a friend in need is a friend indeed »
A true friend is one who helps you when you are in need.
|
a lie has no legs »
You can't get away with a lie, the truth will always come out.
|
a stopped clock is right twice a day »
A normally unreliable person or instrument can occasionally provide correct information, even if only by accident.
|
according to Hoyle »
In strict accordance with the rules, especially of card games; in the proper or expected manner.
|
acid test »
To test for the truth.
|
act like a bull in a china shop »
To act rudely or clumsily in a delicate situation.
|
act out »
To express one's feelings through disruptive actions.
|
air rage »
Disruptive behaviour on an aircraft.
|
all hell breaks loose »
Vi A place or state of fury, turmoil, destruction, or chaos.
|
all over grumble »
Inferior.
|
all over grumble »
Unsatisfactory.
|
all to smash »
Ruined; bankrupt.
|
all very well »
True, as far as it goes.
|
am I right or am I right »
Rhetorical question from somebody who has stated what they consider to be an unassailable truth.
|
anything goes »
There are no rules or restrictions.
|
apple does not fall far from the trunk »
Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.
|
ark ruffian »
Rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, etc. A species of badger.
|
as a rule »
In general; most often.
|
as a rule »
normally
|
at the end of one's tether »
At the limit of one’s patience; frustrated or annoyed..
|
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.
|
back water »
A very remote, rural area.
|
bad apple »
A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy, especially one who has an adverse influence on others.
|
bad blood »
A serious feud or grudge.
|
bad taste in one's mouth »
A feeling of disappointment and frustration.
|
ball up »
To crush into a ball shape.
|
bar fly »
A person who frequents bars or lounges to get drunk.
|
barge in »
To intrude; to enter or interrupt suddenly and without invitation.
|
barrel »
A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.
|
barrel »
A solid drum, or a hollow cylinder or case.
|
barrel »
The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies for different articles and also in different places for the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A barrel of wine is 31 1/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196 pounds; of beer 31 gallons; of ale 32 gallons; of crude oil 42 gallons.
|
be on to »
To figure out; to realize the truth.
|
be that as it may »
Even if that is the case; whether that is true or not; nevertheless.
|
beat feet »
To run.
|
beat out »
To sound a rhythm on a percussion instrument such as a drum.
|
behind the counter »
Of drugs, dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription or other form of compliance.
|
below the belt »
Unfair; dirty; not according to the generally accepted rules.
|
bend the truth »
To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.
|
bet dollars to donuts »
To suggest that something is very likely to be true or that one has a strong hunch about something.
|
black and blue »
Covered in bruises.
|
blow smoke »
To speak with a lack of credibility, sense, purpose, or truth; to speak nonsense.
|
boot camp »
Indoctrination, physical fitness training and basic instruction in service-related subjects for recruits in the Navy and Marine Corps.
|
borganism »
An organization of autonomous organisms that exhibit collectivism: individual "units" that have merged to yield a unified construct. Such an amalgam may possess a collective consciousness, arguably an emergent phenomenon of social networking.
|
boys will be boys »
It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.
|
brass monkey »
A cocktail of vodka, rum and orange juice, sometimes with the addition of galliano.
|
break ground »
To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.
|
break off »
To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.
|
break one's duck »
To score one's first run in an innings.
|
bridge »
A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
|
bridge »
The piece, on string instruments, that supports the strings from the sounding board.
|
bright-line rule »
A clear-cut, easy to make decision.
|
bright-line rule »
A clearly defined rule or standard, comprised of objective factors, which leaves little or no room for varying interpretation.
|
bring back »
To reenact an old rule or law.
|
bring down »
To make a legitimate rulership lose their position of power.
|
bring forth »
To produce, bear as fruit.
|
bring in »
To introduce a new rule, law, or system of organisation.
|
brush off »
An abrupt rebuff or dismissal.
|
brush up »
To review; to improve an existing but rusty or under-developed skill.
|
bug out »
Miss school, play truant, play hooky.
|
built like a brick shithouse »
Exceptionally well constructed; strong or tough.
|
built like a tank »
Sturdy; exceptionally well constructed.
|
bum rush »
Storming into an establishment.
|
bung up »
To close an opening with a cork, cork like object or other improvised obstruction.
|
bunk off »
To play truant.
|
burn rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
bury the hatchet »
To stop fighting or arguing; to reach an agreement, or at least a truce.
|
bush telegraph »
A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds, word-of-mouth relay, or smoke signals.
|
butterfly upon a wheel »
An innocent person crushed by life's adversities.
|
by the book »
In a manner which adheres strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
|
by the way »
Incidentally; a parenthetical statement not timely, central, or crucial to the topic at hand; foregone, passed by, something that has already happened.
|
by-the-book »
Adhering strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
|
cake crumbs »
Crumbs from a cake.
|
cake crumbs »
Hardly anything.
|
call a spade a spade »
To speak the truth; to say things as they really are.
|
call on »
To correct; to point out an error or untruth.
