a bad workman always blames his tools »
It is not the tools we use which make us good, but rather how we employ them.
|
a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »
An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.
|
a watched pot never boils »
A process appears to go more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.
|
according to »
Our zeal should be according to knowledge. - Thomas Sprat.
|
agree to disagree »
To tolerate each other's opinion and stop arguing; to acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.
|
all the time »
Always; constantly; for the complete duration.
|
an apple a day »
Healthy eating and living using traditional temperate-zone fresh foods.
|
assault and battery »
. This legal distinction exists only in jurisdictions that distinguish assault as threatened violence rather than actual violence.
|
at all »
Indicating degree, quantity or frequency greater than zero; to the slightest degree, in any way, somewhat, rather.
|
at the end of one's tether »
At the limit of one’s patience; frustrated or annoyed..
|
at the ready »
Ready; in a state of preparation or waiting; in position or anticipation.
|
back office »
The IT and infrastructure support services for a company, separate from the public face of the business.
|
back up »
For the non-striker to take a few steps down the pitch, in preparation to taking a run, just as the bowler bowls the ball.
|
bad taste in one's mouth »
A feeling of disappointment and frustration.
|
bag of rations »
A fussy or overly zealous military superior.
|
barnburner »
Liberal faction of the New York state United States Democratic Party in the mid 19th century.
|
bear out »
To corroborate, prove, or confirm; to demonstrate; to provide evidence for.
|
beauty is only skin deep »
What matters is a person's character, rather than his/her appearance.
|
beefed out »
Muscular, often in an exaggerated way.
|
bells and whistles »
Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.
|
better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all »
Having experience of love, even if it ended, is better than having no experience of love.Love is worthwhile despite the pain involved in separation.
|
big mouth »
The mouth of someone who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by inappropriately revealing information.
|
big up »
To proclaim or exaggerate the importance of.
|
birds and bees »
Informal sex education, especially describing the sexual activity of animals rather than that of people.
|
birds of the feather flock together »
People who are alike physically tend to congregate and socialize together, despite government efforts at forced integration.
|
bite someone's head off »
To severely berate someone.
|
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.
|
blot out »
To make something undecipherable; to obliterate.
|
blow the whistle »
To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.
|
blue moon »
The third full moon in a quarter that contains four rather than the usual three full moons.
|
blue state »
A state of the United States voting Democratic in a given election, or tending to vote Democratic in general.
|
booze can »
A nightclub or bar, especially one which operates illegally or is otherwise disreputable.
|
born on the Fourth of July »
Demonstratively patriotic.
|
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.
|
brass ring »
Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.
|
break out »
To separate from a bundle.
|
break up »
To break or separate into pieces; to disintegrate or come apart.
|
break up »
To break or separate into pieces.
|
break up »
To stop a fight; to separate people who are fighting.
|
break wind »
To flatulate; fart; to expel gases generated during digestion through the anus.
|
bring forth »
To create, generate, bring into existence.
|
bring forward »
To call up for consideration.
|
bugger up »
To break or spoil something, or make it inoperative, useless etc.
|
bump and grind »
A sexually suggestive dance involving exaggerated hip movements, especially a striptease dance.
|
burn rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
burst someone's bubble »
To disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown comfortable.
|
business before pleasure »
An admonishment that discharging one's obligations must take precedence over devoting time to pursuits meant solely for one's own gratification.
|
business end »
The part of a tool or other similar item, that is physically used for its operation, rather than the part which is held.
|
bust chops »
To nag; to berate or hound in an effort to elicit action.
|
camel through the eye of a needle »
Hyperbole to illustrate that something is almost impossible to do or to happen.
|
carry a tune »
To produce music, especially to sing, with accurate pitch.
|
carry on »
To take baggage or luggage onto an airplane, rather than check it.
|
case in point »
An example that illustrates a point.
|
cash cow »
A product, service, or enterprise that generates ongoing, high net free cash flows.
|
champ at the bit »
To show impatience or frustration when delayed.
|
cheaper by the dozen »
Things are handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.
|
chew somebody out »
To berate; to shout at someone.
|
chew the scenery »
To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.
|
chomp at the bit »
To show impatience or frustration when delayed.
