a closed mouth gathers no feet »
One who does not speak can be certain he won't say anything embarrassing.
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age before beauty »
A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones.
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avoir du pois lay »
Stealing brass weights off the counters of shops.
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back office »
The IT and infrastructure support services for a company, separate from the public face of the business.
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bad taste in one's mouth »
A feeling of guilt, responsibility, or embarrassment as to cause nausea.
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barrel of laughs »
That which is immature, embarrassing, or disgraceful.
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blame Canada »
A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.
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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.
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brass farthing »
Something worthless or of small value.
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brass monkey »
A cocktail of vodka, rum and orange juice, sometimes with the addition of galliano.
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brass monkey »
A kind of inexpensive liqueur.
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brass monkey »
An Australian beer.
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brass monkey »
Said of the weather when it is very cold.
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brass monkeys »
Very cold.
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brass neck »
A person with gall.
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brass neck »
Gall, shamelessness, cheek.
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brass ring »
Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.
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brass-neck »
To behave boldly or shamelessly.
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brass-necked »
Nervy; cheeky; shameless.
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bring out »
To cause a visible symptom such as spots or a rash.
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carpe diem cras »
seize the day tomorrow, make the most of tomorrow
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caught with one's pants down »
Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.
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cloud nine »
A state of happiness, elation or bliss; often used in the phrase on cloud nine.
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coug it »
To suddenly lose a contest through reversal of fortune, mistakes, or bad judgment. The phrase is analogous to "blow it", or "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory".
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crab mentality »
A way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.
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crash and burn »
To fail utterly.
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crash course »
A quick, intense course of learning, especially one which is informal or hurried.
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crashpad »
Any place used for temporary lodging.
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crashpad »
In the aviation industry, used for a place of temporary lodging for airline flight crews.
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cut a wide swath »
To clear a broad track through a grassland, woodland, geographical region, or other area, either by natural means or by human action.
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debris field »
Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.
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deep water »
A difficult or embarrassing situation.
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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"....
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dig up dirt »
To examine in order to find negative information for public opinion, usually with the purpose of embarrassing or discrediting a person.
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double entendre »
A phrase that has two meanings, especially where one is innocent and literal, the other risqué, bawdy, or ironic; an innuendo..
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drag one's feet »
To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.
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dressing-down »
A reprimand or rarely, a thrashing.
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dusty miller »
A formulaic phrase for a miller, related to the dust generated in the milling process.
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eff off »
A censored form of the phrase f** off.
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embarrassment of riches »
An abundance or overabundance of something; too much of a good thing.
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emperor's new clothes »
Something obvious and embarrassing that is politely ignored or that goes unacknowledged.
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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.
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fall over »
Of a computer program, to crash.
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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.
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get down to brass tacks »
Deal with the important details.
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get it »
To understand, comprehend, or grasp.
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get something over with »
To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.
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give me liberty or give me death »
A set-phrase indicating enormous displeasure at any over-authoritarian policy or law.
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grasp all, lose all »
one who wants everything, may lose it all
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grasp at straws »
To guess randomly at or pursue any apparent option, as due to lack of options or information.
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grass roots »
People and society at the local level rather than at the national centre of political activity.
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grass roots »
The essential foundation or source of something.
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grass snake »
reptile
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grass widow »
A divorcée..
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grass widow »
A married woman whose husband is away.
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grass widow »
A mother out of wedlock.
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grass widower »
A divorcé..
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grass widower »
A married man whose wife is away.
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guilt trip »
A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.
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hang on »
To hold, grasp, or grip.
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have a handle on »
To be in control; to understand or grasp.
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have a screw loose »
A phrase meaning that the subject is insane or irrational.
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have egg on one's face »
To suffer embarrassment or humiliation; to damage one's reputation.
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hear the grass grow »
To be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.
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hear the grass grow »
To have an extremely sensitive sense of hearing.
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hear the grass grow »
To hear very well due to being in an exceptionally quiet environment.
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hold on »
To hold, grasp, or grip.
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hold somebody's hand »
To grasp or hold a person's hand.
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honest injun »
A phrase used to emphasize the truth of something.
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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.
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how do I get to Carnegie Hall »
A set phrase, spoken as a rhetorical question, which is answered "Practice, practice, practice!" or sometimes with the humorous literal directions to Seventh Avenue between 56th and 57th.
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hum and haw »
Procrastinate and take a long time before doing something or taking a decision.
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if looks could kill »
A phrase said upon catching sight of someone's giving you a particularly nasty look of discontent or disapproval.
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jack of all trades, master of none »
A person who has a competent grasp of many skills but who is not outstanding in any one.
