We've found 2984 phrases for IT (0.131 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 bird in the hand is worth two in the bush »    It is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than a mere potential of a greater one.

a bit much »    More than is reasonable.

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

a cat may look at a king »    Even a purported inferior has certain abilities, even in the presence of a purported superior

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link »    An organization (especially a process or a business) is only as strong or powerful as its weakest person. A group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member.

a cut above »    Superior to; of a higher quality than.

a cut below »    Inferior to; of a lower quality than.

a drop in the bucket »    An effort or action having very little overall influence, especially as compared to a huge problem.

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 good beginning makes a good ending »    Good beginnings promise a good end; start off on a good note to reap the benefits at the end.

a house is not a home »    A home is not merely a building but requires inhabitants and a friendly atmosphere.

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 lie has no legs »    You can't get away with a lie, the truth will always come out.

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 man's home is his castle »    (US) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security

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

a notch above »    Superior to; of a higher quality than.

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 watched pot never boils »    A process appears to go more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.

abide by »    To accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it; to conform to; to acquiesce; as, to abide by an award.

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

abide with »    To remain or live with someone.

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

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

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

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

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 of spades »    The playing card belonging to the spades suit and featuring one pip.

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

acknowledge the corn »    To cop a plea; to admit to a small error but not a larger one.

across the board »    A racing bet where one bets that the same competitor will place in first, second and third.

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

actions speak louder than words »    It is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.

add fuel to fire »    To inflame a situation, to make a situation worse.

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

add insult to injury »    To further a loss with mockery or indignity.

after all »    in spite of everything

against all odds »    Despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability.

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.

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

all at once »    Unexpectedly; without warning; all of a sudden.

all bark and no bite »    Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.

all ears »    Awaiting an explanation.

all fired up »    Excited or energized; highly enthusiastic.

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

all holiday »    A saying signifying that it is all over with the business or person spoken of or alluded to/.

all important »    vital

all it's cracked up to be »    As good as claims or reputation would suggest.

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 out »    The state of a side having no more men to bat, thus ending its innings.

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

all over with »    Completely finished; over.

all talk and no action »    Speaking, promising, or boasting much, but doing little

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

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

all told »    With everything included, counted or summed.

all very well »    True, as far as it goes.

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

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

an apple a day »    Healthy eating and living using traditional temperate-zone fresh foods.

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

an Englishman's home is his castle »    (UK) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security

an offer one can't refuse »    An offer from one side in any transaction with terms so attractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.

an offer one can't refuse »    An offer from one side in any transaction with the results of failing to accept so unattractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.

and change »    And some quantity, but less than the increment to the next round number.

and shit »    Used after a noun or list of nouns in place of "etc".

angel's advocate »    Someone who sees what's good about an idea and supports it.

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

angle for farthings »    To beg out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.

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.

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

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

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

apples and oranges »    Said of a comparison of items that are not comparable.

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.

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 to the teeth »    To equip thoroughly with weapons.

arm's length »    Barely within reach.

around Robin Hood's barn »    The long way around; a roundabout or circuitous route.

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

arse over tit »    Tumbling; falling; upside-down; unstable or unbalanced.

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

as far as »    With respect to; as relates to.

as for »    with reference to

as good as one's word »    Faithful to a promise one has made.

as is »    In its present state or condition, especially as a contractual condition of sale.

as long as »    Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; so long as.

as luck would have it »    As it happened; how it turned out; by good fortune; fortunately or luckily.

as well »    In addition; also.

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

ask for it »    To provoke an unwanted action.

ask in »    To invite someone to enter one's house.

ask my arse »    A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.

ask out »    To invite somebody, especially on a date.

ask round »    To invite someone to your house.

asleep at the switch »    Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity.

asphalt jungle »    A city or urban area, where the landscape is covered by pavement and the environment is alienating and unsafe.

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

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 best »    In the most favorable of conditions; at the most.

At ease with nudity »    ISM free identification with nude recreation

at first »    Initially; at the start.

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

at heart »    In spirit; according to one's beliefs, views or feelings; deep down, really, fundamentally.

at loose ends »    In an uncertain position or situation.

at one with »    United with; in tune with.

at one's beck and call »    In servitude to; at one’s command.

at peace with »    Not disturbed or upset by.

at peace with »    Not menacing or hostile toward.

at that »    In addition to what has been said; furthermore; moreover.

at that »    Now that it has been mentioned.

at the drop of a hat »    Without any hesitation; instantly.

at the end of one's tether »    At the limit of one’s patience; frustrated or annoyed..

at the end of the road »    No longer in the competition. Voted off. Eliminated.

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 »    In control of the situation; in charge.

at will »    At one's preference; as one sees fit.

au fait »    fully informed;

autem mort »    A married woman; also a female beggar with several children hired or borrowed to excite charity.

away with the fairies »    Not with it, dreaming, not all there.

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

back gammon player »    A sodomite.

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

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

back up »    As a security measure.

back up »    For the non-striker to take a few steps down the pitch, in preparation to taking a run, just as the bowler bowls the ball.

back-to-back »    With one's back facing somebody else's back.

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

bad blood »    Feelings of hostility or ill will.

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

bad penny »    A counterfeit or damaged penny.

bad taste in one's mouth »    A feeling of guilt, responsibility, or embarrassment as to cause nausea.

bag of rations »    A fussy or overly zealous military superior.

baggage »    Heavy baggage; women and children. Also a familiar epithet for a woman; as, cunning baggage, wanton baggage, &c.

bail out »    To remove water from a boat by scooping it out.

bail out »    To exit an aircraft while in flight.

balance the books »    To add up all the debits and credits.

balance the books »    To put or keep any closed or conservative system or its analysis in balance.

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

balloon goes up »    Something exciting or dangerous begins.

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

ballpoint pen »    writing implement

balum rancum »    A hop or dance, where the women are all prostitutes. N. B. The company dance in their birthday suits.

bang about »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

bang around »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

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.

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

bankers' hours »    Any easy job, especially one with a short working day.

banyan day »    In British naval tradition, this originally referred to a day of the week when galley kitchens served no meat on board ship.

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.

baptism by fire »    A rite of passage through the survival or success of a crisis.

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

barge in »    To intrude; to enter or interrupt suddenly and without invitation.

barking dogs never bite »    Alternative form of barking dogs seldom bite.

barking dogs seldom bite »    People who make big threats never usually carry them out.

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

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 »    A wave that breaks with a hollow compartment.

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 »    A toy in the shape of a barrel that emits sounds of laughter.

bash in »    To break or dent badly by hitting violently.

bash in »    To injure someone by hitting violently.

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

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

bawl out »    To have a serious argument accompanied with shouting.

be at one's beck and call »    To be in the position of serving someone in any way they desire, usually unwillingly.

be left holding the baby »    To be left with the responsibility of resolving a problem.

be my guest »    Do as you wish; go ahead; help yourself; go for it!.

be on the edge of one's seat »    To be in suspense; to wait eagerly or anxiously for some resolution.

be still my heart »    Calm down, this situation is too exciting or overly distressing.

be that as it may »    Even if that is the case; whether that is true or not; nevertheless.

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.

bear in with »    Nearer.

bear with »    To be patient with.

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

beat down »    To strike with great force.

beat it »    To go away.

beat off »    To drive something away with blows.

beat the shit out of »    To beat really badly.

beat up »    Repeatedly bomb a military target or targets.

bed of roses »    A comfortable or luxurious position.

bed of roses »    A pleasant or easy situation.

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

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

beer and skittles »    Fun times.

beer and skittles »    Something pleasurable.

beg off »    To avoid, or cancel some event that one has previously arranged with someone.

beggars can't be choosers »    (proverb) When resources are limited, one must accept even substandard gifts.

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

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

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

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

bells and whistles »    Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.

below par »    Having a price below its face value.

bench jockey »    A baseball term for a player, coach or manager who is annoying and distracts opposition players and umpires from his team's dugout bench with verbal repartee.

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

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.

best laid plans »    A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.

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

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

best regards »    Used as a polite closing of a letter.

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

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

better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all »    Having experience of love, even if it ended, is better than having no experience of love.Love is worthwhile despite the pain involved in separation.

better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness »    In the face of bad times or hopelessness, it is more worthwhile to do some good, however small, in response than to complain about the situation.

between the jigs and the reels »    Eventually, despite all the confusion.

betwixt and between »    Neither one thing nor the other.

beyond one's pay grade »    Beyond one's capability.

beyond one's pay grade »    Beyond one's level of authority.

beyond the pale »    Describing behaviour that is considered to be outside the bounds of morality, good behaviour or judgement in civilised company.

big boys »    The people or bodies with the most influence and/or power.

big break »    A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.

big enchilada »    Some item of high value, especially a top prize or reward.

big fish in a small pond »    One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.

big picture »    The totality of a situation.

big shot »    A person with a reputation of importance or power.

big wheel »    A person with a great deal of power or influence, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.

bill of goods »    A collection of items purchased or offered for sale.

birds and bees »    Informal sex education, especially describing the sexual activity of animals rather than that of people.

birds of a feather flock together »    People of similar character, background, or taste tend to congregate or associate with one another.

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

birthday suit »    Nakedness; a lack of clothing.

bit by a barn mouse »    Tipsy.

bit on the side »    Secondary lover, mistress.

bit part »    small acting role

bit part »    small acting role

bit part »    small acting role

bite i gresset »    To bite the dust, to die.

bite i gresset »    To loose.

bite me »    An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party.

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

bite off more than one can chew »    To try to do too much; to take on or attempt more than one is capable of doing.

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

bite one's tongue »    To forcibly prevent oneself from uttering a word.

bite someone's head off »    To severely berate someone.

bite the bullet »    To accept a negative aspect of a situation in order to continue moving forward.

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

bite the dust »    To die.

bite the dust »    To quit, or fail.

bite the hand that feeds you »    To cause harm to a benefactor.

bite to eat »    A snack or quick meal.

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

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.

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

black »    Illegitimate, illegal or disgraced.

black »    Without light.

black babies »    Third world charities, the missions.

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

blame Canada »    A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.

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.

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

bleep out »    To censor inappropriate spoken words by obscuring them with the sound of a bleep.

blessing in disguise »    A misfortune that has an unexpected benefit.

blind »    A covering for a window to keep out light. The covering may be made of cloth or of narrow slats that can block light or allow it to pass.

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!

blot out »    To make something undecipherable; to obliterate.

blow chunks »    To vomit chunks of undigested food.

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

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

blow one's chances »    To forfeit opportunities to achieve some goal.

blow out of proportion »    To overreact to or overstate; to treat too seriously or be overly concerned with.

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

blow smoke »    To speak with a lack of credibility, sense, purpose, or truth; to speak nonsense.

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 this pop stand »    To exit or remove oneself from a less than exciting location or environment.

blow up »    To inflate or fill with air.

blue devils »    Low spirits; depression.

blue moon »    The moon tinted towards blue as it appears in the sky, caused by dust or smoke in the atmosphere.

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.

blue-eyed boy »    Someone's favourite, especially a young one.

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.

blurt out »    To say suddenly, without thinking.

board up »    To block doors or windows with boards, either to prevent access or as protection from storms, etc.

boil down »    As an allusion to the cooking technique of reducing liquids by heat, one boils down a problem, argument, etc. to its most central elements.

bone dry »    Completely dry; without any trace of moisture.

boot camp »    A short, intensive, quasi-military program generally aimed at young offenders as an alternative to a jail term.

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

boot up »    To start a computer using its bootstrap procedure.

borganism »    An organization of autonomous organisms that exhibit collectivism: individual "units" that have merged to yield a unified construct. Such an amalgam may possess a collective consciousness, arguably an emergent phenomenon of social networking.

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.

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

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

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

bottom of the line »    The worst, the most lackluster, or lowest quality currently on the market, especially among selections in a product line.

bottom of the ninth »    By extension, any last chance or final opportunity.

bottoming the house »    The process by where someone cleans their house 'from top to bottom'. It is a very thorough clean indeed, even more so than 'spring cleaning'.

bounce back »    To recover from a negative without seemingly any damage.

bow out »    To resign, or leave, with one's credibility still intact.

bowl over »    To overwhelm with astonishment or wonder; to flabbergast.

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.

boy in the boat »    Clitoris.

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

brain-dead »    Having an irreversible loss of brain function and cessation of brain activity.

brain-dead »    Having no useful thoughts; stupid; ditzy.

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

brass monkey »    Said of the weather when it is very cold.

brass neck »    A person with gall.

brass ring »    Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.

bread and butter »    Bread spread with butter.

break even »    To neither gain nor lose money.

break even »    To stay the same; to neither advance nor regress.

break ground »    To initiate a new venture, or to advance beyond previous achievements.

break in »    To enter by force or illicit means.

break new ground »    By extension, to initiate a new venture.

break off »    To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.

break out »    To begin suddenly; to emerge in a certain condition.

break rank »    To march or charge out of the designated order in a military unit.

breathe down someone's neck »    To follow someone too closely, making it uncomfortable for them.

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.

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

bridge »    A statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.

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 »    To make a legitimate rulership lose their position of power.

bring forth »    To produce, bear as fruit.

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

bring it weak »    To fail to accomplish an accomplishable task or to make an attempt at less than maximum effort; to "half-ass" or "fake the funk".

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 round »    To resuscitate; to cause to regain consciousness.

bring up »    To bring from a lower position to a higher position.

broad across the beam »    Without fat on the hips and the bottom.

broad in the beam »    Without fat on the hips and the bottom.

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

bros before hoes »    (US, informal) A man should prioritize his male friends over his girlfriend or wife.

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

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

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

bug out »    To abandon someone without warning.

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

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.

bulletproof »    Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.

bum around »    To wander around idly to no purpose; to loaf or loiter.

bump and grind »    A combination of movements resembling such a dance, as in road racing, whitewater kayaking, or exercising; any activity involving prolonged jarring or shaking.

bump into »    To collide with something.

bump up »    To give a more prominent place to; to advance position in queue.

bundle of energy »    The energy associated with being lively, continually active, or industrious.

bundle of nerves »    A person with an especially nervous, excitable, or fearful disposition.

bung up »    To close an opening with a cork, cork like object or other improvised obstruction.

bunny hug »    A sweatshirt with a hood.

buoy up »    To uplift, hearten, inspire or raise the spirits.

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

burn one's bridges »    To destroy one's path, connections, reputation, opportunities, etc.

burn rubber »    To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.

bury the lead »    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

bury the lede »    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

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 prostitute.

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

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

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

busy work »    Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.

but then »    Then again, on the other hand; used to show that the opposite viewpoint is possible.

butt heads »    To argue uncompromisingly with someone.

butt-naked »    With the buttocks bared.

butter up »    To flatter, especially with the intent of personal gain.

butterfly upon a wheel »    An innocent person crushed by life's adversities.

button up »    To fasten with a button or buttons.

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

buy to let »    To purchase a property as in investment, and to let it out for rental instead of living in it.

