We've found 1125 phrases for IV (0.1 seconds):

a cat can look at a king »    Alternative form of a cat may look at a king.1982, A J Ayer,

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

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

a rolling stone gathers no moss »    A person who never settles in one place will never be successful.A person who does not keep active will grow mouldy.

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

a watched kettle never boils »    Alternative form of a watched pot never boils.

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

abide with »    To remain or live with someone.

act on »    To act decisively on the basis of information received or deduced.

act out »    To express one's feelings through disruptive actions.

act up »    give trouble

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

air rage »    Disruptive behaviour on an aircraft.

all eyes »    Watching alertly or attentively.

all eyes and ears »    To be attentive.

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 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.

answer back »    To issue echo characters, protocol responses, reflexive connection requests, etc.

answer on a postcard »    To give a brief answer or opinion.

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

apple does not fall far from the stem »    Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.

apple does not fall far from the trunk »    Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.

apple never falls far from the tree »    Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.

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.

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

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

arrive at »    To reach.

as all get-out »    Extremely; to a superlative degree; very much.

as best one can »    In the best possible way, given the circumstances.

at the end of the road »    No longer living. Dead.

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

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

babe in the woods »    A person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless.

baby blues »    Period and feeling of depressiveness after giving birth; a less severe form of postnatal depression.

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

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

back-assward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

back-asswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

backassward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

backasswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

backfoot »    To put on the defensive; to put off balance.

backseat driver »    A passenger in a car who insists on giving the driver directions.

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

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.

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

bale out »    Alternative spelling of bail out.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

barn burner »    Any successful or impressive event.

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

bass-ackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bass-ackwards »    Alternative form of ass-backwards.

bassackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bassackwards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bat away »    To avoid by diverting the focus of a discussion.

bawdy basket »    The twenty-third rank of canters, who carry pins, tape, ballads, and obscene books to sell, but live mostly by stealing.

bawl out »    To deliver a loud, hard scolding or lecture; to reprimand.

be along »    To arrive.

be around »    To be alive, existent, or present.

be of two minds »    To be undecided or unsure; to equivocate; to have multiple opinions.

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

bear down »    When giving birth, to push.

beat off »    To drive something away with blows.

beat up »    To give a severe beating to.

beat up »    To get something done, derived from the idea of beating for game.

beauty is in the eye of the beholder »    Individuals have different inclinations on what is beautiful. Individuals have different beauty standards.

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

beddable »    Sexually attractive.

beer goggles »    The illusion that people are more attractive, brought on by alcohol consumption.

better than sex »    Superlative; wonderful.

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

big enchilada »    A very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.

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.

bill of goods »    A set of misleading or deceptive claims; misinformation.

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

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

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

blanket term »    A word or phrase that is used to describe multiple groups of related things. The degree of relation may vary. Blanket terms often trade specificity for ease-of-use; in other words, a blanket term by itself gives little detail about the things that it describes or the relationships between them, but is easy to say and remember. Blanket terms often originate as slang, and eventually become integrated into the general vocabulary.

blimp out »    To become fat or fatter, especially as a result of excessive eating.

blow chunks »    To suffer from explosive diarrhea.

blow one's top »    To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.

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.

boil down to »    to be equivalent to; to reduce to.

bomb around »    The drive around at speed for pleasure.

booby prize »    A prize or status, often unwelcome, awarded as a joke or disincentive to the loser of a contest or for poor performance.

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

boot camp »    Any short, intensive course of training.

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 on the Fourth of July »    Demonstratively patriotic.

born yesterday »    New, naive, innocent, inexperienced or easily deceived.

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

bouncing off the walls »    Moving hyperactively.

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

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

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

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

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

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

brass monkey »    A kind of inexpensive liqueur.

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

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

break down »    To give more detail.

break ground »    To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.

break new ground »    To begin excavating and levelling earth for a new building, or, originally, for cultivation.

bridge »    A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.

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.

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

bring forth »    To give birth.

bring owls to Athens »    Forgive me, then, for bringing owls to Athens as a thanks-offering. — Goethe, in a letter to Wilhelm von Humboldt.

broken-hearted »    Alternative spelling of brokenhearted. Feeling depressed, despondent, or hopeless, especially over losing a love.

bros before hos »    Alternative spelling of bros before hoes.

brown bag »    A short presentation or seminar on a given subject, especially one given at lunchtime.

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

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 and grind »    A sexually suggestive dance involving exaggerated hip movements, especially a striptease dance.

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

bundle of energy »    One who is especially lively, continually active, or industrious.

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

bundle of nerves »    A lively, continually active person.

burn one's candle at both ends »    To work extremely or excessively hard; to work too hard for good health or peace of mind.

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

bust a cap in someone's ass »    Alternative form of pop a cap in someone's ass.

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 who's counting »    Used as a retort or comeback, often to deprecate oneself or another for excessive concern or attention to.

button-down »    Conservative; conventional; unimaginative.

buttoned-down »    Alternative form of button-down.

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

by the Grace of God »    By divine right.

