a chain is only as strong as its weakest link »
An organization (especially a process or a business) is only as strong or powerful as its weakest person. A group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member.
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a watched pot never boils »
A process appears to go more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.
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account for »
To explain by relating circumstances; to show that some one, thing or members of a group are present or have been processed.
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act out »
To go through the process of a scene from a play, a charade or a pointless exercise.
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all clear »
permission to proceed
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at work »
Working, in the process of doing work.
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between a rock and a hard place »
Having the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary.
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between Scylla and Charybdis »
Similar in meaning to between a rock and a hard place.
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big up »
To proclaim or exaggerate the importance of.
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bitter end »
The end of a long and difficult process.
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blaze a trail »
To show the way or proceed rapidly.
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boot up »
To start a computer using its bootstrap procedure.
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bottoming the house »
The process by where someone cleans their house 'from top to bottom'. It is a very thorough clean indeed, even more so than 'spring cleaning'.
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brain fart »
A lapse in the thought process; an inability to think or remember something clearly.
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by the book »
In a manner which adheres strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
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by-the-book »
Adhering strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
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carry on »
To continue or proceed as before.
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cast off »
To let go a cable or rope securing a vessel to a buoy, wharf etc so that she may proceed.
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caucus race »
The competitive process in which a political party selects their candidate, esp. presidential; a primary election via caucus.
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clean house »
To reform by removing undesirable personnel and procedures.
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crocodile tear »
A tear shed insincerely, in a false display of sorrow or some other emotion.
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crocodile tears »
A display of tears that is forced or false.
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crocodile tears »
Plural form of crocodile tear.
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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.
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down to the wire »
At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.
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drag »
To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.
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drag one's feet »
To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.
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dummy out »
From a video game in the process of localizing that game from a foreign country.
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dusty miller »
A formulaic phrase for a miller, related to the dust generated in the milling process.
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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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fail over »
To automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.
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fall through »
To be unsuccessful, abort, come to nothing/naught; to be cancelled; not to proceed.
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final cut »
A group, after a selection process getting rid of other candidates.
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first port of call »
The first place to go to start a process.
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get one's finger out »
To proceed with the matter in hand.
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get something over with »
To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.
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give and take »
A process of compromise or accommodation.
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go ahead »
To proceed; to begin.
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go through with »
To proceed; to continue.
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go to town »
To proceed enthusiastically, vigorously, or expertly.
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green light »
Approval, or permission to proceed.
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ground rules »
The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.
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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.
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hit the rock »
To use crack cocaine.
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hit the rocks »
To be at a low point in one's pursuits.
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home in on »
To focus or narrow down to something; to find or draw closer, as by trial and error or a gradual seeking process.
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hum and haw »
Procrastinate and take a long time before doing something or taking a decision.
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in business »
Ready to proceed in a desired activity.
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in full swing »
Proceeding fully, quickly, or completely; thoroughly begun and in progress.
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in order »
In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.
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in process of time »
In the course of time; as time goes on; gradually; in due course.
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in the act »
In the process of doing something; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.
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in the making »
In development; in the process of being made.
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kangaroo court »
A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.
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laced-up »
Fixed in the sprockets of the projector.
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lay hands on »
To find, obtain or procure.
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lead time »
The amount of time between the initiation of some process and its completion, e.g. the time required to manufacture or procure a product; the time required before something can be provided or delivered.
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let the good times roll »
To have fun or live fully; may imply letting things that are going well proceed.
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long finger »
A state of postponement or procrastination.
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lord of the flies »
A ruler over a worthless kingdom; leader of a meaningless microcosm.
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mind the store »
To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.
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move the goalposts »
To alter the agreed basis, scope, standards or target of a procedure or task during its course, especially to do so to someone's advantage.
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off one's dot »
Off one's rocker; bananas; mad.
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off one's rocker »
Crazy; insane.
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on course »
Proceeding smoothly as planned.
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on its merits »
Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.
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on one's high horse »
Self-righteous; proceeding on the belief one is more correct or proper than others.
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on the straight and narrow »
Honest; proceeding according to rules and plans.
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on track »
Proceeding as planned, as expected, or in a manner consistent with an established pattern.
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one another »
Used of a reciprocal relationship among a group of more than two people or things; compare each other.
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painting rocks »
Pointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment but in fact merely disguising the unemployment level.
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pan out »
By swirling dirt or crushed rock in a pan of water, in the manner of a traditional prospector seeking gold.
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pan out »
To succeed; to proceed according to plan; to result or end up.
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paper »
A written document that reports scientific or academic research and is usually subjected to peer review before publication in a scientific journal or in the proceedings of a scientific or academic meeting .
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pare down »
To reduce by paring or a similar gradual process.
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pass by »
To proceed past something.
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pick up stitches »
Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.
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piffy on a rock bun »
A person ignored or sidelined from an activity.
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point of no return »
The point in any journey, process, or sequence of events when it is no longer possible to reverse course or stop the process.
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power chord »
A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power chords make extensive use of intervals such as open fourths and fifths.
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put off »
To procrastinate.
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rag the puck »
To proceed slowly at any activity in order to use up time; to stall for time.
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ramp up »
To be in the process of learning a new ability.
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real job »
A job that can't be replaced advantageously by a machine or a procedure.
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rebound relationship »
A relationship proceeding a longterm relationship, usually short in duration and used to help mend the "broken heart".
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red light »
Denial to proceed. Ruling out of any possibility.
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red tape »
A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.
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rock bottom »
The very lowest possible level.
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rock salmon »
huss
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rock the boat »
To disturb the status quo or go against rules or conventions, as in an effort to get attention.
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rock the house »
To jam at a concert, get down.
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rock up »
To work one's way vertically up a chimney or cleft using a rocking movement.
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rock up »
To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.
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rocket science »
Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing.
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rocket science »
The science or study of rockets and their design.
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rocket scientist »
One specializing in the science or study of rockets and their design.
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rocket scientist »
Someone qualified to understand or handle that which is overly complex, detailed or confusing; a genius.
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rocking horse »
toy
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rocking horse shit »
A metaphor for something exceedingly rare or, more likely, nonexistent.
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rocking-horse shit »
Alternative form of rocking horse shit.
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run for »
To try to obtain political position through the democratic voting process.
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shoot the moon »
To hit the moon, with a rocket or by other means.
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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.
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stage of the game »
A point in the progress of an ongoing dispute or process.
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sticking point »
The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking-place.
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sticking-place »
The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking point.
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take in »
To receive into your home for the purpose of processing for a fee.
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tea service »
crockery set
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the die is cast »
The future is determined; there are no more options; events will proceed in an irreversible manner.
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think twice »
To reconsider, use judgement; to proceed with caution or thought.
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throw the baby out with the bathwater »
To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.
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tread lightly »
To proceed carefully; especially, to seek to avoid causing offense.
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turn the page »
To proceed to the next page in a book.
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under the knife »
Undergoing a surgical procedure.
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walk the line »
To participate in the procession at a graduation ceremony; to graduate.
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whistle past the graveyard »
To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.
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zoom along »
To proceed quickly a long distance.
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