that takes all of a person's free time.

real Macoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real McCoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real McKoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real men don't eat quiche »    (aphorism, humorous) The stereotypical man does not do things that are considered effeminate, as to do so would imply they are effeminate.

reality check »    A wake-up call, reminder.

reap what one sows »    To receive as a reward or harvest in the same measure as one's exertions, in a good or a bad sense. To receive justice.

rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic »    To do something pointless or insignificant that will soon be overtaken by events, or that contributes nothing to the solution of a current problem.

rebound relationship »    A relationship proceeding a longterm relationship, usually short in duration and used to help mend the "broken heart".

rebrousser chemin »    To retrace one's steps, to turn back.

reckon for »    To answer for; to pay the account for.

red card »    referee's item

red face test »    A hypothetical test of a person's embarrassment, that is either passed or failed. Saying one passes the red face test means one would not blush and thus would not be embarrassed by disclosing something to others or doing something, and saying one fails the red face test means a situation would cause them discernible embarrassment.

red flag »    A cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong.

red herring »    A clue that is misleading or that has been falsified, intended to divert attention.

red herring »    A smoke-cured herring.

red letter day »    Usually very positive, sometimes very negative.

red mist »    Anger sufficient to cloud judgement, to stop clear thinking.

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

red tape »    A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.

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.

rein in »    To stop or slow something, by exercising control.

rest his soul »    Used parenthetically to mark the referent as being deceased.

rest on one's laurels »    To rely on a past success instead of trying to improve oneself further.

revenge is a dish best served cold »    An expression that emotional detachment is ideal when taking revenge, as one is righting the wrongs that have been done to the doer.

ridden hard and put away wet »    Mistreated; not properly cared for.

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 ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

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 »    Very good; healthy.

right away »    Very soon; quickly; immediately.

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

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

ring around »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

ring back »    To make another phone call to the same person.

ring off »    To finish a telephone conversation and disconnect.

ring out »    To sound very loudly.

ring out »    To make a phone call from an internal phone system to a general telephone network number.

ring round »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

ring up »    To enter a payment into a cash register, or till in a shop.

rip to shreds »    To severely devalue, to refute.

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.

rivet counter »    A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.

roach coach »    Whimsically, a catering or food truck.

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

road to Damascus »    A road to Damascus moment, or change, is an important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal, of ideas or beliefs occurs.

road to Damascus »    That was my Road to Damascus moment. They played one hit after another and this is the song I remember most clearly.

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

roadwarrior »    Alternative spelling of road warrior.

rob Peter to pay Paul »    To solve a problem in a way that makes another problem worse.

rob the cradle »    To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.

rob the cradle »    To use a young person for a purpose inappropriate to his or her age.

robber baron »    Especially in the 19th-century and early 20th-century, a business tycoon who had great wealth and influence but whose methods were morally questionable.

robber baron »    In Europe, an aristocrat who charged exorbitant fees or otherwise exacted money from people who journeyed across land or waterways which he controlled.

rock bottom »    The very lowest possible level.

rock the house »    To jam at a concert, get down.

rock up »    To work one's way vertically up a chimney or cleft using a rocking movement.

rocket science »    Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing.

rocket scientist »    Someone qualified to understand or handle that which is overly complex, detailed or confusing; a genius.

rocking-horse shit »    Alternative form of rocking horse shit.

roll in wealth »    To be very rich.

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.

rolling stone »    A person who moves around a lot and never settles down.

romper suit »    baby's outfit

root around »    Alternative form of root about.

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

root up »    To dig or pull up by the roots; to deracinate.

ropable »    Alternative spelling of ropeable. Able to be roped.

rose-colored glasses »    An optimistic perception of something; a positive opinion; seeing something in a positive way, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.

rose-coloured »    Cheerfully optimistic.

roses are red »    The start of a generic poem about love.

rough sledding »    A difficult period of time.

rough trot »    A series of difficult circumstances.

round down »    To the greatest integer that is not greater than it, or to some other lower value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.

round of applause »    An outburst of clapping among a group or audience. Often asked for by the Master of Ceremonies at a concert or other performance.

round off »    To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.

round the clock »    Nonstop, 24 hours per day.

round up »    Together.

round up »    To the smallest integer that is not less than it, or to some other greater value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.

royal flush »    poker hand

rub it in »    To add insult to injury; to emphasize one's strengths or another's weaknesses in a manner that degrades another.

rub off on »    To adapt to a way of behaving after constant exposure to it.

rub out »    delete, erase

rub somebody the wrong way »    To bother, disturb, irritate, or annoy.

rub up against »    To touch another person with one's body in a sexually stimulating manner.

rub up against »    Of pets. To touch a person's body in a friendly manner, seeking attention.

rubber-chicken dinner »    A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.

ruffle some feathers »    To disturb; to arouse resentment, anger, or concern.

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 cross an item out by drawing a straight line through it, as with a ruler.

rules OK »    To be popularly accepted, or supported by the general majority of people.

rum go »    An odd affair; a surprising event; a confusing experience; a queer thing.

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.

rumor mill »    A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.

run a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

run about »    To be very busy doing many different things.

run across »    To find or discover by chance.

run after »    To chase.

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

run around »    To be very busy doing many different things.

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.

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.

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 away with »    To leave secretly with another person. Usually with the intention of getting married or of living together against the wishes of the family.

run down »    To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.

run down »    To find something or someone after searching for a long time.

run down »    To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device.

run down »    To read quickly a list or other short text.

run for office »    To seek political power.

run for one's money »    A difficult challenge for the person indicated, especially one involving a competitive situation.

run for one's money »    A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation.

run for the roses »    A college football game or series of games played with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the championship Rose Bowl game.

run for the roses »    Nickname for the Kentucky Derby horse race.

run hot and cold »    To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure.

run in »    Alternative spelling of run-in.

run into »    To enter by running.

run into »    To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.

run off »    To pour or spill off or over.

run off »    To operate by a particular energy source.

run off with »    To leave with someone with the intention of living with them or marrying them. Usually in secret because other people think it is wrong.

run on »    To continue without interruption.

run on »    To operate with a particular energy source.

run on fumes »    By extension, to operate with few resources or little money.

run on fumes »    To operate a vehicle that is low on fuel.

run oneself ragged »    To work or exert oneself to the point of exhaustion.

run out »    Alternative spelling of runout.

run out of steam »    To run out of energy; to run out of motivation.

run out on »    To leave a partner suddenly and without prior warning.

run out the clock »    To preserve a lead in a game by retaining possession, to waste time.

run over »    To exceed the allotted time.

run over »    To cross by running.

run over »    To drive over, causing injury or death.

run over »    To briefly describe.

run over »    To practice quickly, briefly.

run over »    To overflow.

run over »    to rehearse

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

run scared »    To try everything to avoid defeat.

run something by »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run something past »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

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.

run through »    To impale a person with a blade, usually a sword.

run up »    Of a bowler, to run, or walk up to the bowling crease in order to bowl a ball.

run up »    To make something, usually an item of clothing, very quickly.

run up against »    Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.

runner up »    second-placed competitor

running on empty »    Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.

rush hour »    busy travel period

sabre-rattling »    A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.

sabre-rattling »    Any threat, such as one company threatening another with a lawsuit.

sacred cow »    Something which cannot be tampered with, or criticized, for fear of public outcry.

safe and sound »    Having come to no harm, especially after being exposed to danger.

safety pin »    fastener

salad years »    The inexperienced, youthful prime of an individual, group, organization or entity.

same difference »    It makes no difference; it amounts to the same thing.

sauce for the goose »    A short form of what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander

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

say grace »    To recite a prayer of invocation or thanksgiving at meal time.

say so »    power of decision

scare the bejeebers out of »    To thoroughly terrify.

scared shitless »    Very scared, terrified.

school of hard knocks »    An education consisting of real-world experiences, especially harsh experiences.

scissorbill »    And railroad term for someone who refused to join the union or who openly colluded with management to thwart the union.

scissorbill »    Someone considered contemptible or foolish.

scissorbill »    The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.

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

scratch one's head »    To puzzle, ponder, or wonder about something.

scream »    A form of singing associated with the metal and screamo styles of music. It is a loud, rough, distorted version of the voice; rather than the normal voice of the singer.

scream »    An entertaingly outrageous person.

scream »    Used as an intensifier.

scream bloody murder »    To protest loudly or angrily.

