a good beginning makes a good ending »
Good beginnings promise a good end; start off on a good note to reap the benefits at the end.
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a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »
even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point
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a watched pot never boils »
A process appears to go more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.
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ace of spades »
The playing card belonging to the spades suit and featuring one pip.
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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.
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albatross »
Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.
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all mouth and no trousers »
Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.
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all mouth and trousers »
Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.
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and counting »
Used to show that the number previously mentioned is continuously changing, i.e. increasing or decreasing.
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back to the drawing board »
Back to the beginning following an unsuccessful attempt.
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balloon goes up »
Something exciting or dangerous begins.
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banyan day »
In British naval tradition, this originally referred to a day of the week when galley kitchens served no meat on board ship.
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barrel »
A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.
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beam up »
To be teleported over a long distance by means of a specific imaginary technology, specifically from the surface of a planet to an orbiting starship.
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beat out »
To win by a narrow margin.
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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.
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born in a barn »
Engaging in the annoying behavior of inappropriately, and usually neglectfully, leaving open a door or window.
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born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »
Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.
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bragging rights »
The prerogative to praise oneself for an accomplishment or for possession of a superior characteristic.
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break ground »
To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.
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break into »
To open or begin to use.
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break into »
To begin suddenly.
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break new ground »
To begin excavating and levelling earth for a new building, or, originally, for cultivation.
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break out »
To begin suddenly; to emerge in a certain condition.
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bring forward »
To make something happen earlier than originally planned.
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bring owls to Athens »
Forgive me, then, for bringing owls to Athens as a thanks-offering. — Goethe, in a letter to Wilhelm von Humboldt.
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bring owls to Athens »
Perhaps we have not been sufficiently aware that talking about access and its implications in Scandinavia is like bringing owls to Athens. — Herbert Burkert.
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bury the lead »
To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.
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bury the lede »
To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.
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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.
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button-down »
Conservative; conventional; unimaginative.
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by a long shot »
By a wide margin; indicates a very big difference or disparity.
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by the skin of one's teeth »
Barely; closely; by a narrow margin; with nothing to spare.
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carry the can »
To take responsibility, especially in a challenging situation.
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cast aspersions »
To make damaging or spiteful remarks.
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catch on »
To begin to understand; to realize or detect.
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chickens coming home to roost »
Consequences visited upon someone who originally had appeared to escape them.
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circular firing squad »
A political party or other group experiencing considerable disarray because the members are engaging in internal disputes and mutual recrimination.
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claim to fame »
That for which one has bragging rights; one's reason for being well-known or famous.
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clean up »
To make a large profit; to win by a large margin, or to win a large amount, especially in gambling. Also clean house.
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clock in »
To begin work.
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come around »
To change one's mind, especially to begin to agree or appreciate what one was reluctant to accept at first.
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come full circle »
To complete a cycle of transition, returning to the point of origin.
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come in »
To join or enter; to begin playing with a group.
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come out »
To walk onto the field at the beginning of an innings.
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come up »
To begin to feel the effects of a recreational drug.
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count sheep »
To attempt to go to sleep by thinking of something boring, traditionally by counting imaginary sheep.
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crashpad »
Any place used for temporary lodging.
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crashpad »
In the aviation industry, used for a place of temporary lodging for airline flight crews.
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cry wolf »
To raise a false alarm; to constantly warn others about an imagined threat, thereby failing to get assistance when a real threat appears.
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cut it fine »
To achieve something at the last possible moment, or with no margin for error.
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cut one's teeth »
To begin; to gain early experience.
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dawn of a new day »
A new beginning; a fresh start; an important, promising turning point.
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day one »
The very beginning.
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dead last »
The standings, often by a considerable margin to the next-to-last-place finisher or after an exceptionally poor showing or season.
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deadstick landing »
When a pilot lands a plane after the engine has died; a landing lacking any propulsion control.
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dig in »
To begin eating.
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dig up »
To discover something by digging; to unearth.
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dog and pony show »
Originally, a small, traveling circus featuring animals as entertainment.
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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.
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drink off »
To drink the entirety of in a short period; originally and especially, in a single gulp.
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eager beaver »
Who is very excited or enthusiastic to begin a task.
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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.
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eat one's heart out »
To feel overwhelming sorrow, jealousy or longing, to grieve.
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eat one's young »
To betray a constituent or charge out of self-serving interests or desperation; savaging.
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edge out »
To win in a contest or a game by a narrow margin of victory.
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engine room »
A compartment on a ship in which the engine machinery is located.
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engine room »
The source of power in a team or other group.
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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.
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far and away »
By a large degree or margin; greatly.
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fire away »
To begin shooting at an enemy.
