We've found 1972 phrases for IC (0.116 seconds):

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

a camel is a horse designed by a committee »    An expression critical of committees

a dime's worth »    An insignificant amount.

a few sandwiches short of a picnic »    Exhibiting disquiet or unsoundness of mind; not sane; mad.

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

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

a good voice to beg bacon »    Said in ridicule of a bad voice.

a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »    even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point

a leopard cannot change its spots »    One cannot change one's own nature.1597, William Shakespeare, Richard II Act i, Scene 1 (First Folio):King. Lyons make Leopards tame.Mowbray. Yea but not change his ?pots.1611, King James Version of the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23:Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe Chapter 32:End now all unkindness. Let us put the Jew to ransom, since the leopard will not change his spots, and a Jew he will continue to be.1918, Johnston McCulley, Thubway Tham's Inthane Moment:The leopard cannot change his spots, old boy.

a life of its own »    An independent existence with some characteristics of life.

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

a new broom sweeps clean »    New management will often make radical changes.

a picture is worth a thousand words »    Alternative form of a picture paints a thousand words.

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

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

a rising tide lifts all boats »    Benefits provided to a few may lead to conditions that are beneficial to all.

a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »    An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.

a stopped clock is right twice a day »    A normally unreliable person or instrument can occasionally provide correct information, even if only by accident.

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

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

abstract nonsense »    Details which involve diagram chasing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

add fuel to the fire »    To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.

add up to »    To have a particular effect.

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

against the clock »    In a time-restricted manner, to meet a deadline, hurriedly, timed.

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

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

aim at »    To design for a particular audience.

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

all cats are grey in the dark »    In the dark, physical appearance is unimportant.

all fired up »    Excited or energized; highly enthusiastic.

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

all in a day's work »    A nonchalant dismissal of a significant accomplishment.

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

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

all nations »    A composition of all the different spirits sold in a dram-shop, collected in a vessel into which the drainings of the bottles and quartern pots are emptied.

all of a sudden »    Adv suddenly, quickly.

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

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

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 the tea in China »    Something priceless or invaluable.

all well and good »    Basically good, but with some shortcoming or limitation.

all's fair in love and war »    unpleasant behavior is acceptable during love and conflict.

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

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

amateur hour »    A situation or activity in which the participants show a lack of skill, sound judgment, or professionalism.

an apple a day keeps the doctor away »    Apples are healthy and stave off illness.Eat healthy and you won't get sick.

an axe to grind »    A grievance, with implications of confrontation.

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

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

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

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

any press is good press »    Being mentioned in the media is beneficial to the subject because it gets publicity.

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

anything goes »    There are no rules or restrictions.

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

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

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

are your ears burning »    Said of somebody who was not present but was the topic of discussion.

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

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

arm candy »    An attractive, seemingly romantic companion who accompanies a person in public simply so that one or both of the individuals can gain attention, enhance social status, or create an impression of sexual appeal.

armed forces »    The Services

as if »    In mimicry of.

ass over teakettle »    Frantically.

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

assume the mantle »    To take on a specific role or position, along with any associated responsibilites.

at a loss »    Below the cost or price of purchase.

at a moment's notice »    Immediately; instantaneously; without need of warning.

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

At ease with nudity »    ISM free identification with nude recreation

at full tilt »    At full speed; very quickly.

at odds »    In disagreement; conflicting.

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

at the high port »    At once; unhesitatingly; quickly and vigorously.

at the ready »    Ready; in a state of preparation or waiting; in position or anticipation.

at the wheel »    Driving; in control of a vehicle.

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

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

back down »    To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously has or has planned to.

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

back into »    To reverse a vehicle into a space.

back off »    To become less aggressive, particularly when one had appeared committed to act.

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

back onto »    To reverse a vehicle onto something.

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

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

back up »    To move a vehicle backwards.

back-to-back »    Identical or similar and sequential.

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

bad joke »    A situation that is badly planned, or illogical.

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

bad 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.

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

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

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

bald eagle »    american bird

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

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

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

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

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

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

banged up »    Physically injured or wounded.

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

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

baptism by fire »    A change in initial attitude or ideals through a traumatic situation.

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

barrel »    A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is discharged.

barrel »    A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.

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

barrel of laughs »    That which is enjoyable or entertaining.

barrel of laughs »    That which is immature, embarrassing, or disgraceful.

barrow man »    A man under sentence of transportation; alluding to the convicts at Woolwich, who are principally employed in wheeling barrows full of brick or dirt.

bash about »    To physically damage something or assault someone.

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

bash up »    To assault someone with the intention of causing physical injury.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

beat around the bush »    To treat a topic but omit its main points, often intentionally.

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

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

beauty mark »    Or artificially using cosmetics.

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

beef to the hoof »    Fat, chubby, particularly with fat legs.

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

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

been to the rodeo »    N.d., Alan Neff, Precious Tribes, Vicious Lies, page 72.

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

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 the scenes »    In secret; out of public view.

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

below par »    Having a price below its face value.

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

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

bent on a splice »    About to be married.

best of both worlds »    A combination of two seemingly contradictory benefits.

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

between a rock and a hard place »    Having the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary.

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

big picture »    The main film in a double feature.

big picture »    The totality of a situation.

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

bite of the reality sandwich »    A wake-up call, a reality check.

bite the bullet »    To endure a punishment or consequence with dignity or stoicism.

bite to eat »    A snack or quick meal.

bitter end »    That part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains onboard when a ship is riding at anchor.

bitter end »    The end of a long and difficult process.

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

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.

blessed event »    An occurrence or occasion which is particularly noteworthy and enjoyable.

blind »    Any device intended to conceal or hide; as, a duck blind.

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

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

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

blood mary »    Vodka and tomato juice

blow the whistle »    To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.

blow the whistle »    To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.

blow this popsicle stand »    To leave an establishment speedily.

blow up »    To become popular very quickly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

born on the Fourth of July »    Demonstratively patriotic.

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

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

borne out »    Past participle of bear out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

brass monkey »    A cocktail of vodka, rum and orange juice, sometimes with the addition of galliano.

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

break a leg »    A wish for a successful performance; primarily a valediction to an actor wishing him or her a successful theatrical stage performance.

break a leg »    To perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.

break in »    To enter by force or illicit means.

break the ice »    To start to get to know people, by avoiding awkwardness.

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

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

brick up »    To block by masonry, particularly using bricks.

brick wall »    An obstacle.

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

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

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

brickbat »    Reason Magazine: Daily Brickbat[1].

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

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

bridge »    A system which connects two or more local area networks at layer 2.

bridge »    An edge which, if removed, changes a connected graph to one that is not connected.

bridge »    An elevated platform above the upper deck of a mechanically propelled ship from which it is navigated and from which all activities on deck can be seen and controlled by the captain, etc; smaller ships have a wheelhouse, and sailing ships were controlled from a quarterdeck.

bridge »    Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit.

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

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

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

bring it on »    Used to indicate one's willingness to accept a challenge, confront a threat, etc.

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

bring out »    To elicit, evoke, or emphasize a particular quality.

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

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

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

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

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

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

built like a brick shithouse »    Exceptionally well constructed; strong or tough.

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

bum rap »    A false accusation, or an injustice, especially one that leads to imprisonment.

bum steer »    Bad advice, regardless of intention.

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

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

business as usual »    The normal course of an activity, particularly in circumstances that are out of the ordinary.

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

business end »    The part of a tool or other similar item, that is physically used for its operation, rather than the part which is held.

business girl »    A young woman employed in business or office work.

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

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

busted flush »    A potential flush which ultimately was not filled.

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.

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

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

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

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

by the book »    In a manner which adheres strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.

by the by »    Used to introduce a new topic; incidentally.

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

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

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

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

call in »    To communicate with a base etc, by telephone.

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

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

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

call up »    An order to report for military service.

calling card »    A prepaid card or credit card, usually electronically readable, used to pay the charges when making a telephone call.

calling card »    A small printed card which identifies the bearer, traditionally presented for introduction when making a social visit to a home or when attending a formal social event or business meeting.

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

calling card »    Excrement, especially of a domestic animal.

can of worms »    A troublesome situation; an issue whose resolution is difficult or contentious, but not necessarily complex.

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

carbon copy »    duplicate

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

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

carry a tune »    To produce music, especially to sing, with accurate pitch.

carry on »    To have an illicit sexual liaison.

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

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

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

cat and mouse game »    Two individuals and/or groups repeatedly keeping check on each other in a suspicious or self-protective way, often with the goal of one or both parties trying to gain a malicious advantage over the other.

cat in the sack »    Something to be suspicious of.

cat's cradle »    Any complicated structure which appears to be without purpose.

catch up »    To pick up suddenly.

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

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

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

caucus race »    A political competition; the game of campaigning and one-upmanship to get votes and be elected.

caucus race »    The competitive process in which a political party selects their candidate, esp. presidential; a primary election via caucus.

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

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

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

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

chain reaction »    A nuclear reaction in which particles produced by the fission of one atom trigger fissions of other atoms.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

che sera sera »    Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1604, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus:Why then belike we must sin, / And so consequently die. / Aye, we must die an everlasting death. / What doctrine call you this ? Che, sera, sera: / What will be*, shall be; Divinity adieu. / These Metaphysics of Magicians, / And necromantic books, are heavenly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

chicken feed »    Food given to poultry.

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

chickens coming home to roost »    Consequences visited upon someone who originally had appeared to escape them.

child's play »    Something particularly simple or easy.

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

choke the chicken »    To masturbate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

clay »    A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.

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

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

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

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

climbing the walls »    Present participle of climb the walls.

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

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

cold turkey »    The physiological effects of such a withdrawal.

combine harvester »    farm vehicle

come down to »    To depend upon, basically, ultimately or in essence.

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

come online »    To enter service or become active.

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

come to »    To regard or specify, as narrowing a field of choices by category.

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

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

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

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

company »    A military unit, typically consisting of two or three platoons.

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

company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

concrete jungle »    An urban or other populated area containing a high density of buildings constructed of concrete or similar materials, especially one which lacks greenery and which seems unattractive, harsh, or unsafe.

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

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

coop up »    To confine in a restricted place or situation.

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

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

copy typist »    office worker

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

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.

coug it »    To suddenly lose a contest through reversal of fortune, mistakes, or bad judgment. The phrase is analogous to "blow it", or "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory".

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

cowgirl position »    A sex position in which the man lies on his back, and the woman sits on top of him facing him.

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.

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

cramp someone's style »    To restrict someone's free actions, or to give the impression of such.

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.

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

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

creep up »    To advance with stealth, unnoticed.

cross paths »    To be, by chance, in the same physical place at the same time, as a result of two completely separate journeys.

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

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

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

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

cross the floor »    To vote against one's own political party in parliament.

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

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

cry out »    To shout in a loud voice, due to pain, or fear, or unhappiness.

cry the blues »    To sing in the style of blues music.

crying shame »    It's a crying shame that so much money has been wasted on this pointless political campaign.

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

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

cut a wide swath »    To clear a broad track through a grassland, woodland, geographical region, or other area, either by natural means or by human action.

cut it »    To suffice; to be effective or successful.

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

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

cut the mustard »    To suffice; to be good or effective enough.

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

daily grind »    The difficult, routine, or monotonous tasks of daily work.

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

damn with faint praise »    To provide praise that is so minimal or inconsequential as to actually amount to criticism.

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

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

dash off »    To leave a place quickly or briefly.

dash off »    To write quickly or informally.

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

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

dead »    Stationary; static.

dead air »    An unintended interruption in a radio broadcast during which there is no sound; a similar interruption of a television broadcast in which there is neither sound nor a video signal.

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

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

dead to rights »    With sufficient evidence to establish responsibility definitively.

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

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

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

deep pockets »    An ample supply of money, especially money which one is willing to spend; the possessor of such money.

deep water »    A difficult or embarrassing situation.

deer in the headlights »    A mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety fear, panic, surpriseand/or confusion, or substance abuse. The behavioral signs are like a deer subjected to a car's headlights, such as widely opened eyes and a lack of motor reactions.