|
chump change »
An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.
|
clogs to clogs in three generations »
(UK) Wealth earned in one generation seldom lasts through the third (grandchild
|
cold shoulder »
A deliberate act of disrespect; a slight or snub.
|
collect one's thoughts »
To become mentally composed, especially after being distressed, surprised, or disoriented; to become calm or organized in one's emotional state or thinking, as in preparation for a conversation, speech, decision, etc.
|
come the acid »
To exaggerate.
|
company »
In legal context, an entity that manufactures or sells products , or provides services as a commercial venture. A corporation.
|
company »
In non-legal context, any business, without respect to incorporation.
|
cook the books »
To manipulate accounting information, esp. illegally, by a corporation.
|
cook up »
To manufacture; to falsify; to devise an elaborate lie.
|
cool down »
To become cooler, to be reduced in temperature.
|
cool down »
To cause something temperature to lower.
|
corporation pop »
Water.
|
cotton to »
To like; approve of, accept, or tolerate.
|
cover one's ass »
To make preparations or take precautions to ensure that one is not blamed or punished for one's conduct.
|
cozy up »
With "to", to ingratiate oneself .
|
cross my heart »
A declaration that the speaker is telling the truth.
|
cross paths »
To be, by chance, in the same physical place at the same time, as a result of two completely separate journeys.
|
cross the aisle »
To vote, unite, or otherwise co-operate with members of another political party in order to achieve governmental or political action.
|
crush out »
To force out or separate by pressure.
|
curate's egg »
A thing which has good and bad parts.
|
cut in »
When painting, to paint edges, corners, or trim in preparation for rolling larger areas.
|
dead »
Figuratively, not alive; lacking life.
|
dead end »
A path or strategy that goes nowhere or is blocked on one end.
|
desk jockey »
One who spends his or her time seated at a desk; especially one who is more concerned with procedure, paperwork, or administration than with its ultimate goal or practical consequence.
|
desperate times call for desperate measures »
In adverse circumstances actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice.
|
desperate times require desperate measures »
Alternative form of desperate times call for desperate measures.
|
divide and conquer »
A combination of political, military and economic strategies that aim to gain and maintain power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.(computing) Applied to various algorithms, such as quicksort, that solve a problem by splitting it recursively into smaller problems until all of the remaining problems are trivial.(as imperative, proverb) In order to rule securely, don't allow alliances of your enemies.
|
do a slow burn »
To experience a gradually increasing feeling of anger or frustration.
|
do out »
to redecorate; to adorn
|
do someone proud »
To cause someone to feel pride, admiration, or satisfaction.
|
do up »
To redecorate a room etc.
|
do-or-die »
Requiring a determined or desperate effort to avoid the consequences of failure.
|
double up »
To double the quantity, amount or duration of something.
|
down the road, not across the street »
Along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.
|
drama queen »
Any exaggeratedly dramatic person.
|
draw a bath »
To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.
|
draw the line »
To set a boundary, rule, or limit, especially on what one will tolerate.
|
dress up »
To decorate; to prettify.
|
drive home »
With tangible or powerful demonstration.
|
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.
|
drum up »
To generate or encourage; to campaign for.
|
druther »
Would rather; would prefer to.
|
dry eye »
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca , an eye disease caused by decreased tear production.
|
dry out »
To have excess water evaporate or be otherwise removed.
|
dusty miller »
A formulaic phrase for a miller, related to the dust generated in the milling process.
|
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.
|
earn one's keep »
To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.
|
eat one's young »
To betray a constituent or charge out of self-serving interests or desperation; savaging.
|
every cloud has a silver lining »
In every bad situation there is an element of good1881, National Academy of Code Administration (U.S.), Folio, page 417:Every cloud has a silver lining; but in the old-fashioned meeting-houses every cloud of hymnal melody generally had a nasal lining before the congregation...1887, Shakers, Religion, page 36:that "a little reserve and thou'lt fail surely," will prove to be true in our experience. Every cloud has a silver lining and so has every sorrow,1918, George Jean Nathan, Performing Arts, page 222:But the most popular attitude toward what we may call "sad" plays is the peculiar one of believing that, since every cloud has a silver lining,
|
f** it »
An expression of frustration.
