We've found 1613 phrases for UN (0.116 seconds):

a different ballpark »    Something totally unrelated or of a vastly different scale or scope.

a dime's worth »    An insignificant amount.

a few sandwiches short of a picnic »    Exhibiting disquiet or unsoundness of mind; not sane; mad.

a leopard cannot change its spots »    One cannot change one's own nature.1597, William Shakespeare, Richard II Act i, Scene 1 (First Folio):King. Lyons make Leopards tame.Mowbray. Yea but not change his ?pots.1611, King James Version of the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23:Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe Chapter 32:End now all unkindness. Let us put the Jew to ransom, since the leopard will not change his spots, and a Jew he will continue to be.1918, Johnston McCulley, Thubway Tham's Inthane Moment:The leopard cannot change his spots, old boy.

a nod is as good as a wink »    The hint, suggestion etc can be understood without further explaining.

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!

a pull of the hair for being unfair »    The general response to "A kick and a flick for being so quick", which is in turn a response in itself to "A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month".

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.

a stopped clock is right twice a day »    A normally unreliable person or instrument can occasionally provide correct information, even if only by accident.

abound in »    To have something in great numbers or quantities; to possess in such abundance as to be characterized by.

abound with »    To have something in great numbers or quantities; to possess in such abundance as to be characterized by.

account for »    To explain by relating circumstances; to show that some one, thing or members of a group are present or have been processed.

ace in the hole »    A hidden or secret strength, or unrevealed advantage.

ad fontes »    Go to the sources: An expression emphasizing the importance of conducting fundamental research and of consulting primary sources.

add up »    To accumulate; to amount to.

against all odds »    Despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability.

against the grain »    Unwillingly, reluctantly. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.

age before beauty »    A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones.

albatross »    A double eagle, or three under par on any one hole.

all and sundry »    All, everyone.

all and sundry »    Each one.

all at once »    Unexpectedly; without warning; all of a sudden.

all cats are grey in the dark »    In the dark, physical appearance is unimportant.

all over grumble »    Unsatisfactory.

all the way to Egery and back »    The long way; a roundabout route; a long distance to travel.

all told »    With everything included, counted or summed.

all wet »    Utterly incorrect; erroneous; uninformed.

all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy »    Too much focus on one's career is often viewed unfavorably.Too much hard work and not enough leisure time can be unhealthy.

all's fair in love and war »    unpleasant behavior is acceptable during love and conflict.

allow for »    To take into account when making plans.

almost doesn't count »    Near success (or correctness) is not deemed success (or correctness).

along about »    Approximately; at around some time.

also ran »    unplaced horse

am I right or am I right »    Rhetorical question from somebody who has stated what they consider to be an unassailable truth.

amateur hour »    A situation or activity in which the participants show a lack of skill, sound judgment, or professionalism.

an offer one can't refuse »    An offer from one side in any transaction with the results of failing to accept so unattractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.

and change »    And some quantity, but less than the increment to the next round number.

and counting »    Used to show that the number previously mentioned is continuously changing, i.e. increasing or decreasing.

and shit »    Used after a noun or list of nouns in place of "etc".

and then some »    Used to confirm preceding utterance, while implying that what was said or asked is an understatement.

apple does not fall far from the trunk »    Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.

ark ruffian »    Rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, etc. A species of badger.

around Robin Hood's barn »    All over the place.

around Robin Hood's barn »    The long way around; a roundabout or circuitous route.

around the bend »    Crazy, insane.

around the clock »    All the time or seemingly all the time; constantly.

around the corner »    Imminent.

arse over tit »    Tumbling; falling; upside-down; unstable or unbalanced.

as luck would have it »    As it happened; how it turned out; by good fortune; fortunately or luckily.

ask around »    To enquire about something to different people.

ask for it »    To provoke an unwanted action.

ask my arse »    A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.

ask round »    To enquire about something to different people.

ask round »    To invite someone to your house.

asleep at the switch »    Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity.

asphalt jungle »    A city or urban area, where the landscape is covered by pavement and the environment is alienating and unsafe.

at a loss for words »    Having nothing to say; stunned to the point of speechlessness.

at a stand »    In a state of confusion or uncertainty; undecided what to do next.

at bay »    Cornered; unable to flee.

at bay »    Unable to come closer; at a distance.

at cross-purposes »    Mutually misunderstanding each other's plans, intentions or meanings.

at heart »    In spirit; according to one's beliefs, views or feelings; deep down, really, fundamentally.

at loggerheads »    Unable to agree; opposing.

at loose ends »    In an uncertain position or situation.

at one with »    United with; in tune with.

at the high port »    At once; unhesitatingly; quickly and vigorously.

at the top of one's lungs »    Possible.

avoir du pois lay »    Stealing brass weights off the counters of shops.

back to the drawing board »    Back to the beginning following an unsuccessful attempt.

back up »    For the non-striker to take a few steps down the pitch, in preparation to taking a run, just as the bowler bowls the ball.

backseat driver »    By extension, anybody offering unsolicited or unwelcome advice.

bad for you »    Unhealthy.

bad luck »    ill-fortune

bad news »    News of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events.

bad penny »    A counterfeit or damaged penny.

bad penny »    A person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one which repeatedly appears at inopportune times.

badge bunny »    A woman who is romantically attracted to police officers and who seeks out their companionship.

baggage »    Heavy baggage; women and children. Also a familiar epithet for a woman; as, cunning baggage, wanton baggage, &c.

balance out »    To counteract one another so as to be balanced.

ball up »    To hunch over and pull in one's arms and legs.

ball-breaker »    A person or task which is excessively demanding or punishing.

ballpark figure »    An educated guess or estimation within acceptable bounds.

bang around »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

bang out »    To do something quickly, in a slipshod, or unprofessional manner.

banged up »    Physically injured or wounded.

bank night »    An event where patrons are enticed to buy entry tickets into some venue, for example a movie theater, with the anticipation that they will be entered into a drawing to win an amount of money if their ticket is drawn and they are on-site at the time of the winning.

bar fly »    A person who frequents bars or lounges to get drunk.

bar star »    A female who frequents bars or lounges, usually late at night.

barnburner »    Liberal faction of the New York state United States Democratic Party in the mid 19th century.

barrel »    A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is discharged.

barrel »    A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.

barrel »    The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies for different articles and also in different places for the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A barrel of wine is 31 1/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196 pounds; of beer 31 gallons; of ale 32 gallons; of crude oil 42 gallons.

barrel of laughs »    A toy in the shape of a barrel that emits sounds of laughter.

barrel of monkeys »    Something very funny or amusing.

barrow man »    A man under sentence of transportation; alluding to the convicts at Woolwich, who are principally employed in wheeling barrows full of brick or dirt.

bat around »    When at least nine batters bat in a half inning.

bat around »    To discuss.

be around »    To be alive, existent, or present.

be at one's beck and call »    To be in the position of serving someone in any way they desire, usually unwillingly.

be in for »    To be able to expect or anticipate; to be about to suffer, generally said of something unpleasant.

be of two minds »    To be undecided or unsure; to equivocate; to have multiple opinions.

beat around the bush »    To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.

beat around the bush »    To treat a topic but omit its main points, often intentionally.

beat feet »    To run.

beat out »    To sound a rhythm on a percussion instrument such as a drum.

beat somebody to the punch »    To do something before somebody else is able to.

beaver away »    To busily undertake a large task.

beer and skittles »    Fun times.

behind the counter »    Of drugs, dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription or other form of compliance.

bells and whistles »    Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.

belly up »    Dead or defunct.

below the belt »    Of a punch, landing illegally, below the opponent's waist.

below the belt »    Unfair; dirty; not according to the generally accepted rules.

belt and suspenders »    Redundant systems, affording mutual backup in the event of one failing.

best laid plans »    A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.

best of the bunch »    The best or most preferred person or item within a group.

bet dollars to donuts »    To suggest that something is very likely to be true or that one has a strong hunch about something.

between a rock and a hard place »    Having the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary.

beyond the pale »    Describing behaviour that is considered to be outside the bounds of morality, good behaviour or judgement in civilised company.

big break »    A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.

big fish in a small pond »    One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.

big gun »    A large-caliber artillery piece.

big gun »    Someone who is powerful or influential most often in plural form.

big kahuna »    A boss, leader, chieftain, or top-ranking person in an organization.

birds of a feather »    People having similar characters, backgrounds, interests, or beliefs.

birds of a feather flock together »    People of similar character, background, or taste tend to congregate or associate with one another.

bite one's tongue »    An admonishment to someone who has said something unfeeling or harsh.

bite the bullet »    To endure a punishment or consequence with dignity or stoicism.

bitter pill »    Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.

black sheep »    A nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person.

blaze a trail »    To set precedent or do something novel; to break new ground.

bleeding edge »    Something very current, or modern where there may actually be a hazard or risk in using it, such as with potentially unstable software. The term relates to a sword.

bleep out »    To censor inappropriate spoken words by obscuring them with the sound of a bleep.

blessing in disguise »    A misfortune that has an unexpected benefit.

blot out »    To make something undecipherable; to obliterate.

blow chunks »    To be very bad, inadequate, unpleasant, or miserable; to thoroughly suck.

blow chunks »    To suffer from explosive diarrhea.

blow chunks »    To vomit chunks of undigested food.

blow off »    To shoot something with a gun, causing it to come disconnected.

blow one's chances »    To forfeit opportunities to achieve some goal.

blow someone out of the water »    To trounce; to defeat someone thoroughly, at a game or in battle.

blow the whistle »    To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.

blue state »    A state of the United States voting Democratic in a given election, or tending to vote Democratic in general.

blue-eyed boy »    Someone's favourite, especially a young one.

bog standard »    Especially plain, ordinary, or unremarkable; having no special, excess or unusual features; plain vanilla.

bolt bucket »    A machine, especially an automobile. Implies that the machine is clunky or unreliable.

bomb around »    The drive around at speed for pleasure.

boo boo »    blunder

booby prize »    A prize or status, often unwelcome, awarded as a joke or disincentive to the loser of a contest or for poor performance.

boot camp »    A short, intensive, quasi-military program generally aimed at young offenders as an alternative to a jail term.

borganism »    An organization of autonomous organisms that exhibit collectivism: individual "units" that have merged to yield a unified construct. Such an amalgam may possess a collective consciousness, arguably an emergent phenomenon of social networking.

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.

boss around »    To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.

bottom line »    The final balance; the amount of money or profit left after everything has been tallied.

bottom of the ninth »    By extension, any last chance or final opportunity.

bounce back »    To recover from a negative without seemingly any damage.

bouncing off the walls »    Moving hyperactively.

bowl a googly »    Something unexpected, underhand or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

boxer shorts »    underwear

brain-dead »    Having an irreversible loss of brain function and cessation of brain activity.

bread and butter »    That which is central or fundamental, as to one's business, survival, or income; a staple or cornerstone.

break down »    To become unstable, mentally or otherwise.

break ground »    To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.

break ground »    To initiate a new venture, or to advance beyond previous achievements.

break ground »    To lift off the sea bottom when being weighed.

break in »    New function more naturally through use or wear.

break new ground »    By extension, to initiate a new venture.

break new ground »    To begin excavating and levelling earth for a new building, or, originally, for cultivation.

break one's duck »    To score one's first run in an innings.

break out »    To separate from a bundle.

break rank »    To march or charge out of the designated order in a military unit.

break up »    Of a telephone conversation, to cease to be understandable because of a bad connection.

breakfast of champions »    An ironic appellation for beer, junk food, or other foods implied to be unhealthy.

breathe down someone's neck »    To follow someone too closely, making it uncomfortable for them.

brickbat »    A criticism or uncomplimentary remark hurled at artwork or other recipient.

bridge »    An unintended solder connection between two or more components or pins.

bridge »    The piece, on string instruments, that supports the strings from the sounding board.

bring down »    To make something flying fall to the ground. Usually by firing a weapon of some kind.

bring it weak »    To fail to accomplish an accomplishable task or to make an attempt at less than maximum effort; to "half-ass" or "fake the funk".

bring owls to Athens »    To undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical.

bring round »    To bring something when coming.

bring round »    To resuscitate; to cause to regain consciousness.

brown bag »    A short presentation or seminar on a given subject, especially one given at lunchtime.

brush up »    To review; to improve an existing but rusty or under-developed skill.

bulletproof »    Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.

bulletproof »    Unbreakable, very tough.

bum around »    To wander around idly to no purpose; to loaf or loiter.

bum rap »    An undeservedly unfavorable portrayal or reputation.

bundle of energy »    One who is especially lively, continually active, or industrious.

bundle of energy »    The energy associated with being lively, continually active, or industrious.

bundle of joy »    A newborn baby.

bundle of joy »    A pet.

bundle of nerves »    A lively, continually active person.

bundle of nerves »    A person with an especially nervous, excitable, or fearful disposition.

bung up »    To close an opening with a cork, cork like object or other improvised obstruction.

bunk off »    To play truant.

bunk off »    We all bunked off school yesterday to watch the football.

bunny hop »    A dance from the big band era, a variation of the conga.