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

desk jockey »    One who spends his or her time seated at a desk; especially one who is more concerned with procedure, paperwork, or administration than with its ultimate goal or practical consequence.

desperate times call for desperate measures »    In adverse circumstances actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice.

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

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

diamonds are a girl's best friend »    A statement that suggests, while love is a luxury, material wealth (particularly jewellery) is more valuable in the long run.

dicky-bird »    A insignificant sound or thing.

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

dictated but not read »    Dictated, as to a secretary or stenographer, but not proofread by the person who dictated the text so annotated.

die »    Followed by for. Often expressing wider contextual motivations, though sometimes indicating direct causes.

die »    Followed by from. General use, though somewhat more common in medical or scientific contexts.

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

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

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

dime a dozen »    So common as to be practically worthless.

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

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

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

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

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

dive in »    To start a new endeavor enthusiastically and wholeheartedly.

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

do drugs »    To abuse an illegal drug or drugs, especially as a result of chemical addiction.

do justice »    To really allow to be apprehended in its full scope.

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 hard yards »    To perform a difficult task or tasks.

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

do the trick »    To work; to be successful; to solve a problem.

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

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

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

don't be penny wise and pound foolish »    Don't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.

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

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

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

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

don't hold your breath »    "Don't wait." Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned to is unlikely to happen soon or at all.

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

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

don't shit where you eat »    (idiomatic, vulgar) One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.1998 April 14, Nelson Navarro, "Ever faithful, ever true," Manila Standard (Philippines) (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):The guiding principle is Don't shit where you eat. Office romances are always destructive of morale and objectivity.2003 Oct. 8, Jonathan Valania, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Pussy," Philadelphia Weekly (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Limbaugh was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the NAB convention in, of all places, Philadelphia, thus violating the cardinal law of the animal kingdom: Don't shit where you eat.2006 Sept. 19, Michael Musto, "NY Mirror," Village Voice (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Mitchell refused to indulge in on-set romances with either gender. "You don't shit where you eat," he told me, plainly.

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

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

done a bunk »    Simple past tense and past participle of do a bunk.

donkey jacket »    thick garment

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

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

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

double-edged sword »    A benefit that is also a liability, or that carries some significant but non-obvious cost or risk.

down in the mouth »    Sad or discouraged, especially as indicated by one's facial appearance.

down pat »    Thoroughly practiced, rehearsed, or understood.

down to a fine art »    Having or showing exceptional proficiency.

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

down-to-earth »    Practical; realistic; pragmatic.

drag »    To pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty.

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

drama queen »    Any exaggeratedly dramatic person.

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

draw out »    To physically extract, as blood from a vein.

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

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

drive away »    To depart by driving a vehicle.

drop a dime »    To make a phone call, usually means calling the police to report another's activities.

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

drug of choice »    Substance that a suspect is addicted to.

drug of choice »    The best-choice medication to treat a particular medical problem.

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

dry eye »    An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.

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

dry run »    A practice; a rehearsal.

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

dumb down »    To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.

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

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

dyed in the wool »    Simple past tense and past participle of dye in the wool.

e mail »    electronic message

e pluribus unum »    A national motto of the United States of America, meaning "From many, one", or "out of many, one", referring to the integration of 13 independent colonies into one country, and that has taken an additional meaning, giving the pluralistic nature of American society from immigration.

each to his own »    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion or tastes.My housemate is a strict vegan. I personally could never not eat meat, but each to his own.

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

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

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

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

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

eat out »    To dine at a restaurant or such public place.

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

edge out »    To win in a contest or a game by a narrow margin of victory.

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

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

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

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

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

end of the world »    Any change that seems catastrophic or devastating.

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

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

esthetically challenged »    Of a person, ugly.

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

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

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

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

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

every which way »    All over; in every direction.

every which way »    In all sorts of ways or manners.

every which where »    A more emphatic version of everywhere.

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

execution style »    Resembling an execution; with the victim aware, but unable to defend himself or resist.

expose oneself »    To appear nude in public.

eye candy »    A very attractive person or persons, or the salient visible physical attributes of same.

eye for an eye »    Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.

eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth »    Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.

f** someone over »    To exploit somebody in a way which result in an advantage to oneself, at the cost of the other party gaining a considerable disadvantage.

f** this »    The phrase emphatically diminishes the activity or event referred to and expresses that the speaker will have no more to do with it.

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

face the music »    To accept or confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.

face to face »    In person; directly; in the physical presence of somebody.

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

factor space »    A space obtained from another by identification of points that are equivalent to one another in some equivalence relation.

facts on the ground »    Some aspects of the situation in a particular location.

fade out »    A type of transition used in movies usually at the end of a scene, in which the transition fades to black from the cut.

fail over »    To automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.

fair and square »    Within the applicable rules.

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

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

fall off »    A hip hop term; to completely lose the plot in terms of artistic direction.

fall off the turnip truck »    To be naive, uninformed, or unsophisticated, in the manner of a rustic person.

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

fall on one's face »    To fail, especially in a dramatic or particularly decisive manner.

fall on one's sword »    To commit suicide by allowing one’s body to drop onto the point of one’s sword..

fall short »    To be less satisfactory than expected; to be inadequate or insufficient.

fall through the cracks »    To be missed; to escape the necessary notice or attention.

family jewels »    Testicles.

far out »    New, radical and extreme.

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

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

feather in one's cap »    An accomplishment; particularly one that is flaunted or boasted of.

feather one's nest »    To achieve benefits, especially financial ones, by taking advantage of the opportunities with which one is presented; to amass a comfortable amount of personal wealth.

feed a cold, starve a fever »    Eating more will cure the common cold, and eating less will cure a fever.1887, J. H. Whelan, "The Treatment of Colds.", The Practitioner, vol. 38, pg. 180:"Feed a cold, starve a fever." There is a deal of wisdom in the first part of this advice. A person with a catarrh should take an abundance of light nutritious food, and some light wine, but avoid spirits, and above all tobacco.1968, Katinka Loeser, The Archers at Home, publ. Atheneum, New York, pg. 60:I have a cold. 'Feed a cold, starve a fever.' You certainly know that.2009, Shelly Reuben, Tabula Rasa, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ISBN 015101079X, pg. 60:They say feed a cold, starve a fever, but they don't tell you what to do when you got both, so I figured scrambled eggs, tea, and toast.

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

feel one's oats »    To feel energetic or frisky; to behave in a vigorous or bold manner.

feet of clay »    To say that someone, who appears strong or invincible, in fact has a hidden weak point which could cause their fall.

fence in »    To restrict freedom.

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

fifteen minutes of fame »    A very short time in the spotlight or brief flurry with fame, after which the person or subject involved is quickly forgotten.

fifth wheel »    A type of trailer hitch, which consists of a horseshoe-shaped plate on a multi-directional pivot, with a locking pin to couple with the kingpin of a truck trailer.

fifth wheel »    A very large trailer that is towed with a pickup truck.

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

fight fire with fire »    To respond to an attack with a similar or identical method.

fight off »    To resist, particularly an infection or an emotion.

fight tooth and nail »    To use every means possible to overcome a difficult opposition.

film critic »    movie reviewer

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

fine line »    A difference, albeit vague and difficult to discern.

fine print »    The details, restrictions, terms, or conditions, especially of a contract, often printed in very small type.

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

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

fire off »    To write a note or letter quickly.

fire-breathing »    Caustic, vitriolic or scathing.

firm up »    To make muscles more toned through physical exercise.

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.

fits and starts »    Activity which is intermittent, variable in intensity, and prolonged by interruptions.

five-finger discount »    Theft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.

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

flat-footed »    Having feet which are flat.

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

flesh out »    To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.

flick the bean »    To masturbate by stimulating the clitoris.

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.

flogging the land »    Damaging agricultural land through excessive grazing or clearing.

flower »    Typically including sepals, petals, stamens, and ovaries; often conspicuously colourful.

flunk out »    Often requiring a retaking of the course or academic year.

flutter in the dovecote »    I further argued that the principal cause for the political deadlock that persisted for thirty years after the guns fell silent was Israeli intransigence rather than Arab intransigence. The appearance of the first wave of revisionist studies excited a great deal of interest and controversy in the media and more than a flutter in the academic dovecote. — Israel Confronts Its Past.

fly in the face of »    To act in a manner highly contrary to; to counteract or contradict.

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

fly on the wall »    A quiet, non-participating, or unseen observer; an eavesdropper or witness.

fly-by-night »    A creatures which flies at night; a nocturnal flier or traveler.

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

fool's errand »    A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.

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

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

for kicks »    In order to obtain pleasure or excitement; for fun.

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

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

for the record »    Already publicly known.

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

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

force of habit »    An act that has been repeated to the point where the performance of the act becomes automatic.

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

fork over »    Hundreds of spectators forked over the 70 bucks for tickets.

forked tongue »    The characteristic of deceptiveness; duplicity; untruthfulness.

four score and seven years ago »    As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.

four-on-the-floor »    Relating to a vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission mounted beside the driver on the floor of the vehicle.

fourth estate »    Which governed legislation.

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

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

fox in the henhouse »    A relationships wherein a predator is granted free reign within the prey's home confinement, often used in the political sense.

freak flag »    Unconventional or unrestrained behavior; extreme, nonconformist views; the side of one's personality which harbors a tendency toward such behavior or such views.

free ride »    An opportunity or benefit which has no cost, especially one enjoyed or undertaken at the expense of others.

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

fresh start »    A new beginning, without prejudices.

frog in one's throat »    Any temporary physical difficulty in speaking.

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

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

fudge the issue »    Adopt a solution to a specific problem which does not address the larger, more general problem of which the specific problem is an instance.

full of beans »    Energetic and enthusiastic.

full of oneself »    Egotistical, believing oneself to be superior to others; preoccupied with one's own work, interests, point of view, etc.

full tilt »    As quickly as possible; very rapidly.

full-fledged »    Having full qualification, credentials or preparation; entire; real.

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

gandy dancer »    A railway laborer, especially a member of a crew which carries rails and affixes them to ties.

gapers' block »    A traffic jam resulting from motorists slowing to look at a motor vehicle collision or other roadside distraction.

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

get »    A difficult return or block of a shot.

get a handle on »    To build or acquire a basic level of understanding or control.

get a kick out of »    To be delighted by; to be amused by.

get a room »    A jocular or sarcastic expression commanding a couple to stop displaying affection in public, and to rent a hotel or motel room to continue amorous activities in private.

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

get high »    To intoxicate oneself with drugs or other substances.

get in »    To be elected to some office.

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

get off with »    To befriend someone and snog them, especially in a public place.

get on somebody's case »    To lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.

get on someone's wick »    To annoy or upset someone, usually by repeated disagreeable actions.

get one's butt somewhere »    Go somewhere, especially quickly.

get one's knickers in a twist »    To become overwrought or unnecessarily upset over a trivial matter.

get out of Dodge »    To leave; in particular to leave a difficult or dangerous environment with all possible haste.

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

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

get taken in »    To be unofficially fostered.

get the drift »    To understand, at least at some basic or general level.

gin and tonic »    alcoholic drink

give me liberty or give me death »    A set-phrase indicating enormous displeasure at any over-authoritarian policy or law.

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

give over »    To devote oneself to a particular activity.

give somebody a piece of one's mind »    To express one's opinion strongly; to voice one's disagreement or dissatisfaction.

give someone the chair »    To execute a person by means of the electric chair.

go ballistic »    To become very angry and irrational.

go blue »    Of states and counties, to be carried by a Democratic candidate in a given U.S. election.

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 from zero to hero »    To change from negative outcome to positive outcome. To improve one's fortunes significantly.

go mad »    Used to indicate that the second verb represents an action that is out of character.

go off »    To explode metaphorically; to become very angry.

go out »    To leave one's abode to go to public places.

go out with »    Date, be involved in a romantic relationship with.

go public »    Make public, announce publicly or to the press.

go red »    Of states or counties, to be carried by a Republican candidate in a given U.S. election.

go the distance »    To have the endurance to see a difficult sustained challenge to its natural end without faltering.

