a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush »
It is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than a mere potential of a greater one.
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accident of birth »
Reference to the fact that various benefits or detriments to the life of a person arise from the circumstances into which that person was born, these being entirely beyond his control.
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Adds up »
To enhance. " ref="http://powerlawofattraction.com">Law of attraction adds up to the success in life."
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after all »
In the end; anyway; referring to something that was believed to be the case, but has now been shown not to be.
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an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with terms so attractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
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an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with the results of failing to accept so unattractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
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answer back »
To issue echo characters, protocol responses, reflexive connection requests, etc.
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apple of somebody's eye »
A favourite, a particular preference, or a loved one; the object of somebody's affections.
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as for »
with reference to
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at will »
At one's preference; as one sees fit.
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banyan day »
In British naval tradition, this originally referred to a day of the week when galley kitchens served no meat on board ship.
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banyan day »
In modern usage it refers to a picnic or cookout for the ship's crew.
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batten down »
To close or make watertight, referring to hatches and cargo.
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be all ears »
To listen carefully or eagerly; to anticipate.
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best of the bunch »
The best or most preferred person or item within a group.
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better safe than sorry »
It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to suffer afterwards.
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black »
Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and colourless.
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black-on-black »
A reference to interactions between black people .
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blow the whistle »
To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.
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bone up »
To study or cram, especially in order to refresh one's knowledge of a topic.
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born in a barn »
Of humble birth, especially when referring to Jesus Christ.
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bought the farm »
Simple past tense and past participle of buy the farm: died; often refers to death in battle.
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breath of fresh air »
Something relieving, refreshing, or new.
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by one's own hand »
As a result of one's own actions, especially with reference to death by suicide.
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cat's pyjamas »
A highly sought-after and fancy example of something, usually referring to inanimate objects.
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cheat sheet »
Any summary or quick reference used as a shortcut or reminder, a crib sheet.
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chicken out »
To shy away from a daring task; to decline, refuse, or avoid something due to fear or uncertainty.
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cite chapter and verse »
To provide specific references from an authoritative book, as the Bible or a book of statutes or rules, to support a statement.
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clean house »
To reform by removing undesirable personnel and procedures.
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clean up one's act »
To reform; to improve one's habits.
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come full circle »
To make a complete change or reform.
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come on »
A statement or sometimes action reflecting sexual or relational interest.
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come out of the closet »
To tell others about homosexuality, bisexuality or any minority or disapproved-of belief, preference, etc., where previously this had been kept secret.
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company »
A unit of firefighters and their equipment.
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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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cut it out »
To stop; refrain from; halt.
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cutting edge »
The forefront, or position of greatest advancement in some field.
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deliver the message to Garcia »
What we need is people who get the job done, no matter how. We don't want pickers who'll only learn if we use their preferred learning method. Have you read "A Message to Garcia" ? That's what we need today - young people who can deliver the message to Garcia.
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discretion is the better part of valour »
It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave speech or action.1597
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don't be penny wise and pound foolish »
Don't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.
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don't shit where you eat »
(idiomatic, vulgar) One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.1998 April 14, Nelson Navarro, "Ever faithful, ever true," Manila Standard (Philippines) (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):The guiding principle is Don't shit where you eat. Office romances are always destructive of morale and objectivity.2003 Oct. 8, Jonathan Valania, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Pussy," Philadelphia Weekly (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Limbaugh was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the NAB convention in, of all places, Philadelphia, thus violating the cardinal law of the animal kingdom: Don't shit where you eat.2006 Sept. 19, Michael Musto, "NY Mirror," Village Voice (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Mitchell refused to indulge in on-set romances with either gender. "You don't shit where you eat," he told me, plainly.
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druther »
Would rather; would prefer to.
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druthers »
Wishes, preferences, or ways.
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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.
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easy does it »
Relax; do something gently, lightly or carefully; slow down; calm down.
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easy street »
A carefree situation or lifestyle, especially as resulting from possession of wealth.
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every time »
Used to express a strong preference for something.
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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 off the wagon »
To cease or fail at a regimen of self-improvement or reform; to lapse back into an old habit or addiction.
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fix up »
To repair or refurbish.
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flat-earther »
A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.
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fresh legs »
Somebody who has yet to play in a match, and therefore has plenty of energy.
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fruit of the poisonous tree »
And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.
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get it »
To possess a preferred outlook on a given issue or issues.
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give the lie to »
To prove something to be false; to refute.
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go bad »
putrefy
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go native »
To adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants, especially when dwelling in a colonial region; to become less refined under the influence of a less cultured, more primitive, or simpler social environment.
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go off »
To putrefy or become inedible.
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go over »
To look at carefully; to scrutinize; to analyze.
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grunt work »
That is considered undesirable and therefore delegated to underlings.
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hand over fist »
Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.
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handle with kid gloves »
To treat something very delicately or carefully.
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happy go lucky »
carefree
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head for the hills »
To go to a safe place; to seek refuge; to flee.
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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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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.
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it's all grist to the mill »
Everything referred to in the present context has some sort of use.1999, Simon Blackburn, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press paperback, ISBN 0199690871), ch. 7 section 6: "Kant
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it's not what you know but who you know »
For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know
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jump the queue »
To desire preferential treatment, undue influence; impatient.
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keep a close watch on »
To pay careful attention to a situation or a thing, so that you can deal with any changes or problems.
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keep from »
To prevent or restrain ; refrain or cause refrain.
