We've found 1214 phrases for HIN (0.116 seconds):

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

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

a golden key can open any door »    Sufficient money can accomplish anything.

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

a picture paints a thousand words »    A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description.1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album:If a picture paints a thousand wordsThen why can't I paint you;The words will never showThe you I've come to know.1989, Alan Kay, quoted in K?o-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, ISBN 9971506645, p. 9:Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, ISBN 1904788734, p. 52:See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!

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

abide by »    To remain faithful to something or someone; to stand to; to adhere.

abound in »    To have something in great numbers or quantities; to possess in such abundance as to be characterized by.

abound with »    To have something in great numbers or quantities; to possess in such abundance as to be characterized by.

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

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

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

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 »    A rigorous test or appraisal of the quality or worth of something.

across the board »    Pertaining to all categories or things.

act like a bull in a china shop »    To act rudely or clumsily in a delicate situation.

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

after all »    in spite of everything

after the fact »    Too late; after something is finished or final.

all duck or no dinner »    All or nothing.

all eyes »    Watching alertly or attentively.

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

all in all »    everything considered

all one's eggs in one basket »    Devoting all of one’s resources to one thing.

all that glitters is not gold »    Things that appear valuable or worthwhile might not actually be so, things that look nice might not be as good as they look.

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

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

all the tea in China »    Something priceless or invaluable.

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

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

all told »    With everything included, counted or summed.

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

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.

anything goes »    There are no rules or restrictions.

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

apple does not fall far from the tree »    A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, both in behavior and in physical characteristics.1842, E. A. Freidlaender (translator), Frederika Bremer (author), The Neighbours, ch. 10:It is impossible to look at Madam Rhen, without at once making the conclusion that she is pleasantness, hospitality, and loquacity itself; nor can one look upon her daughter Renetta without thinking, "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"1978, Dr. Isador Rosenfeld, "Doctor Asks Patient

arm's length »    Barely within reach.

arse about face »    Something that is placed or arranged the opposite way to the way it should be.

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

ask around »    To enquire about something to different people.

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

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

ask round »    To enquire about something to different people.

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

at hand »    Near; soon; approaching; imminent.

at hand »    Readily available; within easy reach; nearby.

auction off »    To sell something at an auction.

back away »    Of your attention on the thing in front being avoided.

back into »    To back up or walk backwards and hit something.

back off »    To move backwards away from something.

back onto »    To reverse a vehicle onto something.

back onto »    To overlook something from the rear.

back out »    To withdraw from something one has promised to do.

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

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

bad taste in one's mouth »    A feeling something is morally despicable as to cause nausea.

bail out on »    To abandon, or stop supporting someone or something.

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

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

balloon goes up »    Something exciting or dangerous begins.

ballpark figure »    An educated guess or estimation within acceptable bounds.

balls-up »    Something which becomes muddled or botched in some way.

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

bang up cove »    A dashing fellow who spends his money freely.

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

bank on »    To be sure of something. To depend on it.

bar none »    Without exception; excluding nothing else of the same kind.

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

barrel of monkeys »    Something very funny or amusing.

bash about »    To physically damage something or assault someone.

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

battle cry »    Something the troops yell out when going to war or battle.

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

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

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

beat around the bush »    To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.

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

beat off »    To drive something away with blows.

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.

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

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

bee's knees »    Something excellent, outstanding.

beer and skittles »    Something pleasurable.

behind bars »    In jail or prison.

behind closed doors »    Public disclosure.

behind its time »    Showing characteristics of the past; present in one's work after later advances in the field; coming later than could be generally accepted.

behind somebody's back »    Without somebody's knowledge; secretly.

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

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

behind the eight ball »    At a disadvantage.

behind the scenes »    In secret; out of public view.

bend somebody's ear »    Sorry to bend your ear with the whole story, but I think you ought to know.

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

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

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

betwixt and between »    Neither one thing nor the other.

big daddy »    Something or someone of importance.

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

birthday suit »    Nakedness; a lack of clothing.

bite one's tongue »    An admonishment to someone who has said something unfeeling or harsh.

bits and bobs »    A random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and things.

bitter pill »    Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.

black-on-black »    Something that is invisible or intentionally obfuscated, such as warnings or fine print.

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.

blaze a trail »    To set precedent or do something novel; to break new ground.

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

blot out »    To make something undecipherable; to obliterate.

blow it »    To fail at something; to mess up; to make a mistake.

blow off »    To shoot something with a gun, causing it to come disconnected.

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

blow up »    To explode something or somebody or destroy something or injure or kill somebody by explosion.

blue moon »    Something absurd.

blurt out »    To say suddenly, without thinking.

bolt bucket »    A machine, especially an automobile. Implies that the machine is clunky or unreliable.

bone of contention »    Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached.

boss about »    To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.

boss around »    To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

brass farthing »    Something worthless or of small value.

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 sweat »    To put effort into something.

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

breath of fresh air »    Something relieving, refreshing, or new.

breathe easy »    To relax or feel secure about something.

brick by brick »    To create or build something in a steady, step-by-step fashion.

brickbat »    A piece of brick used as a weapon, especially if thrown, or placed in something like a sock and used as a club.

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

bring back »    To fetch something.

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

bring down »    To make something flying fall to the ground. Usually by firing a weapon of some kind.

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

bring in »    To move something indoors.

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

bring round »    To bring something when coming.

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

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

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

bugger all »    Nothing.

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

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

bump into »    To collide with something.

bump up »    To increase something suddenly.

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

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

burn down »    To burn to nothing.

burn down »    To completely burn, so that nothing remains.

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

busted flush »    Anything which ends up worthless despite great potential.

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

busy 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.

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

button up »    To fasten all the buttons on a coat, or similar item of clothing, to keep warm.

buy out »    To purchase the entire stock or extent of something.

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

by hand »    Manually; without the use of automation or machines.

by the numbers »    To do something exactly, precisely, or in a formulaic way.

by the skin of one's teeth »    Barely; closely; by a narrow margin; with nothing to spare.

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.

cake crumbs »    Hardly anything.

call a spade a spade »    To speak the truth; to say things as they really are.

call in »    To withdraw something from sale or circulation.

calling card »    An attribute, object, or behavior which is distinctly characteristic of someone or something.

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

can it »    To silence; to quit doing something; to put an end to something.

cancel out »    To neutralize the effect of something.

cap it all off »    To finish or complete something.

cap it all off »    To surpass or outdo something.

carry coals to Newcastle »    To do something that is unneeded or redundant.

carry out »    To hold while moving something out.

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

cast off »    To discard or reject something.

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.

cat got someone's tongue »    Why are you not saying anything?.

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

cat in the sack »    Something to be suspicious of.

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

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

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

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

catch up »    To be reaching something that had been ahead.

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

cave in »    The act of something collapsing or caving in.

cave in »    The location where something has caved in.

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 tune »    To reconsider; rethink; to reach a different conclusion.

