a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »
even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point
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a nod is as good as a wink »
The hint, suggestion etc can be understood without further explaining.
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a picture is worth a thousand words »
Alternative form of a picture paints a thousand words.
|
a picture paints a thousand words »
A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description.1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album:If a picture paints a thousand wordsThen why can't I paint you;The words will never showThe you I've come to know.1989, Alan Kay, quoted in K?o-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, ISBN 9971506645, p. 9:Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, ISBN 1904788734, p. 52:See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!
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a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »
An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.
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all at once »
Unexpectedly; without warning; all of a sudden.
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all things being equal »
Without considering or being affected by external factors.
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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 if »
As though; in a manner suggesting.
|
at a moment's notice »
Immediately; instantaneously; without need of warning.
|
at the drop of a hat »
Without any hesitation; instantly.
|
bar none »
Without exception; excluding nothing else of the same kind.
|
barge in »
To intrude; to enter or interrupt suddenly and without invitation.
|
bash out »
To write something very quickly, without much thought.
|
bat a thousand »
To achieve perfection.
|
bat a thousand »
To achieve success at each attempt.
|
bat a thousand »
To reach first base on every at-bat.
|
behind somebody's back »
Without somebody's knowledge; secretly.
|
behind the counter »
Of drugs, dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription or other form of compliance.
|
black »
Without light.
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blurt out »
To say suddenly, without thinking.
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bone dry »
Completely dry; without any trace of moisture.
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born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »
Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.
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bounce back »
To recover from a negative without seemingly any damage.
|
brain fart »
A lapse in the thought process; an inability to think or remember something clearly.
|
brain-dead »
Having no useful thoughts; stupid; ditzy.
|
broad across the beam »
Without fat on the hips and the bottom.
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broad in the beam »
Without fat on the hips and the bottom.
|
bug out »
To abandon someone without warning.
|
built like a brick shithouse »
Exceptionally well constructed; strong or tough.
|
built like a brick shithouse »
Of a person, with an exceptionally well-developed chest.
|
by hand »
Manually; without the use of automation or machines.
|
by oneself »
Alone; without assistance, accompaniment, or help from others.
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carry the message to Garcia »
To perform a requisite task without having been informed specifically by what method to do so.
|
cat's cradle »
Any complicated structure which appears to be without purpose.
|
chew the cud »
To meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate.
|
collect one's thoughts »
To become mentally composed, especially after being distressed, surprised, or disoriented; to become calm or organized in one's emotional state or thinking, as in preparation for a conversation, speech, decision, etc.
|
come out of the woodwork »
To appear or emerge as though out of nowhere, frequently in large numbers or quantity.
|
come to mind »
To appear in one's thoughts.
|
company »
In non-legal context, any business, without respect to incorporation.
|
cookie-cutter »
A solution to a problem that can be applied in many situations without modification.
|
cry all the way to the bank »
To be happy due to the receipt of money, although expressing sorrow about the cause of such receipt.
|
dark horse »
A candidate who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice.
|
dead »
Completely inactive; without power; without a signal.
|
dead »
Without emotion.
|
dead »
Without interest to one of the senses; dull; flat.
|
deep thinker »
A person whose thoughts are profound; an intellectual.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
...heaves in a deep breath, gathers himself as though he's crossed a continent to deliver the message to Garcia.
|
die »
Followed by for. Often expressing wider contextual motivations, though sometimes indicating direct causes.
|
die »
Followed by from. General use, though somewhat more common in medical or scientific contexts.
