a cat may look at a king »
Even a purported inferior has certain abilities, even in the presence of a purported superior
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a cut above »
Superior to; of a higher quality than.
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a cut below »
Inferior to; of a lower quality than.
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a notch above »
Superior to; of a higher quality than.
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a riddle wrapped up in an enigma »
Something very mysterious and hidden.
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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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albatross »
Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.
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all kidding aside »
Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.
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all over grumble »
Inferior.
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April showers bring May flowers »
April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.By extension, that a period of discomfort can provide the basis for a period of happiness.
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as long as »
While; for some period of time.
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baby blues »
Period and feeling of depressiveness after giving birth; a less severe form of postnatal depression.
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bad blood »
A serious feud or grudge.
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bag of rations »
A fussy or overly zealous military superior.
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balancing act »
A performance that involves balancing things precariously and suspensefully.
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bankers' hours »
The period between 10am and 3pm.
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bawl out »
To have a serious argument accompanied with shouting.
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be there for »
To be available to provide comfort and support for someone, especially in a period of difficulty.
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bed of roses »
A comfortable or luxurious position.
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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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blink of an eye »
A very short period of time; quickly.
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blow out of proportion »
To overreact to or overstate; to treat too seriously or be overly concerned with.
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born on the Fourth of July »
Demonstratively patriotic.
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boss about »
To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.
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boss around »
To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.
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bragging rights »
The prerogative to praise oneself for an accomplishment or for possession of a superior characteristic.
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bros before hoes »
(US, informal) A man should prioritize his male friends over his girlfriend or wife.
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buckle down »
To put forth the needed effort; to focus; become serious; apply oneself.
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bundle of energy »
One who is especially lively, continually active, or industrious.
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bundle of energy »
The energy associated with being lively, continually active, or industrious.
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bush league »
A low-ranking or inferior level among groups, professions, organizations, etc.
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busy work »
Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.
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but seriously folks »
Directs attention to immediately preceding failed attempt at humor.
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button-down »
Serious; staid; businesslike.
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chip on one's shoulder »
A habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.
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clean house »
To clean the interior of a house.
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clear the decks »
To remove, or fasten, all loose material, or partitions prior to a naval engagement.
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close up »
To shut a building or a business for a period of time.
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cold snap »
A period of exceptionally cold weather.
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collect dust »
To remain untouched and unused for a long period of time.
|
come on »
To get one's period, start menstruating.
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curiosity killed the cat »
One should not be curious about things that can be dangerous.
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day and age »
A time period of years or more.
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dead duck »
One who is in serious danger or trouble.
|
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.
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down on one's luck »
Unlucky or undergoing a period of bad luck, especially with respect to financial matters.
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down to the short strokes »
In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.
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drink off »
To drink the entirety of in a short period; originally and especially, in a single gulp.
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drop the gloves »
To remove a prior impediment to action; to prepare for or engage in a dispute.
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end of the line »
Final cessation or discontinuance of a process, institution, or person, especially one which has existed for a considerable period of time; death.
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evil twin »
A duplicate or counterpart of something or someone that acts in a contrary, nefarious, or insidious manner.
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familiarity breeds contempt »
The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.
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fire-breathing »
Caustic, vitriolic or scathing.
|
first among equals »
A person or position that if formally equivalent to others in a group, but is superior in some attribute.
|
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
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flog a dead horse »
To attempt to get extra work out of a ship's crew during the dead horse period.
|
for keeps »
To compete seriously, with a strong resolve to win or succeed, as in sports or business.
|
for the birds »
Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.
|
four score and seven years ago »
87 years prior to today.
|
from scratch »
From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.
|
full of oneself »
Egotistical, believing oneself to be superior to others; preoccupied with one's own work, interests, point of view, etc.
|
gallows humor »
Comedy that makes light of death or other very serious matters.
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get off one's high horse »
To stop acting in an imperious, overbearing or bossy manner.
|
get one's act together »
To become serious, organized, worthwhile, etc.
|
go down the wrong way »
To swallow food or drink so that it goes down the wrong tube in one's throat and makes one cough or for a short period lose one's breath or choke.
|
go on the rampage »
To behave violently or to riot.
|
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.
|
go to the mat »
To continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.
|
God works in mysterious ways »
Expressing confidence that a conundrum has a solution despite it not being apparent.Expressing that a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run.Person A: It seems that I'm about to be fired from my job.Person B: Well, God works in mysterious ways - maybe it'll be the kick you need to apply to university...