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

chase a rainbow »    To pursue something illusory, impractical, or impossible.

chase down »    To investigate the cause of something.

chat up »    In a friendly, open, or casual manner, sometimes also in a charming or affected manner, usually to curry favor, and sometimes flirtatiously with the intention of establishing a romantic or sexual encounter or relationship with that person.

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

check out »    Used to draw attention to something and stimulate excitement about it.

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

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

child's play »    Something particularly simple or easy.

chin up »    Be happy; cheer up.

chinese gooseberry »    kiwi fruit

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 habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.

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

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

clamp down on »    To take measures to stop something; to put an end to.

clean up »    To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy.

climb up »    To gradually ascend something.

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

close to home »    Affecting people close to, or within, ones family circle.

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

coals to Newcastle »    A pointless venture, in the sense of sending something to a place where it's made, or where they already have an abundance.

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 out with »    To say something unexpected.

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

come to think of it »    By the way; now that I think about it; indicates something brought to mind.

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

come up with »    To invent, create, or think of.

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

common or garden variety »    Ordinary, standard. Nothing special.

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

cooking with gas »    Now doing something in an effective way.

cool down »    To cause something temperature to lower.

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

correlation does not imply causation »    (statistics) The observed correlation between two parameters, say, the growth of a market and the growth of a neighbor's child may, in fact, have nothing to do with each other's causation.

cough up »    To expel from the lungs, throat, etc. by coughing.

count sheep »    To attempt to go to sleep by thinking of something boring, traditionally by counting imaginary sheep.

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

crank out »    To produce in large volumes mechanically or as if by machine.

crank up »    To start something mechanical, an act that often used to involve cranking.

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

creep into »    To enter something or somewhere by creeping.

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

cross off »    To finish; to mark something as complete.

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

cry off »    To cancel something that one has previously arranged with someone.

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

curate's egg »    A thing which has good and bad parts.

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

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

cut down »    To reduce the amount of something.

cut it close »    To judge or finish something close to its limit.

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

cut to the chase »    To get to the point; to get on with it; to state something directly.

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

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

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

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

dead weight »    That which is useless or excess; that which slows something down.

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

deathblow »    Something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc.

deep six »    To discard, cancel, halt; to completely put an end to something.

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

deep-six »    To get rid of something unwanted.

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

deliver the message to Garcia »    ...grasp the demands and exactions of business life. He learns that the main thing to do is to "deliver the message to Garcia"....

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

desktop publishing »    DTP

dicky-bird »    A insignificant sound or thing.

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

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

dig up »    To excavate something.

dish out »    To distribute or deliver something.

do one's thing »    To do what one habitually does.

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 something with mirrors »    To jokingly pretend that one did something using magic mirrors, that one is a magician; a joking explanation of the fantastic or the unexplained.

Do the best and live the rest »    First do your work with your 100% dont think about the result

do up »    To fasten a piece of clothing.

do without »    To manage despite the lack of something.

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

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

don't put all your eggs in one basket »    Don't dedicate all your resources into one thing.

double up »    To double the quantity, amount or duration of something.

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

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

drag »    To move a mouse cursor while holding down a button on the mouse, often to move something on the screen.

draw back »    To pull something back or apart.

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

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

drawing near »    approaching

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

dressing-down »    A reprimand or rarely, a thrashing.

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

drip »    To put a small amount of a liquid on something, drop by drop.

drive away »    To force someone or something to leave.

drop a hint »    To reveal a clue or hint about something.

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

dummy up »    To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.

dust off »    To remove dust from something.

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

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

easy does it »    Relax; do something gently, lightly or carefully; slow down; calm down.

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

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

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

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

enough to make the angels weep »    Something so distressing that it causes one to lose hope and faith.

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

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

Every rose has it's thorns »    everything, even if it seems perfect, has faults

every time »    Used to express a strong preference for something.

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

everything but the kitchen sink »    Almost everything, whether needed or not.

everything happens for a reason »    All events are purposeful.Everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as failure. Mary-Kate OlsenPeople like to say "everything happens for a reason." If you repeat that in your head long enough that starts to sound like "anything can happen with a razor." Laura KightlingerI believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think it's important to seek out that reason - that's how we learn. Drew Barrymore

evil twin »    A duplicate or counterpart of something or someone that acts in a contrary, nefarious, or insidious manner.

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

eye up »    To examine closely something coveted.

f** all »    Nothing at all or very little.

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

fair and square »    Within the applicable rules.

fair enough »    An expression used to concede a point; denotes that, upon consideration, something is correct or reasonable; an expression of acknowledgment or understanding.

fall behind »    To be progressively below average in performance.

fall into »    To go into something by falling.

fall out »    To come out of something by falling.

fall through »    To be unsuccessful, abort, come to nothing/naught; to be cancelled; not to proceed.

fancypants »    Alternative spelling of fancy pants. The condition of being overly showy; concerned more about one's reputation than anything else.

far be it »    A disclaimer stating that the person speaking will not do something.

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

far cry »    Something very dissimilar or different.

farmer's tan »    The tan line left by clothing, especially, by a short-sleeved shirt.

fashion plate »    A picture, usually an advertisement, showing the latest fashion in clothing.

fat of the land »    The greatest part of anything; the finest and most abundant share of resources; the cream of the crop.

fear »    A phobia, a sense of fear induced by something or someone.

feast or famine »    A situation in which something is always either extremely abundant or in extremely short supply.

feed the dragon »    To buy or sell products labeled as "Made in China.".

feed the dragon »    To the People's Republic of China.

feel up to »    To be confident in being able to do something.

feel up to »    To have an inclination to do something.

fend away »    To turn something away; to ward off.

fifth wheel »    Anything superfluous or unnecessary.

fight a losing battle »    To try to do something so difficult that it will probably end in failure.

fight shy of »    To avoid something.

fill in »    To substitute for somebody or something.

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

finders keepers »    The doctrine that whoever finds something is allowed to keep it

fine feathers make fine birds »    Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.

fine words butter no parsnips »    Talking about doing something does not get it done.

fire-breathing »    Caustic, vitriolic or scathing.

fire-breathing »    That emits flame from the mouth or nostrils.

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

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

flight of fancy »    An idea, narrative, suggestion, etc. which is extremely imaginative and which appears to be entirely unrealistic, untrue, or impractical; thinking which is very speculative.

flipside »    A necessary consequence or corollary of something; especially one seen as opposite, or as pro versus con.

flog a dead horse »    To attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more.

flower »    The best state of things; the prime.

flutter in the dovecote »    A disturbance, usually one caused within a prescribed group of people.

fly in the ointment »    Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.

fools rush in where angels fear to tread »    A person who does not plan ahead and think matters through becomes involved in risky or unfavorable situations which prudent people avoid.

for my money »    Used to mark a statement made by the speaker as an opinion or something not known with certainty.

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

forbidden fruit is the sweetest »    Forbidden things have more worthwhile short-term consequences.

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."

fountain of youth »    Anything reputed to have the power to restore health and vitality or to restore a youthful appearance.

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.

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

from my cold, dead hands »    A statement that something will not be taken away from you until the day you die.

full of hot air »    Talking a lot, especially without saying anything of value or meaning.