|
cat's cradle »
Any complicated structure which appears to be without purpose.
|
catch a buzz »
To become slightly inebriated, but not yet be drunk.
|
cease fire »
truce
|
center field »
The defensive position in the outfield in the middle, typically played by a player that can run fast.
|
ceterum censeo »
A formulaic expression used to end a speech by reinforcing one, often unrelated, major view.
|
champ at the bit »
To show impatience or frustration when delayed.
|
chew the cud »
To meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate.
|
chinese gooseberry »
kiwi fruit
|
chip in »
To interrupt a discussion for the purpose of making a comment.
|
chomp at the bit »
To show impatience or frustration when delayed.
|
circuit slugger »
A talented baseball batter that hits home runs.
|
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.
|
clue in »
To inform, instruct, or tell.
|
clutter up »
To fill with rubbish.
|
cold turkey »
The sudden and complete withdrawal of a dependent substance, especially of a drug.
|
come down »
To recover from drug-induced euphoria.
|
come on »
To get one's period, start menstruating.
|
come out of one's shell »
To reveal one's true self.
|
come up »
To begin to feel the effects of a recreational drug.
|
comfort woman »
A woman forced, or supposedly recruited, into brothels by the Japanese occupation forces during World War II.
|
comply with »
To abide by a set of rules.
|
concrete jungle »
An urban or other populated area containing a high density of buildings constructed of concrete or similar materials, especially one which lacks greenery and which seems unattractive, harsh, or unsafe.
|
cordon off »
To protect from intrusion by enclosing in a rope barrier.
|
count on »
To rely upon, trust, or expect.
|
cross my heart »
A declaration that the speaker is telling the truth.
|
cross the line »
To overstep a boundary, rule, or limit; to go too far or do something unacceptable.
|
cross the Rubicon »
To make an irreversible decision or to take an action with consequences.
|
crown jewels »
The jewelry that accompany the office of rulership in a monarchy. I.e., crown, scepter, signet ring, etc.
|
cruising for a bruising »
Following a course of action likely to result in injury or other trouble for oneself.
|
crunch numbers »
To figure; to do the math.
|
crush out »
To force out or separate by pressure.
|
cut a rug »
To dance, especially in a vigorous manner and in one of the dance styles of the first half of the twentieth century.
|
cut in »
To intrude or interrupt.
|
cut off »
To end abruptly.
|
cut off »
To interrupt.
|
cut short »
Interrupt and curtail before the planned end time.
|
cut-and-thrust »
A vehement argument.
|
damson jam »
fruit preserve
|
darn tootin' »
Absolutely correct; speaking the truth.
|
dead air »
An unintended interruption in a radio broadcast during which there is no sound; a similar interruption of a television broadcast in which there is neither sound nor a video signal.
|
death knell »
A sign or omen foretelling the death or destruction of something.
|
diamonds are a girl's best friend »
A statement that suggests, while love is a luxury, material wealth (particularly jewellery) is more valuable in the long run.
|
die down »
To become less virulent.
|
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 as I say and not as I do »
Don't imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.
|
do drugs »
To abuse an illegal drug or drugs, especially as a result of chemical addiction.
|
do for »
ruin
|
do the math »
You can do the calculation yourself, with the implication that you don't have to trust someone else's assertions.
|
dog-eat-dog »
Harsh and ruthless.
|
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.
|
draw the line »
To set a boundary, rule, or limit, especially on what one will tolerate.
|
drive the porcelain bus »
To vomit, especially while drunk or hung over.
|
Drop out of warp »
Dis-engage the cruise control on the car
|
drug of choice »
Substance that a suspect is addicted to.
|
drug of choice »
The best-choice medication to treat a particular medical problem.
|
drug on the market »
Something which is overabundant at the moment and thus not in demand.
|
drum up »
To generate or encourage; to campaign for.
|
druther »
Would rather; would prefer to.
|
druthers »
Wishes, preferences, or ways.
|
dry out »
To sober up; to cease to be drunk.
|
dry run »
A practice; a rehearsal.
|
dummy run »
A trial or practice before the real attempt.
|
ear trumpet »
old hearing aid
|
eat someone's dust »
To be outrun.
|
economical with the truth »
Not telling the whole truth, especially in order to present a false image of a situation; untruthful; lying. Often used with sarcasm or satire.
|
elbow grease »
Effort or hard work, especially physical work involving repeated motion of the forearm, such as scrubbing.
|
even keel »
Of a business or other activity which is under control and running smoothly.
|
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,
|
every man has a price »
Everyone can be bribed or corrupted for a certain price.
|
every rule has an exception »
Alternative form of there is an exception to every rule.
|
f** it »
An expression of frustration.
|
fair and square »
Within the applicable rules.
|
fair game »
Actions permissible by the rules.
|
fall in line »
To submit to the rules of a higher authority; obey; conform.
|
fall in with »
To accept a set of generally agreed rules, or a suggestion.