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

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

call the shots »    To make the decisions;to be in charge;to give orders.

captain of industry »    A prominent business person who owns or is the highest-ranking executive of one or more major firms, especially one who has considerable wealth and influence.

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.

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

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.

catch big air »    Superlative of catch air; make a big jump high off the ground.

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

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

center field »    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.

chance'd be a fine thing »    Given to indicate that an aforementioned thing would be desirable but unlikely. Comparable to if I should be so lucky.

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

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

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

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

check in »    To announce or record one's arrival at a hotel, airport etc.

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.

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

chicken feed »    Food given to poultry.

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

chopped liver »    A Jewish food made by frying liver and onions in schmaltz.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

cold fish »    A heartless individual; a person lacking empathy and emotion.

come across »    To give an appearance or impression; to project a certain image.

come down to us »    To survive to the present day; to be extant in some form.

come in »    Of a broadcast, such as radio or television, to have a strong enough signal to be able to be received well.

come online »    To enter service or become active.

come through »    To survive.

come to »    To reach; to arrive at.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

cost a pretty penny »    To be expensive.

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

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

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

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

cross the 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.

cry one's eyes out »    To weep for an elongated time, or in an excessive manner.

cry someone a river »    To try to obtain the sympathy of another person by complaining or sniveling.

cry someone a river »    To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.

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

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

cut one's coat according to one's cloth »    Live according to your means.

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

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

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

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

dead »    Completely inactive; without power; without a signal.

dead »    Figuratively, not alive; lacking life.

dead »    No longer living.

dead »    Unproductive.

dead as a doornail »    Unquestionably dead. Used for both inanimate objects and once living beings.

dead giveaway »    Obvious, easily apparent.

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

dead wood »    Dead limbs and branches still attached to a living tree.

deadbeat dad »    A man, especially one who is divorced or estranged from his partner, who fails to provide monetary child support when he is legally required to do so.

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

deliver the goods »    To keep one's promises.

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

deliver the message to Garcia »    ...heaves in a deep breath, gathers himself as though he's crossed a continent to deliver the message to Garcia.

deliver the message to Garcia »    Alternative form of carry the message to Garcia.

deliver the message to Garcia »    Programmers are consistently dehumanized because so many do indeed deliver the message to Garcia only to be at best ignored.

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

desperate times require desperate measures »    Alternative form of desperate times call for desperate measures.

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

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

die »    To stop living; to become dead; to undergo death.

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

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

dish out »    To distribute or deliver something.

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

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

divvy up »    To divide or parcel out.

do a »    To emulate the behavior/behaviour that is generally attributed to the individual named.

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

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

dog's life »    A life of indolence where the individual may do as he or she pleases, just like a pampered dog.

don't cry over spilled milk »    Alternative spelling of don't cry over spilt milk.

don't dip your pen in company ink »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

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

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

don't look a gift horse in the mouth »    Do not unappreciatively question a gift or handout too closely.

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

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

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

dormitive principle »    Words.

double Dutch »    Sex using a condom and the contraceptive pill at the same time.

down for the count »    Decisively beaten; rendered irrelevant for the long term.

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

drag out »    To extend or lengthen excessively.

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

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

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

drive away »    To depart by driving a vehicle.

drive away »    To force someone or something to leave.

drive home »    To push to or into a target.

drive home »    With tangible or powerful demonstration.

drive off »    To force to leave or go away.

drive one up the wall »    To make a person very angry or bored; to infuriate.

drive out »    Out of somewhere.

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 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 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.

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

due course »    A. 1735, Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels.

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.

early bird catches the worm »    Alternative form of early bird gets the worm.

easy on the eyes »    Attractive; beautiful.

eat out of somebody's hand »    To behave in a docile, submissive way towards somebody.

eat someone out of house and home »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act II Scene I.

end up »    To arrive at a destination, sometimes unexpectedly.

even Jove nods »    Alternative form of even Homer nods.

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

every rule has an exception »    Alternative form of there is an exception to every rule.

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.

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

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

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

face that would stop a clock »    A shockingly attractive face.

face that would stop a clock »    A shockingly unattractive face.

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

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.

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

fair sex »    Women collectively.

fall behind »    To be progressively below average in performance.

fall for »    be deceived by

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

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

false friend »    A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.

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

fear »    A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.

feed into »    To be a tributary of another river or waterway.

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.

fire hose »    A hose used to deliver water in case of fire.

fire on all cylinders »    To operate as effectively as possible.

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

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 out »    To deplete the supply of fish in a given body of water.

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

five by five »    I hear you loud and clear

five will get you ten »    I strongly believe.

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

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

flip one's lid »    To be explosively angry.

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

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

flower »    The best examples or representatives of a group.

fly-by-night »    Businesses that appear and disappear rapidly, or that give an impression of transience.

for all intensive purposes »    For all highly demanding purposes.[1].

for all intensive purposes »    Misconstruction of “for all intents and purposes”.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].

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

forewarned, forearmed »    Alternative form of forewarned is forearmed.

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

fortune favors the brave »    Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.

fortune favours the bold »    Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.

fortune favours the brave »    Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.