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

by all means »    Yes certainly; definitely.

by and large »    Mostly, generally; with few exceptions.

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

by heart »    Knowing completely; as having committed completely to memory.

by no means »    Certainly not; definitely not.

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

by oneself »    Alone; without assistance, accompaniment, or help from others.

by the Grace of God »    Used as part of the titles of royalty.

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

by the way »    [...] I had counted on a life-lease of the profits, whereas I only received those of a few short years. But this is by the way.

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

call in »    To withdraw something from sale or circulation.

call it a day »    To cease the activity for the day.

call it a day »    To retire.

call it a night »    To cease what one has been doing for the night.

call it a night »    To go to bed to sleep.

call it even »    To declare debts resolved or favors or other exchange equitable.

call it quits »    To conclude; to quit or stop an activity.

call off the dogs »    During a one-sided sports contest, to remove the first-string unit of a team from the game after dominating the opponent.

call on »    To visit somebody; to pay a call.

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.

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.

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

can of worms »    A complex, troublesome situation arising when a decision or action produces considerable subsequent problems.

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.

Cannon fodder »    Military personnel who are regarded as expendable when attacking the enemy.

cap it all off »    To finish or complete something.

cap it all off »    To surpass or outdo something.

carried away »    Made excessively emotional or excited.

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 off »    Knowledge, confidence, or familiarity.

carry on »    To have an illicit sexual liaison.

carry on »    To take baggage or luggage onto an airplane, rather than check it.

carry the can »    To take responsibility, especially in a challenging situation.

carry the message to Garcia »    To perform a requisite task despite obstacles.

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

cash in »    To profit from; to use an opportunity to maximum advantage, especially financially.

cast aspersions »    To make damaging or spiteful remarks.

cast off »    To finish the last row of knitted stitches and remove them securely from the needle.

cast on »    To start the first row of knitting by putting stitches on a needle.

cast pearls before swine »    To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.

cast up one's accounts »    To vomit.

castle in the air »    A visionary project or scheme; a day-dream; an idle fancy; a pipe dream; any plan, desire, or idea that is unlikely to be ever realized; a near impossibility.

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

cat that ate the canary »    A person whose appearance and behavior suggest guilt mixed with other qualities, such as satisfaction or feigned nonchalance.

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

catbird seat »    Expression used to describe an enviable position, often one of great advantage.

catch a cold »    To become infected with cold.

catch fire »    Become engulfed with flames.

catch it »    Be severely reprimanded, punished, or beaten.

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

catch up »    To provide with news.

catch up »    get level with

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.

catch-as-catch-can »    Intermittent; only when possible or when the opportunity presents itself.

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

caught with one's hand in the cookie jar »    Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money.

caught with one's pants down »    Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.

center field »    A central role in some activity that requires speed.

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.

chalk up »    To attribute, credit, or blame.

chalkface »    A cliff or quarry exposing chalk, e.g. the White Cliffs of Dover.

champ at the bit »    To bite the bit, especially when restless.

champ at the bit »    To show impatience or frustration when delayed.

chances are »    It is likely that, it is probable that.

charge up »    To motivate, to instill someone with determination.

charity mugger »    A person employed by a charity, or by an intermediary fundraising agency employed by the charity, who stands in the street and invites passersby to set up standing orders or direct debits to make regular donations to the charity.

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.

cheat on »    To be unfaithful to.

check is in the mail »    A common excuse used by debtors to put off creditors.

check out »    To have one's purchases recorded and bagged at a supermarket, and pay for it.

check out »    To withdraw an item, as from a library, and have the withdrawal recorded.

check out »    To obtain computer source code from a repository.

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

cheek by jowl »    In close proximity; crammed uncomfortably close together.

cheese it »    A minced oath used as a warning to stop, hide, or flee.

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 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 cud »    To meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate.

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

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

chill out »    Relax, take it easy.

chinese gooseberry »    kiwi fruit

chip on one's shoulder »    A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.

chip on one's shoulder »    A habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.

chit chat »    gossip

chomp at the bit »    To show impatience or frustration when delayed.

chuck it down »    To rain heavily.

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

circuit slugger »    A talented baseball batter that hits home runs.

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.

cite chapter and verse »    To speak authoritatively, providing detailed factual information.

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

clay »    An earth material with ductile qualities.

clean code »    Software code that is formatted correctly and in an organized manner so that another coder can easily read or modify it.

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

clean up »    To become clean, handsome, smart in appearance, e.g. for a special occasion, especially when it is out of character to be seen as such.

clean up »    To make a large profit; to win by a large margin, or to win a large amount, especially in gambling. Also clean house.

clean up one's act »    To reform; to improve one's habits.

clear the decks »    To remove, or fasten, all loose material, or partitions prior to a naval engagement.

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

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

close in on »    To catch up with in a chase; to near the end of a pursuit.

close the stable door after the horse has bolted »    To attempt to prevent a problem only to find it has already happened.

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

close up shop »    To shut down a shop; to end a business activity.

close, but no cigar »    That's almost correct, but not quite.

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.

clutter up »    To fill with rubbish.

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

cock of the walk »    A proud or conceited person.

cock-and-bull story »    A far-fetched and fanciful story or tale of highly dubious validity.

cold turkey »    The physiological effects of such a withdrawal.

cold turkey »    The sudden and complete withdrawal of a dependent substance, especially of a drug.

colt over the fence »    An illegitimate child.

come about »    To tack; to change tack; to maneuver the bow of a sailing vessel across the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other; to position a boat with respect to the wind after tacking.

come clean »    To confess; admit.

come down with »    To contract or get; to show symptoms of a minor illness.

come full circle »    To complete a cycle of transition, returning to the point of origin.

come in »    To join or enter; to begin playing with a group.

come out of the closet »    To tell others about homosexuality, bisexuality or any minority or disapproved-of belief, preference, etc., where previously this had been kept secret.

come out of the woodwork »    To appear or emerge as though out of nowhere, frequently in large numbers or quantity.

come out with »    To say something unexpected.

come round »    To make a regular circuit.

come round »    To cease anger or hostility.

come to grips »    To confront or deal with directly.

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

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

come up »    To come to a higher position.

come up »    To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly; to come to attention, present itself.

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

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

comfort girl »    A sex slave; prostitute.

comfort woman »    A woman forced, or supposedly recruited, into brothels by the Japanese occupation forces during World War II.

coming out of one's ears »    In great or excess quantity.

company »    A group of individuals with a common purpose, as in a company of actors.

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

company »    A unit of firefighters and their equipment.

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

company »    In non-legal context, any business, without respect to incorporation.

company »    It took six companies to put out the fire.

company »    Social visitors.

comply with »    To abide by a set of rules.

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.

consume mass quantities »    To eat or drink abundant amounts of food or beverage.

consume mass quantities »    To use large amounts of any resource.

controlled substance »    Except for very limited professional testing purposes.

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

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

cool down »    To become less agitated.

cool down »    To cause to become less agitated.

cool it »    Calm down, relax, take a time out.

cool one's jets »    To become less excited, intense, or active.

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.

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".

cough up »    To lose a competition by one's own mistakes, usually near the end of the contest.

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

court martial »    military trial

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

cozy up »    With "to", to ingratiate oneself .

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.

cream in one's jeans »    To experience an orgasm while clothed; to be thoroughly excited or delighted.

creature comfort »    Any small item or detail that makes a person comfortable and at home.

creep into »    To enter surreptitiously.

creep up »    To advance with stealth, unnoticed.

cross that bridge when one comes to it »    To deal with a problem or situation only when it arises.

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

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

crown jewels »    The male genitalia.

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

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

cry the blues »    To complain, especially in order to obtain sympathy for one's own purportedly sad situation.

crying shame »    A situation that is considered to be a disgrace, or deplorable.

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

cube out »    To reach the volume limit of a container.

cue up »    The act of taking aim on the cue ball with the cue in a game of snooker, or billiards, etc.

cup of tea »    Whatever suits or interests one.

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

curveball »    A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and middle fingers down and resulting in motion down "curve".

curveball »    An unexpected turn of events initiated by an opponent or chance.

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 down »    To insult, to belittle.

cut in »    Especially, to dance with someone who is already dancing by replacing his or her partner.

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

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

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

cut it out »    To stop; refrain from; halt.

cut off one's nose to spite one's face »    To harm oneself as a result of attempting to harm an adversary.

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

cut somebody some slack »    To be patient or lenient with somebody; to relax standards or expectations.

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

cutting edge »    The forefront, or position of greatest advancement in some field.

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.

damson jam »    fruit preserve

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

darken somebody's doorstep »    To enter somebody else's home uninvited.

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 »    Completely inactive; without power; without a signal.

dead »    Without emotion.

dead »    Without interest to one of the senses; dull; flat.

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 set against »    Completely opposed, with no possibility of a change of mind.

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

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

deadweight »    The largest weight of cargo a ship is able to carry; i.e, the weight of a ship when fully loaded minus its weight when empty.

debris field »    Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.

deep down »    Fundamentally; in essence; in reality; really.

deep end »    A situation where expertise or experience is required.

deep end »    The part of a swimming pool with relatively deep water.

deep water »    A difficult or embarrassing situation.

deep water »    Waters suitable for deep-draft ships, especially ocean-going.

den of iniquity »    A place of immoral behavior, usually of a sexual type.

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.

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.

diamond in the rough »    A person whose goodness or other positive qualities are hidden by a harsh or unremarkable surface appearance.

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

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

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

dim bulb »    A person who is slow-witted.

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.

discretion is the better part of valour »    It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave speech or action.1597

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.

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 as I say and not as I do »    Don't imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.

do away with »    To destroy, eliminate, or make an end of.

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

do one »    To depart from a place, often with a sense of urgency.

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

do something with mirrors »    To insinuate one has performed a magic or optical trick with the use of hidden mirrors, insinuating trickery and sham.

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

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

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

do without »    To manage despite the lack of something.

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

dog's breakfast »    An unappealing mixture; a disorderly situation; a mess.

dogs »    With the, a greyhound racing event.

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 give up your day job »    Implying that they could not earn a living from it without other regular employment.

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 let the bedbugs bite »    Used to wish a person a good night's sleep.

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.

dormitive principle »    Words.

double Dutch »    A game of jump rope with two ropes and frequently two jumpers.

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

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

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

down and out »    In trouble; in a bad time or situation or having very bad luck.

down on one's luck »    Unlucky or undergoing a period of bad luck, especially with respect to financial matters.

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

down with his apple-cart »    Knock or throw him down.

drag »    To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.

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

drag out »    To haul or bring out forcefully or as though with force.

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.

draw a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

draw back »    To retreat from a position.

draw back »    To withdraw from an undertaking.

draw on »    To sketch or mark with pencil, crayon, etc., on a given surface.

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

draw out »    To improve a losing hand to a winning hand by receiving additional cards.

draw the line »    To set a boundary, rule, or limit, especially on what one will tolerate.

drink from a firehose »    To take a small amount from an enormous, hard-to-manage quantity.

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

drive home »    With tangible or powerful demonstration.

drive the porcelain bus »    To vomit, especially while drunk or hung over.

drive-by media »    Media professionals who "spray" a bunch of repetitive misstatements, mistaken and misinterpreted news reports to cause excitement and confusion. They then figuratively "drive off" leaving the cleanup of their mess and hysteria to others, to correct and properly explain and interpret.

drop a bomb »    To announce surprising or alarming information suddenly and without warning.

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

drop in »    One who arrives unannounced or without an appointment.

drop off »    To deliver; to deposit or leave.

drop somebody a line »    To write, call or visit somebody.

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.

drop the writ »    To call a federal or provincial election.

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

duke it out »    To argue heavily or at length.

duke it out »    To fight, especially with the fists.

duly noted »    In a due, fit, or becoming manner; as it ought to be; properly.

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

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

dusty miller »    One of several species of plants with leaves of a dusty appearance: Centaurea cineraria, Senecio cineraria, and Lychnis coronaria.

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

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.

ear splitting »    very loud

ear tunnel »    A piece of jewelry that fits into a stretched earlobe hole and makes it seem like a peephole and makes it see-through.

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.

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

easy street »    A carefree situation or lifestyle, especially as resulting from possession of wealth.

eat crow »    To recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.

eat humble pie »    To admit one's faults; to make a humiliating apology.

eat one's hat »    Used in a result clause to express disbelief in the conditional clause proposition.

eat one's young »    To betray a constituent or charge out of self-serving interests or desperation; savaging.

eat someone out of house and home »    To consume such a portion of one's store of food that little is left for the owner.

eat up »    To accept or believe entirely, immediately, and without questioning.

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.

egg white »    albumen

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

empty promise »    A promise that is either not going to be carried out, worthless or meaningless.

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 »    End of habitability for life on Earth.

end of the world »    End of humanity.

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

err on the side of caution »    To act in the least risky manner in a situation where one is uncertain about the consequences.

esprit de corps »    A shared spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group, for example of a military unit.

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 »    By extension, an event that is somewhat likely to happen, but far from inevitable.

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 dog has its day »    Everyone has a time of success and satisfaction.

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

every king needs a queen »    Every man needs a woman to be with for the rest of his life.

every last »    Every; without exception; used for emphasis.

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

every man Jack »    All the members of a group with no exceptions.

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

every silver lining has a cloud »    Every good situation has the potential to turn bad.2007, Diab A. Shetayh, Actuality : The Reality RequiemA great partnership isn't a self-maintaining entity. Perseverance and persistence make it thrive. For every silver lining has a cloud. Ignorance of this reality is not an option.

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

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

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

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

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

eye candy »    Any object or sight with considerable visual appeal.

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

f** it »    An expression of frustration.

f** it »    An expression of great indifference or nonchalance.

f** knows »    I don't know; nobody knows; it is unclear.

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.

f** with »    To mess with; to interact with in a careless or inappropriate way.

face off »    Either an actual or a figurative face to face confrontation, especially a bitter one.

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

face value »    No more or less than what is stated; a literal or direct meaning or interpretation.

faceplant »    The act of landing face first, often associated with bailing during extreme sports.

factotum »    A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.

facts on the ground »    A euphemism, similar to fait accompli, used as an oblique way of saying that discussions over the possession of a given piece of territory has been rendered moot by the presence of military forces.

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.

fair game »    An goal or object that may legitimately be sought.

fair weather friend »    Only when it is advantageous or easy.

faith will move mountains »    Belief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.

fall between two stools »    To attempt two tasks and fail at both, when either one could have been accomplished singly.

fall for »    To fall in love with somebody.

fall in »    Of a soldier, to get into position in a rank.

fall in line »    To submit to the rules of a higher authority; obey; conform.

fall in with »    To join a group of people.

fall in with »    To accept a set of generally agreed rules, or a suggestion.

fall into »    Without having planned it.

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.

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

fall on one's sword »    To resign from a job or other position of responsibility, especially when pressured to do so.

fall on one's sword »    To voluntarily take the blame for a situation.

fall over »    To fall from an upright or standing position to a horizontal or prone position.

familiarity breeds contempt »    The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.