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

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

get a load of »    To experience someone or something, especially by looking or listening.

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

get away with murder »    To do something bad or illegal and not be punished.

get carried away »    To become excessively involved, to take something too far.

get down to business »    To become involved with something work-related.

get in »    To get into or inside something, literally or figuratively.

get in someone's hair »    To hinder someone or interfere with their actions.

get into one's stride »    To become familiar with something recently learnt.

get it »    To get, retrieve, or receive something.

get it over with »    To do or finish, especially said of something unpleasant.

get off »    To stop touching or interfering with something or someone.

get one's feet wet »    To begin gaining experience; To take a risk and try something new.

get one's marching orders »    To be dismissed disgracefully.

get over »    To overcome something.

get over »    To recover from something.

get something over with »    To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.

get something straight »    To understand; to clarify.

giant panda »    chinese animal

gild the lily »    To embellish or improve something unnecessarily; to add superfluous attributes to something.

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

give 'em enough rope »    Allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.

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 over »    To entrust something to another.

give over »    Usually as an imperative. To tell someone to stop molesting, fooling around, or saying silly things. Or sometimes to stop saying flattering things.

give the lie to »    To prove something to be false; to refute.

gloss over »    To treat something with less care than it deserves; to skimp.

go against the grain »    To defy convention; to do something in a manner that is unusual or out of the ordinary.

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

go along with »    To comply with something, even if reluctantly; to accept or tolerate.

go by the board »    To be superseded, rejected, or obliterated; to pass by with little consequence; to amount to nothing.

go down that road »    To settle a way of doing something; do decide to do something in a particular way.

go down the road »    A way of doing something; to do something in a particular way.

go for »    To attack something.

go for »    To do something, especially for leisure.

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 in for »    To have an interest in or approve of something.

go in for »    To engage or take part in something.

go it alone »    To do something alone or independently, especially something that is normally or better done in groups.

go off at score »    Of a horse, to break suddenly into a gallop; of a person, suddenly to say or do something impetuous.

go round in circles »    To repeatedly do the same thing; without making any progress.

go the way of the dinosaurs »    To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go off the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.

go the way of the dodo »    To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go out of the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.

go the whole hog »    To do something as entirely or completely as possible; to reserve or hold back nothing.

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

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

gold mine »    A plentiful stockpile of something sought after.

golden opportunity »    Ideal moment to do something.

golden ticket »    A qualification, person or thing that can provide lucrative opportunities.

gongoozle »    To observe things idly.

good luck with that »    An expression wishing someone success in an unlikely enterprise.

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

grab and go »    To get something quickly.

grasp all, lose all »    one who wants everything, may lose it all

grass roots »    The essential foundation or source of something.

gray area »    A part that is not clear or certain; something that is open to interpretation.

great minds think alike »    Used to emphasize a coincidence, or two people reaching the same conclusion in any manner at the same time.

greatest thing since sliced bread »    A relatively recent invention likely to significantly improve people's lives.

grey area »    A topic that is not clearly one thing or the other.

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.

hack into »    To reduce something to by hacking with a cutting instrument.

hand in »    To give something to a responsible person.

hand off »    To pass or transfer something to someone.

hand over »    To relinquish control or possession of something to someone.

handle with kid gloves »    To treat something very delicately or carefully.

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

hang out »    To spend time doing nothing in particular.

hang out one's shingle »    To open an office or business, especially in a profession.

hang out to dry »    To attach washing to a clothesline to dry.

hang out with »    To spend time with friends, doing nothing in particular.

harden »    To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.

harden someone's heart »    To make someone more resistant to something.

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.

hash out »    To work through the details of something; especially to work through difficulties.

haul somebody over the coals »    To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.

have a way with »    To be skilled, adept, or graceful in something.

have an axe to grind »    To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something.

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

have one's head in the clouds »    To daydream; to think about matters other than the present reality.

have one's head in the clouds »    To have fantastic or impractical dreams; to think impractically.

have other fish to fry »    To have more important things to do.

have something to eat »    To eat anything.

have the run of »    To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will.

have to do with the price of tea in China »    To have any relation or bearing whatsoever on the topic at hand, usually used to emphasize the lack of relationship of a non sequitur.

hen's teeth »    Anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen’s teeth.

hen's tooth »    Anything not naturally occuring.

here goes nothing »    Indicates a lack of confidence or certainty about the activity about to be tried.

here you are »    Said when you hand something over to someone or do a favour to them, usually to draw the recipient's attention to the exchange; Equivalent to “thank you” when receiving something..

hiding to nothing »    A situation in which victory has little or no value, but defeat has a huge cost.

hill of beans »    Something of no importance.

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

hindsight is 20/20 »    (idiomatic) In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time of the choice.

history repeats itself »    Things that have happened in the past will happen again.

hit home »    To do something particularly great.

hit on »    To discover, pinpoint; to think up; to realize; to invent.

hit the nail on the head »    To identify something exactly; to arrive at exactly the right answer.

hit upon »    To think of; to invent; to realize.

hold off »    To delay someone or something temporarily; to keep at bay.

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

hold one's tongue »    To keep quiet; especially, to leave something unsaid.

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

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

hold over »    Something left from an earlier time.

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 in on »    To focus or narrow down to something; to find or draw closer, as by trial and error or a gradual seeking process.

honest injun »    A phrase used to emphasize the truth of something.

honorable mention »    An award or recognition given to something that does not make it to a higher standing but is worth mentioning in an honorable way.

horse around »    To play or fiddle; to clown; to do nothing of importance or consequence.

horse's ass »    A thing or person which is visually unappealing.

horse's mouth »    Source; someone who directly experienced or witnessed something.

hot mess »    Refers to a person, thing, or situation in such a state of disarray or disapproval by peers, often in reference to physical appearance, perceived to be disastrously embarrassing, pitiful, or beyond repair.

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

huckleberry above a persimmon »    Something better than something else.

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

hunger is the best spice »    When one is hungry, anything will taste good.

if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »    With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.

if it ain't broke, don't fix it »    Leave something alone; avoid correcting, fixing, or improving what is already sufficient, as it could end up being detrimental

if looks could kill »    A phrase said upon catching sight of someone's giving you a particularly nasty look of discontent or disapproval.

if the shoe fits »    If it has all of the characteristics of a thing, it probably is that thing.

if you want a thing done well, do it yourself »    It is better to do something oneself, than rely on others to do it well.

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

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 layman's terms »    Explaining something in simple words.

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

in one's right mind »    Sane, sensible, reasonable; thinking clearly.

in the act »    In the process of doing something; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.

in the wake of »    In the noticeable disturbance of water behind .

in the way »    Obstructing, blocking, or hindering.

in the works »    In a mechanism or machine.

in touch »    The ball, or a player, is in touch when it, or he, is outside the playing area or touching the touchlines of the playing area.

ins and outs »    The details or fine points of something.

into thin air »    Immediately and inexplicably out of sight.

it is what it is »    This thing has its own distinct nature; this thing is itself.

it takes two to tango »    Some things need the active cooperation of two parties; blame is to be laid on both parties in a conflict.

it's a long road that has no turning »    encouragement when things are not going well. Just as a long road eventually has a turning, problems also eventually have a solution, even though one might have to wait.

it's about time »    Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.

