a picture paints a thousand words »
A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description.1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album:If a picture paints a thousand wordsThen why can't I paint you;The words will never showThe you I've come to know.1989, Alan Kay, quoted in K?o-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, ISBN 9971506645, p. 9:Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, ISBN 1904788734, p. 52:See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!
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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.
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agree to disagree »
To tolerate each other's opinion and stop arguing; to acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.
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an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with terms so attractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
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an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with the results of failing to accept so unattractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
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answer for »
To guarantee.
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argue out »
To discuss to reach an agreed conclusion, or decision.
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ark ruffian »
Rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, etc. A species of badger.
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assault and battery »
. This legal distinction exists only in jurisdictions that distinguish assault as threatened violence rather than actual violence.
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bad egg »
Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.
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bad taste in one's mouth »
A feeling of guilt, responsibility, or embarrassment as to cause nausea.
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ballpark estimate »
A ballpark figure, a very rough approximation.
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ballpark figure »
An educated guess or estimation within acceptable bounds.
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balls up »
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of ball up.
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bang to rights »
Caught red-handed; in a guilty state.
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barrel »
A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is discharged.
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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.
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bastardly gullion »
A bastard's bastard.
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bawl out »
To have a serious argument accompanied with shouting.
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be my guest »
Do as you wish; go ahead; help yourself; go for it!.
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be on to »
To figure out; to realize the truth.
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beat out »
To extinguish.
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beat up »
To feel badly guilty and accuse oneself over something. Usually followed by over.
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big cheese »
A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.
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big gun »
A large-caliber artillery piece.
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big gun »
Someone who is powerful or influential most often in plural form.
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bite one's tongue »
An admonishment to someone who has said something unfeeling or harsh.
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bite one's tongue »
To forcibly prevent oneself from uttering a word.
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blessing in disguise »
A misfortune that has an unexpected benefit.
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blow off »
To shoot something with a gun, causing it to come disconnected.
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boil down »
As an allusion to the cooking technique of reducing liquids by heat, one boils down a problem, argument, etc. to its most central elements.
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borganism »
An organization of autonomous organisms that exhibit collectivism: individual "units" that have merged to yield a unified construct. Such an amalgam may possess a collective consciousness, arguably an emergent phenomenon of social networking.
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brass ring »
Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.
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break a sweat »
' , Karon Karter - The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Pilates Method page 119.
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browned off »
Annoyed, upset, angry, bored, fed up, disgusted.
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bulletproof »
Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.
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burn out »
To extinguish due to lack of fuel.
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bury the hatchet »
To stop fighting or arguing; to reach an agreement, or at least a truce.
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bush league »
A low-ranking or inferior level among groups, professions, organizations, etc.
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bush league »
A professional sports association at the lower levels of minor league organization.
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butt heads »
To argue uncompromisingly with someone.
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cat got someone's tongue »
Why are you not saying anything?.
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cat that ate the canary »
A person whose appearance and behavior suggest guilt mixed with other qualities, such as satisfaction or feigned nonchalance.
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catch fire »
Become engulfed with flames.
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catch-as-catch-can »
A. 1681, John Fryer, Richard Chiswell, Robert Roberts, Robert White, A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters, Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672 and Finished 1681.
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caught with one's pants down »
Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.
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charity mugger »
A person employed by a charity, or by an intermediary fundraising agency employed by the charity, who stands in the street and invites passersby to set up standing orders or direct debits to make regular donations to the charity.
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cock of the walk »
W:The Pogues - w:The Irish Rover.
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come round »
To make a regular circuit.
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cover up »
To conceal or disguise.
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cross paths »
August 5 2004, SFGate.com.
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crunch numbers »
To figure; to do the math.
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cut-and-thrust »
A vehement argument.
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dead »
Figuratively, not alive; lacking life.
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devil's advocate »
A canon lawyer appointed by the Church to argue against the canonization of the proposed candidate.
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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.
