We've found 1600 phrases for FO (0.116 seconds):

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

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

a fool and his money are soon parted »    It is easy to get money from foolish people, especially rich ones.

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

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 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 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 accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it; to conform to; to acquiesce; as, to abide by an award.

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

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

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

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

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

acid test »    To test for the truth.

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

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

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

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.

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.

ahead of the game »    Having completed a task before it is due; ready, prepared, or anticipating.

aim at »    To design for a particular audience.

all ears »    Listening intently; fully focused.

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

all hollow »    As a foregone conclusion.

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

all right, my lover »    An informal affectionate greeting.

all the time »    Always; constantly; for the complete duration.

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.

allow for »    To take into account when making plans.

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

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

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

angle for farthings »    To beg out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.

answer for »    To be held responsible for.

answer for »    To guarantee.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

armed forces »    The Services

as a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly »    Foolish people repeatedly do foolish things.

as for »    with reference to

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

as luck would have it »    As it happened; how it turned out; by good fortune; fortunately or luckily.

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

ask for »    request

ask for »    make a request

ask for it »    To provoke an unwanted action.

ask for the moon »    To claim or desire something that one cannot have.

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

at a loss for words »    Having nothing to say; stunned to the point of speechlessness.

at home »    At ease, comfortable.

au fait »    fully informed;

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

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

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

back to the drawing board »    Back to the beginning following an unsuccessful attempt.

back up »    To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so.

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-assward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

back-asswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

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.

backfoot »    To put on the defensive; to put off balance.

bad for you »    Unhealthy.

bad luck »    ill-fortune

bad news »    News of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events.

baggage »    Heavy baggage; women and children. Also a familiar epithet for a woman; as, cunning baggage, wanton baggage, &c.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

bark up the wrong tree »    To attempt or pursue the wrong thing; to take the wrong approach; to follow a false lead.

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

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.

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 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 the hatches »    Prepare for trouble.

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

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

be mother »    To pour out tea for others.

be my guest »    Do as you wish; go ahead; help yourself; go for it!.

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

bear down »    To intensify one's efforts.

bear out »    To corroborate, prove, or confirm; to demonstrate; to provide evidence for.

beat down »    To strike with great force.

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

beat somebody to the punch »    To do something before somebody else is able to.

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.

beauty sleep »    Sleep before midnight, on the belief that early sleep hours conduce to health and beauty.[1].

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

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

bed down »    To put an animal to rest for the night.

bed of roses »    A comfortable or luxurious position.

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

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

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

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

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

below par »    Less than par for the hole or course.

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

big boys »    Plural form of big boy.

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

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

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

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

bill of goods »    A set of misleading or deceptive claims; misinformation.

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

bird in the hand »    Shortened form of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".

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

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

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

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

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 nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person.

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.

blessing in disguise »    A misfortune that has an unexpected benefit.

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 forced bet.

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

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

blow chunks »    To vomit chunks of undigested food.

blow one's chances »    To forfeit opportunities to achieve some goal.

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.

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

blue note »    Notes added to the major scale for expressive quality in jazz and blues music, particularly the flatted third, fifth and seventh.

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.

bomb around »    The drive around at speed for pleasure.

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

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

borganism »    Some forms of government.

born on the Fourth of July »    Demonstratively patriotic.

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

bottom line »    The summary or result; the most important information; the upshot; the net-net.

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

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

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 »    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.

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

break a sweat »    To put effort into something.

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

break in »    To enter by force or illicit means.

break into »    To enter illegally or by force.

break new ground »    To begin excavating and levelling earth for a new building, or, originally, for cultivation.

break one's duck »    To do something for the first time.

break out »    To escape, especially forcefully or defiantly.

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

breathe down someone's neck »    To follow someone too closely, making it uncomfortable for them.

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

bridge »    A particular form of one hand placed on the table to support the cue when making a shot in cue sports.

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

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

bring forth »    To produce, bear as fruit.

bring forth »    To give birth.

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

bring forth »    To display, produce, bring out for display.

bring forward »    To call up for consideration.

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

bring in »    To earn money for a company or for the family.

bring it weak »    To fail to accomplish an accomplishable task or to make an attempt at less than maximum effort; to "half-ass" or "fake the funk".

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

bring to heel »    To be forced to obey.

bring to heel »    To force someone to obey.

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

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.

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

bull session »    An informal meeting among men.

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

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

burn one's candle at both ends »    To work extremely or excessively hard; to work too hard for good health or peace of mind.

burst someone's bubble »    To disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown comfortable.

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.

busman's holiday »    A holiday or vacation during which you do the same thing that you do for your usual work.

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.

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

buttoned-down »    Alternative form of button-down.

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

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 »    Incidentally; a parenthetical statement not timely, central, or crucial to the topic at hand; foregone, passed by, something that has already happened.

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

call forth »    To induce, inspire.

call in »    To summon someone, especially for help or advice.

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

call it a night »    To cease what one has been doing for the night.

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

call out »    To arrange for a professional to call at your home for some purpose.

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.

calls for »    Requires; needs to

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'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.

carrot and stick »    Simultaneous rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior.

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 on »    To continue or proceed as before.

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.

cast one's vote »    To vote for something.

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

catch out »    To put a batsman out by catching the batted ball before it touches the ground.

catch up »    To compensate for or make up a deficiency.

catmeat »    Catfood consisting of meat.

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

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

chalk up to »    To attribute or account for something.

chance'd be a fine thing »    Given to indicate that an aforementioned thing would be desirable but unlikely. Comparable to if I should be so lucky.

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 decide differently than one had decided before.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

chicken feed »    Food given to poultry.

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

chip in »    To make a contribution; help in a small way; especially, to pay for a part of something.

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

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

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.

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

claim to fame »    That for which one has bragging rights; one's reason for being well-known or famous.

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 reform by removing undesirable personnel and procedures.

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

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

clear cut »    Straightforward, obvious, simple, or basic.

clear the decks »    To prepare for action.

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

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

clue in »    To inform, instruct, or tell.

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

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

cold comfort »    Much less reassurance, consolation, aid, or pleasure than one needs or desires.

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

collect one's thoughts »    To become mentally composed, especially after being distressed, surprised, or disoriented; to become calm or organized in one's emotional state or thinking, as in preparation for a conversation, speech, decision, etc.

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

come down to us »    To survive to the present day; to be extant in some form.

come full circle »    To make a complete change or reform.

come out »    To make a formal debut in society.

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

come to a head »    To suddenly reveal that which has lain latent for a time.

come up »    To appear before a judge or court.

comfort girl »    A sex slave; prostitute.

comfort woman »    A woman forced, or supposedly recruited, into brothels by the Japanese occupation forces during World War II.

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

company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

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

controlled substance »    Except for very limited professional testing purposes.

cook the books »    To manipulate accounting information, esp. illegally, by a corporation.

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 »    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.

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".