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

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

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 to the mat »    To continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.

go to the mattresses »    To go to war; to use ruthless tactics; to act without restraint.

go to town »    To proceed enthusiastically, vigorously, or expertly.

God works in mysterious ways »    Expressing confidence that a conundrum has a solution despite it not being apparent.Expressing that a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run.Person A: It seems that I'm about to be fired from my job.Person B: Well, God works in mysterious ways - maybe it'll be the kick you need to apply to university...

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

gold mine »    A very profitable economic venture.

golden handcuffs »    Any arrangement or agreement designed to provide extremely favorable benefits or pay, so as to discourage participant from wanting to leave, especially to retain a choice employee.

golden rule »    The principle that one should treat other people in the manner in which one would want to be treated by them.

golden ticket »    A philosophy that a quick fix can be achieved.

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

good drunk »    A person who is cheerful and companionable when intoxicated, retaining reasonable control of his or her mental and emotional faculties.

good riddance »    Used to indicate that a departure, or loss is welcome.

good to go »    Ready for some specific task or ready for normal activity, especially after preparation or recovery.

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

grab and go »    To get something quickly.

grace period »    A length of time during which rules or penalties do not take effect or are withheld.

grain of salt »    A bit of common sense and skepticism. Generally used in some form of to take with a grain of salt.

grass roots »    People and society at the local level rather than at the national centre of political activity.

grate »    A horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.

gratuitous violence »    The artificial depiction of excessive violence.

grease monkey »    A mechanic, often with the specific connotation of an automobile mechanic.

grease payment »    A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.

great unwashed »    A contemptuous term for the populace, particularly the working class.

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

green light »    A traffic light in its green state .

green with envy »    Consumed by envy; envious to the point where it is noticeable to others.

greener pastures »    Any place or condition that is more favorable or beneficial.

greenwash »    A false or misleading picture of environmental friendliness used to conceal or obscure damaging activities.

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

gross out »    To sicken.

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

group captain »    raf officer

grow a pair »    To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation in which one has so far failed to do so.

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

guilt trip »    A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.

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

gun it »    To accelerate or speed up quickly or suddenly.

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

gussie up »    To make fancy or attractive, as by artificial or contrived means.

gut feeling »    An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.

hack into »    To gain unauthorized entry to, particularly by exploiting little-known weaknesses.

hair of the dog »    An alcoholic drink taken the morning after to cure a hangover or withdrawal symptoms.

hair-splitting »    The act of finding exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.

hair-splittingly »    With exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.

halcyon days »    A period of calm, often nostalgic: “halcyon days of yore”, “halcyon days of youth”..

hammer and tongs »    With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.

hand down »    To forward to the proper officer .

hand grenade »    small explosive device

hand in hand »    Naturally, ordinarily or predictably together; commonly having a correlation or relationship.

hand over fist »    Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.

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

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

hang a Louie »    Make a left turn while driving a vehicle.

hang a Ralph »    Make a right turn while driving a vehicle.

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

happily ever after »    Living happily until death. Typically associated with fairy tales.

hard of hearing »    Having difficulty hearing; somewhat deaf.

hard pressed »    Having or likely to have difficulty or to find a task almost impossible.

hard-nosed »    Guided by practical experience and observation rather than by theory.

hardwired »    Designed to perform a specific task.

hardwired »    In humans and animals, genetically determined, instinctive behavior, as opposed to learned behavior.

hardwired »    Of devices, closely or tightly coupled.

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.

hat in hand »    With humility; in an apologetic or self-effacing fashion.

hatchet job »    A treatment which serves primarily to disparage its subject; a piece of criticism which aims to destroy a reputation.

haul ass »    To hurry; to move quickly, especially to leave.

have a bone to pick »    To have a complaint or grievance with somebody.

have a fit »    To experience an epileptic seizure.

have a frog in one's throat »    To feel the need to cough; to have a tickle in one's throat; to have a scratchy or uneven voice.

have a heart »    To be kind or sympathetic; to treat others kindly.

have bats in one's belfry »    To be crazy or eccentric.

have eyes in the back of one's head »    To be particularly, especially uncannily, observant; a perceived ability to see in all directions at once.

have it made »    To have accomplished all there is to do; to have no further work or difficulty; to have achieved a lifestyle characterized by good fortune and comfort.

have one's ducks in a row »    To be organized; to have one's affairs in order; specifically, to have a multi-person effort coordinated towards the exact same goal.

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

have one's heart set on »    To want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality.

have someone by the short hairs »    To have someone in a difficult situation in which he or she is without alternatives and can be controlled.

have tickets on oneself »    To be conceited.

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

he who laughs last laughs best »    success is better after having previously endured ridicule.

head over heels »    At top speed; frantically.

head scratcher »    A device used to scratch the head.

head scratcher »    A particularly puzzling or confusing event.

head-on »    Direct, abrupt, blunt or unequivocal; not prevaricating.

heads or tails »    A game to bet upon a which side of a coin lays face up after it is thrown.

heads-up »    A warning or call to pay attention; an advisory notice.

heart of glass »    A very fragile romantic state.

hell on earth »    A very unpleasant situation; torment, particularly when widespread.

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

hic Rhodus, hic salta »    (politics) Prove what you can do, here and now.

hide nor hair »    A trace, indication, or evidence, especially of a person.

hide one's light under a bushel »    For a person to keep some talent or skill hidden from other people. The tone is that a person having a talent which they can be proud of ought not hide it.

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

high ground »    A location which is at a relatively high elevation, especially in comparison to the immediate surrounding area.

high ground »    A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.

high road »    A course of action which is honorable, dignified, or respectable.

highway robbery »    Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.

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.

historical figure »    A fictional or fabricated person who was was given historical importance in legends and myth.

historical figure »    A person who lived long ago, usually of some historical note or importance.

hit home »    To do something particularly great.

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

hit paydirt »    To strike it rich; to get lucky or have a big break.

hit the books »    To study, especially with particular intensity.

hit the bottle »    To continually drink alcohol to excess, particularly in response to a setback.

hit the bricks »    To leave or depart; to get out.

hit the bricks »    To participate in a workplace strike or other job action; to participate in a public protest, especially one involving picketing.

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

hit the pavement »    To get moving in an automobile or other road vehicle.

hit the road »    To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.

hit the spot »    To be particularly pleasing or appropriate; to be just right.

hocus pocus »    chicanery

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

hold one's liquor »    To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming a significant amount of alcohol.

hold somebody's hand »    To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.

hold someone's feet to the fire »    To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce him or her to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for his or her actions.

hold water »    To withstand scrutiny or criticism; to be valid.

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

home is where you hang your hat »    Rather than feeling nostalgic or sentimental, one should simply accept any place where one happens to reside as one's home.1948, Ruth L. Yorck, "D.P.

homeless dumping »    The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the streets instead of placing them into the custody of a relative or shelter or retaining them in a hospital where they may require expensive medical care.

honesty is the best policy »    Honesty is the most honorable and fulfilling way to live one's life.

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

hoover up »    Quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from the plate rather than using cutlery.

hopped up »    Drugged; intoxicated.

horse of a different color »    An unrelated or only incidentally related matter with distinctly different significance.

horse opera »    A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.

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

horses for courses »    The practice of choosing the best person for a particular job.

hot and cold »    Ambivalent; having conflicting emotions.

hot and heavy »    Enthusiastic.

hot button »    A central issue, concern or characteristic, especially one that motivates people to make a choice.

hot desking »    The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.

hot lunch »    A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.

hot mess »    A warm meal, usually cooked in a large pot, often similar to a stew or porridge; or, service of such a heated meal to soldiers.

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

hot on »    Enthusiastic for.

hot potato »    A child's game in which players pass a ball or other item between them, with the object of avoiding being left holding the item when time expires.

hot potato »    An awkward or delicate problem with which nobody wants to be associated.

hothouse »    An environment in which growth or development is encouraged; a hotbed.

house of cards »    A structure made by laying cards perpendicularly on top of each other.

house warming »    Presented as a way of welcoming someone to a home into which he or she recently moved.

household name »    A genericized trademark or anepronym.

household name »    A very well-known public figure.

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

how do I get to Carnegie Hall »    A set phrase, spoken as a rhetorical question, which is answered "Practice, practice, practice!" or sometimes with the humorous literal directions to Seventh Avenue between 56th and 57th.

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

how's the weather »    Indicating a change of subject to unimportant topics.

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

hung the moon »    To view or be viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.

hunger is a good sauce »    (dated) Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.1854, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Shirley Brooks, Francis Cowley Burnand, Owen Seaman, Punch, Vol. XXVI, Punch Publications Ltd., page 74:His bread and cheese were somewhat dry, to be sure; his ale had become flat, and considerably warmer than was desirable; but hunger is a good sauce, and thirst is not particular.

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

ice cream »    dessert item

ice over »    To become covered in ice, usually of a body of water.

ice up »    To become clogged with ice, usually of a mechanical device.

idiot light »    Any warning light or indicator on the dashboard of a car, designed to alert the driver of problems, such as the parking brake being on or the oil being low.

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 pigs had wings they would fly »    (colloquial) Expresses speakers skepticism toward a hypothetical argument by another.

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

impiastro »    Poultice.

in a bind »    In a difficult situation, usually of one's own making; having a dilemma; faced with a problem or a set of problems for which there is no easy solution.

in a flash »    Very quickly.

in a pinch »    In an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.

in bed with »    Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.

in black and white »    Explicitly, in writing, clearly and without doubt or misunderstanding, without any grey areas.

in broad daylight »    In a blatant and publicly visible manner.

in evidence »    Visibly present; noticeable.

in for a dime, in for a dollar »    Americanised form of in for a penny, in for a pound.1983, Allen Drury, Decision, p. 356:In for a dime, in for a dollar, he thought crazily, and said what he had to say in a voice he forced to stay level and calm.1998, Ellen Miller, Like Being Killed, p. 47:In for a dime, in for a dollar. I whispered to Gerry,

in full swing »    Proceeding fully, quickly, or completely; thoroughly begun and in progress.

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

in one's element »    In a situation which is entirely appropriate or familiar.

in particular »    specially

in shape »    In a good state of physical fitness or bodily appearance.

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

in the dock »    Under scrutiny; subject to critical inspection.

in the fast lane »    In a lifestyle, employment position, or other set of circumstances where the rapid pace is exciting, frantic, or risky.

in the nick of time »    At the last possible moment; at the last minute.

in the reign of Queen Dick »    When pigs fly; never.

in the same boat »    In the same situation or predicament; having the same problems.

in the swim »    Actively participating in the flow of events; very involved.

in the thick of it »    In a precarious situation.

in the twinkling of an eye »    Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".

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

in the woods »    In critical condition; near death's door.

in touch »    In contact, or in communication.

in two shakes »    Very quickly; without delay.

in vain »    19C, Friedrich Nietzsche.

inside baseball »    Technical matters concerning baseball not apparent to spectators.

inside job »    A crime or other illicit action committed by or with the help of someone either employed by the victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs and premises.

into thin air »    Immediately and inexplicably out of sight.

is the Pope Catholic »    The answer to the question is, obviously, resoundingly affirmative.

it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God »    The rich can afford more immoral behavior than the poor.

it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog »    (rare or obsolete, proverb) If a person is determined to punish someone, they will find a way to do so.1596

it pays to advertise »    Good qualities do not get rewarded automatically.

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

ivory tower »    A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.

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

jack of all trades, master of none »    A master of integration, who knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring their disciplines together in a practical manner; a polymath; a renaissance man.

jack up »    To raise, increase, or accelerate; often said of prices, fees, or rates. See also jack up the price.

jacktar »    Nickname for a sailor in the Royal Navy.

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

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

jump about »    To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.

jump around »    To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.