|
face off »
Either an actual or a figurative face to face confrontation, especially a bitter one.
|
fair enough »
An expression used to concede a point; denotes that, upon consideration, something is correct or reasonable; an expression of acknowledgment or understanding.
|
fear »
Extreme veneration or awe, as toward a supreme being or deity.
|
fed up »
Frustrated, annoyed, tired .
|
federal case »
Any over-exaggerated ordeal.
|
fight fires »
To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.
|
filter down »
Of a liquid; to move slowly down to lower substrate levels.
|
fire on all cylinders »
To operate as effectively as possible.
|
first rate »
Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.
|
first things first »
Deal with matters of highest priority first; deal with matters in logical sequence.1922, H. G. Wells, The Secret Places of the Heart, ch.4,"First things first," said Sir Richmond. If we set about getting fuel sanely, if we do it as the deliberate, co-operative act of the whole species, then it follows that we shall look very closely into the use that is being made of it.1999, Frank Pellegrini, "House Republicans Quell Mutiny Over Tax Bounty," Time, 23 Jul.,Judging by the polls
|
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.
|
flutter in the dovecote »
I further argued that the principal cause for the political deadlock that persisted for thirty years after the guns fell silent was Israeli intransigence rather than Arab intransigence. The appearance of the first wave of revisionist studies excited a great deal of interest and controversy in the media and more than a flutter in the academic dovecote. — Israel Confronts Its Past.
|
for crying out loud »
Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.
|
for f**'s sake »
An expression of anger or frustration.
|
for goodness' sake »
This interjection expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.
|
for heaven's sake »
Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.
|
for Pete's sake »
Expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.
|
for the birds »
Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.
|
for the love of »
Used to form interjections expressing exasperation.
|
friend with benefits »
A friendship with no reserves when it comes to the release of shared sexual tension thus leading to sexual fraternization.
|
frig it »
An expression of frustration similar to, but not as coarse as f** it.
|
from scratch »
From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.
|
full of beans »
Incorrect; uninformed; exaggerating or expressing falsehood.
|
full of it »
Speaking nonsense; lying, exaggerating, or boasting.
|
full-fledged »
Having full qualification, credentials or preparation; entire; real.
|
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"
|
get a grip »
To relax; to calm down; to stop being angry; to come to one's senses or become more rational.
|
get in »
To get into or inside something, literally or figuratively.
|
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 on somebody's case »
To lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.
|
get someone's back up »
To annoy a person either deliberately or inadvertently.
|
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 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 what-for »
To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.
|
go along with »
To comply with something, even if reluctantly; to accept or tolerate.
|
go ballistic »
To become very angry and irrational.
|
go batshit »
To become completely irrational; to react in an irrationally extreme manner.
|
go blue »
Of states and counties, to be carried by a Democratic candidate in a given U.S. election.
|
go by the board »
To be superseded, rejected, or obliterated; to pass by with little consequence; to amount to nothing.
|
go down the pan »
To fail or degenerate rapidly.
|
go down the tubes »
To fail or degenerate rapidly.
|
go downhill »
To worsen or degenerate.
|
go to pot »
To decline or deteriorate.
|
go to seed »
To deteriorate; to decline into an unkempt or debased condition.
|
go to the dogs »
To decline or deteriorate.
|
going rate »
The current standard or usual price, rate, or salary for something.
|
golden ticket »
A qualification, person or thing that can provide lucrative opportunities.
|
good job »
Well done; congratulations!.
|
good on you »
An exclamation of encouragement or congratulation; well done.
|
good to go »
Ready for some specific task or ready for normal activity, especially after preparation or recovery.
|
good to go »
Ready for use or ready for normal operation, especially after repair or renewal.
|
grass roots »
People and society at the local level rather than at the national centre of political activity.
|
grate »
A horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.
|
gratuitous violence »
The artificial depiction of excessive violence.
|
gratuitous violence »
Violence that is not justified.
|
gravy train »
An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.
|
guilt trip »
A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.
|
gun it »
To accelerate or speed up quickly or suddenly.
|
gut feeling »
An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.
|
half a mind »
A moderate inclination.
