all cats are grey in the dark »
In the dark, physical appearance is unimportant.
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all well and good »
Basically good, but with some shortcoming or limitation.
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an apple a day keeps the doctor away »
Apples are healthy and stave off illness.Eat healthy and you won't get sick.
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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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banged up »
Physically injured or wounded.
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bash about »
To physically damage something or assault someone.
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bash up »
To assault someone with the intention of causing physical injury.
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birds of the feather flock together »
People who are alike physically tend to congregate and socialize together, despite government efforts at forced integration.
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blow this popsicle stand »
To leave an establishment speedily.
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blue note »
Notes added to the major scale for expressive quality in jazz and blues music, particularly the flatted third, fifth and seventh.
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boot camp »
Indoctrination, physical fitness training and basic instruction in service-related subjects for recruits in the Navy and Marine Corps.
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business end »
The part of a tool or other similar item, that is physically used for its operation, rather than the part which is held.
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carry a tune »
To produce music, especially to sing, with accurate pitch.
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chalkface »
A musical concept or genre in which music is completely improvised and never played twice. Most often mixing elements of hip-hop, metal, punk and avant-garde jazz.
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che sera sera »
Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1604, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus:Why then belike we must sin, / And so consequently die. / Aye, we must die an everlasting death. / What doctrine call you this ? Che, sera, sera: / What will be*, shall be; Divinity adieu. / These Metaphysics of Magicians, / And necromantic books, are heavenly.
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clean someone's clock »
To defeat decisively, in a physical fight or other competition or negotiation.
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clear cut »
Straightforward, obvious, simple, or basic.
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come down to »
To depend upon, basically, ultimately or in essence.
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cross paths »
To be, by chance, in the same physical place at the same time, as a result of two completely separate journeys.
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cross the aisle »
Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.
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cross the floor »
Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.
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cry the blues »
To sing in the style of blues music.
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draw out »
To physically extract, as blood from a vein.
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dry eye »
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca , an eye disease caused by decreased tear production.
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earn one's keep »
To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.
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elbow grease »
Effort or hard work, especially physical work involving repeated motion of the forearm, such as scrubbing.
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eye candy »
A very attractive person or persons, or the salient visible physical attributes of same.
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face the music »
To accept or confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.
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face to face »
In person; directly; in the physical presence of somebody.
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firm up »
To make muscles more toned through physical exercise.
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flat-footed »
Having the specific physical condition of flat feet.
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flesh out »
To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.
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fool's errand »
A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.
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frog in one's throat »
Any temporary physical difficulty in speaking.
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from the ground up »
From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals.
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get a handle on »
To build or acquire a basic level of understanding or control.
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get the drift »
To understand, at least at some basic or general level.
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gross out »
To sicken.
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ground rules »
The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.
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grow out of »
To become too physically large for something, especially clothes.
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gut feeling »
An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.
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hold somebody's hand »
To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.
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hot mess »
Refers to a person, thing, or situation in such a state of disarray or disapproval by peers, often in reference to physical appearance, perceived to be disastrously embarrassing, pitiful, or beyond repair.
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in shape »
In a good state of physical fitness or bodily appearance.
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jack in »
To insert an electronic coupling into a receptacle; to connect to something, whether involving a physical medium or not.
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kick down »
To break or demolish something by physical bodily force.
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lay the groundwork »
To create a foundation; to provide the basics or fundamentals.
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long absent, soon forgotten »
Love fades away when people are distant and don't keep close physical contact.
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lower the boom »
To use one's superior physical strength; clobber.
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map out »
To organise the basic plan for a project.
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middle of the road »
Of a type of melodic popular music that has wide appeal.
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mind over matter »
Willpower alone can overcome a physical problem.
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mix it up »
To compete vigorously, to quarrel, or to fight physically.
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music to one's ear »
Some unexpected good news; a favorable outcome after some initial confusion or delay.
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no frills »
Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.
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nuts and bolts »
The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.
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off balance »
Not physical balanced; not having physical equilibrium.
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on its merits »
Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.
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one-hit wonder »
A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.
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one-man band »
A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.
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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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open a can of whoop ass »
A good-humored threat of physical harm.
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physical break »
A short break in a meeting or in a classroom setting, intended to improve attention.
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pickin' and grinnin' »
Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.
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power chord »
A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power chords make extensive use of intervals such as open fourths and fifths.
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put on »
To play recorded music.
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quantum mechanics »
The branch of physics which studies matter and energy at the level of atoms and other elementary particles, and substitutes probabilistic mechanisms for classical Newtonian ones.
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roach coach »
Whimsically, a catering or food truck.
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scream »
A form of singing associated with the metal and screamo styles of music. It is a loud, rough, distorted version of the voice; rather than the normal voice of the singer.
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sea legs »
Ability to travel by ship without becoming seasick.
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set up shop »
To physically arrange a shop or workplace.
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settle someone's hash »
To physically or verbally subdue someone.
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sexual enjoyment »
Sexual intercourse that produces physical and psychological pleasure.
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sexual tension »
Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.
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shuffle »
A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.
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sick joke »
A joke which is in poor taste, especially one which depicts as amusing a situation which the listener considers to be tragic or disgusting.
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sick puppy »
In a morbid or gruesome way.
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sing soprano »
To perform vocal music in a higher pitch than alto.
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some people »
Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.
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sort out »
To attack physically.
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square meal »
A satisfying meal, especially suitable for one performing physical labor.
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strike up »
To start something, usually playing live music.
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sweat »
Fluid that exits the body through pores in the skin usually due to physical stress and/or high temperature for the purpose of regulating body temperature and removing certain compounds from the circulation.
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take one's lumps »
To receive physical abuse and to survive.
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tempus fugit »
time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.
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the apple doesn't fall far from the tree »
A child grows up to be very similar to its parents in the way they act and in their physical abilities.
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the bends »
decompression sickness
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three Rs »
The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.
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three Rs »
The basic education received in primary schools. Literally; reading, writing and arithmetic.
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three Rs »
The basic precepts of any subject matter.
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throw a sickie »
To take a day off from work, supposedly because of ill health. The illness could be either real or feigned.
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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
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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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tin ear »
Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.
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touchy-feely »
Having a fondness for physical contact with other people, especially to an excessive degree.
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tough cookie »
A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person.
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under pressure »
Being subjected to physical pressure.
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urban fabric »
The physical aspect of urbanism, emphasizing building types, thoroughfares, open space, frontages, and streetscapes; while excluding without prejudice to this useful term, environmental, functional, economic and sociocultural aspects.
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wear down »
To cause physical or mental fatigue.
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when it's at home »
Plainly; in plain English; when it comes down to it; at it's most basic level.
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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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wipe out »
To physically erase something written.
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work at »
To make a physical or mental effort to progress some specified task.
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work out »
To do exercises, especially physical.
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work over »
To physically attack someone to cause them injury.
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worse for wear »
In poor physical condition due to long or heavy use.
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