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

free range »    not intensively farmed

fresh off the boat »    Newly arrived from a foreign place, especially as an immigrant who is still unfamiliar with the customs and language of his or her new environment.

from A to Z »    Covering a complete range; comprehensively.

funny stuff »    Irregular, often illegal, activities.

game plan »    Any strategy devised to reach a given objective.

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.

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 survive; to do well enough.

get by »    To subsist; to succeed, survive, or manage, at least at a minimum level.

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

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

get in »    To secure membership at a selective school.

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

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

gimme a five »    A request to receive a high five.

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

give 110%25 »    Make the maximum possible effort.

give a f** »    To care.

give a man a fish »    Shortened form of give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime

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 ring »    On the telephone.

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

give a sneck posset »    To fasten the door latch.

give a sneck posset »    To give someone a cold reception; to close the door on someone; to reject them.

give and take »    A process of compromise or accommodation.

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 away the store »    To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.

give birth »    To invent a new idea.

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

give chase »    To chase or pursue a person.

give curry »    Angrily.

give ear »    Dante Gabriel Rosetti, A Death-Parting, lines 5-6.

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

give face »    To honor; to pay respect.

give head »    To perform oral sex on another person.

give heed »    Pay attention to.

give him enough rope and he'll hang himself »    If one gives someone enough freedom of action, they may destroy themselves by foolish actions.

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 in »    To collapse or fall.

give in »    To droop the head.

give in »    To relent or yield.

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

give of oneself »    To devote oneself unselfishly to a task, especially to give time and energy.

give or take »    Approximately; plus or minus some unknown amount.

give over »    To devote oneself to a particular activity.

give over »    To entrust something to another.

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

give some skin »    To greet or congratulate someone by slapping his or her palm; see slap me five.

give somebody a hand »    To help, aid, or assist.

give somebody a hard time »    To tease, kid, or rib.

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

give somebody an earful »    To shout very loudly at someone.

give somebody pause »    To give somebody cause for concern.

give somebody the brush-off »    To rebuff, snub or curtly reject someone.

give somebody the cold shoulder »    To snub, resist or reject somebody; to regard somebody distantly.

give somebody the creeps »    To give someone a feeling of uneasiness or mild fright.

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

give somebody the runaround »    Especially by providing useless information or directions .

give somebody the slip »    To evade, escape, or get away from somebody.

give somebody what-for »    To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.

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

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

give someone what for »    To punish; to rebuke.

give the boot »    To fire, to sack, to dismiss.

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

give the elbow »    To terminate the employment of.

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

give the time of day »    To acknowledge somebody; to give somebody any respect or attention.

go along for the ride »    To accompany someone passively, or to take a passive role in a project.

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

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

go down »    To be received or accepted.

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

go native »    Of a contractor or consultant, to begin working directly as an employee for a company and cease to work through a contracting firm or agency.

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 overboard »    Go too far, be excessive.

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

go the way of »    To end up the same way as. To receive the same fate as.

go without »    Be deprived of.

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...

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

golf widow »    A woman who is deprived of her husband's time and attention due to his regular absence in order to play golf.

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

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

goon squad »    A group of individuals serving as enforcers, bodyguards, and the like, especially persons hired for such a purpose and using violent, thuggish methods.

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

grass widow »    A divorcée..

grass widower »    A divorcé..

gratuitous violence »    The artificial depiction of excessive violence.

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

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.

greasy spoon »    An inexpensive diner or other informal restaurant, especially one specializing in frying or grilling.

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

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

green state »    A state that is, or is perceived as, environmentally friendly.

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

grey area »    An area intermediate between two mutually exclusive states or categories where the border between the two is fuzzy.

grind to a halt »    Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.

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

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

hand grenade »    small explosive device

hand in »    To give something to a responsible person.

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

hand-in-glove »    Closely cooperative.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

have a go »    Shout at or tell off unnecessarily or excessively.

have a seat »    A polite directive to sit down.

have been around »    To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive.

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

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

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.

he who laughs last laughs hardest »    Alternative form of he who laughs last laughs best.

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.

he-man »    A strong, virile or sexually active man.

head and shoulders »    "She was head and shoulders better than any of her rivals.".

head south »    Alternative form of go south; to decrease or become unfavorable; to take a turn for the worse.

head start »    A factor conducive to superiority and success.

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

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

hens' teeth »    Alternative form of hen's teeth.

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

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

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

high on the hog »    Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly.

highway robbery »    Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.

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

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

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

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

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 roof »    To be explosively angry.

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

hold out »    To survive, endure.

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

hold that thought »    Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

hook, line and sinker »    Naively or unquestioningly.

hoover up »    Into a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.

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

hot and cold »    Ambivalent; having conflicting emotions.

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

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 spot »    lively place

hot to trot »    Eager for sexual activity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

in Abraham's bosom »    No longer living. Dead.

in business »    Engaged in business activity.

in business »    Ready to proceed in a desired activity.

in focus »    Clearly perceived.

