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.
|
across the board »
A racing bet where one bets that the same competitor will place in first, second and third.
|
all bark and no bite »
Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.
|
all hat and no cattle »
Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.
|
all hell breaks loose »
Vi A place or state of fury, turmoil, destruction, or chaos.
|
all over hell's half acre »
All over the place; everywhere.
|
all over the place »
Everywhere, especially chaotically or in such a way as to make a mess.
|
all over the place »
Inconsistent; lacking a clear pattern.
|
also ran »
unplaced horse
|
amateur hour »
A situation or activity in which the participants show a lack of skill, sound judgment, or professionalism.
|
and shit »
Used after a noun or list of nouns in place of "etc".
|
Après-ski »
A place "after skiing". Typically a bar or pub where people go after a day on the slopes to ease off and meet other people.
|
around Robin Hood's barn »
All over the place.
|
arse about face »
Something that is placed or arranged the opposite way to the way it should be.
|
arse end of nowhere »
A very remote place.
|
at home »
In one's place of residence.
|
at work »
At one's workplace.
|
back of beyond »
A very remote place.
|
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.
|
barrel »
The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies for different articles and also in different places for the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A barrel of wine is 31 1/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196 pounds; of beer 31 gallons; of ale 32 gallons; of crude oil 42 gallons.
|
been there, done that »
An assertion that the speaker has personal experience or knowledge of a particular place or topic and is now bored.
|
between a rock and a hard place »
Having the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary.
|
between Scylla and Charybdis »
Similar in meaning to between a rock and a hard place.
|
beyond the black stump »
Extremely remote, outside the populated area.
|
birthday suit »
Nakedness; a lack of clothing.
|
black »
Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and colourless.
|
black »
Bad; evil.
|
black »
Illegitimate, illegal or disgraced.
|
black »
Lacking cream, milk, and creamer.
|
black »
Overcrowded.
|
black »
Without light.
|
black and blue »
Covered in bruises.
|
black babies »
Third world charities, the missions.
|
black magic »
Magic derived from evil forces, as distinct from good or benign forces; or magic performed with the intention of doing harm.
|
black sheep »
A disliked person; one who is disfavored.
|
black sheep »
A nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person.
|
black sheep »
A sheep that is black.
|
black-on-black »
A description of the colors of an automobile .
|
black-on-black »
A reference to interactions between black people .
|
black-on-black »
Something that is invisible or intentionally obfuscated, such as warnings or fine print.
|
blow smoke »
To speak with a lack of credibility, sense, purpose, or truth; to speak nonsense.
|
born in a barn »
Lacking a sense of etiquette; ill-mannered.
|
bottle out »
To fail to perform a promised or planned action due to lack of courage.
|
bottom of the line »
The worst, the most lackluster, or lowest quality currently on the market, especially among selections in a product line.
|
brickbat »
A piece of brick used as a weapon, especially if thrown, or placed in something like a sock and used as a club.
|
bridge »
A particular form of one hand placed on the table to support the cue when making a shot in cue sports.
|
bridge »
A prosthesis replacing one or several adjacent teeth.
|
bring about »
To cause to take place.
|
brown thumb »
Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.
|
bump up »
To give a more prominent place to; to advance position in queue.
|
burn out »
To extinguish due to lack of fuel.
|
catch on »
To become popular; to become commonplace; to become the standard.
|
coals to Newcastle »
A pointless venture, in the sense of sending something to a place where it's made, or where they already have an abundance.
|
cock a snook »
To spread one hand, place the thumb on the nose and wriggle some of the fingers as a gesture of disrespect.
|
cold fish »
A heartless individual; a person lacking empathy and emotion.
|
come about »
To come to pass; to develop; to occur; to take place; to happen.
|
come back »
To return to a place.
|
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.
|
coop up »
To confine in a restricted place or situation.
|
crashpad »
Any place used for temporary lodging.
|
crashpad »
In the aviation industry, used for a place of temporary lodging for airline flight crews.
|
cross paths »
To be, by chance, in the same physical place at the same time, as a result of two completely separate journeys.
|
cut in »
Especially, to dance with someone who is already dancing by replacing his or her partner.
|
cut somebody some slack »
To be patient or lenient with somebody; to relax standards or expectations.
|
dash off »
To leave a place quickly or briefly.
|
dead »
Figuratively, not alive; lacking life.
|
dead last »
The standings, often by a considerable margin to the next-to-last-place finisher or after an exceptionally poor showing or season.
|
deadstick landing »
When a pilot lands a plane after the engine has died; a landing lacking any propulsion control.