|
fall off a truck »
Of an item of merchandise, to come into a person's possession without having been paid for; to be acquired illegally.
|
fall off the turnip truck »
To be naive, uninformed, or unsophisticated, in the manner of a rustic person.
|
fed up »
Frustrated, annoyed, tired .
|
fifth wheel »
A type of trailer hitch, which consists of a horseshoe-shaped plate on a multi-directional pivot, with a locking pin to couple with the kingpin of a truck trailer.
|
fifth wheel »
A very large trailer that is towed with a pickup truck.
|
fifth wheel »
A very large truck trailer; an 18-wheeler.
|
fits and starts »
Activity which is intermittent, variable in intensity, and prolonged by interruptions.
|
flat-earther »
A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.
|
flesh out »
To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.
|
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.
|
fly in the ointment »
Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.
|
fool's errand »
A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.
|
fools rush in where angels fear to tread »
A person who does not plan ahead and think matters through becomes involved in risky or unfavorable situations which prudent people avoid.
|
for all intensive purposes »
Misconstruction of “for all intents and purposes”.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].
|
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.
|
forbidden fruit »
Illicit pleasure; something that one should not take or get involved with, such as an another person's spouse.
|
forbidden fruit »
The fruit forbidden to Adam.
|
forbidden fruit is the sweetest »
Forbidden things have more worthwhile short-term consequences.
|
forked tongue »
The characteristic of deceptiveness; duplicity; untruthfulness.
|
free-for-all »
Chaos; a chaotic situation lacking rules or control.
|
frig it »
An expression of frustration similar to, but not as coarse as f** it.
|
front runner »
The most likely winners in a contest, election, etc.
|
fruit of one's loins »
C. 1950, Kay Boyle, "Adam's Death" in Fifty Stories , ISBN 9780811212069, p. 541.
|
fruit of one's loins »
One's child, children, or descendents.
|
fruit of the poisonous tree »
And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.
|
fruit of the union »
A child, especially from a marriage or similar union.
|
fruit salad »
dessert dish
|
full as a goog »
Having eaten too much, or being drunk.
|
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 high »
To intoxicate oneself with drugs or other substances.
|
give over »
To entrust something to another.
|
give somebody the brush-off »
To rebuff, snub or curtly reject someone.
|
give somebody the runaround »
Especially by providing useless information or directions .
|
go over »
To look at carefully; to scrutinize; to analyze.
|
go to the mat »
To continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.
|
go to the mattresses »
To go to war; to use ruthless tactics; to act without restraint.
|
go up in smoke »
To be completely ruined.
|
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...
|
golden duck »
The score of zero runs after getting out on the first ball faced.
|
golden rule »
A fundamental rule or principle.
|
golden rule »
The principle that one should treat other people in the manner in which one would want to be treated by them.
|
golden syrup »
light treacle
|
gone to the dogs »
To have fallen into disrepair or ruin; to have been stagnant or depreciated.
|
good drunk »
A person who is cheerful and companionable when intoxicated, retaining reasonable control of his or her mental and emotional faculties.
|
good egg »
A good person, someone to be trusted; a friend.
|
good old boy »
A friendly, unambitious, relatively uneducated, sometimes racially biased white man who embodies the stereotype of the folksy culture of the rural southern USA.
|
goodbye cruel world »
A call said before taking a stiff drink, especially a shot of vodka.
|
goodbye cruel world »
An exclamation made before commiting suicide, or in a suicide note.
|
grace period »
A length of time during which rules or penalties do not take effect or are withheld.
|
ground rules »
The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.
|
grunt work »
That is considered undesirable and therefore delegated to underlings.
|
hack into »
To reduce something to by hacking with a cutting instrument.
|
hatchet man »
Someone who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.
|
have an axe to grind »
To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something.
|
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 it in for »
To be very angry at; to have a grudge against.
|
have the run of »
To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will.
|
have truck with »
To have dealings with.
|
head for the hills »
To travel to a higher elevation, especially to a rural region on vacation.
|
head-on »
Direct, abrupt, blunt or unequivocal; not prevaricating.
|
hear on the grapevine »
To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.
|
hear through the grapevine »
To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.
|
high as a kite »
Very much under the influence of drugs, extremely high.
|
hightail it »
To hurry or run; often, to flee.
|
hit one's stride »
When walking or running, to reach a full or comfortable pace.
|
hit the ground running »
To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.
|
hold a grudge »
Far longer than is reasonable.
|
hold that thought »
To pause in a conversation for an interruption.
|
hold water »
To withstand scrutiny or criticism; to be valid.
|
hold with the hare and run with the hounds »
To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.
|
hold with the hare and run with the hounds »
To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.
|
home is where the heart is »
One's true home is where one feels happiest.
|
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.
|
home run »
A four-base hit, a homer.
|
home run »
A success; especially, a popular success.
|
home run »
Sexual Intercourse.
|
home run »
The portion of a journey that ends at home.
|
home run »
baseball term
|
honest injun »
A phrase used to emphasize the truth of something.