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

crack down »    To enforce more stringently or more thoroughly.

crack down on »    To enforce laws or punish more vigilantly.

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.

crash course »    A quick, intense course of learning, especially one which is informal or hurried.

crashpad »    Any place used for temporary lodging.

crashpad »    In the aviation industry, used for a place of temporary lodging for airline flight crews.

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

crocodile tears »    A display of tears that is forced or false.

crocodile tears »    Plural form of crocodile tear.

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

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

crush out »    To force out or separate by pressure.

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

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 out for »    To say that a situation needs a thing, or a solution urgently.

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

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

cut a swath »    Variant form of cut a wide swath.

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

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

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

cutting edge »    The forefront, or position of greatest advancement in some field.

dash off »    To write quickly or informally.

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

days »    Plural form of day.

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

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

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

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

debris field »    Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.

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

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

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

depend on »    To be dependent on something or someone for support or help.

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.

developments »    A group of building complexes or apartments. Often used for low income housing.

developments »    Plural form of development.

devil is in the details »    The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable.

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

dicky-bird »    Endearing term for a small bird, often used when talking with young children.

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

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

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

dish out »    On to a dish ready for eating.

dish up »    To serve cooked food.

dismal science »    Nickname for economics or for the field of political economy.

do for »    ruin

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

dog around »    To follow diligently.

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

dogs »    Plural form of dog.

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 count your chickens before they're hatched »    You should not count on something before it happens.

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

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

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 entendre »    Plural form of double entendre.

double talk »    Lying, especially in a formal political statement.

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

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

drag out »    To haul or bring out forcefully or as though with force.

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

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

draw a blank »    To be unable to produce a required piece of information.

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

draw out »    To make something last for more time than is necessary; prolong; extend.

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

draw out »    To use means to entice or force to be more open or talkative.

draw stumps »    To cease doing something, at least for the day.

dress down »    To wear casual or informal clothes.

dress up »    To wear smart clothes for an occasion.

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

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.

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

drive away »    To force someone or something to leave.

drive off »    To force to leave or go away.

drop a bomb »    To announce surprising or alarming information suddenly and without warning.

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

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

dummy out »    From a video game in the process of localizing that game from a foreign country.

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

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

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

dyed-in-the-wool »    Dyed before being formed into cloth.

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

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.

eat for two »    To be pregnant.

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 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.

eff off »    A censored form of the phrase f** off.

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

elbow grease »    Effort or hard work, especially physical work involving repeated motion of the forearm, such as scrubbing.

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

end of »    A short form of end of story.

end of the line »    Final cessation or discontinuance of a process, institution, or person, especially one which has existed for a considerable period of time; death.

end of the world »    End of habitability for life on Earth.

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.

even Jove nods »    Alternative form of even Homer nods.

even keel »    A situation in which the boat is level and balanced for a smooth ride.

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 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 man has a price »    Everyone can be bribed or corrupted for a certain price.

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 »    Used to express a strong preference for something.

everything and the kitchen sink »    Alternative form of everything but the kitchen sink.

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 rogue wireless access point installed near a legitimate one for purposes of eavesdropping or phishing.

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.

face off »    The starting point, in a match of ice hockey. Two players face each other, for snatching the puck.

face up to »    To confront a condition or situation, typically one that is unpleasant or uncomfortable.

facts on the ground »    A euphemism, similar to fait accompli, used as an oblique way of saying that discussions over the possession of a given piece of territory has been rendered moot by the presence of military forces.

fall behind »    To be progressively below average in performance.

fall by the wayside »    To fail to be completed, particularly for lack of interest; to be left out.

fall for »    To be fooled; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick.

fall for »    To fall in love with somebody.

fall for »    be deceived by

fall in line »    To submit to the rules of a higher authority; obey; conform.

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

fall on one's sword »    To voluntarily take the blame for a situation.

false friend »    A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.

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.

far be it »    Pewtey in Marriage Guidance Counselor from And Now For Something Completely Different.

feast for the eyes »    Visually pleasing sight.

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.

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.

feel for »    To express sympathy for, to sympathise with.

fend off »    Away; to turn away; to defend against; to repel with force or effort.

field day »    A day of class taken away from school for a field trip.

field day »    A school day for athletic events; a sports day.

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.

fill in »    To inform somebody, especially to supply someone missing or missed information.

fill in »    To substitute for somebody or something.

fill in »    To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information.

fill somebody's shoes »    To do somebody's job; to perform or assume somebody's role.

filter down »    Of information, or resources; to move slowly down to lower levels of an organisation, or population.

final curtain »    The end to something which has longed for a long time.

fire away »    To begin to talk or present information quickly.

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

first among equals »    A person or position that if formally equivalent to others in a group, but is superior in some attribute.

first of all »    Firstly; before anything else.

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 for compliments »    To try to induce someone to make a compliment.

fish or cut bait »    To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.

fishing expedition »    A non-specific search for information, especially incriminating information.

fix someone's wagon »    To punish someone; to cause injury, distress, or inconvenience for someone.

flash in the pan »    A career notable for early success not followed by significant accomplishment.

flat-footed »    Having feet which are flat.

flat-footed »    Having the specific physical condition of flat feet.

flat-footed »    To firmly hold and maintain a decision; to stand one's ground.

flat-footed »    Unprepared to act.

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-by-night »    One who departs or flees at night in order to avoid creditors, law enforcement etc. .

fold one's tent »    To withdraw, especially in a discreet manner; to disengage; to quit.

fold up »    To go out of business.

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

follow in someone's footsteps »    To follow the same path as someone.

follow suit »    To follow an example; to imitate.

follow suit »    To play a card of the same suit as the previous or leading card.

follow through »    To finish; to complete, especially, of a commitment.

food chain »    A hierarchy.

food chain »    The feeding relationships between species in a biotic community.

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.

fool's paradise »    A state of happiness due to illusion or false hope.

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.

footloose and fancy free »    Able to do as one pleases, unconstrained by social ties or responsibilities.

for all intensive purposes »    For all highly demanding purposes.[1].

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

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

for all one is worth »    Intensely, vigorously, with as much effort as one can supply.

for all the world »    Entirely, to all appearances.

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 good measure »    As a precaution; just in case; added as an extra.

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 keeps »    With an agreement or intention to retain what one gains or receives.

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

for the record »    Already publicly known.

for the record »    For the purpose of being recorded.

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.

for XYZ reasons »    For reasons unknown and not worth speculating on.

forbidden fruit »    Illicit pleasure; something that one should not take or get involved with, such as an another person's spouse.

forbidden fruit »    The fruit forbidden to Adam.

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.

force someone's hand »    Bring about a situation which necessitates an agent to act, often causing a plan to be executed prematurely.

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 bold »    Luck is usually on the side of those who take chances and risks.

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.

forty winks »    Sleep, extra sleep, or a nap.

foul up »    To botch; to make a mess of.

foul up »    To make a mistake, to go wrong.

