We've found 3696 phrases for V (0.116 seconds):

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush »    It is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than a mere potential of a greater one.

a cat can look at a king »    Alternative form of a cat may look at a king.1982, A J Ayer,

a cat may look at a king »    Even a purported inferior has certain abilities, even in the presence of a purported superior

a cold day in Hell »    An event that will never happen.

a cut above »    Superior to; of a higher quality than.

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

a drop in the bucket »    An effort or action having very little overall influence, especially as compared to a huge problem.

a dumb priest never got a parish »    (Irish) Those who fail to speak up fail to get what they want.

a good voice to beg bacon »    Said in ridicule of a bad voice.

a great deal »    Very much; to a great extent; a lot; lots.

a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »    even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point

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 little bird told me »    Of information which was gathered from a source not to be overtly exposed.

a man's home is his castle »    (US) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security

a notch above »    Superior to; of a higher quality than.

a number of »    Several of.

a penny saved is a penny earned »    A maxim for thrift that says that money not spent may be spent later, or may earn interest in the meantime

a picture is worth a thousand words »    Alternative form of a picture paints a thousand words.

a picture paints a thousand words »    A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description.1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album:If a picture paints a thousand wordsThen why can't I paint you;The words will never showThe you I've come to know.1989, Alan Kay, quoted in K?o-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, ISBN 9971506645, p. 9:Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, ISBN 1904788734, p. 52:See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!

a riddle wrapped up in an enigma »    Something very mysterious and hidden.

a rising tide lifts all boats »    Benefits provided to a few may lead to conditions that are beneficial to all.

a rolling stone gathers no moss »    A person who never settles in one place will never be successful.A person who does not keep active will grow mouldy.

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.

a watched kettle never boils »    Alternative form of a watched pot never boils.

a watched pot never boils »    A process appears to go more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.

abide with »    To remain or live with someone.

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.

about to »    Indicates something that will happen very soon; indicates that something is imminent.

about turn »    An about face; a military command to a formation of soldiers to reverse the direction in which they are facing.

above and beyond »    More than is expected or required.

above board »    Honestly, reputably.

above one's bend »    Out of one's control or power.

above the law »    Exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else.

above the salt »    Of high standing or honor.

absence makes the heart grow fonder »    When someone or something is faraway, you realise how much you love (or miss) them or it.

abstract nonsense »    Details which involve diagram chasing.

accident of birth »    Reference to the fact that various benefits or detriments to the life of a person arise from the circumstances into which that person was born, these being entirely beyond his control.

accident waiting to happen »    A thing or situation which is almost certain to eventually lead to an accident.

according to »    According to him, every person was to be bought. - Thomas Babington Macaulay.

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.

ace up one's sleeve »    A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

ache for »    To desire, or want something, or someone, very much.

act on »    To act decisively on the basis of information received or deduced.

act out »    To express one's feelings through disruptive actions.

act up »    To misbehave; to cause trouble.

act up »    give trouble

actions speak louder than words »    It is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.

add up to »    To have a particular effect.

admiral of the blue »    A landlord or publican wearing a blue apron, as was formerly the custom among men of that vocation.

after all »    In the end; anyway; referring to something that was believed to be the case, but has now been shown not to be.

after all »    in spite of everything

after one's own heart »    Of a person: having the same ideas, opinions or behaviour as oneself.

against the grain »    Contrary to what is expected; especially, of behavior different from what society expects.

ahead of one's time »    Showing characteristics of changes yet to be; present in one's work before later advances in the field; coming earlier than could be generally accepted.

ahead of the game »    Having completed a task before it is due; ready, prepared, or anticipating.

air out »    To expose to air; to leave open or spread out, as to allow odor or moisture to dissipate.

air rage »    Disruptive behaviour on an aircraft.

albatross »    Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.

all and sundry »    All, everyone.

all cats are gray at night »    Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.

all cats are gray in the dark »    Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.

all cats are grey at night »    Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.

all eyes »    Gazing at devotedly.

all eyes »    Having prominent eyes.

all eyes »    Watching alertly or attentively.

all eyes and ears »    To be attentive.

all good things come to an end »    Nothing lasts forever.

all hell breaks loose »    Vi A place or state of fury, turmoil, destruction, or chaos.

all holiday »    A saying signifying that it is all over with the business or person spoken of or alluded to/.

all important »    vital

all in all »    everything considered

all kidding aside »    Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.

all nations »    A composition of all the different spirits sold in a dram-shop, collected in a vessel into which the drainings of the bottles and quartern pots are emptied.