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.

screw it »    "I don't care enough to continue"; whatever.

screw this »    "I don't care enough to continue"; "This is too stressful for me"; whatever.

scrimp and save »    To scrimp greatly; to economize; to live very frugally, particularly when saving for something.

sea legs »    Alternative name of surimi.

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.

seagull manager »    A manager who comes into the workplace or office only on occasion, especially when a problem arises or to criticize or critique employees.

seat-of-the-pants »    Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.

second banana »    A person who serves in a supporting, secondary, or subsidiary capacity; an assistant.

second childhood »    A childlike state in any adult, resulting from mental illness, trauma, or other conditions.

second childhood »    The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.

second fiddle »    A sidekick or subordinate, or the role of such a person.

second fiddle »    The person playing second fiddle.

second string »    In sports, a unit of players that plays behind the first string.

second string »    Not as good; of a lower quality or condition.

see a man »    To go have a drink or to meet one's bootlegger.

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 the light »    To gain an understanding of something previously not understood, especially in a sudden insight.

see the light »    To undergo a spiritual conversion.

see you later »    A phrase used at parting, and not necessarily implying that the person being addressed will be seen later by the speaker.

sell »    To agree to transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.

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

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".

sell down the river »    To betray, especially in a manner which causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed.

sell ice to Eskimos »    To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

sell out »    To abandon one's supporters or principles to seek profit or other personal advantage.

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

seller's market »    An excess of demand over supply, leading to abnormally high prices; a market condition favoring the seller.

send away »    To send to a particular place for a long time, as a family member, an employee, etc.

send away for »    To write to a business or other organisation, requesting a thing.

send up »    To make prices or temperatures etc. rise.

senior note »    A bond that takes priority over other debt securities sold by the issuer. In the event the issuer goes bankrupt, senior debt must be repaid before other creditors receive any payment.

serial killer »    murderer

serpentine »    Having the shape or form of a snake.

serpentine »    Of, or having attributes associated with, the mythological serpent, such as craftiness or deceitfulness.

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

serpentine »    Sinuous; curving in alternate directions.

serve somebody right »    To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.

serve time »    To be in prison or a similar institute.

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

set aside »    To separate and reserve something for a specific purpose.

set foot »    To go to a place , or to be there.

set in one's ways »    Driven by habit; inclined or determined to continue according to one's custom or established preferences.

set in stone »    Permanent; certain; firm.

set one's cap at »    . Or, more generally, to choose something as a goal.

settle someone's hash »    To physically or verbally subdue someone.

settle upon »    To decide something over other options.

sex machine »    Someone with considerable sexual prowess.

sex up »    To enhance in terms of fashionable appeal.

sex up »    To make more palatable or acceptable to the general public; to improve the image or perception.

sexual congress »    Intercourse.

sexual congress »    Loose translation of the title of Aristophanes' play Ecclesiazousae, more literally translated as Assemblywomen.

sexual enjoyment »    Sexual intercourse that produces physical and psychological pleasure.

sexual tension »    Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.

shack up »    To live together, especially of an unmarried couple.

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 as a tack »    Very intelligent.

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

she'll be apples »    Everything will be all right.

she'll be right »    OK, no problem, everything will be all right.

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

shift gears »    To change pace or mode of operation.

shift gears »    To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.

shirtless »    Very poor.

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

shit happens »    Bad things happen, and there is nothing we can do about it.

shit one's pants »    To involuntarily defecate into one's pants or other clothing.

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

shitstorm »    Considerable backlash from the public.

shoo-in »    A candidate or contestant generally agreed upon as the presumptive winner; somebody who is well-liked or widely agreed upon.

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 off at the mouth »    Don't let [presidential press secretary Ron] Ziegler shoot off at the mouth without our knowledge.

shoot one's mouth off »    To make reckless or exaggerated statements.

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.

shoot the breeze »    To chat idly or generally waste time talking.

shoot the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

shoot the moon »    To achieve the lowest score possible, such that the player is usually rewarded with bonus points.

shoot the moon »    To attain great heights, a high value, or a numerically high measurement.

shoot the moon »    To hit the moon, with a rocket or by other means.

shoot the moon »    To take a risk which may result in great rewards; to succeed after taking such a risk.

short cut »    quicker route

short fuse »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

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 strokes »    The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

short temper »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

shotgun »    A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Mostly heard in the southern United States.

shotgun »    A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.

shotgun »    The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver.

shotgun shack »    A house with no internal barrier between the front and back doors.

shoulder to cry on »    Someone offering emotional support to another in distress.

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

show somebody the door »    To escort someone to the exit of the premises; to expel someone from a room, gathering, etc.

show the flag »    Of a naval vessel or military force, to identify itself by displaying the flag of its country of origin, especially in order to establish an authoritative presence and to exert diplomatic or political influence.

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.

show up »    To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically.

show up »    To outperform or one-up, often in an arrogant manner.

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

showstopper »    Any impediment that prevents all further progress.

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

shroud »    A covered place used as a retreat or shelter, as a cave or den; also, a vault or crypt.

shroud »    A rope or cable serving to support the mast sideways.

shroud »    One of the two annular plates at the periphery of a water wheel, which form the sides of the buckets; a shroud plate.

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

shroud »    That which covers or shelters like a shroud.

shrug off »    To ignore or disregard; to be indifferent.

shuffle »    A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.

shuffle »    To get lost in the shuffle: to lack attention when you deserve it.

shut down »    To close, terminate, or end.

shy bairns get noot »    (Geordie) Alternative spelling of shy bairns get nowt.

shy bladder »    An inability to urinate in the presence of others.

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.

sign in »    In order to get into the office after hours, you'll have to sign in at the security desk.

sign in »    To sign one's name on a list when entering somewhere.

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

sign of the times »    A symbol of an era; a zeitgeist.

sign off »    Term used to describe the closing of a radio or television station's studios and cessation of a broadcasting signal, usually during the overnight hours.

sign on »    The time of day when a radio or television station begins broadcasting, usually after being off the air for several hours.

sign on »    register as unemployed

signet ring »    jewellery item

silver bullet »    A bullet made of silver, usually with reference to the folkloric belief that such bullets are the only weapons which can kill a werewolf.

silver bullet »    A cocktail somewhat like a martini.

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

silver screen »    By extension, the movies or that related to movies or cinema.

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

silver spoon »    Wealth passed down or inherited.

silver surfer »    An elderly person who regularly uses the Internet.

silver-tongue »    The trait of being clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.

silver-tongued »    Eloquent and articulate.

simmer down »    To decrease in intensity of anger, agitation, or excitement.

since when »    Used to indicate doubt as to the veracity of a statement.

sing along »    A gathering or event where participants are encouraged to add their voices in song.

sing soprano »    To perform vocal music in a higher pitch than alto.

sing soprano »    To suffer castration or an injury to the testicles.

sing the praises of »    To commend someone's attributes to others.

sink one's teeth into »    To become involved in; particularly in an enthusiastic manner.

sink or swim »    To fail or succeed, no matter what.

sit back »    To relax, to not exert oneself.

sit on the fence »    To remain neutral on a certain topic, to not have a stance or opinion.

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

sit still »    To accept, tolerate, or acquiesce.

sitting pretty »    Having a comfortable or certain supply of money or resources.

six feet under »    Buried six feet underground; not alive; dead.

six of one, half a dozen of the other »    The two alternatives are equivalent or indifferent; it doesn't matter which one we choose.

sixth former »    senior pupil

skate on thin ice »    In a risky, potentially dangerous or delicate situation.

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.

skimp and save »    Alternative form of scrimp and save.

skin and bones »    Said of one who is emaciated; very skinny, as from lack of nutrition.

skin deep »    superficial

skin diver »    underwater swimmer

skinny as a rail »    Especially of a person, very skinny.

skip out »    To shirk; to avoid attending or to leave early, especially without permission.

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.

skirt chaser »    A man with amorous intentions who habitually seeks out female companionship.

slam dunk »    Tacking on top of the wind of the following yacht in close quarters.

sleep around »    To have numerous sexual partners.

sleep on »    To consider after a period of sleep, implying a decision will be made the next day.

sleep together »    To be intimate with another person in the same bed.

sleep together »    To have sex with.

sleep with »    To have sexual intercourse with.

sleep with the fishes »    To be killed and have one's body disposed off in the sea or other body of water.

sleepy head »    A very tired person.

slip into something a little more comfortable »    To wear something suitable to be stripped off by a lover.

slip up »    To err, falter; to make a mistake.

slip-up »    A mistake or error; a minor misstep.