bunny hop »    A ground ball that hops along the field instead of rolling.

bunny hop »    A jump made where both wheels leave the ground.

bunny hug »    A style of dance.

bunny hug »    A sweatshirt with a hood.

buried treasure »    Something, having been concealed for a long time, which later is found and is profitable.

buried treasure »    Treasure stashed underground or underwater.

burn one's bridges »    To destroy one's path, connections, reputation, opportunities, etc.

burn up »    To catch fire and burn until destroyed.

bush telegraph »    A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds, word-of-mouth relay, or smoke signals.

business girl »    A young woman employed in business or office work.

bust chops »    To nag; to berate or hound in an effort to elicit action.

bustle with »    To teem with; abound with; to exhibit an energetic and active abundance of a thing; to be full of a certain activity or active beings.

busy work »    Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.

but who's counting »    Used as a retort or comeback, often to deprecate oneself or another for excessive concern or attention to.

butt heads »    To argue uncompromisingly with someone.

button-down »    Conservative; conventional; unimaginative.

by leaps and bounds »    Rapidly. Said of making progress.

by one's lights »    According to one's understanding.

by the way »    His mother will be coming for dinner tomorrow, and, by the way, she volunteered to bring dessert.

by the way »    [...] I had counted on a life-lease of the profits, whereas I only received those of a few short years. But this is by the way.

by virtue of »    Because of; on the grounds of; by reason of; due to; based on.

call in »    To communicate with a base etc, by telephone.

call off the dogs »    During a one-sided sports contest, to remove the first-string unit of a team from the game after dominating the opponent.

call off the dogs »    To ease up on after inflicting great punishment.

call on »    To correct; to point out an error or untruth.

call out »    To yell out; to vocalize audibly; announce.

camel's nose »    A metaphor for a situation where the permitting of some small act will lead consequently to a larger undesirable act or circumstance.

can't wait »    To eagerly anticipate; to find it unbearable to wait for a forthcoming pleasurable event.

carrot and stick »    Simultaneous rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior.

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.

carry a tune »    To produce music, especially to sing, with accurate pitch.

carry away »    To break under sudden pressure of violent wind.

carry coals to Newcastle »    To do something that is unneeded or redundant.

carved in stone »    Unchangeable.

cash cow »    Someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money; a moneymaker.

cash in »    To profit from; to use an opportunity to maximum advantage, especially financially.

cast pearls before swine »    To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.

cast up one's accounts »    To vomit.

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.

cat and dog life »    Unhappy married life.

catch a buzz »    To become slightly inebriated, but not yet be drunk.

catch a tan »    To get a suntan.

catch big air »    Superlative of catch air; make a big jump high off the ground.

catch hell »    Be severely reprimanded, punished, or beaten.

catch it »    Be severely reprimanded, punished, or beaten.

catch on »    To begin to understand; to realize or detect.

catch out »    To put a batsman out by catching the batted ball before it touches the ground.

catch-as-catch-can »    A. 1681, John Fryer, Richard Chiswell, Robert Roberts, Robert White, A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters, Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672 and Finished 1681.

catch-as-catch-can »    Intermittent; only when possible or when the opportunity presents itself.

caught between the devil and the deep blue sea »    Having a choice between two alternatives, both undesirable.

caught in the act »    To be found doing something that you weren't supposed to be doing, while you're doing it.

caught with one's pants down »    Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.

center field »    The defensive position in the outfield in the middle, typically played by a player that can run fast.

ceterum censeo »    A formulaic expression used to end a speech by reinforcing one, often unrelated, major view.

chalk up to »    To attribute or account for something.

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.

chance'd be a fine thing »    Given to indicate that an aforementioned thing would be desirable but unlikely. Comparable to if I should be so lucky.

change horses in midstream »    To change plans or approaches at an inopportune time, such as when an effort is already underway, generally considered an inadvisable thing to do.

change one's tune »    To change one's story.

change one's tune »    To reconsider; rethink; to reach a different conclusion.

charity mugger »    A person employed by a charity, or by an intermediary fundraising agency employed by the charity, who stands in the street and invites passersby to set up standing orders or direct debits to make regular donations to the charity.

chat up »    In a friendly, open, or casual manner, sometimes also in a charming or affected manner, usually to curry favor, and sometimes flirtatiously with the intention of establishing a romantic or sexual encounter or relationship with that person.

cheat on »    To be unfaithful to.

check in »    To announce or record one's arrival at a hotel, airport etc.

cheek by jowl »    In close proximity; crammed uncomfortably close together.

chicken out »    To shy away from a daring task; to decline, refuse, or avoid something due to fear or uncertainty.

chip in »    To put into the pot the amount of chips or money required to continue.

chip on one's shoulder »    A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.

chump change »    An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.

circle the wagons »    To draw a wagon train into a circle to allow the wagons to provide cover when under attack.

circles around »    Far faster or better than.

circuit slugger »    A talented baseball batter that hits home runs.

city slicker »    One accustomed to a city or urban lifestyle or unsuited to life in the country.

class clown »    A student who frequently makes jokes or pokes fun; a wiseacre.

clean house »    To reform by removing undesirable personnel and procedures.

clean up »    To make a large profit; to win by a large margin, or to win a large amount, especially in gambling. Also clean house.

clock up »    To accumulate a large amount of time.

close down »    To surround someone, as to impede their movement.

close in on »    To enclose around; to tighten or shrink; to collapse.

close shave »    A near accident or mishap; a dangerous or risky encounter or incident.

close up »    To heal a cut or other wound.

closed book »    A person or thing that cannot be easily understood; someone or something incomprehensible or puzzling.

clue stick »    A metaphorical stick used to beat information or understanding into a slow learner.

coals to Newcastle »    A pointless venture, in the sense of sending something to a place where it's made, or where they already have an abundance.

cock up »    Unintentionally; to screw up, mess up or f** up.

Cold hands, warm heart; Dirty feet, no sweetheart! »    A few old timer's "fun" way to compliment a lady & to find out if she could be courted.

collect dust »    To remain untouched and unused for a long period of time.

come a cropper »    To suffer some misfortune; to fail.

come around »    To change one's mind, especially to begin to agree or appreciate what one was reluctant to accept at first.

come by »    To obtain; to get, now especially by chance or involuntarily.

come on »    To encounter, discover; to come upon.

come out in the wash »    Of problems or difficulties, to work out, resolve, or become understood eventually and naturally.

come out with »    To say something unexpected.

come round »    To make a regular circuit.

come round »    To change one's opinion.

come round »    To recover consciousness.

come round »    To cease anger or hostility.

come the acid »    To make oneself unpleasant, especially by sarcasm.

come to »    To total; to amount to.

come to »    To devote attention to in due course; to come around to.

come unhinged »    To become angered or crazy; to lose control of one's senses or sanity.

come unstuck »    To get into trouble, to have an accident or mishap, to go off the rails.

come up »    To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly; to come to attention, present itself.

common ground »    A characteristic or interest shared by multiple people or systems.

company »    A military unit, typically consisting of two or three platoons.

company »    A unit of firefighters and their equipment.

concrete jungle »    An urban or other populated area containing a high density of buildings constructed of concrete or similar materials, especially one which lacks greenery and which seems unattractive, harsh, or unsafe.

conk out »    To fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly.

conk out »    To stop functioning.

consume mass quantities »    To eat or drink abundant amounts of food or beverage.

consume mass quantities »    To use large amounts of any resource.

cook the books »    To manipulate accounting information, esp. illegally, by a corporation.

cotton on »    To realize; come to understand.

coug it »    To suddenly lose a contest through reversal of fortune, mistakes, or bad judgment. The phrase is analogous to "blow it", or "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory".

cough up »    To expel from the lungs, throat, etc. by coughing.

could not get elected dogcatcher »    Is unpopular.

count on »    To rely upon, trust, or expect.

count sheep »    To attempt to go to sleep by thinking of something boring, traditionally by counting imaginary sheep.

country mile »    A long way, a great distance.

cover one's ass »    To make preparations or take precautions to ensure that one is not blamed or punished for one's conduct.

crack down on »    To enforce laws or punish more vigilantly.

crack of dawn »    The first moment of daylight; sunrise.

cradle robber »    A person who marries or becomes romantically involved with someone who is much younger or who employs or otherwise engages a young person for a purpose inappropriate for his or her age.

creep up »    To advance with stealth, unnoticed.

crop up »    To occur, especially suddenly or unexpectedly.

cross the aisle »    To vote, unite, or otherwise co-operate with members of another political party in order to achieve governmental or political action.

cross the line »    To overstep a boundary, rule, or limit; to go too far or do something unacceptable.

crunch numbers »    To figure; to do the math.

cry out »    To shout in a loud voice, due to pain, or fear, or unhappiness.

crystal clear »    Completely clear and understood.

crystal-clear »    Completely clear and understood.

curveball »    An unexpected turn of events initiated by an opponent or chance.

cut down »    To reduce the amount of something.

damn with faint praise »    To provide praise that is so minimal or inconsequential as to actually amount to criticism.

dark horse »    A candidate who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice.

dark horse »    An unexpected success.

darken somebody's doorstep »    To enter somebody else's home uninvited.

date with destiny »    An inevitable future event or encounter, especially one which is likely to be momentous.

day and night »    All the time; round the clock; unceasingly.

dead »    Unproductive.

dead air »    An unintended interruption in a radio broadcast during which there is no sound; a similar interruption of a television broadcast in which there is neither sound nor a video signal.

dead as a dodo »    Undoubtedly and unquestionably dead.

dead as a doorknob »    Entirely, unquestionably or certainly dead.

dead as a doornail »    Unquestionably dead. Used for both inanimate objects and once living beings.

dead men tell no tales »    Once someone is dead, they can no longer communicate, hence killing someone is the best way to keep him/her quiet.

dead tree edition »    Paper version of a publication that can be found online.

death knell »    The tolling of a bell announcing death.

debris field »    Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.

deep down »    Fundamentally; in essence; in reality; really.

deep thinker »    A person whose thoughts are profound; an intellectual.

deep-six »    To get rid of something unwanted.

deliver the message to Garcia »    What we need is people who get the job done, no matter how. We don't want pickers who'll only learn if we use their preferred learning method. Have you read "A Message to Garcia" ? That's what we need today - young people who can deliver the message to Garcia.

desperate times call for desperate measures »    In adverse circumstances actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice.

devil is in the details »    The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable.

diamond in the rough »    A person whose goodness or other positive qualities are hidden by a harsh or unremarkable surface appearance.

diamond in the rough »    An uncut diamond.

diamonds are a girl's best friend »    A statement that suggests, while love is a luxury, material wealth (particularly jewellery) is more valuable in the long run.

dicky-bird »    A insignificant sound or thing.

dicky-bird »    Endearing term for a small bird, often used when talking with young children.

die »    To stop living; to become dead; to undergo death.

dig up »    To discover something by digging; to unearth.

dirty laundry »    A clothes hamper or other container used to place unclean or soiled laundry.

dirty laundry »    Laundry that is unclean or soiled.

dirty laundry »    Unflattering facts or questionable activities that one wants to remain secret, but which some other may use to blackmail with.

divide and conquer »    A combination of political, military and economic strategies that aim to gain and maintain power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.(computing) Applied to various algorithms, such as quicksort, that solve a problem by splitting it recursively into smaller problems until all of the remaining problems are trivial.(as imperative, proverb) In order to rule securely, don't allow alliances of your enemies.

do a bunk »    To escape or flee under incriminating circumstances.

do something with mirrors »    To jokingly pretend that one did something using magic mirrors, that one is a magician; a joking explanation of the fantastic or the unexplained.

dog around »    To follow diligently.

dog it »    To underperform; to lag behind; to fail to exert effort.

dog's breakfast »    An unappealing mixture; a disorderly situation; a mess.

dog's life »    A miserable, unhappy existence.

dogs »    With the, a greyhound racing event.

don't be penny wise and pound foolish »    Don't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.

don't count your chickens before they're hatched »    You should not count on something before it happens.

don't cry over spilt milk »    It is no use worrying about unfortunate events which have already happened and which cannot be changed.

don't hold your breath »    "Don't wait." Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned to is unlikely to happen soon or at all.

don't look a gift horse in the mouth »    Do not unappreciatively question a gift or handout too closely.

don't shoot the messenger »    The bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news.

done a bunk »    Simple past tense and past participle of do a bunk.

doorprikken »    To puncture.

double talk »    Speaking in a mixture of real English and English-sounding gibberish, for humorous effect.

double up »    To double the quantity, amount or duration of something.

down for the count »    Decisively beaten; rendered irrelevant for the long term.

down on one's luck »    Unlucky or undergoing a period of bad luck, especially with respect to financial matters.

down pat »    Thoroughly practiced, rehearsed, or understood.

down to the short strokes »    In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

down under »    In Australia.

doze off »    To fall asleep unintentionally.