|
grace period »
A length of time during which rules or penalties do not take effect or are withheld.
|
guilt trip »
A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.
|
halcyon days »
A period of calm, often nostalgic: “halcyon days of yore”, “halcyon days of youth”..
|
halcyon days »
Period of calm during the winter, when storms do not occur.
|
hammer and tongs »
With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.
|
hang by a thread »
To be in danger, calling for precise caution. To be in a precarious situation.
|
hang in the balance »
To be in a precarious situation, unsure of the future.
|
hanging offence »
A crime so serious that it is punishable by means of death by hanging.
|
head start »
For example, prior to the beginning of a race.
|
head start »
A factor conducive to superiority and success.
|
heart to heart »
A sincere, serious, or personal conversation.
|
heat wave »
A period of exceptionally hot weather.
|
high ground »
A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.
|
high horse »
An appearance or sense of smug superiority.
|
hind tit »
An inferior source of food or other resources.
|
hopping mad »
Extremely angry; furious to the point of outburst.
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in fun »
as a joke; not serious
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in high dudgeon »
Resentfully or furiously.
|
in the long run »
After a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.
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in the thick of it »
In a precarious situation.
|
in this day and age »
In the current time period of years.
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inside track »
The lane or track nearest to the interior.
|
jump the queue »
To move into a queue ahead of others who have been waiting longer or that have a higher priority; push in.
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jumped-up »
Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.
|
keep one's eye on the ball »
My ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.
|
keep one's options open »
To not commit to a decision, to keep various options available.
|
keep up »
To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating.
|
kiss up »
To pay false flattery to another, particularly a superior at work, in order to get special attention.
|
lay open »
In Japan and South Korea, to publish a patent for initial public review, prior to the formal application for registration.
|
leap year »
Period of 366 days
|
lighten up »
To become less serious and more cheerful or casual; to relax.
|
like the new time »
Furiously or vigorously, repeatedly.
|
long run »
An extended period of time.
|
Loose cannon »
A cannon that breaks loose during battle or a storm and causes serious damage to the ship and its crew.
|
lower the boom »
To use one's superior physical strength; clobber.
|
make a monkey out of »
To cause a person, organization, or action to appear foolish or inferior; to subject someone or something to ridicule..
|
make light of »
To regard without due seriousness; to joke or disregard inappropriately.
|
man of few words »
A man who doesn't speak much, or speaks only for a short period of time.
|
moral high ground »
A position or point of view which is ethically superior or more reputable, in comparison to others which are under consideration.
|
no ifs, ands, or buts »
Period; exactly so; without modification, limitation, or addendum.
|
odd and curious »
A way to designate special coins, namely coins that are both odd and imperfect or seriously damaged.
|
odd and curious »
On the Isle of Man, the common or general man.
|
off the chain »
Crazy and exciting; delirious and wild. By analogy to a frenetic dog when unleashed.
|
off-the-cuff »
Extemporaneous; without prior preparation; impromptu.
|
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.
|
on a whim »
Done without thinking seriously about the consequences.
|
on one's watch »
During the period of time when one is in a position of authority or responsibility.
|
on the wane »
In a period of decrease or decline.
|
one up »
To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.
|
one's days are numbered »
Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.
|
one-up »
To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.
|
out on a limb »
in a precarious position
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over one's head »
Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.
|
palm off »
To attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.
|
patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels »
The appeal to patriotism is often used to distract the public from real issues.
|
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.
|
play around »
To work with in a non-serious manner.
|
play with fire »
To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially.
|
potter about »
To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.
|
potter around »
To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.
|
pre-war »
Describing the period before a war.
|
pre-war »
Describing the period before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.
|
prime of life »
The period of one's mature life when one is at a peak of health and performance.
|
pull apart »
To open something by pulling on various parts of it.
|
pull oneself together »
To become mentally focused after a period of being unfocused.
|
put the cart before the horse »
To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities.
|
quick-and-dirty »
Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.
|
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.
|
rainy day »
A difficult period of need, when things do not go right.
|
read somebody the riot act »
To scold or berate somebody; to reprimand.
|
real deal »
A thing or person which is genuine, authentic, or worthy of serious regard.
|
rediscover fire »
To relearn fundamental concepts, principles or practices that had been previously well known and widely practiced at a prior time in human society.
|
roadwarrior »
A person who carries a mobile device such as a laptop or PDA and uses wireless internet connections to work.
|
roadwarrior »
Alternative spelling of road warrior.
|
rock up »
To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.