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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.
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do the honors »
Act as a host to guests.
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do the honours »
Act as a host to guests.
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don't drive faster than your guardian angel can fly »
Driving (a vehicle) very fast is a dangerous act.
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don't give up your day job »
Implying that they could not earn a living from it without other regular employment.
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don't shit where you eat »
(idiomatic, vulgar) One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.1998 April 14, Nelson Navarro, "Ever faithful, ever true," Manila Standard (Philippines) (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):The guiding principle is Don't shit where you eat. Office romances are always destructive of morale and objectivity.2003 Oct. 8, Jonathan Valania, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Pussy," Philadelphia Weekly (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Limbaugh was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the NAB convention in, of all places, Philadelphia, thus violating the cardinal law of the animal kingdom: Don't shit where you eat.2006 Sept. 19, Michael Musto, "NY Mirror," Village Voice (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Mitchell refused to indulge in on-set romances with either gender. "You don't shit where you eat," he told me, plainly.
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double Dutch »
A language game akin to pig Latin.
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double Dutch »
Incomprehensible language.
|
double-tongued »
Saying one thing to one person and something different to another; double talking; deceitful in speech.
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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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drive-by media »
Media professionals who "spray" a bunch of repetitive misstatements, mistaken and misinterpreted news reports to cause excitement and confusion. They then figuratively "drive off" leaving the cleanup of their mess and hysteria to others, to correct and properly explain and interpret.
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due course »
A. 1735, Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels.
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due course »
Regular or appropriate passage or occurrence.
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duke it out »
To argue heavily or at length.
|
dumb down »
To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.
|
eat out »
To perform cunnilingus.
|
eat pussy »
To perform cunnilingus.
|
evil twin »
A rogue wireless access point installed near a legitimate one for purposes of eavesdropping or phishing.
|
face off »
Either an actual or a figurative face to face confrontation, especially a bitter one.
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fall over »
Of an argument, to fail to be valid.
|
false friend »
A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.
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far be it »
Pewtey in Marriage Guidance Counselor from And Now For Something Completely Different.
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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.
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feel free »
Don't be ashamed, be my guest.
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fend and prove »
To engage in argument.
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figure out »
To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.
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fine line »
A difference, albeit vague and difficult to discern.
|
flap one's gums »
To speak idly; to talk without effect.
|
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.
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forked tongue »
The characteristic of deceptiveness; duplicity; untruthfulness.
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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.
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funny stuff »
Irregular, often illegal, activities.
|
get along »
To be together or coexist well, without arguments or trouble.
|
get in »
To get into or inside something, literally or figuratively.
|
give it the gun »
Literal meaning.
|
go figure »
Expresses perplexity, confusion, surprise, or puzzlement.
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go out »
To be turned off or extinguished.
|
go out on a limb »
To hazard a guess.
|
golf widow »
A woman who is deprived of her husband's time and attention due to his regular absence in order to play golf.
|
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.
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grasp at straws »
To guess randomly at or pursue any apparent option, as due to lack of options or information.
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guilt trip »
A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.
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guilt trip »
Remarks intended to produce such a feeling.
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guilty as sin »
Unquestionably guilty.
|
guinea pig »
A tailless rodent of the Cavia genus, with short ears and larger than a hamster; the species Cavia porcellus is often kept as a pet.
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gulp down »
To eat very quickly without chewing the food properly.
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gun it »
To accelerate or speed up quickly or suddenly.
|
gunboat diplomacy »
The pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of military power.
|
gunk up »
To soil or dirty; to mess up; to clog.
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gunshy »
Being afraid to use a gun.
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gunshy »
Fearing the consequences of repeating an act, especially after being reprimanded.
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gussie up »
To make fancy or attractive, as by artificial or contrived means.
|
gut factor »
Feelings about what feels right or wrong, good or bad. An inner persuasion that one may feel convinced is the appropriate decision.
|
gut feeling »
An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.