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.

draw a blank »    To be unable to produce a required piece of information.

draw back »    To withdraw from an undertaking.

draw on »    To advance, continue; to move or pass slowly or continuously, as under a pulling force.

draw the line »    To set a boundary, rule, or limit, especially on what one will tolerate.

dribs and drabs »    A series of negligible amounts.

drink from a firehose »    To take a small amount from an enormous, hard-to-manage quantity.

drip »    To have a superabundance of valuable things. Usually followed by "with".

drip »    To put a small amount of a liquid on something, drop by drop.

drive the porcelain bus »    To vomit, especially while drunk or hung over.

drive-by media »    Media professionals who "spray" a bunch of repetitive misstatements, mistaken and misinterpreted news reports to cause excitement and confusion. They then figuratively "drive off" leaving the cleanup of their mess and hysteria to others, to correct and properly explain and interpret.

drop a bomb »    To announce surprising or alarming information suddenly and without warning.

drop in »    One who arrives unannounced or without an appointment.

drug on the market »    Something which is overabundant at the moment and thus not in demand.

dry eye »    An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.

dry eye »    Keratoconjunctivitis sicca , an eye disease caused by decreased tear production.

dry out »    To sober up; to cease to be drunk.

dry run »    A practice; a rehearsal.

dumb bunny »    A stupid person.

dumb down »    To become simpler in expression or content; to become unacceptably simplistic.

dummy out »    From a video game in the process of localizing that game from a foreign country.

dummy run »    A trial or practice before the real attempt.

dummy up »    To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.

dye in the wool »    To dye woolen fibers before they are spun into thread.

e pluribus unum »    A national motto of the United States of America, meaning "From many, one", or "out of many, one", referring to the integration of 13 independent colonies into one country, and that has taken an additional meaning, giving the pluralistic nature of American society from immigration.

ear tunnel »    A part of the ear.

ear tunnel »    A piece of jewelry that fits into a stretched earlobe hole and makes it seem like a peephole and makes it see-through.

early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise »    platitude from Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym Poor Richard.

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.

east sussex »    english county

eat one's young »    To betray a constituent or charge out of self-serving interests or desperation; savaging.

eat out »    To perform cunnilingus.

eat pussy »    To perform cunnilingus.

eat someone's dust »    To be outrun.

economical with the truth »    Not telling the whole truth, especially in order to present a false image of a situation; untruthful; lying. Often used with sarcasm or satire.

embarrassment of riches »    An abundance or overabundance of something; too much of a good thing.

emperor's new clothes »    Something obvious and embarrassing that is politely ignored or that goes unacknowledged.

empty vessels make the most sound »    noisy, opinionated people are often stupid.

end up »    To conclude, turn out, sometimes unexpectedly.

end up »    To arrive at a destination, sometimes unexpectedly.

enough is as good as a feast »    Just the right amount is as good as more than enough: there is no value in excess.

err on the side of caution »    To act in the least risky manner in a situation where one is uncertain about the consequences.

esprit de corps »    A shared spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group, for example of a military unit.

eureka moment »    The moment of a sudden unexpected discovery.

even Homer nods »    Not even the most vigilant and expert are immune from erring.

even keel »    A state of having one's emotions under control and balanced.

even keel »    Of a business or other activity which is under control and running smoothly.

everything happens for a reason »    All events are purposeful.Everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as failure. Mary-Kate OlsenPeople like to say "everything happens for a reason." If you repeat that in your head long enough that starts to sound like "anything can happen with a razor." Laura KightlingerI believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think it's important to seek out that reason - that's how we learn. Drew Barrymore

evil twin »    A duplicate or counterpart of something or someone that acts in a contrary, nefarious, or insidious manner.

execution style »    Resembling an execution; with the victim aware, but unable to defend himself or resist.

extract the urine »    To mess around, cajole.

f** knows »    I don't know; nobody knows; it is unclear.

face that would stop a clock »    A shockingly unattractive face.

face the music »    To accept or confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.

face up to »    To confront a condition or situation, typically one that is unpleasant or uncomfortable.

face value »    The amount or value listed on a bill, note, stamp, etc.; the stated value or amount.

facts on the ground »    A euphemism, similar to fait accompli, used as an oblique way of saying that discussions over the possession of a given piece of territory has been rendered moot by the presence of military forces.

facts on the ground »    Some aspects of the situation in a particular location.

fair and square »    Totally fairly and undoubtedly.

fair enough »    An expression used to concede a point; denotes that, upon consideration, something is correct or reasonable; an expression of acknowledgment or understanding.

faith will move mountains »    Belief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.

fall down »    To fall to the ground.

fall into »    To be classified as; to fall under.

fall off the turnip truck »    To be naive, uninformed, or unsophisticated, in the manner of a rustic person.

fall on one's sword »    To voluntarily take the blame for a situation.

fall through »    To be unsuccessful, abort, come to nothing/naught; to be cancelled; not to proceed.

far be it »    Pewtey in Marriage Guidance Counselor from And Now For Something Completely Different.

fat lip »    A swelling on the lip, especially one resulting from a punch or other blow.

fat of the land »    The greatest part of anything; the finest and most abundant share of resources; the cream of the crop.

fear »    A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.

feast or famine »    A situation in which something is always either extremely abundant or in extremely short supply.

feather in one's cap »    An accomplishment; particularly one that is flaunted or boasted of.

feather one's nest »    To achieve benefits, especially financial ones, by taking advantage of the opportunities with which one is presented; to amass a comfortable amount of personal wealth.

feed a cold, starve a fever »    Eating more will cure the common cold, and eating less will cure a fever.1887, J. H. Whelan, "The Treatment of Colds.", The Practitioner, vol. 38, pg. 180:"Feed a cold, starve a fever." There is a deal of wisdom in the first part of this advice. A person with a catarrh should take an abundance of light nutritious food, and some light wine, but avoid spirits, and above all tobacco.1968, Katinka Loeser, The Archers at Home, publ. Atheneum, New York, pg. 60:I have a cold. 'Feed a cold, starve a fever.' You certainly know that.2009, Shelly Reuben, Tabula Rasa, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ISBN 015101079X, pg. 60:They say feed a cold, starve a fever, but they don't tell you what to do when you got both, so I figured scrambled eggs, tea, and toast.

feel around »    To grope.

fencepost problem »    In computer programming, a problem dealing with how to treat the initial or boundary values of a discrete problem.

fifth wheel »    Anything superfluous or unnecessary.

figure out »    To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.

fire off »    To ask an unexpected question rapidly.

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

fish or cut bait »    To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.

five-finger discount »    Theft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.

fix someone's wagon »    To punish someone; to cause injury, distress, or inconvenience for someone.

flat out »    Bluntly, no holds barred.

flat-footed »    To firmly hold and maintain a decision; to stand one's ground.

flat-footed »    Unprepared to act.

flight of fancy »    An idea, narrative, suggestion, etc. which is extremely imaginative and which appears to be entirely unrealistic, untrue, or impractical; thinking which is very speculative.

flower »    An inflorescence that resembles a flower, but actually contains many small florets, such as a sunflower.

fluff up »    To make a gaffe or blunder.

flunk out »    Often requiring a retaking of the course or academic year.

flutter in the dovecote »    I further argued that the principal cause for the political deadlock that persisted for thirty years after the guns fell silent was Israeli intransigence rather than Arab intransigence. The appearance of the first wave of revisionist studies excited a great deal of interest and controversy in the media and more than a flutter in the academic dovecote. — Israel Confronts Its Past.

fly in the face of »    To act in a manner highly contrary to; to counteract or contradict.

fly in the ointment »    Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.

fly on the wall »    A quiet, non-participating, or unseen observer; an eavesdropper or witness.

fly the coop »    To depart hastily or unannounced; to escape or flee.

fly the freak flag »    To behave in a unconventional or unrestrained manner; to exhibit the uninhibited side of one's personality.

food chain »    The feeding relationships between species in a biotic community.

fool's errand »    A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.

fool's errand »    Such an undertaking, assigned as a prank.

fools rush in where angels fear to tread »    A person who does not plan ahead and think matters through becomes involved in risky or unfavorable situations which prudent people avoid.

footloose and fancy free »    Able to do as one pleases, unconstrained by social ties or responsibilities.

for all intents and purposes »    For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

for kicks »    In order to obtain pleasure or excitement; for fun.

for the heck of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

for the hell of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

for the sake of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

for the time being »    Temporarily; until later.

for XYZ reasons »    For reasons unknown and not worth speculating on.

forewarned is forearmed »    Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.1863, Charles Reade, Hard Cash, ch. 4:[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.1885, G. A. Henty, Saint George for England, ch. 4:Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.circa 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind":"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."

fork over »    Hundreds of spectators forked over the 70 bucks for tickets.

forked tongue »    The characteristic of deceptiveness; duplicity; untruthfulness.

fortune favors the bold »    Luck is usually on the side of those who take chances and risks.

fortune favors the brave »    Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.

fortune favours the bold »    Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.

fortune favours the brave »    Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.

fountain of youth »    Anything reputed to have the power to restore health and vitality or to restore a youthful appearance.

four-leaf clover »    An uncommon variation of the clover, having four leaves instead of the usual three.

four-on-the-floor »    Characterised by a steady, uniformly accented beat with a 4/4 time signature.

four-on-the-floor »    Relating to a vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission mounted beside the driver on the floor of the vehicle.

fourth wall »    The boundary between the fiction and the audience.

freak flag »    Unconventional or unrestrained behavior; extreme, nonconformist views; the side of one's personality which harbors a tendency toward such behavior or such views.

free lunch »    Something obtained without any payment, obligation or effort.

free ride »    An opportunity or benefit which has no cost, especially one enjoyed or undertaken at the expense of others.

fresh off the boat »    Newly arrived from a foreign place, especially as an immigrant who is still unfamiliar with the customs and language of his or her new environment.

from here to Sunday »    Everywhere; all over the place.

from my cold, dead hands »    A statement that something will not be taken away from you until the day you die.

from the Department of the Bleeding Obvious »    So obvious it was unnecessary to say.

from the ground up »    From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals.

front runner »    The most likely winners in a contest, election, etc.

fruit of the union »    A child, especially from a marriage or similar union.

full as a goog »    Having eaten too much, or being drunk.

full of beans »    Incorrect; uninformed; exaggerating or expressing falsehood.

full whack »    The whole amount.

funny farm »    An insane asylum.

funny money »    A highly inflated currency.

funny money »    Bills of any foreign currency or of counterfeit origin.

funny money »    Money gained in a devious or sneaky manner.

funny money »    Play money.

funny stuff »    Irregular, often illegal, activities.

game face »    The expression of one who is prepared for or is facing a lot of difficult and/or undesirable work, especially when it is imminent.

garbage in, garbage out »    (computing, information technology) If input data is not complete, accurate, and timely, then the resulting output is unreliable and of no useful value.1963, Raymond Crowley, "Robot Tax Collector Seeks Indications of 'Fudging'," Times Daily (Alabama, USA), 1 April (retrieved 26 July 2010):Officials explained that the quality of the computer's work depends on the quality of the data fed into it. Neil Hoke, administrative assistant to Stewart, quoted an adage of computer men: "Garbage in, garbage out."2008, Roger K. Lewis, "'In Architectural Design, Brains and Talent Trump the Best Software," Washington Post, 19 July (retrieved 26 July 2010):The old caveat "GIGO"

garden variety »    Ordinary, common, or unexceptional.

get a handle on »    To build or acquire a basic level of understanding or control.

get away with »    To do something which is prohibited, forbidden or generally not allowed, and not be punished for the action.

get away with murder »    To do something bad or illegal and not be punished.

get into trouble »    To perform an action which is illegal, prohibited, forbidden or proscribed and to become subject to punishment for such action.

get it »    To "get what's coming to him/her"; to feel one's wrath; to receive punishment; to receive a retaliation; to receive a beating.

get it »    To realize or understand why a joke is funny.

get it »    To understand, comprehend, or grasp.

get it over with »    To do or finish, especially said of something unpleasant.

get moving »    To start hurrying to undertake a task.

get off lightly »    End up with a mild punishment.

get off the ground »    To succeed or begin to succeed.

get one's knickers in a twist »    To become overwrought or unnecessarily upset over a trivial matter.

get over »    surmount

get over »    cross, surmount

get something over with »    To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.

get something straight »    To understand; to clarify.

get stuck »    To be unable to make progress.

get stuck in »    To dedicate a large amount of effort towards.

get taken in »    To be unofficially fostered.

get the drift »    To understand, at least at some basic or general level.

gets down »    dismounts

ghost train »    fairground attraction

gild the lily »    To embellish or improve something unnecessarily; to add superfluous attributes to something.

give 'em enough rope »    Allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.

give hostage to fortune »    He was very cautious with his words and gave no hostages to fortune.

give hostage to fortune »    To take an action or make a statement that is risky because it could cause you trouble later.

give it the gun »    Literal meaning.

give notice »    To announce one's intent to leave a job; to inform an employer that one is leaving.

give of oneself »    To devote oneself unselfishly to a task, especially to give time and energy.

give or take »    Approximately; plus or minus some unknown amount.

give over »    Usually as an imperative. To tell someone to stop molesting, fooling around, or saying silly things. Or sometimes to stop saying flattering things.

give somebody the creeps »    To give someone a feeling of uneasiness or mild fright.

give somebody the runaround »    Especially by providing useless information or directions .

give someone what for »    To punish; to rebuke.

give the devil his due »    To acknowledge the positive qualities of a person who is unpleasant or disliked.

glutton for punishment »    One persistent in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.

go against the grain »    To defy convention; to do something in a manner that is unusual or out of the ordinary.

go blue »    Of states and counties, to be carried by a Democratic candidate in a given U.S. election.

go by the board »    To be superseded, rejected, or obliterated; to pass by with little consequence; to amount to nothing.

go by the board »    To estimate the velocity of a boat or ship in knots by casting overboard the knotted line to whose end is attached the lead and thereafter counting the knots in the line as it goes aft along the side boards of the vessel.

go commando »    To not wear underpants.

go down »    To stop functioning, to go offline.

go from zero to hero »    To become very popular after being unpopular.

go from zero to hero »    To change from negative outcome to positive outcome. To improve one's fortunes significantly.

go native »    To adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants, especially when dwelling in a colonial region; to become less refined under the influence of a less cultured, more primitive, or simpler social environment.

go public »    Make public, announce publicly or to the press.

go red »    Of states or counties, to be carried by a Republican candidate in a given U.S. election.

go red »    To become sunburnt.

go round in circles »    To repeatedly do the same thing; without making any progress.

go south »    To become unfavorable; to decrease; to take a turn for the worse.

go the distance »    To participate in a boxing match for its maximum number of rounds.

go to seed »    To deteriorate; to decline into an unkempt or debased condition.

go to the mat »    To continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.

go too far »    To exceed an unstated limit, especially a limit of acceptable behaviour.

