a cold day in Hell »
An event that will never happen.
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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.
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a lie has no legs »
You can't get away with a lie, the truth will always come out.
|
a million times »
by a factor of a million
|
a new broom sweeps clean »
New management will often make radical changes.
|
a picture paints a thousand words »
A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description.1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album:If a picture paints a thousand wordsThen why can't I paint you;The words will never showThe you I've come to know.1989, Alan Kay, quoted in K?o-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, ISBN 9971506645, p. 9:Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, ISBN 1904788734, p. 52:See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!
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a rolling stone gathers no moss »
A person who never settles in one place will never be successful.A person who does not keep active will grow mouldy.
|
a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »
An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.
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about to »
Indicates something that will happen very soon; indicates that something is imminent.
|
across the board »
A racing bet where one bets that the same competitor will place in first, second and third.
|
against the grain »
Unwillingly, reluctantly. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.
|
agree to disagree »
To tolerate each other's opinion and stop arguing; to acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.
|
all things come to those who wait »
(dated) A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.
|
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.
|
April showers bring May flowers »
April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.By extension, that a period of discomfort can provide the basis for a period of happiness.
|
ask my arse »
A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.
|
at will »
At one's preference; as one sees fit.
|
babes in the wood »
Criminals in the stocks, or pillory.
|
bad blood »
Feelings of hostility or ill will.
|
bad joke »
A situation that is badly planned, or illogical.
|
bad luck »
ill-fortune
|
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.
|
be at one's beck and call »
To be in the position of serving someone in any way they desire, usually unwillingly.
|
be still my heart »
Calm down, this situation is too exciting or overly distressing.
|
be taken ill »
Due to sudden illness.
|
be taken ill »
To become ill.
|
beer goggles »
The illusion that people are more attractive, brought on by alcohol consumption.
|
below the belt »
Of a punch, landing illegally, below the opponent's waist.
|
big gun »
A large-caliber artillery piece.
|
bill of goods »
A collection of items purchased or offered for sale.
|
bill of goods »
A set of misleading or deceptive claims; misinformation.
|
bitter pill »
Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.
|
black »
Illegitimate, illegal or disgraced.
|
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!
|
blow away »
Flabbergast; scintillate; impress greatly.
|
blow hot and cold »
To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.
|
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 up »
To explode something or somebody or destroy something or injure or kill somebody by explosion.
|
blow up »
To inflate or fill with air.
|
bog standard »
Especially plain, ordinary, or unremarkable; having no special, excess or unusual features; plain vanilla.
|
booze can »
A nightclub or bar, especially one which operates illegally or is otherwise disreputable.
|
born in a barn »
Lacking a sense of etiquette; ill-mannered.
|
bow out »
To resign, or leave, with one's credibility still intact.
|
boys will be boys »
It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.
|
brain fart »
Something ill-considered and said or done impulsively.
|
break in »
To enter by force or illicit means.
|
break into »
To enter illegally or by force.
|
bring it on »
Used to indicate one's willingness to accept a challenge, confront a threat, etc.
|
brown thumb »
Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.
|
brush up »
To review; to improve an existing but rusty or under-developed skill.
|
bump off »
To kill, especially to murder.
|
burn rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
burst someone's bubble »
To disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown comfortable.
|
busted flush »
A potential flush which ultimately was not filled.
|
by the way »
His mother will be coming for dinner tomorrow, and, by the way, she volunteered to bring dessert.
|
camel through the eye of a needle »
Hyperbole to illustrate that something is almost impossible to do or to happen.
|
camel's nose »
A metaphor for a situation where the permitting of some small act will lead consequently to a larger undesirable act or circumstance.
|
cap over the windmill »
In a crazed manner.
|
carry on »
To have an illicit sexual liaison.
|
carry out »
To fulfill.
|
case in point »
An example that illustrates a point.
|
cast pearls before swine »
To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.
|
charge up »
To motivate, to instill someone with determination.
|
chase a rainbow »
To pursue something illusory, impractical, or impossible.
|
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.
|
check out »
To pay the bill, and record one's departure, as from a hotel.
|
chill out »
Relax, take it easy.
|
clutter up »
To fill with rubbish.
|
cold comfort »
C. 1594, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, act 4, sc. 1.
|
colt over the fence »
An illegitimate child.
|
come down with »
To contract or get; to show symptoms of a minor illness.