|
deafening silence »
A silence, or a lack of any response, that signifies disapproval or lack of any enthusiasm.
|
deer in the headlights »
A mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety fear, panic, surpriseand/or confusion, or substance abuse. The behavioral signs are like a deer subjected to a car's headlights, such as widely opened eyes and a lack of motor reactions.
|
den of iniquity »
A place of immoral behavior, usually of a sexual type.
|
dirty laundry »
A clothes hamper or other container used to place unclean or soiled laundry.
|
dirty laundry »
Unflattering facts or questionable activities that one wants to remain secret, but which some other may use to blackmail with.
|
do one »
To depart from a place, often with a sense of urgency.
|
do without »
To manage despite the lack of something.
|
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.
|
down in the dumps »
Sad; lacking engagement or enthusiasm.
|
ears are burning »
Being the topic of discussion in another place; or sensing that this is happening.
|
eat out »
To dine at a restaurant or such public place.
|
fade out »
A type of transition used in movies usually at the end of a scene, in which the transition fades to black from the cut.
|
fall by the wayside »
To fail to be completed, particularly for lack of interest; to be left out.
|
fill in »
To fill; to replace material that is absent or has been removed.
|
first loser »
Second place.
|
first loser »
The second place finisher in auto racing competition.
|
first port of call »
The first place to go to start a process.
|
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
|
fit into »
To be of the right size and shape to be placed in a location.
|
free-for-all »
Chaos; a chaotic situation lacking rules or control.
|
fresh off the boat »
Newly arrived from a foreign place, especially as an immigrant who is still unfamiliar with the customs and language of his or her new environment.
|
from here to Sunday »
Everywhere; all over the place.
|
get in »
To enter a place; to gain access.
|
get off with »
To befriend someone and snog them, especially in a public place.
|
get out of here »
To leave or exit a place.
|
go back »
To return to a place.
|
go down »
To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.
|
go down »
To take place, happen.
|
go out »
To leave one's abode to go to public places.
|
go out the window »
To vanish or cease, especially due to lack of care, attention, etc.; to be discarded, disregarded, or ignored.
|
go places »
To make progress or achieve success.
|
grasp at straws »
To guess randomly at or pursue any apparent option, as due to lack of options or information.
|
great unwashed »
A contemptuous term for the populace, particularly the working class.
|
greener pastures »
Any place or condition that is more favorable or beneficial.
|
have to do with the price of tea in China »
To have any relation or bearing whatsoever on the topic at hand, usually used to emphasize the lack of relationship of a non sequitur.
|
head for the hills »
To go to a safe place; to seek refuge; to flee.
|
hedge one's bets »
To place bets with a third party in order to offset potential losses.
|
here and there »
In one place and another.
|
here goes nothing »
Indicates a lack of confidence or certainty about the activity about to be tried.
|
hit the bricks »
To participate in a workplace strike or other job action; to participate in a public protest, especially one involving picketing.
|
hit the road »
To leave a place; to go away.
|
hold with the hare and run with the hounds »
To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.
|
home away from home »
A place in which one is as comfortable as one's actual home.
|
home is where you hang your hat »
Rather than feeling nostalgic or sentimental, one should simply accept any place where one happens to reside as one's home.1948, Ruth L. Yorck, "D.P.
|
homeless dumping »
The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the streets instead of placing them into the custody of a relative or shelter or retaining them in a hospital where they may require expensive medical care.
|
hot lunch »
A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.
|
hot spot »
dangerous place; accident place
|
hot spot »
lively place
|
ignorance is bliss »
Lack of knowledge results in happinessSometime you are more comfortable if you dont know something.
|
in black and white »
Explicitly, in writing, clearly and without doubt or misunderstanding, without any grey areas.
|
in black and white »
Having it displayed using shades of gray/gray rather than colour/color .
|
in black and white »
Using shades of grey/gray rather than colour/color.
|
in the black »
Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.
|
in the first place »
To begin with; earlier; first; at the start.
|
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
|
ivory tower »
A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.
|
jump off »
To move from an elevated place by one jump.
|
keel over »
To collapse in a faint; to black out; to die.
|
keep out »
To refrain from entering a place or condition.
|
keep out »
To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.
|
keep out of »
To stay away from a place or condition.
|
keep out of »
To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.
|
knacker's yard »
A place to send a person or object that is spent beyond all reasonable use.
|
knock around »
To be in an unknown place.
|
knock out of the box »
To cause a pitcher to be replaced by heavy hitting.
|
knock out of the box »
To cause something to be replaced by something else.
