answer for »
To be held responsible for.
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apple does not fall far from the tree »
A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, both in behavior and in physical characteristics.1842, E. A. Freidlaender (translator), Frederika Bremer (author), The Neighbours, ch. 10:It is impossible to look at Madam Rhen, without at once making the conclusion that she is pleasantness, hospitality, and loquacity itself; nor can one look upon her daughter Renetta without thinking, "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"1978, Dr. Isador Rosenfeld, "Doctor Asks Patient
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as best one can »
In the best possible way, given the circumstances.
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asleep at the switch »
Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity.
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assume the mantle »
To take on a specific role or position, along with any associated responsibilites.
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at the top of one's lungs »
Possible.
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bad egg »
Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.
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bad taste in one's mouth »
A feeling of guilt, responsibility, or embarrassment as to cause nausea.
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be left holding the baby »
To be left with the responsibility of resolving a problem.
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be the way to go »
Represent the best of all possible options or courses of action; pre-eminate over all other choices or alternatives.
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better an egg today than a hen tomorrow »
It is better to have a sure thing now than a possibility of more later.
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black-on-black »
Something that is invisible or intentionally obfuscated, such as warnings or fine print.
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blame Canada »
A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.
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bluewash »
To tout a business or organization's commitment to social responsibility, and to use this perception for public relations and economic gain; to present a humanitarian front in this manner.
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brain-dead »
Having an irreversible loss of brain function and cessation of brain activity.
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bridge »
A statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.
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bring out »
To cause a visible symptom such as spots or a rash.
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broad shoulders »
The ability to take criticism, or accept responsibility.
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but then »
Then again, on the other hand; used to show that the opposite viewpoint is possible.
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by hook or by crook »
By any means possible; one way or another.
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camel through the eye of a needle »
Hyperbole to illustrate that something is almost impossible to do or to happen.
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carry the can »
To take responsibility, especially in a challenging situation.
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castle in the air »
A visionary project or scheme; a day-dream; an idle fancy; a pipe dream; any plan, desire, or idea that is unlikely to be ever realized; a near impossibility.
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catch flies »
An ostensible product of awkwardly having one's mouth open wide.
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catch-as-catch-can »
Intermittent; only when possible or when the opportunity presents itself.
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chase a rainbow »
To pursue something illusory, impractical, or impossible.
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cherry-pick »
To pick out the best, or most desirable items from a list or group, especially to obtain some advantage or to present something in the best possible light.
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closed book »
A person or thing that cannot be easily understood; someone or something incomprehensible or puzzling.
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cross the Rubicon »
To make an irreversible decision or to take an action with consequences.
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cut it fine »
To achieve something at the last possible moment, or with no margin for error.
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dead set against »
Completely opposed, with no possibility of a change of mind.
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dead to rights »
With sufficient evidence to establish responsibility definitively.
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do one's damnedest »
To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.
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do one's darnedest »
To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.
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double Dutch »
Incomprehensible language.
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drop the ball »
To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.
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eye candy »
A very attractive person or persons, or the salient visible physical attributes of same.
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factotum »
A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.
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fair game »
Actions permissible by the rules.
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fall on one's sword »
To resign from a job or other position of responsibility, especially when pressured to do so.
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fight tooth and nail »
To use every means possible to overcome a difficult opposition.
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fire on all cylinders »
To operate as effectively as possible.
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footloose and fancy free »
Able to do as one pleases, unconstrained by social ties or responsibilities.
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fourth wall »
The imaginary invisible wall at the front of the stage in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play.
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full tilt »
As quickly as possible; very rapidly.
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get out of Dodge »
To leave; in particular to leave a difficult or dangerous environment with all possible haste.
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give 110%25 »
Make the maximum possible effort.
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give it one's best shot »
To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.
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glimmer »
A faint or remote possibility.
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go all out »
To reserve nothing; to put forth all possible effort or resources.
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go for broke »
To try everything possible or do last thing possible in a final attempt.
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go the whole hog »
To do something as entirely or completely as possible; to reserve or hold back nothing.
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goose is cooked »
All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success.
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grab bag »
Any random assortment, selection or possibility.
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hand in »
To give something to a responsible person.
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hard pressed »
Having or likely to have difficulty or to find a task almost impossible.
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hen's teeth »
Anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen’s teeth.
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hold the fort »
To assume responsibility, especially in another’s absence..
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in broad daylight »
In a blatant and publicly visible manner.
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in evidence »
Visibly present; noticeable.
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in one's right mind »
Sane, sensible, reasonable; thinking clearly.
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in the nick of time »
At the last possible moment; at the last minute.
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keep an eye open »
To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.
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leave somebody holding the bag »
To abandon somebody, leaving the responsibility or blame.
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level-headed »
Sensible; rational; possessing sound judgment.
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lift a finger »
To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.
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live by the sword, die by the sword »
One who uses violence can expect a violent response. It is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible.(figuratively) One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey poetic justice.
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lone gunman »
An individual person who acts on his or her own initiative, without partners, especially one who has sole responsibility for doing something questionable, confidential, or iniquitous.
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make the cut »
To succeed; to be chosen out of a field of candidates or possibilities.
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make the most of »
To profit as much as possible from.