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 »    87 years prior to today.

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.

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

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

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 lunch »    Something obtained without any payment, obligation or effort.

free-for-all »    Chaos; a chaotic situation lacking rules or control.

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.

from the ground up »    From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals.

fruit of the poisonous tree »    And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.

full blast »    Maximum capacity or effort.

full English »    A cooked breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs, and other foods.

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

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

full speed ahead »    A command, especially on military vessels, to move forward at maximum speed.

full speed ahead »    Maximum effort without reservations or delay.

full tilt boogie »    In an extremely focused manner.

funny money »    Bills of any foreign currency or of counterfeit origin.

gagging for it »    Up for it, having a strong desire for sex.

game face »    The expression of one who is prepared for or is facing a lot of difficult and/or undesirable work, especially when it is imminent.

garbage in, garbage out »    (computing, information technology) If input data is not complete, accurate, and timely, then the resulting output is unreliable and of no useful value.1963, Raymond Crowley, "Robot Tax Collector Seeks Indications of 'Fudging'," Times Daily (Alabama, USA), 1 April (retrieved 26 July 2010):Officials explained that the quality of the computer's work depends on the quality of the data fed into it. Neil Hoke, administrative assistant to Stewart, quoted an adage of computer men: "Garbage in, garbage out."2008, Roger K. Lewis, "'In Architectural Design, Brains and Talent Trump the Best Software," Washington Post, 19 July (retrieved 26 July 2010):The old caveat "GIGO"

gear up »    To prepare for an activity.

get a jump on »    To start early, especially to start before something begins or before others begin.

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

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

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

get out of bed on the wrong side »    To start the day in a bad mood for no apparent reason.

get over »    To forget, and move on.

get stuck in »    To dedicate a large amount of effort towards.

get taken in »    To be fooled; to fall for.

get taken in »    To be unofficially fostered.

gird up one's loins »    To prepare oneself for something demanding.

give 110%25 »    Make the maximum possible effort.

give a man a fish »    Shortened form of give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime »    It is more worthwhile to teach someone to do something, than to do something for them.

give head »    To perform oral sex on another person.

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

give hostage to fortune »    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 one's best shot »    To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.

give notice »    To announce one's intent to leave a job; to inform an employer that one is leaving.

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 somebody pause »    To give somebody cause for concern.

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

give somebody what-for »    To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.

give someone what for »    To punish; to rebuke.

glutton for punishment »    One persistent in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.

go all out »    To reserve nothing; to put forth all possible effort or resources.

go along for the ride »    To accompany someone passively, or to take a passive role in a project.

go belly-up »    To fail or fold; especially, to close or shut down a business; to go out of business.

go down »    To perform oral sex.

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 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 for »    To attack something.

go for »    To be equally valid or appropriate.

go for »    To do something, especially for leisure.

go for »    To endure, sustain or spend time.

go for »    To go somewhere in order to get something.

go for »    To try for something.

go for broke »    To try everything possible or do last thing possible in a final attempt.

go for broke »    To wager everything.

go for it »    A cry of encouragement.

go for the gold »    To attempt to achieve the maximum reward or result in an endeavor.

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 for »    To engage or take part in something.

go native »    Of a contractor or consultant, to begin working directly as an employee for a company and cease to work through a contracting firm or agency.

go out of one's way »    To make an extra effort.

go south »    To become unfavorable; to decrease; to take a turn for the worse.

go the distance »    To participate in a boxing match for its maximum number of rounds.

go the extra mile »    To make an extra effort; to do a particularly good job.

go to seed »    To pass from flowering or ripening to the formation of seeds.

go to sleep »    An expression used to dismiss an extremely foolish statement, or to dismiss somebody that one does not feel like talking to.

go to the wall »    To make an all-out effort.

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 forbid »    Don't let it be.

God helps those who help themselves »    Fortune comes to those who make a genuine effort to accomplish things.

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...

going rate »    The current standard or usual price, rate, or salary for something.

gold mine »    A mine for gold ore or metal.

golden hello »    A payment offered to an employee as an inducement to join, especially if currently working for a competitor.

good enough for jazz »    Good enough.

good for you »    well done

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 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.

goodbye cruel world »    A call said before taking a stiff drink, especially a shot of vodka.

goodbye cruel world »    An exclamation made before commiting suicide, or in a suicide note.

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.

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 storage facility for grain or sometimes animal feed.

grasp at straws »    To guess randomly at or pursue any apparent option, as due to lack of options or information.

grass roots »    The essential foundation or source of something.

gravy train »    A gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill.

gravy train »    An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.

greasy spoon »    An inexpensive diner or other informal restaurant, especially one specializing in frying or grilling.

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 thumb »    A natural skill for gardening.

ground rules »    The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.

grow cold »    To wane; to lose interest or enthusiasm for something or someone; to become disenchanted or to fall out of love with someone.

grow out of »    To become too physically large for something, especially clothes.

grow out of »    To become too mature for something.

grunt work »    That is considered undesirable and therefore delegated to underlings.

gulp down »    To eat very quickly without chewing the food properly.

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

hand down »    To forward to the proper officer .

hands down »    Without much effort; easily.

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

hang by a thread »    To be in danger, calling for precise caution. To be in a precarious situation.

hang on »    To keep; to store something for someone.

hard cheese »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard lines »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hardwired »    Designed to perform a specific task.

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.

haul his ashes »    A euphemism for sexual intercourse.

have a green thumb »    A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.

have an eye for »    To have good taste; to have the ability to discriminate or identify quality.

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 had it up to here »    To have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or forbearance.

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 your way »    Do something the way you want to, but be prepared for the consequences.

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 name on it »    To be reserved for someone.

have one's number on it »    Te be destined for someone.

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

have someone's guts for garters »    To reprimand severely.

have the floor »    To have permission or time to speak, especially in a formal situation.

have the time of one's life »    To enjoy oneself more than ever before.

he who laughs last laughs hardest »    Alternative form of he who laughs last laughs best.

head for »    go towards

head for the hills »    To go to a safe place; to seek refuge; to flee.

head for the hills »    To travel to a higher elevation, especially to a rural region on vacation.

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 »    For example, prior to the beginning of a race.

heads up »    Used as an informal warning, caution, or call for attention; pay attention!.

heads will roll »    Some people will be fired for incompetence.

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.

hen's teeth »    Plural form of hen's tooth.

hens' teeth »    Alternative form of hen's teeth.

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 on the hog »    Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly.

hind tit »    An inferior source of food or other resources.

hit one's stride »    To reach a full level of efficiency, competence, comfort, etc.; to get going.

hit one's stride »    When walking or running, to reach a full or comfortable pace.

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

hit someone for six »    To hit another person very hard.

hit the bricks »    To travel about, especially on foot.

hoist by one's own petard »    To be hurt, or destroyed by one's own plot or device, of one's own doing which one intended for another; to be "blown up by one's own bomb".

hold forth »    Talk at great length; expatiate; harangue.

hold forth »    To extend or offer, propose.

hold on »    To keep; to store something for someone.