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do without »
To manage despite the lack of something.
|
don't give up your day job »
Implying that they could not earn a living from it without other regular employment.
|
drag »
To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.
|
drag out »
To haul or bring out forcefully or as though with force.
|
drop a bomb »
To announce surprising or alarming information suddenly and without warning.
|
drop in »
One who arrives unannounced or without an appointment.
|
dummy up »
To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.
|
dust off »
To use something after a long time without it.
|
eat up »
To accept or believe entirely, immediately, and without questioning.
|
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,
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every last »
Every; without exception; used for emphasis.
|
fall into »
Without having planned it.
|
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 back of a lorry »
Of an item of merchandise, to come into a perons's possession without having been paid for; to have been acquired illegally.
|
flap one's gums »
To speak idly; to talk without effect.
|
free lunch »
Something obtained without any payment, obligation or effort.
|
fresh start »
A new beginning, without prejudices.
|
full of hot air »
Talking a lot, especially without saying anything of value or meaning.
|
full speed ahead »
Maximum effort without reservations or delay.
|
get along »
To be together or coexist well, without arguments or trouble.
|
get something over with »
To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.
|
give 'em enough rope »
Allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.
|
go apeshit »
To behave in an extreme manner; to act without restraint, especially by becoming explosively angry.
|
go by »
To pass, to go past, without much interaction.
|
go round in circles »
To repeatedly do the same thing; without making any progress.
|
go the distance »
To have the endurance to see a difficult sustained challenge to its natural end without faltering.
|
go to the mattresses »
To go to war; to use ruthless tactics; to act without restraint.
|
go without »
Be deprived of.
|
go without saying »
To be obvious, apparent or clear, or already established.
|
good turn »
A good deed; a thoughtful or selfless act.
|
gulp down »
To eat very quickly without chewing the food properly.
|
gut feeling »
An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.
|
gut reaction »
An instantaneous reaction made without thought.
|
hands down »
Without much effort; easily.
|
hands down »
Without question[2].
|
have second thoughts »
To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.
|
have someone by the short hairs »
To have someone in a difficult situation in which he or she is without alternatives and can be controlled.
|
hold that thought »
To pause in a conversation for an interruption.
|
hold that thought »
Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.
|
hothouse »
A heated greenhouse.
|
hothouse »
An environment in which growth or development is encouraged; a hotbed.
|
in a canter »
Without much effort; easily.
|
in black and white »
Explicitly, in writing, clearly and without doubt or misunderstanding, without any grey areas.
|
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,
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in no uncertain terms »
With great clarity, emphasis, or exactness; without any ambiguity.
|
in spades »
To excess, a lot, considerably; without restraint.
|
in stride »
Without disturbing one's course of activities.
|
in stride »
Without emotional upset.
|
in the dark »
Without information.
|
in the dark »
Without light; somewhere that is dark.
|
in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »
Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.
|
in two shakes »
Very quickly; without delay.
|
in vain »
Without success; ending in failure.
|
it's a long road that has no turning »
encouragement when things are not going well. Just as a long road eventually has a turning, problems also eventually have a solution, even though one might have to wait.
|
itchy trigger finger »
A tendency to act in haste or without consideration.
|
jump ship »
To depart a project without warning.
|
jump the gun »
To act or begin too soon or without due caution.
|
just like that »
Unexpectedly, without warning.
|
kangaroo court »
A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.
|
keep a weather eye open »
To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.
|
keep one's cards close to one's chest »
To avoid revealing one's thoughts, circumstances, or plans.
|
labor of love »
A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.
|
leave to one's own devices »
To leave alone, unsupervised, without assistance.
|
like water off a duck's back »
Without immediate or lasting effects.
|
listen in »
To listen without participating.
|
live in sin »
To cohabit as if man and wife without being married.
|
live paycheck to paycheck »
To spend all that one earns without saving anything.
|
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.
|
long ways, long lies »
Someone who comes back from a far-off country can tell lies without fear of being contradicted.
|
look daggers »
To stare sharply at someone to indicate disapproval without actually speaking.
|
make it do or do without »
If you don't have a lot of money, extend the life of what you have.
|
make light of »
To regard without due seriousness; to joke or disregard inappropriately.
|
morning person »
A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.
|
morning, noon and night »
Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.