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 as an eel »    So slippery that it is almost impossible to hold with one's hands.

slippery slope »    A chain of events that, once initiated, cannot be halted; especially one in which the final outcome is undesirable or precarious.

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

slob »    A lazy and slovenly person.

slob »    A term used to insult a lazy, obese person.

slop bowl »    One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.

slow burn »    A gradually increasing feeling of anger or frustration.

slow down »    Decelerate.

slow up »    To slow, slow down, decelerate.

slowly but surely »    In a slow, yet careful manner

small arms »    Firearms designed to be carried and fired by a single person; often held in the hand.

small fry »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

small potatoes »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

smallpox blanket »    An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.

smart off »    To show disrespect verbally.

smell test »    An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

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 »    A method of long-distance communication sometimes used in ancient and undeveloped societies, consisting of messages conveyed by means of columns or intermittent puffs of smoke.

smoke signal »    An indirect message or indication, especially concerning a future event.

smooth operator »    A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc.

smooth operator »    A skillful, manipulative person, con artist, or clever scoundrel.

snail's pace »    A very slow pace.

snake eyes »    Two ones, after rolling two dice.

snake in the grass »    A treacherous person.

snake oil »    A type of 19th century patent medicine sold in the United States that claimed to contain snake fat, supposedly a Native American remedy for various ailments.

snake oil »    Any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.

snap someone's head off »    To suddenly and sharply rebuke or insult a person, especially in response to a harmless remark.

snappy comeback »    A prompt, clever retort.

snazz up »    To improve appearance or appeal by increasing stylishness or functionality, or by adding other attractive features.

sneak up »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

sneak up on »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

snow job »    An attempt to persuade a person using flattery or deception.

snowed under »    Have too much work.

snug as a bug in a rug »    Very cosy and comfortable.

so far so good »    Up to this point, all is OK.Well, you've packed your bags for the holiday, bought your tickets, reserved the hotel and put the dog in kennels. So far so good, now let's get to Minorca without any troubles.

so on and so forth »    Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.

so so »    average

so there »    A defiant expression used to finish a poorly-made argument.

so-and-so »    A placeholder name, used when a name is not known; a generic name.

so-and-so »    Anything generic.

so-called »    So named; called by such a name, with a very strong connotation that the item is not worthy of that name.

soap opera »    TV series

soapbox »    A crate for packing soap, or, by extension, any inexpensive crude platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it, especially when used for speeches.

sob story »    A sad story told to make others feel sympathy for the teller.

sober up »    To become sober.

soccer player »    footballer

social death »    The alienation of certain people from society to the point of being forgotten, excluded, or ignored in society.

socialized medicine »    A politically charged term used to contrast such systems with free market alternatives and emphasize the perceived link to socialism.

socialized medicine »    An umbrella term for any system of government-run health care.

soft mick »    An extravagant person.

soft sawder »    "How the old boy swallowed my soft sawder and Brummagem notes!" —Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man.

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 sawder »    Cajoling or flattery.

soft shoe »    A kind of tap dancing performed in soft-soled shoes, popular in vaudeville.

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 point of vulnerability in a defence.

soft touch »    A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.

soft touch »    A person or group which is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one which loans or readily gives money to another.

softroader »    . This involves increased ground clearance with tyre, wheel, and suspension tweaks, skid plates and refers to mini SUV or wagons.

soldier on »    To continue or persist, despite adversity or difficulty.

some days you get the bear, other days the bear gets you »    One cannot always overcome a powerful adversary.

some people »    Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.

somewhere along the line »    At some unspecified time; eventually or once; at some point.

son of the morning »    A traveler.

sort oneself out »    To organize or solve one's personal problems.

sort out »    To separate from the remainder of a group; often construed with from.

sound off »    To hold forth about something in an opinionated manner.

soup-to-nuts »    Comprehensive; complete; covering all of something.

sow one's wild oats »    To indulge in a period of irresponsible behavior, particularly sexually; Often used in reference to young adults or to the recently divorced.

sow the wind, reap the whirlwind »    Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to him.

space out »    To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.

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 hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts.

spanner »    A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.

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

spanner »    A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.

spare the rod and spoil the child »    If one does not discipline a child, he or she will never learn obedience and good manners.

spark spread »    The difference between the cost of the fuel required to produce a unit of electricity, and the price of that same unit of electricity.

speak for »    To claim, reserve, or occupy.

speak for oneself »    Expressing disagreement with an opinion expressed by another.

speak of the devil »    An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

speak of the devil and he appears »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

speak out »    To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known.

speak up »    To make oneself or one's opinions known; to advocate or assert oneself.

special needs »    Needs for special care, services or accommodations.

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.

speed up »    To accelerate, to increase speed.

spell out »    From its component letters.

spic and span »    Perfectly clean.

spick and span »    Alternative form of spick-and-span.

spill one's guts »    To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.

spill one's seed »    To masturbate or to ejaculate when the penis has been withdrawn from one's partner.

spill over »    To enter into another zone by way of accident or overcrowding; to overflow.

spin doctor »    news manager

spin one's wheels »    To make no progress despite making an effort; to get nowhere.

spine-tingling »    Nervy or scary.

spit it out »    To overcome reluctance to say something particular or to speak in general.

spit the dummy »    To a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner.

split up »    Cease to be together, break apart from the group.

spread out »    Become further apart.

spread out »    To place items further apart.

spring fever »    A feeling of invigoration and restlessness associated with the arrival of the warm weather and renewal of nature in the spring season.

spring fever »    A feeling of laziness or listlessness associated with the arrival of the warm, comfortable weather of the spring season.

spring for »    To pay for; to offer money.

spring in one's step »    Enthusiasm, energy or a positive outlook or cheerful attitude.

square away »    To finish, complete, tidy or put in order.

square meal »    A satisfying meal, especially suitable for one performing physical labor.

square one »    The place where one begins; a lack of progress.

squaring the circle »    The historical problem of how to construct, using compass and ruler, a square having the same area as a given circle.

squeaky wheel gets the grease »    The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.

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.

stamp out »    To get rid of, eradicate.

stand back »    To stand a long way behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a fast bowler.

stand for »    To tolerate.

stand from under »    To escape something falling or being thrown from above.

stand in someone's shoes »    To see from another's point of view; to feel what another feels.

stand off »    To prevent any would-be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture.

stand on end »    To stand erect, bristle, especially from fear.

stand on its own »    To be independent of others.

stand stock still »    Paul Travers' Adventures, by Sam T. Clover.

stand the test of time »    To remain useful or valued over a long period of time; to last a long time.

stand up »    To stand immediately behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a slow or spin bowler, and to attempt to stump the batsman.

standard fare »    Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.

standard fare »    Something which is normal, routine, or unexceptional; something which is commonly provided or encountered.

standard fare »    The usual price for travel by air, rail, or another means of transport.

stars in one's eyes »    The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.

start over »    To begin again; to return to the beginning.

start up »    To begin to operate.

stave off »    To prevent something from happening; to obviate or avert.

stay the course »    To persist or continue.

steal a march on »    To get ahead of someone or something by starting earlier.

steal somebody's thunder »    To detract from somebody's accomplishments or glory; to undermine.

steer clear »    To avoid; to dodge; to sidestep.

step down »    To gradually reduce something, a little at a time, as an electronic step down transformer.

step on a rake »    To step on the tines of a garden rake, causing the handle of the rake to rise from the ground rapidly, invariably striking the person walking in the face.

step on it »    To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.

step up »    accelerate

stepping razor »    A dangerous person, who is not to be messed with.

stepping stone »    Something used as a way to progress to something or somewhere else.

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 around »    To stay; to linger; to remain.

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 in the mud »    More generally, one who is slow, old-fashioned, or unprogressive; an old fogey.

stick it out »    To persist or continue.

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 one's neck out »    To take a risk, putting oneself in a vulnerable position.

stick one's nose in »    To be nosy; to meddle or interfere in the affairs of another.

stick out »    To persist. See stick it out.

stick with »    To continue or persist; to stick to.

stick with »    To follow or adhere to.

stick-in-the-mud »    Alternative spelling of stick in the mud.

sticker shock »    Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.

stickhandle »    To deal capably and swiftly with a situation, especially in a manner which deflects potential problems.

stickhandle »    To maintain individual possession of the puck or ball by controlling it with movements of one's stick, especially to do so in a skillful manner.

sticking point »    A disputed issue or state of affairs that causes an interruption or outright impasse in progress towards some goal or resolution, especially in negotiation or argumentation.