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

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

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

jump off »    To participate in the final round of an equestrian showjumping event.

jump on »    To board a public transport vehicle.

jump on »    To attack someone verbally, or criticise them over strongly for small errors.

jump rope »    The activity, game or exercise in which a person must jump, bounce or skip repeatedly while a length of rope is swung over and under, both ends held in the hands of the jumper, or alternately, held by two other participants. Often used for athletic training and among schoolchildren. Variations involve speed, chants, varied rope and jumper movement patterns, multiple jumpers and/or multiple ropes.

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

jump the shark »    To undergo a storyline development which is so ridiculous that previous quality is considered to have been lost.

jungle telegraph »    A gossip network; an informal communication system within a group or organization.

jungle telegraph »    A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds or a relay of runners.

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

kangaroo court »    A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.

keep it real »    To be authentic, true to oneself; to be cool.

keep your friends close, and your enemies closer »    One should be on their toes and alert of their surroundings if malicious people are around, to ensure such people can't wreak havoc in one's life.

kernel of truth »    A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.

kettle of fish »    A situation which is recognized as different from or as an alternative to some other situation, and which is not necessarily unfavorable.

kettle of fish »    An awkward situation; a predicament.

kick around »    To abuse or mistreat; to bully.

kick around »    To wander loose; to float around; to hang around.

kick ass »    To be very impressive.

kick ass »    To beat someone at something.

kick ass »    To beat someone in a fight.

kick back »    To relax.

kick butt »    To be impressive; to be decisively good or pleasant.

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

kick in »    To kick or strike so as to cause the object struck to collapse or fall inwards.

kick in »    To start or connect suddenly.

kick in »    To contribute, especially to a collection of money.

kick off »    To make the first kick in a game or part of a game.

kick off »    To start; to launch.

kick off »    To shut down or turn_off suddenly.

kick off »    To force the weaning of a bovine cow's calf by restricting the calf's access to its mother's udders. Used figuratively or literally.

kick off the team »    In sports, to dismiss an athlete from a team, usually for misconduct, poor academic performance or other offenses.

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

kick out »    To stop, stall, or disconnect suddenly.

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

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

kick the bucket »    To die.

kick the dust »    To die

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

kick up »    Into the air while running or walking or driving.

kick up »    To function improperly.

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.

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

kicking and screaming »    With extreme reluctance.

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

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs »    To seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit.

king of hearts »    picture card

kiss up »    To pay false flattery to another, particularly a superior at work, in order to get special attention.

kitchen table software »    Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.

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

knock back »    To drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly or often.

knock down »    To reduce the price of.

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

knock up »    To put together, fabricate, or assemble, particularly if done hastily or temporarily. See also knock together.

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

knocked up »    "pregnant", typically outside of marriage.

knuckle sandwich »    A punch to the face, especially to the mouth.

labor of love »    A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.

lame joke »    An attempt at humor which is perceived to have been used previously to the point of being cliche, or was never funny to begin with.

land of opportunity »    A nickname for the United States.

land on one's feet »    To be lucky, or successful, often in difficult situations.

landing strip »    A cultivated pubic hair pattern in which much of the pubic hair is removed, leaving only a central vertical line or rectangle.

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

lap of luxury »    A position or situation in which one is spoiled and indulged.

lapsed academic »    A person formerly employed as a professor or researcher in a university or other institution of higher education, especially one who no longer attempts to remain current in his or her former academic field.

last minute »    Point in time, too close to a deadline to reasonably begin a critical task.

last resort »    The only remaining, unwanted, option or choice.

late model »    Recently designed or fabricated; new.

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

laughter is the best medicine »    It is healthy to laugh.

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

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

lay down »    To sacrifice, especially in the phrase "to lay down one's life.".

lay down the law »    To authoritatively or dogmatically assert what is permitted or not permitted.

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

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

lay up »    To take out of active service.

lay up »    To go out of active service.

lead »    Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.

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

leave somebody in the lurch »    To abandon somebody; especially, to abandon somebody and leave him or her in a difficult situation.

leave to one's own devices »    To leave alone, unsupervised, without assistance.

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

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

left-handed compliment »    A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.

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

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

let-down »    A disappointment or anticlimax.

letters after one's name »    A list of abbreviations, separated by commas, representing the academic qualifications and civil or military honours achieved by a person.

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

licence to print money »    The authority to print money, usually given to a central bank exclusively as the issuer of currency.

lick one's chops »    To anticipate something eagerly.

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

lick one's chops »    To use one's tongue to remove moistness from the sides of one's mouth, as when salivating or at the conclusion of a meal.

lick one's wounds »    He's just off licking his wounds. He'll be back to try again.

lick one's wounds »    To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat.

lick out »    To perform cunnilingus on.

life of the party »    A person who participates in entertainment events in a very enthusiastic manner and who has a leading role in inspiring others to join in the spirit of festivity.

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

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

like hot cakes »    Quickly, especially by purchase or consumption.

like it's going out of style »    Enthusiastically, to an excessive degree.

link whoring »    The practice of going out of one's way to place links to one's website on someone else's webpage.

lion »    A large cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly to much of Europe. The term may apply to the species as a whole, to individuals, or to male individuals. It also applies to related species like mountain lions.

lion »    The arms of the University of the West Indies are Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished Or on a Chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. Crest: A Pelican proper. . See talk page.

lip service »    Empty talk; words absent of action or intention.

listen in »    To listen without participating.

live by the sword, die by the sword »    One who uses violence can expect a violent response. It is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible.(figuratively) One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey poetic justice.

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

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

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

live wire »    An electrical wire through which there is a flow of electrical current.

live wire »    An especially energetic, alert, or vivacious person.

Living high on the hog »    Living richly, often above one's means

lock horns »    To come into conflict.

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

long drink »    Any drink containing more than 5 ounces of liquid and less than 9 ounces. Typically, a long drink will have lots of ice and mixer.

long goodbye »    Nickname for Alzheimer's disease, especially for the final phase of the disease, during which the patient suffers a progressive decline of cognitive and motor skills and gradually loses the ability to recognize and to communicate with family and friends.[1]; nickname for the relationship between a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease and that person's family or friends.

long row to hoe »    A difficult or arduous task.

long shot »    A master shot, the primary wide shot of a scene into which the closeups will be edited later.

long shot »    Something unlikely; something that has little chance of happening or working. The term arose from the accuracy of early ship guns, which were effective only at close range and unlikely to hit the mark at any great distance.

long ways, long lies »    Someone who comes back from a far-off country can tell lies without fear of being contradicted.

longpig »    Human flesh when cooked in cannabalistic rituals in certain Pacific Islands, due to the allegeded similarity to cooked pork.

look daggers »    To stare sharply at someone to indicate disapproval without actually speaking.

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

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

look to »    To seek inspiration or advice from someone.

look what the cat's dragged in »    Used as an ironic acknowledgement of someone's arrival, especially to imply that they are unwelcome or disagreeable in some way.

look-in »    A chance to participate, compete, or succeed.

look-in »    A quick glance.

look-in »    A quick short pass to a receiver running diagonally toward the center of the field.

Loose cannon »    An uncontrolled or unpredictable person who causes damage to his own friends, faction, political party, etc.

lord of the flies »    A ruler over a worthless kingdom; leader of a meaningless microcosm.

lose face »    To lose the respect of others, to be humiliated or experience public disgrace.

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

lose the plot »    To cease to be behaving in a predictable and/or rational manner.

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

low blow »    A rhetorical attack that is considered unfair or unscrupulous.

low road »    A course of action which is undignified, wrongful, or otherwise unseemly.

lower the boom »    To use one's superior physical strength; clobber.

lubrication payment »    A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.

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

lucky dip »    A game in which prizes are covered up and mixed together in a container, so that contestants can dip their hand into the container and randomly pull out a prize.

mad money »    A sum of money kept in reserve or to insulate oneself financially in the event of the sudden breakdown of a relationship in which one is economically dependent.

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

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

make a living »    To earn enough income to support oneself and, if applicable, one's family.

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 virtue of necessity »    To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.

make an exhibition of oneself »    To embarrass oneself or others in public.

make fun of »    To tease, ridicule or make jokes about.

make game of »    To ridicule; to jest.

make it snappy »    Do it quickly; be quick about it.

make no bones about »    To see no difficulty in, have no objection to.

make out »    To fabricate a story.

make quick work of »    To accomplish a specified task easily and quickly.

make short work of »    To make a task quicker or easier.

make up »    To apply cosmetics or makeup.

man made »    artificial

managerial inbreeding »    Bad management, caused by managers making poor selection choices in recruitment, rewards, and promotions of the staff that report to them, leading to another generation of managers who lack the necessary skill sets to reward and promote the most effective staff.

many a mickle makes a muckle »    (UK) a lot of small amounts together, become a large amount.

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

mark down »    To reduce the price of.

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

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

matter of course »    A natural or logical outcome.

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

meal ticket »    A ticket or voucher that can be exchanged for food.

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

measure twice and cut once »    (literally, carpentry) One should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material.1872, "Dressmaking," Hall's Journal of Health, vol. 19, no. 12, p. 280:Look at Carpenters! . . . In old times it was a proverb "Measure twice, and cut once."(figuratively, by extension) Plan and prepare in a careful, thorough manner before taking action.2008, Hilary Johnson, "Mergers rattle bank relations," Financial Week, 9 Nov. (retrieved 9 Nov. 2008):Mr. Paz noted that since the onset of the credit crisis, eBay, like other companies, hasn

measure twice, cut once »    Alternative form of measure twice and cut once.

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

medicine man »    sharman

mercury »    A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.

mess up »    To discombobulate, utterly confuse, or confound psychologically; to throw into a state of mental disarray.

mickey finn »    spiked drink

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

middle of the road »    Having a centrist attitude or philosophy; not extreme, especially politically.

middle of the road »    Of a type of melodic popular music that has wide appeal.

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

mills of the gods grind slowly »    Justice may arrive slowly, but it cannot be avoided.

mind over matter »    Willpower alone can overcome a physical problem.

mine arse on a bandbox »    An answer to the offer of any thing inadequate to the purpose for which it is proffered, like offering a bandbox for a seat.

miner's canary »    A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.

miners' canary »    A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.

mix it up »    To compete vigorously, to quarrel, or to fight physically.

mixed bag »    By extension, a group of entities with few characteristics in common; an assortment.

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

mixed message »    Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.

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.

monkey business »    An activity that may be considered illegal, questionable, or a vice, but not felonious.

monkey on one's back »    An addiction, especially to narcotic drugs.

moral high ground »    A position or point of view which is ethically superior or more reputable, in comparison to others which are under consideration.

morning person »    A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.

mother hen »    A female chicken who bears eggs or chicks.

mouth of a sailor »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

mouth organ »    harmonica

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

music to one's ear »    Some unexpected good news; a favorable outcome after some initial confusion or delay.

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

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

naked as a jaybird »    Stark naked; nude; especially, naked in a public setting and without embarrassment.

narrow down »    Make more specific.

ne'er cast a clout til May be out »    Advice not to change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.

necker's knob »    A knob attached to the steering wheel of an automobile, especially before the widespread availability of power steering, helping the driver steer with one arm and leaving the other arm free to provide romantic attention to a companion.

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

neither here nor there »    Not important; having no significance or influence on the question at hand; not related; not relevant; not germane; not pertinent.

nervous hit »    A production which receives generally favorably notice, but is not assured of success.

nest egg »    A natural or artificial egg placed in a bird's nest, to encourage the bird to lay its own eggs there.

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.

nice guy »    An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.

nickel and dime »    Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.

nickel-and-dime »    Alternative spelling of nickel and dime.

nightcap »    A beverage drunk before bed that is usually alcoholic.

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

no dice »    An unacceptable alternative.

no dice »    An unfavorable result.

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

no good deed ever goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

no good deed goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

no holds barred »    Without reserve; in an especially ruthless or vicious manner.

no holds barred »    Without restrictions on holds or what opponents may do.

no ifs, ands, or buts »    Period; exactly so; without modification, limitation, or addendum.

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 rest for the wicked »    (humorous) People who are wicked must work harder than normal people.