|
hopped up »
Drugged; intoxicated.
|
horse sense »
Common sense, especially with a connotation of folk wisdom independent from, and trumping, formal education.
|
house of cards »
A structure made by laying cards perpendicularly on top of each other.
|
house of cards »
A structure or argument built on a shaky foundation.
|
idiot mittens »
Mittens connected by yarn or string running through one sleeve, along the back and out the other sleeve of a coat, to prevent the mittens becoming lost. Generally worn by small children.
|
if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »
With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.
|
if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle »
(colloquial, vulgar, humorous) It is fruitless to speculate about counterfactual situations."We would have won the match if we'd had a decent goalkeeper.""And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle!"
|
if you love somebody, set them free »
One should be willing to let go of someone they love if they truly love them.
|
in cold blood »
In a ruthless and unfeeling manner; premeditated and deliberate.
|
in fact »
Actually, in truth.
|
in for a dime, in for a dollar »
Americanised form of in for a penny, in for a pound.1983, Allen Drury, Decision, p. 356:In for a dime, in for a dollar, he thought crazily, and said what he had to say in a voice he forced to stay level and calm.1998, Ellen Miller, Like Being Killed, p. 47:In for a dime, in for a dollar. I whispered to Gerry,
|
in line »
Suitable or appropriate; keeping with expectations, norms, ideals, or rules.
|
in one's cups »
Drunk.
|
in order »
In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.
|
in the dock »
Under scrutiny; subject to critical inspection.
|
in the hot seat »
Under pressure to perform; under scrutiny; at the center of attention.
|
in the long run »
After a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.
|
in the running »
Of a candidate, potential or likely; worthy of consideration.
|
in the short run »
Lasting only a short time, shortsightedly.
|
in the way »
Obstructing, blocking, or hindering.
|
in vino veritas »
drunken folks speak truth, one tells the truth under the influence of alcohol
|
inside job »
A crime or other illicit action committed by or with the help of someone either employed by the victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs and premises.
|
it's all Greek to me »
I tried reading the instructions, but it’s all Greek to me..
|
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
|
jack up »
To ruin; wreck; mess up; screw up; sometimes as a bowdlerized substitution for f** up.
|
jungle telegraph »
A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds or a relay of runners.
|
keep it real »
To be authentic, true to oneself; to be cool.
|
keep on truckin' »
To continue or persist, regardless of circumstances or setbacks; to keep trying or striving.
|
kernel of truth »
A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.
|
kick in »
To kick or strike so as to cause the object struck to collapse or fall inwards.
|
kick the habit »
To recover from or quit an addiction or habit. For example, to quit smoking, drinking, burping, or drug addiction.
|
kick up »
Into the air while running or walking or driving.
|
king »
A male monarch; member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.
|
kiss of death »
Something that may seem good and favourable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.
|
knock-on effect »
The continued running of an engine after the ignition has been turned off; dieseling.
|
labor of love »
A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.
|
landing strip »
A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.
|
last trump »
Forever.
|
last trump »
The moment of God's final judgement on Earth.
|
lay about »
To set about, with infinitive or gerund.
|
lay rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
leave somebody high and dry »
To abandon somebody; to stop providing assistance at a crucial moment.
|
lie through one's teeth »
To tell a gross or egregious untruth.
|
liquid courage »
Alcohol drunk to induce a feeling of courage in the drinker.
|
little pitchers have big ears »
Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).
|
long run »
An extended period of time.
|
look off »
To mislead by directing one's apparent attention away from one's true object of intent.
|
look-in »
A quick short pass to a receiver running diagonally toward the center of the field.
|
lord of the flies »
A ruler over a worthless kingdom; leader of a meaningless microcosm.
|
lose one's shirt »
To lose all of one's money; to go broke; to undergo financial ruin or disaster.
|
lot lizard »
A prostitute at a truck stop.
|
low blow »
A rhetorical attack that is considered unfair or unscrupulous.
|
low-hanging fruit »
Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.
|
luck out »
To have run out of luck.
|
make an example of »
He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.
|
make off »
To run away; to exit.
|
make off with »
To steal something and run.
|
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.
|
mandare a monte »
To mess up, to ruin.
|
march to the beat of a different drum »
To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and expectations.
|
matter of fact »
Something completely true.
|
mess up »
To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.
|
might makes right »
The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.
|
moment of truth »
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
|
money can't buy happiness »
Money can buy external things, but true happiness comes from inside.
|
monkey on one's back »
An addiction, especially to narcotic drugs.
|
move the goal posts »
To unilaterally change the rules, or terms of an agreement, especially in an unfair or underhand way.
|
muck out »
To clean the excrement and other rubbish from the area where an animal is kept, such as a horse stable or a dog kennel.
|
mull over »
To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.
|
muscle in »
To interfere, or intrude forcibly.
|
muscle in on »
To interfere with, or intrude on something forcibly.