God helps those who help themselves »    Fortune comes to those who make a genuine effort to accomplish things.

God works in mysterious ways »    Expressing confidence that a conundrum has a solution despite it not being apparent.Expressing that a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run.Person A: It seems that I'm about to be fired from my job.Person B: Well, God works in mysterious ways - maybe it'll be the kick you need to apply to university...

golden duck »    The score of zero runs after getting out on the first ball faced.

golden opportunity »    Ideal moment to do something.

golden rule »    A fundamental rule or principle.

golden ticket »    A qualification, person or thing that can provide lucrative opportunities.

good drunk »    A person who is cheerful and companionable when intoxicated, retaining reasonable control of his or her mental and emotional faculties.

good luck with that »    An expression wishing someone success in an unlikely enterprise.

good old boy »    A friendly, unambitious, relatively uneducated, sometimes racially biased white man who embodies the stereotype of the folksy culture of the rural southern USA.

grab bag »    A gift, purchase, etc. whose contents are concealed until after a selection is made.

grass roots »    The essential foundation or source of something.

grease payment »    A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.

great unwashed »    A contemptuous term for the populace, particularly the working class.

ground rules »    The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.

grunt work »    That is considered undesirable and therefore delegated to underlings.

guilt trip »    A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.

guilty as sin »    Unquestionably guilty.

gun it »    To accelerate or speed up quickly or suddenly.

gunboat diplomacy »    The pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of military power.

gunk up »    To soil or dirty; to mess up; to clog.

gunshy »    Being afraid to use a gun.

gunshy »    Fearing the consequences of repeating an act, especially after being reprimanded.

hack into »    To gain unauthorized entry to, particularly by exploiting little-known weaknesses.

hammer home »    Until or so that a person or group of people understands it.

hang around »    To stay, linger or loiter.

hang in the balance »    To be in a precarious situation, unsure of the future.

hanging offence »    A crime so serious that it is punishable by means of death by hanging.

happily ever after »    Living happily until death. Typically associated with fairy tales.

hard cheese »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard hitting »    uncompromising

hard lines »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard-hearted »    unfeeling

hatchet man »    Someone who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.

haul off »    To draw back the arm in order to punch.

haul somebody over the coals »    To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.

have a ball »    To enjoy thoroughly; to have lots of fun or excitement.

have a blast »    To thoroughly enjoy; to be excited or have lots of fun.

have a bun in the oven »    To be pregnant; to be expecting a baby.

have a frog in one's throat »    To feel the need to cough; to have a tickle in one's throat; to have a scratchy or uneven voice.

have a go »    Shout at or tell off unnecessarily or excessively.

have a handle on »    To be in control; to understand or grasp.

have been around »    To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive.

have butterflies in one's stomach »    To be nervous, uncertain, or anxious.

have eyes in the back of one's head »    To be particularly, especially uncannily, observant; a perceived ability to see in all directions at once.

have it made »    To have accomplished all there is to do; to have no further work or difficulty; to have achieved a lifestyle characterized by good fortune and comfort.

have second thoughts »    To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.

have someone's hide »    To punish or subdue someone.

have the run of »    To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will.

head scratcher »    December 2007, W:Daily News Tribune - Golden Globes nominations a head-scratcher.

head south »    Alternative form of go south; to decrease or become unfavorable; to take a turn for the worse.

head-on »    Direct, abrupt, blunt or unequivocal; not prevaricating.

hear out »    To listen to someone until that person has finished.

heebie-jeebies »    A general feeling of anxiety, fear, uneasiness, or nausea.

hell on earth »    A very unpleasant situation; torment, particularly when widespread.

hide one's light under a bushel »    For a person to keep some talent or skill hidden from other people. The tone is that a person having a talent which they can be proud of ought not hide it.

high as a kite »    Very much under the influence of drugs, extremely high.

high ground »    A location which is at a relatively high elevation, especially in comparison to the immediate surrounding area.

high ground »    A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.

hightail it »    To hurry or run; often, to flee.

hit a snag »    To encounter an unexpected problem or delay.

hit home »    To be especially memorable or meaningful; to be fully understood, believed or appreciated.

hit one's stride »    When walking or running, to reach a full or comfortable pace.

hit someone for six »    Be affected in a devastating way by some unexpected news.

hit the ground running »    To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.

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.

hold off »    To delay commencing an action (until some specified time or event has passed).

hold one's liquor »    To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming a significant amount of alcohol.

hold one's tongue »    To keep quiet; especially, to leave something unsaid.

hold someone's feet to the fire »    To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce him or her to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for his or her actions.

hold up »    To rob at gunpoint.

hold with the hare and run with the hounds »    To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.

hold with the hare and run with the hounds »    To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.

hold your fire »    Do not discharge your weapon. Used originally for weapons needing a spark or lighting of a fuse to ignite gunpowder, now sometimes used to mean any weapon launching a projectile.

holding pattern »    Any failure to advance; useless or unproductive activity.

hole in one »    A round that is completed by sinking the ball in a single shot or attempt, with one hit.

home run »    A four-base hit, a homer.

home run »    A success; especially, a popular success.

home run »    Sexual Intercourse.

home run »    The portion of a journey that ends at home.

home run »    baseball term

honest injun »    A phrase used to emphasize the truth of something.

hook, line and sinker »    Naively or unquestioningly.

horse around »    To play or fiddle; to clown; to do nothing of importance or consequence.

horse of a different color »    An unrelated or only incidentally related matter with distinctly different significance.

horse's ass »    A jerk; an unpleasant, unlikable person; an asshole.

horse's ass »    A thing or person which is visually unappealing.

hospital pass »    A throw that stays in the air long enough that it allows too many people to get underneath it, increasing the risk of injury and a trip to the hospital. Thus, a hospital pass.

hospital pass »    An unwinnable case, often passed to a newly-qualified member of the firm.

hot cross buns »    good friday cakes

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.

hot under the collar »    Worried.

house of cards »    A structure or argument built on a shaky foundation.

how's the weather »    Indicating a change of subject to unimportant topics.

hung the moon »    To view or be viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.

hunger is a good sauce »    (dated) Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.1854, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Shirley Brooks, Francis Cowley Burnand, Owen Seaman, Punch, Vol. XXVI, Punch Publications Ltd., page 74:His bread and cheese were somewhat dry, to be sure; his ale had become flat, and considerably warmer than was desirable; but hunger is a good sauce, and thirst is not particular.

hunger is the best sauce »    Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.

hunger is the best spice »    When one is hungry, anything will taste good.

hunker down »    To take shelter; to prepare oneself for some eventuality; to focus on a task.

hunker down »    To stubbornly hold to a position.

hustle and bustle »    A large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding.

idiot mittens »    Mittens connected by yarn or string running through one sleeve, along the back and out the other sleeve of a coat, to prevent the mittens becoming lost. Generally worn by small children.

if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle »    (colloquial, vulgar, humorous) It is fruitless to speculate about counterfactual situations."We would have won the match if we'd had a decent goalkeeper.""And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle!"

if the mountain won't come to Muhammad »    "If one cannot get one's own way, one must bow to the inevitable.".

ill advisedly »    unwisely

in a pig's eye »    Very unlikely; probably never.

in bed »    Lying on a bed, especially under some bedsheets.

in black and white »    Explicitly, in writing, clearly and without doubt or misunderstanding, without any grey areas.

in cold blood »    In a ruthless and unfeeling manner; premeditated and deliberate.

in for a dime, in for a dollar »    Americanised form of in for a penny, in for a pound.1983, Allen Drury, Decision, p. 356:In for a dime, in for a dollar, he thought crazily, and said what he had to say in a voice he forced to stay level and calm.1998, Ellen Miller, Like Being Killed, p. 47:In for a dime, in for a dollar. I whispered to Gerry,

in for a penny, in for a pound »    Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof; accepting that one must

in full swing »    Proceeding fully, quickly, or completely; thoroughly begun and in progress.

in fun »    as a joke; not serious

in hand »    under control

in no uncertain terms »    With great clarity, emphasis, or exactness; without any ambiguity.

in one's cups »    Drunk.

in the dock »    Under scrutiny; subject to critical inspection.

in the doghouse »    Unmarried and unlikely to marry.

in the hot seat »    Under pressure to perform; under scrutiny; at the center of attention.

in the long run »    After a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.

in the running »    Of a candidate, potential or likely; worthy of consideration.

in the short run »    Lasting only a short time, shortsightedly.

in the sun »    Exposed to sunlight.

in thunderation »    In any set of circumstances whatsoever.

in touch »    In contact, or in communication.

in two minds »    undecided

in unity there is strength »    More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.

in vino veritas »    drunken folks speak truth, one tells the truth under the influence of alcohol

inside joke »    A joke that is understood or meant to be understood only by certain people who are in the know about the details.

installed base »    The number of units of a system or product that are currently in use.

is the Pope Catholic »    The answer to the question is, obviously, resoundingly affirmative.

it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog »    (rare or obsolete, proverb) If a person is determined to punish someone, they will find a way to do so.1596

it never rains but it pours »    Unfortunate events occur in quantity.

it's all good »    Used to express unconcern.

it's all Greek to me »    I don’t understand any of it; it makes no sense..

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

it's not what you know but who you know »    For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know

it's one's funeral »    One's decisions or actions will bring undesirable consequences only on oneself.

jive turkey »    Someone who is jiving, as in dancing. Often applied to people being funny or showy.

joe job »    An act of e-mail spamming where the sender's identity and address are those of an innocent third party, intended either to tarnish that person's reputation or to flood that person's e-mail with bounces.

joe job »    An uninteresting, low-level, low-paying job.

jumble sale »    fundraising event

jump around »    To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.

jump around »    To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.

jump at »    To accept something enthusiastically. Usually an opportunity, or chance, or job etc.

jump off »    To participate in the final round of an equestrian showjumping event.

jump rope »    A single jump in this game or activity, counted as a measure of achievement.

jump rope »    The activity, game or exercise in which a person must jump, bounce or skip repeatedly while a length of rope is swung over and under, both ends held in the hands of the jumper, or alternately, held by two other participants. Often used for athletic training and among schoolchildren. Variations involve speed, chants, varied rope and jumper movement patterns, multiple jumpers and/or multiple ropes.

jump the gun »    To act or begin too soon or without due caution.

jump the gun »    To begin a race too soon, before the starting gun goes off.

jump the gun »    To trade securities based on information that is not yet public; to trade on inside information.

jump the queue »    To desire preferential treatment, undue influence; impatient.

jump the shark »    To undergo a storyline development which is so ridiculous that previous quality is considered to have been lost.

jungle telegraph »    A gossip network; an informal communication system within a group or organization.

jungle telegraph »    A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds or a relay of runners.

just deserts »    A punishment or reward that is considered to be what the recipient deserved.

just for fun »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

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 eye on the ball »    My ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.

keep the wolf from the door »    To ward off poverty or hunger.

keep your friends close, and your enemies closer »    One should be on their toes and alert of their surroundings if malicious people are around, to ensure such people can't wreak havoc in one's life.

kettle of fish »    A situation which is recognized as different from or as an alternative to some other situation, and which is not necessarily unfavorable.

kick around »    To abuse or mistreat; to bully.

kick around »    To wander loose; to float around; to hang around.

kick off »    To start; to launch.

kick oneself »    To reproach oneself for making a mistake or missing an opportunity.

