a man's home is his castle »
(US) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security
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ace in the hole »
A hidden or secret strength, or unrevealed advantage.
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across the board »
A racing bet where one bets that the same competitor will place in first, second and third.
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an Englishman's home is his castle »
(UK) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security
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back burner »
A section of a stove used to keep some pots warm while one focuses on others.
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back up »
As a security measure.
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bail out »
To secure the release of an arrested person by providing bail money.
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be in on »
To be a party to a secret shared by a small group of people.
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behind somebody's back »
Without somebody's knowledge; secretly.
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behind the scenes »
In secret; out of public view.
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bird in the bosom »
A secret pledge that one makes for another.
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bit on the side »
Secondary lover, mistress.
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bottom of the ninth »
In baseball, the second part of the ninth and final inning. The end of the game.
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breathe easy »
To relax or feel secure about something.
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brickbat »
For example, it's quite common for magazines to have a section called Bouquets and Brickbats for compliments and criticisms.
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bury the lead »
To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.
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bury the lede »
To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.
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carry a torch for »
[2] To harbor feelings of love despite not being in a relationship; generally unrequited or after a relationship has ended, and sometimes implying secret feelings. There is the implication of keeping hope alive.
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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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cast off »
To finish the last row of knitted stitches and remove them securely from the needle.
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clout list »
A usually secret list containing the names of people who are to be given special access, benefits, or influence in a political or social situation, especially as a result of having personal, professional, or financial relationships with those in authority.
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come out of the closet »
To tell others about homosexuality, bisexuality or any minority or disapproved-of belief, preference, etc., where previously this had been kept secret.
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cry for help »
In her second year at the school Alexis stopped doing her homework and would often scribble on walls. Her teachers wondered whether this was a cry for help, or if she was simply misbehaving.
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dictated but not read »
Dictated, as to a secretary or stenographer, but not proofread by the person who dictated the text so annotated.
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dirty laundry »
Unflattering facts or questionable activities that one wants to remain secret, but which some other may use to blackmail with.
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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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does Macy's tell Gimbel's »
(US, dated, colloquial, rhetorical question) A rhetorical question with the implied answer being that competitors do not share business secrets with one another.
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double up »
To have a secondary use.
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drain the swamp when up to one's neck in alligators »
(idiomatic) When performing a long and complex task, and when you've gotten utterly immersed in secondary and tertiary unexpected tangential subtasks, it's easy to lose sight of the initial objective. This sort of distraction can be particularly problematic if the all-consuming subtask or sub-subtask is not, after all, particularly vital to the original, primary goal, but ends up sucking up time and resources (out of all proportion to its actual importance) only because it seems so urgent.
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first loser »
Second place.
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first loser »
The second place finisher in auto racing competition.
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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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get in »
To secure membership at a selective school.
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get one's hands on »
To get; to obtain; to secure.
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go mad »
Used to indicate that the second verb represents an action that is out of character.
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have second thoughts »
To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.
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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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hold the fort »
To maintain a secure position.
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honey trap »
The use of a seductive woman to entice a man into revealing secret information.
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hot lunch »
A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.
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in bed with »
Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.
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it's all grist to the mill »
Everything referred to in the present context has some sort of use.1999, Simon Blackburn, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press paperback, ISBN 0199690871), ch. 7 section 6: "Kant
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jump the gun »
To trade securities based on information that is not yet public; to trade on inside information.
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keep a lid on »
To keep something secret.
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keep mum »
Do not talk; especially keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.
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keep one's lips sealed »
To keep quiet; to keep a secret; to not tell.
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keep one's mouth shut »
To keep a secret; to refrain from speaking indiscreetly or carelessly.
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keep quiet »
To refrain from talking about something; to keep a secret.
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keep shtum »
Don't tell anyone; especially, keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.
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knock-on effect »
A secondary, often unintended effect.
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leaf through »
Rapidly reading short sections at random.
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let in on »
To tell someone a secret.
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let slip »
To divulge a secret, as by accident or mistake.
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let somebody in on »
To disclose; to tell somebody a secret or share privileged information.
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let the cat out of the bag »
To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.
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listen in »
To eavesdrop; to listen secretly.
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lock up »
To close all doors and windows of a place securely.
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mind the store »
To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.
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mum's the word »
The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged.
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murder will out »
Secrets or hidden crimes will eventually be exposed or discovered.
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nightcap »
The second game of a doubleheader.
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off the beaten path »
In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.
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on board »
Even when I am on board the plane, I can never feel secure that my luggage is, too.
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on second thought »
After reconsidering; on further consideration.
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on the bounce »
Consecutively, in succession.
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on the make »
Actively seeking an opportunity for self-advancement; eager to ingratiate oneself to others in order to secure some advantage.
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on the sly »
Slyly, in an inconspicuous manner, so as not to be seen; secretly; stealthily.
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one thousand »
Used in a common chronometric counting scheme, in which each iteration is sequentially numbered and supposed to be approximately one second in length.
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out of the way »
Remote or secluded.
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pin down »
To attach or secure with pins.
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play second fiddle »
To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.
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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.
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rex-pat »
A repeat expatriate, one who becomes ex-patriated a second time.
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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.
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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.
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runner up »
second-placed competitor
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second banana »
A comedian who plays a secondary or supporting role, especially as straight man and traditionally in vaudeville or burlesque theatre.
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second banana »
A person who serves in a supporting, secondary, or subsidiary capacity; an assistant.
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second childhood »
A childlike state in any adult, resulting from mental illness, trauma, or other conditions.
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second childhood »
The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.
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second fiddle »
A fiddle part in harmony to the first fiddle.
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second fiddle »
A sidekick or subordinate, or the role of such a person.
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second fiddle »
The person playing second fiddle.
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second hand »
used
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second nature »
A mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.
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second sight »
clairvoyance
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second string »
In sports, a unit of players that plays behind the first string.
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second string »
Not as good; of a lower quality or condition.
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second-guess »
Presumably from trying to guess with second sight.
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second-guess »
Presumably from trying to improve with a second stab.
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secret agent »
spy
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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.
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shoot off at the mouth »
Don't let [presidential press secretary Ron] Ziegler shoot off at the mouth without our knowledge.
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shoot off at the mouth »
To disclose some information that was supposed to be secret.
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sign in »
In order to get into the office after hours, you'll have to sign in at the security desk.
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sign in »
To take some action to access a secured program or web page on a computer; to log in.
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spill one's guts »
To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.
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spill the beans »
To reveal a secret; to disclose.
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spy on »
To secretly watch; to surveil.
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steal away »
To leave secretively.
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take a back seat »
To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.
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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,
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then again »
From another point of view; on the other hand; on second thought.
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third string »
A unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.
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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
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thumb a ride »
To flag or signal a passing vehicle in hopes of securing passage.
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thumb a ride »
To secure a ride by flagging down a vehicle.
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tie up »
To secure with rope, string, etc.
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tiger team »
A specialized group tasked with testing the effectiveness of an organization's ability to protect assets by attempting to circumvent, defeat or otherwise thwart that organization's internal and external security.
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tip one's hand »
To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage.
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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.
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under one's hat »
Concealed; confidential; secret.
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under the radar »
Without attracting notice; in an undetected or secretive manner.
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under the table »
Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.
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under wraps »
Secret or hidden.
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venus flytrap »
insect-eating plant
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walk the line »
To mark or secure a boundary by walking along it.
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when the shit hits the fan »
A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.
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wrap up »
To fold and secure something to be the cover or protection for something.
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