a camel is a horse designed by a committee »
An expression critical of committees
|
about to »
Indicates something that will happen very soon; indicates that something is imminent.
|
about turn »
An about face; a military command to a formation of soldiers to reverse the direction in which they are facing.
|
all hollow »
Common misspelling of all hallow.
|
all told »
With everything included, counted or summed.
|
around the corner »
Imminent.
|
ask my arse »
A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.
|
at a moment's notice »
Immediately; instantaneously; without need of warning.
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at hand »
Near; soon; approaching; imminent.
|
at latter Lammas »
Never.
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at once »
Immediately; now; right away.
|
at one's beck and call »
In servitude to; at one’s command.
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at the end of the day »
In summary; ultimately.
|
back gammon player »
A sodomite.
|
back off »
To become less aggressive, particularly when one had appeared committed to act.
|
barrel of laughs »
That which is immature, embarrassing, or disgraceful.
|
blue whale »
largest mammal
|
bluewash »
To tout a business or organization's commitment to social responsibility, and to use this perception for public relations and economic gain; to present a humanitarian front in this manner.
|
bottom line »
The summary or result; the most important information; the upshot; the net-net.
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boys will be boys »
It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.
|
brickbat »
For example, it's quite common for magazines to have a section called Bouquets and Brickbats for compliments and criticisms.
|
bush telegraph »
A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds, word-of-mouth relay, or smoke signals.
|
but seriously folks »
Directs attention to immediately preceding failed attempt at humor.
|
by heart »
Knowing completely; as having committed completely to memory.
|
call in »
To communicate with a base etc, by telephone.
|
call in »
To summon someone, especially for help or advice.
|
call out »
To order into service; to summon into service.
|
catch on »
To become popular; to become commonplace; to become the standard.
|
caught with one's hand in the cookie jar »
Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money.
|
cheat sheet »
Any summary or quick reference used as a shortcut or reminder, a crib sheet.
|
check is in the mail »
A common excuse used by debtors to put off creditors.
|
cheek by jowl »
In close proximity; crammed uncomfortably close together.
|
chip in »
To interrupt a discussion for the purpose of making a comment.
|
common ground »
A characteristic or interest shared by multiple people or systems.
|
common or garden variety »
Ordinary, standard. Nothing special.
|
common-and-garden »
Ordinary, standard.
|
common-or-garden »
Ordinary, standard.
|
company »
A group of individuals with a common purpose, as in a company of actors.
|
company »
In legal context, an entity that manufactures or sells products , or provides services as a commercial venture. A corporation.
|
corner the market »
To monopolize a resource or commodity, as with the intent of driving up prices.
|
damned if one does and damned if one doesn't »
A dilemma where either choice results in a negative outcome.
|
dead men tell no tales »
Once someone is dead, they can no longer communicate, hence killing someone is the best way to keep him/her quiet.
|
deep end »
The part of a swimming pool with relatively deep water.
|
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.
|
den of iniquity »
A place of immoral behavior, usually of a sexual type.
|
die »
Followed by from. General use, though somewhat more common in medical or scientific contexts.
|
dime a dozen »
So common as to be practically worthless.
|
dishpan hands »
Hands which are rough, reddish, and dry, as from irritation and chafing caused by immersion in hot water mixed with detergent.
|
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.
|
drop back »
Of a quarterback or other player in the backfield, to take a number of steps back from the line of scrimmage immediately after the snap or hike of the ball, to avoid defenders.
|
dummy out »
From a video game in the process of localizing that game from a foreign country.
|
dummy run »
A trial or practice before the real attempt.
|
dummy up »
To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.
|
dummy up »
To not answer questions.
|
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.
|
eat up »
To accept or believe entirely, immediately, and without questioning.
|
even Homer nods »
Not even the most vigilant and expert are immune from erring.
|
fall on one's sword »
To commit suicide by allowing one’s body to drop onto the point of one’s sword..