|
never change a running system »
Don't change something that is working
|
nightcap »
A beverage drunk before bed that is usually alcoholic.
|
nip in the bud »
To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.
|
no holds barred »
Without reserve; in an especially ruthless or vicious manner.
|
nothing special »
Ordinary, run-of-the-mill.
|
now you mention it »
The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling.
|
nugget of truth »
A small amount of truth in a generally untrue statement.
|
nugget of truth »
January 2008, Chicago Tribune - Clinton's Hispanic edge over Obama.
|
nutty as a fruitcake »
Behaving in an eccentric, foolish, or kooky manner; very nutty.
|
off the reservation »
Violating rules.
|
old hat »
Something uninteresting, hackneyed, or passé due to overuse or long-standing familiarity..
|
old saw »
A cliché, saying, or overused expression; especially a proverb or maxim.
|
on average »
Usually, typically; as a rule; as often as not.
|
on the rag »
Menstruating.
|
on the run »
Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.
|
on the run »
Fleeing.
|
on the straight and narrow »
Honest; proceeding according to rules and plans.
|
one can run but one can't hide »
There is nothing someone can do to evade something.You can run but you can't hide.
|
one-man band »
A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.
|
one-man band »
An organisation or business that is effectively run by only one person.
|
orphan drug »
But which is not manufactured or marketed because the demand is insufficient to cover the costs of supply.
|
out of it »
Drunk.
|
out of the running »
No longer in competition.
|
out of the way »
Not obstructing or hindering; not in the way.
|
overkill »
A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.
|
paint with a broad brush »
To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.
|
pan out »
By swirling dirt or crushed rock in a pan of water, in the manner of a traditional prospector seeking gold.
|
parking lot »
A major thruway blocked by stop and go traffic.
|
pay out »
To slacken a rope by lengthening it; to allow a rope to run out.
|
peace and quiet »
Tranquility; freedom from stress or interruptions.
|
peel out »
To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.
|
peg it »
To run away; to leg it; to scarper.
|
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.
|
penny pincher »
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
|
penny wise and pound foolish »
Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful and profligate with large amounts.
|
pickin' and grinnin' »
Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.
|
pickle »
A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown.
|
pickle »
A cucumber preserved in a solution, usually a brine or a vinegar syrup.
|
pickle »
A rundown.
|
pig in a poke »
Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.
|
pinchpenny »
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
|
play hardball »
To act rough and ruthless, especially in politics or business.
|
poison pen »
A usually intentionally rude, spiteful, and/or condescending piece of writing directed at a person, group, lifestyle, way of thought, or other target.
|
poison tree bears poison fruit »
Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.
|
pound the pavement »
To travel on foot; to walk or run.
|
pour out »
To talk volubly and deeply. Usually implies telling the truth.
|
power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely »
The corrupting influence of power is total when one's power is total.Lord Acton see: Wikiquote
|
problem child »
A child who is particularly difficult to raise or educate, especially due to a lack of self-control and disruptive and antisocial behavior.
|
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.
|
proverbs go in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1932, Bertrand Russell,
|
proverbs hunt in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.
|
proverbs often come in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.
|
proverbs run in pairs »
Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work."1863, Sir Richard Burton, Abeokuta and the Camaroons Mountains, vol. 1, Tinsley (London), p. 309:Moreover, all the world over, proverbs run in pairs, and pull both ways: for the most part one neutralizes, by contradiction, the other.
|
pull out »
To use coitus interruptus as a method of birth control.
|
put away »
To catch a fly ball or tag out a baserunner.
|
put by »
To run a ship aground intentionally to avoid a collision.
|
put one's money where one's mouth is »
More generally, to take an obvious stake in the truth of a claim that one is making.
|
put through the wringer »
To interrogate or scrutinize closely; to subject to some trial or ordeal.
|
put to the test »
To test something or someone; to evaluate, scrutinize or explore by testing or experimentation.
|
put together »
To assemble, construct, or build.
|
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.
|
rack one's brain »
To struggle to think of or remember something.
|
rag bagger »
A sailboat, usually a cruising sailboats which tend to carry and store lots of supplies along the deck, or any sailboat that looks like a neglected vessel, or messy vessel.
|
rag bagger »
A sailor who tends to sail on messy cruising vessels.
|
raise Cain »
To behave in a disruptive manner.
|
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.
|
re run »
repeat
|
red light »
Denial to proceed. Ruling out of any possibility.
|
reflect on »
At run-time using reflection.
|
rest assured »
Be sure; no need to worry; trust.
|
right back »
Used in several informal constructions to indicate return -- especially imminent return to a point of origin.
|
roach coach »
Whimsically, a catering or food truck.
|
rock the boat »
To disturb the status quo or go against rules or conventions, as in an effort to get attention.
|
rough and ready »
Crude or unpolished, but still fit for use; good enough.
|
rub in »
To apply by rubbing.
|
rub in »
To irritatingly make a point.
|
rub it in »
To add insult to injury; to emphasize one's strengths or another's weaknesses in a manner that degrades another.