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fire away »
To begin to talk or present information quickly.
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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
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flea in one's ear »
A stinging rebuke or rebuff.
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flight of fancy »
An idea, narrative, suggestion, etc. which is extremely imaginative and which appears to be entirely unrealistic, untrue, or impractical; thinking which is very speculative.
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flogging the land »
Damaging agricultural land through excessive grazing or clearing.
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for starters »
as a beginning
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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.
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fresh out of »
Of someone who has recently left one stage of life to begin another.
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fresh start »
A new beginning, without prejudices.
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from scratch »
From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.
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from soup to nuts »
From beginning to end; throughout.
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from the get-go »
From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.
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from the ground up »
From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals.
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from the word go »
From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.
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funny money »
Bills of any foreign currency or of counterfeit origin.
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gagging for it »
Up for it, having a strong desire for sex.
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garbage in, garbage out »
(computing, information technology) If input data is not complete, accurate, and timely, then the resulting output is unreliable and of no useful value.1963, Raymond Crowley, "Robot Tax Collector Seeks Indications of 'Fudging'," Times Daily (Alabama, USA), 1 April (retrieved 26 July 2010):Officials explained that the quality of the computer's work depends on the quality of the data fed into it. Neil Hoke, administrative assistant to Stewart, quoted an adage of computer men: "Garbage in, garbage out."2008, Roger K. Lewis, "'In Architectural Design, Brains and Talent Trump the Best Software," Washington Post, 19 July (retrieved 26 July 2010):The old caveat "GIGO"
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get a jump on »
To start early, especially to start before something begins or before others begin.
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get it into one's head »
imagine
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get off the ground »
To succeed or begin to succeed.
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get one's feet wet »
To begin gaining experience; To take a risk and try something new.
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get the ball rolling »
To begin; to start some action; to set in motion.
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gin and tonic »
alcoholic drink
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ginger beer »
soft drink
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ginger snap »
biscuit
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go ahead »
To proceed; to begin.
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go back to the drawing board »
To start again; to scrap a previous idea or plan and try again from the beginning.
|
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.
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go off »
To begin clanging or making noise.
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go to work »
To begin performing some task or work.
|
gravy train »
A gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill.
|
greenwash »
A false or misleading picture of environmental friendliness used to conceal or obscure damaging activities.
|
hanging offence »
A crime so serious that it is punishable by means of death by hanging.
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he who smelt it dealt it »
(colloquial, originally) A person who calls attention to or complains about a fart is likely trying to pretend it wasn't his or her own.(colloquial, by extension) Used to suggest that a person calling attention to or complaining about a given problem may in fact be the source of the problem.
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head start »
For example, prior to the beginning of a race.
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heaven helps those who help themselves »
A maxim encouraging people to get involved in their own problems.
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hit the ground running »
To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.
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hit the jackpot »
To realise a huge load of luck; to receive a more favorable outcome than imagined.
|
hit the road »
To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.
|
hold your fire »
Do not discharge your weapon. Used originally for weapons needing a spark or lighting of a fuse to ignite gunpowder, now sometimes used to mean any weapon launching a projectile.
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hot to trot »
Eager to begin; anxious to get going.
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in bed with »
Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.
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in the first place »
To begin with; earlier; first; at the start.
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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
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jump the gun »
To act or begin too soon or without due caution.
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jump the gun »
To begin a race too soon, before the starting gun goes off.
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keep buggin on »
Never quit; go on
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kill the fatted calf »
To begin a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return.
|
knock-on effect »
The continued running of an engine after the ignition has been turned off; dieseling.
|
ladies first »
A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.
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lame joke »
An attempt at humor which is perceived to have been used previously to the point of being cliche, or was never funny to begin with.
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last minute »
Point in time, too close to a deadline to reasonably begin a critical task.
|
laundry list »
Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered.
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leave nothing to the imagination »
He stripped down to a pair of see-through briefs that left nothing to the imagination.
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leave nothing to the imagination »
To cover or hide very little or nothing.
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let her rip »
To set off or allow to begin.
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let's roll »
Used to suggest that an action should begin.
|
love nest »
Vagina.
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low-hanging fruit »
Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.
|
make believe »
To pretend or imagine.
|
mighty oaks from little acorns grow »
Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!
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nail biter »
An engaging or exciting cliffhanger.
|
necktie party »
An execution by hanging, especially a lynching.
|
never in a month of Sundays »
Never in a month of Sundays would I have imagined that you'd be this tall in real life!.
|
not a pretty sight »
Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.
|
of an »
Belonging to the same.