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man up »
To "be a man about it"; to do the things a good man is traditionally expected to do, such as: taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; displaying bravery or toughness in the face of adversity; providing for one's family, etc.
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meatball surgery »
A nickname for surgery that is meant to be performed rapidly to stabilize the patient as quickly as possible.
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mind the store »
To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.
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more equal »
Ostensibly equal, but in reality more privileged.
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needle in a haystack »
Something that is difficult or impossible to locate; something impossibly complex or intractable.
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no two ways about it »
No other possible action, choice or option.
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non-starter »
An idea or argument that cannot be sensibly debated.
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not to put too fine a point on it »
Used to apologise for a possibly impolite statement one is making.
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number one with a bullet »
Superlative; impossible to beat.
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off the hook »
Relieved of a duty, burden, responsibility, or pressure.
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on one's hands »
Being one's liability or responsibility; with which one is lumbered.
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on one's watch »
During the period of time when one is in a position of authority or responsibility.
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one in the eye for »
An event or achievement which is unpleasant for someone, especially for those who considered it impossible or unwelcome; an annoyance.
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ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »
(biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.
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out of reach »
Inaccessible or unattainable.
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out of sight »
Not accessible to view.
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out of the question »
Impossible to even contemplate.
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pass the buck »
To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.
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pipe dream »
A plan, desire, or idea that will not likely work; a near impossibility.
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piss up a rope »
To engage in futile or impossible activity.
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play around »
To behave in a silly, or childish, or irresponsible way.
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play dumb »
To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.
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play hardball »
To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.
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play one's cards right »
To act sensibly; to make the right moves.
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play the race card »
To assert that race or racism is responsible for a course of events, especially when race is not of particular significance to the issue in question; to attempt to inspire a particular reaction by raising the issue of race.
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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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prove out »
To demonstrate the feasibility of.
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put one's best foot forward »
To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.
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red light »
Denial to proceed. Ruling out of any possibility.
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ring false »
To seem to be incorrect, or implausible.
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ring hollow »
To seem to be false or implausible; to be unconvincing.
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rock bottom »
The very lowest possible level.
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rule out »
To reject an option from a list of possibilities.
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rule out »
To make something impossible.
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run the gamut »
To encompass the full range or variety possible.
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scratch the surface »
To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.
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seeing is believing »
You need to see something to believe it; visible facts cannot be denied.
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shoot the moon »
To achieve the lowest score possible, such that the player is usually rewarded with bonus points.
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show up »
To make visible; to expose.
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slippery as an eel »
So slippery that it is almost impossible to hold with one's hands.
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smoking gun »
Evidence, particularly of a crime, that is difficult or impossible to dispute.
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sow one's wild oats »
To indulge in a period of irresponsible behavior, particularly sexually; Often used in reference to young adults or to the recently divorced.
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squaring the circle »
A hopeless or impossible task.
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stare someone in the face »
To be extremely visible and obvious.
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step up to the plate »
To initiate action; to assume a responsibility.
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success has many fathers, failure is an orphan »
Many will seek credit for success, few will accept responsibility for failure.
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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.
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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.
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take off »
To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.
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take on »
To assume responsibility for.
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take over »
To adopt a further responsibility or duty.
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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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the sky is the limit »
Nothing is impossible or out of reach
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the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »
(proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.
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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.
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throw the book at »
To apply the harshest possible punishment to.
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tip of the iceberg »
Only the beginning; just a small indication of a larger possibility; a problem is much bigger than it seems.
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to be the cat's whiskers »
To perform better than was generally supposed possible.
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to hand »
accessible
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to the gills »
Entirely or extremely; to the greatest degree possible.
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to the max »
To the maximum possible degree or extent.
|
trigger-happy »
Having a tendency or desire to shoot a firearm irresponsibly before adequately identifying the target.
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turn a hair »
To become afraid or visibly upset.
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under fire »
Criticized or held responsible for something.
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under one's nose »
Directly in front of one; clearly visible.
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unring a bell »
To perform the impossible.
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unring a bell »
To reverse the irreversible.
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up to eleven »
Beyond the maximum possible threshold.
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victory at sea »
Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.
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wash one's hands of »
To absolve oneself of responsibility or future blame for.
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whistle past the graveyard »
To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.
|
white hole »
A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.
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you can't always get what you want »
It is not always possible to get what is wanted.
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you can't get a quart into a pint pot »
What is being discussed is not possible.They've asked me to get to New York by five o'clock, but you can't get a quart into a pint pot!
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you can't judge a book by its cover »
It is not possible to make reliable judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.
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you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear »
It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.
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you can't take it with you »
It is not possible to take one's material wealth to whatever world may await one after death.1900, E. Phillips Oppenheim, A Millionaire of Yesterday, ch. 6:"The clause which
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you can't teach an old dog new tricks »
It is impossible, or almost impossible, to change people's habits or traits or mindset.
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you're never too old to learn »
It is possible to learn new things, at any age; (implying) follow your desires and dreams
|
your mileage may vary »
To express a possible difference in taste, "this is just my opinion, your opinion may be different".
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zoom in »
So as to make it larger and possibly more detailed.
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zoom out »
So as to make it smaller and possibly less detailed.
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| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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