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 light of »    Given, considering.

in on »    privy to

in order »    In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.

in spite of »    Despite, irrespective of, notwithstanding.

in stride »    Without disturbing one's course of activities.

in the black »    Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.

in the driver's seat »    Having the most important role in a storyline or recognition. Of primary importance.

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

in unity there is strength »    More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.

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

it ain't the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

it is not the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

it isn't the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

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 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 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.

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-tar »    Alternative spelling of jacktar.

jive turkey »    Someone who is jiving, as in behaving in a glib and disingenuous fashion.

jive turkey »    Someone who is jiving, as in dancing. Often applied to people being funny or showy.

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.

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 another pretty face »    Someone who is attractive, but not too distinguished.

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.

keep an eye peeled »    To look out attentively.

keep it real »    In the imperative, an exhortation used as a departing salutation.

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 truckin' »    To continue or persist, regardless of circumstances or setbacks; to keep trying or striving.

keep one on one's toes »    To keep one attentive, active, busy or alert.

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

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.

kick ass »    To be very impressive.

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

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

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

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

kill the rabbit »    To get a positive test result from an old-fashioned pregnancy test.

kind »    Mild, gentle, forgiving.

kiss and make up »    To settle one's differences and forgive.

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.

knock around »    To do a relaxing activity.

knock on wood »    A self-directive to undertake the customary action to ward off bad luck.

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.

knowledge is power »    With knowledge and/or education, one's potential or ability to succeed in the pursuit of his objectives will certainly increase.

ladies man »    Alternative spelling of lady's man.

ladies' man »    Alternative spelling of lady's man.

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.

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

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 »    Very imposing, renowned, or impressively influential.

last burst of fire »    A state of exertion where one gives one's all; expending all of one's remaining energy in a final effort to achieve one's goal.

last word »    The finest, highest, or ultimate representative of some class of objects.

late bloomer »    A person who lives a child's life comparatively later than their peers.

late bloomer »    A person who reaches puberty comparatively later than their peers.

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

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

lay down the law »    To present the law that applies to a given case.

lay up »    To take out of active service.

lay up »    To go out of active service.

lead someone down the garden path »    To deceive, hoodwink.

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

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

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

left and right »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

left field »    The defensive position in the outfield to the left.

left, right and center »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

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.

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 off »    To forgive and not punish.

let on »    To reveal, disclose, or divulge.

let slip »    To divulge a secret, as by accident or mistake.

let somebody in on »    To disclose; to tell somebody a secret or share privileged information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

like crazy »    To a great or excessive degree; with great speed, output, enthusiasm, etc.

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

like nobody's business »    In an extreme manner; rapidly; excessively; like crazy.

like the back end of a bus »    Very unattractive.

lily-livered »    Cowardly, lacking bravery.

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.

listen up »    To listen closely; to pay attention. Often used in the imperative.

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 down »    To get used to something shameful.

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 large »    To have a lavish or overly-extravagant lifestyle.

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

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

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

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

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

live up »    To fulfil the expectations placed upon.

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

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

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

loaded word »    Any word, set phrase or idiom that has strong positive or negative connotations beyond their ordinary definition.

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

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

look through rose-tinted glasses »    Alternative spelling of wear rose-colored glasses.

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

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

lose it »    To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.

lose one's temper »    To be explosively angry. To get very cross.

lose one's touch »    To lose one's special mastery of or knack for a particular skill or activity.

loved up »    Alternative spelling of loved-up.

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.

mad money »    A sum of money, often relatively small in amount, kept in reserve to use for impulsive, frivolous purposes.

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 living »    To earn enough income to support oneself and, if applicable, one's family.

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 »    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 it »    To survive, to live through something.

make out like a bandit »    To profit greatly; to get an excessively good deal.

make up »    To resolve, forgive or smooth over an argument or fight.

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.

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.

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.

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

meals on wheels »    Food delivered to the homes of those unable to cook for themselves.

measure twice and cut once »    (literally, carpentry) One should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material.1872, "Dressmaking," Hall's Journal of Health, vol. 19, no. 12, p. 280:Look at Carpenters! . . . In old times it was a proverb "Measure twice, and cut once."(figuratively, by extension) Plan and prepare in a careful, thorough manner before taking action.2008, Hilary Johnson, "Mergers rattle bank relations," Financial Week, 9 Nov. (retrieved 9 Nov. 2008):Mr. Paz noted that since the onset of the credit crisis, eBay, like other companies, hasn

measure twice, cut once »    Alternative form of measure twice and cut once.

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

mess up »    To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.

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!

mills of the gods grind slowly »    Justice may arrive slowly, but it cannot be avoided.

mind one's P's and Q's »    Alternative spelling of mind one's p's and q's.

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.

mixed message »    Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.

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.

more equal »    Ostensibly equal, but in reality more privileged.

morning person »    A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.

mother hen »    An outspoken and overprotective woman dealing with others' affairs.

mouse potato »    A person who spends excessive amounts of time using a computer.

mouth breather »    A person who is boorish, stupid, or otherwise unattractive.

mover and shaker »    Someone who has power and influence in some field or activity.

mum's the word »    The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged.

name and shame »    So as to single them out for individual blame and censure.

near the knuckle »    Risqué, sexual, suggestive of impropriety..

necessity is the mother of innovation »    Alternative form of necessity is the mother of invention.