|
hand in glove »
In very close cooperation.
|
hand-in-glove »
Closely cooperative.
|
hard-nosed »
Guided by practical experience and observation rather than by theory.
|
have a frog in one's throat »
To feel the need to cough; to have a tickle in one's throat; to have a scratchy or uneven voice.
|
have a screw loose »
A phrase meaning that the subject is insane or irrational.
|
have had it up to here »
To have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or forbearance.
|
have one's heart set on »
To want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality.
|
head scratcher »
A device used to scratch the head.
|
head scratcher »
A particularly puzzling or confusing event.
|
head scratcher »
December 2007, W:Daily News Tribune - Golden Globes nominations a head-scratcher.
|
head scratcher »
July 2002, Fox News - Attorney: Williams' Kids Near Compromise About Father's Remains.
|
hem and haw »
To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.
|
hit the rock »
To make a gesture to show celebration, friendship, or to be part of a secret handshake by one person raising their fist so the fist is pointing at the person and the other person lightly punches the fist.
|
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.
|
hoover up »
Quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from the plate rather than using cutlery.
|
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 up »
To increase in temperature.
|
house cooling party »
A party to celebrate when a person decides to leave a house or flat, and sometimes to help prepare the space for the incoming residents.
|
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 cold blood »
In a ruthless and unfeeling manner; premeditated and deliberate.
|
in for a penny, in for a pound »
Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof; accepting that one must
|
in kind »
In the form of goods and service rather than money.
|
in order »
In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.
|
in the running »
Of a candidate, potential or likely; worthy of consideration.
|
in thunderation »
In any set of circumstances whatsoever.
|
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.
|
itchy trigger finger »
A tendency to act in haste or without consideration.
|
ivory tower »
A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.
|
jack it in »
An imperative to stop doing something that the speaker finds annoying.
|
jack of all trades, master of none »
A master of integration, who knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring their disciplines together in a practical manner; a polymath; a renaissance man.
|
jack up »
To raise, increase, or accelerate; often said of prices, fees, or rates. See also jack up the price.
|
jump about »
To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.
|
jump around »
To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.
|
jump through hoops »
To put forth effort for the sake of appearance or demonstration.
|
keep a weather eye open »
To be alert; to concentrate on a matter in hand.
|
keep it real »
In the imperative, an exhortation used as a departing salutation.
|
keep one's eye on the ball »
To maintain one's concentration fixed on one important theme.
|
keep up »
To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating.
|
keep up with the Joneses »
To do or buy things for status, show, or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends or neighbors.
|
kernel of truth »
A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.
|
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.
|
kill the fatted calf »
To begin a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return.
|
knuckle dragger »
A large, strong, and rather dimwitted person.
|
knuckle under »
To yield or cooperate when pressured or forced to do so.
|
last-ditch »
Final, as a last resort; done in desperation.
|
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.
|
lay open »
In Japan and South Korea, to publish a patent for initial public review, prior to the formal application for registration.
|
lay rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
lead »
A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.
|
legwork »
Work, especially research or preparation, that involves significant walking, travel, or similar effort.
|
letters after one's name »
A list of abbreviations, separated by commas, representing the academic qualifications and civil or military honours achieved by a person.
|
level-headed »
Sensible; rational; possessing sound judgment.
|
licence to print money »
A means of generating a large income with little effort.
|
listen up »
To listen closely; to pay attention. Often used in the imperative.
|
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.
|
lock up »
To imprison or incarcerate someone.
|
look to »
To seek inspiration or advice from someone.
|
look up to »
To show respect or admiration for.
|
lose the plot »
To cease to be behaving in a predictable and/or rational manner.
|
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 amends »
To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.
|
make the welkin ring »
By extension of , to celebrate or revel.
|
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.
|
many hands make light work »
A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.
|
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
|
mercury »
A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.
|
mock up »
To create a model or demonstration; to create a preliminary version or sample.
|
moral high ground »
A position or point of view which is ethically superior or more reputable, in comparison to others which are under consideration.
|
mull over »
To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.
|
mutton dressed as lamb »
A mature woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if a deliberate attempt to appear young.
|
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.
|
nickel and dime »
Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.