|
feed a cold, starve a fever »
Eating more will cure the common cold, and eating less will cure a fever.1887, J. H. Whelan, "The Treatment of Colds.", The Practitioner, vol. 38, pg. 180:"Feed a cold, starve a fever." There is a deal of wisdom in the first part of this advice. A person with a catarrh should take an abundance of light nutritious food, and some light wine, but avoid spirits, and above all tobacco.1968, Katinka Loeser, The Archers at Home, publ. Atheneum, New York, pg. 60:I have a cold. 'Feed a cold, starve a fever.' You certainly know that.2009, Shelly Reuben, Tabula Rasa, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ISBN 015101079X, pg. 60:They say feed a cold, starve a fever, but they don't tell you what to do when you got both, so I figured scrambled eggs, tea, and toast.
|
fencepost problem »
In computer programming, a problem dealing with how to treat the initial or boundary values of a discrete problem.
|
follow through »
To finish; to complete, especially, of a commitment.
|
food chain »
The feeding relationships between species in a biotic community.
|
four-leaf clover »
An uncommon variation of the clover, having four leaves instead of the usual three.
|
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 the get-go »
From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.
|
from the word go »
From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.
|
front and center »
A command to come to the center of attention of an assemblage, as of military personnel or students.
|
full speed ahead »
A command, especially on military vessels, to move forward at maximum speed.
|
game face »
The expression of one who is prepared for or is facing a lot of difficult and/or undesirable work, especially when it is imminent.
|
garden variety »
Ordinary, common, or unexceptional.
|
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 stuck into »
Get busy with; become occupied with; become immersed in.
|
gimme a five »
A request to receive a high five.
|
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.
|
glimmer »
A faint light; a dim glow.
|
glimmer »
A faint or remote possibility.
|
glimmer »
A flash of light.
|
go away »
Command asking someone to leave them alone.
|
go commando »
To not wear underpants.
|
go the way of the dinosaurs »
To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go off the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.
|
go the way of the dodo »
To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go out of the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.
|
go to work »
To go to one's job, as by commuting.
|
go with the flow »
To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.
|
goodbye cruel world »
An exclamation made before commiting suicide, or in a suicide note.
|
grain of salt »
A bit of common sense and skepticism. Generally used in some form of to take with a grain of salt.
|
gut feeling »
An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.
|
hammer and tongs »
With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.
|
hammer home »
Until or so that a person or group of people understands it.
|
hammer out »
To come to an agreement after much arguing.
|
hand in hand »
Naturally, ordinarily or predictably together; commonly having a correlation or relationship.
|
have the time of one's life »
To enjoy oneself immensely.
|
here and now »
immediately
|
high ground »
A location which is at a relatively high elevation, especially in comparison to the immediate surrounding area.
|
hit the ground running »
To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.
|
hold off »
To delay commencing an action (until some specified time or event has passed).
|
horse sense »
Common sense, especially with a connotation of folk wisdom independent from, and trumping, formal education.
|
huckleberry above a persimmon »
Something better than something else.
|
if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »
With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.
|
if the mountain won't come to Muhammad »
"If one cannot get one's own way, one must bow to the inevitable.".
|
in a bind »
In a difficult situation, usually of one's own making; having a dilemma; faced with a problem or a set of problems for which there is no easy solution.
|
in a nutshell »
In summary; briefly or simply.
|
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 shape »
I hope to get in shape for summer swimsuit season.
|
in the twinkling of an eye »
Immediately; instantaneously.
|
in the wind »
Impending or in the offing; imminent.
|
in touch »
In contact, or in communication.
|
in unity there is strength »
More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.
|
inside job »
A crime or other illicit action committed by or with the help of someone either employed by the victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs and premises.
|
into thin air »
Immediately and inexplicably out of sight.
|
it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God »
The rich can afford more immoral behavior than the poor.