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

no smoke without fire »    Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.

no spring chicken »    Said of a person who is no longer particularly young.

no two ways about it »    No other possible action, choice or option.

noarch »    Short for "no architecture". It is a term used mainly in package management systems to mark packages which are architecture independent. Such packages usually contain graphics, documentation or similar data that can be used on any architecture.

nobody's perfect »    Used when someone's mistakes or flaws are acknowledged, to remind that everyone else makes mistakes and has flaws1995, New York Magazine Vol. 28, No. 5, 30 January 1995, The de-moralization of society (Book Review)Hypocrisy, particularly in sexual matters, is excused on the grounds that hey, nobody's perfect, and at least folks back then felt bad enough to lie.2000, Madonna, Nobody's PerfectI feel so sad. What I did wasn't right. I feel so bad and I must say to you: Sorry, but nobody's perfect. Nobody's perfect. What did you expect? I'm doing my best

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.

nose-pick »    To pick boogers from the nose.

nose-picker »    One who picks their nose.

nose-picking »    To insert a finger into one's nostril, especially to remove mucus.

not cricket »    Unsportsmanlike.

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

not on your tintype »    An answer indicating outright rejection or denial; no way; absolutely not.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Francis Lynde, The Quickening.

not worth a plug nickel »    Having no or almost no value; worthless.

now you're cooking »    A phrase, often given in response, meaning that the subject has switched to a more suitable or more efficient approach.

now you're talking »    A phrase indicating agreement with a previously stated suggestion to change a course of action.

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

nugget of truth »    January 2008, Chicago Tribune - Clinton's Hispanic edge over Obama.

nuthouse »    A lunatic asylum.

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

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

object lesson »    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 »    A visual puzzle where the guesser has to choose which word/picture/symbol etc. does not fit with the others.

of an »    Indicates a more or less habitual activity during the given part of the day.

of course »    Asserts that the associated phrase should not be argued, particularly if it is obvious or there is no choice in the matter.

of course »    Indicates enthusiastic agreement.

off balance »    Not physical balanced; not having physical equilibrium.

off board »    Not participating.

off licence »    drinks shop

off the beaten path »    In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.

off the chain »    Crazy and exciting; delirious and wild. By analogy to a frenetic dog when unleashed.

off the deep end »    Crazy, erratic, or irrational.

off-roader »    A vehicle that is designed to drive off the road.

off-the-shelf »    As purchased or as commonly available, without modification or customization.

oil burner »    A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.

oil burner »    A heating device which burns fuel oil; an oil furnace.

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 money »    The imperial system of measurement, as opposed to the metric system.

old saw »    A cliché, saying, or overused expression; especially a proverb or maxim.

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

old stick »    A man, chap, fellow, guy.

old time used to be »    Roberta, lyrics by Leadbelly.

old time used to be »    Somebody Loan Me A Dime. lyrics by Boz Scaggs.

on acid »    Exaggerated, bizarre or unpredictable.

on average »    Usually, typically; as a rule; as often as not.

on board »    Joining in or participating.

on ice »    Not being used, or not to be used e.g.

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

on its merits »    Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.

on one's hands »    Being one's liability or responsibility; with which one is lumbered.

on opposite sides of the barricades »    Of starkly different, opposite views on an issue.

on pins and needles »    Feeling sharp anticipation or anxiety; in a state of suspense.

on spec »    I'm writing an article on spec. I hope some magazine will buy it.

on steroids »    To a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.

on the blink »    Functioning erratically, malfunctioning; not working or not working well. Usually refers to a mechanical or electronic device.

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

on the bubble »    Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position.

on the cheap »    Economically, especially if too economically.

on the clock »    Displayed numerically on the mileage or kilometric gauge.

on the clock »    In the official time expired in a game or other sporting event.

on the clock »    In the official time remaining in a game or other sporting event.

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

on the defensive »    Prepared to defend or protect against criticism, attack or aggression.

on the dot »    Exactly; precisely, especially of a numerical quantity.

on the line »    On a level with the eye of the spectator; said of a picture, as hung in an exhibition of pictures.

on the make »    Actively seeking a romantic encounter or relationship.

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

on the sly »    Slyly, in an inconspicuous manner, so as not to be seen; secretly; stealthily.

on the spot »    In a particular place.

on the spur of the moment »    On very short notice; spontaneously.

on the uptake »    In understanding or in the ability to absorb new information; especially in the phrases "quick on the uptake" and "slow on the uptake".

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

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

on top of the world »    Delighted; ecstatic; exceptionally pleased, happy, or satisfied.

once bitten, twice shy »    One is cautious in the future if one has been hurt in the past.

once or twice »    A small, indefinite number of times.

one at a time »    Individually, as opposed to collectively; slowly or methodically, figuratively.

one brick short of a full load »    Not mentally sound; insane.

one brick short of a full load »    Stupid.

one in the eye for »    An event or achievement which is unpleasant for someone, especially for those who considered it impossible or unwelcome; an annoyance.

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

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

one swallow does not a summer make »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one swallow doesn't make a summer »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one thousand »    Used in a common chronometric counting scheme, in which each iteration is sequentially numbered and supposed to be approximately one second in length.

one-hit wonder »    A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.

one-man band »    A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.

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-trick pony »    A performing animal that knows only one trick.

one-trick pony »    A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.

one-upmanship »    The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.

ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »    (biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.

open a can of whoop ass »    A good-humored threat of physical harm.

opening time »    hour at which a pub can start serving

opt in »    To choose to participate in something.

opt out »    To choose not to participate in something.

orphan drug »    But which is not manufactured or marketed because the demand is insufficient to cover the costs of supply.

out loud »    Using the voice; not silently; aloud.

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 house and home »    Cassandra Chrones Moore, Haunted Housing: How Toxic Scare Stories Are Spooking the Public Out of House and Home.

out of it »    Not participating in some trend or group.

out of line »    Inappropriate or unsuitable, especially by reason of being unmannerly or indelicate.

out of nowhere »    In an unexpected or inexplicable manner of arrival or occurrence.

out of one's depth »    To be in a situation which one is poorly prepared or unprepared to handle.

out of one's league »    In a situation in which one is mismatched with one or more others, whose accomplishments, preparedness, or other characteristics are on a significantly higher or lower level than one's own.

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

out of sorts »    Irritable or somewhat unwell, with vague medical symptoms.

out of touch »    No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.

out of touch »    No longer maintaining contact or communications.

out of whack »    Wrong, broken; specifically.

out of whole cloth »    Fabricated, fictitious.

out the window »    Made obsolete; altered drastically as a result of situational change.

outside world »    The rest of the world outside of some closed, restricted, or remote environment.

over a barrel »    In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.

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

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

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

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.

paint the town red »    To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.

paint with a broad brush »    To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.

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 written document that reports scientific or academic research and is usually subjected to peer review before publication in a scientific journal or in the proceedings of a scientific or academic meeting .

paper »    A written document, generally shorter than a book , in particular one written for the Government.

parade of horribles »    A parade featuring a progression of people wearing comic and grotesque costumes.

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

park the car in Harvard Yard »    A sentence used to illustrate that the Boston accent is non-rhotic; typically pronounced "pahk the cah in Hahvad Yahd".

parking lot »    A major thruway blocked by stop and go traffic.

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

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

party crasher »    Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.

pass muster »    To measure up to a particular standard.

pass on »    To convey or communicate.

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

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

patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels »    The appeal to patriotism is often used to distract the public from real issues.

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

pay one's dues »    To acquire status or to earn the right to enjoy certain benefits, especially through lengthy experience, hardship, or service to an organization.

pay one's dues »    To outlay money which is owed as a membership fee or price of admission.

pay the fiddler »    To contribute in order to participate.

pay through the nose »    To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.

peachy keen »    Extremely good, exactly right; all right. Often used in the negative or with an ironic or sarcastic connotation to mean the opposite.

peanut gallery »    Any source of heckling, unwelcome commentary or criticism, especially from a know-it-all or of an inexpert nature.

pearl of wisdom »    A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.

peashooter »    A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.

pee off »    Euphemistic variant of piss off.

peed off »    Simple past tense and past participle of pee off.

pelt of the dog »    An immoderate, excessive quantity of alcohol drunk the morning after whilst suffering withdrawal symptoms or a hangover, which goes beyond alleviating the complaint to causing drunkenness; cf. hair of the dog.

pencil pusher »    One who does routine office work; someone involved mainly in paperwork.

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

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones »    Do not criticize others if you have weaknesses yourself.

perfect storm »    A powerful hurricane or other major weather disturbance, especially as produced by a combination of meteorological conditions.

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

physical break »    A short break in a meeting or in a classroom setting, intended to improve attention.

pick of the litter »    The best person or item in a group.

pick on »    To bully or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.

pick one's nose »    The act of picking one's nose, insertion of a finger or other object into one's nostril.

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

pick up »    To lift; to grasp and raise.

pick up »    To collect an object, especially in passing.

pick up »    To clean up; to return to an organized state.

pick up »    To collect a passenger.

pick up »    To improve, increase, or speed up.

pick up »    To restart or resume.

pick up »    To learn, to grasp; to begin to understand.

pick up »    To receive.

pick up »    To notice, detect or discern, often used with "on".

pick up »    To point out (a person's behaviour, habits or actions),in a critical manner.

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

pick up »    To answer a telephone. See pick up the phone.

pick up »    To pay for.

pick up speed »    accelerate

pick up stitches »    Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.

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

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

pickle »    Any vegetable preserved in vinegar and consumed as relish.

pickle »    A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown.

pickle »    A cucumber preserved in a solution, usually a brine or a vinegar syrup.

pickle »    A difficult situation, peril.

pickle »    A penis.

pickle »    A rundown.

pickle »    An affectionate term for a loved one.

pickle »    The brine used for preserving food.

piece of cake »    One slice of cake.

piece of work »    A product or manufactured article, especially an item of art or craft.

pile-up »    A traffic accident or collision involving multiple vehicles.

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

pink slip »    An automobile roadworthiness inspection certificate.

pink slip »    Notice of the termination of employment.

pissing contest »    An argument which is instigated, or exacerbated while consuming alcohol.

play along »    To take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.

play around »    To engage in sexual practices outside of marriage.

play dumb »    To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.

play hardball »    To act rough and ruthless, especially in politics or business.

play Old Harry »    Blenkiron and I have been moving in the best circles as skilled American engineers who are going to play Old Harry with the British on the Tigris. — John Buchan, "Greenmantle", 1916..

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

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

play to the gallery »    To appeal to the least sophisticated parts of an audience in order to obtain maximum approval.

play with fire »    To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially.

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

plus fours »    knickerbockers

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

point of no return »    The point in an aircraft's flight when there is insufficient fuel to reverse direction and return to the place of origin.

point out »    To tell, remind, indicate to someone.

poison tree bears poison fruit »    Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.

pope's nose »    The tail end piece of a cooked chicken.

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

pot calling the kettle black »    A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.

potter »    One who makes pots and other ceramic wares.

potter's field »    A public place where strangers, paupers, and criminals are buried.

potty mouth »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

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

pour out »    To leave a place quickly, and in large numbers.

power chord »    A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power chords make extensive use of intervals such as open fourths and fifths.

power point »    electrical socket

power up »    To turn the electrical power on to a device as a precondition to make it operational.

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

powers that be »    The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially as seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.

practice makes perfect »    If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.

pre-war »    Describing the most recent or significant war in a culture's history.

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

press the flesh »    To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.

pretty penny »    A considerable amount of money; a high price or a high income.

pretty pictures »    Image supplements in a presentation: graphs, charts, etc.

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

price on one's head »    A compensation for capturing or killing a person, especially someone guilty of a crime.

price out of the market »    To charge an exorbitant price for a service or product so that no one will purchase it.

prick up one's ears »    To listen attentively.

problem child »    A child who is particularly difficult to raise or educate, especially due to a lack of self-control and disruptive and antisocial behavior.