|
know like the back of one's hand »
To be intimately knowledgeable about something, especially a place.
|
laced-up »
Fastened with a lace.
|
laced-up »
Fixed in the sprockets of the projector.
|
laced-up »
Restrained; uptight.
|
lay down »
To give up, surrender, or yield , usually by placing it on the ground.
|
lay down »
To lie down; to place oneself in a reclined or horizontal position, on a bed or similar, for the purpose of resting.
|
lay off »
To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.
|
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, right and center »
All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.
|
let up »
slacken
|
lily-livered »
Cowardly, lacking bravery.
|
link whoring »
The practice of going out of one's way to place links to one's website on someone else's webpage.
|
lion's den »
Any dangerous or frightening place.
|
live up »
To fulfil the expectations placed upon.
|
lock up »
To close all doors and windows of a place securely.
|
make book »
To gamble, either by placing or taking bets.
|
make it »
To reach a place.
|
managerial inbreeding »
Bad management, caused by managers making poor selection choices in recruitment, rewards, and promotions of the staff that report to them, leading to another generation of managers who lack the necessary skill sets to reward and promote the most effective staff.
|
mark time »
Marching in place; not going anywhere.
|
meat rack »
A place where people can meet looking for sexual partners.
|
middle of nowhere »
Nowhere; any place lacking population, interesting things, or defining characteristics.
|
mind-numbing »
Excessively boring, tedious, or dull; repetitive; of an activity, etc., lacking any interest or variety that might serve as intellectual stimulation.
|
move house »
To change one's place of residence.
|
move on »
To leave somewhere for another place.
|
move out »
To vacate one's place of residence.
|
mutual admiration society »
A group of two or more people, in a workplace or other social environment, who routinely express considerable esteem and support for one another, sometimes to the point of exaggeration or pretense.
|
nest egg »
A natural or artificial egg placed in a bird's nest, to encourage the bird to lay its own eggs there.
|
no news is good news »
A lack of information about a situation suggests that nothing bad has happened.
|
not have a leg to stand on »
To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation.
|
not worth a dime »
Worthless, lacking in value.
|
off the beaten path »
In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.
|
off the beaten track »
In a place or places not commonly visited.
|
on accident »
Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.
|
on the run »
Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.
|
on the spot »
In a particular place.
|
on-the-spot »
In the right place at this very moment.
|
once you go black, you never go back »
An expression assuming that once a person of another race gets in a sexual relationship with a black person they won't return to their own race.
|
out of gas »
Lacking fuel.
|
out of gas »
Tired; lacking energy or motivation.
|
out of place »
Amongst all those horsey people I felt quite out of place.
|
out of place »
Not in the proper situation or arrangement, or inappropriate for the circumstances.
|
out of place »
She comes in out of the storm with not a hair out of place.
|
out of pocket »
Lacking funds, or suffering a loss.
|
pack away »
To store away, place out of the way, or stash, especially for the longer term.
|
paint the town red »
To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.
|
palace politics »
The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers within a government, especially as involving internal rivalry and intrigue.
|
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 out »
To slacken a rope by lengthening it; to allow a rope to run out.
|
penny black »
old stamp
|
pick up stitches »
Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.
|
pinch-hit »
To bat in place of another player.
|
pinch-hit »
To do something in the place of another person who is not able to perform or is less skilled; to substitute or stand in for somebody.
|
play dumb »
To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.
|
play the race card »
Donald A. Carson, Love in Hard Places p.94.
|
point of no return »
The point in an aircraft's flight when there is insufficient fuel to reverse direction and return to the place of origin.
|
pot calling the kettle black »
A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.
|
potter »
One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.
|
potter's field »
A public place where strangers, paupers, and criminals are buried.
|
pour out »
To leave a place quickly, and in large numbers.
|
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.
|
punch in »
To enter a workplace by punching a time card.
|
put away »
To store away, place out of the way, clean up, or organize.
|
put back »
To return something to it's original place.
|
put down »
To set down, stop carrying, or place in a low location.
|
put down »
To replace the telephone receiver and terminate a call. To hang up.
|
put down »
To place a baby somewhere to sleep.
|
put down roots »
To feel that one belong in a place.
|
put in »
To place inside.
|
put on »
To place upon or atop.
|
put somebody in his place »
To bring somebody down; to humble or insult.
|
put up »
To place in a high location.
|
rank and file »
Those lacking any particular title or status; those having no station.
|
real job »
A job that can't be replaced advantageously by a machine or a procedure.
|
ring in »
To make a phone call to one's usual place of work.