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gut reaction »
An instantaneous reaction made without thought.
|
hammer out »
To come to an agreement after much arguing.
|
hand waving »
Discussion or argumentation involving approximation, vagueness, educated guessing, or the attempt to explain or excuse vagaries.
|
hard-nosed »
Guided by practical experience and observation rather than by theory.
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hate somebody's guts »
To despise; to hate intensely or passionately.
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have someone's guts for garters »
To reprimand severely.
|
historical figure »
A fictional or fabricated person who was was given historical importance in legends and myth.
|
historical figure »
A person who lived long ago, usually of some historical note or importance.
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hold forth »
Talk at great length; expatiate; harangue.
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hold one's tongue »
To keep quiet; especially, to leave something unsaid.
|
hold somebody's hand »
To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.
|
hold up »
To rob at gunpoint.
|
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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hospital pass »
Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.
|
house of cards »
A structure or argument built on a shaky foundation.
|
household name »
A very well-known public figure.
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if pigs had wings they would fly »
(colloquial) Expresses speakers skepticism toward a hypothetical argument by another.
|
in a league of one's own »
Far excelling even the closest contender; not having any worthy competition.
|
in Dutch »
Written or spoken in the dutch language.
|
in full swing »
Proceeding fully, quickly, or completely; thoroughly begun and in progress.
|
in no uncertain terms »
With great clarity, emphasis, or exactness; without any ambiguity.
|
in shape »
I guess I'd better get my room in shape if I have guests.
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in the clear »
Not guilty or not suspected of wrongdoing.
|
it takes all kinds to make a world »
Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds.
|
jack in »
To stop doing a regular activity. Often a job or studies.
|
jump the gun »
To act or begin too soon or without due caution.
|
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.
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just another pretty face »
Someone who is attractive, but not too distinguished.
|
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.
|
knock up »
To exhaust; wear out; weary; beat; tire out; to fatigue until unable to do more.
|
lay a finger on »
If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.
|
left-handed compliment »
A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.
|
let sleeping dogs lie »
To leave things as they are; especially, to avoid restarting or rekindling an old argument; to leave disagreements in the past.
|
lick one's chops »
To use one's tongue to remove moistness from the sides of one's mouth, as when salivating or at the conclusion of a meal.
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lick out »
To perform cunnilingus on.
|
lion »
The arms of the University of the West Indies are Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished Or on a Chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. Crest: A Pelican proper. . See talk page.
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live by the sword, die by the sword »
One who uses violence can expect a violent response. It is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible.(figuratively) One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey poetic justice.
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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.
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long shot »
Something unlikely; something that has little chance of happening or working. The term arose from the accuracy of early ship guns, which were effective only at close range and unlikely to hit the mark at any great distance.
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make a point »
To argue or promote an idea.
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make amends »
To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.
|
make someone's skin crawl »
To disturb or bother; to frighten or disgust.
|
make up »
To resolve, forgive or smooth over an argument or fight.
|
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
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mouth of a sailor »
The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.
|
my arse »
Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.
|
my eye »
Expression of disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.
|
my foot »
Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.
|
nice guy »
An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.
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no prize for guessing »
Used to form expressions emphasizing the unsurprising nature of what follows.
|
non-starter »
An idea or argument that cannot be sensibly debated.
|
not a pretty sight »
Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.
|
not have a leg to stand on »
To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation.
|
odd one out »
A visual puzzle where the guesser has to choose which word/picture/symbol etc. does not fit with the others.
|
of course »
Asserts that the associated phrase should not be argued, particularly if it is obvious or there is no choice in the matter.
|
off one's game »
Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.
|
off the chain »
Free from work or direct supervision. In reference to slave labor, where workers are chained, or to the figurative chain of workers of an assembly line.
|
old stick »
A man, chap, fellow, guy.
|
on a regular basis »
Regularly, occurring in regular time intervals or patterns.