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

sticky fingers »    A petty thief or petty thieves.

sticky fingers »    An inclination to steal.

stiff upper lip »    The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, associated with stereotypical British people.

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 »    Of a prisoner, mentally unbalanced due to prolonged incarceration.

stock phrase »    A phrase frequently or habitually used by a person or group, and thus associated with them.

stone cold »    Very cold; lacking any semblance of warmth.

stone dead »    Utterly dead.

stone deaf »    Utterly deaf.

stone's throw »    A short distance, roughly equivalent to how far a person can throw a stone.

stop press »    The event or news article important enough to delay or interrupt the print, or require a reprint, of a publication, particularly of a newspaper edition.

stop someone in his tracks »    To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.

stop the lights »    An interjection expressing exasperation or incredulity. or to illustrate the humour in a situation.

stop the presses »    An imperative form used to introduce especially new, important, surprising, or recent developments.

stop up »    To increase the aperture of a photographic lens, moving from an f/stop represented by a higher number to an f/stop represented by a lower number and causing more light to pass into the camera.

straight away »    Very soon; quickly; immediately.

straight from the shoulder »    Done in a direct manner; blunt.

straight man »    A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.

straighten out »    To eliminate confusion from or concerning.

strap on a pair »    To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation where one has so far failed to do so.

streak of good luck »    A series of lucky events.

stretch one's legs »    To walk about, especially after prolonged time sitting or lying down.

stretch the truth »    To exaggerate, often to the point where the truth is obscured or lost.

strike through »    Partly obliterate text by drawing a continuous line through the centre thereof, usually to indicate the deletion of an error or obsolete information.

strike up »    To start something with somebody else. Usually a conversation or relationship.

string up »    To suspend by means of rope, cord or similar material.

strut one's stuff »    To behave, or to perform in a showy or ostentatious manner, especially in a way to impress others; to show off.

stuck up »    Snobbish, conceited; believing oneself to be better than others; haughty.

stuffed like a turkey »    Engorged from overeating.

stuffed shirt »    One who is overly official or officious; somebody in charge but not necessarily in power or effective.

stumble across »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble on »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble upon »    To discover or find something by accident.

stupid is as stupid does »    A person's intelligence may be judged by the wisdom of his or her actions.

success has many fathers, failure is an orphan »    Many will seek credit for success, few will accept responsibility for failure.

such-and-such »    A placeholder or generic thing.

suck donkey balls »    To be terrible, of extremely poor quality.

suck hind tit »    To feed from an inferior source of food.

suck in »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck into »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck up »    To adulate or flatter somebody excessively, generally to obtain some personal benefit or favour.

suffer fools gladly »    To be tolerant of stupidity or incompetence in other people.

sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof »    No need to worry about the future; the present provides enough to worry about.

sugarcoated »    Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.

summer and winter »    Endured.

summer and winter »    To spend extended periods of time with; to test.

supposed to »    Permitted.

sure as eggs is eggs »    Absolutely certain.

surprise surprise »    An indication that the unsurprising happened, especially contrary to someone's hopes or assertions.

swan song »    A final performance or accomplishment, especially one before retirement.

sweat »    Fluid that exits the body through pores in the skin usually due to physical stress and/or high temperature for the purpose of regulating body temperature and removing certain compounds from the circulation.

sweat bullets »    To sweat profusely; especially, to be very nervous or anxious.

sweet hereafter »    Heaven; paradise as enjoyed in the afterlife.

sweet william »    flower

sweeten the pot »    To increase a wager.

sweetheart deal »    A transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.

swim with sharks »    To operate among dangerous people.

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.

switch off »    To turn a switch to the "off" position in order to stop or disable a device.

switch off »    To lose interest, and start thinking about something else.

switch off »    To alternate between; to trade.

switch on »    To turn a switch to the "on" position in order to start or enable a device.

sword and sandal »    Of or pertaining to a genre of books or films relating fantasy-adventure tales involving heroic exploits in ancient or biblical times.

sword and sorcery »    Of or pertaining to a genre of narratives—including short stories, novels, television shows, films, and computer games—which combines wizardry and other fantastical supernatural elements with violent combat using medieval weaponry..

tag team »    Two or more people or groups acting alternately to accomplish some task.

take a back seat »    To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.

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 breather »    To take a break; to pause or relax briefly.

take a bullet »    To purposely receive a gunshot that was intended for another.

take a dive »    To feign a knockout in order to lose intentionally.

take a gander »    To take a look; to check or examine.

take a leaf out of someone's book »    To adopt an idea or practice of another person.

take a licking »    To suffer a defeat or a beating.

take a look »    To examine or observe.

take a number »    Recognize that many others are in the same situation; recognize that one's concerns are not of high priority; be prepared to wait.

take a powder »    To leave in a hurry; run away; scram; depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with a connotation of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.

take a stand »    To assert an opinion or viewpoint; to defend one's point of view or beliefs.

take after »    In appearance or habit.

take after »    To follow someone's example.

take against »    He took against me when I was promoted over him.

take apart »    To move someone away from others to be able to talk to, or give them something in private.

take away »    To remove something and put it in a different place.

take away »    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.

take away »    To leave a memory or impression in one's mind that you think about later.

take away »    To make someone leave a place and go somewhere else. Usually not with the person's consent.

take away »    To prevent, or limit, someone from being somewhere, or from doing something.

take away from »    To make something seem not so good or interesting.

take back »    To retract an earlier statement.

take back »    To cause to remember some past event or time.

take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »    If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,

take down »    To remove something from a wall or similar vertical surface to which it is fixed.

take down »    To lower an item of clothing without removing it.

take down a peg »    Alternative form of pull down a peg.

take for granted »    To assume something to be true without verification or proof.

take for granted »    To give little attention to or to underestimate the value of, to fail to appreciate.

take in »    To foster or adopt a child informally.

take in »    To shorten or make it smaller.

take it out on »    To unleash one's anger on [a person or thing other than the one that caused it].

take liberties »    To behave disrespectfully, especially to make unwanted sexual advances.

take off »    To imitate, often in a satirical manner.

take off »    To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.

take one's lumps »    To endure through criticism or other adversity.

take one's time »    To take more time to do something than is considered acceptable.

take out »    Alternative spelling of takeout.

take out of context »    To interpret something in a manner in which it was not intended to be understood, often deliberately.

take over »    To assume control of something, especially by force; to usurp.

take over »    To adopt a further responsibility or duty.

take over »    To relieve someone temporarily.

take over »    To buy out the ownership of a business.

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take over »    To annex a territory by conquest or invasion.

take over »    To become more successful than someone or something else.

take sitting down »    To tolerate, accept, or acquiesce; to take no action.

take someone's point »    To agree with what a person says; to understand a person's argument and be persuaded by it.

take someone's point »    To grasp the essential meaning of what a person is saying.

take the biscuit »    To be of no further use; to be near death.

take the bull by the horns »    To confront a difficulty, rather than avoiding it.

take the heat »    To take the blame; to be the focus of anger or scrutiny; to take the consequences.

take the lead »    To assume leadership over a group.

take the lead »    To become the leader, to advance into first place.

take the liberty »    To act on one's own authority.

take the Michael »    Alternative form of take the mickey, usually considered more polite.

take the mick »    Alternative form of take the mickey.

take the piss »    Are you takin' the piss? You'll get yer 'ead bashed in.

take the piss »    Everyone takes the piss out of the bankers these days.

take the rap »    To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the actions of another.

take the red pill »    To understand the world in its previously unknown reality.

take the reins »    To assume charge over.

take the shadow for the substance »    To be easily deceived, credulous, superficial.

take the wheel »    To be in control of the steering wheel of a vehicle or a vessel.

take to »    To adapt to; to learn, grasp or master.

take to »    To enter; to go into or move towards.

take to task »    To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.

take to the cleaners »    To take a significant quantity of a person's money or valuables, through gambling, unfavorable investing, fraud, litigation, etc.

take up the cudgel for »    To make a defense for in lieu of another person.

take upon »    To take charge of an item of business, or an obligation, as a personal initiative.

take with a pinch of salt »    Not take entirely seriously.

talk back »    To reply impertinently; to answer in a cheeky manner.

talk down »    To negotiate a lower price.

talk down »    To speak condescendingly or as though the listener is inferior.