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keep one's mouth shut »
To keep a secret; to refrain from speaking indiscreetly or carelessly.
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keep out »
To refrain from entering a place or condition.
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keep quiet »
To refrain from talking about something; to keep a secret.
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leave no stone unturned »
To do a task very carefully and thoroughly, not missing any step.
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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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lie back and think of England »
. "think of England" refers to the importance of children.
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lie back and think of England »
Used to preface any unpleasant but inevitable experience.
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life of Riley »
An ideal life of carefree prosperity and contentment.
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life's not all skittles and beer »
Skittles and Beer refers to the carefree, indulgent bar life; skittles being a British pub game. Thus, life's not all skittles and beer means that not everything is about pleasure.
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light bucket »
Nickname for a reflecting telescope, especially one with a relatively large aperture and suitable for observing deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies.
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many happy returns »
A greeting, usually for birthdays, in reference to the passing year; Happy birthday!.
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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
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mind one's p's and q's »
To be very careful to behave correctly.
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mind you »
Mind that you; be careful that you.
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mocking is catching »
An admonishment to be careful of criticising others, lest the same happen to you.Mocking is Catching was the title of a 1726 song by Henry Carey.
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night person »
A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.
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nighthawk »
A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.
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no comment »
A refusal to say the obvious impolite retort.
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no comment »
An "official" refusal to relay any further information, as a response to a newspaper reporter's question.
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not be caught dead »
To refuse completely to do something.
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not touch something with a ten foot pole »
To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong aversion.
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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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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.
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old school »
Characteristic of a style, outlook, or method employed in a former era, remembered either as inferior to the current style, or alternately, remembered nostalgically as superior or preferable to the new style, the older denoting something that would be considered out of date or out of fashion to some, but as such, is considered by others as cool and hip.
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on the anvil »
Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.
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on the blink »
Functioning erratically, malfunctioning; not working or not working well. Usually refers to a mechanical or electronic device.
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on the level »
A discreet reference to freemasonry.
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on the square »
A discrete, unassuming reference to freemasonry.
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on tiptoe »
Moving carefully, quietly, warily or stealthily.
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one step at a time »
Slowly and carefully, ensuring that each action has been completed successfully before taking the next.
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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.
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patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels »
The appeal to patriotism is often used to distract the public from real issues.
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pipe down »
To be quiet; to refrain from being noisy.
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plead the fifth »
To refuse to answer a question, or refuse to speak, especially when the response would reflect badly on the speaker.
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pore over »
To examine something carefully and attentively.
|
put one's foot down »
To insist, demand, or refuse.
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red card »
referee's item
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reflect on »
To think carefully about something, and give it due consideration.
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reflect on »
At run-time using reflection.
|
reflect on »
To give an impression of .
|
reflect upon »
To reflect on.
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rest his soul »
Used parenthetically to mark the referent as being deceased.
|
rip to shreds »
To severely devalue, to refute.
|
rough around the edges »
In need of refinement; unsophisticated.
|
scissorbill »
And railroad term for someone who refused to join the union or who openly colluded with management to thwart the union.
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seat-of-the-pants »
Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.
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set in one's ways »
Driven by habit; inclined or determined to continue according to one's custom or established preferences.
|
silver bullet »
A bullet made of silver, usually with reference to the folkloric belief that such bullets are the only weapons which can kill a werewolf.
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slop bowl »
One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.
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slowly but surely »
In a slow, yet careful manner
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softly softly »
Discreet, low-key, careful.
|
softroader »
. This involves increased ground clearance with tyre, wheel, and suspension tweaks, skid plates and refers to mini SUV or wagons.
|
sow one's wild oats »
To indulge in a period of irresponsible behavior, particularly sexually; Often used in reference to young adults or to the recently divorced.
|
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.
|
spruce up »
To refresh, revamp; to freshen or improve something, especially its appearance.
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take one's time »
To go about something slowly and carefully.
|
the shoemaker's children go barefoot »
One often neglects those closest to oneself.
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them's the facts »
That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.
|
think over »
To ponder or reflect on a subject.
|
to a fare-thee-well »
To the greatest extent or to completion; to a state of refinement or perfection.
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to each his own »
Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.
|
top off »
To fill completely; to fill or refill the final portion of something not empty.
|
top up »
refill
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top up »
refill
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toss-upness »
The quality of being a toss-up, usually used in reference to a toss-up state in American presidential elections.
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tread lightly »
To proceed carefully; especially, to seek to avoid causing offense.
|
turn away »
To refuse to admit someone.
|
turn back »
To refuse to allow someone to pass a border or enter a place.
|
turn down »
To refuse, decline, or deny.
|
turn out »
To refuse service or shelter; to eject or evict.
|
turn up one's nose »
To refuse, especially as due to pride or status.
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upset the applecart »
To spoil carefully laid plans or arrangements; to spoil something.
|
walk on eggshells »
To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.
|
walk on eggshells »
To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.
|
watch one's mouth »
To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.
|
watch out »
To be aware or conscious; to look closely or carefully; to use caution. Often used in the imperative.
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when the shit hits the fan »
A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.
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who's 'she', the cat's mother%3F »
A rebuke especially directed towards children for having referred to their mother, or any other woman in the third person, instead of using a properly respectful title or their name when appropriate.
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wrong side of the tracks »
. May refer to area where the working class, poor or extremely poor live.
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you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear »
It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.
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