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

hold out »    To hold something out; to extend forward.

hold out »    To set something aside or save it for later.

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 the fort »    To assume responsibility, especially in another’s absence..

hold the fort »    To maintain a secure position.

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.

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

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 run »    A four-base hit, a homer.

home stretch »    The final part of a distance or the final effort needed to finish.

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

horse sense »    Common sense, especially with a connotation of folk wisdom independent from, and trumping, formal education.

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.

hot on »    Enthusiastic for.

hot on somebody's heels »    Close behind; pursuing or following closely.

hot to trot »    Eager for sexual activity.

hotfoot it »    To hasten; to move rapidly.

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 or argument built on a shaky foundation.

how are you »    An informal greeting, not requiring a literal response. Typical responses include.

how come »    Why; why is it; for what reason or purpose?.

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

how's tricks »    Informal greeting roughly equivalent to How are you?.

hum and haw »    Procrastinate and take a long time before doing something or taking a decision.

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.

hunker down »    To take shelter; to prepare oneself for some eventuality; to focus on a task.

if pigs had wings »    Shortened form of if pigs had wings they would fly.

ignorance is bliss »    Lack of knowledge results in happinessSometime you are more comfortable if you dont know something.

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 any way, shape, or form »    In any way at all; whatsoever.

in focus »    Clearly perceived.

in focus »    Sharp and clear with no fuzziness.

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 kind »    In the form of goods and service rather than money.

in line »    On a queue; waiting one's turn for something.

in no way, shape, or form »    Not in any way at all; not at all, nohow.

in order »    In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.

in shape »    I hope to get in shape for summer swimsuit season.

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

in the dark »    Without information.

in the hot seat »    Under pressure to perform; under scrutiny; at the center of attention.

in the limelight »    In the focus of attention, especially from the media.

in the loop »    Informed; up to date; current; part of the discussion.

in the wake of »    Following.

in vino veritas »    drunken folks speak truth, one tells the truth under the influence of alcohol

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

it's better to ask forgiveness than permission »    The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than value of delaying to get permission.

it's not the whistle that pulls the train »    Boasting and loud talk should not be mistaken for the work that produces real achievements; bravado is no proof of action.1956, James Reston, "Washington: It's Not the Whistle that Pulls the Train," New York Times, 1 July, p. E8:

it's not what you know but who you know »    For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know

jack up »    To ruin; wreck; mess up; screw up; sometimes as a bowdlerized substitution for f** up.

jacktar »    Nickname for a sailor in the Royal Navy.

jet set »    A set of wealthy people who travel for pleasure.

jet-setter »    A member of the jet set, a rich person who travels for pleasure.

jew down »    To bargain or haggle with a seller in order to obtain a lower price for a good or service.

join the club »    An expression of sympathy for a shared experience.

jump »    That is further forward.

jump »    To force to jump.

jump for joy »    Exalt, [rejoice]], feel elation.

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 the gun »    To begin a race too soon, before the starting gun goes off.

jump the gun »    To trade securities based on information that is not yet public; to trade on inside information.

jump through hoops »    To put forth effort for the sake of appearance or demonstration.

jump to conclusions »    Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.

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 gossip network; an informal communication system within a group or organization.

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 for fun »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for someone or something.

keep an eye out »    To watch for, look for, or search for.

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 eyes peeled »    To watch closely; to look for.

keep somebody posted »    To inform or to keep somebody up to date.

keep up »    To ensure that one remains well-informed about something.

keep up with »    To manage to follow .

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.

kick down »    To break or demolish something by physical bodily force.

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 oneself »    To reproach oneself for making a mistake or missing an opportunity.

kick someone when they are down »    To make it worse for someone who is going through a difficult time.

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

kick with the other foot »    To belong to a different religion.

kill the fatted calf »    To begin a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return.

kind »    Mild, gentle, forgiving.

kiss and make up »    To settle one's differences and forgive.

knacker's yard »    That area of a slaughterhouse where carcasses unfit for human consumption are rendered down to produce useful materials such as glue.

kneel before »    To kneel in front of someone or something, especially in order to worship or supplicate.

knock about »    An informal game, usually football.

knock for a loop »    To astonish; to surprise very much.

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

knock up »    To gently hit the ball back and forth before a tennis match, as practice or warm-up, and to gauge the state of the playing surface, lighting, etc. See knock-up.

knocked for a six »    to be defeated; outwitted; outfoxed; beaten

knuckle down »    To get to work; to focus on a task.

knuckle under »    To yield or cooperate when pressured or forced to do so.

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 first »    A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.

land of opportunity »    A nickname for the United States.

landing strip »    A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.

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.

last burst of fire »    A final effort or warning.

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 trump »    Forever.

last word »    The final statement uttered by a person before death.

lay a finger on »    If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.

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

lay down »    To stock, store for the future. See also lay by.

lay down »    To lie down; to place oneself in a reclined or horizontal position, on a bed or similar, for the purpose of resting.

lay it on the line »    To state something, for example an ultimatum, strongly and clearly.

lay open »    In Japan and South Korea, to publish a patent for initial public review, prior to the formal application for registration.

lay the groundwork »    To create a foundation; to provide the basics or fundamentals.

lead »    Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.

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.

lean on »    To depend upon for support.

leave no stone unturned »    To search thoroughly for something, looking in every conceivable place.

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

legwork »    Work, especially research or preparation, that involves significant walking, travel, or similar effort.

let it be »    To leave something to follow its natural course.

let off »    To forgive and not punish.

let somebody in on »    To disclose; to tell somebody a secret or share privileged information.

let someone have it »    To attack someone with great force.

licence to print money »    A means of generating a large income with little effort.

lick one's chops »    To look forward avidly to eating something.

lick out »    To perform cunnilingus on.

life's a bitch »    An expression of acceptance of misfortune.1950, Joy Davidman, Weeping Bay, page 184:She'd have been willing enough to use them, poor dead little bitch. Life's a bitch. Life's a bad joke.

lift a finger »    To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.

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

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

lion »    A Chinese foo dog.

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.

little pitchers have long ears »    Alternative form of little pitchers have big ears.

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

live one »    Someone who is eccentric, nonconformist, or otherwise peculiar.

loaded for bear »    Mentally prepared for a daunting situation or confrontation.

loaded for bear »    Thoroughly equipped, as for a demanding task or confrontation.

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

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

long arm »    A pole tool used for handling things too far away to reach.

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 time »    Used as part of greeting of two people who have not been in contact for a long time.

long time no hear »    I haven't heard from you for a long time.

long time no see »    I haven't seen you for a long time.

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

look for »    To search; to seek.

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

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

look 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 up »    To obtain information about something from a text source.

look up to »    To show respect or admiration for.

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.