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.

nervous hit »    A production which receives generally favorably notice, but is not assured of success.

never look a gift horse in the mouth »    Alternative form of don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

nickel-and-dime »    Alternative spelling of nickel and dime.

night person »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.

nighthawk »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.

nine lives »    Durability; near immunity to damage.

no dice »    An unacceptable alternative.

no great shakes »    Unexceptional; not special or noteworthy; not very effective.

no joy »    A negative outcome.

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

no smoke without fire »    Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.

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

not be able to get a word in edgeways »    To be unable to say a single word because of someone else's talkativeness.

not give a monkey's »    Not to have the slightest interest or concern.

now you're cooking »    A phrase, often given in response, meaning that the subject has switched to a more suitable or more efficient approach.

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.

of an »    Indicates a more or less habitual activity during the given part of the day.

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 chain »    Free from work or direct supervision. In reference to slave labor, where workers are chained, or to the figurative chain of workers of an assembly line.

off-roader »    A vehicle that is designed to drive off the road.

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

old hand »    A person who is experienced at a certain activity.

on one's toes »    Attentive, active, busy or alert.

on the back burner »    Not immediate; inactive; receiving less than full or regular attention.

on the back foot »    In a defensive posture; off-balance.

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

on the bounce »    Consecutively, in succession.

on the brain »    Obsessively in mind.

on the defensive »    Prepared to defend or protect against criticism, attack or aggression.

on the fly »    Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.

on the go »    Actively traveling; busy; moving often.

on the ladder »    Figuratively a property ladder, owning property.

on the loose »    Not incarcerated or in captivity; not under control.

on the make »    Actively seeking a romantic encounter or relationship.

on the make »    Actively seeking an opportunity for self-advancement; eager to ingratiate oneself to others in order to secure some advantage.

on the pill »    Using oral contraceptives.

on the plus side »    Positively; from a favorable view or perspective.

on wheels »    To a large degree, excessive.

once and for all »    Finally, permanently, conclusively.

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

one at a time »    Individually, as opposed to collectively; slowly or methodically, figuratively.

one by one »    Individually in succession; one at a time.

one's bark is worse than one's bite »    The individual acts threatening but is relatively harmless.

one's jig is up »    Alternative form of the jig is up. [for one].

one-man band »    An organisation or business that is effectively run by only one person.

one-night stand »    A single sexual encounter between two individuals, where at least one of the parties has no immediate intention or expectation of establishing a longer-term sexual or romantic relationship. As the phrase implies, the relationship lasts for only one night.

one-note »    Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.

one-upmanship »    The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.

onesie-twosie »    Individually or in very small groups, rather in larger batches.

only fools and horses work »    Philosophy of life that people who do not look for an easy way of earning a living are foolish.

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.

or else »    Otherwise or as an alternative.

or what »    Or something else; allows for the existence of an unexpressed alternative to what was said.

out of bounds »    Beyond the bounds of civility or morality; extremely unreasonable.

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 gas »    Tired; lacking energy or motivation.

out of house and home »    Helping Your Dog Adjust to a New Home, The Progressive Animal Welfare Society.

out of house and home »    In a manner that deprives one of dwelling or some aspect thereof.

out of nowhere »    In an unexpected or inexplicable manner of arrival or occurrence.

out of the way »    Improper or offensive.

out the wazoo »    Out the ass; excessive or excessively; too much.

out to lunch »    Clueless, inattentive or careless.

over the top »    Bold; beyond normal, expected, or reasonable limits; excessive; outrageous.

overkill »    A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.

pachyderm »    Someone who is insensitive.

pack up »    To give in.

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.

paper trail »    The records left by a person or organization in the course of activities.

parade of horribles »    A rhetorical device employing a series of progressively more terrible results following from an act.

parcel out »    To divide into portions or chunks; to ration.

park that thought »    Alternative form of hold that thought.

party animal »    A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.

party to »    Privy to; having knowledge of.

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.

pay attention »    To be attentive; to focus one's attention.

pay through the nose »    To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.

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

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.

peashooter »    Any small or ineffective gun.

peel grapes »    To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.

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.

penny for your thoughts »    Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted.

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones »    Do not criticize others if you have weaknesses yourself.

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.

pick up »    To receive.

piece of ass »    A very attractive woman, when considered as a sex object.

piece of cake »    A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple to do.

piffy on a rock bun »    A person ignored or sidelined from an activity.

piss and vinegar »    Exuberance or enthusiasm, especially to an excessive degree; bravado; youthful energy.

piss up a rope »    To engage in futile or impossible activity.

pissing contest »    An immature dispute over some trivial matter.

play games »    To deceive, to lie about one's intentions.

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

poison »    A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism.

pore over »    To examine something carefully and attentively.

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

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

pound sand »    To engage in a futile activity.

power chord »    A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power chords make extensive use of intervals such as open fourths and fifths.