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on at »
nagging
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open fire »
To begin firing at something or someone.
|
party crasher »
Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.
|
pick up »
To learn, to grasp; to begin to understand.
|
play ball »
An expression used at the beginning of a game of baseball.
|
play Old Harry »
Blenkiron and I have been moving in the best circles as skilled American engineers who are going to play Old Harry with the British on the Tigris. — John Buchan, "Greenmantle", 1916..
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point of no return »
The point in an aircraft's flight when there is insufficient fuel to reverse direction and return to the place of origin.
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pop the cherry »
To break the hymen; to lose one's virginity.
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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.
|
punch bowl waterfall »
A plunging waterfall descending from a narrow stream into a pool.
|
put back »
To return something to it's original place.
|
raring to go »
Extremely eager or anxious to begin.
|
rev up »
To increase the speed of an engine, especially that of a stationary motor car.
|
right back »
Used in several informal constructions to indicate return -- especially imminent return to a point of origin.
|
rumor campaign »
A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.
|
rumor mill »
A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.
|
run away with »
To be misled by imagining that one's desires can come true.
|
run up against »
Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.
|
scrape through »
To marginally manage to progress.
|
scratch the surface »
To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.
|
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.
|
set of pipes »
Voice for singing.
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set off »
To begin; to cause; to initiate.
|
set off »
To leave; to begin a journey or trip.
|
set to »
begin work
|
set to work »
To begin working at.
|
set to work »
To begin working.
|
set to work »
To cause to begin working.
|
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.
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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.
|
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.
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sign on »
The time of day when a radio or television station begins broadcasting, usually after being off the air for several hours.
|
singing from the same hymnbook »
Present participle of sing from the same hymnbook.
|
singing soprano »
Castrated or injured in the testicles.
|
sit out »
To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.
|
slanging match »
A row; an argument in which names are called.
|
snow on the mountaintop »
Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.
|
snow on the rooftop »
Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.
|
square one »
The place where one begins; a lack of progress.
|
start off »
To begin.
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start off on the wrong foot »
To begin badly; especially, to begin a relationship badly.
|
start over »
To begin again; to return to the beginning.
|
start up »
To begin to operate.
|
start up »
To begin.
|
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.
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string up »
To die by hanging.
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string up »
To kill by hanging, especially to lynch.
|
take down »
To remove something from a hanging position.
|
take off »
To leave the ground and begin flight; to ascend into the air.
|
take on »
To begin to have or exhibit.
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take to »
To begin, as a new habit or practice.
|
thin edge of the wedge »
Beginning; opening; precedent.
|
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
|
thumb a ride »
To secure a ride by flagging down a vehicle.
|
tickle someone's fancy »
To amuse, entertain, or appeal to someone; to stimulate someone's imagination in a favorable manner.
|
tiger team »
An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.
|
tilt at windmills »
To attack imaginary enemies.
|
tip of the iceberg »
Only the beginning; just a small indication of a larger possibility; a problem is much bigger than it seems.
|
to go »
Belonging to the subgroup that have not passed or have not been finished or have not been addressed yet.
|
trench mouth »
Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.
|
tune up »
To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.
|
turn over a new leaf »
To engage in self-improvement; to begin a good habit or shed a bad habit.
|
unring a bell »
To reverse the ringing of a bell.
|
up against »
Facing; challenging, or opposing.
|
up-and-coming »
Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.
|
valley of death »
The phase of a startup business beginning with the entrepreneur's fulltime commitment to it and ending when the business has achieved sustainable cash flow.
|
virgin territory »
By extension, ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.
|
virgin territory »
Land that has never been explored or developed.
|
waltz Matilda »
To travel with a swag; that is, with one's belongings wrapped in a cloth.
|
washed out »
Of clothes. When they lose some of their original colour from being washed so often.
|
wear down »
To have one's long hair styled in a free, low-hanging, unencumbered style; i.e., not in an up-do or ponytail.
|
well begun is half done »
Much depends on the beginning of an endeavor.
|
wet behind the ears »
Inexperienced; not seasoned; new; just beginning.
|
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 in God's name »
Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.
|
what on Earth »
Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.
|
what the Devil »
Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.
|
what the dickens »
Euphemism for what the Devil, used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning a question.
|
whisper campaign »
A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.
|
white wedding »
A wedding in which the bride is still a virgin.
|
why in God's name »
Used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning question.
|
why on Earth »
Used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.
|
why the dickens »
Euphemism for why the Devil, used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.
|
wind back »
To wind a tape, cassette, or film, etc towards the beginning; to rewind.
|
work the room »
To interact enthusiastically with the attendees at an event, by moving among them, greeting them, and engaging them in conversation.
|
year dot »
A very long time ago, from the beginning or as far back as one can remember.
|
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