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

lost cause »    A cause, attempt, or effort that is hopeless or futile.

love nest »    A room, especially a bedroom or boudoir, used for sexual intercourse.

luck out »    To experience great luck; to be extremely fortunate or lucky.

lucky break »    A stroke of luck; a fortunate event, particularly of the sort that propels one to success, fame, etc.

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.

magic bullet »    A simple remedy to a difficult or complex problem, especially a cure for a disease.

make a fool of oneself »    To appear foolish to others.

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 name for oneself »    To gain fame.

make a stink »    To complain; to demand attention or remedy for a problem.

make for »    To move towards.

make for »    ????, translator unknown, author Galileo Galilei, Two Chief World Systems.

make for »    To tend to produce or result in.

make for »    head towards

make hay »    To cut grass to turn into hay for animal feed.

make headway »    To progress; to move forward.

make up »    To constitute; to compose; to form.

make up »    To resolve, forgive or smooth over an argument or fight.

man is man to man »    The human is a human for itself

man of few words »    A man who doesn't speak much, or speaks only for a short period of time.

man up »    His station, prepared for departure of an aircraft, ship, etc.

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.

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!.

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

mark my words »    Listen to me; used before a statement one wishes to emphasize.

may the Force be with you »    Used to wish someone luck with a difficult endeavor.

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 rack »    A place where people can meet looking for sexual partners.

meat rack »    A rack used for storing meat.

meatball surgery »    A nickname for surgery that is meant to be performed rapidly to stabilize the patient as quickly as possible.

melon head »    A dimwit, a fool.

member for Barkshire »    Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.

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.

mike up »    To fit a microphone and transmitter to a person. Usually for television performers, or for police informers.

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

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.

misfortunes never come singly »    bad things or situations always come in groups, they never come in a single way.

money for old rope »    Money exchanged for goods of low value.

monkey around »    To act foolishly.

monkey business »    Do your homework and forget about all this monkey business.

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

move on »    To leave somewhere for another place.

mug's game »    A foolish, profitless, or hopeless undertaking.

muscle in »    To interfere, or intrude forcibly.

muscle in on »    To interfere with, or intrude on something forcibly.

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.

my foot »    Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.

nail biter »    A nervous or uncomfortable situation.

name and shame »    So as to single them out for individual blame and censure.

necessity is the mother of innovation »    Alternative form of necessity is the mother of invention.

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.

never look a gift horse in the mouth »    Alternative form of don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

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.

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.

nine day wonder »    Something that generates interest for a limited time and is then abandoned.

nip in the bud »    To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.

no comment »    An "official" refusal to relay any further information, as a response to a newspaper reporter's question.

no news is good news »    A lack of information about a situation suggests that nothing bad has happened.

no pain, no gain »    One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.

no prize for guessing »    Used to form expressions emphasizing the unsurprising nature of what follows.

no rest for the wicked »    (humorous) People who are wicked must work harder than normal people.

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 time like the present »    A shortened form of there's no time like the present

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

none of someone's business »    A matter that someone is not entitled to be involved in or informed about.

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

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

not in Kansas anymore »    No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings; in the big city.

not long for this world »    Unlikely to remain for much time.

not on your nelly »    Not on your life, an emphatic form of no.

not to put too fine a point on it »    Used to apologise for a possibly impolite statement one is making.

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 »    Francis Lynde, The Quickening.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To approach something or someone.

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 win for losing »    To repeatedly fail in one's gambles or efforts.

nothing to it »    Easy; simple or straightforward.

number one »    First; foremost; best.

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.

nutty as a fruitcake »    Behaving in an eccentric, foolish, or kooky manner; very nutty.

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

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.

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 the back foot »    From a defensive position.

off the hook »    Performing extraordinarily well.

offer affordances »    To give elbow room or leeway for something to happen.

old college try »    A vigorous, committed attempt or effort.

old fogey »    Old person.

old money »    Families that have been wealthy for generations or members of such families.

old money »    The monetary system used in the United Kingdom before decimalisation and consisting of pounds, shillings, and pence.

old school »    Characteristic of a style, outlook, or method employed in a former era, remembered either as inferior to the current style, or alternately, remembered nostalgically as superior or preferable to the new style, the older denoting something that would be considered out of date or out of fashion to some, but as such, is considered by others as cool and hip.

on accident »    Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.

on all fours »    On one's hands and knees.

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

on hold »    On reserve; being held for someone.

on ice »    Performed by ice skaters as an ice show.

on spec »    Short form of "on speculation": Creating a work with the hope of selling it, as opposed to creating a work "on commission" for hire.

on the back foot »    In a defensive posture; off-balance.

on the bubble »    Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.

on the clock »    Of a taxicab, engaged for hire; displayed numerically as time or fare on the meter of a taxicab.

on the level »    Honest, sincere, straightforward.

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

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 whole »    For the most part; apart from some insignificant details.

on top of »    Fully informed about, and in control of something; up to speed with.

once and for all »    Finally, permanently, conclusively.

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 small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »    A cliché used to exaggerate an accomplishment or milestone..

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »    Words spoken by Neil Armstrong when taking the first steps on the moon.

one step at a time »    Slowly and carefully, ensuring that each action has been completed successfully before taking the next.

one step forward, two steps back »    A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

one up »    To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.

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-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.

only fools and horses work »    Philosophy of life that people who do not look for an easy way of earning a living are foolish.

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.

or what »    Or something else; allows for the existence of an unexpressed alternative to what was said.

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 luck »    Experiencing a temporary misfortune.

out of place »    Not in the proper situation or arrangement, or inappropriate for the circumstances.

out of sight »    You better stay out of sight for a few days.

out of sight, out of mind »    When something is not nearby, it is forgotten about.

out of stock »    Temporarily unavailable for sale.

out of the loop »    Not informed up to date; current; not kept part of the discussion.

out on one's ear »    Fired, dismissed or thrown out, especially for some wrongdoing or otherwise with disgrace.

out on the tiles »    Out for a night on the town.

out to lunch »    Away eating lunch or for a midday break; especially, away from work or a job.

outshout »    To shout louder or for longer than another.

over one's head »    Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.

over the transom »    Said of an unsolicited work submitted for publication.

pachyderm »    Someone with thick skin. It is used for animals such as an elephant or a hippopotamus.

pack away »    To store away, place out of the way, or stash, especially for the longer term.

pack up »    To prepare for shipping, as a gift.

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.

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.

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

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

park that thought »    Alternative form of hold that thought.

party animal »    A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.

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

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

pass the hat »    To ask for money, especially from a group of people; to solicit donations or contributions.

pay attention »    To be attentive; to focus one's attention.

pay for »    To exchange for, especially money for goods or services.

pay for »    To be punished or held accountable for.

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

pay the freight »    To pay for the cost of transport.

pay up »    To pay for something in total, after a certain amount of time after receiving a purchase.

peel grapes »    To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.