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.

prawn cocktail offensive »    A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.

prick up one's ears »    To listen attentively.

pride cometh before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

pride goes before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

pride goeth before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

prima donna »    diva

private branch exchange »    Telephone lines.

private eye »    A private personal detective, employed to gather information about someone.

problem child »    A child who is particularly difficult to raise or educate, especially due to a lack of self-control and disruptive and antisocial behavior.

pronunciamiento »    A military uprising or coup in Spain or the Spanish American republics, particularly in the 19th century. They received this designation because coups were usually accompanied by a statement declaring the existing government null and void.

proverbs come in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.

proverbs go in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1932, Bertrand Russell,

proverbs hunt in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.

proverbs often come in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.

pull a »    To emulate a behaviour generally attributed to the individual named.

pull a fast one »    To deceive or trick.

pull the other leg »    In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe what another has just said.

pull together »    To unite for a common objective.

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

push one's luck »    To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.

put a damper on »    To stop people from enjoying an activity.

put all one's eggs in one basket »    Rather than diversifying.

put away »    Divorce.

put down »    To replace the telephone receiver and terminate a call. To hang up.

put forth »    To give or supply; to make or create.

put one over »    To fool, trick or deceive.

put one past somebody »    To deceive, trick, or fool, especially by concealing something.

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 out »    The statistic of the number of outs a defensive player directly caused.

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

put the hammer down »    To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.

quiet down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

quieten down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

quote unquote »    Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.

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

rag the puck »    To proceed slowly at any activity in order to use up time; to stall for time.

raise Cain »    To behave in a disruptive manner.

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.

real job »    A job which requires the employee to, work regular hours for a consistent wage that often exceeds the provisions of applicable minimum wage legislation. A job that produces a living wage.

reap what one sows »    To receive as a reward or harvest in the same measure as one's exertions, in a good or a bad sense. To receive justice.

red herring »    A clue that is misleading or that has been falsified, intended to divert attention.

red letter day »    Usually very positive, sometimes very negative.

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

red tape »    A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.

redolent »    Suggestive or reminiscent.

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

reflect on »    To give an impression of .

ride out »    To tackle a difficult problem and survive.

ride shotgun »    To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

ride tall in the saddle »    To act or conduct oneself in a manner that is imposing, impressive, resolute, or manly.

ring off the hook »    Of a telephone, to ring constantly or excessively.

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

roadwarrior »    Alternative spelling of road warrior.

rocking-horse shit »    Alternative form of rocking horse shit.

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

root around »    Alternative form of root about.

ropable »    Alternative spelling of ropeable. Able to be roped.

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.

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 back »    To take someone home by car. Give someone a lift to their house.

run for one's money »    A difficult challenge for the person indicated, especially one involving a competitive situation.

run in »    Alternative spelling of run-in.

run into the ground »    To wear out, especially through excessive use.

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 out »    Alternative spelling of runout.

run out of steam »    To run out of energy; to run out of motivation.

run over »    To drive over, causing injury or death.

run rampant »    To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.

run somebody ragged »    To exhaust; to demand excessive effort or work from somebody.

salad years »    The inexperienced, youthful prime of an individual, group, organization or entity.

say grace »    To recite a prayer of invocation or thanksgiving at meal time.

scissorbill »    The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.

screen out »    Figuratively, to exclude.

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

sea legs »    Alternative name of surimi.

second childhood »    The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.

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 red »    To receive a red card, and be dismissed from the playing field.

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 yellow »    To receive a yellow card.

seize the day »    To enjoy the present and not worry about the future; to live for the moment.

sell down the river »    To betray, especially in a manner which causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed.

sell someone a bill of goods »    To deceive or cheat someone.

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.

set in one's ways »    Driven by habit; inclined or determined to continue according to one's custom or established preferences.

sex up »    To make more sexually attractive.

sexual relation »    Behaviour of a sexual nature between one or more individuals.

sexual tension »    Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.

shack up »    To live together, especially of an unmarried couple.

shake a leg »    To get busy; to get going; to be productive.

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 cookie »    One who is intelligent, bright, or sharp; especially, one who can identify attempts to deceive or mislead.

shell out »    To use a program's "shell escape" function to execute an unrelated command or to invoke a subsidiary, interactive shell.

shit a brick »    To react strongly or excessively, especially in anger or fear.

Shittin in high cotton »    Living well, often above one's means

shoo-in »    A candidate or contestant generally agreed upon as the presumptive winner; somebody who is well-liked or widely agreed upon.

shoot 'em up »    A short story, novel, television show, film, computer game, or other narrative which depicts considerable gunplay.

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.

short on looks »    Plain, unattractive.

shotgun »    The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver.

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 up »    To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically.

showstopper »    A performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive reaction strong enough to pause the production.

shuffle off this mortal coil »    To die; to divest oneself of one's mortal body.

shy bairns get noot »    (Geordie) Alternative spelling of shy bairns get nowt.