kick up »    Into the air while running or walking or driving.

kick up »    To function improperly.

kid around »    To engage in playful fun.

kill the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

knacker's yard »    That area of a slaughterhouse where carcasses unfit for human consumption are rendered down to produce useful materials such as glue.

knock around »    To spend time with someone as a friend.

knock around »    To do a relaxing activity.

knock around »    To be in an unknown place.

knock around »    To hit someone, or behave violently towards them.

knock on wood »    A self-directive to undertake the customary action to ward off bad luck.

knock on wood »    To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted my a presumptuous statement.

knock out »    To render someone unconscious, as by a blow to the head.

knock somebody's socks off »    To impress greatly; amaze; stun.

knock the living daylights out of »    To knock out; to hit and cause to be unconscious.

knock up »    To exhaust; wear out; weary; beat; tire out; to fatigue until unable to do more.

knock-on effect »    A secondary, often unintended effect.

knock-on effect »    The continued running of an engine after the ignition has been turned off; dieseling.

knuckle sandwich »    A punch to the face, especially to the mouth.

knuckle under »    To yield or cooperate when pressured or forced to do so.

labor of love »    A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.

lame joke »    An attempt at humor which is perceived to have been used previously to the point of being cliche, or was never funny to begin with.

land of opportunity »    A nickname for the United States.

landing strip »    A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.

lapsed academic »    A person formerly employed as a professor or researcher in a university or other institution of higher education, especially one who no longer attempts to remain current in his or her former academic field.

last resort »    The only remaining, unwanted, option or choice.

laundry list »    Hence, a long list of items, especially an exhaustive one.

laundry list »    Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered.

law of the jungle »    The survival of the fittest, strongest or most cunning.

lay about »    To set about, with infinitive or gerund.

lay an egg »    To produce a failure or flop; to do something which is unsuccessful.

lay down »    To give up, surrender, or yield , usually by placing it on the ground.

lay off »    made redundant

lay the groundwork »    To create a foundation; to provide the basics or fundamentals.

lead time »    The amount of time between the initiation of some process and its completion, e.g. the time required to manufacture or procure a product; the time required before something can be provided or delivered.

leader of the free world »    The President of the United States.

leave no stone unturned »    To do a task very carefully and thoroughly, not missing any step.

leave no stone unturned »    To search thoroughly for something, looking in every conceivable place.

leave to one's own devices »    To leave alone, unsupervised, without assistance.

left-handed compliment »    A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.

lend a hand »    To help or assist, especially voluntarily.

less is more »    That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated; simplicity is preferable to complexity; brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity.1855, Robert Browning, "Men and Women":Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged.1954, "'Less Is More'," Time, 14 Jun.:The essence of Mies's architectural philosophy is in his famous and sometimes derided phrase, "Less is more." This means, he says, having "the greatest effect with the least means."2007, Gia Kourlas, "Dance Review: An Ordered World Defined With Soothing Spareness," New York Times, 3 Mar. (retrieved 22 Oct. 2008):The program, which features two premieres

let off »    To forgive and not punish.

let the good times roll »    To have fun or live fully; may imply letting things that are going well proceed.

level-headed »    Sensible; rational; possessing sound judgment.

lick one's wounds »    He's just off licking his wounds. He'll be back to try again.

lick one's wounds »    To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat.

lick out »    To perform cunnilingus on.

lie back and think of England »    Used to preface any unpleasant but inevitable experience.

lie through one's teeth »    To tell a gross or egregious untruth.

life's a bitch »    An expression of acceptance of misfortune.1950, Joy Davidman, Weeping Bay, page 184:She'd have been willing enough to use them, poor dead little bitch. Life's a bitch. Life's a bad joke.

light a fire under »    To start sooner or move faster.

like the back end of a bus »    Very unattractive.

lion »    A large cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly to much of Europe. The term may apply to the species as a whole, to individuals, or to male individuals. It also applies to related species like mountain lions.

lion »    The arms of the University of the West Indies are Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished Or on a Chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. Crest: A Pelican proper. . See talk page.

liquid courage »    Alcohol drunk to induce a feeling of courage in the drinker.

little pitchers have big ears »    Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).

live it up »    To have a wonderful life; to live fully and have fun.

loaded for bear »    Mentally prepared for a daunting situation or confrontation.

log out »    To exit an account in a computer system so that it doesn't recognize you until you log in again.

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 drink »    Any drink containing more than 5 ounces of liquid and less than 9 ounces. Typically, a long drink will have lots of ice and mixer.

long goodbye »    Nickname for Alzheimer's disease, especially for the final phase of the disease, during which the patient suffers a progressive decline of cognitive and motor skills and gradually loses the ability to recognize and to communicate with family and friends.[1]; nickname for the relationship between a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease and that person's family or friends.

long run »    An extended period of time.

long shot »    Something unlikely; something that has little chance of happening or working. The term arose from the accuracy of early ship guns, which were effective only at close range and unlikely to hit the mark at any great distance.

long ways, long lies »    Someone who comes back from a far-off country can tell lies without fear of being contradicted.

look what the cat's dragged in »    Used as an ironic acknowledgement of someone's arrival, especially to imply that they are unwelcome or disagreeable in some way.

look-in »    A quick short pass to a receiver running diagonally toward the center of the field.

Loose cannon »    An uncontrolled or unpredictable person who causes damage to his own friends, faction, political party, etc.

loose ends »    unresolved details

lose one's shirt »    To lose all of one's money; to go broke; to undergo financial ruin or disaster.

lose touch »    To cease to be familiar with someone or something or to cease to communicate or have contact.

low blow »    A rhetorical attack that is considered unfair or unscrupulous.

low blow »    An unfair or illegal blow that lands below the opponent’s waist; a groin attack..

low road »    A course of action which is undignified, wrongful, or otherwise unseemly.

lower the boom on »    To punish someone.

lubrication payment »    A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.

luck out »    To experience great luck; to be extremely fortunate or lucky.

luck out »    To have run out of luck.

lucky break »    A stroke of luck; a fortunate event, particularly of the sort that propels one to success, fame, etc.

mad money »    A sum of money, often relatively small in amount, kept in reserve to use for impulsive, frivolous purposes.

make a killing »    To win or earn a large amount of money.

make a mountain out of a molehill »    To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.

make an example of »    He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.

make an example of »    To punish someone so as to be a warning to others.

make for »    ????, translator unknown, author Galileo Galilei, Two Chief World Systems.

make fun of »    To tease, ridicule or make jokes about.

make hay »    To take advantage of an opportunity.

make hay while the sun shines »    To act while an opportunity exists; to take action while a situation is favorable.

make head or tail of »    To understand even minimally.

make off »    To run away; to exit.

make off with »    To steal something and run.

make sense »    To decipher or understand.

make someone's teeth itch »    To bother or unsettle a person; to put someone on edge.

mama's boy »    A male person, especially a young man or boy, who is overly attached to or influenced by his mother; a sissy.

many a mickle makes a muckle »    (UK) a lot of small amounts together, become a large amount.

match made in hell »    A marriage that is likely to be unhappy or abusive and unsuccessful because the two people are very incompatible with each other.

match made in hell »    A very unsuccessful or conflicting combination of two people or things.

meals on wheels »    Food delivered to the homes of those unable to cook for themselves.

mess around »    To fiddle idly.

mess around »    To joke, kid, or play.

mess around »    To have a non-committal sexual relationship.

mess up »    To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.

mess up »    To botch, bungle; to perform poorly on.

mess up »    To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.

mess up »    To discombobulate, utterly confuse, or confound psychologically; to throw into a state of mental disarray.

middle ground »    A compromise position between extremes.

middle ground »    The middle distance.

mill around »    To move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area.

misfortunes never come singly »    bad things or situations always come in groups, they never come in a single way.

miss out »    To miss an experience or lose an opportunity, etc. that should not be missed.

miss the boat »    To fail to take advantage of an opportunity; to overlook or be too late to pursue an option or course of action.

mix up »    misunderstanding

mixed message »    Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.

monkey around »    To act foolishly.

monkey wrench »    A problem, obstacle or dilemma; something unexpected or troublesome.

month of Sundays »    A very long time; too long.

mop the floor with somebody »    To trounce or defeat thoroughly or in a humiliating manner.

moral high ground »    A position or point of view which is ethically superior or more reputable, in comparison to others which are under consideration.

more cry than wool »    Asserted but not grounded in reality.

mouse potato »    A person who spends excessive amounts of time using a computer.

mouth breather »    A person who is boorish, stupid, or otherwise unattractive.

move heaven and earth »    To do whatever is necessary, including extreme or unusual actions; to go to extremes.

move the goal posts »    To unilaterally change the rules, or terms of an agreement, especially in an unfair or underhand way.

muck about »    To do random unplanned work or spend time idly.

muck about »    To do somethings with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works.

muck about »    To be playful; full of fun and high spirits.

muck around »    Means the same as muck about.

mug's game »    A foolish, profitless, or hopeless undertaking.

music to one's ear »    Some unexpected good news; a favorable outcome after some initial confusion or delay.

mutton dressed as lamb »    A mature woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if a deliberate attempt to appear young.

myope comme une taupe »    Blind as a bat.

nail biter »    A nervous or uncomfortable situation.

ne'er cast a clout til May be out »    Advice not to change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.

never change a running system »    Don't change something that is working

never in a month of Sundays »    At no time whatsoever.

never in a month of Sundays »    Never in a month of Sundays would I have imagined that you'd be this tall in real life!.

nickel and dime »    Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.

nightcap »    A beverage drunk before bed that is usually alcoholic.

nine lives »    Durability; near immunity to damage.

nip and tuck »    So evenly matched that the advantage shifts from one to the other, and the outcome is uncertain.

no dice »    An unacceptable alternative.

no dice »    An unfavorable result.

no good deed ever goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

no good deed goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

no great shakes »    Unexceptional; not special or noteworthy; not very effective.

no prize for guessing »    Used to form expressions emphasizing the unsurprising nature of what follows.

no slave to fashion »    A person whose style of clothing and appearance are unconventional, informal, or slovenly; a person who takes little interest in how he or she is dressed.

no spring chicken »    Said of a person who is no longer particularly young.

nobody's perfect »    Used when someone's mistakes or flaws are acknowledged, to remind that everyone else makes mistakes and has flaws1995, New York Magazine Vol. 28, No. 5, 30 January 1995, The de-moralization of society (Book Review)Hypocrisy, particularly in sexual matters, is excused on the grounds that hey, nobody's perfect, and at least folks back then felt bad enough to lie.2000, Madonna, Nobody's PerfectI feel so sad. What I did wasn't right. I feel so bad and I must say to you: Sorry, but nobody's perfect. Nobody's perfect. What did you expect? I'm doing my best

nose test »    An inspection of the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.

not a pretty sight »    Something disappointing, disquieting, disreputable, or otherwise unworthy of admiration.

not a pretty sight »    Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.

not a zack »    No amount of money; no money at all.

not be able to get a word in edgeways »    To be unable to say a single word because of someone else's talkativeness.

not cricket »    Unsportsmanlike.

not in Kansas anymore »    No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings; in the big city.

not long for this world »    Unlikely to remain for much time.

not on your life »    Absolutely not; under no circumstances.

nothing flat »    Amount of time; no time at all.

nothing special »    Ordinary, run-of-the-mill.

now you mention it »    The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling.

nugget of truth »    A small amount of truth in a generally untrue statement.

nugget of truth »    January 2008, Chicago Tribune - Clinton's Hispanic edge over Obama.

nuthouse »    A lunatic asylum.

nuts and bolts »    The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.

object lesson »    A lesson taught using a familiar or unusual object as a focus.

object lesson »    A punishment intended as a deterrent to others.

off one's game »    Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.

off the chain »    Crazy and exciting; delirious and wild. By analogy to a frenetic dog when unleashed.

off the hook »    Of a telephone, having an open connection; not hung up.

off the radar »    Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.

off the rails »    In an abnormal manner, especially in a manner that causes damage or malfunctioning.

off the wagon »    No longer maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from an undesirable habit, especially drinking alcohol.

off-the-wall »    Wildly unconventional; bizarre; absurd.

oh dark hundred »    Some unspecified hour in the early morning.

oh dark thirty »    Some unspecified hour in the early morning.

old hat »    Something uninteresting, hackneyed, or passé due to overuse or long-standing familiarity..

old money »    The monetary system used in the United Kingdom before decimalisation and consisting of pounds, shillings, and pence.

on accident »    Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.

on acid »    Exaggerated, bizarre or unpredictable.

on sufferance »    Unwillingly agreed to or barely tolerated.

on the blink »    Functioning erratically, malfunctioning; not working or not working well. Usually refers to a mechanical or electronic device.

on the bounce »    Consecutively, in succession.

on the bubble »    Uncertain of success.

on the clock »    Remunerated per unit of time.

on the clock »    Working at one's job; occupied in some manner during one's hours of remunerated employment.

on the fence »    Undecided; wavering in one's opinion.

on the line »    On a level with the eye of the spectator; said of a picture, as hung in an exhibition of pictures.

on the loose »    Not incarcerated or in captivity; not under control.

on the make »    Actively seeking a romantic encounter or relationship.

on the make »    Actively seeking an opportunity for self-advancement; eager to ingratiate oneself to others in order to secure some advantage.

on the mend »    Improving or undergoing restoration to a previous, more favorable condition.

on the outs »    On unfriendly terms; estranged.

on the prowl »    Hunting or seeking.

on the run »    Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.

on the run »    Fleeing.

on the square »    A discrete, unassuming reference to freemasonry.

on the uptake »    In understanding or in the ability to absorb new information; especially in the phrases "quick on the uptake" and "slow on the uptake".

on the wagon »    By extension, maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from some other undesirable habit.

one brick short of a full load »    Not mentally sound; insane.

one can run but one can't hide »    There is nothing someone can do to evade something.You can run but you can't hide.

one in the eye for »    An event or achievement which is unpleasant for someone, especially for those who considered it impossible or unwelcome; an annoyance.