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

penny wise and pound foolish »    Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful and profligate with large amounts.

perp walk »    The intentional public display before news cameras of someone in police custody, especially someone famous or notorious, for the purpose of satisfying public interest, demonstrating the authorities' effectiveness, or shaming the person.

pick somebody's brain »    To seek information from someone knowledgeable; to ask questions of someone.

pick up »    To meet and seduce somebody for romantic purposes, especially in a social situation, sometimes used with "on".

pick up »    To pay for.

pick up the tab »    To accept a charge and pay for it, especially at a bar or restaurant.

pickin' and grinnin' »    Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.

pickle »    An affectionate term for a loved one.

pickle »    The brine used for preserving food.

pig in a poke »    Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.

pile up »    To form a pile, stack, or heap.

pin tuck »    narrow ornamental fold

pinch and a punch for the first of the month »    Said the first day of a new month, accompanied by a pinch and a punch to the victim.

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.

pitched battle »    A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.

play for love »    To play a game of cards without stakes.

play the fool »    To behave in a foolish or comical manner.

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

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

plug away »    To persist or continue, as with an effort.

plus fours »    knickerbockers

point blank »    The distance between a gun and a target such that it requires minimal effort in aiming it. In particular no allowance needs to be made for the effects of gravity, target movement or wind in aiming the projectile.

pound the pavement »    To travel on foot; to walk or run.

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

pre-war »    Describing the period before a war.

pre-war »    Describing the period before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

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.

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.

pull one's socks up »    To start making an effort; to renew or redouble one's efforts.

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 withdraw; especially of military forces; to retreat.

pull teeth »    To do something that is especially difficult or effortful.

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 together »    To unite for a common objective.

pull up stumps »    To cease doing something, at least for the day.

pump up »    To cause one's muscles to swell by means of focussed weightlifting.

push the boat out »    To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.

put a foot wrong »    To make a mistake.

put across »    To perform a theatrical production.

put aside »    To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.

put by »    To preserve food by canning, freezing, drying, etc.

put by »    To perform an action without attracting attention.

put down »    To halt, eliminate, stop, or squelch, often by force.

put down for »    To record that someone has offered to help, or contribute something.

put forth »    To give or supply; to make or create.

put forward »    To propose for consideration.

put forward »    To change the time in a time zone to a later time.

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 past somebody »    To deceive, trick, or fool, especially by concealing something.

put one's back into »    To make a strenuous effort to do something.

put one's best foot forward »    To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.

put one's foot down »    To insist, demand, or refuse.

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 foot in one's mouth »    To misspeak; to say something embarrassing or wrong.

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

put one's shoulder to the wheel »    To work or exert oneself heavily or with full effort.

put out feelers »    To explore or watch for; ask around; investigate.

put paid to »    To stop something once and for all.

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

put the cart before the horse »    To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities.

put the clock forward »    To change the time in a time zone to a later time.

put the pedal to the metal »    To exert maximum effort.

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 »    Fifteen minutes before the next hour.

queer one's pitch »    To make a task more difficult for the speaker.

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.

quicumque vult »    A forward girl, ready to oblige every man that shall ask her.

quote unquote »    Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.

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

rag-chewing »    A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.

rain pitchforks »    To rain heavily.

raise a stink »    To complain; to demand attention or remedy for a problem.

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

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

reach an early grave »    To be sentenced to death before the age of 18.

reach an early grave »    To die young. To die before the age of 80.

reach an early grave »    To resign near the start for good.

reach for the stars »    To have high hopes, to be ambitious.

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.

real job »    A job which requires the employee to, work regular hours for a consistent wage that often exceeds the provisions of applicable minimum wage legislation. A job that produces a living wage.

reckon for »    To answer for; to pay the account for.

red ink »    A euphemism for financial loss.

red tape »    A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.

ridden hard and put away wet »    Mistreated; not properly cared for.

ride one's luck »    To avoid failure only by good fortune.

ride the short bus »    To have a need for a special education program, as because learning disabled.

ride the short bus »    To participate in a special education program, such as for those with learning disabilities.

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

roach coach »    Whimsically, a catering or food truck.

rob the cradle »    To use a young person for a purpose inappropriate to his or her age.

rock the boat »    To disturb the status quo or go against rules or conventions, as in an effort to get attention.

rocking horse shit »    A metaphor for something exceedingly rare or, more likely, nonexistent.

rocking-horse shit »    Alternative form of rocking horse shit.

root around »    Alternative form of root about.

rough and ready »    Crude or unpolished, but still fit for use; good enough.

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.

rubber-chicken dinner »    A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.

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

run afoul of »    To become entangled in; to run aground on.

run afoul of »    To contravene.

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

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 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 by »    To inform someone briefly of the main points of an idea.

run by »    To repeat some information.

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 for »    To try to obtain political position through the democratic voting process.

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 hills »    Flee.

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 »    A hard-fought competition or demanding challenge of any kind.

run for the roses »    Nickname for the Kentucky Derby horse race.

run into »    To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.

run on »    To continue talking for a long time.

run somebody ragged »    To exhaust; to demand excessive effort or work from somebody.

sacred cow »    Something which cannot be tampered with, or criticized, for fear of public outcry.

sauce for the goose »    A short form of what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander

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.

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.

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 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 change »    A profound transformation.

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.

see a man »    To take one's leave for some urgent purpose, especially to go to the bathroom.

see a man about a horse »    A message signaling one needs to go missing for a short while, for any reason, without giving a real explanation.

see someone through »    To constitute ample supply for one for.

see someone through »    To suffice for a time.

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 you next Tuesday »    A euphemism for cunt.

seek and ye shall find »    something can be found if it is looked for.

seize the day »    To enjoy the present and not worry about the future; to live for the moment.

sell »    To agree to transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.

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.

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

send up »    To imitate someone or something for the purpose of satirical humour.

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.

serpentine »    Having the shape or form of a snake.

set aside »    To separate and reserve something for a specific purpose.

set foot »    To go to a place , or to be there.

set for life »    Possessing sufficient resources, especially financial, to last a lifetime.

set of pipes »    Voice for singing.

settle for »    To accept or allow something, especially something not entirely desirable.

settle in »    To get comfortable or established, as in a new place.

sex machine »    Any machine that is used for sexual pleasure.

shank-nag »    To travel on foot.

shanks' mare »    One's own legs used for walking; to "travel by shanks' mare" or "ride on shanks' mare" is to walk to your destination.

shanks' nag »    Transportation by foot. To "take a shanks' nag" means using one's own legs to walk.

shanks' pony »    Transportation by foot.

shape up »    To take shape; to transform into or become.

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.

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

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

shoot off at the mouth »    To disclose some information that was supposed to be secret.

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.

shore up »    To strengthen, reinforce, or consolidate.

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.

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.

show off »    To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.

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

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 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.

shroud »    Especially, the dress for the dead; a winding sheet.

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 »    The branching top of a tree; foliage.