|
nine day wonder »
Something that generates interest for a limited time and is then abandoned.
|
not a pretty sight »
Something disappointing, disquieting, disreputable, or otherwise unworthy of admiration.
|
not at all »
Used similarly to you're welcome, as a conventional reply to an expression of gratitude.
|
nuts and bolts »
The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.
|
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 the deep end »
Crazy, erratic, or irrational.
|
off the mark »
Inaccurate; not correct or appropriate.
|
off the table »
Beyond consideration.
|
off-the-cuff »
Extemporaneous; without prior preparation; impromptu.
|
oil burner »
A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.
|
old money »
Families that have been wealthy for generations or members of such families.
|
on acid »
Exaggerated, bizarre or unpredictable.
|
on its merits »
Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.
|
on purpose »
Purposefully; with intention; deliberately.
|
on second thought »
After reconsidering; on further consideration.
|
on steroids »
To a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.
|
on sufferance »
Unwillingly agreed to or barely tolerated.
|
on the blink »
Functioning erratically, malfunctioning; not working or not working well. Usually refers to a mechanical or electronic device.
|
on the clock »
Remunerated per unit of time.
|
on the clock »
Working at one's job; occupied in some manner during one's hours of remunerated employment.
|
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 an opportunity for self-advancement; eager to ingratiate oneself to others in order to secure some advantage.
|
on the mend »
Improving or undergoing restoration to a previous, more favorable condition.
|
on the spot »
Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.
|
one at a time »
Individually, as opposed to collectively; slowly or methodically, figuratively.
|
one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »
A cliché used to exaggerate an accomplishment or milestone..
|
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.
|
onesie-twosie »
Individually or in very small groups, rather in larger batches.
|
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.
|
out of character »
Not acting; not "on"; behaving within one's natural personality rather than that of a character in a performance piece.
|
out of the blue »
Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.
|
out of whack »
Not working or operating properly.
|
paint the town red »
To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.
|
parcel out »
To divide into portions or chunks; to ration.
|
park the car in Harvard Yard »
A sentence used to illustrate that the Boston accent is non-rhotic; typically pronounced "pahk the cah in Hahvad Yahd".
|
pass through »
To infiltrate.
|
peel out »
To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.
|
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.
|
people person »
Someone who is happier or more skilled at dealing with people rather than things or concepts.
|
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 speed »
accelerate
|
play ball »
To work together; to cooperate.
|
play fast and loose »
To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.
|
play it by ear »
To play a song according to how it sounds, rather than from a written score.
|
power up »
To turn the electrical power on to a device as a precondition to make it operational.
|
power up »
To become ready for operation as a result of the provision of electrical power.
|
powers that be »
The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially as seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.
|
prawn cocktail offensive »
A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.
|
pronunciamiento »
A pronouncement or "declaration".
|
prove out »
To demonstrate the feasibility of.
|
proverbs come in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.
|
pull one's finger out »
To stop wasting time in preliminaries, and concentrate on the important task.
|
pull the other leg »
In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe what another has just said.
|
push the boat out »
To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.
|
put all one's eggs in one basket »
Rather than diversifying.
|
put forward »
To propose for consideration.
|
put one's foot down »
To make a car go faster, accelerate.
|
put someone's back up »
To annoy someone deliberately.
|
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.
|
put up with »
To tolerate, suffer through, or allow, esp. something annoying.
|
put words in somebody's mouth »
To attribute to somebody something he or she did not say; to claim inaccurately that somebody said or intended something.
|
quick-and-dirty »
Of or pertaining to the creation or repair of software or hardware in a manner which permits operation within a brief period of time, although with compromised functionality or reliability.
|
rag the puck »
To retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.
|
rag-chewing »
A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.
|
raise the flag and see who salutes »
It generates, usually as a preliminary step.
|
ramp up »
Of a project or operation, to start up.
|
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.
|
rat run »
A small road that people venture down when they want to sneak off the motorway and take a short cut.
|
rat running »
Present participle of rat run.
|
rattle off »
To list or recite quickly.
|
rattle someone's cage »
To demand attention; to nag, nudge, or remind.
|
read somebody the riot act »
To scold or berate somebody; to reprimand.