|
cook the books »
To manipulate accounting information, esp. illegally, by a corporation.
|
cue up »
The act of taking aim on the cue ball with the cue in a game of snooker, or billiards, etc.
|
curiosity killed the cat »
One should not be curious about things that can be dangerous.
|
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 wood »
Dead limbs and branches still attached to a living tree.
|
deep pockets »
An ample supply of money, especially money which one is willing to spend; the possessor of such money.
|
diplomatic flu »
An illness feigned by one or more government officials or other public figures as an excuse for an absence really based on political reasons.
|
dirty money »
Money that is illegally gained, illegally transferred or illegally utilized. Especially money gained through forgery, bribery, or thievery.
|
do a number on »
To damage; to treat harshly; to produce ill effects.
|
do drugs »
To abuse an illegal drug or drugs, especially as a result of chemical addiction.
|
do in »
To kill or end.
|
don't cry over spilled milk »
Alternative spelling of don't cry over spilt milk.
|
don't look at me »
A response indicating that one is not willing or able to perform a task.
|
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.
|
double Dutch »
A date where both man and woman pay for their portion of the bill.
|
double Dutch »
Sex using a condom and the contraceptive pill at the same time.
|
draw a bath »
To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.
|
draw the line »
To set a boundary, rule, or limit, especially on what one will tolerate.
|
drill down »
To examine information at another level or in greater detail; especially in a database, to navigate to a more detailed level or record.
|
dusty miller »
A formulaic phrase for a miller, related to the dust generated in the milling process.
|
dusty miller »
One of several species of plants with leaves of a dusty appearance: Centaurea cineraria, Senecio cineraria, and Lychnis coronaria.
|
eat someone out of house and home »
C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act II Scene I.
|
every cloud has a silver lining »
In every bad situation there is an element of good1881, National Academy of Code Administration (U.S.), Folio, page 417:Every cloud has a silver lining; but in the old-fashioned meeting-houses every cloud of hymnal melody generally had a nasal lining before the congregation...1887, Shakers, Religion, page 36:that "a little reserve and thou'lt fail surely," will prove to be true in our experience. Every cloud has a silver lining and so has every sorrow,1918, George Jean Nathan, Performing Arts, page 222:But the most popular attitude toward what we may call "sad" plays is the peculiar one of believing that, since every cloud has a silver lining,
|
every Jack has his Jill »
everybody will find someone to have a romantic relationship with at some point in their life
|
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 value »
The amount or value listed on a bill, note, stamp, etc.; the stated value or amount.
|
faith will move mountains »
Belief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.
|
fall off a truck »
Of an item of merchandise, to come into a person's possession without having been paid for; to be acquired illegally.
|
fall off the back of a lorry »
Of an item of merchandise, to come into a perons's possession without having been paid for; to have been acquired illegally.
|
far be it »
A disclaimer stating that the person speaking will not do something.
|
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.
|
fight a losing battle »
To try to do something so difficult that it will probably end in failure.
|
fill in »
To fill; to replace material that is absent or has been removed.
|
fill in »
To inform somebody, especially to supply someone missing or missed information.
|
fill in »
To substitute for somebody or something.
|
fill in »
To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information.
|
fill somebody's shoes »
To do somebody's job; to perform or assume somebody's role.
|
fill the bill »
To satisfy a need; to serve a purpose; to fulfill specified requirements.
|
fill up »
To make full.
|
fill up »
To become full.
|
finish off »
To kill.
|
fire drill »
An organised practice to prepare occupants of an office, school or other public building for evacuation in the event of a fire.
|
first come, first served »
People will be dealt with in the order they arrive.
|
five will get you ten »
I strongly believe.
|
fool's paradise »
A state of happiness due to illusion or false hope.
|
forbidden fruit »
Illicit pleasure; something that one should not take or get involved with, such as an another person's spouse.
|
fresh off the boat »
Newly arrived from a foreign place, especially as an immigrant who is still unfamiliar with the customs and language of his or her new environment.
|
from my cold, dead hands »
A statement that something will not be taken away from you until the day you die.
|
from pillar to post »
To another; hither and thither, to and fro.
|
from time to time »
C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 3, sc. 3.
|
full to the gills »
Completely or overly full.
|
funny money »
Bills of any foreign currency or of counterfeit origin.