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

it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good »    There is usually something of benefit to someone, no matter how bad the situation.

it's 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:

jack in »    To insert an electronic coupling into a receptacle; to connect to something, whether involving a physical medium or not.

jack it in »    An imperative to stop doing something that the speaker finds annoying.

jack up »    To raise, hoist, or lift a thing using a jack, or similar means.

jump at »    To accept something enthusiastically. Usually an opportunity, or chance, or job etc.

jump in »    To enter something quickly. Usually a mode of transport.

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.

keep a close watch on »    To pay careful attention to a situation or a thing, so that you can deal with any changes or problems.

keep a lid on »    To keep something secret.

keep a weather eye open »    To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.

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

keep mum »    Do not talk; especially keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

keep out »    To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

keep out of »    To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

keep quiet »    To refrain from talking about something; to keep a secret.

keep shtum »    Don't tell anyone; especially, keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

keep somebody in stitches »    To keep somebody laughing hard or amused.

keep straight »    To avoid confusing or mixing up something; to keep something clear or organized.

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

keep up appearances »    To pretend to be all right or that everything is going well.

keep up with »    To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.

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 ass »    To beat someone at something.

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

kick the bucket »    Of a machine, to break down such that it cannot be repaired.

kick up a fuss »    To show annoyance, or to complain loudly about something, often when it is of little importance in reality.

kick up the arse »    A severe reprimand, especially one to motivate someone into doing something.

kiss of death »    Something that may seem good and favourable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.

kit and caboodle »    Everything entirely, the whole lot.

kit and kaboodle »    Everything; the lot.

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

knight in shining armor »    A person who will rescue a dangerous situation; a hero.

knock down »    To hit or knock (something), intentionally or accidentally, so that it falls.

knock it off »    Stop doing something; desist.

knock out »    To strike or bump someone or something out.

knock out of the box »    To cause something to be replaced by something else.

knock over »    To bump or strike something in such a way as to tip it.

knock together »    To assemble something quickly; to knock up.

know like the back of one's hand »    To be intimately knowledgeable about something, especially a place.

know something inside and out »    To know something very thoroughly.

l'esprit de l'escalier »    The experience of thinking of a devastating rejoinder only after leaving the scene of the debate.

la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »    The final thing that is too much and forces a reaction; the straw that broke the camel's back.

latch onto »    To obtain, acquire or get and keep hold of something.

laughing stock »    An object of ridicule, someone who is publicly ridiculed; a butt of sport.

laughing stock »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.

laundry list »    Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered.

lay an egg »    To produce a failure or flop; to do something which is unsuccessful.

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

lead »    A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.

lead nowhere »    To have no purpose, to result in nothing.

lead time »    The amount of time between the initiation of some process and its completion, e.g. the time required to manufacture or procure a product; the time required before something can be provided or delivered.

lean and mean »    Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.

leave behind »    To abandon.

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

leave nothing to the imagination »    He stripped down to a pair of see-through briefs that left nothing to the imagination.

leave nothing to the imagination »    To cover or hide very little or nothing.

leave well enough alone »    To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient.

leave well enough alone »    To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient

lemonize »    To damage something and then deny or be aloof from the damage.

less is more »    That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated; simplicity is preferable to complexity; brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity.1855, Robert Browning, "Men and Women":Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged.1954, "'Less Is More'," Time, 14 Jun.:The essence of Mies's architectural philosophy is in his famous and sometimes derided phrase, "Less is more." This means, he says, having "the greatest effect with the least means."2007, Gia Kourlas, "Dance Review: An Ordered World Defined With Soothing Spareness," New York Times, 3 Mar. (retrieved 22 Oct. 2008):The program, which features two premieres

let alone »    Much less; to say nothing of.

let go an anchor to the windward of the law »    To keep within the letter of the law.

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

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.

let the good times roll »    To have fun or live fully; may imply letting things that are going well proceed.

lick one's chops »    To anticipate something eagerly.

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

lie back and think of England »    . "think of England" refers to the importance of children.

lie back and think of England »    Used to preface any unpleasant but inevitable experience.

life's not all skittles and beer »    Skittles and Beer refers to the carefree, indulgent bar life; skittles being a British pub game. Thus, life's not all skittles and beer means that not everything is about pleasure.

light up »    To bring light to something, to brighten.

like father, like son »    A son will have traits similar to his father upon reaching adulthood.

lion »    A Chinese foo dog.

little pitchers have big ears »    Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).

live down »    To get used to something shameful.

live on »    To survive solely by consuming a certain thing.

live one »    A person, thing, or situation which is particularly interesting, noteworthy, or urgent.

live paycheck to paycheck »    To spend all that one earns without saving anything.

lock up »    To invest in something long term.

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

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

long arm »    Influence, far-reaching power.

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.

look back »    To look behind oneself.

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

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

look out »    To look from within to the outside.

look the other way »    To ignore something wrong. Similar to connive.

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

lose touch »    To cease to be familiar with someone or something or to cease to communicate or have contact.

lower the boom on »    To terminate or abolish something.

lump together »    To put different items or groups together and treat them, or think of them as one single group.

made in China »    Cheaply manufactured in East Asia.

made in China »    Manufactured in the People's Republic of China.

made in China »    Of poor or low quality.

make a meal of »    To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated.

make a monkey out of »    To cause a person, organization, or action to appear foolish or inferior; to subject someone or something to ridicule..

make a mountain out of a molehill »    To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.

make a point »    To take care in doing something of something; to pay attention or ensure that something is done.

make a splash »    To do something that attracts attention.

make hay while the sun shines »    To act while an opportunity exists; to take action while a situation is favorable.

make it »    To survive, to live through something.

make off with »    To steal something and run.

man proposes, God disposes »    Things don't always work out as they were planned.

man up »    To "be a man about it"; to do the things a good man is traditionally expected to do, such as: taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; displaying bravery or toughness in the face of adversity; providing for one's family, etc.

march to the beat of a different drum »    To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and expectations.

mark time »    Marching in place; not going anywhere.

mark up »    To increase the price of something between its wholesale and retail phase.

marry in haste, repent at leisure »    Two things together too soon will lead to problems.

match made in heaven »    A very successful combination of two people or things.

match made in hell »    A very unsuccessful or conflicting combination of two people or things.

matter of fact »    Something completely true.

meal ticket »    Someone or something that provides income or livelihood, especially as an exploited source.

mess of pottage »    Something of trivial value, especially of immediate value.

mess up »    To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.

mete out »    To distribute something in portions; to apportion or dole out.

middle of nowhere »    Nowhere; any place lacking population, interesting things, or defining characteristics.

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!

mill around »    To move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area.

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.

miner's canary »    Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.

miners' canary »    Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.