|
rough sledding »
A difficult period of time.
|
run off »
To leave someone without prior advice.
|
run out on »
To leave a partner suddenly and without prior warning.
|
rush hour »
busy travel period
|
scrape together »
To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.
|
second childhood »
The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.
|
sell down the river »
To betray, especially in a manner which causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed.
|
senior note »
A bond that takes priority over other debt securities sold by the issuer. In the event the issuer goes bankrupt, senior debt must be repaid before other creditors receive any payment.
|
shoot first and ask questions later »
To take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.
|
short strokes »
The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.
|
show the flag »
To display the flag of one's country, especially as an expression of patriotic pride.
|
sing from the same hymnbook »
To make the same or similar statements, especially to express the same opinions in public as a result of a prior agreement.
|
sleep on »
To consider after a period of sleep, implying a decision will be made the next day.
|
slippery slope »
A chain of events that, once initiated, cannot be halted; especially one in which the final outcome is undesirable or precarious.
|
snake oil »
A type of 19th century patent medicine sold in the United States that claimed to contain snake fat, supposedly a Native American remedy for various ailments.
|
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.
|
stand the test of time »
To remain useful or valued over a long period of time; to last a long time.
|
suck hind tit »
To feed from an inferior source of food.
|
summer and winter »
To spend extended periods of time with; to test.
|
take a back seat »
To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.
|
take a number »
Recognize that many others are in the same situation; recognize that one's concerns are not of high priority; be prepared to wait.
|
take with a pinch of salt »
Not take entirely seriously.
|
talk down »
To speak condescendingly or as though the listener is inferior.
|
talk turkey »
To talk or negotiate plainly, frankly, or seriously.
|
the calm before the storm »
A period of peace before a disturbance or crisis; an unnatural or false calm before a storm.
|
the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get »
(vulgar) The sexual satisfactions that one receives from a spouse or romantic partner are not sufficient to compensate for the significant periods of bad faith and unpleasant treatment which such relationships routinely involve.1971, Allen Churchill, The Literary Decade, ISBN 9780135375228:Years later she expressed her disillusionment with sex by saying, "The fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."1999, Ben Sonnenberg, Lost Property: Memoirs and Confessions of a Bad Boy, ISBN 9781582430454, p. 93:Maitland got drunk at his parties and threw his arm around you and pulled you over to his wife and made you look down her dress, saying, "The trouble with marriage is that the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."2008, Joseph Heywood, Blue Wolf In Green Fire, ISBN 9781599213590, p. 63:"I can't believe a little pussy got me into dis mess." "Shit happens," Service said. "Sometimes the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."
|
the plot thickens »
Used, often ironically, to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation.
|
think one's shit doesn't stink »
To be arrogant or snobbish; to feel superior to others.
|
third rate »
inferior
|
tide over »
To support or sustain someone, especially financially, for a limited period.
|
time off »
A period of time where one is not required to work.
|
tongue-in-cheek »
Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.
|
touch%C3%A9 »
An acknowledgement of the success, appropriateness or superiority of an argument, sometimes used sarcastically to mock one's opponent's absurd logic.
|
touch-and-go »
Precarious, delicate, dangerous, risky, sensitive or of uncertain outcome.
|
twist in the wind »
To wait for an uncomfortably long period of time.
|
ups and downs »
Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.
|
valley of death »
Death; or a place or period where death is impending.
|
variable tandem repeat locus »
Any DNA sequence that exists in multiple copies strung together in various tandem lengths.
|
walk a tightrope »
To undertake a precarious course of action.
|
wear out »
To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.
|
weekend warrior »
A part-time soldier, or reservist.
|
weekend warrior »
A person who indulges in a sport or pastime on an infrequent basis, usually on weekends when work commitments are not present.
|
what's up with »
Used to express disbelief or curiosity.
|
wheel around »
To transport someone or something to various locations by pushing a wheeled transporter such as a wheelchair or a wheelbarrow or trolley.
|
whistle Dixie »
To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.
|
wind back the clock »
Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.
|
work against the clock »
To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.
|
work one's fingers to the bone »
Work especially hard, usually for an extended period.
|
world-beater »
Someone or something superior to all others of its sort.
|
wrap in the flag »
To claim one's cause deserves support for patriotic reasons or that one's own motives are patriotic.
|
yellow journalism »
Material published in a broadcast or periodical, such as a tabloid newspaper or magazine, which is sensationalistic and of questionable accuracy and taste.
|
yes man »
A person who always agrees with his employer or superior.
|
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