|
naked as a jaybird »
Stark naked; nude; especially, naked in a public setting and without embarrassment.
|
no brainer »
Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.
|
no cover »
Without a cover charge.
|
no frills »
Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.
|
no glove, no love »
Without a condom, there will be no sex.
|
no holds barred »
Without reserve; in an especially ruthless or vicious manner.
|
no holds barred »
Without restrictions on holds or what opponents may do.
|
no ifs, ands, or buts »
Period; exactly so; without modification, limitation, or addendum.
|
no smoke without fire »
Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.
|
no strings attached »
Without conditions or obligations; without a catch.
|
not leave one's thoughts »
Said when one keeps thinking about something.
|
nuthouse »
A lunatic asylum.
|
off the top of one's head »
Without great thought or investigation; extemporaneous; natural; offhand.
|
off-the-cuff »
Extemporaneous; without prior preparation; impromptu.
|
off-the-shelf »
As purchased or as commonly available, without modification or customization.
|
on a whim »
Done without thinking seriously about the consequences.
|
on its merits »
Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.
|
on one's own »
Alone; by oneself; without the companionship or assistance of others.
|
on second thought »
After reconsidering; on further consideration.
|
on the spot »
Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.
|
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.
|
one-note »
Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.
|
open ended »
without definite limits
|
other days, other ways »
People of the past thought and acted differently.
|
out of the blue »
Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.
|
out of the box »
Immediately, without intervention from the customer.
|
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.
|
park that thought »
Alternative form of hold that thought.
|
pencil whip »
To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.
|
penny for your thoughts »
Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted.
|
play for love »
To play a game of cards without stakes.
|
play hookey »
To be absent without permission, especially from school.
|
play hooky »
To miss school, work, or other duties without permission or an excuse.
|
plus »
(literally) The more it changes, the more it's the same thing (sometimes loosely translated as the more things change, the more they stay the same).Although the outward appearance may change, fundamentals are constant.
|
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.
|
pop up »
To appear without warning.
|
power behind the throne »
Someone who appears to be without special status, but who has great covert influence on a person in authority.
|
preprogram »
To predispose to certain thoughts or behaviours.
|
pull oneself up by one's bootstraps »
To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only on one's own effort or abilities.
|
put by »
To perform an action without attracting attention.
|
put someone in mind of »
To remind someone of; to inspire a mental image or awareness of; to cause thoughts concerning.
|
quick-and-dirty »
Of or pertaining to the creation or repair of software or hardware in a manner which permits operation within a brief period of time, although with compromised functionality or reliability.
|
rag the puck »
To retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.
|
reckon without »
To ignore that which cannot readily be ignored.
|
rock up »
To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.
|
round down »
To the greatest integer that is not greater than it, or to some other lower value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.
|
round up »
To the smallest integer that is not less than it, or to some other greater value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.
|
run into »
To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.
|
run off »
To leave someone without prior advice.
|
run on »
To continue without interruption.
|
run out on »
To leave a partner suddenly and without prior warning.
|
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.
|
sea legs »
Ability to travel by ship without becoming seasick.
|
sea legs »
The ability, when walking aboard ship, to anticipate the motion of the deck so as to walk steadily without losing balance.
|
seat-of-the-pants »
Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.
|
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.
|
see a man about a horse »
A message signaling one needs to go missing for a short while, for any reason, without giving a real explanation.
|
serve somebody right »
To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.
|
shoot first and ask questions later »
To take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.
|
shoot off at the mouth »
Don't let [presidential press secretary Ron] Ziegler shoot off at the mouth without our knowledge.
|
shoot oneself in the foot »
To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.
|
short of »
Except; without resorting to; up to the point of.
|
shuffle »
An instance of walking without lifting one's feet.
|
skip out »
To shirk; to avoid attending or to leave early, especially without permission.
|
slippery as an eel »
So crafty, or cunning that they cannot be caught by the police, although it is known that they are acting illegally.