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 devil »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

talk out of turn »    To make a remark or provide information when it is inappropriate or indiscreet to do so, or when one does not have permission or the authority to do so.

talk out one's ass »    To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.

talk over »    To discuss.

talk over »    To persuade someone; to talk around.

talk somebody under the table »    With excessive talk or numerous arguments.

talk the talk »    Speak like an expert, claim to be knowledgeable about something.

talk through one's hat »    To assert something as true or valid; to bluff.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

talk turkey »    To talk or negotiate plainly, frankly, or seriously.

talk up »    In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.

talk up »    To talk louder.

tall order »    A big job; a difficult challenge.

tall tale »    A greatly exaggerated, fantastic story.

taper off »    To diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.

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.

taxi driver »    cabby

tea service »    crockery set

teacher's pet »    A student who is perceived to be favored by the teacher.

teacher's pet »    favourite pupil

team up with »    To associate with another in a joint enterprise.

tear up the pea patch »    To put on a notable performance, especially in sports; to go on a rampage.

tell all »    To reveal everything, particularly information that is normally withheld.

tell all »    To tell everyone.

tell apart »    To be able to know the difference between things; to distinguish.

tell off »    To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.

tell you the truth »    Used to positively assert the frank honesty of an associated statement of set of statements; equivalent to "to you tell the truth".

tempest in a teapot »    A major fuss over a trivial matter.

tempus fugit »    time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.

test bed »    Any venue, setup, etc. used for experimentation, testing, proving a concept, etc.

test the waters »    To explore or probe, as before making a commitment.

thanks for nothing »    Expression of displeasure towards a person who has not provided what was wanted.

that does it »    Expression of annoyance or frustration; indicates that one has reached the limit of one's patience or temper.

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

that'll be the day »    Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.

that's just me »    Indicates the expression of a personal opinion, but often used ironically as an understatement.

that's that »    There is nothing more to say or to do concerning the matter.

that's the way life is »    That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree »    A child grows up to be very similar to its parents in the way they act and in their physical abilities.

the beast with two backs »    Two people engaged in sexual intercourse.

the bee's knees »    Most excellent; surpassingly wonderful; cool.

the bigger they are, the harder they fall »    The larger something is, the more disastrous and spectacular its downfall

the calm before the storm »    A period of peace before a disturbance or crisis; an unnatural or false calm before a storm.

the company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

the course of true love never did run smooth »    There will always be problems in a relationship.

the die is cast »    The future is determined; there are no more options; events will proceed in an irreversible manner.

the early bird gets the worm »    Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are only available to the first competitors.

the end 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 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..

the ends justify the means »    Alternative form of the end justifies the means.

the finger »    An obscene gesture, typically consisting of extending the middle finger at somebody.

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 fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you take »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you're going to get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the grass is always greener on the other side »    Other circumstances seem more desirable than one's own but in reality are often not

the hell out of »    Used as an intensifier.

the icing on the cake »    Something wonderful at the end of something good.

the jig is up »    An expression used to mean "We have been caught out and have no defence", or if spoken to a person who's just been found out as the perpetrator of an offense, it means "You've been discovered.".

the long arm of the law »    The body of law enforcement officers.

the man »    The oppressive powers that be, including the government and corporations; the system, as coordinated outside of one’s control..

the man in the street »    average person

the map is not the territory »    Our models of the world, and our sensations of the world, are not the true world.

the more the merrier »    It is more fun with more people.

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 other day »    Recently; lately; a few days ago.

the pen is mightier than the sword »    More influence and power can be usurped by writing than by fighting.

the pick of the litter »    The absolute best one has to offer.

the pits »    Something miserable or unpleasant.

the plot thickens »    Used, often ironically, to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation.

the proof is in the pudding »    Alternative form of the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

the road to hell is paved with good intentions »    well-intended acts can lead to disaster

the salt of the earth »    wonderful

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you take »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you're going to get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the shoe is on the other foot »    The roles of people in a situation have been reversed, such the advantage has shifted to a party which was previously disadvantaged.

the shoemaker's children go barefoot »    One often neglects those closest to oneself.

the sky is the moon »    A new modern combination of "the sky is the limit" and "shoot for the moon".

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »    (proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.

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.

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 thing of it »    The important point to consider.

the upper hand »    An advantage or lead.

the whistle does not pull the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

the whistle doesn't pull the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

the whole nine yards »    All the way; with everything done completely or thoroughly.

the whole nine yards »    And everything. Often used, like etc., to finish out a list.

the whole shooting match »    Everything; the entire collection, endeavor, or activity.

the whole world and his dog »    Everybody; too many people; a huge crowd.

the world is one's lobster »    (UK, humorous) intentional misrendering of the proverb "the world is one's oyster"

the world is one's oyster »    All opportunities are open to someone, the world is theirs.

the world is one's oyster »    In order to achieve something in this world, one has to grab the opportunity.

the world over »    All over the world; globally; throughout the world.

them's the facts »    That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.

then again »    From another point of view; on the other hand; on second thought.

there and back »    One or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.

there are plenty more fish in the sea »    There are many more potential opportunities available.

there are plenty of fish in the sea »    There are many more potential opportunities available.

there are two sides to every question »    One should not make a judgement until one hears the other side.

there but for the grace of God go I »    A recognition that others' misfortune could be one's own, if it weren't for the blessing/kindness/luck bestowed by fate or the Divine.Man's fate is in God's hands.More generally, our fate is not entirely in our own hands.

there is an exception to every rule »    Usually said in a situation when the rule is incorrect and unusable.

there is nothing new under the sun »    There is nothing truly novel in existence. Every new idea has some sort of precedent or echo from the past.

there may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnace »    Even if a person is in his or her senior years, with gray hair, he or she can still have ambition and energy, especially sexual energy.

there ya go »    Expressing exasperation.

there ya go »    You have done it precisely correctly.

there you go »    Expressing exasperation.

there you go »    Here you are.

there you go »    You have done it, or are doing it, correctly.

there you have it »    That is it; that is the situation or state of things.

there you have it »    Used to introduce a speaker's interpretation of what has just transpired or been described.

there's a sucker born every minute »    There are a great number of fools in the world, and there always be.

there's many a slip twixt cup and lip »    In any situation, however well planned, something can always go wrong.

there's more than one way to skin a cat »    A problem generally has more than one solution.

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 fool like an old fool »    Age does not bring wisdom.

there's no I in team »    A team game is focused on the team, not on the individual.

there's no place like home »    one feels the most comfortable at home

there's no point crying over spilt milk »    You should not be upset over something that cannot be undone.

there's no such thing as a free lunch »    Nothing is free; everything has a price.

there's no time like the present »    Now (i.e., the present time) is an appropriate time to take a particular action.

there's nowt so queer as folk »    Nothing is as strange as people can be.

there, there »    Conveys comfort; used to calm somebody urge somebody to relax, especially when the person is crying.

they're only after one thing »    Men are only interested in sex.

thin-skinned »    Overly sensitive to criticism; quick to take offence; touchy.

think about »    To ponder.

think better of it »    To change one's mind; especially to decide against.

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 one's shit doesn't stink »    To be arrogant or snobbish; to feel superior to others.

think over »    To ponder or reflect on a subject.

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.

think through »    To fully consider an action, and understand all its consequences.

think twice »    To reconsider, use judgement; to proceed with caution or thought.

third degree »    Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession.

third hand »    Not new, having more than one previous owner.

third rate »    inferior

third string »    A unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.

third string »    Of a decidedly lower quality or condition.

third wheel »    A person or thing that serves no useful purpose.

thorn in someone's side »    A persistent annoyance.

thorn in the flesh »    A persistent difficulty or something very annoying that will not go away.

those who will not when they may, when they will they shall have nay »    (archaic) One should take immediate advantage of an opportunity that may not be available later.

thrash out »    To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.

three Rs »    The basic education received in primary schools. Literally; reading, writing and arithmetic.

three Rs »    The basic precepts of any subject matter.

three skips of a louse »    Said about some trifling or insignificant matter.

three-on-the-tree »    On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.

throw a sickie »    To take a day off from work, supposedly because of ill health. The illness could be either real or feigned.

throw a spanner in the works »    To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.

throw a wobbly »    To burst out into a verbal uproar.

throw away »    To place a son or daughter for adoption.

throw cold water on »    To belittle or dismiss; to cast doubt upon; to debunk.