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.

shy bairns get nowt »    If you're too shy, or don't ask, you will not get what you want.A' forgot te ask hor for me money back!Wye, shy bairns get nowt

sight for sore eyes »    A pleasing sight, something that is beautiful to look at.

sight unseen »    Not having seen the object beforehand.

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 the dotted line »    To formalize an agreement.

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

sing soprano »    To perform vocal music in a higher pitch than alto.

sit in »    To attend something for one time, as a visitor.

sit in »    form of protest

sit in for »    To substitute; to take somebody's place.

sitting pretty »    Having a comfortable or certain supply of money or resources.

sixth former »    senior pupil

skimp and save »    Alternative form of scrimp and save.

slam dunk »    An impressively forceful dunk.

slam dunk »    Tacking on top of the wind of the following yacht in close quarters.

sleep on it »    To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.

sleeping at the switch »    Variant form of asleep at the switch.

slip into something a little more comfortable »    To wear something suitable to be stripped off by a lover.

slip someone's mind »    To be forgotten; to escape one's memory.

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

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.

smear campaign »    An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.

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

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.

sniff test »    An informal reality check of an idea or proposal, using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

snipe hunt »    A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.

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 much for »    An expression of disregard, or resignation; something said upon giving up, quitting, or disposing of something.

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

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.

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 »    An umbrella term for any system of government-run health care.

soft hearted »    Be kind; Fall for someone

soft shoe »    A kind of tap dancing performed in soft-soled shoes, popular in vaudeville.

soft spot »    A fontanelle.

soft spot »    A sentimental fondness or affection.

soft touch »    A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.

sound off »    To hold forth about something in an opinionated manner.

space out »    To stupefy, intoxicate, disorient, or lose attention or focus, especially by the use of drugs.

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.

speak for »    To speak on somebody's behalf.

speak for »    To claim, reserve, or occupy.

speak for oneself »    Expressing disagreement with an opinion expressed by another.

speak for oneself »    To provide an opinion only on one's own behalf.

speak of the devil and he appears »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

speak to »    To give evidence regarding something; to attest for.

speak with a forked tongue »    To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.

special needs »    Needs for special care, services or accommodations.

spick and span »    Alternative form of spick-and-span.

spin one's wheels »    To make no progress despite making an effort; to get nowhere.

spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar »    To have something important fail for want of a small amount of money or effort.

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.

square meal »    A satisfying meal, especially suitable for one performing physical labor.

square off »    To get ready for a fight.

square up »    To get ready for a fight.

stand for »    To mean; to symbolize; to represent.

stand for »    To advocate, to support.

stand for »    To tolerate.

stand in for »    To replace; to act as a double or substitute for.

stand off »    To stand some distance apart form something or someone.

standard fare »    Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.

standard fare »    The usual price for travel by air, rail, or another means of transport.

start off on the wrong foot »    To begin badly; especially, to begin a relationship badly.

step down »    To gradually reduce something, a little at a time, as an electronic step down transformer.

step in front of a moving train »    To sacrifice one's own life for a noble and loyal cause.

step out »    To exit a place on foot, often for a short time.

stew in one's juices »    To be alone and self-absorbed in an uncomfortable state of mind, especially while experiencing the unpleasant effects of one's own actions.

stick in the mud »    More generally, one who is slow, old-fashioned, or unprogressive; an old fogey.

stick up for »    To defend or protect.

stick with »    To follow or adhere to.

sticker shock »    Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.

stir-crazy »    By extension, restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity.

stop the presses »    An imperative form used to introduce especially new, important, surprising, or recent developments.

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.

straight out of the chute »    Something done immediately, or "from the beginning". Taken from rodeo routine: the bucking bronco, or bull, or the calf for the calf-roping contest is kept in a narrow pen, a chute, until it is released and dashes out to its fate.

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.

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.

stump up »    To pay for something. Often indicating reluctance to pay.

success has many fathers, failure is an orphan »    Many will seek credit for success, few will accept responsibility for failure.

such as »    For example.

suck face »    To kiss, especially deeply and for a prolonged time.

suck hind tit »    To feed from an inferior source of food.

suck it up »    To put up with something; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.

suffer fools gladly »    To be tolerant of stupidity or incompetence in other people.

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.

sweet dreams »    Phrase said to someone before they fall asleep, wishing them a good sleep.

sweet tooth »    A liking for foods that are sweet; a weakness for sweets.

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 for the fences »    To swing at the ball as hard as possible, with the aim of getting a home run, increasing the chance of missing the ball.

tack up »    To prepare a horse for riding by equipping it with tack.

tag along »    To accompany, join, or follow; to go with.

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 bullet »    To purposely receive a gunshot that was intended for another.

take a spin »    To go for a ride; especially, to try riding or driving something.

take after »    To follow someone's example.

take down »    To remove a temporary structure such as scaffolding.

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 receive into your home for the purpose of processing for a fee.

take it easy »    An informal greeting for parting or closing.

take it to the bank »    Said to emphasize that something is known for sure.

take on »    To assume responsibility for.

take out the trash »    To forcefully remove people from a place.

take over »    To assume control of something, especially by force; to usurp.

take somebody's word for it »    To believe what somebody tells one.

take something in stride »    To cope with something without much effort; to accept or manage something well.

take the fall »    To assume blame for oneself.

take the heat »    To take the blame; to be the focus of anger or scrutiny; to take the consequences.

take the Michael »    Alternative form of take the mickey, usually considered more polite.

take the mick »    Alternative form of take the mickey.

take the rap »    To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the actions of another.

take the shadow for the substance »    To be easily deceived, credulous, superficial.

take to task »    To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.

take up »    That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.

take up the cudgel for »    To make a defense for in lieu of another person.

take up with »    To form a close relationship with someone.

talk a blue streak »    To talk for a long time, at great length, or to the point of tedium.

talk dirty »    To use profane language, especially sexual vulgarities for the purpose of arousal.

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.

tartufo »    Hypocrite; tartuffe.

tartufo »    Truffle.

task force »    A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.

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 on »    To inform on.

ten foot pole »    See not touch something with a ten foot pole.

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'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 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 ends justify the means »    Alternative form of the end justifies the means.

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 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 best man for a job.

the proof is in the pudding »    Alternative form of the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

the proof of the pudding is in the eating »    The only real test of something is as what it is intended to be used for.

the rabbit died »    A statement spoken to indicate one's own pregnancy, or that someone has found out they are pregnant.

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 terrorists will have won »    Phrase used following a description of an activity to indicate that if that activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, an which is an unacceptable result.

the way to a man's heart is through his stomach »    Cooking for a man is a good way to win his affections.

the 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.

them's the facts »    That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.

there and back »    One or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.

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's a sucker born every minute »    There are a great number of fools in the world, and there always be.

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 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.

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.

third degree »    Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession.

throw away »    To place a son or daughter for adoption.

throw down »    To cause something one is holding to drop, often forcefully.

throw down »    Admirably or forcefully.