|
funny stuff »
Irregular, often illegal, activities.
|
get away with murder »
To do something bad or illegal and not be punished.
|
get better »
To recover from an illness.
|
get into trouble »
To perform an action which is illegal, prohibited, forbidden or proscribed and to become subject to punishment for such action.
|
give as good as one gets »
To behave toward others in a manner resembling or commensurate with their behavior towards oneself, especially in a situation where one is insulted or otherwise ill-treated.
|
give over »
Usually as an imperative. To tell someone to stop molesting, fooling around, or saying silly things. Or sometimes to stop saying flattering things.
|
go downhill »
To worsen or degenerate.
|
go Dutch »
To pay for one's own food and bills, or split the cost, when eating at a restaurant or going out for entertainment.
|
go jump in the lake »
Used to tell a person that to go away, or that their request will not be met.
|
go off half-cocked »
To take a premature or ill-considered action.
|
go out with »
Often in hopes that the relationship will become more longterm as in definition 1.
|
go through hell »
Winston Churchill.
|
go through the mill »
To experience the suffering or discipline necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or to a certain mental state.
|
good things come to those who wait »
A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.
|
grate »
A horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.
|
gravy train »
A gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill.
|
greasy spoon »
An inexpensive diner or other informal restaurant, especially one specializing in frying or grilling.
|
green about the gills »
Having the appearance of being ill.
|
green thumb »
A natural skill for gardening.
|
green thumb »
A person with this skill.
|
grind to a halt »
Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.
|
guinea pig »
A tailless rodent of the Cavia genus, with short ears and larger than a hamster; the species Cavia porcellus is often kept as a pet.
|
hatchet man »
A professional killer.
|
have a green thumb »
A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.
|
have a way with »
To be skilled, adept, or graceful in something.
|
have the run of »
To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will.
|
head for the hills »
To go to a safe place; to seek refuge; to flee.
|
head for the hills »
To travel to a higher elevation, especially to a rural region on vacation.
|
head scratcher »
July 2002, Fox News - Attorney: Williams' Kids Near Compromise About Father's Remains.
|
heads will roll »
Some people will be fired for incompetence.
|
hell hath no fury like a woman scorned »
A woman will make someone suffer if they reject her.
|
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.
|
hill of beans »
Something of no importance.
|
history repeats itself »
Things that have happened in the past will happen again.
|
hit man »
hired killer
|
hold a candle »
To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.
|
hold up »
To fulfil / fulfill or complete one's part of an agreement.
|
hold up one's end »
To hold up one's end of the bargain; to fulfill one's promise or obligation.
|
honesty is the best policy »
Honesty is the most honorable and fulfilling way to live one's life.
|
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 on »
Skilled at.
|
hunger is the best spice »
When one is hungry, anything will taste good.
|
if looks could kill »
A phrase said upon catching sight of someone's giving you a particularly nasty look of discontent or disapproval.
|
if you lie with dogs you will get fleas »
It is important whom to choose as one's closest acquanitances.
|
if you love somebody, set them free »
One should be willing to let go of someone they love if they truly love them.
|
ill advisedly »
unwisely
|
ill fated »
doomed
|
ill health »
A state of illness, or bad health.
|
ill use »
maltreat
|
in bed with »
Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.
|
in broad daylight »
In ample natural illumination, during the daytime.
|
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 its infancy »
Still in an early stage.
|
in the light of »
In the illumination from.
|
in the twinkling of an eye »
Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".
|
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.
|
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's all grist to the mill »
Everything referred to in the present context has some sort of use.1999, Simon Blackburn, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press paperback, ISBN 0199690871), ch. 7 section 6: "Kant
|
it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good »
There is usually something of benefit to someone, no matter how bad the situation.
|
it's not 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
|
it's one's funeral »
One's decisions or actions will bring undesirable consequences only on oneself.
|
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 of all trades, master of none »
A person who has a competent grasp of many skills but who is not outstanding in any one.
|
kids will be kids »
You cannot expect children to act like adults.
|
kill off »
To eliminate, or make extinct.
|
kill off »
To represent or portray as being dead.
|
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.
|
kill the messenger »
To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.
|
kill the rabbit »
To get a positive test result from an old-fashioned pregnancy test.
|
kill two birds with one stone »
To solve two problems at once.
|
knight in shining armor »
A person who will rescue a dangerous situation; a hero.