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

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

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

fat chance »    Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.

fear »    Extreme veneration or awe, as toward a supreme being or deity.

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

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.

feel for »    To express sympathy for, to sympathise with.

fence in »    To enclose with a fence.

fencepost problem »    In computer programming, a problem dealing with how to treat the initial or boundary values of a discrete problem.

fend off »    Away; to turn away; to defend against; to repel with force or effort.

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 continue to wage war when it is clear that one is not going to win.

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 fires »    To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.

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

fill in »    To substitute for somebody or something.

fill in »    To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information.

film critic »    movie reviewer

film out »    To transfer images or animation from videotape or digital files to a traditional celluloid film print.

find one's feet »    To grow in confidence in a new situation as one gains experience.

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

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

fine 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.

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

fire escape »    emergency exit

fire off »    To write a note or letter quickly.

fire up »    To ignite.

fire up »    To excite; to infuse with energy.

fire-breathing »    Caustic, vitriolic or scathing.

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

firm up »    To make tentative plans more definite.

first among equals »    A person or position that if formally equivalent to others in a group, but is superior in some attribute.

first among equals »    In the British and other parliamentary systems, a term used to describe the relationship of the prime minister to the other members of the cabinet.

first come, first served »    People will be dealt with in the order they arrive.

first loser »    The second place finisher in auto racing competition.

first rate »    Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.

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

fish or cut bait »    To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.

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

fit as a fiddle »    Perfectly fit; in excellent health.

fit as a lop »    In good health, fitness.

fit into »    To be of the right size and shape to be placed in a location.

fit into »    To be of similar cultural or social status as the members of a group of people.

fit to be tied »    Very agitated or distressed; enraged.

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.

flap one's gums »    To speak idly; to talk without effect.

flash in the pan »    A transient occurrence with no long-term effect.

flat chat »    At maximum capability or speed.

flat-earther »    A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.

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

flick the bean »    To masturbate by stimulating the clitoris.

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

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

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 off the handle »    To become very angry or enraged; to throw a fit or go crazy.

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

fly the freak flag »    To behave in a unconventional or unrestrained manner; to exhibit the uninhibited side of one's personality.

fly-by-night »    One who departs or flees at night in order to avoid creditors, law enforcement etc. .

flying visit »    A very short visit.

fold one's tent »    To withdraw, especially in a discreet manner; to disengage; to quit.

follow suit »    To follow an example; to imitate.

follow suit »    To play a card of the same suit as the previous or leading card.

follow through »    To finish; to complete, especially, of a commitment.

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.

footloose and fancy free »    Able to do as one pleases, unconstrained by social ties or responsibilities.

for all one is worth »    Intensely, vigorously, with as much effort as one can supply.

for keeps »    To compete seriously, with a strong resolve to win or succeed, as in sports or business.

for keeps »    With an agreement or intention to retain what one gains or receives.

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

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

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 nonce »    For the time being, with the expectation that the situation may change.

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.

forbidden fruit »    The fruit forbidden to Adam.

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

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.

forewarned is forearmed »    Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.1863, Charles Reade, Hard Cash, ch. 4:[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.1885, G. A. Henty, Saint George for England, ch. 4:Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.circa 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind":"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."

fork over »    To turn over soil with a gardening fork.

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

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

four-on-the-floor »    Characterised by a steady, uniformly accented beat with a 4/4 time signature.

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

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

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 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.

fresh start »    A new beginning, without prejudices.

friend with benefits »    A friend with whom one has such a relationship.

friend with benefits »    A friendship with no reserves when it comes to the release of shared sexual tension thus leading to sexual fraternization.

frig it »    An expression of frustration similar to, but not as coarse as f** it.

from pillar to post »    To another; hither and thither, to and fro.

from scratch »    From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.

from the bottom of one's heart »    In earnest; sincerely; with one's full feeling.

from the Department of the Bleeding Obvious »    So obvious it was unnecessary to say.

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

front and center »    A command to come to the center of attention of an assemblage, as of military personnel or students.

fruit of one's loins »    C. 1950, Kay Boyle, "Adam's Death" in Fifty Stories , ISBN 9780811212069, p. 541.

fruit of one's loins »    One's child, children, or descendents.

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

fruit of the union »    A child, especially from a marriage or similar union.

fruit salad »    dessert dish

full blast »    Maximum capacity or effort.

full marks »    To exclaim complete satisfaction with someone's efforts.

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

full of it »    Speaking nonsense; lying, exaggerating, or boasting.

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

full of shit »    Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.

full speed ahead »    A command, especially on military vessels, to move forward at maximum speed.

full speed ahead »    Maximum effort without reservations or delay.

full-fledged »    Having all its feathers; able to fly.

funny money »    Bills of any foreign currency or of counterfeit origin.

funny stuff »    Irregular, often illegal, activities.

gagging for it »    Up for it, having a strong desire for sex.

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.

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"

gear up »    To prepare for an activity.

gentleman of the back door »    A sodomite.

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 along »    To be together or coexist well, without arguments or trouble.

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

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

get bent out of shape »    To take offense; to become angry, agitated or upset.

get busy »    Start working, usually in opposition to idleness.

get by the balls »    To have complete control over someone, especially of a woman abusing a man's infatuation with her.

get down to brass tacks »    Deal with the important details.

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

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

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

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

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

get into someone's pants »    To have sex with.

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

get it »    To "get what's coming to him/her"; to feel one's wrath; to receive punishment; to receive a retaliation; to receive a beating.

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

get it »    To possess a preferred outlook on a given issue or issues.

get it »    To realize or understand why a joke is funny.

get it »    To understand, comprehend, or grasp.

get it into one's head »    imagine

get it on »    To have sex.

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

get off »    To move from being on top of to not being on top of it.

get off »    To move to not being on top of it.

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

get off lightly »    End up with a mild punishment.

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 somebody's nerves »    To annoy or irritate; to bother.

get one's back up »    To become angry, defensive, or irritable.

get one's finger out »    To proceed with the matter in hand.

get one's foot in the door »    To initiate contact or a relationship; to gain access, especially to an entry-level job.

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

get out of here »    To leave or exit a place.

get someone's back up »    To annoy a person either deliberately or inadvertently.

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

get stuck into »    Get busy with; become occupied with; become immersed in.

get the boot »    To be voted off a competition in a reality television show.

get the chop »    To be eliminated from a competition in a reality television program.

gift of the gab »    The ability to talk readily, glibly, and convincingly.

ginger snap »    biscuit

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

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime »    It is more worthwhile to teach someone to do something, than to do something for them.

give a shit »    To care, often used in the negative.

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 birth »    To produce new life into the world; to have a baby. Transitive when used with to.

give ear »    To listen: to devote one's attention to an auditory event.

give hostage to fortune »    He was very cautious with his words and gave no hostages to fortune.

give hostage to fortune »    To take an action or make a statement that is risky because it could cause you trouble later.

give it a go »    To try or attempt.

give it a whirl »    To try, test or attempt.

give it one's best shot »    To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.

give it the gun »    Literal meaning.

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

give over »    To devote oneself to a particular activity.

give somebody the heave-ho »    To fire, expel or break up with someone.

give someone the eye »    To show flirtatious signs with the eye.

give the devil his due »    To acknowledge the positive qualities of a person who is unpleasant or disliked.

glimmer »    A faint or remote possibility.

gloss over »    To cover up a mistake or a crime; to hush up or whitewash.

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

glutton for punishment »    One persistent in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.

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

go apeshit »    To behave in an extreme manner; to act without restraint, especially by becoming explosively angry.

go back on »    To be treacherous or faithless to; betray; as, to go back on friends.

go batshit »    To become completely irrational; to react in an irrationally extreme manner.

go by »    To pass, to go past, without much interaction.

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

go by the board »    To estimate the velocity of a boat or ship in knots by casting overboard the knotted line to whose end is attached the lead and thereafter counting the knots in the line as it goes aft along the side boards of the vessel.

go down the wrong way »    To swallow food or drink so that it goes down the wrong tube in one's throat and makes one cough or for a short period lose one's breath or choke.

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 figure »    Expresses perplexity, confusion, surprise, or puzzlement.

go for it »    A cry of encouragement.

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

go in for »    To enter a competition.

go in off »    To pot the cue ball accidentally after hitting the object ball.

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

go large »    To have the wind at such an angle to the sail that the vessel gains its highest speed.

go native »    To adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants, especially when dwelling in a colonial region; to become less refined under the influence of a less cultured, more primitive, or simpler social environment.

go off the boil »    To become of diminished intensity or urgency.

go out with »    Often in hopes that the relationship will become more longterm as in definition 1.

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

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

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 through with »    To proceed; to continue.

go to Canossa »    To submit to the pope.

go to seed »    To deteriorate; to decline into an unkempt or debased condition.

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 too far »    To exceed an unstated limit, especially a limit of acceptable behaviour.

go with the flow »    To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.

go without »    Be deprived of.

go without saying »    To be obvious, apparent or clear, or already established.

god forbid »    Don't let it be.

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 to the dogs »    In such a poor state that it should be left to the dogs.

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 hello »    A payment offered to an employee as an inducement to join, especially if currently working for a competitor.

golden opportunity »    Ideal moment to do something.

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

good fences make good neighbors »    It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.

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

good old boy »    A friendly, unambitious, relatively uneducated, sometimes racially biased white man who embodies the stereotype of the folksy culture of the rural southern USA.

good old boy »    A male friend or chum, especially a schoolmate; a man with an established network of friends who assist one another in social and business situations; a decent, dependable fellow.

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

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.

goof off »    To dawdle; to engage in idle activity or inactivity.

goose is cooked »    All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success.

grab bag »    Any random assortment, selection or possibility.

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.

granary »    A storage facility for grain or sometimes animal feed.

granny smith »    apple

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

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

gratuitous violence »    The artificial depiction of excessive violence.

gratuitous violence »    Violence that is not justified.

gravy train »    An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.

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 oaks from little acorns grow »    Alternative form of mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

green fingers »    A seemingly natural gardening ability.

green light »    A traffic light in its green state .

green thumb »    A person with this skill.

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.

grind one's gears »    To annoy or irritate.

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 cold »    To wane; to lose interest or enthusiasm for something or someone; to become disenchanted or to fall out of love with someone.

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.

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.

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

gut reaction »    An instantaneous reaction made without thought.

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

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

hack it »    To cope with, to be successful in.

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.

ham it up »    To act or emote, especially to overact or act badly.

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

hammer home »    Until or so that a person or group of people understands it.

hand down »    To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor.

hand it to somebody »    To give somebody credit or praise.

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.

hands down »    Without much effort; easily.

hands down »    Without question[2].

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

hang about »    To stay, linger or loiter.

hang around »    To stay, linger or loiter.

hang by a thread »    To be in danger, calling for precise caution. To be in a precarious situation.

hang in the balance »    To be in a precarious situation, unsure of the future.

hang on »    wait

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

hang paper »    To write a bad check.

hang up one's boots »    Retire, call it a day.

hanging offence »    A crime so serious that it is punishable by means of death by hanging.

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

happy medium »    A balanced position between two opposite extremes.

hard hitting »    uncompromising

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

harsh one's mellow »    To annoy or irritate; to bother.

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.

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

have a ball »    To enjoy thoroughly; to have lots of fun or excitement.

have a blast »    To thoroughly enjoy; to be excited or have lots of fun.

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

have a cow »    To get angry; have a fit.

have a fit »    To become suddenly enraged.

have a fit »    To experience an epileptic seizure.

have a green thumb »    A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.

have a seat »    A polite directive to sit down.

have a seat »    To sit down; to take a seat.

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

have a word with »    To talk or speak with.

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

have an eye for »    To have good taste; to have the ability to discriminate or identify quality.

have ants in one's pants »    To be agitated and constantly fidgeting.

have ants in one's pants »    To be sexually excited.

have at »    To attack; to engage in combat with.

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 had it up to here »    To have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or forbearance.

have it coming »    To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions.

have it in for »    To be very angry at; to have a grudge against.

have it large »    To engage intensely in pleasure-seeking activities.

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 it off »    To engage in sexual intercourse.

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

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

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

have one's name on it »    To be reserved for someone.

have one's number on it »    Te be destined for someone.

have one's wits about one »    To remain calm, composed, or aware.

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 the biscuit »    To be of no further use; to be near death.

have the floor »    To have permission or time to speak, especially in a formal situation.

have tickets on oneself »    To be conceited.

have to do with »    See "have to do".

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.

have truck with »    To have dealings with.

he who smelt it dealt it »    (colloquial, originally) A person who calls attention to or complains about a fart is likely trying to pretend it wasn't his or her own.(colloquial, by extension) Used to suggest that a person calling attention to or complaining about a given problem may in fact be the source of the problem.

head over heels »    Hopelessly smitten.

head start »    A factor conducive to superiority and success.

head-in-the-sand »    Exhibiting disregard or denial of a problem or threat.

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

hear the grass grow »    To have an extremely sensitive sense of hearing.

heart of gold »    A kind, compassionate, or caring attitude; kindheartedness.

hedge one's bets »    To place bets with a third party in order to offset potential losses.

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 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 as a kite »    Very much under the influence of drugs, extremely high.

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

high horse »    An appearance or sense of smug superiority.

hightail it »    To hurry or run; often, to flee.

highway robbery »    Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.

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

his back is up »    He is offended or angry; an expression or idea taken from a cat; that animal, when angry, always raising its back. An allusion also sometimes used to jeer a crooked man.

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

hit a snag »    To encounter an unexpected problem or delay.

hit home »    To be especially memorable or meaningful; to be fully understood, believed or appreciated.

hit home »    To do something particularly great.

hit it big »    To have great success.

hit man »    hired killer

hit on »    To flirt with; to approach and speak to (someone), seeking romance, love, sex, etc.

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

hit one out of the ballpark »    To hit a fair ball so well that the ball flies over all of the spectators' seats and lands outside the stadium.

hit one out of the ballpark »    To produce a spectacular achievement.

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

hit one's stride »    When walking or running, to reach a full or comfortable pace.

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

hit someone for six »    Be affected in a devastating way by some unexpected news.

hit someone for six »    To hit another person very hard.

hit the big time »    To become successful and widely known.

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 ceiling »    To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.

hit the gas »    Go, go faster.

hit the ground running »    To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.

hit the hay »    To go to bed.

hit the headlines »    To appear prominently in the news, especially on the front page.

hit the jackpot »    To realise a huge load of luck; to receive a more favorable outcome than imagined.

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

hit the pavement »    Literal meaning.

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 road »    To leave a place; to go away.

hit the rock »    To make a gesture to show celebration, friendship, or to be part of a secret handshake by one person raising their fist so the fist is pointing at the person and the other person lightly punches the fist.

hit the rock »    To use crack cocaine.

hit the rocks »    To be at a low point in one's pursuits.

hit the roof »    To be explosively angry.

hit the sack »    To go to bed.