|
rub off on »
To adapt to a way of behaving after constant exposure to it.
|
rub out »
By rubbing.
|
rub out »
To kill.
|
rub out »
delete, erase
|
rub salt in the wound »
To make an injury feel worse.
|
rub somebody the wrong way »
To bother, disturb, irritate, or annoy.
|
rub up against »
To touch something with one's body.
|
rub up against »
To touch another person with one's body in a sexually stimulating manner.
|
rub up against »
Of pets. To touch a person's body in a friendly manner, seeking attention.
|
rubber-chicken dinner »
A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.
|
rubbish dump »
tip
|
ruffle some feathers »
To disturb; to arouse resentment, anger, or concern.
|
rugby league »
sport
|
rule of thumb »
A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.
|
rule out »
To cross an item out by drawing a straight line through it, as with a ruler.
|
rule out »
To reject an option from a list of possibilities.
|
rule out »
To make something impossible.
|
rule with an iron fist »
To rule with absolute authority or to the detriment of the people. To rule tyrannically.
|
rules are made to be broken »
it is acceptable to break rules.
|
rules OK »
To be popularly accepted, or supported by the general majority of people.
|
rum go »
An odd affair; a surprising event; a confusing experience; a queer thing.
|
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.
|
rumor mill »
A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.
|
run a bath »
To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.
|
run a mile »
To escape, flee or leave a situation or relationship, usually as a result of a shocking or sudden announcement or revelation.
|
run about »
To be very busy doing many different things.
|
run across »
To cross by running.
|
run across »
To find or discover by chance.
|
run afoul of »
To become entangled in; to run aground on.
|
run afoul of »
To contravene.
|
run after »
To chase.
|
run after »
To make a determined effort to win someone's affections.
|
run along »
To leave.
|
run around »
To be very busy doing many different things.
|
run around after »
To spend a lot of time doing things for another person or group of people. Often used when that person could reasonably do the things for themselves.
|
run around with »
To spend a lot of time with a person or group of people. Often used to talk about a person's group of friends that one does not like much.
|
run away »
To flee by running.
|
run away »
To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile.
|
run away »
escape
|
run away with »
To leave secretly with another person. Usually with the intention of getting married or of living together against the wishes of the family.
|
run away with »
To be misled by imagining that one's desires can come true.
|
run back »
To take someone home by car. Give someone a lift to their house.
|
run back »
To rewind a film or cassette.
|
run by »
To inform someone briefly of the main points of an idea.
|
run by »
To repeat some information.
|
run down »
To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.
|
run down »
To criticize someone or an organisation, often unfairly.
|
run down »
To find something or someone after searching for a long time.
|
run down »
To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device.
|
run down »
To read quickly a list or other short text.
|
run down »
To reduce the size or stock levels of a business, often with a view to closure.
|
run for »
To try to obtain political position through the democratic voting process.
|
run for office »
To seek political power.
|
run for one's money »
A difficult challenge for the person indicated, especially one involving a competitive situation.
|
run for one's money »
A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation.
|
run for the hills »
Flee.
|
run for the roses »
A college football game or series of games played with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the championship Rose Bowl game.
|
run for the roses »
A hard-fought competition or demanding challenge of any kind.
|
run for the roses »
Nickname for the Kentucky Derby horse race.
|
run hot and cold »
To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure.
|
run in »
Alternative spelling of run-in.
|
run in »
argument
|
run in »
arrest
|
run into »
To enter by running.
|
run into »
To collide with.
|
run into »
To cause to collide with.
|
run into »
To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.
|
run into »
To cause to blend into.
|
run into »
To reach a large figure.
|
run into the ground »
To discuss ad nauseam.
|
run into the ground »
To mismanage to the point of ruin.
|
run into the ground »
To wear out, especially through excessive use.
|
run off »
To flee or depart quickly.
|
run off »
To make photocopies, or print.
|
run off »
To write something quickly.
|
run off »
To pour or spill off or over.
|
run off »
To leave someone without prior advice.
|
run off »
To chase someone away.
|
run off »
To operate by a particular energy source.
|
run off with »
To leave with someone with the intention of living with them or marrying them. Usually in secret because other people think it is wrong.
|
run off with »
To steal or abscond.
|
run on »
To continue without interruption.
|
run on »
To continue talking for a long time.
|
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 oneself ragged »
To work or exert oneself to the point of exhaustion.
|
run out »
Alternative spelling of runout.
|
run out of steam »
To run out of energy; to run out of motivation.
|
run out on »
To leave a partner suddenly and without prior warning.
|
run out the clock »
To preserve a lead in a game by retaining possession, to waste time.
|
run over »
To exceed the allotted time.
|
run over »
To cross by running.
|
run over »
To drive over, causing injury or death.
|
run over »
To briefly describe.
|
run over »
To practice quickly, briefly.
|
run over »
To overflow.
|
run over »
to rehearse
|
run rampant »
To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.