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 who hesitates is lost »    A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.

one-man band »    An organisation or business that is effectively run by only one person.

one-night stand »    A single sexual encounter between two individuals, where at least one of the parties has no immediate intention or expectation of establishing a longer-term sexual or romantic relationship. As the phrase implies, the relationship lasts for only one night.

opposite number »    A person who holds a position in an organization that corresponds to that held by another person in an other organization; a counterpart.

or what »    Or something else; allows for the existence of an unexpressed alternative to what was said.

out of bounds »    Beyond the bounds of civility or morality; extremely unreasonable.

out of bounds »    Prohibited to enter.

out of fix »    Wrong, broken, nonfunctional.

out of house and home »    Cassandra Chrones Moore, Haunted Housing: How Toxic Scare Stories Are Spooking the Public Out of House and Home.

out of it »    Drunk.

out of line »    Inappropriate or unsuitable, especially by reason of being unmannerly or indelicate.

out of luck »    Experiencing a temporary misfortune.

out of nowhere »    In an unexpected or inexplicable manner of arrival or occurrence.

out of one's depth »    To be in a situation which one is poorly prepared or unprepared to handle.

out of order »    Inappropriate or unsuitable.

out of order »    Not functioning properly.

out of pocket »    Lacking funds, or suffering a loss.

out of reach »    Inaccessible or unattainable.

out of sorts »    Irritable or somewhat unwell, with vague medical symptoms.

out of stock »    Temporarily unavailable for sale.

out of the blue »    Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.

out of the running »    No longer in competition.

out of the way »    Unusual or out of the ordinary.

out of touch »    No longer maintaining contact or communications.

out of whack »    Not in proper balance; unbalanced.

out of work »    Unemployed, or having nothing to do.

out the window »    A missed opportunity.

out to lunch »    Away eating lunch or for a midday break; especially, away from work or a job.

out to lunch »    Clueless, inattentive or careless.

outside the box »    Beyond the bounds of convention.

outsider »    A newcomer with little or no experience in an organization or community.

outsider »    One who is not part of a community or organization.

over my dead body »    Under no circumstances; absolutely not.

over one's head »    More complex or confusing than one can understand; beyond one’s comprehension..

over the transom »    Said of an unsolicited work submitted for publication.

overkill »    An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.

ox is in the ditch »    This is a big problem; there is unavoidable or demanding work ahead.

painting rocks »    Pointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment but in fact merely disguising the unemployment level.

palm off »    To attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.

parcel out »    To divide into portions or chunks; to ration.

park the car in Harvard Yard »    A sentence used to illustrate that the Boston accent is non-rhotic; typically pronounced "pahk the cah in Hahvad Yahd".

party pooper »    Someone who unnecessarily dampens fun.

pass on »    To convey or communicate.

patience of Job »    An great amount of patience.

patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels »    The appeal to patriotism is often used to distract the public from real issues.

pay for »    To be punished or held accountable for.

pay out »    To slacken a rope by lengthening it; to allow a rope to run out.

pay the piper »    To pay a monetary debt or experience unfavorable consequences, especially when the payment or consequences are inevitable in spite of attempts to avoid them.

pay through the nose »    To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.

pay up »    To pay for something in total, after a certain amount of time after receiving a purchase.

peanut gallery »    Any source of heckling, unwelcome commentary or criticism, especially from a know-it-all or of an inexpert nature.

peashooter »    A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.

peashooter »    Any small or ineffective gun.

peg it »    To run away; to leg it; to scarper.

pelt of the dog »    An immoderate, excessive quantity of alcohol drunk the morning after whilst suffering withdrawal symptoms or a hangover, which goes beyond alleviating the complaint to causing drunkenness; cf. hair of the dog.

penny wise and pound foolish »    Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful and profligate with large amounts.

pick on »    To bully or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.

pick up »    To learn, to grasp; to begin to understand.

pick up stitches »    Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.

pickin' and grinnin' »    Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.

pickle »    A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown.

pickle »    A rundown.

piffy on a rock bun »    A person ignored or sidelined from an activity.

pig in a poke »    Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.

pinch and a punch for the first of the month »    Said the first day of a new month, accompanied by a pinch and a punch to the victim.

play around »    To behave in a silly, or childish, or irresponsible way.

play around »    To work with in a non-serious manner.

play around »    To engage in sexual practices outside of marriage.

play it by ear »    To play a song according to how it sounds, rather than from a written score.

play on words »    A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.

play possum »    To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.

plead the fifth »    To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.

pleased as Punch »    Pleased with one's actions or achievements.

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.

point blank »    The distance between a gun and a target such that it requires minimal effort in aiming it. In particular no allowance needs to be made for the effects of gravity, target movement or wind in aiming the projectile.

poison tree bears poison fruit »    Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.

pop a cap in someone's ass »    To shoot someone with a gun.

pop up »    To come up with a "pop" sound.

Postpone »    to cancel until a future a time

potter around »    To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.

pound of flesh »    Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.

pound sand »    To engage in a futile activity.

pound the pavement »    To campaign diligently; to seek something, such as business, employment, or answers.

pound the pavement »    To travel on foot; to walk or run.

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.

powers that be »    The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially as seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.

pretty penny »    A considerable amount of money; a high price or a high income.

pronunciamiento »    A military uprising or coup in Spain or the Spanish American republics, particularly in the 19th century. They received this designation because coups were usually accompanied by a statement declaring the existing government null and void.

pronunciamiento »    A pronouncement or "declaration".

proverbs come in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.

proverbs go in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1932, Bertrand Russell,

proverbs hunt in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.

proverbs often come in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.

proverbs run in pairs »    Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work."1863, Sir Richard Burton, Abeokuta and the Camaroons Mountains, vol. 1, Tinsley (London), p. 309:Moreover, all the world over, proverbs run in pairs, and pull both ways: for the most part one neutralizes, by contradiction, the other.

pull oneself together »    To become mentally focused after a period of being unfocused.

pull the other one, it's got bells on »    The implication is that one leg has been pulled, and the joker will have more fun with the other one due to the bells.

pull the plug »    To unplug or cut power.

pull the trigger »    To fire a gun.

pull together »    To unite for a common objective.

punch bowl waterfall »    A plunging waterfall descending from a narrow stream into a pool.

punch in »    To enter a workplace by punching a time card.

punch up »    to fight

pure and simple »    Plain and unadorned.

push one's luck »    To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.

put across »    To explain or state something clearly and understandably.

put away »    To catch a fly ball or tag out a baserunner.

put by »    To run a ship aground intentionally to avoid a collision.

put down »    To pay an initial amount of money on a large purchase.

put one foot in front of the other »    To walk, decomposed to stress the fundamentality of the task.

put one's foot in it »    To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.

put oneself across »    To explain one's ideas and opinions clearly so that another person can understand them and get a picture of your personality.

put out feelers »    To explore or watch for; ask around; investigate.

put through its paces »    To test completely; to exercise the full range of abilities or functions.

put up »    To hang or mount.

put up or shut up »    Desist from saying something unless one is able to prove it.

question mark »    Doubt or uncertainty.

question mark »    The punctuation mark “?”, used at the end of a sentence to indicate a question..

quick on the uptake »    Able to readily understand things; intelligent.

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.

quite a bit »    A considerable amount.

quote unquote »    Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.

raise a hand »    To volunteer.

raise one's hand »    To volunteer.

raise the spectre »    To cause concern that something unfortunate might happen.

rat run »    A small road that people venture down when they want to sneak off the motorway and take a short cut.

rat running »    Present participle of rat run.

re run »    repeat

reach an early grave »    To die young. To die before the age of 80.

read somebody's lips »    To discern what somebody is saying by watching the shape of the mouth rather than by hearing the sounds of the words.

rebound relationship »    A relationship proceeding a longterm relationship, usually short in duration and used to help mend the "broken heart".

reckon for »    To answer for; to pay the account for.

reckon on »    To count on or depend on.

reckon upon »    To count upon or depend upon.

reckon with »    To settle accounts with or to settle claims with.

reckon with »    To take into account.

red mist »    Uncontrollable rage.

red state »    A state of the United States voting Republican in a given election, or tending to vote Republican in general.

rediscover fire »    To relearn fundamental concepts, principles or practices that had been previously well known and widely practiced at a prior time in human society.

reflect on »    At run-time using reflection.

reinvent the wheel »    To redo work unnecessarily when it has already been done satisfactorily; to rethink an already working system, technique, etc. in a pointless attempt to improve it.

ride one's luck »    To avoid failure only by good fortune.

ride shotgun »    To assist and protect.

ride shotgun »    To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

ring around »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

ring hollow »    To seem to be false or implausible; to be unconvincing.

ring out »    To sound very loudly.

ring round »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

rip off »    To charge an exorbitant or unfair rate.

rivet counter »    A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.

rob the cradle »    To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.

rob the cradle »    To use a young person for a purpose inappropriate to his or her age.

rock up »    To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.

rocket scientist »    Someone qualified to understand or handle that which is overly complex, detailed or confusing; a genius.

rolling stone »    A person who moves around a lot and never settles down.

root around »    Alternative form of root about.

rough and ready »    Crude or unpolished, but still fit for use; good enough.

rough around the edges »    In need of refinement; unsophisticated.

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 of applause »    An outburst of clapping among a group or audience. Often asked for by the Master of Ceremonies at a concert or other performance.

round off »    To change the shape of an object to make it more circular.

round off »    To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.

round off »    To complete or finish something.

round out »    To make more complete by adding details.

round the bend »    Crazy, mad or insane.

round the clock »    Nonstop, 24 hours per day.

round up »    Together.

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.

rub salt in the wound »    To make an injury feel worse.

rubber-chicken dinner »    A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.

rumor mill »    A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.

run a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

run a mile »    To escape, flee or leave a situation or relationship, usually as a result of a shocking or sudden announcement or revelation.

run about »    To be very busy doing many different things.

run across »    To cross by running.

run across »    To find or discover by chance.

run afoul of »    To become entangled in; to run aground on.

run afoul of »    To contravene.

run after »    To chase.

run after »    To make a determined effort to win someone's affections.

run along »    To leave.

run around »    To be very busy doing many different things.

run around after »    To spend a lot of time doing things for another person or group of people. Often used when that person could reasonably do the things for themselves.

run around with »    To spend a lot of time with a person or group of people. Often used to talk about a person's group of friends that one does not like much.

run away »    To flee by running.

run away »    To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile.

run away »    escape

run away with »    To leave secretly with another person. Usually with the intention of getting married or of living together against the wishes of the family.

run away with »    To be misled by imagining that one's desires can come true.

run back »    To take someone home by car. Give someone a lift to their house.

run back »    To rewind a film or cassette.

run by »    To inform someone briefly of the main points of an idea.

run by »    To repeat some information.

run down »    To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.

run down »    To criticize someone or an organisation, often unfairly.

run down »    To find something or someone after searching for a long time.

run down »    To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device.

run down »    To read quickly a list or other short text.

run down »    To reduce the size or stock levels of a business, often with a view to closure.

run for »    To try to obtain political position through the democratic voting process.

run for office »    To seek political power.

run for one's money »    A difficult challenge for the person indicated, especially one involving a competitive situation.

run for one's money »    A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation.

run for the hills »    Flee.

run for the roses »    A college football game or series of games played with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the championship Rose Bowl game.

run for the roses »    A hard-fought competition or demanding challenge of any kind.

run for the roses »    Nickname for the Kentucky Derby horse race.

run hot and cold »    To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure.

run in »    Alternative spelling of run-in.

run in »    argument

run in »    arrest

run into »    To enter by running.

run into »    To collide with.

run into »    To cause to collide with.

run into »    To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.

run into »    To cause to blend into.

run into »    To reach a large figure.

run into the ground »    To discuss ad nauseam.

run into the ground »    To mismanage to the point of ruin.

run into the ground »    To wear out, especially through excessive use.

run off »    To flee or depart quickly.

run off »    To make photocopies, or print.

run off »    To write something quickly.

run off »    To pour or spill off or over.

run off »    To leave someone without prior advice.

run off »    To chase someone away.