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

pronunciamiento »    A military uprising or coup in Spain or the Spanish American republics, particularly in the 19th century. They received this designation because coups were usually accompanied by a statement declaring the existing government null and void.

proverbs come in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.

proverbs run in pairs »    Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work."1863, Sir Richard Burton, Abeokuta and the Camaroons Mountains, vol. 1, Tinsley (London), p. 309:Moreover, all the world over, proverbs run in pairs, and pull both ways: for the most part one neutralizes, by contradiction, the other.

puddle jumper »    A small passenger airplane, typically used for shorter connecting trips to smaller airports.

pull a fast one »    To deceive or trick.

pull my finger »    A phrase used when playing a prank regarding flatulence, in which a mark is asked to pull the finger of the person playing the prank, who simultaneously flatulates so as to suggest a causal relationship between the pulling of the finger and the resulting expulsion of gas.

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

pull one's head in »    To withdraw as a turtle might; to discontinue support of a particular argument.

pull out »    To maneuver a vehicle from the side of a road onto the lane.

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

pull the other one, it's got bells on »    The implication is that one leg has been pulled, and the joker will have more fun with the other one due to the bells.

pull the plug »    To cease from production or publication.

pull up »    Lift upwards or vertically.

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

put across »    To perform a theatrical production.

put down »    To make prices, or taxes, lower.

put down »    To drop someone off, or let them out of a vehicle.

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

put into practice »    To take a theory and make it a practical reality.

put on »    To play recorded music.

put one over »    To fool, trick or deceive.

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

put one's foot in it »    To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.

put oneself across »    To explain one's ideas and opinions clearly so that another person can understand them and get a picture of your personality.

put out »    The statistic of the number of outs a defensive player directly caused.

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

put the boot in »    To kick a fallen opponent.

put the boot in »    To kick someone when they are down.

put the cat among the pigeons »    Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way. — The Times, 19 September 1994.

put the hammer down »    To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.

quantum mechanics »    Something overly complicated or detailed.

quantum mechanics »    The branch of physics which studies matter and energy at the level of atoms and other elementary particles, and substitutes probabilistic mechanisms for classical Newtonian ones.

queer fish »    An odd or eccentric person.

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

question mark »    The punctuation mark “?”, used at the end of a sentence to indicate a question..

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

quick-and-dirty »    Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.

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

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

quicumque vult »    The Athanasian Creed.

rag bagger »    A sailboat, usually a cruising sailboats which tend to carry and store lots of supplies along the deck, or any sailboat that looks like a neglected vessel, or messy vessel.

rag the puck »    To retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.

rags to riches »    In a biographical context, from poverty to exceptional wealth.

rain check »    In social interactions, a polite way to turn down an invitation, with the implication one is simply postponing it and that another time would be acceptable.

rain check »    To provide a service at a later date.

rain cheque »    Any voucher or note issued by a store to allow a customer to get a special or sale price later if an item is out of stock.

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

raise the stakes »    To increase in significance or risk.

rake »    A set of coupled rail vehicles, normally coaches or wagons.

rank and file »    Those lacking any particular title or status; those having no station.

rat race »    An activity or situation which is congested with participants and which is hectic or tedious, especially in the context of a busy, modern urban lifestyle.

rat running »    Present participle of rat run.

rattle off »    To list or recite quickly.

read between the lines »    To infer a meaning that is not stated explicitly.

read out »    To read some data and inform the person using the device.

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

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

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.

reap what one sows »    To receive as a reward or harvest in the same measure as one's exertions, in a good or a bad sense. To receive justice.

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

reckon without »    To ignore that which cannot readily be ignored.

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 light »    A warning light, especially as a traffic signal indicating ‘stop’..

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

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

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

rediscover fire »    To relearn fundamental concepts, principles or practices that had been previously well known and widely practiced at a prior time in human society.

redolent »    Fragrant or aromatic; having a sweet scent.

rest his soul »    Used parenthetically to mark the referent as being deceased.

rhyme off »    To list or recite quickly.

rhyme or reason »    Logic. Common sense.

ride out »    To tackle a difficult problem and survive.

ride shotgun »    To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

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

right away »    Very soon; quickly; immediately.

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

rim job »    Anilingus; act where one person licks the other's anus.

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

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

roach coach »    Whimsically, a catering or food truck.

road movie »    A film in which much of the action takes place during a journey, especially one involving overland travel.

roadwarrior »    A person who carries a mobile device such as a laptop or PDA and uses wireless internet connections to work.

rob the cradle »    To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.

robber baron »    In Europe, an aristocrat who charged exorbitant fees or otherwise exacted money from people who journeyed across land or waterways which he controlled.

rock up »    To work one's way vertically up a chimney or cleft using a rocking movement.

rock up »    To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.

rocket scientist »    Someone qualified to understand or handle that which is overly complex, detailed or confusing; a genius.

roll down the windows »    To flail one's arms in a circular motion when off-balance, as to mimic the act of rolling down a car window.

roll in wealth »    To be very rich.

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

root cause »    An initiating cause of a chain of events which leads to an outcome or effect of interest.

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

rose-coloured »    Cheerfully optimistic.

roses are red »    The start of a generic poem about love.

rough around the edges »    In need of refinement; unsophisticated.

rough sledding »    A difficult period of time.

rough trot »    A series of difficult circumstances.

round off »    To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.

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

rule of thumb »    A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.

rule with an iron fist »    To rule with absolute authority or to the detriment of the people. To rule tyrannically.

rumor campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

run down »    To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.

run down »    To criticize someone or an organisation, often unfairly.

run down »    To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device.

run down »    To read quickly a list or other short text.

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

run for office »    To seek political power.

run for one's money »    A difficult challenge for the person indicated, especially one involving a competitive situation.

run for one's money »    A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation.

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

run off »    To flee or depart quickly.

run off »    To write something quickly.

run off »    To leave someone without prior advice.

run off »    To operate by a particular energy source.

run on »    To operate with a particular energy source.

run on fumes »    To operate a vehicle that is low on fuel.

run over »    To practice quickly, briefly.

run through »    To pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a group, organisation, or system.

run to »    To reach a particular maximum amount, size, value, etc.

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

rush hour »    The times of the day when traffic jams are commonplace, due mainly to people commuting to or from work.

rustle up »    To quickly prepare something.

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

sainted »    Simple past tense and past participle of saint.

same old story »    What usually happens, a happening which is not surprising.

scarf down »    To eat something quickly.

scissorbill »    The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.

scrape together »    To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.

scream »    A form of singing associated with the metal and screamo styles of music. It is a loud, rough, distorted version of the voice; rather than the normal voice of the singer.

screen out »    To use a screen, grate, sieve or similar means to separate large from small objects or particles.

screw the pooch »    To screw up; to fail in dramatic and ignominious fashion.

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

sea legs »    Ability to travel by ship without becoming seasick.

sea legs »    The ability, when walking aboard ship, to anticipate the motion of the deck so as to walk steadily without losing balance.

seagull approach »    The occurence of casual, ill-informed and hasty decisions or comments made by outside authorities who lack an understanding of the local issues or a real understanding of the facts of a particular situ.

seagull manager »    A manager who comes into the workplace or office only on occasion, especially when a problem arises or to criticize or critique employees.

second fiddle »    A sidekick or subordinate, or the role of such a person.

second nature »    A mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.

see someone through »    To suffice for a time.

see the forest for the trees »    To discern an overall pattern from a mass of detail; to see the bigger picture, or the broader, more general situation. Generally used in the negative.

see through »    To be able to predict or read someone.

seize the day »    To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.

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

sell »    To promote a particular viewpoint; to manipulate towards a desired end.

sell »    To trick, or cheat someone.

sell a bargain »    A species of wit, much in vogue about the latter end of the reign of Queen Anne, and frequently alluded to by Dean Swift, who says the maids of honour often amused themselves with it. It consisted in the seller naming his or her hinder parts, in answer to the question, What? which the buyer was artfully led to ask. As a specimen, take the following instance: A lady would come into a room full of company, apparently frightened, crying out "It is white, and follows me!" As soon as someone responded "What?" she sold him the bargain, by saying "Mine arse".

sell down the river »    To betray, especially in a manner which causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed.

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

sell wolf tickets »    To make empty threats or promises; to bluff.

sell-by date »    The final date on which a perishable product can be legally sold to the public.

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

seller's market »    An excess of demand over supply, leading to abnormally high prices; a market condition favoring the seller.

send away »    To send to a particular place for a long time, as a family member, an employee, etc.

send to Coventry »    To ostracize, or systematically ignore someone.

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

send up »    To make prices or temperatures etc. rise.

separate the wheat from the chaff »    To select only that which is of value.

serpentine »    Of, or having attributes associated with, the mythological serpent, such as craftiness or deceitfulness.

serpentine »    Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of snakes.

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

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

set of pipes »    Voice for singing.

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

set up shop »    To physically arrange a shop or workplace.

settle someone's hash »    To physically or verbally subdue someone.

sex up »    To make more palatable or acceptable to the general public; to improve the image or perception.

sexual enjoyment »    Sexual intercourse that produces physical and psychological pleasure.

sexual tension »    Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.

shacked up »    Simple past tense and past participle of shack up.

shake the pagoda tree »    To find a source of easy enrichment; to become absurdly rich in a short time.

sharp tongue »    The practice or characteristic of speaking to others in a harsh, critical, or insulting manner.

shift gears »    To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.

shit a brick »    To react strongly or excessively, especially in anger or fear.

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

shitstorm »    Considerable backlash from the public.

shoot 'em up »    A short story, novel, television show, film, computer game, or other narrative which depicts considerable gunplay.

shoot first and ask questions later »    To take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.

shoot the boots »    To kick swiftly and violently, especially in the groin.

shoot the moon »    To attain great heights, a high value, or a numerically high measurement.

shoot the moon »    To take a risk which may result in great rewards; to succeed after taking such a risk.

short cut »    quicker route

short fuse »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

short hairs »    Pubic hair.

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

short of »    Insufficiently equipped with.

short of a length »    Of a ball that pitches short of a good length; a ball that bounces closer to the bowler than the area of the pitch regarded as the best for dismissing or restricting the scoring of the batsman.

short sighted »    myopic

short strokes »    The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

short temper »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

shot in the dark »    A guess, attempt, or choice made with little or no evidence or knowledge.

shotgun »    A gun which fires loads consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.

shotgun »    A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.

shotgun »    The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver.

shotgun approach »    An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.

shotgun wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is already pregnant.

show the flag »    Of a naval vessel or military force, to identify itself by displaying the flag of its country of origin, especially in order to establish an authoritative presence and to exert diplomatic or political influence.

show the flag »    To display the flag of one's country, especially as an expression of patriotic pride.

show up »    To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically.

showstopper »    A performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive reaction strong enough to pause the production.

shroud »    One of the two annular plates at the periphery of a water wheel, which form the sides of the buckets; a shroud plate.

shroud »    See also Wikipedia article on Shroud.

shroud »    That which clothes, covers, conceals, or protects; a garment.

shroud »    That which covers or shelters like a shroud.

shuffle »    A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.

shut the hell up »    Indicating disbelief.

sick joke »    A joke which is in poor taste, especially one which depicts as amusing a situation which the listener considers to be tragic or disgusting.

sick puppy »    In a morbid or gruesome way.

side issue »    An issue or topic which is not of direct significance to a primary concern.

sign in »    In order to get into the office after hours, you'll have to sign in at the security desk.

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

silver bullet »    A bullet made of silver, usually with reference to the folkloric belief that such bullets are the only weapons which can kill a werewolf.

silver screen »    The cinema screen onto which movies are projected.

silver-tongued »    Eloquent and articulate.

since when »    Used to indicate doubt as to the veracity of a statement.

sing along »    A gathering or event where participants are encouraged to add their voices in song.

sing from the same hymnbook »    To make the same or similar statements, especially to express the same opinions in public as a result of a prior agreement.