|
on an irregular basis »
Irregularly, occurring in irregular time intervals or patterns.
|
on the back burner »
Not immediate; inactive; receiving less than full or regular attention.
|
on the ladder »
Figuratively a property ladder, owning property.
|
on the tip of one's tongue »
Known but not quite remembered.
|
one at a time »
Individually, as opposed to collectively; slowly or methodically, figuratively.
|
out of one's league »
In a situation in which one is mismatched with one or more others, whose accomplishments, preparedness, or other characteristics are on a significantly higher or lower level than one's own.
|
out of sorts »
Irritable or somewhat unwell, with vague medical symptoms.
|
own up »
To acknowledge, confess, or admit guilt. Often used with to.
|
painting rocks »
Pointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment but in fact merely disguising the unemployment level.
|
palace politics »
The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers within a government, especially as involving internal rivalry and intrigue.
|
pardon my French »
Please excuse my swearing or bad language.
|
peashooter »
A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.
|
peashooter »
Any small or ineffective gun.
|
penguin suit »
A tuxedo.
|
pickin' and grinnin' »
Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.
|
pissing contest »
An argument which is instigated, or exacerbated while consuming alcohol.
|
pitched battle »
An intense, rancorous argument or confrontation.
|
play fast and loose »
To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.
|
play it by ear »
To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.
|
play on words »
A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.
|
play possum »
To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.
|
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.
|
pop a cap in someone's ass »
To shoot someone with a gun.
|
potty mouth »
The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.
|
price on one's head »
A compensation for capturing or killing a person, especially someone guilty of a crime.
|
pull one's head in »
To withdraw as a turtle might; to discontinue support of a particular argument.
|
pull the trigger »
To fire a gun.
|
put two and two together »
To figure out; to deduce or discern.
|
quote unquote »
Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.
|
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.
|
red tape »
A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.
|
ride shotgun »
To assist and protect.
|
ride shotgun »
To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.
|
rim job »
Anilingus; act where one person licks the other's anus.
|
ring a bell »
To seem at least vaguely familiar.
|
rivet counter »
A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.
|
roll out the red carpet »
To extend the utmost hospitality; to treat someone as an honored guest; to welcome or host, especially in a showy or extravagant manner.
|
rugby league »
sport
|
rule of thumb »
A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.
|
run in »
argument
|
run into »
To reach a large figure.
|
screen out »
Figuratively, to exclude.
|
seagull approach »
The occurence of casual, ill-informed and hasty decisions or comments made by outside authorities who lack an understanding of the local issues or a real understanding of the facts of a particular situ.
|
seagull manager »
A manager who comes into the workplace or office only on occasion, especially when a problem arises or to criticize or critique employees.
|
seat-of-the-pants »
Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.
|
second-guess »
Presumably from trying to guess with second sight.
|
second-guess »
Presumably from trying to improve with a second stab.
|
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".
|
sharp tongue »
The practice or characteristic of speaking to others in a harsh, critical, or insulting manner.
|
shoot 'em up »
A short story, novel, television show, film, computer game, or other narrative which depicts considerable gunplay.
|
shoot one's bolt »
To use up one's resources, especially a singular one or one not readily restored.
|
shooting iron »
A firearm, especially a handgun.
|
shot in the dark »
A guess, attempt, or choice made with little or no evidence or knowledge.
|
shotgun »
A gun which fires loads consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.
|
shotgun »
A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Mostly heard in the southern United States.
|
shotgun »
A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.
|
shotgun »
The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver.
|
shotgun approach »
An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.
|
shotgun shack »
A house with no internal barrier between the front and back doors.
|
shotgun wedding »
A wedding in which the bride is already pregnant.
|
sick joke »
A joke which is in poor taste, especially one which depicts as amusing a situation which the listener considers to be tragic or disgusting.
|
silver surfer »
An elderly person who regularly uses the Internet.
|
silver-tongue »
The trait of being clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.