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

mix apples and oranges »    To mix two totally different things.

mixed bag »    Any bag containing a mixture of something.

mixed bag »    Something tending to have both good and bad results or characteristics; something having a mixture of advantages and disadvantages.

mixed blessing »    Something that has both good and bad features.

mocking is catching »    An admonishment to be careful of criticising others, lest the same happen to you.Mocking is Catching was the title of a 1726 song by Henry Carey.

moment of truth »    A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.

money can't buy happiness »    Money can buy external things, but true happiness comes from inside.

money maker »    Something profitable.

monkey wrench »    A problem, obstacle or dilemma; something unexpected or troublesome.

move on »    To start dealing with something else.

much of a muchness »    Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them.

muck about »    To do somethings with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works.

mull over »    To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.

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

ñapa »    the little something extra

necessity is the mother of invention »    A person who is in great need of something will find a way to get it.

necktie party »    An execution by hanging, especially a lynching.

needle in a haystack »    Something that is difficult or impossible to locate; something impossibly complex or intractable.

neither fish nor fowl »    Said of something not easily categorized or not fitting neatly into any established group.

never change a running system »    Don't change something that is working

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.

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

nip in the bud »    To stop something at an early stage.

no biggie »    Not a big deal, not something to worry about.

no brainer »    Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.

no frills »    Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.

no matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney »    Regardless of how many clever points or fine distinctions one makes, what one is saying is still false or is still nonsense.

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

no screaming hell »    Something that is not particularly effective or impressive; something that is below expectations.

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.

non-starter »    Someone or something who was listed to start in a race, but did not start in the race.

non-starter »    Something that is not going to happen.

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 the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.

not a pretty sight »    Something disappointing, disquieting, disreputable, or otherwise unworthy of admiration.

not a pretty sight »    Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.

not a sausage »    Absolutely nothing, none of something.

not be caught dead »    To refuse completely to do something.

not leave one's thoughts »    Said when one keeps thinking about something.

not much of anything »    Very little; not a lot.

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 worth a brass farthing »    Worth nothing or next to nothing.

notch up »    To achieve something.

nothing flat »    Amount of time; no time at all.

nothing special »    Ordinary, run-of-the-mill.

nothing to it »    Easy; simple or straightforward.

nothing to sneeze at »    Not bad; decent; acceptable; worthwhile.

nothing to write home about »    Not exceptional; not noteworthy or especially good.

nothing ventured, nothing gained »    If one takes no risks, one will not gain any benefits.

nudge nudge wink wink »    A phrase added at the end of the sentence to hint that the speaker is referring to something else, euphemistically.

nut-cutting time »    Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.

nuts and bolts »    The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.

object lesson »    Anything used an example or lesson which serves to warn others as to the outcomes that result from a particular action or behavior, as exemplified by the fates of those who followed that course.

odd one out »    Something or someone in a group that is different or exceptional, that does not fit.

odds and ends »    Miscellaneous things.

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

oil burner »    A machine that uses oil as its fuel.

old hat »    Something uninteresting, hackneyed, or passé due to overuse or long-standing familiarity..

old hat »    Something widely or long practiced, known, or accepted; something conventional.

old hat »    Something with which one is very familiar, or in which one is experienced or skilled.

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 a whim »    Done without thinking seriously about the consequences.

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

on one's soapbox »    Stating or professing one's opinion; attempting to persuade others of something.

on the anvil »    Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.

on the ball »    Alert, active, or attentive; on top of things.

on the right track »    Using the correct general approach to a particular task or problem; pursuing something in a promising way.

on the way »    Coming, approaching.

on thin ice »    In a dangerous, hazardous, or delicate situation; at risk.

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

on top of »    In addition to something else.

one and the same »    The same person or thing. Used to emphasize the identity or equivalence of two things.

one another »    Used of a reciprocal relationship among a group of more than two people or things; compare each other.

one can run but one can't hide »    There is nothing someone can do to evade something.You can run but you can't hide.

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

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-track mind »    That said to be possessed by someone who is obsessed with something or only able to think of one thing.

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

open fire »    To begin firing at something or someone.

open one's big mouth »    To speak about things, when it would be better to stay silent.

opt in »    To choose to participate in something.

opt out »    To choose not to participate in something.

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 it »    Disoriented; not thinking clearly.

out of proportion »    Not in a proper or pleasing relation to other things, especially in terms of size.

out of sight »    The notice was out of sight behind the door.

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

out of the way »    Not obstructing or hindering; not in the way.

out of thin air »    From non-existent resources.

out of work »    Unemployed, or having nothing to do.

pachyderm »    A member of the obsolete taxonomic group Pachydermata, grouping of thick-skinned, hoofed animals such as the rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephant, pig and horse.

pain in the ass »    Something that causes discomfort or is otherwise troublesome.

pain in the neck »    Someone or something which is annoying, irritating or inconvenient.

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.

palace politics »    The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers within a government, especially as involving internal rivalry and intrigue.

paper »    A newspaper or anything used as such .

part and parcel »    An integral or essential piece; that which must be done or accepted as part of something else.

pass by »    To proceed past something.

pass off »    To misrepresent something.

pass through »    To transit something.

pass through »    To make something move through something else.

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

pencil skirt »    clothing item

pencil-neck »    A person with a very thin neck.

pencil-necked »    Having a very thin neck.

pencilneck »    A person with a very thin neck.

people person »    Someone who is happier or more skilled at dealing with people rather than things or concepts.

peter out »    To dwindle; to trail off; to diminish to nothing.

phase in »    To introduce something little by little.

phase out »    To remove or relinquish the use of something little by little.

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

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.

pink slip »    An automobile roadworthiness inspection certificate.

play ball »    To start anything tumultuous.

play down »    To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.

play it by ear »    To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.

play possum »    To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.

play second fiddle »    To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.

play up »    To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.

plus  »    (literally) The more it changes, the more it's the same thing (sometimes loosely translated as the more things change, the more they stay the same).Although the outward appearance may change, fundamentals are constant.

poison »    Something that harms a person or thing.

polish off »    To remove by polishing .

pony in the barn »    An exciting and real prospect, something to be legitimately excited about.

pore over »    To examine something carefully and attentively.

possession is nine-tenths of the law »    One who has possession of a thing has some right to it; a popular statement of the doctrine of adverse possession.

poster child »    One who is a prototypical or quintessential example of something.

potter about »    To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.

potter around »    To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.

pound of flesh »    Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.

pound the pavement »    To campaign diligently; to seek something, such as business, employment, or answers.

pour oil on troubled waters »    To calm something or someone who is tenacious or misbehaving.

power behind the throne »    Someone who appears to be without special status, but who has great covert influence on a person in authority.

preach to the choir »    Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.

preprogram »    To program something in advance.

pretzel »    Anything that is knotted, twisted, or tangled.

prevention is better than cure »    it is better to prevent the creation of a bad thing, than to destroy it.

price is right »    The cost of a thing is reasonable and of good value.

problem child »    Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or annoyance.

pull apart »    To open something by pulling on various parts of it.

pull off »    To achieve; to succeed at something difficult.

pull out »    To remove something from a container.

pull out all the stops »    To reserve or hold back nothing.