|
knowledge is power »
With knowledge and/or education, one's potential or ability to succeed in the pursuit of his objectives will certainly increase.
|
laughing stock »
C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.
|
lay rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
legal beagle »
A skillful and adroit attorney.
|
legal eagle »
A skillful and adroit attorney.
|
legwork »
Skillful or vigorous use of the legs, as in dance or sports.
|
let go and let God »
To consciously surrender one's free will to the will of God.
|
life is like a box of chocolates »
Life is full of surprises, you never know what will happen next.
|
life's a bitch »
An expression of acceptance of misfortune.1950, Joy Davidman, Weeping Bay, page 184:She'd have been willing enough to use them, poor dead little bitch. Life's a bitch. Life's a bad joke.
|
like a million bucks »
Extremely good or well.
|
like a million dollars »
Extremely good or well.
|
like father, like son »
A son will have traits similar to his father upon reaching adulthood.
|
line one's pockets »
To accumulate personal wealth, especially in an illegal or morally objectionable manner.
|
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 shot »
A master shot, the primary wide shot of a scene into which the closeups will be edited later.
|
lose one's touch »
To lose one's special mastery of or knack for a particular skill or activity.
|
low blow »
An unfair or illegal blow that lands below the opponent’s waist; a groin attack..
|
make a killing »
To win or earn a large amount of money.
|
make a mountain out of a molehill »
To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.
|
make a virtue of necessity »
C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 4, sc.1.
|
make up »
To compensate, fill in or catch up.
|
man up »
To staff adequately; to staff up; to successfully fill all needed labor positions.
|
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.
|
mark up »
To add coding to text so that it will display properly on a computer.
|
marry in haste, repent at leisure »
Getting married too soon will lead to a bad marriage.
|
marry in haste, repent at leisure »
Two things together too soon will lead to problems.
|
mill around »
To move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area.
|
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.
|
mint condition »
Used, but still like new, as if freshly minted.
|
moment of truth »
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
|
monkey business »
An activity that is considered silly, or stupid, or time-wasting.
|
monkey business »
An activity that may be considered illegal, questionable, or a vice, but not felonious.
|
mop up »
To clean with a mop; especially to clean up a spill or mess.
|
murder will out »
A murderer will always be discovered.
|
murder will out »
Secrets or hidden crimes will eventually be exposed or discovered.
|
my way or the highway »
Will be excluded.
|
necessity is the mother of invention »
A person who is in great need of something will find a way to get it.
|
never in a million years »
Absolutely not.
|
no frills »
Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.
|
no glove, no love »
Without a condom, there will be no sex.
|
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 pain, no gain »
One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.
|
not a sausage »
Jill: Not a sausage I'm afraid, I'm just visiting.
|
nothing special »
Ordinary, run-of-the-mill.
|
nothing ventured, nothing gained »
If one takes no risks, one will not gain any benefits.
|
off one's game »
C. 1910, Ralph Henry Barbour, "The Dub" in The New Boy at Hilltop and Other Stories.
|
old hat »
Something with which one is very familiar, or in which one is experienced or skilled.
|
old money »
The monetary system used in the United Kingdom before decimalisation and consisting of pounds, shillings, and pence.
|
on one's feet »
Being well again after a bout of illness.
|
on spec »
I'm writing an article on spec. I hope some magazine will buy it.
|
on sufferance »
Unwillingly agreed to or barely tolerated.
|
on the bubble »
Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position.
|
on the mend »
Healing or recovering, as from an injury or illness.
|
on the pill »
Using oral contraceptives.
|
on the skids »
In decline; going downhill; in trouble.
|
one-trick pony »
A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.
|
out of the woods »
Out of peril; likely to recover or prevail over trouble; finished with the worst or most threatening part of a problem or illness.
|
over the hill »
Old, past the prime of life.
|
over the moon »
Delighted, thrilled.
|
overkill »
A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.
|
overkill »
An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.
|
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".
|
pay the bills »
To provide enough income to sustain one's lifestyle.
|
payback's a bitch »
Usually a complete sentence: I will get revenge when you least expect it.
|
pendre la cr%C3%A9maill%C3%A8re »
To have a housewarming party.
|
people person »
Someone who is happier or more skilled at dealing with people rather than things or concepts.
|
pinch-hit »
To do something in the place of another person who is not able to perform or is less skilled; to substitute or stand in for somebody.