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 for a loop »    To confuse or disorient; to throw off; to mix up.

throw money away »    To spend money foolishly or indiscriminately; to waste money without regard of the consequences.

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.

throwing money away »    The act of spending money foolishly; wasting money without regard of the consequences.

thus and such »    A placeholder or generic name for something.

tide over »    To support or sustain someone, especially financially, for a limited period.

tight-lipped »    Unwilling to divulge information.

time and material »    A form of contractual compensation involving payment for materials used and at agreed rates for the those involved in performing the services.

time and tide »    Shortened form of time and tide wait for no man

time and tide wait for no man »    action is necessary without delay

time out »    To call for a suspension of activity or conversation.

time out »    To call for a time-out.

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 off »    To alert or inform someone.

tip off »    information

tit for tat »    Equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.

tit for tat »    Hat.

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

to be the cat's whiskers »    To perform better than was generally supposed possible.

to die for »    Very good; exquisite; excellent; particularly desirable.

to that end »    For that reason, with that goal, intending to produce that result.

to the letter »    Literally, exactly, to follow the rules as they're written.

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

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 make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.

tongue-tied »    Unable to speak; at a loss for words.

too bad »    It is unfortunate that.

too bad »    That's a pity; that's unfortunate.

too big for one's boots »    Far less capable than one's claims to be.

too big for one's britches »    Disturbingly confident, unacceptably cocky.

too big for one's britches »    Too large to fit into one's pants.

toss-up »    A decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter.

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 off »    To start; to cause, especially used for unstable situations that may magnify if disturbed.

touchy-feely »    Having a fondness for physical contact with other people, especially to an excessive degree.

track down »    To hunt for or locate; to search for; to find.

track record »    An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

trick out »    To trick out; to mod or customize an object, typically for the purpose of both personalization as well as enhancing the object's performance capabilities and more particularly for the purpose of performing stunts with that object.

trigger-happy »    Having a tendency or desire to shoot a firearm irresponsibly before adequately identifying the target.

true believer »    A strict follower of a religious doctrine.

try out »    To undergo a test before being selected for a team etc.

tuits »    Virtual tokens for an amount of time or attention that a particular issue would need to resolve.

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 fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.

turn a trick »    To perform a sexual service for a customer.

turn against »    To rebel or oppose something formerly supported.

turn back »    To fold something back; to fold down.

turn into »    To transform into; become.

turn on »    To rebel; to go against something formerly supported.

turn one's back »    To forsake, to abandon; to ignore.

turn tricks »    To work as a prostitute, providing sexual services for money.

turn up for the book »    A very unexpected, usually pleasant, surprise.

twist in the wind »    To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.

twist in the wind »    To wait for an uncomfortably long period of time.

twist of fate »    An unfortunate turn of events.

twist someone's arm »    To coerce, force, or cajole.

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 for two »    Successful at both of two efforts.

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.

under fire »    Criticized or held responsible for something.

under the gun »    Under great pressure to perform.

under the wire »    At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.

university of life »    The real world as a source of instruction, as opposed to a formal education.

unring a bell »    To perform the impossible.

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 »    Planned; next in line.

up for »    Willing to participate in; interested in.

up for grabs »    Available for anyone to obtain, claim or win.

up front »    Open, honest; tending to disclose information; truthful.

up in arms »    Angry; preparing for a fight.

up on »    Well-informed about.

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 to speed »    Fully informed; current.

up-to-date »    Informed about the latest news or developments.

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.

vouch for »    To affirm the truth or reliability of.

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.

wait up »    To stay awake waiting for somebody to return.

walk out »    To leave suddenly, especially as a form of protest.

walk the plank »    To be forced to resign from a position in an organization.

warm down »    Gentle excercise at the end of a training session before cooling off.

warm fuzzy »    A good impression; a feeling of comfort or trust.

warm up »    To make an audience enthusiastic or animated before a show.

warm up »    To reheat food.

warm up »    To prepare for executing an already-learned activity by a limited amount of additional practice.

wash one's hands of »    To absolve oneself of responsibility or future blame for.

watch one's head »    To look out for things one's head might bump into.

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 this space »    An indication that a development will follow.

water under the bridge »    Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.

way out of a paper bag »    A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.

wear one's heart on one's sleeve »    To be extremely transparent, open, or forthright about one's emotions.

wee small hours »    He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.

weigh down »    To act as a ballast for.

weigh down »    To be too much for someone to cope with.

what for »    An unspecified punishment or rebuke.

what for »    For what reason; why.

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 the dickens »    Euphemism for what the Devil, used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning a question.

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.

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 push comes to shove »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is critical or urgent; when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult.

when the cat's away »    People are likely to take advantage of the absence of authority or enforcement of compliance.

when you're up to your neck in alligators, it's easy to forget that the initial objective was to drain the swamp »    Only because it seems so urgent.

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 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.

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.

whomp on »    To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.

why the dickens »    Euphemism for why the Devil, used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.

wild horses »    A force not subject to human control and normally stronger than a man.

wild horses »    Plural form of wild horse.

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.

willies »    Plural form of willy.

willy nilly »    Without regard for consequences or the will of those affected.

window dressing »    A means of creating a deceptively favourable impression of something or someone; something for appearance only.

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 the slate clean »    To forget about previous differences and disagreements, and make a fresh start.

with a vengeance »    Intensely motivated; resolute; forceful.

with no further ado »    Without any other formalities; with no further delay.

wolf down »    Quickly and without regard for table manners.

wooden spoon »    An ironic prize for finishing last in a competition.

wooden-top »    Uniformed police officers.

word of mouth »    Verbal means of passing of information.

work at »    To make a physical or mental effort to progress some specified task.

work one's fingers to the bone »    Work especially hard, usually for an extended period.

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.

worse for wear »    Drunk.

worse for wear »    In poor physical condition due to long or heavy use.

worth one's while »    Good and important enough for one to spend time, effort, or money on.

wouldn't you know it »    Expresses dismay or annoyance, especially at bad luck or misfortune.

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.

wrestling with a pig »    To engage in a pointless task that leaves one worse off for having made an honest attempt.

wring out »    To force someone to give something, usually truth, or money.

write out »    To write in full length or expanded form.

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 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 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 know what »    A phrase used to get someone's attention before announcing something.

you made your bed, now sleep in it »    A moralizing rejection said to someone looking for an easy out, especially of a situation they put themselves into.

you 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're never too old to learn »    It is possible to learn new things, at any age; (implying) follow your desires and dreams

yours sincerely »    A polite formula to end a letter, especially when the recipient’s name is known to the sender.

zero in »    To focus one's aim; to zoom in and center on something.

zero in on »    To concentrate or focus one's attention on at task.

zoom in »    To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a larger image, or a closer view.

zoom out »    To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a smaller image, or a more distant view.

Search from any page on the Web with Abbreviations.com AutoSearch. It's free!