|
joe job »
An act of e-mail spamming where the sender's identity and address are those of an innocent third party, intended either to tarnish that person's reputation or to flood that person's e-mail with bounces.
|
jump at the chance »
To immediately accept an offer.
|
jungle telegraph »
A gossip network; an informal communication system within a group or organization.
|
jungle telegraph »
A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds or a relay of runners.
|
keep one's options open »
To not commit to a decision, to keep various options available.
|
kitchen table software »
Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.
|
knock up »
In the morning as by knocking at the door; rouse; call; summon; also, to go door-to-door on election day to persuade a candidate's supporters to go to the polling station and vote. See also knocker up.
|
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 somebody down »
To fail somebody; to disappoint or to fail to uphold a commitment.
|
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.
|
like water off a duck's back »
Without immediate or lasting effects.
|
little pitchers have big ears »
Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).
|
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.
|
lose touch »
To cease to be familiar with someone or something or to cease to communicate or have contact.
|
mess around »
To have a non-committal sexual relationship.
|
mess of pottage »
Something of trivial value, especially of immediate value.
|
mince words »
To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms.
|
mixed bag »
By extension, a group of entities with few characteristics in common; an assortment.
|
mixed message »
Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.
|
monkey wrench »
A problem, obstacle or dilemma; something unexpected or troublesome.
|
muck in »
To join in attaining a common aim.
|
myope comme une taupe »
Blind as a bat.
|
ne'er cast a clout til May be out »
Advice not to change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.
|
nightcap »
A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas. Nightcaps were common in northern Europe before central heating was available, when homes were cold at night.
|
nine lives »
Durability; near immunity to damage.
|
no comment »
A refusal to say the obvious impolite retort.
|
no comment »
An "official" refusal to relay any further information, as a response to a newspaper reporter's question.
|
nose test »
An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.
|
odd and curious »
On the Isle of Man, the common or general man.
|
off the bat »
From the start; immediately; right away.
|
off the beaten track »
In a place or places not commonly visited.
|
off-the-shelf »
As purchased or as commonly available, without modification or customization.
|
old college try »
A vigorous, committed attempt or effort.
|
on board »
Is that new teammate properly on board yet?.
|
on sight »
Immediately when sighted.
|
on spec »
Short form of "on speculation": Creating a work with the hope of selling it, as opposed to creating a work "on commission" for hire.
|
on the back burner »
Not immediate; inactive; receiving less than full or regular attention.
|
on the brink »
Very nearly; imminent; close.
|
on the double »
Rapidly or immediately.
|
on the point »
Very nearly; imminent; close.
|
on the ropes »
Showing signs of imminent failure or collapse.
|
one swallow does not a summer make »
One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.
|
one swallow does not make a summer »
A sign is not proof
|
one swallow doesn't make a summer »
One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.
|
one thousand »
Used in a common chronometric counting scheme, in which each iteration is sequentially numbered and supposed to be approximately one second in length.
|
one-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.
|
out of the box »
Immediately, without intervention from the customer.
|
out of touch »
No longer maintaining contact or communications.
|
outsider »
A newcomer with little or no experience in an organization or community.
|
outsider »
One who is not part of a community or organization.
|
par for the course »
To be expected; normal; common; usual.
|
parting shot »
An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.
|
pass on »
To convey or communicate.
|
peanut gallery »
Any source of heckling, unwelcome commentary or criticism, especially from a know-it-all or of an inexpert nature.
|
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.
|
pissing contest »
An immature dispute over some trivial matter.
|
poison tree bears poison fruit »
Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.
|
pot calling the kettle black »
A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.
|
pull the trigger »
To commit to a course of action.
|
pull together »
To unite for a common objective.
|
put the hammer down »
To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.
|
rhyme or reason »
Logic. Common sense.
|
right away »
Very soon; quickly; immediately.
|
right back »
Used in several informal constructions to indicate return -- especially imminent return to a point of origin.