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

silver bullet »    Any straightforward solution perceived to have great effectiveness or bring miraculous results.

six feet under »    Buried six feet underground; not alive; dead.

six of one, half a dozen of the other »    The two alternatives are equivalent or indifferent; it doesn't matter which one we choose.

skimp and save »    Alternative form of scrimp and save.

skin diver »    underwater swimmer

slam dunk »    An impressively forceful dunk.

smack of »    To seem like; to appear or give an impression or feeling of; to arouse suspicion of.

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.

smear campaign »    An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.

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 and mirrors »    A deceptive, fraudulent, or unconvincing explanation or description.

smooth operator »    A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc.

smooth operator »    A skillful, manipulative person, con artist, or clever scoundrel.

snake oil »    A fraudulent, ineffective potion or nostrum; panacea.

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.

snazz up »    To improve appearance or appeal by increasing stylishness or functionality, or by adding other attractive features.

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

so-called »    Same as above, without the negative connotation.

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 sawder »    "If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!" —Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" — first usage.

soft shoe »    A 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 touch »    A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.

soft touch »    A person or group which is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one which loans or readily gives money to another.

song and dance »    An excessively complex set of instructions.

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

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

sow one's wild oats »    To indulge in a period of irresponsible behavior, particularly sexually; Often used in reference to young adults or to the recently divorced.

speak of the devil »    An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

speak of the devil and he appears »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

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

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.

spick and span »    Alternative form of spick-and-span.

spill one's guts »    To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.

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.

squaring the circle »    The historical problem of how to construct, using compass and ruler, a square having the same area as a given circle.

squeaky wheel gets the grease »    The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.

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 do nothing. To be inactive in a situation.

stand off »    To prevent any would-be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture.

stand on one's own two feet »    To be independent. To survive without any help.

starry eyed »    natively optimistic

steal away »    To leave secretively.

step on it »    To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.

stick in the mud »    A person unwilling to participate in activities, often because he or she believes the activity is not wholly kosher; a party pooper.

stick in the mud »    More generally, one who is slow, old-fashioned, or unprogressive; an old fogey.

stick out »    To be prominent, noticeable, or obtrusive.

stick-in-the-mud »    Alternative spelling of stick in the mud.

stickhandle »    To maintain individual possession of the puck or ball by controlling it with movements of one's stick, especially to do so in a skillful manner.

sticks and stones »    Evocative of the saying "sticks and stones may (or will) break my bones, but words (or names) will never hurt (or harm) me".1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped

stir-crazy »    By extension, restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity.

stone's throw »    A short distance, roughly equivalent to how far a person can throw a stone.

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 presses »    An imperative form used to introduce especially new, important, surprising, or recent developments.

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

stuffed shirt »    One who is overly official or officious; somebody in charge but not necessarily in power or effective.

suck up »    To adulate or flatter somebody excessively, generally to obtain some personal benefit or favour.

sugarcoated »    Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.

swear on a stack of Bibles »    To make a promise or give one's assurance with great conviction.

swing state »    A state which may vote Democratic or Republican, in a given election or generally; a purple state.

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..

tail between one's legs »    A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.

take a bullet »    To purposely receive a gunshot that was intended for another.

take a dive »    To feign a knockout in order to lose intentionally.

take a dive »    To lose or fail intentionally.

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

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

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 a peg »    Alternative form of pull down a peg.

take effect »    To become active; to become effective.

take five »    To break something up.

take five »    To take a five-minute break from some activity, take a short break from some activity.

take for granted »    To give little attention to or to underestimate the value of, to fail to appreciate.

take in »    To deceive; to hoodwink.

take in »    To receive into your home for the purpose of processing for a fee.

take its toll »    To affect, especially negatively; to damage or degrade; to cause destruction.

take one's lumps »    To receive physical abuse and to survive.

take out »    Alternative spelling of takeout.

take sides »    To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.

take the Michael »    Alternative form of take the mickey, usually considered more polite.

take the mick »    Alternative form of take the mickey.

take the offensive »    To attack instead of defending; to be bold and proactive.

take the shadow for the substance »    To be easily deceived, credulous, superficial.

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.

talk a mile a minute »    To speak quickly or excessively.

talk of the devil »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

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 someone's ear off »    To talk excessively or far more than is wanted or appreciated.

tall in the saddle »    Imposing, impressive; resolute; manly.

tart up »    To modify or repackage a product, service, or idea to make it more attractive or easier to sell.

task force »    A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.

taxi driver »    cabby

teacher's pet »    A student who is perceived to be favored by the teacher.

tear away »    To remove oneself reluctantly; often expressed in the negative.

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".

tempest in a teapot »    A major fuss over a trivial matter.

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.

than a bygod »    Used with a comparative to express extreme heat or cold.

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 ends justify the means »    Alternative form of the end justifies the means.

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 fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you take »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you're going to get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the man »    The oppressive powers that be, including the government and corporations; the system, as coordinated outside of one’s control..

the name of the game »    The overall purpose; the principal goal, or objective.

the proof is in the pudding »    Alternative form of the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you take »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you're going to get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

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

there and back »    One or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.