|
sneak off »
To leave a place, or a meeting, without being seen or heard.
|
sneak up »
To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.
|
sneak up on »
To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.
|
so far so good »
Up to this point, all is OK.Well, you've packed your bags for the holiday, bought your tickets, reserved the hotel and put the dog in kennels. So far so good, now let's get to Minorca without any troubles.
|
so-called »
Same as above, without the negative connotation.
|
speak one's mind »
To state one's thoughts or opinions honestly or frankly.
|
speak out »
To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known.
|
spring to mind »
To appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.
|
squint like a bag of nails »
To squint very much, as though one's eyes were directed as many ways as the points of a bag of nails.
|
stand on one's own two feet »
To be independent. To survive without any help.
|
suck it up »
To put up with something; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.
|
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 a shot in the dark »
To try on something without having any knowledge about the subject.
|
take down »
To lower an item of clothing without removing it.
|
take for granted »
To assume something to be true without verification or proof.
|
take it or leave it »
It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.
|
take lying down »
To endure without complaint or protest.
|
take over »
To appropriate something without permission.
|
take something in stride »
To cope with something without much effort; to accept or manage something well.
|
take up with »
To be contented to receive; to receive without opposition; to put up with.
|
talk down »
To speak condescendingly or as though the listener is inferior.
|
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.
|
then again »
From another point of view; on the other hand; on second thought.
|
thief in the night »
Something stealthy or that occurs without warning.
|
think twice »
To reconsider, use judgement; to proceed with caution or thought.
|
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 in at the deep end »
To introduce a person to a new situation without adequately preparing him or her.
|
throw money away »
To spend money foolishly or indiscriminately; to waste money without regard of the consequences.
|
throw shapes »
To act tough or put up a front. For example, to threaten a person by making "karate chops" at them, without actually doing harm or knowing karate.
|
throwing money away »
The act of spending money foolishly; wasting money without regard of the consequences.
|
tick over »
To run smoothly and without problems.
|
time and tide wait for no man »
action is necessary without delay
|
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
|
tooth and nail »
Viciously; with all one’s strength or power; without holding back..
|
touchy-feely »
Driven by intuition or emotion, with a connotation of de-emphasis of rational thought or logic.
|
tuppence worth »
One's opinion or thoughts.
|
twist in the wind »
To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.
|
two cents »
One's opinion or thoughts.
|
two penn%E2%80%99orth »
One's opinion or thoughts.
|
two pennies' worth »
One's opinion or thoughts.
|
under the radar »
Without attracting notice; in an undetected or secretive manner.
|
under the table »
Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.
|
up a creek without a paddle »
In a difficult situation, without any help. Superlative form of up a creek: most up a creek.
|
up shit creek without a paddle »
Alternative form of up the creek without a paddle.
|
up the creek without a paddle »
In a difficult situation with no means of rectifying it.
|
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.
|
wade in »
To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.
|
walk it off »
To deal with an negative emotional event without complaint; to take it like a man.
|
weather the storm »
To reach the end of a very difficult situation without too much harm or damage.
|
whistle Dixie »
To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.
|
whitewash »
A victory without reply.
|
willy nilly »
Without regard for consequences or the will of those affected.
|
window-shopping »
The browsing of shop windows without any intention of buying.
|
with no further ado »
Without any other formalities; with no further delay.
|
without fail »
Certainly; by all means; as a matter of importance.
|
without further ado »
With no further ado.
|
wolf down »
Quickly and without regard for table manners.
|
work around the clock »
To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.
|
yell silently »
To think very strong thoughts, that one wishes to yell out loud but does not.
|
you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »
In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.
|
you get what you pay for »
In commercial transactions, the quality of goods and services increases as the prices increase, i.e., the more one pays, the better the merchandise.2003, Michael Blumenthal, "For Whom the School Bell Tolls," Time, 7 Dec.:Though it may sound unapologetically capitalistic to say so
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