|
silver-tongued »
Eloquent and articulate.
|
slanging match »
A row; an argument in which names are called.
|
slip of the tongue »
A mistake in speech.
|
slippery slope »
A logical argument that follows a chain of events or causes and effects to some conclusion.
|
smell test »
An assessment of a subject's ability to detect and distinguish odors.
|
smoking gun »
Evidence, particularly of a crime, that is difficult or impossible to dispute.
|
snipe hunt »
A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.
|
so there »
A defiant expression used to finish a poorly-made argument.
|
some people »
Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.
|
space out »
To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.
|
spanner »
A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.
|
speak with a forked tongue »
To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.
|
spill one's guts »
To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.
|
standard fare »
Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.
|
stick up »
To rob at gunpoint.
|
sticker shock »
Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.
|
sticking point »
A disputed issue or state of affairs that causes an interruption or outright impasse in progress towards some goal or resolution, especially in negotiation or argumentation.
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stop someone in his tracks »
To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.
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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.
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take a bead on »
To aim a gun at something.
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take a bullet »
To purposely receive a gunshot that was intended for another.
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take a stab at »
To guess.
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take someone's point »
To agree with what a person says; to understand a person's argument and be persuaded by it.
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talk dirty »
To use profane language, especially sexual vulgarities for the purpose of arousal.
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talk like an apothecary »
To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.
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talk somebody under the table »
With excessive talk or numerous arguments.
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tell apart »
To be able to know the difference between things; to distinguish.
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the show »
The major leagues.
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there and back »
One or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.
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throw dirt enough, and some will stick »
If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say
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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
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tin ear »
Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.
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today we are all »
August 12, 2008:, Robert Barnes, "McCain to Georgian President: "Today, We Are All Georgians"", Washington Post.
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today we are all »
March 11, 2004: Denis MacShane, Guardian Unlimited.
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tone up »
To strengthen and make the muscles of the body firmer by regular excercise.
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tongue-in-cheek »
Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.
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tongue-tied »
Unable to speak; at a loss for words.
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touch%C3%A9 »
An acknowledgement of the success, appropriateness or superiority of an argument, sometimes used sarcastically to mock one's opponent's absurd logic.
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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.
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tuck into »
To eat, especially with gusto.
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turn a phrase »
To create a particular linguistic expression which is strikingly clear, appropriate, and memorable.
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turn in one's grave »
To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.
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turn off »
To repulse, disgust, or discourage.
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turn out »
To extinguish a light or other device.
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turn the air blue »
To speak a stream of bad language; to curse and swear.
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under erasure »
Of a bit of text, written and strickenthrough; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.
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under the gun »
The first player to act on the first round of betting in Texas hold 'em.
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under the gun »
Under great pressure to perform.
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up-and-comer »
Someone who is up-and-coming, who has begun to be successful in some field and is likely to become even more successful in the future.
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wage war »
A figurative allusion to pay discrepancies.
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walk and chew gum at the same time »
To do something very easy.
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wash away »
To eliminate, in a figurative sense.
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waste breath »
To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.
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watch one's mouth »
In the imperative form, used as a warning to avoid or stop using inappropriate language, especially profanity, or disrespectful utterances.
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watch one's mouth »
To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.
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watch over »
To guard and protect.
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wear down »
To cause physical or mental fatigue.
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wear out »
To exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness, as by continued strain or exertion.
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wear out »
To become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary, as by continued strain or exertion.
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well begun is half done »
Much depends on the beginning of an endeavor.
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what do I know »
Implies that a statement is based on a guess or assumption rather than on knowledge or evidence.
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white hole »
A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.
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wind back the clock »
Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.
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wing it »
To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.
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wolf in sheep's clothing »
Something harmful or problematic disguised as something peaceful or pleasant.
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write off »
Figuratively, to assign a low value to something.
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you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone »
It is advantageous not to rely solely on being nice.
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| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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