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 in at the deep end »    To introduce a person to a new situation without adequately preparing him or her.

throw off »    To confuse; especially, to lose a pursuer.

throw off »    To introduce errors or inaccuracies; to skew.

throw one's cap over the windmill »    To act in a crazed manner.

throw one's toys out of the pram »    To lose one's temper; to throw a tantrum.

throw one's weight around »    To exercise influence or authority especially to an excessive degree or in an objectionable manner.

throw out »    To dismiss or expel someone from any longer performing duty or attending somewhere.

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 the baby out with the bathwater »    To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.

throw under the bus »    To betray or blame; to use as a scapegoat.

throw under the bus »    To discard or disown.

throw up »    To erect.

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.

thus and so »    A generic thing; a placeholder name.

thus and such »    A placeholder or generic name for something.

tick over »    To run smoothly and without problems.

tickle someone's fancy »    To amuse, entertain, or appeal to someone; to stimulate someone's imagination in a favorable manner.

tide over »    To support or sustain someone, especially financially, for a limited period.

tie someone's hands »    To render one powerless to act, to thwart someone.

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.

tiger team »    An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.

tight lips »    Of a person, silence or reticence.

tight-lipped »    Having the lips pressed together.

tilt at windmills »    To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

time after time »    Again and again; repeatedly; every time; always.

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 flies when you're having fun »    Time seems to pass quicker when one is enjoying oneself.

time heals all wounds »    Negative feelings eventually erode away

time is money »    When a person's time is not used productively; time is valuable and should not be wasted.

time off »    A period of time where one is not required to work.

time out »    To call for a suspension of activity or conversation.

time out of mind »    A lengthy duration of time, longer than is readily remembered.

timeserver »    A device, node or program that distributes the correct time to clients in a network.

timeserver »    A person who conforms to current opinions, especially for reasons of personal advantage; an opportunist.

timing is everything »    Consideration of other events can greatly influence some desired outcome (such as an audience laughing to a comedian's joke).Telling the old joke about a butt-crack was not a good idea, just as the plumber arrived, Bob.You know what they say: "timing is everything." I'm sure we can find another plumber before the house floods.

tin ear »    Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.

tin god »    An individual that abuses or exceeds his authority over others, frequently in petty ways; for example a low-level manager in situational comedies and other entertainment.

tip of the iceberg »    Only the beginning; just a small indication of a larger possibility; a problem is much bigger than it seems.

tip off »    To alert or inform someone.

tip one's hand »    To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage.

tip one's hat »    To briefly remove or tap one's hat as a gesture of greeting, deference, or respect.

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 be sure »    Admittedly, undoubtedly, certainly.

to be the cat's whiskers »    To perform better than was generally supposed possible.

to beat the band »    Very vigorously; at a frantic pace; to a high degree; in large quantities.

to boot »    Moreover, on top of that, besides, also.

to die for »    Very good; exquisite; excellent; particularly desirable.

to each his own »    Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.

to err is human »    Everyone makes mistakes.

to give a person line »    To allow a person more or less liberty until it is convenient to stop or check him/her, like a hooked fish that swims away with the line.

to go »    Served in a package or takeout container so as to be taken away from a restaurant rather than eaten on the premises.

to say the least »    Used to suggest that what was previously stated was an understatement.

to spare »    left over

to the letter »    Literally, exactly, to follow the rules as they're written.

to the max »    To a great degree or extent; very.

to the moon »    To a very distant or unreachable place.

to the moon »    Used as an intensifier.

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.

to thine own self be true »    The easiest person to deceive is oneself."This above all:to thine own self be true,and it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man." -William Shakespeare

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.

today we are all »    August 12, 2008:, Robert Barnes, "McCain to Georgian President: "Today, We Are All Georgians"", Washington Post.

today we are all »    September 12, 2001: Jean-Marie Colombani, "Today, We Are All Americans", Le Monde.

tomato tomato »    Uses insignificant pronunciation difference to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard.

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

tone down »    To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.

tone up »    To strengthen and make the muscles of the body firmer by regular excercise.

tongue-in-cheek »    Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.

tonic water »    mixer

tooth and nail »    Viciously; with all one’s strength or power; without holding back..

top banana »    The boss, the leader.

top dollar »    The maximum amount of money that an item, service, or worker is worth; a very high price.

top drawer »    Of the highest quality.

top it all off »    To emphasize or underscore; to make something even better or worse.

top notch »    Very good; of the highest quality.

top of the morning »    A generic greeting said to someone in the morning.

torque off »    To annoy, distress, or anger.

toss-up »    A decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter.

toss-up »    Either of two outcomes that are equally likely.

toss-upness »    The quality of being a toss-up, usually used in reference to a toss-up state in American presidential elections.

totus porcus »    Completely; unreservedly: swallowed the official version totus porcus.

touch a nerve »    To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.

touch up »    To make slight corrections or adjustments; to fill in or perfect.

touch%C3%A9 »    An acknowledgement of the success, appropriateness or superiority of an argument, sometimes used sarcastically to mock one's opponent's absurd logic.

touch%C3%A9 »    Used in a conversation or debate to concede a point as true, often in response to a successful counter of one's own logic.

touch-and-go »    Precarious, delicate, dangerous, risky, sensitive or of uncertain outcome.

touchy-feely »    Having a fondness for physical contact with other people, especially to an excessive degree.

tough call »    A choice or judgment which is difficult to make, especially one involving only two alternatives.

tough cookie »    A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person.

tourner autour du pot »    To beat around the bush.

tower block »    high-rise building

toy with »    Handling something in a careless or frivolous manner.

track record »    An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

trailer park trash »    Lower-class people who live in trailer parks.

trailer trash »    Deleted from the movie trailer. Not included in theatrical run.

trailer trash »    Trailer park trash.

train wreck »    An inevitable disaster.

train wreck »    The aftermath of a train crash.

trash out »    To criticize the person spoken to in a rant.

treat them mean, keep them keen »    A woman will be more interested in a man if he is not kind to her.

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.

tried and true »    Well-established and tested; known to work or succeed based on extensive experience.

trigger-happy »    Having a tendency or desire to shoot a firearm irresponsibly before adequately identifying the target.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to react excessively or violently at the slightest provocation.

trip balls »    Experiencing severe drug-induced hallucinatory trip.

trip to the woodshed »    An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered.

true believer »    A strict follower of a religious doctrine.

truth be told »    Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.

truth will out »    A mystery will always be solved, or a truth will always be discoveredTruth will eventually and inevitably be discovered.

try out »    To test something in order to see if it works.

try out »    To undergo a test before being selected for a team etc.

tube steak »    A frankfurter.

tuck in »    To push the fabric at the bottom of a shirt under the pants.

tucker out »    To exhaust; to tire out.

tuckered out »    Simple past tense and past participle of tucker out.

tumble to »    To discover, or suddenly understand something.

tune up »    To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.

tune up »    To make preparations for vigorous exercise; to warm up.

turf war »    A dispute over territory between rival gangs.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn a trick »    To perform a sexual service for a customer.

turn against »    To rebel or oppose something formerly supported.

turn away »    To avert or deflect something.

turn back »    To reverse one's direction and retrace one's steps.

turn back »    No turn a dial anticlockwise or adjust a clock or other meter to an earlier time or reading.

turn back »    To refuse to allow someone to pass a border or enter a place.

turn heads »    To garner a considerable amount of attention.

turn off »    To power down; to stop a device by switching it off.

turn on »    To power up; to start a device by switching it on.

turn on »    To rebel; to go against something formerly supported.

turn on »    To enter a road.

turn one on »    To increase interest.

turn out »    To extinguish a light or other device.

turn out »    To refuse service or shelter; to eject or evict.

turn over »    To flip over; to rotate top to bottom.

turn over »    To produce, complete, or cycle through.

turn over »    To relinquish; give back.

turn over a new leaf »    To engage in self-improvement; to begin a good habit or shed a bad habit.

turn the corner »    To pass a critical point.

turn the other cheek »    To accept a punishment or an injury and not act out revenge or retaliate.

turn the tables »    To reverse a situation, such that the advantage has shifted to the party which was previously disadvantaged.

turn tricks »    To work as a prostitute, providing sexual services for money.

turn up for the book »    A very unexpected, usually pleasant, surprise.

turn up one's nose »    To sneer.

turn upside down »    To flip over; to rotate top to bottom.

twelfth man »    reserve in cricket

twelve-ounce curls »    Drinking beer.

twenty-twenty hindsight »    Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored.

twist in the wind »    To wait for an uncomfortably long period of time.

twist someone's arm »    To coerce, force, or cajole.

two a penny »    Very common; cheap.

two birds with one stone »    Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.

two cents »    A nearly worthless amount, alluding to placing a copper penny on each of the eyelids of a pauper's or slave's body before burial.

two for two »    In baseball, meeting two out of two attempts at-bat. Specifically, it means the batter has reached base safely two out of two times.

two heads are better than one »    Some problems may be solved more easily by two (or more) people working together than by one working alone.

two left feet »    Exhibiting particular clumsiness, especially at dancing or at soccer.