|
road movie »
A film in which much of the action takes place during a journey, especially one involving overland travel.
|
rock up »
To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.
|
run away »
To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile.
|
runner up »
second-placed competitor
|
running on empty »
Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.
|
rush hour »
The times of the day when traffic jams are commonplace, due mainly to people commuting to or from work.
|
scissorbill »
The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.
|
scrounge up »
To seek or find despite a lack of apparent resources or availability.
|
seagull approach »
The occurence of casual, ill-informed and hasty decisions or comments made by outside authorities who lack an understanding of the local issues or a real understanding of the facts of a particular situ.
|
seagull manager »
A manager who comes into the workplace or office only on occasion, especially when a problem arises or to criticize or critique employees.
|
send away »
To send to a particular place for a long time, as a family member, an employee, etc.
|
set down »
Simple sum of parts set + down, to place, especially on the ground or a surface; to cease carrying.
|
set foot »
To go to a place , or to be there.
|
set up shop »
To physically arrange a shop or workplace.
|
settle in »
To get comfortable or established, as in a new place.
|
shroud »
A covered place used as a retreat or shelter, as a cave or den; also, a vault or crypt.
|
shuffle »
To get lost in the shuffle: to lack attention when you deserve it.
|
sit in for »
To substitute; to take somebody's place.
|
skin and bones »
Said of one who is emaciated; very skinny, as from lack of nutrition.
|
slip through the cracks »
To escape notice or lack sufficient attention.
|
sneak off »
To leave a place, or a meeting, without being seen or heard.
|
so quiet one can hear a pin drop »
Said during a lull in a normally bustling place or scene, or as the result of a sudden dramatic or tense moment.
|
so-and-so »
A name used to take the place of an epithet.
|
so-and-so »
A placeholder name, used when a name is not known; a generic name.
|
spare tire »
An extra wheel or tire carried as a replacement in case of a flat.
|
spread out »
To place items further apart.
|
spur of the moment »
Impluse; short notice; a lack of planning.
|
square one »
The place where one begins; a lack of progress.
|
stand in for »
To replace; to act as a double or substitute for.
|
standard fare »
Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.
|
stay put »
To remain in one fixed place.
|
step out »
To exit a place on foot, often for a short time.
|
sticking point »
The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking-place.
|
sticking-place »
The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking point.
|
stone cold »
Very cold; lacking any semblance of warmth.
|
such-and-such »
A placeholder or generic thing.
|
take away »
To remove something and put it in a different place.
|
take away »
To make someone leave a place and go somewhere else. Usually not with the person's consent.
|
take out the trash »
To forcefully remove people from a place.
|
take out the trash »
To remove rubbish from a place.
|
take the lead »
To become the leader, to advance into first place.
|
take up »
That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.
|
talk through one's hat »
To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.
|
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.
|
there's no place like home »
one feels the most comfortable at home
|
thieve out »
To walk out of a place stealthily.
|
throw away »
To place a son or daughter for adoption.
|
throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.
|
thumb one's nose »
To place a thumb upon the tip of the nose, usually while simultaneous wiggling one's fingers, in a gesture of disrespect.
|
thus and so »
A generic thing; a placeholder name.
|
thus and such »
A placeholder or generic name for something.
|
to the moon »
To a very distant or unreachable place.
|
too hot to hold »
A place that has too much police activity to harbor a fugitive unnoticed.
|
turn back »
To refuse to allow someone to pass a border or enter a place.
|
twiddle one's thumbs »
To circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored.
|
twiddle one's thumbs »
To wait or dawdle; to accomplish nothing useful or lack a useful occupation.
|
two cents »
A nearly worthless amount, alluding to placing a copper penny on each of the eyelids of a pauper's or slave's body before burial.
|
two wrongs make a right »
A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another
|
underwater basket weaving »
"Sure, somewhere out there, college slackers were taking broom ball and underwater basket weaving." — The Columbus Dispatch, September 15, 2005.
|
valley of death »
Death; or a place or period where death is impending.
|
vote with one's feet »
To show a lack of support for something by departing or otherwise absenting oneself.
|
washed out »
To be very tired and lacking energy.
|
well ain't that the catfish in the trap »
A sentence commonly spoken in the Southern United States. It can often be used in place of "well, I'll be damned". Used to express surprise.
|
what of it »
So what? Who cares? Expresses disinterest, disregard or lack of concern.
|
white hole »
A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.
|
work spouse »
A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.
|
you don't dip your pen in company ink »
One should avoid romantic relationships in the workplace.
|
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