|
rise from the ashes »
To make a comeback after a long hiatus. To come back into common use or practice. To come back into popularity. To come back to being a thing of today.
|
rule of thumb »
A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.
|
run through »
To briefly summarise.
|
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.
|
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.
|
see something through »
To fulfill a commitment.
|
shell out »
To use a program's "shell escape" function to execute an unrelated command or to invoke a subsidiary, interactive shell.
|
shuffle »
A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.
|
silence is golden »
Peace and quiet have immense value.Often the best choice is to say nothing.
|
simmer down »
To decrease in intensity of anger, agitation, or excitement.
|
sing the praises of »
To commend someone's attributes to others.
|
skin diver »
underwater swimmer
|
small fry »
One or more small or immature fish.
|
smell test »
An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.
|
smoke signal »
A method of long-distance communication sometimes used in ancient and undeveloped societies, consisting of messages conveyed by means of columns or intermittent puffs of smoke.
|
sniff test »
An informal reality check of an idea or proposal, using one's common sense or sense of propriety.
|
soft sawder »
"How the old boy swallowed my soft sawder and Brummagem notes!" —Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man.
|
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.
|
spanner »
A problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome.
|
special needs »
Needs for special care, services or accommodations.
|
spit the dummy »
To a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner.
|
stand up »
To stand immediately behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a slow or spin bowler, and to attempt to stump the batsman.
|
standard fare »
Something which is normal, routine, or unexceptional; something which is commonly provided or encountered.
|
stick it to the man »
To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government.
|
straight away »
Very soon; quickly; immediately.
|
straight out of the chute »
Something done immediately, or "from the beginning". Taken from rodeo routine: the bucking bronco, or bull, or the calf for the calf-roping contest is kept in a narrow pen, a chute, until it is released and dashes out to its fate.
|
sum up »
To summarize.
|
summer and winter »
Endured.
|
summer and winter »
To spend extended periods of time with; to test.
|
take it easy »
Immediately calm yourself down; your state of panic does not help.
|
take the fifth »
To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.
|
talk like an apothecary »
To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.
|
ten a penny »
So common as to be practically worthless.
|
test the waters »
To explore or probe, as before making a commitment.
|
the long and short of it »
The gist; the essence or substance; the most important or salient features; said of a summary or digest.
|
think tank »
A group of which performs research and develops reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporations, interest groups, or government.
|
those who will not when they may, when they will they shall have nay »
(archaic) One should take immediate advantage of an opportunity that may not be available later.
|
thrash out »
To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.
|
throw a spanner in the works »
To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.
|
tiger team »
An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.
|
to do »
commotion
|
top oneself »
To commit suicide.
|
touch base »
To consult, visit, or communicate with.
|
tout de suite »
Immediately, right away.
|
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.
|
two a penny »
Very common; cheap.
|
two wrongs make a right »
A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another
|
under one's thumb »
Completely controlled by someone; at someone’s command..
|
under way »
In operation, in progress, commenced.
|
valley of death »
The phase of a startup business beginning with the entrepreneur's fulltime commitment to it and ending when the business has achieved sustainable cash flow.
|
weekend warrior »
A person who indulges in a sport or pastime on an infrequent basis, usually on weekends when work commitments are not present.
|
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.
|
whack-a-mole »
The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.
|
whistle Dixie »
To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.
|
whistle-stop train tour »
A tour in a political campaign that makes many brief stops in small communities.
|
white marriage »
An unconsummated marriage.
|
window dressing »
The goods and trimmings used in such display.
|
wrap up »
To summarize or recapitulate.
|
you get what you pay for »
In commercial transactions, the quality of goods and services increases as the prices increase, i.e., the more one pays, the better the merchandise.2003, Michael Blumenthal, "For Whom the School Bell Tolls," Time, 7 Dec.:Though it may sound unapologetically capitalistic to say so
|
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