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

pull up »    Drive close to something, especially a curb.

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

punch in »    To enter a workplace by punching a time card.

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

pushing up daisies »    Dead.

put a lid on it »    To be quiet; shut up; to stop talking about something or making noise.

put a stop to »    To terminate or abolish something.

put across »    To explain or state something clearly and understandably.

put an end to »    To terminate or abolish something.

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

put back »    To return something to it's original place.

put down »    To write something.

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

put down roots »    To do things which show that one wishes to stay put.

put on »    To don clothing or equipment.

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

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

put something into perspective »    To compare with something similar to give a clearer, more accurate idea.

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

put to the test »    To test something or someone; to evaluate, scrutinize or explore by testing or experimentation.

put up »    To cajole or dare to do something.

put up or shut up »    Desist from saying something unless one is able to prove it.

put up with »    To tolerate, suffer through, or allow, esp. something annoying.

put words in somebody's mouth »    To attribute to somebody something he or she did not say; to claim inaccurately that somebody said or intended something.

quantum mechanics »    Something overly complicated or detailed.

quick on the uptake »    Able to readily understand things; intelligent.

quick-and-dirty »    Of or pertaining to the creation or repair of software or hardware in a manner which permits operation within a brief period of time, although with compromised functionality or reliability.

quiet down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

quieten down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

rabble rouser »    Someone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.

rack one's brain »    To struggle to think of or remember something.

rain or shine »    Regardless of what the circumstances are, and how the weather is.

rainy day »    A difficult period of need, when things do not go right.

raise the bar »    To raise standards or expectations, especially by creating something to a higher standard.

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

rake »    The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.

read out »    To read something and say the words to inform other people.

read somebody's lips »    To discern what somebody is saying by watching the shape of the mouth rather than by hearing the sounds of the words.

real deal »    A thing or person which is genuine, authentic, or worthy of serious regard.

real job »    A job that can't be replaced advantageously by a machine or a procedure.

real Macoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real McCoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real McKoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real men don't eat quiche »    (aphorism, humorous) The stereotypical man does not do things that are considered effeminate, as to do so would imply they are effeminate.

reality check »    A check or review to make sure something is consistent, reasonable, etc.

rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic »    To do something pointless or insignificant that will soon be overtaken by events, or that contributes nothing to the solution of a current problem.

red face test »    A hypothetical test of a person's embarrassment, that is either passed or failed. Saying one passes the red face test means one would not blush and thus would not be embarrassed by disclosing something to others or doing something, and saying one fails the red face test means a situation would cause them discernible embarrassment.

red flag »    A cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong.

red mist »    Anger sufficient to cloud judgement, to stop clear thinking.

reflect on »    To think carefully about something, and give it due consideration.

rein in »    To stop or slow something, by exercising control.

reinvent the wheel »    To redo work unnecessarily when it has already been done satisfactorily; to rethink an already working system, technique, etc. in a pointless attempt to improve it.

ride roughshod over »    To act in a bullying or inconsiderate manner; to display disregard towards someone or something.

ring around »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

ring round »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

rise from the ashes »    To make a comeback after a long hiatus. To come back into common use or practice. To come back into popularity. To come back to being a thing of today.

rivet counter »    A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.

rocket science »    Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing.

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

Rome wasn't built in a day »    It takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive.

rose-colored glasses »    An optimistic perception of something; a positive opinion; seeing something in a positive way, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.

round off »    To complete or finish something.

rub up against »    To touch something with one's body.

rule out »    To make something impossible.

rum go »    An odd affair; a surprising event; a confusing experience; a queer thing.

run about »    To be very busy doing many different things.

run around »    To be very busy doing many different things.

run around after »    To spend a lot of time doing things for another person or group of people. Often used when that person could reasonably do the things for themselves.

run 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 off »    To write something quickly.

run off with »    To leave with someone with the intention of living with them or marrying them. Usually in secret because other people think it is wrong.

run scared »    To try everything to avoid defeat.

run something by »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run something past »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run something up the flagpole »    To float an idea that one suspects might be controversial.

run through »    To repeat something.

run up »    To make something, usually an item of clothing, very quickly.

run up against »    Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.

rustle up »    To quickly prepare something.

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

same difference »    It makes no difference; it amounts to the same thing.

scarf down »    To eat something quickly.

scrape off »    To remove something by a scraping action.

scrape the bottom of the barrel »    To use the least desirable parts of something.

scratch one's head »    To puzzle, ponder, or wonder about something.

scrimp and save »    To scrimp greatly; to economize; to live very frugally, particularly when saving for something.

second string »    In sports, a unit of players that plays behind the first string.

see something through »    To fulfill a commitment.

see the light »    To gain an understanding of something previously not understood, especially in a sudden insight.

seeing is believing »    You need to see something to believe it; visible facts cannot be denied.

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

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 ice to Eskimos »    To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

sell-by date »    Used to indicate that something, or someone, is old and out of date.

send away for »    To write to a business or other organisation, requesting a thing.

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

set aside »    To declare something invalid or null and void.

set aside »    To disagree with something and reject or overturn it.

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

set off »    To count an addition in one thing against a reduction in something else.

set one's cap at »    . Or, more generally, to choose something as a goal.

set the Thames on fire »    To achieve something amazing; to do something which brings great public acclaim.

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

settle upon »    To decide something over other options.

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

sex machine »    Someone with considerable sexual prowess.

she'll be apples »    Everything will be all right.

she'll be right »    OK, no problem, everything will be all right.

shit happens »    Bad things happen, and there is nothing we can do about it.

shit one's pants »    To involuntarily defecate into one's pants or other clothing.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To act against one's own interests, e.g., by saying what one is really thinking.

shoot the bull »    To chinwag; to talk idly.

short leash »    Forcing one to function within a strict set of rules, or under great scrutiny or oversight.

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.

shroud »    The branching top of a tree; foliage.

sigh of relief »    A reassurance or support, something that reduces stress from an arduous activity.

sigh of relief »    A release of stress through breathing motions.

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

silence is golden »    Peace and quiet have immense value.Often the best choice is to say nothing.

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

size up »    To evaluate; to estimate or anticipate the magnitude, difficulty, or strength of something.

skate on thin ice »    In a risky, potentially dangerous or delicate situation.

skin in the game »    A stake; something at risk.

slag off »    To talk insultingly to or about someone or something.

sleeves from one's vest »    Something non-existent; something of no value or cost.

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

small fry »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

small potatoes »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

smart chance »    A substantial quantity of something.

smash hit »    Something that is tremendously popular or successful.

smell a rat »    To sense something suspicious.

smell test »    An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

snake oil »    Snake oil is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat joint pain.

sniff out »    To find something using the sense of smell.

sniff out »    To find, especially to find something that cannot be seen.