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

hit the trail »    To leave or depart.

hit up »    To request or demand.

hit upon »    To address.

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

hold a candle »    To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.

hold all the aces »    To be in a strong position when one is competing with someone else, having all the advantages.

hold back »    To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power.

hold on »    Wait a short while.

hold one's breath »    To wait, as if breathlessly.

hold one's horses »    To be patient; to wait.

hold one's own »    To stand up to; to give a respectable performance; to provide worthy competition.

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

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 the fort »    To assume responsibility, especially in another’s absence..

hold the fort »    To maintain a secure position.

hold the phone »    Stop; wait; woah. What's this? Look at this!.

hold up »    To wait or delay.

hold up »    To withstand; to stand up to; to survive.

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

hold with the hare and run with the hounds »    To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.

hold with the hare and run with the hounds »    To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.

hold your fire »    Do not discharge your weapon. Used originally for weapons needing a spark or lighting of a fuse to ignite gunpowder, now sometimes used to mean any weapon launching a projectile.

hold your fire »    Wait, don't retaliate, calm down, be quiet.

holding pattern »    A path taken by an aircraft waiting to land.

holding pattern »    Any failure to advance; useless or unproductive activity.

hole in one »    A round that is completed by sinking the ball in a single shot or attempt, with one hit.

home run »    A four-base hit, a homer.

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.

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

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

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

horse sense »    Common sense, especially with a connotation of folk wisdom independent from, and trumping, formal education.

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

horses for courses »    A person suited for one job may not be suited for another job, regardless of their expertise in the former job.

hospital pass »    A poorly executed pass to a team-mate causing the receiver to present an easy target for a defender, and thus be tackled hard.

hospital pass »    A throw that stays in the air long enough that it allows too many people to get underneath it, increasing the risk of injury and a trip to the hospital. Thus, a hospital pass.

hospital pass »    An unwinnable case, often passed to a newly-qualified member of the firm.

hospital pass »    Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.

hot button »    The principal desire that a salesman needs to "hit" in order to make a sale.

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 »    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 off the presses »    Freshly printed, minted, written, or created.

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.

hot to trot »    Eager for sexual activity.

hotfoot it »    To hasten; to move rapidly.

hotheaded »    Easily excited or angered.

household name »    A brand name that is well known to the great majority of households.

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

how come »    Why; why is it; for what reason or purpose?.

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.

humble pie »    Humility, being humble.

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

hunker down »    To take shelter; to prepare oneself for some eventuality; to focus on a task.

hunker down »    To stubbornly hold to a position.

hustle and bustle »    A large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding.

ice cream »    dessert item

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

idiot mittens »    Mittens connected by yarn or string running through one sleeve, along the back and out the other sleeve of a coat, to prevent the mittens becoming lost. Generally worn by small children.

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

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

if it's all the same »    If it makes no difference; if nobody minds; if it doesn't bother anyone.

if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle »    (colloquial, vulgar, humorous) It is fruitless to speculate about counterfactual situations."We would have won the match if we'd had a decent goalkeeper.""And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle!"

if the mountain won't come to Muhammad »    "If one cannot get one's own way, one must bow to the inevitable.".

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

if you can't beat them, join them »    If your adversaries are stronger than yourself, it is better to join the adversaries.

if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen »    If you cannot handle the pressure, you should not be in a position where you have to deal with it.

if you lie with dogs you will get fleas »    It is important whom to choose as one's closest acquanitances.

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

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 bit »    Soon.

in a canter »    Without much effort; easily.

in a league of one's own »    Far excelling even the closest contender; not having any worthy competition.

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

in a state »    Agitated and anxious.

in addition »    Also; as well; besides.

in addition »    also

in aid to this fact »    In addition to; and futhermore.

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

in bed with »    Sharing one's bed with.

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

in black and white »    Having it displayed using shades of gray/gray rather than colour/color .

in black and white »    Using shades of grey/gray rather than colour/color.

in business »    Engaged in business activity.

in business »    Ready to proceed in a desired activity.

in clover »    In a condition of prosperity.

in cold blood »    In a ruthless and unfeeling manner; premeditated and deliberate.

in Dutch »    Written or spoken in the dutch language.

in focus »    Sharp and clear with no fuzziness.

in for a penny, in for a pound »    Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof; accepting that one must

in for an inch, in for a mile »    Given that one is partly involved in or committed to a project, action, position, etc., there is no reason to refrain from becoming fully involved or fully committed.

in heaven's name »    An intensifier used with questions.

in hot water »    In trouble; in the position of arousing somebody's anger or displeasure.

in its infancy »    Still in an early stage.

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

in line »    Positioned in a straight line.

in line »    Suitable or appropriate; keeping with expectations, norms, ideals, or rules.

in line »    To assume a position in the future.

in no uncertain terms »    With great clarity, emphasis, or exactness; without any ambiguity.

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

in order »    In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.

in shape »    I hope to get in shape for summer swimsuit season.

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

in shape »    In good condition, repair; in a good state.

in so far as »    With respect to.

in spades »    To excess, a lot, considerably; without restraint.

in spite of »    Despite, irrespective of, notwithstanding.

in stride »    Without disturbing one's course of activities.

in stride »    Without emotional upset.

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

in the black »    Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.

in the dark »    Without information.

in the dark »    Without light; somewhere that is dark.

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

in the driver's seat »    Having the most important role in a storyline or recognition. Of primary importance.

in the face of »    Despite, against, contrary to.

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 first place »    To begin with; earlier; first; at the start.

in the hospital »    Admitted as a patient in a hospital.

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »    Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.

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

in the thick of it »    In a precarious situation.

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

in too deep »    In a situation where one can't cope.

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

in two shakes »    Very quickly; without delay.

in unity there is strength »    More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.

in vain »    Without success; ending in failure.

in vino veritas »    drunken folks speak truth, one tells the truth under the influence of alcohol

in with a chance »    Having a chance.

index finger »    digit

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.

installed base »    The number of units of a system or product that are currently in use.

instance in »    To cite an instance; to adduce an example.

iron out »    To remove with an iron.

it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings »    There are more developments yet to come.

it ain't the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

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 is not the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

it is what it is »    This circumstance is simply a fact and must be accepted or dealt with as it exists.

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

it isn't the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

it never rains but it pours »    Unfortunate events occur in quantity.

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

it takes all kinds to make a world »    Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds.

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

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

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

it's all good »    Used to express unconcern.

it's all Greek to me »    I don’t understand any of it; it makes no sense..

it's all Greek to me »    I tried reading the instructions, but it’s all Greek to me..

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 better to ask forgiveness than permission »    The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than value of delaying to get permission.

it's never too late to mend »    You

it's not the whistle that pulls the train »    Boasting and loud talk should not be mistaken for the work that produces real achievements; bravado is no proof of action.1956, James Reston, "Washington: It's Not the Whistle that Pulls the Train," New York Times, 1 July, p. E8:

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.

itchy trigger finger »    A tendency to act in haste or without consideration.

itsy bitsy »    Minuscule.

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

jack in »    To stop doing a regular activity. Often a job or studies.

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

jack up »    To ruin; wreck; mess up; screw up; sometimes as a bowdlerized substitution for f** up.

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

joe job »    An act of e-mail spamming where the sender's identity and address are those of an innocent third party, intended either to tarnish that person's reputation or to flood that person's e-mail with bounces.

jump »    To employ a move in certain board games where one game piece is moved from one legal position to another passing over the position of another piece.

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 down »    To leave an elevated position to a lower position by one jump.

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

jump on the bandwagon »    To profit from a craze; to join a trend.

jump rope »    A single jump in this game or activity, counted as a measure of achievement.

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 rope »    The length of rope, sometimes with handles, casing or other additions, used in that activity.

jump ship »    To depart a project without warning.

jump the gun »    To act or begin too soon or without due caution.

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

jump the queue »    To move into a queue ahead of others who have been waiting longer or that have a higher priority; push in.

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

jump to conclusions »    Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.

jump up »    To move from one position to a higher position by one jump.

jumped-up »    Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.

jumped-up »    We're doomed if this wee jumped-up monkey gets Gordon Smith's blessing.

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.

just like that »    Unexpectedly, without warning.

just the same »    Anyway; despite.

just what the doctor ordered »    Exactly what is necessary or useful in a given situation.

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

keel over »    Of a vessel: to roll so far on its side that it cannot recover; to capsize.

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

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

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.

keep at »    preserve with

keep buggin on »    Never quit; go on

keep down »    Not to vomit.

keep it down »    To be quiet.

keep it real »    In the imperative, an exhortation used as a departing salutation.

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

keep it up »    To maintain one's erection.

keep it up »    To maintain or continue a positive streak.

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

keep on »    To remain in an existing position.

keep one's cool »    To remain composed, calm, and even-tempered, especially in a provocative situation.

keep one's eye on the ball »    My ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.

keep one's options open »    To not commit to a decision, to keep various options available.

keep out »    To refrain from entering a place or condition.

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

keep out of »    To stay away from a place or condition.

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

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

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

keep tabs on »    To monitor; to keep track of; to watch.

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

keep up with »    To manage to follow .

keep up with the Joneses »    To do or buy things for status, show, or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends or neighbors.

keep your hair on »    An admonition to stay calm.

keep your shirt on »    An admonition to be more patient or to calm down.

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

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

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

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.

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.

kindred soul »    Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself; kindred spirit.

kindred spirit »    Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself.

king »    A playing card with the image of a king on it.

kiss of death »    A kiss on the cheek that signifies the death of the receiver, as delivered by a mob boss or one with such influence.

kiss of life »    Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

kit and caboodle »    Everything entirely, the whole lot.

kit and kaboodle »    Everything; the lot.

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.

knacker's yard »    That area of a slaughterhouse where carcasses unfit for human consumption are rendered down to produce useful materials such as glue.

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

knock around »    To spend time with someone as a friend.

knock around »    To do a relaxing activity.

knock around »    To hit someone, or behave violently towards them.

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

knock down »    Sold with a blow from the gavel.

knock it off »    Stop doing something; desist.

knock off »    An imitation, especially one of poorer quality.

knock out of the box »    To cause a pitcher to be replaced by heavy hitting.

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

knock the living daylights out of »    To knock out; to hit and cause to be unconscious.

knock up »    To become exhausted or worn out; to fail of strength; to become wearied, as with labor; to give out.

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.

knock-on effect »    The continued running of an engine after the ignition has been turned off; dieseling.

knocked for a six »    to be defeated; outwitted; outfoxed; beaten

know the score »    Be aware of a situation, especially of the consequences of misconduct.

knowledge is power »    With knowledge and/or education, one's potential or ability to succeed in the pursuit of his objectives will certainly increase.

knuckle dragger »    A large, strong, and rather dimwitted person.

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

la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »    The drop of water that makes the vase overflow.

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

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

laced-up »    Fastened with a lace.

ladies first »    A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.

lady of the night »    Prostitute.

lady or tiger »    A pure gamble with highly divergent outcomes.

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.

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.

larger-than-life »    Of greater size or magnitude than is naturally or normally the case.

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

last post »    military bugle call

last-ditch »    Final, as a last resort; done in desperation.

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

laundry list »    Hence, a long list of items, especially an exhaustive one.

law of the jungle »    The survival of the fittest, strongest or most cunning.

lay a finger on »    If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.

lay about »    To set about, with infinitive or gerund.

lay down »    To give up, surrender, or yield , usually by placing it on the ground.

lay down »    To specify, institute, enact, assert firmly, state authoritatively, establish or formulate .

lay down »    To lie down; to place oneself in a reclined or horizontal position, on a bed or similar, for the purpose of resting.

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

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

lay off »    From employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance package.

lay off »    To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.

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

lay rubber »    To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.

lead »    A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.

lead »    To estimate velocity in knots.

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

leader of the free world »    The President of the United States.

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

leave somebody holding the bag »    To abandon somebody, leaving the responsibility or blame.

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.

left field »    The defensive position in the outfield to the left.

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.

legal beagle »    A skillful and adroit attorney.

legal eagle »    A skillful and adroit attorney.

lemon law »    A law dealing with defective items, especially automobiles, and consumers' rights.

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

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

let somebody down »    To fail somebody; to disappoint or to fail to uphold a commitment.

let someone have it »    To attack someone with great force.

let someone have it »    To verbally assail someone.

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.

level up »    To progress to the next level of player character stats and abilities. Often used in role-playing games when the character has aquired enough experience points.

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 wounds »    To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat.

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

lie in wait »    prepare an ambush

life and limb »    Existence together with bodily faculties.

life of Riley »    An ideal life of carefree prosperity and contentment.

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.

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.

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

lift a finger »    To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.

lift up »    To elevate to a higher position.

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 crazy »    To a great or excessive degree; with great speed, output, enthusiasm, etc.

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

like it or lump it »    To accept a situation whether one agrees with it or not.

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

like water off a duck's back »    Without immediate or lasting effects.

link whore »    Someone who goes to great lengths to get other people to link to his/her website or blog.

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 »    An individual who shows strength and courage, attributes associated with the lion.

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.

lion's share »    The majority; a large or generous portion.

listen in »    To listen without participating.

little pitcher »    A child.

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

little pitchers have long ears »    Alternative form of little pitchers have big ears.

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 in sin »    To cohabit as if man and wife without being married.

live it up »    To have a wonderful life; to live fully and have fun.

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

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

loaded for bear »    Mentally prepared for a daunting situation or confrontation.

loaded word »    Any word, set phrase or idiom that has strong positive or negative connotations beyond their ordinary definition.

log out »    To exit an account in a computer system so that it doesn't recognize you until you log in again.

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

long finger »    [hire purchase]] or credit.

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.

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

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

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

look out »    To look from within to the outside.

look-in »    A brief visit.

Loose cannon »    A cannon that breaks loose during battle or a storm and causes serious damage to the ship and its crew.

Loose cannon »    An uncontrolled or unpredictable person who causes damage to his own friends, faction, political party, etc.

loose ends »    Leftover items that have not been addressed or attended to.

lose it »    To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.

lose it »    To lose control of a situation.

lose one's shit »    To lose one's temper.

lose one's touch »    To lose one's special mastery of or knack for a particular skill or activity.

lose the plot »    To have one's results decline severely in quality or suddenly fall below an acceptable standard, especially when compared to past excellence.

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

lot lizard »    A prostitute at a truck stop.

love to bits »    A lot.

low-hanging fruit »    Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.

lower the boom »    To suddenly overpower, with "on".

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.

lump it »    To endure, accept, put up with a situation one does not like.

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

made in China »    Of poor or low quality.

made in Japan »    Of poor or low quality.

made in the shade »    In a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living, or general well-being.

make a go of it »    To attempt; especially, to attempt to make a living.

make a leg »    To make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back.

make a meal of »    That is the eleventh edit that you have made to that word, you are really making a meal of it.