|
run roughshod over »
To treat roughly or without care, respect, or moderation; to act without control; to damage.
|
run scared »
To try everything to avoid defeat.
|
run somebody ragged »
To exhaust; to demand excessive effort or work from somebody.
|
run something by »
To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.
|
run something past »
To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.
|
run something up the flagpole »
To float an idea that one suspects might be controversial.
|
run the gamut »
To encompass the full range or variety possible.
|
run through »
To go through by running.
|
run through »
To briefly summarise.
|
run through »
To repeat something.
|
run through »
To use completely, in a short space of time. Usually money.
|
run through »
To pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a group, organisation, or system.
|
run through »
To impale a person with a blade, usually a sword.
|
run to »
To reach a particular maximum amount, size, value, etc.
|
run to »
To reach the limit of one's abilities or tastes.
|
run up »
Of a bowler, to run, or walk up to the bowling crease in order to bowl a ball.
|
run up »
To bring a flag to the top of it's flag pole.
|
run up »
To make something, usually an item of clothing, very quickly.
|
run up »
To accumulate a debt.
|
run up against »
Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.
|
run-of-the-mill »
Ordinary; not special.
|
runner up »
second-placed competitor
|
running on empty »
Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.
|
rush hour »
The times of the day when traffic jams are commonplace, due mainly to people commuting to or from work.
|
rush hour »
busy travel period
|
rustle up »
To quickly prepare something.
|
scrimp and save »
To scrimp greatly; to economize; to live very frugally, particularly when saving for something.
|
see a man »
A bland euphemism to conceal one's true purpose.
|
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.
|
set back »
To delay or obstruct.
|
set of pipes »
A wind instrument incorporating multiple pipes, such as a panpipe or bagpipe.
|
set straight »
To correct; to make right or true.
|
short leash »
Forcing one to function within a strict set of rules, or under great scrutiny or oversight.
|
shot in the arm »
A shot of drug in the arm, to get on a high.
|
show one's true colors »
To reveal how one really is, as opposed to how one has been portrayed.
|
shrug off »
To ignore or disregard; to be indifferent.
|
sick puppy »
In a morbid or gruesome way.
|
slow burn »
A gradually increasing feeling of anger or frustration.
|
smallpox blanket »
An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.
|
snake oil »
A fraudulent, ineffective potion or nostrum; panacea.
|
snipe hunt »
A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.
|
snug as a bug in a rug »
Very cosy and comfortable.
|
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.
|
socialized medicine »
An umbrella term for any system of government-run health care.
|
soft sawder »
"How the old boy swallowed my soft sawder and Brummagem notes!" —Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man.
|
song and dance »
An excessively complex set of instructions.
|
sort out »
To separate from the remainder of a group; often construed with from.
|
space out »
To stupefy, intoxicate, disorient, or lose attention or focus, especially by the use of drugs.
|
speak with a forked tongue »
To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.
|
spit the dummy »
To a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner.
|
spruce up »
To dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and neatly.
|
spruce up »
To refresh, revamp; to freshen or improve something, especially its appearance.
|
squaring the circle »
The historical problem of how to construct, using compass and ruler, a square having the same area as a given circle.
|
stat whore »
Through unscrupulous or tacky means.
|
stave in »
To stave from the outside, to crush inward, to cause to collapse inward.
|
stick out »
To protrude; to extend beyond.
|
stick out »
To be prominent, noticeable, or obtrusive.
|
sticking at nothing »
Being ruthless
|
sticking point »
A disputed issue or state of affairs that causes an interruption or outright impasse in progress towards some goal or resolution, especially in negotiation or argumentation.
|
still water runs deep »
A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect
|
still waters run deep »
A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect.
|
stop press »
The event or news article important enough to delay or interrupt the print, or require a reprint, of a publication, particularly of a newspaper edition.
|
stretch the truth »
To exaggerate, often to the point where the truth is obscured or lost.
|
strut one's stuff »
To behave, or to perform in a showy or ostentatious manner, especially in a way to impress others; to show off.
|
stuff up »
To ruin.
|
swear by »
To wholeheartedly trust.
|
swing for the fences »
To swing at the ball as hard as possible, with the aim of getting a home run, increasing the chance of missing the ball.
|
take a powder »
To leave in a hurry; run away; scram; depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with a connotation of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.
|
take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »
If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,
|
take down »
To remove a temporary structure such as scaffolding.
|
take for granted »
To assume something to be true without verification or proof.
|
take its toll »
To affect, especially negatively; to damage or degrade; to cause destruction.
|
take out the trash »
To remove rubbish from a place.
|
take the heat »
To take the blame; to be the focus of anger or scrutiny; to take the consequences.
|
take to one's heels »
To leave; especially, to flee or run away.
|
take to the hills »
To flee or vanish; to run away.
|
taking to ones heels »
running away
|
talk through one's hat »
To assert something as true or valid; to bluff.
|
tar with the same brush »
To characterize using the same undesirable attribute, especially unjustly.