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

so-and-so »    Anything generic.

sod all »    Nothing.

some people »    Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.

something awful »    Intensely or extremely; badly; in the worst way.

song and dance »    An excessively elaborate story or excuse used to justify something.

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

soup-to-nuts »    Comprehensive; complete; covering all of something.

sour grapes »    A putting down or expression of disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.

spanner »    A problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome.

spark off »    To initiate something by providing the necessary conditions.

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

spectator sport »    An activity which consists of watching or observing.

spectator sport »    Something, especially a process or activity, which is a popular object of observation; an activity which a person prefers to watch rather than to participate in.

spice up »    To enhance the flavor of something by adding spice to it.

spit it out »    To overcome reluctance to say something particular or to speak in general.

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

spot check »    A cursory inspection or examination or the inspection or examination of a sample of something.

spring to mind »    To appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.

spruce up »    To refresh, revamp; to freshen or improve something, especially its appearance.

staircase wit »    Thinking of an idea or course of action too late to use it effectively, or the tendency to do so.

stand back »    To stand a long way behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a fast bowler.

stand by »    To do nothing. To be inactive in a situation.

stand corrected »    Said to acknowledge someone who corrects something that one says or writes that was not correct.

stand from under »    To escape something falling or being thrown from above.

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

stand up »    To bring something up and set it into a standing position.

stand up »    To stand immediately behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a slow or spin bowler, and to attempt to stump the batsman.

standard fare »    Something which is normal, routine, or unexceptional; something which is commonly provided or encountered.

stars in one's eyes »    The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.

stave off »    To prevent something from happening; to obviate or avert.

steal a march on »    To get ahead of someone or something by starting earlier.

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

stepping stone »    A stone that can be stepped on in crossing something, especially a marsh or creek.

stepping stone »    Something used as a way to progress to something or somewhere else.

sticking at nothing »    Being ruthless

sticking point »    The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking-place.

sticking-place »    The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking point.

straight face »    A face that is expressionless, especially not laughing.

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.

straighten out »    To correct; to stop doing something wrong.

strike up »    To start something with somebody else. Usually a conversation or relationship.

strike up »    To start something, usually playing live music.

strip away »    To remove something bit by bit.

strip down »    To remove all of one's clothing.

strip off »    To remove anything by stripping, e.g. items of clothing or paint from the side of a ship.

stumbing-block »    A hindrance, obstacle or impediment.

stumble across »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble on »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble upon »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumbling block »    A hindrance, obstacle or impediment.

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

such-and-such »    A placeholder or generic thing.

suck hind tit »    To be last in line.

suck hind tit »    To be the youngest or most neglected child.

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.

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

sweeten the pot »    To make something more desirable.

switch off »    To lose interest, and start thinking about something else.

take a back seat »    To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.

take a bead on »    To aim a gun at something.

take a chance »    To risk; to try something risky.

take a gamble »    To risk; to try something risky.

take a powder »    To leave in a hurry; run away; scram; depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with a connotation of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.

take a risk »    To do something risky.

take a shot in the dark »    To try on something without having any knowledge about the subject.

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

take a tumble »    To fall off something, or down something.

take apart »    To dismantle something into it's component pieces.

take apart »    To move someone away from others to be able to talk to, or give them something in private.

take away »    To remove something and put it in a different place.

take away »    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.

take away »    To subtract or diminish something.

take away »    To leave a memory or impression in one's mind that you think about later.

take away »    To prevent, or limit, someone from being somewhere, or from doing something.

take away from »    To make something seem not so good or interesting.

take back »    To regain possession of something.

take back »    To return something.

take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »    If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,

take down »    To remove something from a wall or similar vertical surface to which it is fixed.

take down »    To remove something from a hanging position.

take down »    To write a note. Usually to record something that is said.

take down »    To lower an item of clothing without removing it.

take five »    To break something up.

take for granted »    To assume something to be true without verification or proof.

take it out on »    To unleash one's anger on [a person or thing other than the one that caused it].

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

take one's time »    To go about something slowly and carefully.

take one's time »    To take more time to do something than is considered acceptable.

take out of context »    To interpret something in a manner in which it was not intended to be understood, often deliberately.

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

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take over »    To become more successful than someone or something else.

take something in one's stride »    Not to allow oneself to be set back, daunted, upset or embarrassed by unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.

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

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

take things as they come »    To accept and deal with events as they occur, with a composed state of mind.

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.

talk the talk »    Speak like an expert, claim to be knowledgeable about something.

talk through one's hat »    To assert something as true or valid; to bluff.

talk up »    In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.

teething troubles »    Small problems such as are to be expected with some any new and untried system or product.

tell all »    To reveal everything, particularly information that is normally withheld.

tell apart »    To be able to know the difference between things; to distinguish.

tempus fugit »    time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.

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

thanks for nothing »    Expression of displeasure towards a person who has not provided what was wanted.

that'll be the day »    Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.

that's that »    There is nothing more to say or to do concerning the matter.

that's the way life is »    That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.

that's the way the ball bounces »    That is the way things happen

that's the way the cookie crumbles »    That is the way things happen; that's life.

that's the way the mop flops »    That is the way things happen.

the ball is in your court »    It is your turn to do something; often making a decision.

the bigger they are, the harder they fall »    The larger something is, the more disastrous and spectacular its downfall

the end all-be all »    Something ultimate; the best part of something; the thing which solves all problems associated with something.

the icing on the cake »    Something wonderful at the end of something good.

the more things change, the more they stay the same »    A proverb making the observation that turbulent changes do not affect reality on a deeper level other than to cement the status quo.

the nose knows »    Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.

the pits »    Something miserable or unpleasant.

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 sky is the limit »    Nothing is impossible or out of reach

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »    (proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.

the straw that broke the camel's back »    A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.

the thing of it »    The important point to consider.

the whole nine yards »    All the way; with everything done completely or thoroughly.

the whole nine yards »    And everything. Often used, like etc., to finish out a list.

the whole shooting match »    Everything; the entire collection, endeavor, or activity.

the world is one's oyster »    In order to achieve something in this world, one has to grab the opportunity.

them's the breaks »    (idiomatic) That is the way things happen; that's life.

there is nothing new under the sun »    There is nothing truly novel in existence. Every new idea has some sort of precedent or echo from the past.

there you have it »    That is it; that is the situation or state of things.

there's many a slip twixt cup and lip »    In any situation, however well planned, something can always go wrong.

there's no point crying over spilt milk »    You should not be upset over something that cannot be undone.

there's no such thing as a free lunch »    Nothing is free; everything has a price.

there's nowt so queer as folk »    Nothing is as strange as people can be.

they're only after one thing »    Men are only interested in sex.

thick and thin »    Both good and bad times.

thief in the night »    Something stealthy or that occurs without warning.

thin edge of the wedge »    Beginning; opening; precedent.

thin end of the wedge »    Something that if allowed or accepted to a small degree would lead to systematic encroachment.

thin out »    To make or become sparse.

thin-skinned »    Having a thin skin.

thin-skinned »    Overly sensitive to criticism; quick to take offence; touchy.

think about »    To ponder.