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

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 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 example of »    He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.

make an exhibition of oneself »    She had far too much to drink and made an exhibition of herself by flirting with everyone.

make an exhibition of oneself »    To embarrass oneself or others in public.

make book »    To gamble, either by placing or taking bets.

make do with »    To get along with whatever is available.

make hay »    To take advantage of an opportunity.

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

make it »    To become famous and successful.

make it »    To have sex.

make it »    To reach a place.

make it »    To survive, to live through something.

make it big »    To become famous and successful.

make it do or do without »    If you don't have a lot of money, extend the life of what you have.

make it snappy »    Do it quickly; be quick about it.

make it up as one goes along »    To improvise continuously.

make light of »    To regard without due seriousness; to joke or disregard inappropriately.

make off »    To run away; to exit.

make off with »    To steal something and run.

make out »    To characterize as; often with to be.

make out like a bandit »    To profit greatly; to get an excessively good deal.

make someone's teeth itch »    To bother or unsettle a person; to put someone on edge.

make the cut »    To succeed; to be chosen out of a field of candidates or possibilities.

make the grade »    To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.

make the most of »    To profit as much as possible from.

make up »    To constitute; to compose; to form.

man is man to man »    The human is a human for itself

man of parts »    A man that is talented in multiple areas of life. This includes but is not limited to the area of seduction. He puts very little emphasis on memorized scripts or "peacocking" and instead relies on individualized ways to charm a woman.

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

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 down »    To write a memorandum about.

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

mark up »    To add coding to text so that it will display properly on a computer.

match made in heaven »    A marriage that is likely to be happy and successful because the two people are very compatible with each other.

match made in hell »    A marriage that is likely to be unhappy or abusive and unsuccessful because the two people are very incompatible with each other.

may the Force be with you »    Used to wish someone luck with a difficult endeavor.

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

melon head »    A dimwit, a fool.

member for Barkshire »    Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.

mercury »    A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.

mess around »    To have a non-committal sexual relationship.

mess up »    To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.

mess with »    To interfere.

mess with »    To diss; to put down.

middle ground »    A compromise position between extremes.

middle of the road »    Having a centrist attitude or philosophy; not extreme, especially politically.

might makes right »    The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.

mighty oaks from little acorns grow »    Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!

mike up »    To fit a microphone and transmitter to a person. Usually for television performers, or for police informers.

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.

mince words »    To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms.

mind one's own business »    To concern oneself only with what is of interest to oneself and not interfere in the affairs of others.

mind the store »    To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.

mind the store »    To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.

mind-numbing »    Excessively boring, tedious, or dull; repetitive; of an activity, etc., lacking any interest or variety that might serve as intellectual stimulation.

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.

mint condition »    Used, but still like new, as if freshly minted.

mint sauce »    serve this with lamb

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

miss out »    To miss an experience or lose an opportunity, etc. that should not be missed.

miss the boat »    To fail to take advantage of an opportunity; to overlook or be too late to pursue an option or course of action.

miss the mark »    To fail to hit the target.

mix it up »    To compete vigorously, to quarrel, or to fight physically.

mix up »    confused situation

mixed bag »    By extension, a group of entities with few characteristics in common; an assortment.

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.

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

money maker »    Something profitable.

money talks »    It is easier to accomplish goals using money instead of just talk.

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.

monkey wrench »    A wrench with a smooth adjustable jaw to grip different sizes of nuts.

mop the floor with somebody »    To trounce or defeat thoroughly or in a humiliating manner.

mop up »    To clean with a mop; especially to clean up a spill or mess.

moral high ground »    A position or point of view which is ethically superior or more reputable, in comparison to others which are under consideration.

more cry than wool »    Asserted but not grounded in reality.

more equal »    Ostensibly equal, but in reality more privileged.

more like it »    Better, more desirable.

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.

morning, noon and night »    Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.

mother hen »    An outspoken and overprotective woman dealing with others' affairs.

mouth of a sailor »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

move it »    To hurry; to hurry up.

move on »    To start dealing with something else.

move the goalposts »    To alter the agreed basis, scope, standards or target of a procedure or task during its course, especially to do so to someone's advantage.

mover and shaker »    Someone who has power and influence in some field or activity.

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

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

muck about »    To be playful; full of fun and high spirits.

muckety muck »    A person in a position of power, authority, or status.

mug's game »    A foolish, profitless, or hopeless undertaking.

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

music to one's ear »    Some unexpected good news; a favorable outcome after some initial confusion or delay.

mutton dressed as lamb »    A mature woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if a deliberate attempt to appear young.

nail biter »    A nervous or uncomfortable situation.

nail biter »    An engaging or exciting cliffhanger.

nail biter »    One who bites or chews his or her fingernails.

nail down »    To attach with nails.

naked as a jaybird »    Stark naked; nude; especially, naked in a public setting and without embarrassment.

ñapa »    the little something extra

necessity is the mother of innovation »    Alternative form of necessity is the mother of invention.

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

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.

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

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.

never mind »    I withdraw my previous statement.

never mind »    It is not important; do not fret.

never you mind »    Do not concern yourself with it; it is none of your business.

nightcap »    A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas. Nightcaps were common in northern Europe before central heating was available, when homes were cold at night.

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

nine lives »    Durability; near immunity to damage.

nip in the bud »    To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.

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

no comment »    A refusal to say the obvious impolite retort.

no cover »    Without a cover charge.

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 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 love lost »    Dislike, animosity.

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

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

no pressure »    The situation at hand is rife with emotional pressure.

no slave to fashion »    A person whose style of clothing and appearance are unconventional, informal, or slovenly; a person who takes little interest in how he or she is dressed.

no smoke without fire »    Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.

no strings attached »    Without conditions or obligations; without a catch.

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.

nod off »    To fall asleep, especially while in a seated position or in inappropriate circumstances.

nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat »    The idea/proposed action is inconsequential to the current situation.

none of someone's business »    A matter that someone is not entitled to be involved in or informed about.

not a sausage »    Jill: Not a sausage I'm afraid, I'm just visiting.

not all it's cracked up to be »    Not as good as claimed; falling short of expectations.

not at all »    Used similarly to you're welcome, as a conventional reply to an expression of gratitude.

not in Kansas anymore »    No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings; in the big city.

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

not quite »    Almost, very nearly.

not the end of the world »    It's of minor importance, at least not as important as it first seemed.

not to put too fine a point on it »    Used to apologise for a possibly impolite statement one is making.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Ambrose Bierce , The Fiend's Delight In conclusion, his respect for letter-writing ladies is so great that he would not touch one of them with a ten-foot pole.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Ambrose Bierce, The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Vol. 8.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Francis Lynde, The Quickening.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To approach something or someone.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong aversion.

nothing to it »    Easy; simple or straightforward.

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

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

now you mention it »    The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling.

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.

number one with a bullet »    Superlative; impossible to beat.

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

nutty as a fruitcake »    Behaving in an eccentric, foolish, or kooky manner; very nutty.

odd one out »    A visual puzzle where the guesser has to choose which word/picture/symbol etc. does not fit with the others.

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

of an »    Indicates a more or less habitual activity during the given part of the day.

of course »    Acknowledges the validity of the associated phrase.

of course »    Asserts that the associated phrase should not be argued, particularly if it is obvious or there is no choice in the matter.

off and on »    Intermittently.

off chance »    A condition of not being likely or probable.

off one's game »    Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.

off the back foot »    From a defensive position.

off the beaten path »    In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.

off the beaten track »    In a place or places not commonly visited.

off the chain »    Crazy and exciting; delirious and wild. By analogy to a frenetic dog when unleashed.

off the hook »    Relieved of a duty, burden, responsibility, or pressure.

off the top of one's head »    Without great thought or investigation; extemporaneous; natural; offhand.

off the wagon »    No longer maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from an undesirable habit, especially drinking alcohol.

off-the-cuff »    Extemporaneous; without prior preparation; impromptu.

off-the-shelf »    As purchased or as commonly available, without modification or customization.

oh, well »    An expression of disappointment or resignation; too bad; pity.

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

old college try »    A vigorous, committed attempt or effort.

old habits die hard »    Existing habits are hard to change.

old hand »    A person who is experienced at a certain activity.

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

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.

old school »    Characteristic of a style, outlook, or method employed in a former era, remembered either as inferior to the current style, or alternately, remembered nostalgically as superior or preferable to the new style, the older denoting something that would be considered out of date or out of fashion to some, but as such, is considered by others as cool and hip.

on a shoestring »    On a very tight budget; with few resources or little money.

on a whim »    Done without thinking seriously about the consequences.

on at »    to pester; to irritate; to annoy

on board »    It's a good idea, but let's see if we can get a few more of the management team on board.

on edge »    Tense, nervous or irritable.

on good terms with »    Friendly towards; having good relations with.

on high »    In authority.

on hold »    Waiting on a telephone call.

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 one's own »    Alone; by oneself; without the companionship or assistance of others.

on one's watch »    During the period of time when one is in a position of authority or responsibility.

on opposite sides of the barricades »    Of starkly different, opposite views on an issue.

on purpose »    Purposefully; with intention; deliberately.

on spec »    I'm writing an article on spec. I hope some magazine will buy it.

on spec »    Short form of "on speculation": Creating a work with the hope of selling it, as opposed to creating a work "on commission" for hire.

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 clock »    Remunerated per unit of time.

on the cuff »    On credit, with payment to be made later.

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 face of »    Notwithstanding.

on the face of it »    Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.

on the fly »    Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.

on the game »    Working as a prostitute.

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 loose »    Not incarcerated or in captivity; not under control.

on the make »    Actively seeking an opportunity for self-advancement; eager to ingratiate oneself to others in order to secure some advantage.

on the mend »    Improving or undergoing restoration to a previous, more favorable condition.

on the plus side »    Positively; from a favorable view or perspective.

on the pull »    Seeking the intimate company of a member of the opposite sex.

on the spot »    Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.

on the tip of one's tongue »    Known but not quite remembered.

on the town »    Casually enjoying the nightlife of a town or city.

on the up-and-up »    Legitimate; honest; upright.

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 wagon »    By extension, maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from some other undesirable habit.

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

on top »    In a dominant position.

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

on top of »    In addition to something else.

on track »    Proceeding as planned, as expected, or in a manner consistent with an established pattern.

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.

once you go black, you never go back »    An expression assuming that once a person of another race gets in a sexual relationship with a black person they won't return to their own race.

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

one fell swoop »    One stroke; one action or event with many results.

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 step forward, two steps back »    A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

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

one who hesitates is lost »    A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.

one's bark is worse than one's bite »    The individual acts threatening but is relatively harmless.

one-hit wonder »    A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.

one-hit wonder »    A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.

one-note »    Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.

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

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

one-upmanship »    A succession of instances of outdoing a competitor.

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 ended »    without definite limits

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

open prison »    penal institution

opposite number »    A person who holds a position in an organization that corresponds to that held by another person in an other organization; a counterpart.

opposites attract »    people who are completely different make ideal partners.

out of bounds »    Beyond the bounds of civility or morality; extremely unreasonable.

out of bounds »    Prohibited to enter.

out of character »    Inconsistent with one's personality, disposition, or usual expected behaviour.

out of character »    Not acting; not "on"; behaving within one's natural personality rather than that of a character in a performance piece.

out of character »    Not in character; not successfully performing within the mindset of a given character in a theatrical performance. See also break character, drop character.

out of house and home »    Gail White, Partying with the Intelligentsia.

out of it »    Disoriented; not thinking clearly.

out of it »    Drunk.

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 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 order »    Inappropriate or unsuitable.

out of place »    Amongst all those horsey people I felt quite out of place.

out of place »    Not in the proper situation or arrangement, or inappropriate for the circumstances.

out of place »    She comes in out of the storm with not a hair out of place.

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

out of sorts »    Irritable or somewhat unwell, with vague medical symptoms.

out of the blue »    Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.

out of the box »    Immediately, without intervention from the customer.

out of the frying pan, into the fire »    From an already bad situation to a worse one.

out of the mouths of babes »    The greatest wisdom comes from children, who are not afraid or weary of the world and its pressures.

out of the running »    No longer in competition.

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.

out of this world »    Exceptionally high quality; wonderful; marvellous.

out of touch »    No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.

out of whole cloth »    Fabricated, fictitious.

out on a limb »    in a precarious position

out on one's ear »    Fired, dismissed or thrown out, especially for some wrongdoing or otherwise with disgrace.

out on the tiles »    I've had a pint of bitter and now I'm feeling better and I'm out on the tiles." Led Zeppelin in their song "Out on the tiles", 1970.

out the window »    A missed opportunity.

out the window »    Made obsolete; altered drastically as a result of situational change.

outshout »    To merit the most attention or praise.

outsider »    A competitor or contestant who has little chance of winning; a long shot; a dark horse.

outsider »    A newcomer with little or no experience in an organization or community.

outsider »    One who is not part of a community or organization.

over a barrel »    In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.

over the top »    Bold; beyond normal, expected, or reasonable limits; excessive; outrageous.

over the transom »    Said of an unsolicited work submitted for publication.

overkill »    A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.

overleap »    To omit.

own up »    To acknowledge, confess, or admit guilt. Often used with to.

ox is in the ditch »    This is a big problem; there is unavoidable or demanding work ahead.

pachyderm »    Someone who is insensitive.

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 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.

palm off »    To attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.

pan out »    By swirling dirt or crushed rock in a pan of water, in the manner of a traditional prospector seeking gold.

paper »    A sheet material used for writing on or printing on , usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.

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.

paper trail »    A written record, history, or collection of evidence.

paper trail »    The records left by a person or organization in the course of activities.

pardon me »    Polite expression to get someone to repeat.

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 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.

pass through »    To transit something.

patience is a virtue »    it is better to be patient than impatient

pay for it »    To suffer the consequences of one's actions.

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 out »    To slacken a rope by lengthening it; to allow a rope to run out.

pay the piper »    To pay a monetary debt or experience unfavorable consequences, especially when the payment or consequences are inevitable in spite of attempts to avoid them.

pay through the nose »    To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.

payback's a bitch »    Usually a complete sentence as an interjection: I am amused that someone got their revenge on you...but you certainly had it coming.

payback's a bitch »    Usually a complete sentence: I will get revenge when you least expect it.

pea patch »    A small piece of land planted with peas.

peace and quiet »    Tranquility; freedom from stress or interruptions.

peaches-and-cream »    Of facial complexion, smooth, with attractive yellow-pink coloring.

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.

peg it »    To run away; to leg it; to scarper.

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 skirt »    clothing item

pencil whip »    To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.

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

pencilneck »    A person with a very thin neck.

penguin suit »    A tuxedo.

penny pincher »    One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.

penny wise and pound foolish »    Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful and profligate with large amounts.

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

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones »    Do not criticize others if you have weaknesses yourself.

per se »    by or in itself

perfect storm »    A powerful hurricane or other major weather disturbance, especially as produced by a combination of meteorological conditions.

perfect storm »    A situation where a calamity is caused by the convergence and amplifying interaction of a number of factors.