all of a sudden »    Adv suddenly, quickly.

all one's eggs in one basket »    Devoting all of one’s resources to one thing.

all one's eggs in one basket »    Investing heavily in just one area.

all out »    The state of a side having no more men to bat, thus ending its innings.

all over »    Done; finished; complete.

all over but the shouting »    The substance of the contest is complete, leaving only the cheering.

all over grumble »    Inferior.

all over grumble »    Unsatisfactory.

all over hell's half acre »    All over the place; everywhere.

all over the board »    Showing a wide range of values with no particular pattern.

all over the map »    Widely scattered or distributed; numerous and differing greatly.

all over the place »    Everywhere, especially chaotically or in such a way as to make a mess.

all over the place »    Inconsistent; lacking a clear pattern.

all over the shop »    Everywhere, scattered, disorganised.

all over with »    Completely finished; over.

all right, my lover »    An informal affectionate greeting.

all that »    Very.

all that glitters is not gold »    Things that appear valuable or worthwhile might not actually be so, things that look nice might not be as good as they look.

all that jazz »    Everything else related to something; other similar things.

all the marbles »    Everything; all that is to be had.

all the rage »    Very fashionable and popular, like a craze.

all the same »    Anyway; nevertheless; nonetheless.

all the tea in China »    Something priceless or invaluable.

all the time »    Very often; frequently.

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

all things come to those who wait »    (dated) A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.

all told »    With everything included, counted or summed.

all very well »    All right, to a certain extent.

all very well »    True, as far as it goes.

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.

all-over oneself »    Feeling self-satisfied.

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

an apple a day »    Healthy eating and living using traditional temperate-zone fresh foods.

an apple a day keeps the doctor away »    Apples are healthy and stave off illness.Eat healthy and you won't get sick.

an axe to grind »    A grievance, with implications of confrontation.

an Englishman's home is his castle »    (UK) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security

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

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

angel's advocate »    Someone who sees what's good about an idea and supports it.

angle for »    To try to obtain something by subtle indirect means. Political manoeuvres, suggestion, etc.

answer back »    To issue echo characters, protocol responses, reflexive connection requests, etc.

answer on a postcard »    To give a brief answer or opinion.

any way one slices it »    From any perspective; in every case.

Apa Sâmbetei »    "for nothing", "to no result", or that what you have done was destroyed or is rendered useless after you finish it.

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

apple does not fall far from the tree »    A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, both in behavior and in physical characteristics.1842, E. A. Freidlaender (translator), Frederika Bremer (author), The Neighbours, ch. 10:It is impossible to look at Madam Rhen, without at once making the conclusion that she is pleasantness, hospitality, and loquacity itself; nor can one look upon her daughter Renetta without thinking, "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"1978, Dr. Isador Rosenfeld, "Doctor Asks Patient

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

apple never falls far from the tree »    Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.

apple of somebody's eye »    A favourite, a particular preference, or a loved one; the object of somebody's affections.

April showers bring May flowers »    April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.By extension, that a period of discomfort can provide the basis for a period of happiness.

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.

arm and a leg »    A relatively high price for an item or service; an exorbitant price.

arm candy »    An attractive, seemingly romantic companion who accompanies a person in public simply so that one or both of the individuals can gain attention, enhance social status, or create an impression of sexual appeal.

armed forces »    The Services

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

arrive at »    To reach.

arse end of nowhere »    A very remote place.

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

arsy varsey »    Tumbling upside down; head over heels.

as a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly »    Foolish people repeatedly do foolish things.

as all get-out »    Extremely; to a superlative degree; very much.

as best one can »    In the best possible way, given the circumstances.

as long as »    Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; so long as.

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

as the crow flies »    In a straight line distance between two locations, as opposed to the road distance or over land distance.

ask for »    To increase the likelihood of something by persisting in some action; to invite.

ask for it »    To provoke an unwanted action.

ask for the moon »    To claim or desire something that one cannot have.

ask in »    To invite someone to enter one's house.

ask out »    To invite somebody, especially on a date.

ask round »    To invite someone to your house.

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

ass into gear »    Get going; get moving; start producing.

ass over teakettle »    Frantically.

ass over teakettle »    Tumbling upside down.

assault and battery »    . This legal distinction exists only in jurisdictions that distinguish assault as threatened violence rather than actual violence.

at a glance »    Upon cursory examination; an abbreviated review.