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

sing soprano »    To suffer castration or an injury to the testicles.

singing from the same hymnbook »    Present participle of sing from the same hymnbook.

singing soprano »    Castrated or injured in the testicles.

sink one's teeth into »    To become involved in; particularly in an enthusiastic manner.

sit on the fence »    To remain neutral on a certain topic, to not have a stance or opinion.

sit out »    To decline to participate; particularly, to decline to dance.

sitting pretty »    In a favorable situation, especially a situation in which one possesses an advantage.

six of one, half a dozen of the other »    The two alternatives are equivalent or indifferent; it doesn't matter which one we choose.

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 deep »    superficial

slam dunk »    A task expected to present no difficulty.

slanging match »    A row; an argument in which names are called.

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

sleeping policeman »    A speed bump.

slip through the cracks »    To escape notice or lack sufficient attention.

slippery as an eel »    So crafty, or cunning that they cannot be caught by the police, although it is known that they are acting illegally.

slippery slope »    A chain of events that, once initiated, cannot be halted; especially one in which the final outcome is undesirable or precarious.

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

smack of »    To seem like; to appear or give an impression or feeling of; to arouse suspicion of.

small change »    A minor or insignificant amount of money.

smart arse »    One who is particularly flippant or insolent or tends to make snide remarks or jokes.

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.

smell the barn »    To experience heightened anticipation or to act with renewed speed or energy as one approaches a destination, goal, or other desired outcome, like a livestock animal at day's end returning to its barn.

smoke signal »    A method of long-distance communication sometimes used in ancient and undeveloped societies, consisting of messages conveyed by means of columns or intermittent puffs of smoke.

smoke signal »    A type of flare or combustion device sometimes used as a distress signal.

smoke signal »    An indirect message or indication, especially concerning a future event.

smoking gun »    Evidence, particularly of a crime, that is difficult or impossible to dispute.

smooth operator »    A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc.

snake eyes »    Two ones, after rolling two dice.

snake oil »    A type of 19th century patent medicine sold in the United States that claimed to contain snake fat, supposedly a Native American remedy for various ailments.

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

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

snow on the mountaintop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

snow on the rooftop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

so far so good »    Up to this point, all is OK.Well, you've packed your bags for the holiday, bought your tickets, reserved the hotel and put the dog in kennels. So far so good, now let's get to Minorca without any troubles.

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

so quiet one can hear a pin drop »    Said during a lull in a normally bustling place or scene, or as the result of a sudden dramatic or tense moment.

so-and-so »    A placeholder name, used when a name is not known; a generic name.

so-and-so »    Anything generic.

socialized medicine »    A politically charged term used to contrast such systems with free market alternatives and emphasize the perceived link to socialism.

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

soft mick »    An extravagant person.

soft sawder »    "How the old boy swallowed my soft sawder and Brummagem notes!" —Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man.

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

soft touch »    A person or group which is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one which loans or readily gives money to another.

soldier on »    To continue or persist, despite adversity or difficulty.

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

sort out »    To attack physically.

sow one's wild oats »    To indulge in a period of irresponsible behavior, particularly sexually; Often used in reference to young adults or to the recently divorced.

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

spaghetti western »    Nickname for a motion picture produced by an Italian-based company and filmed in Europe, depicting a tale of cowboys and desperadoes set in the American Old West.

spare tyre »    An extra tyre carried in case one of the vehicle's tyres is damaged or deflated.

spark spread »    The difference between the cost of the fuel required to produce a unit of electricity, and the price of that same unit of electricity.

speak to »    To address a particular topic.

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

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

spectator sport »    A sporting activity which has a relatively high ratio of watchers to direct participants.

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

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

spic and span »    Perfectly clean.

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

spice up »    To make more exotic, fun or extravagant.

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

spill one's guts »    To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.

spin a yarn »    To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.

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

splice the mainbrace »    To have a drink.

spur of the moment »    Impluse; short notice; a lack of planning.

square cut »    cricket stroke

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

squaring the circle »    The historical problem of how to construct, using compass and ruler, a square having the same area as a given circle.

squeaky wheel gets the grease »    The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.

stamp out »    To get rid of, eradicate.

stand back »    To abstain from participation.

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

stand one's ground »    To maintain or stick by an opinion or position; to remain resolute in the face of opposition.

stand out »    To be obvious or conspicuous, in contrast to one's surroundings.

stand to reason »    To make sense; to seem logical, reasonable, or rational.

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

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

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

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

starry eyed »    natively optimistic

state of affairs »    A specific situation; a set of circumstances.

step down »    To resign from office.

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

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

step on a rake »    To fall victim to a hazard.

step on it »    To act quickly.

step out »    To date, to be in a romantic relationship.

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

stick around »    To stay; to linger; to remain.

stick in someone's craw »    To cause lasting annoyance, irritation, or hard feelings.

stick in the mud »    A person unwilling to participate in activities, often because he or she believes the activity is not wholly kosher; a party pooper.

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

stick it out »    To persist or continue.

stick it to the man »    To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government.

stick one's neck out »    To take a risk, putting oneself in a vulnerable position.

stick one's nose in »    To be nosy; to meddle or interfere in the affairs of another.

stick out »    To protrude; to extend beyond.

stick out »    To be prominent, noticeable, or obtrusive.

stick out »    To persist. See stick it out.

stick up »    To put up by sticking.

stick up »    To rob at gunpoint.

stick up »    To protect one's status.

stick up for »    To defend or protect.

stick with »    To continue or persist; to stick to.

stick with »    To follow or adhere to.

stick with »    To remain close by.

stick-in-the-mud »    Alternative spelling of stick in the mud.

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

stickhandle »    To deal capably and swiftly with a situation, especially in a manner which deflects potential problems.

stickhandle »    To maintain individual possession of the puck or ball by controlling it with movements of one's stick, especially to do so in a skillful manner.

sticking at nothing »    Being ruthless

sticking point »    A disputed issue or state of affairs that causes an interruption or outright impasse in progress towards some goal or resolution, especially in negotiation or argumentation.

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.

sticks and stones »    Evocative of the saying "sticks and stones may (or will) break my bones, but words (or names) will never hurt (or harm) me".1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped

sticky fingers »    A petty thief or petty thieves.

sticky fingers »    An inclination to steal.

stiff upper lip »    The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, associated with stereotypical British people.

stitch up »    To maliciously or dishonestly incriminate someone.

stop press »    The event or news article important enough to delay or interrupt the print, or require a reprint, of a publication, particularly of a newspaper edition.

stop up »    To increase the aperture of a photographic lens, moving from an f/stop represented by a higher number to an f/stop represented by a lower number and causing more light to pass into the camera.

straight away »    Very soon; quickly; immediately.

straight man »    A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.

strange bedfellows »    An unusual combination or political alliance.

straw poll »    A survey of opinion which is unofficial, casual, or ad hoc.

strike through »    Partly obliterate text by drawing a continuous line through the centre thereof, usually to indicate the deletion of an error or obsolete information.

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

strip away »    To ignore a factor which obscures the reality.

stuffed shirt »    One who is overly official or officious; somebody in charge but not necessarily in power or effective.

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

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

sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof »    No need to worry about the future; the present provides enough to worry about.

sugarcoated »    Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.

surprise surprise »    An indication that the unsurprising happened, especially contrary to someone's hopes or assertions.

swear on a stack of Bibles »    To make a promise or give one's assurance with great conviction.

sweat »    Fluid that exits the body through pores in the skin usually due to physical stress and/or high temperature for the purpose of regulating body temperature and removing certain compounds from the circulation.

sweep someone off their feet »    To seduce someone romantically.

sweetheart deal »    A transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.

swing for the fences »    To act in a way that might generate a very good result, but which also has a large chance of failing.

swing state »    A state which may vote Democratic or Republican, in a given election or generally; a purple state.

switch off »    To turn a switch to the "off" position in order to stop or disable a device.

switch on »    To turn a switch to the "on" position in order to start or enable a device.

sword and sandal »    Of or pertaining to a genre of books or films relating fantasy-adventure tales involving heroic exploits in ancient or biblical times.

sword and sorcery »    Of or pertaining to a genre of narratives—including short stories, novels, television shows, films, and computer games—which combines wizardry and other fantastical supernatural elements with violent combat using medieval weaponry..

swot up on »    To study particularly hard to learn a subject quickly.

tail between one's legs »    A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.

take a bite »    To eat a quick, light snack.

take a dim view of »    To dislike; to regard with skepticism, disbelief, disfavor, etc.

take a leaf out of someone's book »    To adopt an idea or practice of another person.

take a licking »    To suffer a defeat or a beating.

take a picture »    To photographically capture an image.

take a tumble »    To fall in price or value.

take apart »    To criticise someone.

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

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

take into account »    Or pay attention to; to notice.

take it easy »    Immediately calm yourself down; your state of panic does not help.

take no notice of »    To ignore.

take off »    To imitate, often in a satirical manner.

take one's hat off to »    To publicly praise or thank.

take one's lumps »    To endure through criticism or other adversity.

take one's lumps »    To receive physical abuse and to survive.

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

take part »    To participate or join.

take the biscuit »    To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.

take the bull by the horns »    To confront a difficulty, rather than avoiding it.

take the cake »    To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.

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

take the mick »    Alternative form of take the mickey.

take the mickey »    To ridicule or mock.

take the piss »    To ridicule or mock.

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

take the wheel »    To be in control of the steering wheel of a vehicle or a vessel.

take to »    To begin, as a new habit or practice.

take to the cleaners »    To take a significant quantity of a person's money or valuables, through gambling, unfavorable investing, fraud, litigation, etc.

take up »    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 a mile a minute »    To speak quickly or excessively.

talk down »    To negotiate a lower price.

talk is cheap »    It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.

talk like an apothecary »    To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.

talk out one's ass »    To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

tall order »    A big job; a difficult challenge.

tall tale »    A greatly exaggerated, fantastic story.

tart up »    To modify or repackage a product, service, or idea to make it more attractive or easier to sell.

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

tea service »    crockery set

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

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 a penny »    So common as to be practically worthless.

thanks a bunch »    A mildly sarcastic thank you.

thanks a bunch »    An unsarcastic thank you.

that does it »    Expression of annoyance or frustration; indicates that one has reached the limit of one's patience or temper.

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

that's just me »    Indicates the expression of a personal opinion, but often used ironically as an understatement.

that's the ticket »    That's just right; that's just what is needed.

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree »    A child grows up to be very similar to its parents in the way they act and in their physical abilities.

the bends »    decompression sickness

the company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

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

the finger »    An obscene gesture, typically consisting of extending the middle finger at somebody.

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get »    (vulgar) The sexual satisfactions that one receives from a spouse or romantic partner are not sufficient to compensate for the significant periods of bad faith and unpleasant treatment which such relationships routinely involve.1971, Allen Churchill, The Literary Decade, ISBN 9780135375228:Years later she expressed her disillusionment with sex by saying, "The fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."1999, Ben Sonnenberg, Lost Property: Memoirs and Confessions of a Bad Boy, ISBN 9781582430454, p. 93:Maitland got drunk at his parties and threw his arm around you and pulled you over to his wife and made you look down her dress, saying, "The trouble with marriage is that the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."2008, Joseph Heywood, Blue Wolf In Green Fire, ISBN 9781599213590, p. 63:"I can't believe a little pussy got me into dis mess." "Shit happens," Service said. "Sometimes the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."

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

the long arm of the law »    The body of law enforcement officers.

the pick of the litter »    The absolute best one has to offer.

the plot thickens »    Used, often ironically, to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation.

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

the shoe is on the other foot »    The roles of people in a situation have been reversed, such the advantage has shifted to a party which was previously disadvantaged.

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

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

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

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

there's no time like the present »    Now (i.e., the present time) is an appropriate time to take a particular action.

thick and thin »    Both good and bad times.

thick as thieves »    Intimate, close-knit.

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

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

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

thorn in the flesh »    A persistent difficulty or something very annoying that will not go away.

those who will not when they may, when they will they shall have nay »    (archaic) One should take immediate advantage of an opportunity that may not be available later.

thrash out »    To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.

three Rs »    The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.

three Rs »    The basic education received in primary schools. Literally; reading, writing and arithmetic.

three Rs »    The basic precepts of any subject matter.

three skips of a louse »    Said about some trifling or insignificant matter.

three-martini lunch »    A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.

throw a sickie »    To take a day off from work, supposedly because of ill health. The illness could be either real or feigned.