|
read somebody's lips »
To discern what somebody is saying by watching the shape of the mouth rather than by hearing the sounds of the words.
|
rebound relationship »
A relationship proceeding a longterm relationship, usually short in duration and used to help mend the "broken heart".
|
red tape »
A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.
|
reflect on »
To think carefully about something, and give it due consideration.
|
ride roughshod over »
To act in a bullying or inconsiderate manner; to display disregard towards someone or something.
|
right as rain »
Correct; factually accurate.
|
rip off »
To charge an exorbitant or unfair rate.
|
robber baron »
In Europe, an aristocrat who charged exorbitant fees or otherwise exacted money from people who journeyed across land or waterways which he controlled.
|
ropable »
Upset; irate.
|
rule of thumb »
A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.
|
rumor campaign »
A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.
|
run a bath »
To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.
|
run for »
To try to obtain political position through the democratic voting process.
|
run off »
To operate by a particular energy source.
|
run on »
To operate with a particular energy source.
|
run on fumes »
By extension, to operate with few resources or little money.
|
run on fumes »
To operate a vehicle that is low on fuel.
|
run roughshod over »
To treat roughly or without care, respect, or moderation; to act without control; to damage.
|
sabre-rattling »
A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.
|
sabre-rattling »
Any threat, such as one company threatening another with a lawsuit.
|
say goodbye »
To separate from someone.
|
scare out of one's wits »
To frighten someone to such an extent that they behave irrationally.
|
scratch one's head »
To puzzle, ponder, or wonder about something.
|
scratch that »
To disregard, omit, or ignore the previous statement.
|
scratch the surface »
To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.
|
scream »
A form of singing associated with the metal and screamo styles of music. It is a loud, rough, distorted version of the voice; rather than the normal voice of the singer.
|
screen out »
To use a screen, grate, sieve or similar means to separate large from small objects or particles.
|
screen out »
Figuratively, to exclude.
|
seat-of-the-pants »
Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.
|
send up »
To make prices or temperatures etc. rise.
|
separate the wheat from the chaff »
To select only that which is of value.
|
set aside »
To separate and reserve something for a specific purpose.
|
set of pipes »
A wind instrument incorporating multiple pipes, such as a panpipe or bagpipe.
|
shift gears »
To change pace or mode of operation.
|
shoot 'em up »
A short story, novel, television show, film, computer game, or other narrative which depicts considerable gunplay.
|
shoot one's mouth off »
To make reckless or exaggerated statements.
|
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.
|
show off »
To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.
|
show up »
To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically.
|
sing soprano »
To suffer castration or an injury to the testicles.
|
singing soprano »
Castrated or injured in the testicles.
|
sit still »
To accept, tolerate, or acquiesce.
|
skeleton crew »
The minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency or shut down, and at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.
|
slow burn »
A gradually increasing feeling of anger or frustration.
|
slow down »
Decelerate.
|
slow up »
To slow, slow down, decelerate.
|
smell a rat »
To sense something suspicious.
|
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 »
Any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.
|
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.
|
soft touch »
A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.
|
song and dance »
An excessively elaborate story or excuse used to justify something.
|
sort out »
To organise or separate into groups, as a collection of items, so as to make tidy.
|
sort out »
To separate from the remainder of a group; often construed with from.
|
spectator sport »
A sporting activity which has a relatively high ratio of watchers to direct participants.
|
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.
|
speed up »
To accelerate, to increase speed.
|
spit the dummy »
To a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner.
|
split up »
Separate, disassociate, cause to come apart.
|
spring fever »
A feeling of invigoration and restlessness associated with the arrival of the warm weather and renewal of nature in the spring season.
|
stand for »
To tolerate.
|
stand to reason »
To make sense; to seem logical, reasonable, or rational.
|
start up »
To begin to operate.
|
step on it »
To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.
|
step up »
To increase speed or rate.
|
step up »
accelerate
|
stir-crazy »
Of a prisoner, mentally unbalanced due to prolonged incarceration.
|
stop someone in his tracks »
To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.
|
stop the lights »
An interjection expressing exasperation or incredulity. or to illustrate the humour in a situation.
|
stop the presses »
An imperative form used to introduce especially new, important, surprising, or recent developments.