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.

petits pois »    small peas

phase in »    To introduce something little by little.

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

pick of the litter »    The best person or item in a group.

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 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 »    A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown.

pickle »    A difficult situation, peril.

piece of ass »    A male prostitute.

piece of cake »    A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple to do.

piece of work »    A product or manufactured article, especially an item of art or craft.

piffy on a rock bun »    A person ignored or sidelined from an activity.

pin down »    To attach or secure with pins.

pinch-hit »    To bat in place of another player.

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.

pinchpenny »    One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.

pipe dream »    A plan, desire, or idea that will not likely work; a near impossibility.

piss up a rope »    To engage in futile or impossible activity.

pissing contest »    A boys' prankish competition to determine who can urinate the furthest up a wall.

pit against »    To set someone in opposition to someone else.

pitch a tent »    To have an erection that shows through the trousers.

pitch in »    To help out; lend assistance; contribute; to do one's part.

pitch woo »    To court.

pitch woo »    To flatter.

pitch woo »    To make love.

pitched battle »    A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.

pitched battle »    An intense, rancorous argument or confrontation.

play around »    To work with in a non-serious manner.

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 fast and loose »    To ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits ones purpose.

play for love »    To play a game of cards without stakes.

play hardball »    To act rough and ruthless, especially in politics or business.

play hookey »    To be absent without permission, especially from school.

play hooky »    To miss school, work, or other duties without permission or an excuse.

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

play it by ear »    To play a song according to how it sounds, rather than from a written score.

play it safe »    To take a cautious, risk-free approach.

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 one against another »    To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.

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.

pleased as Punch »    Pleased with one's actions or achievements.

plug away »    To persist or continue, as with an effort.

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

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 any journey, process, or sequence of events when it is no longer possible to reverse course or stop the process.

point out »    To identify with a bodily gesture, notably by pointing a finger or implement.

poison pen »    A usually intentionally rude, spiteful, and/or condescending piece of writing directed at a person, group, lifestyle, way of thought, or other target.

poison tree bears poison fruit »    Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.

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

poor power »    Limited ability.

pop a cap in someone's ass »    To shoot someone with a gun.

pop in »    To visit in an impromptu manner.

pop out »    To leave a room or building with the expectation of returning soon.

pop the cherry »    To break the hymen; to lose one's virginity.

pop up »    To appear without warning.

pop up »    To come up with a "pop" sound.

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

pot calling the kettle black »    A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.

potty mouth »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

pound sand »    To engage in a futile activity.

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

power up »    To turn the electrical power on to a device as a precondition to make it operational.

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.

press the flesh »    To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.

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

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.

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.

prove out »    To demonstrate the feasibility of.

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.

puff up »    To inflate with air.

puke up »    To vomit.

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

pull one's head in »    To withdraw as a turtle might; to discontinue support of a particular argument.

pull oneself up by one's bootstraps »    To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only on one's own effort or abilities.

pull out »    To withdraw; especially of military forces; to retreat.

pull out »    To use coitus interruptus as a method of birth control.

pull rank »    To assert one's authority over a subordinate who disagrees.

pull somebody's leg »    To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting. It usually implies teasing or goading by jokingly lying.

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 other one, it's got bells on »    Monty Python's Holy Grail.

pull the trigger »    To commit to a course of action.

pull together »    To unite for a common objective.

pump up »    To inflate with a pumping action.

pump up »    To excite a person or group to a frenzy.

purple prose »    Extravagant or flowery writing, especially in a literary work.

push the envelope »    To go beyond established limits; to pioneer.

put a damper on »    To stop people from enjoying an activity.

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

put a sock in it »    To be quiet; to shut one's mouth; to stop talking.

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

put by »    To perform an action without attracting attention.

put down »    To insult, belittle, or demean.

put down »    To pay an initial amount of money on a large purchase.

put down »    To write something.

put down to »    To state the cause of a situation.

put in »    To apply, request, or submit.

put into practice »    To take a theory and make it a practical reality.

put one foot in front of the other »    To walk, decomposed to stress the fundamentality of the task.

put one's best foot forward »    To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.

put one's foot in it »    To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.

put one's mind to it »    To apply oneself; to exert a directed effort.

put one's shoulder to the wheel »    To work or exert oneself heavily or with full effort.

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 oneself in someone's shoes »    To try to look at a situation from a different point of view; as if one were the other person. To empathise.

put someone down as »    To assume someone has a particular character from very little information.

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

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

put 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 through its paces »    To test completely; to exercise the full range of abilities or functions.

put up one's dukes »    Prepare to fight; literally, to raise your fists.

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

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

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.

quarter of »    "I need twenty minutes to get to the shop." "You'll be late. It's already a quarter of.".

queer one's pitch »    To make a task more difficult for the speaker.

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

quiet down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

quieten down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

quite a bit »    A considerable amount.

Rabbit »    Caught like a rabbit in the headlights.

rag the puck »    To proceed slowly at any activity in order to use up time; to stall for time.

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.

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 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.

rain pitchforks »    To rain heavily.

raise the flag and see who salutes »    It generates, usually as a preliminary step.

rake »    A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.

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

ramp up »    To be in the process of learning a new ability.

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.

rattle off »    To list or recite quickly.

reach for the stars »    To have high hopes, to be ambitious.

read between the lines »    To infer a meaning that is not stated explicitly.

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

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

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

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

reality check »    A wake-up call, reminder.

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 with »    To settle accounts with or to settle claims with.

reckon with »    To deal with.

reckon with »    To take into account.

reckon without »    To ignore that which cannot readily be ignored.

red card »    referee's item

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 hot »    to be keen; he is the favourite to win

red letter day »    Usually very positive, sometimes very negative.

red light »    Denial to proceed. Ruling out of any possibility.

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

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

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

rhyme off »    To list or recite quickly.

ride the short bus »    To participate in a special education program, such as for those with learning disabilities.

rip off »    To charge an exorbitant or unfair rate.

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.

road apple »    Horse manure, especially when deposited on a road.

road to Damascus »    That was my Road to Damascus moment. They played one hit after another and this is the song I remember most clearly.

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 turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.

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

rocking-horse shit »    Alternative form of rocking horse shit.

roll out the red carpet »    To extend the utmost hospitality; to treat someone as an honored guest; to welcome or host, especially in a showy or extravagant manner.

rolling pin »    kitchen utensil

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

romper suit »    baby's outfit

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.

rough and ready »    Crude or unpolished, but still fit for use; good enough.

round down »    To the greatest integer that is not greater than it, or to some other lower value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.

round off »    To change the shape of an object to make it more circular.

round off »    To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.

round up »    To the smallest integer that is not less than it, or to some other greater value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.

rub in »    To irritatingly make a point.

rub it in »    To add insult to injury; to emphasize one's strengths or another's weaknesses in a manner that degrades another.

rub off on »    To adapt to a way of behaving after constant exposure to it.

rub somebody the wrong way »    To bother, disturb, irritate, or annoy.

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

rub up against »    To touch another person with one's body in a sexually stimulating manner.

rubber-chicken dinner »    A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.

rule out »    To cross an item out by drawing a straight line through it, as with a ruler.

rule out »    To reject an option from a list of possibilities.

rule with an iron fist »    To rule with absolute authority or to the detriment of the people. To rule tyrannically.

rules are made to be broken »    it is acceptable to break rules.

rules OK »    To be popularly accepted, or supported by the general majority of people.

run a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

run a mile »    To escape, flee or leave a situation or relationship, usually as a result of a shocking or sudden announcement or revelation.

run around with »    To spend a lot of time with a person or group of people. Often used to talk about a person's group of friends that one does not like much.

run away »    To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile.

run away with »    To leave secretly with another person. Usually with the intention of getting married or of living together against the wishes of the family.

run away with »    To be misled by imagining that one's desires can come true.

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 reduce the size or stock levels of a business, often with a view to closure.

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 »    A college football game or series of games played with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the championship Rose Bowl game.

run for the roses »    A hard-fought competition or demanding challenge of any kind.

run hot and cold »    To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure.

run into »    To collide with.

run into »    To cause to collide with.

run into »    To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.

run off »    To write something quickly.

run off »    To leave someone without prior advice.

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

run off with »    To steal or abscond.

run on »    To continue without interruption.

run on »    To operate with a particular energy source.

run on fumes »    By extension, to operate with few resources or little money.

run out on »    To leave a partner suddenly and without prior warning.

run rampant »    To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.

run roughshod over »    To treat roughly or without care, respect, or moderation; to act without control; to damage.

run through »    To pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a group, organisation, or system.

run through »    To impale a person with a blade, usually a sword.

run to »    To reach the limit of one's abilities or tastes.

run up »    To bring a flag to the top of it's flag pole.

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

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

runner up »    second-placed competitor

sabre-rattling »    A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.

sabre-rattling »    Any threat, such as one company threatening another with a lawsuit.

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

salad years »    The inexperienced, youthful prime of an individual, group, organization or entity.

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

save the day »    To rescue the situation.

say grace »    To recite a prayer of invocation or thanksgiving at meal time.

scare out of one's wits »    To frighten someone to such an extent that they behave irrationally.

scared shitless »    Very scared, terrified.

scissorbill »    And railroad term for someone who refused to join the union or who openly colluded with management to thwart the union.

scrape together »    To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.

scratch that »    To disregard, omit, or ignore the previous statement.

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 test »    movie audition

screw it »    "I don't care enough to continue"; whatever.

scrounge up »    To seek or find despite a lack of apparent resources or availability.

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 banana »    A comedian who plays a secondary or supporting role, especially as straight man and traditionally in vaudeville or burlesque theatre.

second banana »    A person who serves in a supporting, secondary, or subsidiary capacity; an assistant.

second childhood »    A childlike state in any adult, resulting from mental illness, trauma, or other conditions.

second childhood »    The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.

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.

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

second string »    Not as good; of a lower quality or condition.

second-guess »    Presumably from trying to guess with second sight.

second-guess »    Presumably from trying to improve with a second stab.

see a man about a horse »    A message signaling one needs to go missing for a short while, for any reason, without giving a real explanation.

see eye to eye »    To agree with someone; to concur; to get along.

see red »    To be angry or irritated.

see someone through »    To constitute ample supply for one for.

see something through »    To fulfill a commitment.

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 the light »    To undergo a spiritual conversion.

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

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

seize the day »    To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.

sell »    To pretend that an opponent's blows or maneuvers are causing legitimate injury; to act.

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 out »    To abandon one's supporters or principles to seek profit or other personal advantage.

seller's market »    An excess of demand over supply, leading to abnormally high prices; a market condition favoring the seller.

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

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

senior note »    A bond that takes priority over other debt securities sold by the issuer. In the event the issuer goes bankrupt, senior debt must be repaid before other creditors receive any payment.

serpentine »    Of, or having attributes associated with, the mythological serpent, such as craftiness or deceitfulness.

serve somebody right »    To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.

serve time »    To be in prison or a similar institute.

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

set down »    To write.

set in one's ways »    Driven by habit; inclined or determined to continue according to one's custom or established preferences.

set off »    To begin; to cause; to initiate.

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

set the stage »    To prepare; to establish the basis or required conditions.

sex machine »    Someone with considerable sexual prowess.

sex up »    To take part in sexual acts with.

sexual congress »    Loose translation of the title of Aristophanes' play Ecclesiazousae, more literally translated as Assemblywomen.

shake on it »    To agree; to close a deal.

shape up »    To improve; to correct one's bad habits or behavior.

shape up or ship out »    To either improve one's behavior or else be required to leave; to either improve one's performance in an activity or else withdraw from that activity completely.

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

shit one's pants »    To be extremely frightened.

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

shit oneself »    To soil oneself.

shit or get off the pot »    To choose between taking action now, or foregoing the opportunity until a later date.

shit-eating grin »    A broad smile indicating self-awareness that may suggest self-satisfaction, smugness, discomfort, or embarrassment.

shitstorm »    A violent situation.

shitstorm »    Considerable backlash from the public.

Shittin in high cotton »    Living well, often above one's means

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 off at the mouth »    Don't let [presidential press secretary Ron] Ziegler shoot off at the mouth without our knowledge.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.

shoot the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

shoot the moon »    To achieve the lowest score possible, such that the player is usually rewarded with bonus points.

shoot the moon »    To hit the moon, with a rocket or by other means.

shoot the shit »    To chat casually; to gossip.

short fuse »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

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

short of »    Except; without resorting to; up to the point of.

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 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 one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Mostly heard in the southern United States.

shotgun approach »    An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.

shotgun shack »    A house with no internal barrier between the front and back doors.

show off »    To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.

show somebody the door »    To escort someone to the exit of the premises; to expel someone from a room, gathering, etc.

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 represent one's country or some other group in a manner intended to suggest the authority or importance of that country or group.

showstopper »    A performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive reaction strong enough to pause the production.

shrinking violet »    A very shy person, who avoids contact with others if avoidable.

shrouded »    Wearing, or provided with 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.

shuffle »    An instance of walking without lifting one's feet.

shuffle »    To get lost in the shuffle: to lack attention when you deserve it.

shy bladder »    An inability to urinate in the presence of others.

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.

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

sign in »    In order to get into the office after hours, you'll have to sign in at the security desk.

sign of the times »    A symbol of an era; a zeitgeist.

signet ring »    jewellery item

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 spoon »    Wealth passed down or inherited.

silver-tongue »    The trait of being clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.

simmer down »    To decrease in intensity of anger, agitation, or excitement.

since when »    Used to indicate doubt as to the veracity of a statement.

sing soprano »    To perform vocal music in a higher pitch than alto.

sit back »    To recline while still in a seated position, with one's back on the frame of the seat.

sit back »    To relax, to not exert oneself.

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

sit in »    form of protest

sit in for »    To substitute; to take somebody's place.

sit on »    To block, suppress, restrain.

sit on it »    To wait or hesitate.

sit on one's hands »    Or situation.

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.

sit out »    To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.

sit out »    To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.

sit still »    To accept, tolerate, or acquiesce.

sit still »    To remain motionless.

sit through »    To unwillingly stay seated until the end of an event.

sit tight »    To wait patiently.

sitting duck »    An obvious or unconcealed target.

sitting pretty »    Having a comfortable or certain supply of money or resources.

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.

skeleton crew »    The minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency or shut down, and at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.

skin and bones »    Said of one who is emaciated; very skinny, as from lack of nutrition.

skip out »    To shirk; to avoid attending or to leave early, especially without permission.

skirt chaser »    A man with amorous intentions who habitually seeks out female companionship.

sleep on it »    To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.

sleep together »    To be intimate with another person in the same bed.

sleep together »    To have sex with.

sleep with »    To have sexual intercourse with.

sleep with »    To share a bed or bedroom with.

sleep with the fishes »    To be killed and have one's body disposed off in the sea or other body of water.

sleeping at the switch »    Variant form of asleep at the switch.

slim chance »    Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.