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

two's company, three's a crowd »    One companion is better than two.

two-fisted drinker »    Either someone who can handle their liquor well, or an alcoholic clutching a drink in each hand.

two-second rule »    A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.

uncle sam »    the us government

under a cloud »    Under suspicion; subject to critical inspection.

under a spell »    Bewitched, held by the power of a magical spell.

under erasure »    Of a bit of text, written and strickenthrough; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.

under fire »    Criticized or held responsible for something.

under fire »    Subjected to enemy attack.

under lock and key »    Imprisoned with little or no chance of escape.

under one's belt »    Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

under one's breath »    Softly, so as not to be heard.

under one's hat »    Concealed; confidential; secret.

under one's nose »    Directly in front of one; clearly visible.

under one's nose »    Obvious or apparent.

under one's thumb »    Completely controlled by someone; at someone’s command..

under one's wing »    Under one's protection, sponsorship, or tutelage.

under pressure »    Being subjected to physical pressure.

under pressure »    Subjected to pressure.

under sail »    With sails unfurled; powered by the wind.

under the gun »    The first player to act on the first round of betting in Texas hold 'em.

under the gun »    Under great pressure to perform.

under the impression »    Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.

under the influence »    Drunk; intoxicated; affected by alcohol.

under the knife »    Undergoing a surgical procedure.

under the microscope »    Under close scrutiny or examination.

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.

under the weather »    Experiencing adversity.

under the weather »    Somewhat ill or gloomy.

under the weather »    Somewhat intoxicated or suffering from a hangover.

under the wire »    Across the finish line.

under the wire »    At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.

under the yoke »    Under subjugation.

under way »    A vessel is said to be underway when she is not anchored, moored, aground, or beached[1]. Compare with make way.

under way »    In operation, in progress, commenced.

under wraps »    Secret or hidden.

underwater basket weaving »    "Sure, somewhere out there, college slackers were taking broom ball and underwater basket weaving." — The Columbus Dispatch, September 15, 2005.

underwater basket weaving »    An easy and useless college or high school class.

university of life »    The real world as a source of instruction, as opposed to a formal education.

unring a bell »    To perform the impossible.

unring a bell »    To reverse the irreversible.

unring a bell »    To reverse the ringing of a bell.

until hell freezes over »    Forever; One will never in their life get the results that they want, no matter what they're doing involving the situation.

until one is blue in the face »    Forever; for a hopelessly long time.

until the cows come home »    For a very long time.

unwashed masses »    Of people who are considered by someone to be somehow uneducated, uninformed, godless, or in some other way unqualified for inclusion in the speaker's elite circles.

up a creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation, without any help. Superlative form of up a creek: most up a creek.

up for »    Willing to participate in; interested in.

up hill and down dale »    Here and there; everywhere.

up in the air »    Literal: up in or into the sky or air.

up one's alley »    Matching a person's interests or abilities well.

up one's sleeve »    Hidden, in reserve.

up shit creek »    Alternative form of up the creek.

up shit creek without a paddle »    Alternative form of up the creek without a paddle.

up the ante »    To raise the stakes of a hand of poker.

up the river »    To prison.

up the walls »    Very busy, swamped.

up to »    Considering all members of an equivalence class the same.

up to here »    Overwhelmed, busy, buried or swamped.

up to snuff »    Mentally alert, shrewd, savvy.

up-and-comer »    Someone who is up-and-coming, who has begun to be successful in some field and is likely to become even more successful in the future.

up-and-coming »    Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.

upper crust »    The social elite.

upper crust »    The topmost layer of a bread, pastry dish, or other item with a hardened coating.

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.

valley of death »    Death; or a place or period where death is impending.

valley of the shadow of death »    Valleys on earth one must walk through, that is, part of the human experience.

variable tandem repeat locus »    Any DNA sequence that exists in multiple copies strung together in various tandem lengths.

variety is the spice of life »    Variety is what makes life interesting

verge on »    To approach or come close to something; to border or be on the edge of something.

vertically challenged »    Of a person, short.

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.

virgin territory »    Land that has never been explored or developed.

vote out »    To expel the holder of an office or other position through an act of voting.

vote with one's feet »    To show a lack of support for something by departing or otherwise absenting oneself.

vote with one's feet »    To show support for something by going to or otherwise being present somewhere.

wack out »    To become deranged.

wade in »    To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.

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 and chew gum at the same time »    To do something very easy.

walk around »    To walk with no real planned destination, but to just walk, to meander "around".

walk in on »    To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.

walk in the snow »    An occasion when a momentous career decision is made, especially a decision to resign or retire.

walk it off »    To walk or pace in order to relieve a pain or cramp.

walk on eggshells »    To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.

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.

walk out on »    To abandon or desert someone, especially a spouse.

walk the line »    To behave in an authorized or socially accepted manner, especially as prescribed by law or morality; to exercise self-control.

walk the line »    To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc..

walk the line »    To participate in the procession at a graduation ceremony; to graduate.

walk the walk »    Act competently, like an expert.

walked out on »    To abandoned; to desert

walked out on »    To abandoned; to desert

walked out on »    To abandoned; to desert

walking on air »    very happy

wall to wall carpets »    floor coverings

walls have ears »    There is a risk of being heard, so pay attention to what you say.

wank off »    To sexually stimulate another's penis.

ward off »    To avert or prevent.

warm down »    Gentle excercise at the end of a training session before cooling off.

warm up »    To become warmer.

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 away »    To eliminate, or destroy by fast moving water, such as in a flood, or a high sea.

wash down »    To help to swallow by drinking a liquid, after eating something, or taking a pill.

wash out »    To wear away by the flow of water; to erode.

wash out »    To cancel due to bad weather.

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.

wash up »    To be carried on to land by water.

washed out »    To be very tired and lacking energy.

waste away »    To lose energy and become weak and feeble.

waste breath »    To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.

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 out »    To be aware or conscious; to look closely or carefully; to use caution. Often used in the imperative.

watch over »    To guard and protect.

water down »    To dilute; to add water.

water down »    To make weaker.

water down »    To simplify or oversimplify; to make easier; to make less difficult.

water over the dam »    An event or set of events which has already happened and cannot be changed.

water to my mill »    What energizes you; what stimulates you.

water under the bridge »    Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.

watered-down »    Diluted; containing extra water.

watered-down »    Weakened or simplified.

wax lyrical »    To talk about something with much interest or excitement.

way out of a paper bag »    A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.

weak sister »    A person or thing which is the least robust or least dependable member of a group.

weak sister »    A person who is cowardly or indecisive.

weaker vessel »    A woman; women collectively.

wear down »    To have one's long hair styled in a free, low-hanging, unencumbered style; i.e., not in an up-do or ponytail.

wear off »    To disappear because of being abraded, over-polished, or abused.

wear out »    To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.

wear out »    To exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness, as by continued strain or exertion.

wear out »    To become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary, as by continued strain or exertion.

wear out »    Of a shirt, not tucked into the pants; worn in a casual manner.

weather the storm »    To reach the end of a very difficult situation without too much harm or damage.

wedding ring »    jewellery item

wee small hours »    He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.

wee small hours »    The very early morning, just after midnight, when most people are asleep.

weekend warrior »    A part-time soldier, or reservist.

weekend warrior »    A person who indulges in a sport or pastime on an infrequent basis, usually on weekends when work commitments are not present.

weigh in »    To undergo a weigh-in.

weigh up »    To assess a person or situation.

well ain't that the catfish in the trap »    A sentence commonly spoken in the Southern United States. It can often be used in place of "well, I'll be damned". Used to express surprise.

well, I never »    An exclamation of great surprise.

wet behind the ears »    Inexperienced; not seasoned; new; just beginning.

wet blanket »    A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

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 do I know »    Implies that a statement is based on a guess or assumption rather than on knowledge or evidence.