|
pipe dream »
A plan, desire, or idea that will not likely work; a near impossibility.
|
play around »
To behave in a silly, or childish, or irresponsible way.
|
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 possum »
To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.
|
play possum »
To feign sleep, illness, etc.
|
play silly buggers »
To act in a stupid or reckless manner.
|
poison tree bears poison fruit »
Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.
|
pop off »
To kill someone.
|
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.
|
practice makes perfect »
If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.
|
price on one's head »
A compensation for capturing or killing a person, especially someone guilty of a crime.
|
price out of the market »
To charge an exorbitant price for a service or product so that no one will purchase it.
|
pride comes before a fall »
A person who is extremely proud of his or her abilities will often suffer a setback or failure, because he or she tends to be overconfident and to make errors of judgment.
|
puff up »
To swell due to injury or illness.
|
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.
|
put down »
To administer euthanasia to, as an animal too old or ill to cure.
|
put paid to »
To mark a bill or a debt record as "paid".
|
put the cat among the pigeons »
If you set the cat among the pigeons, you will cause a flutter in the dovecote.
|
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.
|
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.
|
ring up »
To enter a payment into a cash register, or till in a shop.
|
rip off »
To copy, especially illegally.
|
rough and ready »
Crude or unpolished, but still fit for use; good enough.
|
rub out »
To kill.
|
rumor mill »
A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.
|
run a bath »
To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.
|
run down »
To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.
|
run for the hills »
Flee.
|
run off »
To pour or spill off or over.
|
run-of-the-mill »
Ordinary; not special.
|
running on empty »
Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.
|
scissorbill »
And railroad term for someone who refused to join the union or who openly colluded with management to thwart the union.
|
scissorbill »
Someone considered contemptible or foolish.
|
scissorbill »
The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.
|
screw back »
To cue the cue ball in such a way as to impart backspin. On impact, the ball will follow a reverse trajectory according to the spin.
|
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.
|
second banana »
A comedian who plays a secondary or supporting role, especially as straight man and traditionally in vaudeville or burlesque theatre.
|
second childhood »
A childlike state in any adult, resulting from mental illness, trauma, or other conditions.
|
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 something through »
To fulfill a commitment.
|
see you later »
A phrase used at parting, and not necessarily implying that the person being addressed will be seen later by the speaker.
|
seize the day »
To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.
|
sell someone a bill of goods »
To deceive or cheat someone.
|
serial killer »
murderer
|
she'll be apples »
Everything will be all right.
|
she'll be right »
OK, no problem, everything will be all right.
|
show off »
To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.
|
shy bairns get nowt »
If you're too shy, or don't ask, you will not get what you want.A' forgot te ask hor for me money back!Wye, shy bairns get nowt
|
silly money »
Sum of money.
|
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.
|
sit back »
To recline while still in a seated position, with one's back on the frame of the seat.
|
sit still »
To accept, tolerate, or acquiesce.
|
sit still »
To remain motionless.
|
sit through »
To unwillingly stay seated until the end of an event.
|
sleep on »
To consider after a period of sleep, implying a decision will be made the next day.
|
sleep with the fishes »
To be killed and have one's body disposed off in the sea or other body of water.
|
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.
|
slop bowl »
One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.
|
smooth operator »
A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc.
|
smooth operator »
A skillful, manipulative person, con artist, or clever scoundrel.
|
so far »
as yet; up till now
|
soft sawder »
"If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!" —Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" — first usage.
|
soft shoe »
A kind of tap dancing performed in soft-soled shoes, popular in vaudeville.
|
some people »
Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.
|
sound asleep »
Sleeping still and silently.
|
sow the wind, reap the whirlwind »
Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to him.
|
spare the rod and spoil the child »
If one does not discipline a child, he or she will never learn obedience and good manners.
|
spill one's guts »
To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.
|
spill one's seed »
To masturbate or to ejaculate when the penis has been withdrawn from one's partner.
|
spill over »
To enter into another zone by way of accident or overcrowding; to overflow.
|
spill the beans »
To reveal a secret; to disclose.
|
stand stock still »
Paul Travers' Adventures, by Sam T. Clover.
|
stand stock still »
To stand completely motionless.
|
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.
|
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.
|
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
|
still life »
type of painting
|
still water runs deep »
A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect
|
still waters run deep »
A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect.