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knee high to a grasshopper »
Short; especially relating to when the subject was a small child.
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ladies first »
A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.
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lay down »
To sacrifice, especially in the phrase "to lay down one's life.".
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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
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loaded word »
Any word, set phrase or idiom that has strong positive or negative connotations beyond their ordinary definition.
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long finger »
A state of postponement or procrastination.
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make an exhibition of oneself »
To embarrass oneself or others in public.
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make hay »
To cut grass to turn into hay for animal feed.
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miss the point »
To fail to grasp the meaning of an utterance.
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naked as a jaybird »
Stark naked; nude; especially, naked in a public setting and without embarrassment.
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new school »
A style, way of thinking, or method for accomplishing a task that is typical of the current era, as opposed to former eras.
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not worth a brass farthing »
Worth nothing or next to nothing.
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now you're cooking »
A phrase, often given in response, meaning that the subject has switched to a more suitable or more efficient approach.
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now you're talking »
A phrase indicating agreement with a previously stated suggestion to change a course of action.
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nudge nudge wink wink »
A phrase added at the end of the sentence to hint that the speaker is referring to something else, euphemistically.
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of course »
Acknowledges the validity of the associated phrase.
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of course »
Asserts that the associated phrase should not be argued, particularly if it is obvious or there is no choice in the matter.
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on the uptake »
In understanding or in the ability to absorb new information; especially in the phrases "quick on the uptake" and "slow on the uptake".
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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.
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out the window »
Made obsolete; altered drastically as a result of situational change.
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party crasher »
Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.
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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.
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pick on »
To bully or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.
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pick up »
To lift; to grasp and raise.
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pick up »
To learn, to grasp; to begin to understand.
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pull my finger »
A phrase used when playing a prank regarding flatulence, in which a mark is asked to pull the finger of the person playing the prank, who simultaneously flatulates so as to suggest a causal relationship between the pulling of the finger and the resulting expulsion of gas.
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put off »
To procrastinate.
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put one's foot in it »
To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.
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put one's foot in one's mouth »
To misspeak; to say something embarrassing or wrong.
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quote unquote »
Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.
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rag-chewing »
A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.
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rake »
A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.
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red face test »
A hypothetical test of a person's embarrassment, that is either passed or failed. Saying one passes the red face test means one would not blush and thus would not be embarrassed by disclosing something to others or doing something, and saying one fails the red face test means a situation would cause them discernible embarrassment.
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rub out »
delete, erase
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see you later »
A phrase used at parting, and not necessarily implying that the person being addressed will be seen later by the speaker.
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shit-eating grin »
A broad smile indicating self-awareness that may suggest self-satisfaction, smugness, discomfort, or embarrassment.
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snake in the grass »
A treacherous person.
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socialized medicine »
A politically charged term used to contrast such systems with free market alternatives and emphasize the perceived link to socialism.
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stand out »
To be obvious or conspicuous, in contrast to one's surroundings.
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stock phrase »
A phrase frequently or habitually used by a person or group, and thus associated with them.
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sweet dreams »
Phrase said to someone before they fall asleep, wishing them a good sleep.
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take out the trash »
To forcefully remove people from a place.
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take out the trash »
To remove rubbish from a place.
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take someone's point »
To grasp the essential meaning of what a person is saying.
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take something in one's stride »
Not to allow oneself to be set back, daunted, upset or embarrassed by unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.
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take to »
To adapt to; to learn, grasp or master.
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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.
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the grass is always greener on the other side »
Other circumstances seem more desirable than one's own but in reality are often not
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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.
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thrash out »
To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.
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touch a nerve »
To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.
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trailer park trash »
Lower-class people who live in trailer parks.
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trailer trash »
Deleted from the movie trailer. Not included in theatrical run.
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trailer trash »
Trailer park trash.
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train wreck »
The aftermath of a train crash.
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trash out »
To criticize the person spoken to in a rant.
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turn a phrase »
To create a particular linguistic expression which is strikingly clear, appropriate, and memorable.
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turn of phrase »
An artful phrasing of words.
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under erasure »
Of a bit of text, written and strickenthrough; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.
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walk the line »
To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc..
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way out of a paper bag »
A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.
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where there's muck there's brass »
(UK, Irish) There is money to be made in unpleasant dirty jobs.
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white trash »
A poorly educated white person with low moral and social standards and low social status.
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wipe away »
To remove or erase with a wiping motion.
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wipe out »
To physically erase something written.
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wipe out »
To crash, fall over.
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you know what »
A phrase used to get someone's attention before announcing something.
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