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'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.

there's no I in team »    A team game is focused on the team, not on the individual.

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

third degree »    Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession.

thorn in the flesh »    Ivar Specto. The Soviet Union and the Muslim World, 1917-1958.

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 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 the towel »    To quit; to give up.

throw one's weight around »    To exercise influence or authority especially to an excessive degree or in an objectionable manner.

throw to the dogs »    To give up on something valuable.

tickle the ivories »    I don't have as much time as I'd like, but I still enjoy tickling the ivories from time to time.

tickle the ivories »    To play the piano.

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.

tight-lipped »    Unwilling to divulge information.

tilt at windmills »    To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

time heals all wounds »    Negative feelings eventually erode away

time is money »    When a person's time is not used productively; time is valuable and should not be wasted.

time out »    To call for a suspension of activity or conversation.

timing is everything »    Consideration of other events can greatly influence some desired outcome (such as an audience laughing to a comedian's joke).Telling the old joke about a butt-crack was not a good idea, just as the plumber arrived, Bob.You know what they say: "timing is everything." I'm sure we can find another plumber before the house floods.

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.

tit for tat »    Equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.

to a fault »    To an excessive degree; extremely.

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 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

tomato tomato »    Uses insignificant pronunciation difference to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard.

tone down »    To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.

tone down »    To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.

too hot to hold »    A place that has too much police activity to harbor a fugitive unnoticed.

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.

tough call »    A choice or judgment which is difficult to make, especially one involving only two alternatives.

toy with »    Handling something in a careless or frivolous manner.

trailer park trash »    Lower-class people who live in trailer parks.

trench mouth »    Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.

trick of the trade »    A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.

tried and true »    Well-established and tested; known to work or succeed based on extensive experience.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to react excessively or violently at the slightest provocation.

tune in, turn on, drop out »    Pay attention to the new way of living; take drugs; abandon the established ways.

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 in »    To submit something; to give.

turn on »    To attract, give pleasure, or encourage.

turn over »    To relinquish; give back.

turn the page »    To move on to new involvements or activities; to make a fresh start.

turn-on »    Something that attracts, gives pleasure, or encourages, especially sexually.

two-second rule »    A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.

under erasure »    Of a bit of text, written and strickenthrough; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.

under the radar »    Without attracting notice; in an undetected or secretive manner.

university of life »    The real world as a source of instruction, as opposed to a formal education.

untar »    To extract a tar archive.

up a creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation, without any help. Superlative form of up a creek: most up a creek.

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 river »    To prison.

up the wazoo »    Up the ass; excessive or excessively; too much.

up to »    Considering all members of an equivalence class the same.

ups and downs »    Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.

virgin territory »    By extension, ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.

vote in »    To collectively approve a nominee into an office or position as a result of voting.

wade through »    To do a boring, repetitive research task.

wage war »    A figurative allusion to pay discrepancies.

walk it off »    To deal with an negative emotional event without complaint; to take it like a man.

walk on eggshells »    To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.

war bride »    A company or individual whose business is increased by warfare.

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 away »    To eliminate, in a figurative sense.

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 out »    To be aware or conscious; to look closely or carefully; to use caution. Often used in the imperative.

water under the bridge »    Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.

way out of a paper bag »    A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.

weak sister »    A person who is cowardly or indecisive.

weaker vessel »    A woman; women collectively.

wear out »    To cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use, especially hard, heavy, or careless use.

wear out »    To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.

wear rose-colored glasses »    To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.

wet blanket »    A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

whatever it takes »    Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.

when in Rome, do as the Romans »    Alternative form of when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

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 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.

white on rice »    A descriptive analogy of closeness. See like white on rice.

whomp on »    To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.

whoop it up »    To have a great time; to party or revel excessively or noisily.

wild-goose chase »    A task whose execution is inordinately complex relative to the value of the outcome.

wind back the clock »    Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.

window dressing »    A means of creating a deceptively favourable impression of something or someone; something for appearance only.

window dressing »    The decorative display of retail merchandise in store windows.

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.

with a vengeance »    Intensely motivated; resolute; forceful.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work one's arse off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

work one's tail off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

worked up »    Excessively emotional, excited or aroused.

world »    An individual or group perspective or social setting.

world »    Human collective existence; existence in general.

world »    The Universe.

worry wart »    One who worries excessively or unnecessarily.

wrap in the flag »    To claim one's cause deserves support for patriotic reasons or that one's own motives are patriotic.

wring out »    To force someone to give something, usually truth, or money.

write off »    Figuratively, to assign a low value to something.

write up »    To write about positively.

wrong side of the tracks »    . May refer to area where the working class, poor or extremely poor live.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

yield up »    To give something against one's will.

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't get a quart into a pint pot »    What is being discussed is not possible.They've asked me to get to New York by five o'clock, but you can't get a quart into a pint pot!

you can't tell a book by its cover »    Alternative form of you can't judge a book by its cover.

you don't dip your pen in the company's ink »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

you don't dip your pen in the inkwell »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

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 snooze you lose »    If you are not alert and attentive, you will not be successful.

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