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

slip of the pen »    A mistake in handwriting.

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 as an eel »    So slippery that it is almost impossible to hold with one's hands.

slippery slope »    A chain of events that, once initiated, cannot be halted; especially one in which the final outcome is undesirable or precarious.

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.

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

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

smart chance »    A substantial quantity of something.

smash hit »    Something that is tremendously popular or successful.

smell test »    An assessment of a subject's ability to detect and distinguish odors.

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.

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 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 »    Any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.

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

snazz up »    To improve appearance or appeal by increasing stylishness or functionality, or by adding other attractive features.

sneak off »    To leave a place, or a meeting, without being seen or heard.

sneak up »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

sneak up on »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

sneck posset »    A cold reception, closing the door on a visitor.

sniff test »    An informal reality check of an idea or proposal, using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

snipe hunt »    A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.

snot-nosed »    Young and arrogant or conceited.

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.

snowball's chance in hell »    Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.

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 long as »    Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; as long as.

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

so-and-so »    A name used to take the place of an epithet.

so-called »    Same as above, without the negative connotation.

so-called »    So named; called by such a name, with a very strong connotation that the item is not worthy of that name.

soapbox »    A crate for packing soap, or, by extension, any inexpensive crude platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it, especially when used for speeches.

socialized medicine »    A politically charged term used to contrast such systems with free market alternatives and emphasize the perceived link to socialism.

soft as a grape »    someone who is limited in their ability

soft shoe »    A speech, explanation, sales pitch, or other set of remarks delivered in a restrained or conciliatory manner in order to persuade, distract, or otherwise influence someone.

soft spot »    A point of vulnerability in a defence.

soft touch »    A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.

softroader »    . This involves increased ground clearance with tyre, wheel, and suspension tweaks, skid plates and refers to mini SUV or wagons.

soldier on »    To continue or persist, despite adversity or difficulty.

sort of »    Approximately; in a way; partially; not quite; somewhat.

sort out »    To organise or separate into groups, as a collection of items, so as to make tidy.

sort out »    To separate from the remainder of a group; often construed with from.

sound as a bell »    In excellent condition.

space out »    To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.

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.

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

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 for oneself »    Expressing disagreement with an opinion expressed by another.

speak to »    To resonate with, to strike a chord in.

speak with a forked tongue »    To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.

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.

spell out »    From its component letters.

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

spill one's seed »    To masturbate or to ejaculate when the penis has been withdrawn from one's partner.

spin one's wheels »    To make no progress despite making an effort; to get nowhere.

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

spit the dummy »    To a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner.

spit-and-polish »    Paying much attention to outward appearance.

split hairs »    Tedious details; minutiae.

split up »    Cease to be together, break apart from the group.

split up »    Separate, disassociate, cause to come apart.

spread out »    To place items further apart.

spring fever »    A feeling of invigoration and restlessness associated with the arrival of the warm weather and renewal of nature in the spring season.

spring fever »    A feeling of laziness or listlessness associated with the arrival of the warm, comfortable weather of the spring season.

spring in one's step »    Enthusiasm, energy or a positive outlook or cheerful attitude.

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

square meal »    A satisfying meal, especially suitable for one performing physical labor.

square off »    To get in the fighting position.

square up »    To get in the fighting position.

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

stand by »    To wait in expectation of some event; to make ready.

stand by »    To remain loyal or faithful.

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

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

stand down »    To wait; to stop pursuing or fighting.

stand in »    temporary substitute

stand in for »    To replace; to act as a double or substitute for.

stand on its own »    To be independent of others.

stand on one's own two feet »    To be independent. To survive without any help.

stand one's ground »    To attempt to hold a position in battle.

stand one's ground »    To maintain or stick by an opinion or position; to remain resolute in the face of opposition.

stand up »    To rise from a lying or sitting position.

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

standard fare »    Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.

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

state of affairs »    A specific situation; a set of circumstances.

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

step on it »    To act quickly.

step on it »    To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.

step out »    To exit a place on foot, often for a short time.

step up to the plate »    To initiate action; to assume a responsibility.

stepping razor »    A dangerous person, who is not to be messed with.

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 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 out »    To persist. See stick it out.

stick with »    To continue or persist; to stick to.

stick with »    To follow or adhere to.

stick with »    To remain close by.

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 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.

stiff upper lip »    The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, associated with stereotypical British people.

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.

stir-crazy »    By extension, restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity.

stitch up »    To close by sewing.

stitch up »    To maliciously or dishonestly incriminate someone.

stock phrase »    A phrase frequently or habitually used by a person or group, and thus associated with them.

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 someone in his tracks »    To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.

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.

straight man »    A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.

straight out of the chute »    Something done immediately, or "from the beginning". Taken from rodeo routine: the bucking bronco, or bull, or the calf for the calf-roping contest is kept in a narrow pen, a chute, until it is released and dashes out to its fate.

strange bedfellows »    An unusual combination or political alliance.

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

stretch one's legs »    To walk about, especially after prolonged time sitting or lying down.

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 with somebody else. Usually a conversation or relationship.

strike while the iron is hot »    To act on an opportunity promptly; to avoid waiting.

strip away »    To ignore a factor which obscures the reality.

strip away »    To remove something bit by bit.

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

stroke of work »    With "do not do a", to do none of the assigned task at all.

stuck up »    Snobbish, conceited; believing oneself to be better than others; haughty.

success has many fathers, failure is an orphan »    Many will seek credit for success, few will accept responsibility for failure.

suck donkey balls »    To be terrible, of extremely poor quality.

suck hind tit »    To be last in line.

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

suck hind tit »    To feed from an inferior source of food.

suck in »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck into »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck it up »    To put up with something; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.

suck up »    To adulate or flatter somebody excessively, generally to obtain some personal benefit or favour.

suffer fools gladly »    To be tolerant of stupidity or incompetence in other people.

sugarcoated »    Coated with sugar.

sugarcoated »    Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.

summer and winter »    To spend extended periods of time with; to test.

supposed to »    Permitted.

swear off »    To quit or cease completely, or to promise to quit, as of a bad habit.

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.

swim with sharks »    To operate among dangerous people.

swim with sharks »    To take a huge risk.

swing for the fences »    To swing at the ball as hard as possible, with the aim of getting a home run, increasing the chance of missing the ball.

switch off »    To turn a switch to the "off" position in order to stop or disable a device.

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

switch off »    To alternate between; to trade.

switch on »    To turn a switch to the "on" position in order to start or enable a device.

switch on »    To change one's expression or appearance as if by turning a switch.

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..

tack up »    To prepare a horse for riding by equipping it with tack.

tag along »    To accompany, join, or follow; to go with.

tail between one's legs »    A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.

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

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 number »    Recognize that many others are in the same situation; recognize that one's concerns are not of high priority; be prepared to wait.

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

take a seat »    To sit down; to become seated.

take a shit »    To defecate.

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

take aback »    To surprise or shock; to discomfit.

take aback »    Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly.

take after »    In appearance or habit.

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

take apart »    To criticise someone.

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

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

take away »    To make someone leave a place and go somewhere else. Usually not with the person's consent.

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

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

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

take down »    To remove something from a hanging position.

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

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

take five »    To take a five-minute break from some activity, take a short break from some activity.

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

take for granted »    To give little attention to or to underestimate the value of, to fail to appreciate.

take in »    To shorten or make it smaller.

take it easy »    An informal greeting for parting or closing.

take it easy »    Immediately calm yourself down; your state of panic does not help.

take it easy »    To relax or rest.

take it from me »    Believe me, rest assured.

take it or leave it »    It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.

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

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

take its toll »    To affect, especially negatively; to damage or degrade; to cause destruction.

take lying down »    To endure without complaint or protest.

take off »    To imitate, often in a satirical manner.

take off »    To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.

take on »    To begin to have or exhibit.

take on »    To assume responsibility for.

take one's lumps »    To endure through criticism or other adversity.

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

take over »    To adopt a further responsibility or duty.

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take over »    To annex a territory by conquest or invasion.

take sides »    To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.

take sitting down »    To tolerate, accept, or acquiesce; to take no action.

take somebody's word for it »    To believe what somebody tells one.

take someone's point »    To agree with what a person says; to understand a person's argument and be persuaded by it.

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

take the biscuit »    To be of no further use; to be near death.

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 fifth »    To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.

take the liberty »    To act on one's own authority.

take the Michael »    Alternative form of take the mickey, usually considered more polite.

take the red pill »    To understand the world in its previously unknown reality.

take the stand »    To testify as a witness in a trial.

take the wheel »    To assume control of a situation.

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

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.

take up with »    To form a close relationship with someone.

take up with »    To be contented to receive; to receive without opposition; to put up with.

take upon »    To take charge of an item of business, or an obligation, as a personal initiative.

take with a pinch of salt »    Not take entirely seriously.

talk dirty »    To use profane language, especially sexual vulgarities for the purpose of arousal.

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 of turn »    To make a remark or provide information when it is inappropriate or indiscreet to do so, or when one does not have permission or the authority to do so.

talk out one's ass »    To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.

talk somebody under the table »    With excessive talk or numerous arguments.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

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

talking head »    A pundit who discusses issues of the day, especially one on TV.

tar with the same brush »    To characterize using the same undesirable attribute, especially unjustly.

tart up »    To dress like a prostitute.

tart up »    To modify or repackage a product, service, or idea to make it more attractive or easier to sell.

tartufo »    Hypocrite; tartuffe.

task force »    A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.

teacher's pet »    favourite pupil

team up with »    To associate with another in a joint enterprise.

tear one's hair out »    To react with extreme agitation.

tee off »    To hit the first shot of the hole.

tee off »    To irritate, vex, or annoy.

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

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

tell it to Sweeney »    I do not believe what you said.

tell it to the marines »    I do not believe what you said.

tell you the truth »    Used to positively assert the frank honesty of an associated statement of set of statements; equivalent to "to you tell the truth".

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

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

test the waters »    To explore or probe, as before making a commitment.

than a bygod »    Used with a comparative to express extreme heat or cold.

that does it »    Expression of annoyance or frustration; indicates that one has reached the limit of one's patience or temper.

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

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

the beast with two backs »    Two people engaged in sexual intercourse.

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

the early bird gets the worm »    Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are only available to the first competitors.

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

the end justifies the means »    Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.

the end of one's rope »    At the limit of one’s patience, when one is so frustrated or annoyed that one can no longer take it..

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 grass is always greener on the other side »    Other circumstances seem more desirable than one's own but in reality are often not

the jig is up »    An expression used to mean "We have been caught out and have no defence", or if spoken to a person who's just been found out as the perpetrator of an offense, it means "You've been discovered.".

the long and short of it »    The gist; the essence or substance; the most important or salient features; said of a summary or digest.

the map is not the territory »    Our models of the world, and our sensations of the world, are not the true world.

the more the merrier »    It is more fun with more people.

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

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

the pen is mightier than the sword »    More influence and power can be usurped by writing than by fighting.

the pick of the litter »    The absolute best one has to offer.

the pits »    Something miserable or unpleasant.

the plot thickens »    Used, often ironically, to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation.

the proof of the pudding is in the eating »    The only real test of something is as what it is intended to be used for.

the rabbit died »    A statement spoken to indicate one's own pregnancy, or that someone has found out they are pregnant.

the road to hell is paved with good intentions »    well-intended acts can lead to disaster

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

the sky is the moon »    A new modern combination of "the sky is the limit" and "shoot for the moon".

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.

the thing of it »    The important point to consider.

the whistle does not pull the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

the whistle doesn't pull the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

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

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

the world is one's oyster »    All opportunities are open to someone, the world is theirs.

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

them's the facts »    That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.

there and back »    One or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.

there are plenty more fish in the sea »    There are many more potential opportunities available.

there are plenty of fish in the sea »    There are many more potential opportunities available.

there but for the grace of God go I »    A recognition that others' misfortune could be one's own, if it weren't for the blessing/kindness/luck bestowed by fate or the Divine.Man's fate is in God's hands.More generally, our fate is not entirely in our own hands.

there is an exception to every rule »    Usually said in a situation when the rule is incorrect and unusable.

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.

there ya go »    You have done it precisely correctly.

there you go »    You have done it, or are doing it, correctly.

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

there you have it »    Used to introduce a speaker's interpretation of what has just transpired or been described.

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

there's no accounting for taste »    When it comes to subjective matters of taste, people have wildly different opinions.Disagreements about matters of taste can't be objectively resolved.

thick as thieves »    Intimate, close-knit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

third string »    Of a decidedly lower quality or condition.

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.

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-martini lunch »    A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.

throw a fit »    To become angry, enraged, or upset; to act or react with an outburst, as by shouting, swearing, etc.

throw a sickie »    To take a day off from work, supposedly because of ill health. The illness could be either real or feigned.

throw caution to the wind »    Do something despite the risks.

throw cold water on »    To belittle or dismiss; to cast doubt upon; to debunk.

throw dirt enough, and some will stick »    If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say

throw down »    To fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand.

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 in at the deep end »    To introduce a person to a new situation without adequately preparing him or her.

throw in the towel »    To quit; to give up.

throw money away »    To spend money foolishly or indiscriminately; to waste money without regard of the consequences.

throw one's weight around »    To exercise influence or authority especially to an excessive degree or in an objectionable manner.

throw out »    To discard; to dispense with something; to throw away.

throw shapes »    To act tough or put up a front. For example, to threaten a person by making "karate chops" at them, without actually doing harm or knowing karate.

throw smoke »    To consistently pitch fastballs that are difficult to hit.

throw somebody a curve »    To pitch a curve ball.

throw the baby out with the bathwater »    To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.

throw up »    To vomit.

throwing money away »    The act of spending money foolishly; wasting money without regard of the consequences.

tick off »    Sign with a tick.

tick over »    To run smoothly and without problems.

tide over »    To support or sustain someone, especially financially, for a limited period.

tie up »    To secure with rope, string, etc.

tie up loose ends »    To deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.

tiger team »    A specialized group tasked with testing the effectiveness of an organization's ability to protect assets by attempting to circumvent, defeat or otherwise thwart that organization's internal and external security.

tiger team »    An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.

tight lipped »    taciturn

tight spot »    A difficult position.

tilt at windmills »    To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

time and tide »    Shortened form of time and tide wait for no man

time and tide wait for no man »    action is necessary without delay

time out »    To call for a suspension of activity or conversation.

tin ear »    Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.

tin god »    An individual that abuses or exceeds his authority over others, frequently in petty ways; for example a low-level manager in situational comedies and other entertainment.

tip of the hat »    A gesture of acknowledgement; often, an expression of gratitude.

tip of the iceberg »    Only the beginning; just a small indication of a larger possibility; a problem is much bigger than it seems.

tip the scales »    To turn to one side a balanced situation.

tipping it down »    Raining heavily.

tit for tat »    Equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.

tit for tat »    Hat.

to a T »    Precisely; exactly; perfectly; with great attention to detail.

to be sure »    Admittedly, undoubtedly, certainly.