run off »    To operate by a particular energy source.

run off with »    To leave with someone with the intention of living with them or marrying them. Usually in secret because other people think it is wrong.

run off with »    To steal or abscond.

run on »    To continue without interruption.

run on »    To continue talking for a long time.

run on »    To operate with a particular energy source.

run on fumes »    By extension, to operate with few resources or little money.

run on fumes »    To operate a vehicle that is low on fuel.

run oneself ragged »    To work or exert oneself to the point of exhaustion.

run out »    Alternative spelling of runout.

run out of steam »    To run out of energy; to run out of motivation.

run out on »    To leave a partner suddenly and without prior warning.

run out the clock »    To preserve a lead in a game by retaining possession, to waste time.

run over »    To exceed the allotted time.

run over »    To cross by running.

run over »    To drive over, causing injury or death.

run over »    To briefly describe.

run over »    To practice quickly, briefly.

run over »    To overflow.

run over »    to rehearse

run rampant »    To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.

run roughshod over »    To treat roughly or without care, respect, or moderation; to act without control; to damage.

run scared »    To try everything to avoid defeat.

run somebody ragged »    To exhaust; to demand excessive effort or work from somebody.

run something by »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run something past »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run something up the flagpole »    To float an idea that one suspects might be controversial.

run the gamut »    To encompass the full range or variety possible.

run through »    To go through by running.

run through »    To briefly summarise.

run through »    To repeat something.

run through »    To use completely, in a short space of time. Usually money.

run through »    To pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a group, organisation, or system.

run through »    To impale a person with a blade, usually a sword.

run to »    To reach a particular maximum amount, size, value, etc.

run to »    To reach the limit of one's abilities or tastes.

run up »    Of a bowler, to run, or walk up to the bowling crease in order to bowl a ball.

run up »    To bring a flag to the top of it's flag pole.

run up »    To make something, usually an item of clothing, very quickly.

run up »    To accumulate a debt.

run up against »    Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.

run-of-the-mill »    Ordinary; not special.

runner up »    second-placed competitor

running on empty »    Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.

sacked out »    Sound asleep, usually from a healthy exhaustion.

safe and sound »    Having come to no harm, especially after being exposed to danger.

same difference »    It makes no difference; it amounts to the same thing.

scissorbill »    And railroad term for someone who refused to join the union or who openly colluded with management to thwart the union.

scrape together »    To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.

scrounge up »    To seek or find despite a lack of apparent resources or availability.

sea change »    A profound transformation.

seagull approach »    The occurence of casual, ill-informed and hasty decisions or comments made by outside authorities who lack an understanding of the local issues or a real understanding of the facts of a particular situ.

second string »    In sports, a unit of players that plays behind the first string.

see the light »    To gain an understanding of something previously not understood, especially in a sudden insight.

see the light »    To undergo a spiritual conversion.

see you next Tuesday »    A euphemism for cunt.

seek and ye shall find »    something can be found if it is looked for.

sell ice to Eskimos »    To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

set down »    Simple sum of parts set + down, to place, especially on the ground or a surface; to cease carrying.

set off »    To count an addition in one thing against a reduction in something else.

sexual tension »    Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.

shack up »    To live together, especially of an unmarried couple.

shell out »    To use a program's "shell escape" function to execute an unrelated command or to invoke a subsidiary, interactive shell.

shit one's pants »    To involuntarily defecate into one's pants or other clothing.

shit or get off the pot »    To choose between taking action now, or foregoing the opportunity until a later date.

shoot 'em up »    A short story, novel, television show, film, computer game, or other narrative which depicts considerable gunplay.

shoot the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

shooting iron »    A firearm, especially a handgun.

short leash »    Forcing one to function within a strict set of rules, or under great scrutiny or oversight.

short of a length »    Of a ball that pitches short of a good length; a ball that bounces closer to the bowler than the area of the pitch regarded as the best for dismissing or restricting the scoring of the batsman.

short on looks »    Plain, unattractive.

short strokes »    The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

shotgun »    A gun which fires loads consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.

shotgun »    A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Mostly heard in the southern United States.

shotgun »    A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.

shotgun »    The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver.

shotgun approach »    An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.

shotgun shack »    A house with no internal barrier between the front and back doors.

shotgun wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is already pregnant.

show the flag »    Of a naval vessel or military force, to identify itself by displaying the flag of its country of origin, especially in order to establish an authoritative presence and to exert diplomatic or political influence.

show the flag »    To display the flag of one's country, especially as an expression of patriotic pride.

show the flag »    To represent one's country or some other group in a manner intended to suggest the authority or importance of that country or group.

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.

sight unseen »    Not having seen the object beforehand.

sign on »    register as unemployed

sit out »    To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.

sit out »    To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.

sit through »    To unwillingly stay seated until the end of an event.

sitting duck »    An obvious or unconcealed target.

six feet under »    Buried six feet underground; not alive; dead.

skeleton crew »    The minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency or shut down, and at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.

skin diver »    underwater swimmer

skip rope »    To jump over a rope, both of whose ends are held by the jumper or by two others, while the rope is moved under the jumper's feet in a continual rhythm; to play the game of jump rope or exercise by jumping rope.

slam dunk »    A task expected to present no difficulty.

slam dunk »    An impressively forceful dunk.

slam dunk »    Tacking on top of the wind of the following yacht in close quarters.

slap on the wrist »    A mild or too-mild punishment; a reprimand.

sleep around »    To have numerous sexual partners.

sleep on it »    To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.

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.

slippery slope »    A chain of events that, once initiated, cannot be halted; especially one in which the final outcome is undesirable or precarious.

slop bowl »    One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.

small change »    A minor or insignificant amount of money.

smear campaign »    An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.

smell like a rose »    To be regarded as appealing, virtuous, or respectable; to be untainted or unharmed.

smoke and mirrors »    A deceptive, fraudulent, or unconvincing explanation or description.

smoke signal »    A method of long-distance communication sometimes used in ancient and undeveloped societies, consisting of messages conveyed by means of columns or intermittent puffs of smoke.

smoking gun »    Evidence, particularly of a crime, that is difficult or impossible to dispute.

smooth operator »    A skillful, manipulative person, con artist, or clever scoundrel.

snake oil »    A type of 19th century patent medicine sold in the United States that claimed to contain snake fat, supposedly a Native American remedy for various ailments.

snake oil »    Any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.

snazz up »    To improve appearance or appeal by increasing stylishness or functionality, or by adding other attractive features.

snipe hunt »    A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.

snot-nosed »    Young and arrogant or conceited.

snow on the mountaintop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

snowed under »    Have too much work.

so far »    Until now; previously; yet.

soapbox »    A crate for packing soap, or, by extension, any inexpensive crude platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it, especially when used for speeches.

socialized medicine »    An umbrella term for any system of government-run health care.

soft touch »    A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.

softroader »    . This involves increased ground clearance with tyre, wheel, and suspension tweaks, skid plates and refers to mini SUV or wagons.

somewhere along the line »    At some unspecified time; eventually or once; at some point.

sound as a bell »    In excellent condition.

sound asleep »    Sleeping still and silently.

sound off »    To hold forth about something in an opinionated manner.

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.

sow one's wild oats »    To spread one's genes around by impregnating many females.

spanner »    A problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome.

spanner »    A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.

spare tyre »    A large stomach and rolls of fat around the waist.

spark spread »    The difference between the cost of the fuel required to produce a unit of electricity, and the price of that same unit of electricity.

speak with a forked tongue »    To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.

spice up »    To make more exotic, fun or extravagant.

spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar »    To have something important fail for want of a small amount of money or effort.

stand from under »    To escape something falling or being thrown from above.

stand one's ground »    To attempt to hold a position in battle.

stand one's ground »    To maintain or stick by an opinion or position; to remain resolute in the face of opposition.

stand out »    To be obvious or conspicuous, in contrast to one's surroundings.

standard fare »    Something which is normal, routine, or unexceptional; something which is commonly provided or encountered.

stat whore »    Through unscrupulous or tacky means.

steal somebody's thunder »    To detract from somebody's accomplishments or glory; to undermine.

step on a rake »    To step on the tines of a garden rake, causing the handle of the rake to rise from the ground rapidly, invariably striking the person walking in the face.

stew in one's juices »    To be alone and self-absorbed in an uncomfortable state of mind, especially while experiencing the unpleasant effects of one's own actions.

stick around »    To stay; to linger; to remain.

stick in the mud »    A person unwilling to participate in activities, often because he or she believes the activity is not wholly kosher; a party pooper.

stick in the mud »    More generally, one who is slow, old-fashioned, or unprogressive; an old fogey.

stick up »    To rob at gunpoint.

still water runs deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect

still waters run deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect.

stir-crazy »    By extension, restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity.

stir-crazy »    Of a prisoner, mentally unbalanced due to prolonged incarceration.

stop someone in his tracks »    To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.

straight from the shoulder »    Done in a direct manner; blunt.

straight man »    A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.

straight out of the chute »    Something done immediately, or "from the beginning". Taken from rodeo routine: the bucking bronco, or bull, or the calf for the calf-roping contest is kept in a narrow pen, a chute, until it is released and dashes out to its fate.

strange bedfellows »    An unusual combination or political alliance.

straw poll »    A survey of opinion which is unofficial, casual, or ad hoc.

strike while the iron is hot »    To act on an opportunity promptly; to avoid waiting.

suck hind tit »    To be the youngest or most neglected child.

suck it up »    To put up with something; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.

suck off »    To fellate a man until he ejaculates.

sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof »    No need to worry about the future; the present provides enough to worry about.

surprise surprise »    An indication that the unsurprising happened, especially contrary to someone's hopes or assertions.

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.

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.

swing the lead »    To pretend to be unwell so that you do not have to work.

swings and roundabouts »    Offsetting gains and losses.

take a bath »    To lose a large amount of money in an investment.

take a bead on »    To aim a gun at something.

take a bullet »    To purposely receive a gunshot that was intended for another.

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 against »    To stop liking someone. Become unfriendly.

take apart »    To soundly defeat someone, or a team.

take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »    If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,

take for granted »    To give little attention to or to underestimate the value of, to fail to appreciate.

take into account »    Or pay attention to; to notice.

take it out on »    To unleash one's anger on [a person or thing other than the one that caused it].

take liberties »    To behave disrespectfully, especially to make unwanted sexual advances.

take off »    To leave the ground and begin flight; to ascend into the air.

take out of context »    To interpret something in a manner in which it was not intended to be understood, often deliberately.

take someone's point »    To agree with what a person says; to understand a person's argument and be persuaded by it.

take something in one's stride »    Not to allow oneself to be set back, daunted, upset or embarrassed by unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.

take the fifth »    To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.

take the plunge »    To get engaged.

take the rap »    To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the actions of another.

take the red pill »    To understand the world in its previously unknown reality.

take to one's heels »    To leave; especially, to flee or run away.

take to task »    To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.

take to the cleaners »    To take a significant quantity of a person's money or valuables, through gambling, unfavorable investing, fraud, litigation, etc.

take to the hills »    To flee or vanish; to run away.

take up the gauntlet »    To accept a challenge.

taking to ones heels »    running away

talk is cheap »    It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.

talk over »    To persuade someone; to talk around.

talk somebody under the table »    With excessive talk or numerous arguments.

talk up »    In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.

talking head »    A pundit who discusses issues of the day, especially one on TV.

tar with the same brush »    To characterize using the same undesirable attribute, especially unjustly.

teething troubles »    Small problems such as are to be expected with some any new and untried system or product.

tell off »    To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.

thanks a bunch »    A mildly sarcastic thank you.

thanks a bunch »    An unsarcastic thank you.

that's just me »    Indicates the expression of a personal opinion, but often used ironically as an understatement.

that's the way life is »    That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.

that's the way the ball bounces »    That is the way things happen

the calm before the storm »    A period of peace before a disturbance or crisis; an unnatural or false calm before a storm.

the course of true love never did run smooth »    There will always be problems in a relationship.

the early bird gets the worm »    Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are only available to the first competitors.