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 is more »    Furthermore, or in addition, moreover.

what of it »    So what? Who cares? Expresses disinterest, disregard or lack of concern.

what's eating you »    What is annoying or bothering you?.

what's in it for me »    To me, personally?.

what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander »    If something is acceptable for one person, it is acceptable for another.

what's the matter »    What's wrong? What's the problem?.

what's up »    What's the matter?.

whatever creams your twinkie »    Do what you will, whatever makes you happy.

whatever floats your boat »    What makes you happy; what stimulates you.

whatever it takes »    Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.

whatsamatta »    What is the matter? What is wrong?.

wheel around »    To transport someone or something to various locations by pushing a wheeled transporter such as a wheelchair or a wheelbarrow or trolley.

when Hell freezes over »    Never; not in this lifetime; not a chance.

when in Rome, do as the Romans »    Alternative form of when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

when it rains, it pours »    If a person encounters bad luck, more bad luck will follow.

when pigs fly »    Never.

when the shit hits the fan »    A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.

where the sun don't shine »    Up or in the anus.

where there's muck there's brass »    (UK, Irish) There is money to be made in unpleasant dirty jobs.

where there's smoke, there's fire »    If there is telltale evidence of some event, the event is probably occurring.

where's the beef »    Where is the content? So what?.

wherever you go, there you are »    (colloquial, clich

whipped cream »    dessert topping

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 past the graveyard »    To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.

whistle past the graveyard »    To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.

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.

whistle-blower »    One who reports a problem or violation to the authorities; especially, an employee or former employee who reports a violation by an employer.

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.

white hat »    A white hat hacker.

white hole »    A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.

white lie »    A deliberate, untrue statement which does no harm or is intended to produce a favorable result.

white trash »    A poorly educated white person with low moral and social standards and low social status.

white-knuckle »    Causing fear, excitement, apprehension, suspense, or nervousness.

whitewash »    A lime and water mixture for painting walls and fences bright white.

who pays the piper calls the tune »    One who pays for something controls it.

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.

whole shebang »    A building or house and everything in it.

whole shebang »    Everything; the entire thing.

whomp on »    To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.

whomp up »    To incite or generate.

wide awake »    Awake and very alert.

wild horses »    A force not subject to human control and normally stronger than a man.

wild-goose chase »    A futile search, a fruitless errand; a useless and often lengthy pursuit.

willful ignorance »    A bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt. It may also be shown as for a person to have no clue in a decision but still goes ahead in their decision.

willy nilly »    Whether desired or not.

win over »    To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.

wind back the clock »    Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.

wind down »    Lower by winding something.

wind down »    To slow; to become calmer or less busy.

window dressing »    The decorative display of retail merchandise in store windows.

window dressing »    These latest modifications are mere window dressing, the same problems remain.

wine merchant »    vintner

wine tosser »    A person who buys wine, but does not drink it.

wine tosser »    A person who talks a great deal about wine but actually knows very little.

wing it »    To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.

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.

wipe away »    To remove or erase with a wiping motion.

wipe out »    To physically erase something written.

wipe out »    To crash, fall over.

wipe the slate clean »    To forget about previous differences and disagreements, and make a fresh start.

with bated breath »    Eagerly; with great anticipation.

with flying colors »    Extremely well; in an exceptional, noteworthy, or extraordinary manner.

with no further ado »    Without any other formalities; with no further delay.

within an ace of »    Very near; on the point of.

without fail »    Certainly; by all means; as a matter of importance.

without further ado »    With no further ado.

wits' end »    Limit of one's sanity or mental capacity; point of desperation.

wolf down »    Quickly and without regard for table manners.

woo back »    To gain somebody back by wooing him or her.

wooden-top »    Uniformed police officers.

word of mouth »    Verbal means of passing of information.

word on the wire »    The rumour or news going around on the Internet, in business, on the street, or in social circles.

work against the clock »    To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work one's butt off »    To work very hard or to excess.

work one's fingers to the bone »    Work especially hard, usually for an extended period.

work out »    To habitually exercise rigorously, especially by lifting weights, in order to increase strength or muscle mass or maintain fitness.

work out »    To do exercises, especially physical.

work over »    To improve a prototype, or first draft.

work over »    To physically attack someone to cause them injury.

work spouse »    A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.

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.

world »    The Universe.

world-beater »    Someone or something superior to all others of its sort.

worlds apart »    Vastly different.

worth every penny »    Completely worthwhile.

wouldn't say boo to a goose »    Describing a quiet, exceptionally shy person.

wouldn't shout if a shark bit him »    Frugal, miserly.

wrap around one's fingers »    To make one susceptible to desire, in that their behavior or actions are influenced.

wrap in the flag »    To claim one's cause deserves support for patriotic reasons or that one's own motives are patriotic.

wrap it before you tap it »    wear a condom before sexual intercourse.

wrap up »    To fold and secure something to be the cover or protection for something.

wrap up »    To form a cylinder by rolling a sheet of something.

wrap up »    To wear more clothes as protection from the weather; to bundle up.

wring out »    To squeeze a wet material, either by twisting with one's hands, or by passing it through a wringer, to remove the water.

write off »    To reduce an asset's book value to zero.

write one's own ticket »    To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.

written all over someone's face »    Very obvious, from someone's facial expression.

wrong side of the tracks »    . May refer to area where the working class, poor or extremely poor live.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

year dot »    A very long time ago, from the beginning or as far back as one can remember.

year in, year out »    During every year; always.

yell silently »    To think very strong thoughts, that one wishes to yell out loud but does not.

yellow journalism »    Material published in a broadcast or periodical, such as a tabloid newspaper or magazine, which is sensationalistic and of questionable accuracy and taste.

yellow press »    Newspapers which publish sensationalist articles rather than well researched and sober journalism.

yellow-bellied »    Pertaining to an animal or reptile that has a yellow belly.

yes man »    A person who always agrees with his employer or superior.

yes-man »    A person of unquestioning obedience.

yoke together »    To unite, or join, or combine.

you bet »    Certainly; you're welcome; a reply to thank you or to a request.

you bet »    Expresses support, agreement, certainty or emphasis.

you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar »    It's easier to persuade others with polite requests and a positive attitude than with rude demands and negativity.

you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink »    You can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it.

you can say that again »    That is very true.

you can't fight city hall »    (chiefly US) Nothing can be done to change the situation, because it is a governmental decision.I see they're going to build the airport after all. I suppose you can't fight city hall.

you can't judge a book by its cover »    It is not possible to make reliable judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.

you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

you can't polish a turd »    (vulgar) Something inherently bad cannot be improved.

you can't say fairer than that »    That is good, reasonable, or fair; one cannot hope for a better decision or outcome.

you can't take it with you »    It is not possible to take one's material wealth to whatever world may await one after death.1900, E. Phillips Oppenheim, A Millionaire of Yesterday, ch. 6:"The clause which

you can't tell a book by its cover »    Alternative form of you can't judge a book by its cover.

you don't dip your pen in the company's ink »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

you don't dip your pen in the inkwell »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows »    You don't need an expert to tell you what you already know.

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 make the bed you lie in »    A person's circumstances are normally the result of his or her own actions.

you name it »    Used after a short list to show that further examples are unnecessary; all kinds of things.

you never know what you've got till it's gone »    Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.

you only get what you give »    There is a positive correlation between the effort one puts in and the benefits one receives.

you pays your money and you takes your choice »    Each person should make their own decisions.

you shouldn't have »    Used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity, especially when receiving a gift.

you snooze you lose »    If you are not alert and attentive, you will not be successful.

you what%3F »    An intensified version of what or huh.

you're never too old to learn »    It is possible to learn new things, at any age; (implying) follow your desires and dreams

you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

your mileage may vary »    It may work differently in your situation, or be different in your experience.

your mileage may vary »    To express a possible difference in taste, "this is just my opinion, your opinion may be different".

yours sincerely »    A polite formula to end a letter, especially when the recipient’s name is known to the sender.

yours truly »    A closing in a note or letter.

zero in »    To focus one's aim; to zoom in and center on something.

zero in on »    To aim precisely at a target.

zero in on »    To successfully narrow down a search.

zero in on »    To concentrate or focus one's attention on at task.

zero in on »    To converge on something.

zig when one should zag »    To misstep or err.

zip up »    To close with a zip fastener.

zip up »    To close as if with a zip fastener.

zip up »    To convert a computer file into a smaller package.

zonk out »    To fall suddenly into a very deep sleep.

zoom in »    To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a larger image, or a closer view.

zoom in »    So as to make it larger and possibly more detailed.

zoom out »    To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a smaller image, or a more distant view.

zoom out »    So as to make it smaller and possibly less detailed.

zoom past »    To pass very quickly.

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