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 each his own »    Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.

to give a person line »    To allow a person more or less liberty until it is convenient to stop or check him/her, like a hooked fish that swims away with the line.

to that end »    For that reason, with that goal, intending to produce that result.

to the letter »    Literally, exactly, to follow the rules as they're written.

to the victor go the spoils »    The winner of a conflict wins additional benefits, beyond just the subject of the conflict.

to thine own self be true »    The easiest person to deceive is oneself."This above all:to thine own self be true,and it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man." -William Shakespeare

today we are all »    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 »    March 11, 2004: Denis MacShane, Guardian Unlimited.

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

tone down »    To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.

too bad »    It is unfortunate that.

too bad »    That's a pity; that's unfortunate.

too big for one's britches »    Disturbingly confident, unacceptably cocky.

too big for one's britches »    Too large to fit into one's pants.

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 dog »    In a competition, the one expected to win.

top dollar »    The maximum amount of money that an item, service, or worker is worth; a very high price.

top drawer »    Of the highest quality.

top it all off »    To emphasize or underscore; to make something even better or worse.

top notch »    Very good; of the highest quality.

top of the line »    The best, fanciest, or highest quality, especially among selections in a product line.

top oneself »    To commit suicide.

top shelf »    Best, or high quality.

top up »    To extend the credit of something.

toss-up »    A decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter.

toss-up »    Either of two outcomes that are equally likely.

toss-upness »    The quality of being a toss-up, usually used in reference to a toss-up state in American presidential elections.

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 off »    To start; to cause, especially used for unstable situations that may magnify if disturbed.

touch with a barge pole »    Get romantically involved with.

touch%C3%A9 »    An acknowledgement of a hit.

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-and-go »    Precarious, delicate, dangerous, risky, sensitive or of uncertain outcome.

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.

tout de suite »    Immediately, right away.

toy with »    Handling something in a careless or frivolous manner.

toy with »    Play, esp. with or as with a toy.

track record »    An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

train wreck »    An inevitable disaster.

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 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.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.

trip out »    To have a fit, to become enraged.

true blue »    Indubitably loyal or faithful.

truth be told »    Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.

truth will out »    A mystery will always be solved, or a truth will always be discoveredTruth will eventually and inevitably be discovered.

try on »    By wearing it.

try out »    To test something in order to see if it works.

try out one's own chops »    To produce one's own records with one's own vocals.

tuck into »    To eat, especially with gusto.

tuits »    "tricky": Needs many tuits. [2].

tuits »    If I had more tuits.[1].

tuits »    Virtual tokens for an amount of time or attention that a particular issue would need to resolve.

tune up »    To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.

turf war »    A dispute over territory between rival gangs.

turf war »    A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn against »    To rotate against or in opposition to something.

turn away »    To refuse to admit someone.

turn down »    To reposition by turning, flipping, etc. in a downward direction.

turn in »    To submit something; to give.

turn in one's grave »    To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.

turn off »    To power down; to stop a device by switching it off.

turn off »    To leave a road; exit.

turn on »    To power up; to start a device by switching it on.

turn on its head »    To completely change.

turn out »    It turns out.

turn over a new leaf »    To engage in self-improvement; to begin a good habit or shed a bad habit.

turn the corner »    To pass a critical point.

turn the page »    To move on to new involvements or activities; to make a fresh start.

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.

turn up »    To reposition by rotating, flipping, etc. upwards.

turnabout is fair play »    It is allowable to retaliate against an enemy's dirty tricks by using the same ones against him.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To wait or dawdle; to accomplish nothing useful or lack a useful occupation.

twist in the wind »    To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.

twist in the wind »    To wait for an uncomfortably long period of time.

two birds with one stone »    Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.

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 »    The strong approval itself.

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-bit »    Costing 25 cents.

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.

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 lock and key »    Imprisoned with little or no chance of escape.

under one's belt »    Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

under sail »    With sails unfurled; powered by the wind.

under the radar »    Without attracting notice; in an undetected or secretive manner.

under the table »    Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.

under the weather »    Experiencing adversity.

under way »    A vessel is said to be underway when she is not anchored, moored, aground, or beached[1]. Compare with make way.

university of life »    The real world as a source of instruction, as opposed to a formal education.

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.

unwashed masses »    Of people who are considered by someone to be somehow uneducated, uninformed, godless, or in some other way unqualified for inclusion in the speaker's elite circles.

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 against »    In contact with, abutting.

up in the air »    Literal: up in or into the sky or air.

up one's alley »    Matching a person's interests or abilities well.

up shit creek »    Alternative form of up the creek.

up shit creek without a paddle »    Alternative form of up the creek without a paddle.

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 to snuff »    Adequate; of acceptable or quality; satisfying an appropriate standard.

up with the larks »    To wake up early, to be an early bird.

up-and-coming »    Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.

uphill battle »    A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.

upper crust »    The social elite.

upper crust »    The topmost layer of a bread, pastry dish, or other item with a hardened coating.

ups and downs »    Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.

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.

used to »    Accustomed to; in the habit of.

valley of death »    The phase of a startup business beginning with the entrepreneur's fulltime commitment to it and ending when the business has achieved sustainable cash flow.

victory at sea »    Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.

virgin territory »    By extension, ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.

virgin territory »    Land that has never been explored or developed.

vote down »    By a majority vote.

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.

vote with one's feet »    To show a lack of support for something by departing or otherwise absenting oneself.

vote with one's feet »    To show support for something by going to or otherwise being present somewhere.

vouch for »    To affirm the truth or reliability of.

wade in »    To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.

wade through »    To do a boring, repetitive research task.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To defer action or decision until another matter is finished or resolved.

wait up »    To stay awake waiting for somebody to return.

wait up »    Wait.

wake up and smell the coffee »    To face reality and stop deluding oneself.

wake up on the wrong side of bed »    To feel grumpy, irritable; to be easily annoyed.

walk around »    To walk with no real planned destination, but to just walk, to meander "around".

walk into »    To collide with.

walk into »    meet with unwittingly

walk it off »    To deal with an negative emotional event without complaint; to take it like a man.

walk it off »    To walk or pace in order to relieve a pain or cramp.

walk on eggshells »    To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.

walk on eggshells »    To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.

walk the line »    To behave in an authorized or socially accepted manner, especially as prescribed by law or morality; to exercise self-control.

walk the line »    To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc..

walk the line »    To mark or secure a boundary by walking along it.

walk the plank »    To be forced to resign from a position in an organization.

wall in »    To enclose by surrounding with walls.

wall off »    To separate with a wall.

wall up »    To seal with a wall.

waltz Matilda »    To travel with a swag; that is, with one's belongings wrapped in a cloth.

war bride »    A woman who marries a man who is on active duty military in wartime.

warm up »    To prepare for executing an already-learned activity by a limited amount of additional practice.

wash one's hands of »    To absolve oneself of responsibility or future blame for.

wash over »    To pass unnoticed so that one is unaffected by it.

watch one's mouth »    In the imperative form, used as a warning to avoid or stop using inappropriate language, especially profanity, or disrespectful utterances.

watch one's mouth »    To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.

wax lyrical »    To talk about something with much interest or excitement.

way out »    exit

wear rose-colored glasses »    To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.

weather the storm »    To reach the end of a very difficult situation without too much harm or damage.

wedding ring »    jewellery item

weekend warrior »    A person who indulges in a sport or pastime on an infrequent basis, usually on weekends when work commitments are not present.

weigh down »    To be too much for someone to cope with.

weigh up »    To assess a person or situation.

well ain't that the catfish in the trap »    A sentence commonly spoken in the Southern United States. It can often be used in place of "well, I'll be damned". Used to express surprise.

well to do »    quite wealthy

wet blanket »    A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

wet boy »    A contractor assassin or hit man.

what goes around comes around »    The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle.A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person.

what is more »    Furthermore, or in addition, moreover.

what it says on the tin »    Exactly what is described or what one would expect from the name.

what of it »    So what? Who cares? Expresses disinterest, disregard or lack of concern.

what with »    Owing to; because of; as a result of.

what you see is what you get »    The image corresponds to the reality.

what's in it for me »    To me, personally?.

what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander »    If something is acceptable for one person, it is acceptable for another.

what's up »    A casual greeting with usage similar to "How are you?" or "Nice to meet you".

what's up with »    Used to express disbelief or curiosity.

whatever it takes »    Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.

when he's at home »    In reality; in fact; when it comes down to it.

when it rains, it pours »    If a person encounters bad luck, more bad luck will follow.

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 »    People are likely to take advantage of the absence of authority or enforcement of compliance.

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 you're up to your neck in alligators, it's easy to forget that the initial objective was to drain the swamp »    Only because it seems so urgent.

whistle Dixie »    To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.

whistle in the dark »    To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.

whistle past the graveyard »    To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.

whistle past the graveyard »    To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.

whistle walk »    The path slaves took to deliver food from the kitchen building of a plantation to the main dining room. Slaves were expected to whistle during this walk in order to assure their masters that they were not eating the food.

whistle-blower »    One who reports a problem or violation to the authorities; especially, an employee or former employee who reports a violation by an employer.

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 elephant »    An albino elephant.

white elephant »    An ornament etc that is unwanted or is a financial burden; an unprofitable investment.

white goods »    fridges, washing machines, etc

white hat »    A white hat hacker.

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 marriage »    An unconsummated marriage.

white on rice »    A descriptive analogy of closeness. See like white on rice.

white trash »    A poorly educated white person with low moral and social standards and low social status.

white wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is still a virgin.

white-knuckle »    Causing fear, excitement, apprehension, suspense, or nervousness.

whitewash »    A lime and water mixture for painting walls and fences bright white.

whitewash »    A victory without reply.

who pays the piper calls the tune »    One who pays for something controls it.

who's 'she', the cat's mother%3F »    A rebuke especially directed towards children for having referred to their mother, or any other woman in the third person, instead of using a properly respectful title or their name when appropriate.

whole enchilada »    All of something or a group of related things taken in totality.

whole shebang »    A building or house and everything in it.

whomp on »    To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.

whomp up »    To incite or generate.

whoop it up »    To have a great time; to party or revel excessively or noisily.

wild-goose chase »    A futile search, a fruitless errand; a useless and often lengthy pursuit.

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.

willy nilly »    Without regard for consequences or the will of those affected.

win over »    To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.

window-shopping »    The browsing of shop windows without any intention of buying.

wine tosser »    A person who buys wine, but does not drink it.

wine tosser »    A person who talks a great deal about wine but actually knows very little.

wing it »    To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.

winkle out »    To acquire something or someone with difficulty.

winter rat »    An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.

wipe away »    To remove or erase with a wiping motion.

wipe out »    To physically erase something written.

with a vengeance »    Intensely motivated; resolute; forceful.

with bated breath »    "holding one's breath".

with bated breath »    Eagerly; with great anticipation.

with flying colors »    Extremely well; in an exceptional, noteworthy, or extraordinary manner.

with no further ado »    Without any other formalities; with no further delay.

with open arms »    With enthusiasm, as if embracing.

within an ace of »    Very near; on the point of.

without fail »    Certainly; by all means; as a matter of importance.

without further ado »    With no further ado.

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.

wits' end »    Limit of one's sanity or mental capacity; point of desperation.

wolf down »    Quickly and without regard for table manners.

wooden spoon »    An ironic prize for finishing last in a competition.

work against the clock »    To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work out »    To conclude with the correct solution.

work out »    To habitually exercise rigorously, especially by lifting weights, in order to increase strength or muscle mass or maintain fitness.

work spouse »    A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.

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.

worked up »    Excessively emotional, excited or aroused.

working girl »    A prostitute.

world »    A planet,especially one which is inhabited or inhabitable.

world-beater »    Someone or something superior to all others of its sort.

worse for wear »    In poor physical condition due to long or heavy use.

worth its weight in gold »    Highly valuable.

worth the risk »    The benefit of the success is more valuable than the problems caused by the potential loss.

wouldn't shout if a shark bit him »    Frugal, miserly.

wouldn't you know it »    Expresses dismay or annoyance, especially at bad luck or misfortune.

wrap it before you tap it »    wear a condom before sexual intercourse.

wrap up »    To summarize or recapitulate.

wrestling with a pig »    To engage in a pointless task that leaves one worse off for having made an honest attempt.

wring out »    To squeeze a wet material, either by twisting with one's hands, or by passing it through a wringer, to remove the water.

write down »    Down in writing; to record something.

write down »    In a simple or condescending style.

write down »    To make a downward adjustment in the value of an asset.

write off »    To reduce an asset's book value to zero.

write off »    To record an expenditure as an expense.

write off »    To record an notional expense such as amortization or depreciation.

write off »    Figuratively, to assign a low value to something.

write off »    unrepairable car

write one's own ticket »    To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.

write out »    To write in full length or expanded form.

write up »    To write about positively.

write up »    To document the faults of.

write up »    To produce by writing.

write up »    review

written all over someone's face »    Very obvious, from someone's facial expression.

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.

yes man »    A person who always agrees with his employer or superior.

yes to death »    To agree with someone, often sarcastically.

yoke together »    To unite, or join, or combine.

you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar »    It's easier to persuade others with polite requests and a positive attitude than with rude demands and negativity.

you can hang your hat on that »    It's something to put faith in, to rely upon or trust (when used in a positive connotation).

you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink »    You can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it.

you can't always get what you want »    It is not always possible to get what is wanted.

you can't fight city hall »    (chiefly US) Nothing can be done to change the situation, because it is a governmental decision.I see they're going to build the airport after all. I suppose you can't fight city hall.

you can't judge a book by its cover »    It is not possible to make reliable judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.

you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear »    It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.

you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

you can't run with the hare and hunt with the hounds »    You can't have it both ways.

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 can't tell a book by its cover »    Alternative form of you can't judge a book by its cover.

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 knows it »    You're right; I wholeheartedly agree with your statement.

you made your bed, now sleep in it »    A moralizing rejection said to someone looking for an easy out, especially of a situation they put themselves into.

you name it »    Used after a short list to show that further examples are unnecessary; all kinds of things.

you never know what you've got till it's gone »    Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.

you only get what you give »    There is a positive correlation between the effort one puts in and the benefits one receives.

you shouldn't have »    Used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity, especially when receiving a gift.

you're never too old to learn »    It is possible to learn new things, at any age; (implying) follow your desires and dreams

you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

your mileage may vary »    It may work differently in your situation, or be different in your experience.

yours sincerely »    A polite formula to end a letter, especially when the recipient’s name is known to the sender.

zip it »    Be quiet; the same as zip one's lip.

zip up »    To close with a zip fastener.

zip up »    To close as if with a zip fastener.

zoom in »    So as to make it larger and possibly more detailed.

zoom out »    So as to make it smaller and possibly less detailed.

BTW, Why won't you become an editor?