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get »    (vulgar) The sexual satisfactions that one receives from a spouse or romantic partner are not sufficient to compensate for the significant periods of bad faith and unpleasant treatment which such relationships routinely involve.1971, Allen Churchill, The Literary Decade, ISBN 9780135375228:Years later she expressed her disillusionment with sex by saying, "The fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."1999, Ben Sonnenberg, Lost Property: Memoirs and Confessions of a Bad Boy, ISBN 9781582430454, p. 93:Maitland got drunk at his parties and threw his arm around you and pulled you over to his wife and made you look down her dress, saying, "The trouble with marriage is that the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."2008, Joseph Heywood, Blue Wolf In Green Fire, ISBN 9781599213590, p. 63:"I can't believe a little pussy got me into dis mess." "Shit happens," Service said. "Sometimes the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."

the jig is up »    An expression used to mean "We have been caught out and have no defence", or if spoken to a person who's just been found out as the perpetrator of an offense, it means "You've been discovered.".

the more the merrier »    It is more fun with more people.

the nose knows »    Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.

the pits »    Something miserable or unpleasant.

the rabbit died »    A statement spoken to indicate one's own pregnancy, or that someone has found out they are pregnant.

the straw that broke the camel's back »    A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.

the terrorists will have won »    Phrase used following a description of an activity to indicate that if that activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, an which is an unacceptable result.

the world is one's oyster »    All opportunities are open to someone, the world is theirs.

the world is one's oyster »    In order to achieve something in this world, one has to grab the opportunity.

them's the facts »    That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.

there and back »    One or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.

there are plenty more fish in the sea »    There are many more potential opportunities available.

there are plenty of fish in the sea »    There are many more potential opportunities available.

there are two sides to every question »    One should not make a judgement until one hears the other side.

there but for the grace of God go I »    A recognition that others' misfortune could be one's own, if it weren't for the blessing/kindness/luck bestowed by fate or the Divine.Man's fate is in God's hands.More generally, our fate is not entirely in our own hands.

there is an exception to every rule »    Usually said in a situation when the rule is incorrect and unusable.

there is nothing new under the sun »    There is nothing truly novel in existence. Every new idea has some sort of precedent or echo from the past.

there's no accounting for taste »    When it comes to subjective matters of taste, people have wildly different opinions.Disagreements about matters of taste can't be objectively resolved.

there's no point crying over spilt milk »    You should not be upset over something that cannot be undone.

there's no such thing as a free lunch »    Nothing is free; everything has a price.

think of England »    To tolerate or endure bad sex. Used in conjunction with "I just lie on my back and.." "I just go through the motions and..." etc.

think tank »    A group of which performs research and develops reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporations, interest groups, or government.

think through »    To fully consider an action, and understand all its consequences.

third string »    A unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.

thorn in the flesh »    Ivar Specto. The Soviet Union and the Muslim World, 1917-1958.

those who will not when they may, when they will they shall have nay »    (archaic) One should take immediate advantage of an opportunity that may not be available later.

three sheets to the wind »    Drunk.

three-martini lunch »    A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.

three-on-the-tree »    On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.

through and through »    Completely; entirely; fundamentally.

throw a spanner in the works »    To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.

throw cold water on »    To belittle or dismiss; to cast doubt upon; to debunk.

throw dirt enough, and some will stick »    If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say

throw down the gauntlet »    To issue a challenge.

throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.

throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn

throw off balance »    To unsettle, to catch by surprise.

throw one's hat in the ring »    To announce one's candidacy in a contest.

throw one's weight around »    To exercise influence or authority especially to an excessive degree or in an objectionable manner.

throw somebody a curve »    To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

throw the book at »    To apply the harshest possible punishment to.

throw under the bus »    To betray or blame; to use as a scapegoat.

throw under the bus »    To discard or disown.

tick over »    To run smoothly and without problems.

tickle somebody's funny bone »    To amuse; to strike somebody as funny.

tight-lipped »    Unwilling to divulge information.

time flies »    Time seems to pass quickly. Time flies when you're having fun.

time flies when you're having fun »    Time seems to pass quicker when one is enjoying oneself.

time heals all wounds »    Negative feelings eventually erode away

timeserver »    A person who conforms to current opinions, especially for reasons of personal advantage; an opportunist.

tired and emotional »    Drunk.

to all intents and purposes »    For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

to be sure »    Admittedly, undoubtedly, certainly.

to date »    Until now; until the present time.

to give a person line »    To allow a person more or less liberty until it is convenient to stop or check him/her, like a hooked fish that swims away with the line.

to one's heart's content »    Until satisfied; as much as is wished.

to say the least »    Used to suggest that what was previously stated was an understatement.

to the moon »    To a very distant or unreachable place.

to the tune of »    Roughly; about; as much as; to the sum of, to the extent of.

today we are all »    March 11, 2004: Denis MacShane, Guardian Unlimited.

tomato tomato »    Uses insignificant pronunciation difference to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard.

tomorrow is another day »    Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed

tongue-tied »    Unable to speak; at a loss for words.

too bad »    It is unfortunate that.

too bad »    That's a pity; that's unfortunate.

too big for one's britches »    Disturbingly confident, unacceptably cocky.

too hot to hold »    A place that has too much police activity to harbor a fugitive unnoticed.

top dollar »    The maximum amount of money that an item, service, or worker is worth; a very high price.

top heavy »    unbalanced

top it all off »    To emphasize or underscore; to make something even better or worse.

toss-up »    A decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter.

totus porcus »    Completely; unreservedly: swallowed the official version totus porcus.

touch base »    To consult, visit, or communicate with.

touch of the tar brush »    Of South Asian or Afro-Caribbean in their background and/or in their appearance.

touch off »    To start; to cause, especially used for unstable situations that may magnify if disturbed.

touch%C3%A9 »    Used in a conversation or debate to concede a point as true, often in response to a successful counter of one's own logic.

touch-and-go »    Precarious, delicate, dangerous, risky, sensitive or of uncertain outcome.

tourner autour du pot »    To beat around the bush.

track down »    To hunt for or locate; to search for; to find.

trailer trash »    Deleted from the movie trailer. Not included in theatrical run.

travel junkie »    Who are using their time and money to seek out adventure holidays and travel.

trick out »    To trick out; to mod or customize an object, typically for the purpose of both personalization as well as enhancing the object's performance capabilities and more particularly for the purpose of performing stunts with that object.

trip to the woodshed »    An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered.

try out »    To undergo a test before being selected for a team etc.

tuck in »    To push the fabric at the bottom of a shirt under the pants.

tuits »    Virtual tokens for an amount of time or attention that a particular issue would need to resolve.

tumble to »    To discover, or suddenly understand something.

tune in »    To pay attention.

tune in »    To select a channel, station, etc., as on television or radio.

tune in, turn on, drop out »    Pay attention to the new way of living; take drugs; abandon the established ways.

tune out »    To change the channel or frequency away from.

tune out »    To fail to pay attention to; to ignore.

tune up »    To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.

tune up »    To make preparations for vigorous exercise; to warm up.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn around »    An upset; a suprising comeback.

turn down »    To reduce the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn heads »    To garner a considerable amount of attention.

turn tail »    To flee; to run away; to leave.

turn the other cheek »    To accept a punishment or an injury and not act out revenge or retaliate.

turn up »    To show up; to appear suddenly or unexpectedly.

turn up »    To increase the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn up for the book »    A very unexpected, usually pleasant, surprise.

twatfaced »    F**ed, pissed, drunk as a skunk.

twelve-ounce curls »    Drinking beer.

twenty-twenty hindsight »    Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored.

twist in the wind »    To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.

twist in the wind »    To wait for an uncomfortably long period of time.

twist of fate »    An unfortunate turn of events.

two bob »    A small amount of value.

two cents »    A nearly worthless amount, alluding to placing a copper penny on each of the eyelids of a pauper's or slave's body before burial.

uncle sam »    the us government

under a cloud »    Under suspicion; subject to critical inspection.

under a spell »    Bewitched, held by the power of a magical spell.

under erasure »    Of a bit of text, written and strickenthrough; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.

under fire »    Criticized or held responsible for something.

under fire »    Subjected to enemy attack.

under lock and key »    Imprisoned with little or no chance of escape.

under one's belt »    Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

under one's breath »    Softly, so as not to be heard.

under one's hat »    Concealed; confidential; secret.

under one's nose »    Directly in front of one; clearly visible.

under one's nose »    Obvious or apparent.

under one's thumb »    Completely controlled by someone; at someone’s command..

under one's wing »    Under one's protection, sponsorship, or tutelage.

under pressure »    Being subjected to physical pressure.

under pressure »    Subjected to pressure.

under sail »    With sails unfurled; powered by the wind.

under the gun »    The first player to act on the first round of betting in Texas hold 'em.

under the gun »    Under great pressure to perform.

under the impression »    Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.

under the influence »    Drunk; intoxicated; affected by alcohol.

under the knife »    Undergoing a surgical procedure.

under the microscope »    Under close scrutiny or examination.

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.

under the weather »    Experiencing adversity.

under the weather »    Somewhat ill or gloomy.

under the weather »    Somewhat intoxicated or suffering from a hangover.

under the wire »    Across the finish line.

under the wire »    At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.

under the yoke »    Under subjugation.

under way »    A vessel is said to be underway when she is not anchored, moored, aground, or beached[1]. Compare with make way.

under way »    In operation, in progress, commenced.

under wraps »    Secret or hidden.

underwater basket weaving »    "Sure, somewhere out there, college slackers were taking broom ball and underwater basket weaving." — The Columbus Dispatch, September 15, 2005.

underwater basket weaving »    An easy and useless college or high school class.

university of life »    The real world as a source of instruction, as opposed to a formal education.

unring a bell »    To perform the impossible.

unring a bell »    To reverse the irreversible.

unring a bell »    To reverse the ringing of a bell.

untar »    To extract a tar archive.

until hell freezes over »    Forever; One will never in their life get the results that they want, no matter what they're doing involving the situation.

until one is blue in the face »    Forever; for a hopelessly long time.

until the cows come home »    For a very long time.

unwashed masses »    Of people who are considered by someone to be somehow uneducated, uninformed, godless, or in some other way unqualified for inclusion in the speaker's elite circles.

up-and-comer »    Someone who is up-and-coming, who has begun to be successful in some field and is likely to become even more successful in the future.

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.

variable tandem repeat locus »    Any DNA sequence that exists in multiple copies strung together in various tandem lengths.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To defer action or decision until another matter is finished or resolved.

walk a tightrope »    To undertake a precarious course of action.

walk around »    To walk with no real planned destination, but to just walk, to meander "around".

walk away from »    To abandon or leave; to shun.

walk in on »    To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.

walk into »    meet with unwittingly

walk the line »    To mark or secure a boundary by walking along it.

wall in »    To enclose by surrounding with walls.

warm up »    To prepare for executing an already-learned activity by a limited amount of additional practice.

wash out »    To lose traction while going around a turn, especially in cycling, motorsports and skiing/snowboarding.

wash over »    To pass unnoticed so that one is unaffected by it.

wash up »    To wash one's hands and/or face, often around mealtimes.

water under the bridge »    Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.

way out of a paper bag »    A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.

wear down »    To have one's long hair styled in a free, low-hanging, unencumbered style; i.e., not in an up-do or ponytail.

wear out »    To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.

wear out »    To punish by spanking.

weed out »    To remove unwanted elements from a group.

weigh in »    To undergo a weigh-in.

well ain't that the catfish in the trap »    A sentence commonly spoken in the Southern United States. It can often be used in place of "well, I'll be damned". Used to express surprise.

well begun is half done »    Much depends on the beginning of an endeavor.

wet blanket »    A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

whack-a-mole »    The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.

what for »    An unspecified punishment or rebuke.

what goes around comes around »    The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle.A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person.

wheel around »    To transport someone or something to various locations by pushing a wheeled transporter such as a wheelchair or a wheelbarrow or trolley.

when in Rome, do as the Romans do »    behave as those around do

when it rains, it pours »    If a person encounters bad luck, more bad luck will follow.

where the sun don't shine »    Up or in the anus.

where there's muck there's brass »    (UK, Irish) There is money to be made in unpleasant dirty jobs.

whistle Dixie »    To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.

whistle past the graveyard »    To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.

whistle-stop train tour »    A tour in a political campaign that makes many brief stops in small communities.

white elephant »    An ornament etc that is unwanted or is a financial burden; an unprofitable investment.

white hole »    A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.

white lie »    A deliberate, untrue statement which does no harm or is intended to produce a favorable result.

white marriage »    An unconsummated marriage.

who pays the piper calls the tune »    One who pays for something controls it.

willful ignorance »    A bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt. It may also be shown as for a person to have no clue in a decision but still goes ahead in their decision.

win over »    To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.

winter rat »    An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.

wooden-top »    Uniformed police officers.

word on the street »    The rumour or news going around on the street.

word on the wire »    The rumour or news going around on the Internet, in business, on the street, or in social circles.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work spouse »    A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.

working girl »    A young woman who works.

world »    A great amount.

world »    The Universe.

worm's-eye view »    A view of an object from below, from the ground.

worry wart »    One who worries excessively or unnecessarily.

worse for wear »    Drunk.

wouldn't you know it »    Expresses dismay or annoyance, especially at bad luck or misfortune.

wrap around one's fingers »    To make one susceptible to desire, in that their behavior or actions are influenced.

wrap up »    To wear more clothes as protection from the weather; to bundle up.

write off »    unrepairable car

yellow-bellied »    Uncourageous.

yes-man »    A person of unquestioning obedience.

yoke together »    To unite, or join, or combine.

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.

you can't run with the hare and hunt with the hounds »    You can't have it both ways.

you can't unring a bell »    Some things can't be undone.

you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone »    It is advantageous not to rely solely on being nice.

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

you know what »    A phrase used to get someone's attention before announcing something.

you name it »    Used after a short list to show that further examples are unnecessary; all kinds of things.

you shouldn't have »    Used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity, especially when receiving a gift.

BTW, Why won't you become an editor?