|
stop the lights »
An interjection expressing exasperation or incredulity. or to illustrate the humour in a situation.
|
stop up »
To fill a hole or cavity, or block an opening or passage, as with a plug.
|
string up »
To kill by hanging, especially to lynch.
|
success has many fathers, failure is an orphan »
Many will seek credit for success, few will accept responsibility for failure.
|
sweet william »
flower
|
take a spill »
To trip or fall.
|
take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »
If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,
|
take ill »
To become ill.
|
take the red pill »
To understand the world in its previously unknown reality.
|
take the wind out of someone's sails »
To discourage someone greatly; to cause someone to lose hope or the will to continue.
|
take to the hills »
To flee or vanish; to run away.
|
that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »
Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.
|
that'll be the day »
Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.
|
the course of true love never did run smooth »
There will always be problems in a relationship.
|
the die is cast »
The future is determined; there are no more options; events will proceed in an irreversible manner.
|
the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on »
Life goes on, even if some will try to stop or talk against progress.
|
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 spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »
(proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.
|
the straw that broke the camel's back »
A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.
|
the 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.
|
there may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnace »
Even if a person is in his or her senior years, with gray hair, he or she can still have ambition and energy, especially sexual energy.
|
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.
|
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 one's cap over the windmill »
To act in a crazed 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.
|
tight-lipped »
Unwilling to divulge information.
|
tilt at windmills »
To attack imaginary enemies.
|
tilt at windmills »
To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.
|
to the gills »
Entirely or extremely; to the greatest degree possible.
|
to thine own self be true »
The easiest person to deceive is oneself."This above all:to thine own self be true,and it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man." -William Shakespeare
|
tomorrow is another day »
Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed
|
top banana »
The principal comedian in a vaudeville or burlesque show.
|
top off »
To fill completely; to fill or refill the final portion of something not empty.
|
top up »
To fill something.
|
top up »
refill
|
top up »
refill
|
touch up »
To make slight corrections or adjustments; to fill in or perfect.
|
tough cookie »
A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person.
|
treat them mean, keep them keen »
A woman will be more interested in a man if he is not kind to her.
|
truth will out »
A mystery will always be solved, or a truth will always be discoveredTruth will eventually and inevitably be discovered.
|
try one's hand »
To attempt a skill, craft, or trade.
|
turn to stone »
To become completely still, not moving.
|
two bob »
Two shillings.
|
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
|
under the weather »
Somewhat ill or gloomy.
|
until hell freezes over »
Forever; One will never in their life get the results that they want, no matter what they're doing involving the situation.
|
up for »
Willing to participate in; interested in.
|
up hill and down dale »
Here and there; everywhere.
|
up to »
Able; willing.
|
uphill battle »
A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.
|
uphill battle »
difficult struggle
|
wash down »
To help to swallow by drinking a liquid, after eating something, or taking a pill.
|
waste not, want not »
If one is not wasteful then one will not be needy.
|
watch this space »
An indication that a development will follow.
|
water to my mill »
What energizes you; what stimulates you.
|
what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »
Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.
|
what goes around comes around »
The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle.A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person.
|
whatever creams your twinkie »
Do what you will, whatever makes you happy.
|
when it rains, it pours »
If a person encounters bad luck, more bad luck will follow.
|
when the cat's away the mice will play »
In the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.
|
when the going gets tough, the tough get going »
in difficult times, it is the strong-willed who take action.
|
white wedding »
A wedding in which the bride is still a virgin.
|
will on »
To wish intensely that someone succeeds in what they are doing. Often implies a silent, or almost inaudible wish.
|
willful ignorance »
A bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt. It may also be shown as for a person to have no clue in a decision but still goes ahead in their decision.
|
willies »
Plural form of willy.
|
willy nilly »
Seemingly at random, haphazardly.
|
willy nilly »
Whether desired or not.
|
willy nilly »
Without regard for consequences or the will of those affected.
|
wishful thinking »
The illusion that what one would like is actually true.
|
yield up »
To give something against one's will.
|
you are what you eat »
If you eat well, you will be well; but if you eat badly you will feel bad
|
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 never know what you've got till it's gone »
Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.
|
you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours »
If you do me a favor then I will do you a favor; quid pro quo.
|
you snooze you lose »
If you are not alert and attentive, you will not be successful.
|
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