|
tartufo »
Truffle.
|
tell off »
To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.
|
tell the truth »
To speak frankly.
|
tell you the truth »
Used to positively assert the frank honesty of an associated statement of set of statements; equivalent to "to you tell the truth".
|
that does it »
Expression of annoyance or frustration; indicates that one has reached the limit of one's patience or temper.
|
that's the way life is »
That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.
|
that's the way the cookie crumbles »
That is the way things happen; that's life.
|
the course of true love never did run smooth »
There will always be problems in a relationship.
|
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 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 map is not the territory »
Our models of the world, and our sensations of the world, are not the true world.
|
the terrorists will have won »
Phrase used following a description of an activity to indicate that if that activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, an which is an unacceptable result.
|
them's the facts »
That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.
|
there is an exception to every rule »
Usually said in a situation when the rule is incorrect and unusable.
|
there is nothing new under the sun »
There is nothing truly novel in existence. Every new idea has some sort of precedent or echo from the past.
|
three sheets to the wind »
Drunk.
|
throw dirt enough, and some will stick »
If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say
|
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 one's toys out of the pram »
To lose one's temper; to throw a tantrum.
|
tick over »
To run smoothly and without problems.
|
time of the month »
The time when a woman is menstruating.
|
tired and emotional »
Drunk.
|
to tell the truth »
An attestation to the truthfulness and frankness of an associated statement.
|
to the letter »
Literally, exactly, to follow the rules as they're written.
|
to thine own self be true »
The easiest person to deceive is oneself."This above all:to thine own self be true,and it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man." -William Shakespeare
|
toe the line »
To abide by the rules or conventions.
|
tomorrow is another day »
Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed
|
tone down »
To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.
|
too many cooks spoil the broth »
If too many people try to take charge at a task, the end product might be ruined.
|
touch judge »
rugby official
|
touch of the tar brush »
Of South Asian or Afro-Caribbean in their background and/or in their appearance.
|
touch%C3%A9 »
Used in a conversation or debate to concede a point as true, often in response to a successful counter of one's own logic.
|
trailer trash »
Deleted from the movie trailer. Not included in theatrical run.
|
tried and true »
Well-established and tested; known to work or succeed based on extensive experience.
|
trip balls »
Experiencing severe drug-induced hallucinatory trip.
|
trip out »
To hallucinate as a result of drugs.
|
true believer »
A strict follower of a religious doctrine.
|
true blue »
Indubitably loyal or faithful.
|
trump up »
Heavily publicise, promote or market a product.
|
truth be told »
Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.
|
truth will out »
A mystery will always be solved, or a truth will always be discoveredTruth will eventually and inevitably be discovered.
|
tune in, turn on, drop out »
Pay attention to the new way of living; take drugs; abandon the established ways.
|
turn tail »
To flee; to run away; to leave.
|
twatfaced »
F**ed, pissed, drunk as a skunk.
|
two-second rule »
A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.
|
under the influence »
Drunk; intoxicated; affected by alcohol.
|
under the microscope »
Under close scrutiny or examination.
|
university of life »
The real world as a source of instruction, as opposed to a formal education.
|
up front »
Open, honest; tending to disclose information; truthful.
|
uphill battle »
difficult struggle
|
upper crust »
The social elite.
|
upper crust »
The topmost layer of a bread, pastry dish, or other item with a hardened coating.
|
variable tandem repeat locus »
Any DNA sequence that exists in multiple copies strung together in various tandem lengths.
|
vouch for »
To affirm the truth or reliability of.
|
wade in »
To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.
|
wake up on the wrong side of bed »
To feel grumpy, irritable; to be easily annoyed.
|
walk in on »
To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.
|
warm fuzzy »
A good impression; a feeling of comfort or trust.
|
wash over »
Of open water. To surge over the banks, or other retaining structure.
|
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.
|
wild-goose chase »
A futile search, a fruitless errand; a useless and often lengthy pursuit.
|
win over »
To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.
|
winkle out »
Tom managed to winkle the truth out of John eventually.
|
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.
|
wishful thinking »
The illusion that what one would like is actually true.
|
word on the street »
The rumour or news going around on the street.
|
word on the wire »
The rumour or news going around on the Internet, in business, on the street, or in social circles.
|
worse for wear »
Drunk.
|
wouldn't shout if a shark bit him »
Frugal, miserly.
|
wreak havoc »
To cause damage, disruption, or destruction.
|
wreck havoc »
cause destruction
|
wring out »
To force someone to give something, usually truth, or money.
|
you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar »
It's easier to persuade others with polite requests and a positive attitude than with rude demands and negativity.
|
you can hang your hat on that »
It's something to put faith in, to rely upon or trust (when used in a positive connotation).
|
you can say that again »
That is very true.
|
you can't run with the hare and hunt with the hounds »
You can't have it both ways.
|
yours truly »
A closing in a note or letter.
|
yours truly »
myself
|
| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
[