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 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 smoke »    To consistently pitch fastballs that are difficult to hit.

throw somebody a curve »    To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

throw to the wolves »    To sacrifice someone, especially in an attempt to save oneself.

thumb a ride »    To flag or signal a passing vehicle in hopes of securing passage.

thumb a ride »    To secure a ride by flagging down a vehicle.

thus and so »    A generic thing; a placeholder name.

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

tick off »    Sign with a tick.

tick off »    To annoy, aggravate.

tick off »    To reprimand.

tick over »    To run smoothly and without problems.

tickle pink »    To thoroughly delight or amuse; to elate.

tickle somebody's funny bone »    To amuse; to strike somebody as funny.

tickle someone's fancy »    To amuse, entertain, or appeal to someone; to stimulate someone's imagination in a favorable manner.

tickle the ivories »    I don't have as much time as I'd like, but I still enjoy tickling the ivories from time to time.

tickle the ivories »    To play the piano.

tickled pink »    Simple past tense and past participle of tickle pink.

tiger team »    An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.

tight lips »    Of a person, silence or reticence.

tight spot »    A difficult position.

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

time flies »    Time seems to pass quickly. Time flies when you're having fun.

time flies when you're having fun »    Time seems to pass quicker when one is enjoying oneself.

timeserver »    A device, node or program that distributes the correct time to clients in a network.

tin ear »    Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.

tip of the iceberg »    Only the beginning; just a small indication of a larger possibility; a problem is much bigger than it seems.

tip one's hand »    To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage.

tip-off »    An obvious clue or indication.

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

to beat the band »    Very vigorously; at a frantic pace; to a high degree; in large quantities.

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

to hell in a handbasket »    To a bad state of affairs quickly.

to the point »    Relevant or pertinent; succinct; specific.

to the victor go the spoils »    The winner of a conflict wins additional benefits, beyond just the subject of the conflict.

today we are all »    An expression indicating that the speaker empathizes with members of an identifiable group that was the subject of a disaster, and projects that others empathize as well.

today we are all »    September 12, 2001: Jean-Marie Colombani, "Today, We Are All Americans", Le Monde.

tomato tomato »    Uses insignificant pronunciation difference to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard.

tomorrow is another day »    Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed

tonic water »    mixer

too hot to hold »    A place that has too much police activity to harbor a fugitive unnoticed.

tooth and nail »    Viciously; with all one’s strength or power; without holding back..

top dollar »    The maximum amount of money that an item, service, or worker is worth; a very high price.

top of the morning »    A generic greeting said to someone in the morning.

top oneself »    To commit suicide.

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

toss-upness »    The quality of being a toss-up, usually used in reference to a toss-up state in American presidential elections.

totus porcus »    Completely; unreservedly: swallowed the official version totus porcus.

touch a nerve »    To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.

touch base »    To consult, visit, or communicate with.

touch judge »    rugby official

touch with a barge pole »    Get romantically involved with.

touch%C3%A9 »    An acknowledgement of the success, appropriateness or superiority of an argument, sometimes used sarcastically to mock one's opponent's absurd logic.

touch%C3%A9 »    Used in a conversation or debate to concede a point as true, often in response to a successful counter of one's own logic.

touch-and-go »    Precarious, delicate, dangerous, risky, sensitive or of uncertain outcome.

touched in the head »    Demented, slightly mentally deficient.

touchy-feely »    Driven by intuition or emotion, with a connotation of de-emphasis of rational thought or logic.

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

tough call »    A choice or judgment which is difficult to make, especially one involving only two alternatives.

tough cookie »    A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person.

tough nut to crack »    A difficult or sticky problem.

tough row to hoe »    A difficult or arduous task.

trailer trash »    Deleted from the movie trailer. Not included in theatrical run.

trash out »    To criticize the person spoken to in a rant.

trench mouth »    Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.

trick of the trade »    A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.

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

trip to the woodshed »    An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered.

true believer »    A strict follower of a religious doctrine.

trump up »    Heavily publicise, promote or market a product.

tuck in »    To push the fabric at the bottom of a shirt under the pants.

tuckered out »    Simple past tense and past participle of tucker out.

tuits »    "tricky": Needs many tuits. [2].

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

turn a phrase »    To create a particular linguistic expression which is strikingly clear, appropriate, and memorable.

turn a trick »    To perform a sexual service for a customer.

turn back »    No turn a dial anticlockwise or adjust a clock or other meter to an earlier time or reading.

turn into a pumpkin »    Used to indicate a curfew, or the time by which one must depart.

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 out »    To extinguish a light or other device.

turn out »    To refuse service or shelter; to eject or evict.

turn the corner »    To pass a critical point.

turn the tables »    To reverse a situation, such that the advantage has shifted to the party which was previously disadvantaged.

turn tricks »    To work as a prostitute, providing sexual services for money.

turnabout is fair play »    It is allowable to retaliate against an enemy's dirty tricks by using the same ones against him.

twelfth man »    reserve in cricket

two can play that game »    The tactics and/or strategies of an enemy can be used against him.

two for two »    In baseball, meeting two out of two attempts at-bat. Specifically, it means the batter has reached base safely two out of two times.

two left feet »    Exhibiting particular clumsiness, especially at dancing or at soccer.

two thumbs up »    A hand gesture indicating strong approval.

two wrongs don't make a right »    (ethics) A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.1915, William MacLeod Raine, The Highgrader, ch. 15:"But when it comes to taking what belongs to another

two wrongs make a right »    A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another

two-bit »    Insignificant or worthless.

two-fisted drinker »    Either someone who can handle their liquor well, or an alcoholic clutching a drink in each hand.

two-second rule »    A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.

under a cloud »    Under suspicion; subject to critical inspection.

under a spell »    Bewitched, held by the power of a magical spell.

under erasure »    Of a bit of text, written and strickenthrough; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.

under fire »    Criticized or held responsible for something.

under one's belt »    Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

under pressure »    Being subjected to physical pressure.

under the influence »    Drunk; intoxicated; affected by alcohol.

under the knife »    Undergoing a surgical procedure.

under the microscope »    Under close scrutiny or examination.

under the radar »    Without attracting notice; in an undetected or secretive manner.

under the weather »    Somewhat intoxicated or suffering from a hangover.

up a creek »    In trouble; in a difficult situation.

up a creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation, without any help. Superlative form of up a creek: most up a creek.

up for »    Willing to participate in; interested in.

up the creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation with no means of rectifying it.

up to scratch »    Sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality.

up-and-coming »    Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.

uphill battle »    difficult struggle

urban fabric »    The physical aspect of urbanism, emphasizing building types, thoroughfares, open space, frontages, and streetscapes; while excluding without prejudice to this useful term, environmental, functional, economic and sociocultural aspects.

variety is the spice of life »    Variety is what makes life interesting

vertically challenged »    Of a person, short.

vice squad »    police department

victory at sea »    Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.

vote in »    To collectively approve a nominee into an office or position as a result of voting.

vote out »    To expel the holder of an office or other position through an act of voting.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.

walk the line »    To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc..

walk the line »    To participate in the procession at a graduation ceremony; to graduate.

warm up »    To make an audience enthusiastic or animated before a show.

warm up »    To prepare for executing an already-learned activity by a limited amount of additional practice.

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 over »    To pass unnoticed so that one is unaffected by it.

washed up »    Finished; having no future in a particular role.

waste breath »    To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.

watch this space »    An indication that a development will follow.

water down »    To simplify or oversimplify; to make easier; to make less difficult.

water over the dam »    An event or set of events which has already happened and cannot be changed.

wax lyrical »    To become, or tend to become lyrical.

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 down »    To cause physical or mental fatigue.

wear out »    Of apparel, displayed in public.

weather the storm »    To reach the end of a very difficult situation without too much harm or damage.

weigh in »    To bring in one's weight, metaphorically speaking, to bear on an issue.

whack-a-mole »    The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

what the dickens »    Euphemism for what the Devil, used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning a question.

what's up »    A casual greeting with usage similar to "How are you?" or "Nice to meet you".

when it's at home »    Plainly; in plain English; when it comes down to it; at it's most basic level.

when push comes to shove »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is critical or urgent; when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult.

when the cat's away the mice will play »    In the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.

when the chips are down »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is urgent or critical.

when the going gets tough, the tough get going »    in difficult times, it is the strong-willed who take action.

when the shit hits the fan »    A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.

when, as, and if »    Used to indicate the timing and contingency of some obligation in contracts, especially financial.

wherever you go, there you are »    (colloquial, clich

whip up »    To produce something quickly, especially of a meal.

whisper campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

whistle-stop train tour »    A tour in a political campaign that makes many brief stops in small communities.

whistle-stop train tour »    Any travel that's quick and with only brief pauses.

white coat hypertension »    Elevated blood pressure measured by a medical practitioner and deemed to result from the patient's emotional response to the medical environment.

white hole »    A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.

white lie »    A deliberate, untrue statement which does no harm or is intended to produce a favorable result.

white on rice »    A descriptive analogy of closeness. See like white on rice.

white wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is still a virgin.

whitewash »    A victory without reply.

who shot John »    A long and involved explanation; a thing of which an explanation would be long and involved.

whomp up »    To produce quickly, particularly a meal.

why the dickens »    Euphemism for why the Devil, used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.

window dressing »    These latest modifications are mere window dressing, the same problems remain.

winkle out »    To acquire something or someone with difficulty.

wipe out »    To physically erase something written.

with bated breath »    Eagerly; with great anticipation.

wits' end »    A. 1911, John Muir, in John Muir and Michael P. Branch, John Muir's Last Journey: South to the Amazon and East to Africa, 2002, page 138.

wolf down »    Quickly and without regard for table manners.

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.

wooden-top »    Uniformed police officers.

word to the wise »    A piece of advice.

work against the clock »    To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.

work at »    To make a physical or mental effort to progress some specified task.

work out »    To do exercises, especially physical.

work over »    To physically attack someone to cause them injury.

work the room »    To interact enthusiastically with the attendees at an event, by moving among them, greeting them, and engaging them in conversation.

work the room »    To interact with one's audience, taking queues from its reactions and adapting one's performance or words to elicit the audience's attention and enthusiasm.

world »    A planet,especially one which is inhabited or inhabitable.

worse for wear »    In poor physical condition due to long or heavy use.

wrap in the flag »    To claim one's cause deserves support for patriotic reasons or that one's own motives are patriotic.

write one's own ticket »    To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

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.

yellow journalism »    Material published in a broadcast or periodical, such as a tabloid newspaper or magazine, which is sensationalistic and of questionable accuracy and taste.

yellow press »    Newspapers which publish sensationalist articles rather than well researched and sober journalism.

yes to death »    To agree with someone, often sarcastically.

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 take it with you »    It is not possible to take one's material wealth to whatever world may await one after death.1900, E. Phillips Oppenheim, A Millionaire of Yesterday, ch. 6:"The clause which

you can't teach an old dog new tricks »    It is impossible, or almost impossible, to change people's habits or traits or mindset.

you don't dip your pen in company ink »    One should avoid romantic relationships in the workplace.

you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows »    You don't need an expert to tell you what you already know.

you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone »    It is advantageous not to rely solely on being nice.

you get what you pay for »    In commercial transactions, the quality of goods and services increases as the prices increase, i.e., the more one pays, the better the merchandise.2003, Michael Blumenthal, "For Whom the School Bell Tolls," Time, 7 Dec.:Though it may sound unapologetically capitalistic to say so

you know it »    Indicates agreement, approval, encouragement.

you knows it »    Indicates agreement, approval, encouragement.

you pays your money and you takes your choice »    Each person should make their own decisions.

zoom along »    To proceed quickly a long distance.

zoom down »    To move quickly along a particular route, list, etc.

zoom past »    To pass very quickly.

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