think better of it »    To change one's mind; especially to decide against.

think of England »    To tolerate or endure bad sex. Used in conjunction with "I just lie on my back and.." "I just go through the motions and..." etc.

think one's shit doesn't stink »    To be arrogant or snobbish; to feel superior to others.

think over »    To ponder or reflect on a subject.

think tank »    A group of which performs research and develops reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporations, interest groups, or government.

think the world of »    To have a good opinion; to esteem; to admire.

think through »    To fully consider an action, and understand all its consequences.

think twice »    To reconsider, use judgement; to proceed with caution or thought.

think up »    To create in one’s mind; to invent..

third string »    A unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.

third wheel »    A person or thing that serves no useful purpose.

thorn in the flesh »    A persistent difficulty or something very annoying that will not go away.

thrash out »    To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.

throw a spanner in the works »    To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.

throw away »    To discard or dispose of something.

throw caution to the wind »    Do something despite the risks.

throw dirt enough, and some will stick »    If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say

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

throw down »    To accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to "represent".

throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.

throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn

throw out »    To discard; to dispense with something; to throw away.

throw somebody a curve »    To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

throw the baby out with the bathwater »    To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.

throw to the dogs »    To give up on something valuable.

throw to the dogs »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as into the streets.

throw to the wolves »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as onto the streets, especially towards predators.

thus and so »    A generic thing; a placeholder name.

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

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.

to thine own self be true »    The easiest person to deceive is oneself."This above all:to thine own self be true,and it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man." -William Shakespeare

today we are all »    August 12, 2008:, Robert Barnes, "McCain to Georgian President: "Today, We Are All Georgians"", Washington Post.

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

top it all off »    To emphasize or underscore; to make something even better or worse.

top off »    To fill completely; to fill or refill the final portion of something not empty.

top up »    To fill something.

top up »    To extend the credit of something.

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.

toy with »    Handling something in a careless or frivolous manner.

trick of the trade »    A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.

truth be told »    Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.

try out »    To test something in order to see if it works.

tumble to »    To discover, or suddenly understand something.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn against »    To rebel or oppose something formerly supported.

turn against »    To rotate against or in opposition to something.

turn away »    To rotate the body or head so as not to face someone or something.

turn away »    To avert or deflect something.

turn back »    To fold something back; to fold down.

turn down »    To reduce the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn in »    To submit something; to give.

turn in one's grave »    To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.

turn off »    To power down; to stop a device by switching it off.

turn on »    To power up; to start a device by switching it on.

turn on »    To rebel; to go against something formerly supported.

turn out »    To turn or rotate outwards or out of something.

turn to stone »    To cause something to become stone.

turn up »    To increase the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn-on »    Something that attracts, gives pleasure, or encourages, especially sexually.

twenty-twenty hindsight »    Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To wait or dawdle; to accomplish nothing useful or lack a useful occupation.

two birds with one stone »    Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.

two-fisted drinker »    Either someone who can handle their liquor well, or an alcoholic clutching a drink in each hand.

under fire »    Criticized or held responsible for something.

under one's belt »    Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

under the impression »    Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.

up one's alley »    Matching a person's interests or abilities well.

up the ante »    To make something more desirable.

up to something »    Doing something mischievous or scheming.

upset the applecart »    To spoil carefully laid plans or arrangements; to spoil something.

verge on »    To approach or come close to something; to border or be on the edge of something.

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.

wade in »    To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.

wail on »    To beat heavily on anything.

walk and chew gum at the same time »    To do something very easy.

walk in on »    To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.

walk in the park »    Something easy or pleasant, especially by comparison to something.

walk on eggshells »    To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.

warts and all »    Of or pertaining to a description or other depiction which reveals the full range of characteristics of a person or thing, including the shortcomings and imperfections.

wash down »    To help to swallow by drinking a liquid, after eating something, or taking a pill.

wash down »    To wash something completely from top to bottom.

wash out »    To remove something by washing.

watch one's head »    To look out for things one's head might bump into.

water under the bridge »    Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.

wax lyrical »    To talk about something with much interest or excitement.

weak sister »    A person or thing which is the least robust or least dependable member of a group.

wear rose-colored glasses »    To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.

wee small hours »    He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.

wet behind the ears »    Inexperienced; not seasoned; new; just beginning.

whack-a-mole »    The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.

whale on »    To beat heavily on anything.

what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander »    If something is acceptable for one person, it is acceptable for another.

whatever it takes »    Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.

wheel around »    To transport someone or something to various locations by pushing a wheeled transporter such as a wheelchair or a wheelbarrow or trolley.

where the sun don't shine »    Up or in the anus.

whip up »    To produce something quickly, especially of a meal.

whistle Dixie »    To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.

whistle in the dark »    To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.

white goods »    fridges, washing machines, etc

who pays the piper calls the tune »    One who pays for something controls it.

who shot John »    A long and involved explanation; a thing of which an explanation would be long and involved.

whole enchilada »    All of something or a group of related things taken in totality.

whole shebang »    A building or house and everything in it.

whole shebang »    Everything; the entire thing.

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.

win over »    To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.

wind down »    Lower by winding something.

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.

winkle out »    To acquire something or someone with difficulty.

wipe out »    To physically erase something written.

wishful thinking »    Decision-making based on self-delusion.

wishful thinking »    The illusion that what one would like is actually true.

within an ace of »    Very near; on the point of.

wolf in sheep's clothing »    Something harmful or problematic disguised as something peaceful or pleasant.

wooden spoon »    An ironic prize for finishing last in a competition.

work against the clock »    To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

world-beater »    Someone or something superior to all others of its sort.

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.

wring out »    To force someone to give something, usually truth, or money.

write down »    Down in writing; to record something.

write off »    Figuratively, to assign a low value to something.

yank off »    To remove something, like a piece of cloth or bread, by tearing it with one quick strong pull.

yank out »    To remove something like a nail, or a tooth with one quick strong pull.

yell silently »    To think very strong thoughts, that one wishes to yell out loud but does not.

yield up »    To give something against one's will.

yield up »    To disclose something hidden.

you can hang your hat on that »    It's something to put faith in, to rely upon or trust (when used in a positive connotation).

you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink »    You can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it.

you can't fight city hall »    (chiefly US) Nothing can be done to change the situation, because it is a governmental decision.I see they're going to build the airport after all. I suppose you can't fight city hall.

you can't judge a book by its cover »    It is not possible to make reliable judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.

you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear »    It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.

you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

you can't polish a turd »    (vulgar) Something inherently bad cannot be improved.

you can't unring a bell »    Some things can't be undone.

you know what »    A phrase used to get someone's attention before announcing something.

you name it »    Used after a short list to show that further examples are unnecessary; all kinds of things.

you're never too old to learn »    It is possible to learn new things, at any age; (implying) follow your desires and dreams

you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

zero in »    To focus one's aim; to zoom in and center on something.

zero in on »    To converge on something.

zone out »    To stop paying attention and think about something else, or to think about nothing.

BTW, Why won't you become an editor?