|
straight man »
A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.
|
stretch the truth »
To exaggerate, often to the point where the truth is obscured or lost.
|
strike through »
Partly obliterate text by drawing a continuous line through the centre thereof, usually to indicate the deletion of an error or obsolete information.
|
sweat »
Fluid that exits the body through pores in the skin usually due to physical stress and/or high temperature for the purpose of regulating body temperature and removing certain compounds from the circulation.
|
swim with sharks »
To operate among dangerous people.
|
swing for the fences »
To act in a way that might generate a very good result, but which also has a large chance of failing.
|
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..
|
take leave of one's senses »
To go crazy; to stop behaving rationally.
|
take one's eye off the ball »
To lose one's concentration on what is most important.
|
take out of context »
To interpret something in a manner in which it was not intended to be understood, often deliberately.
|
take sitting down »
To tolerate, accept, or acquiesce; to take no action.
|
take the bull by the horns »
To confront a difficulty, rather than avoiding it.
|
take to task »
To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.
|
talk out one's ass »
To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.
|
tall tale »
A greatly exaggerated, fantastic story.
|
tell off »
To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.
|
than a bygod »
Used with a comparative to express extreme heat or cold.
|
that does it »
Expression of annoyance or frustration; indicates that one has reached the limit of one's patience or temper.
|
the end of one's rope »
At the limit of one’s patience, when one is so frustrated or annoyed that one can no longer take it..
|
the jig is up »
An expression used to mean "We have been caught out and have no defence", or if spoken to a person who's just been found out as the perpetrator of an offense, it means "You've been discovered.".
|
the man »
The oppressive powers that be, including the government and corporations; the system, as coordinated outside of one’s control..
|
there and back »
One or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.
|
there ya go »
Expressing exasperation.
|
there you go »
Expressing exasperation.
|
think of England »
To tolerate or endure bad sex. Used in conjunction with "I just lie on my back and.." "I just go through the motions and..." etc.
|
think 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.
|
third rate »
inferior
|
throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.
|
throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn
|
throw shapes »
To act tough or put up a front. For example, to threaten a person by making "karate chops" at them, without actually doing harm or knowing karate.
|
time and material »
A form of contractual compensation involving payment for materials used and at agreed rates for the those involved in performing the services.
|
time out of mind »
A lengthy duration of time, longer than is readily remembered.
|
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.
|
tip of the hat »
A gesture of acknowledgement; often, an expression of gratitude.
|
to go »
Served in a package or takeout container so as to be taken away from a restaurant rather than eaten on the premises.
|
touchy-feely »
Driven by intuition or emotion, with a connotation of de-emphasis of rational thought or logic.
|
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.
|
tune up »
To make preparations for vigorous exercise; to warm up.
|
turn a blind eye »
To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.
|
two can play that game »
The tactics and/or strategies of an enemy can be used against him.
|
under erasure »
Of a bit of text, written and strickenthrough; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.
|
under way »
In operation, in progress, commenced.
|
up to scratch »
Sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality.
|
wage war »
A figurative allusion to pay discrepancies.
|
wall off »
To separate with a wall.
|
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.
|
way to go »
An expression of congratulations, encouragement, or approval.
|
wear out »
To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.
|
what do I know »
Implies that a statement is based on a guess or assumption rather than on knowledge or evidence.
|
whisper campaign »
A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.
|
white lie »
A deliberate, untrue statement which does no harm or is intended to produce a favorable result.
|
whomp up »
To incite or generate.
|
wide of the mark »
Inaccurate.
|
wind back the clock »
Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.
|
window dressing »
The decorative display of retail merchandise in store windows.
|
wing it »
To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.
|
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.
|
wits' end »
Limit of one's sanity or mental capacity; point of desperation.
|
work around the clock »
To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.
|
write off »
Figuratively, to assign a low value to something.
|
yellow press »
Newspapers which publish sensationalist articles rather than well researched and sober journalism.
|
you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours »
If you do me a favor then I will do you a favor; quid pro quo.
|
you shouldn't have »
Used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity, especially when receiving a gift.
|
zero in on »
To concentrate or focus one's attention on at task.
|
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