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

at a pinch »    By the skin of one’s teeth; only just; Deo volente; perhaps; if you’re lucky..

at arm's length »    Avoiding a close relationship.

at best »    In the most favorable of conditions; at the most.

at full tilt »    At full speed; very quickly.

at hand »    Readily available; within easy reach; nearby.

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

at last »    After a long time; eventually.

at latter Lammas »    Never.

at one's beck and call »    In servitude to; at one’s command.

at one's fingertips »    Readily available.

at rest »    Not moving; stationary.

at risk »    vulnerable

at sixes and sevens »    In a state of confusion.

at sixes and sevens »    In a state of dispute or disagreement.

at that »    In addition to what has been said; furthermore; moreover.

at the end of the road »    No longer in the competition. Voted off. Eliminated.

at the end of the road »    No longer living. Dead.

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

at the wheel »    Driving; in control of a vehicle.

autem cackler »    Dissenters of every denomination.

autem diver »    Pickpockets who practice in churches; also churchwardens and overseers of the poor.

autem mort »    A married woman; also a female beggar with several children hired or borrowed to excite charity.

autem quaver »    Quaker.

avant la lettre »    An example of a term before the term was coined. Describing a term used anachronistically.

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

babe in the woods »    A person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless.

baby blues »    Period and feeling of depressiveness after giving birth; a less severe form of postnatal depression.

back away »    Of your attention on the thing in front being avoided.

back burner »    A section of a stove used to keep some pots warm while one focuses on others.

back down »    To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously has or has planned to.

back into »    To reverse a vehicle into a space.

back of beyond »    A very remote place.

back off »    To move backwards away from something.

back off »    To become less aggressive, particularly when one had appeared committed to act.

back office »    The IT and infrastructure support services for a company, separate from the public face of the business.

back onto »    To reverse a vehicle onto something.

back onto »    To overlook something from the rear.

back out »    To reverse a vehicle from a confined space.

back up »    To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so.

back up »    To move a vehicle backwards.

back up »    To provide support or the promise of support.

back up »    So as to stop the ball, and prevent overthrows.

back water »    A very remote, rural area.

back-assward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

back-asswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

back-burner »    Having low urgency; not currently important.

back-of-the-envelope »    Approximate, rough, simplified.

backassward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

backasswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

backfoot »    To put on the defensive; to put off balance.

backseat driver »    A passenger in a car who insists on giving the driver directions.

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

bacon-faced »    Having a fat, sleek face.

bad apple »    A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy, especially one who has an adverse influence on others.

bad egg »    Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.

bad money drives out good »    Debased coinage (with low levels of precious metals) replaces purer coinage (with higher levels of precious metals).(metaphorically) Mediocre talent drives away real talent.

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

bad to the bone »    Completely bad and evil; pure evil.

bag of rations »    A fussy or overly zealous military superior.

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

baggage »    Luggage; traveling equipment.

bail out »    To secure the release of an arrested person by providing bail money.

bail out »    To remove water from a boat by scooping it out.

bail out »    To leave or not attend.

balance the books »    To put or keep any closed or conservative system or its analysis in balance.

balancing act »    A performance that involves balancing things precariously and suspensefully.

bale out »    Alternative spelling of bail out.

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 estimate »    A ballpark figure, a very rough approximation.

balls up »    Third-person singular simple present indicative form of ball up.

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

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

bang for the buck »    Efficiency; cost-effectiveness; value.

bang straw »    A nick name for a thresher, but applied to all the servants of a farmer.

bang up cove »    A dashing fellow who spends his money freely.

bang up job »    Something done very well; something performed above average or better than expected.

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.

banyan day »    In British naval tradition, this originally referred to a day of the week when galley kitchens served no meat on board ship.

baptism by fire »    A rite of passage through the survival or success of a crisis.

barge in »    To intrude; to enter or interrupt suddenly and without invitation.

barking dogs never bite »    Alternative form of barking dogs seldom bite.

barking dogs seldom bite »    People who make big threats never usually carry them out.

barn burner »    Any successful or impressive event.

barrel »    A jar. 1 Kings xvii. 12.

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 »    A wave that breaks with a hollow compartment.

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 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.

base over apex »    Falling over in a jumbled heap.

bash in »    To break or dent badly by hitting violently.

bash in »    To injure someone by hitting violently.

bash out »    To write something very quickly, without much thought.

basket case »    One made powerless or ineffective, as by nerves, panic or stress.

bass-ackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bass-ackwards »    Alternative form of ass-backwards.

bassackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bassackwards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bat a thousand »    To achieve perfection.

bat a thousand »    To achieve success at each attempt.

bat a thousand »    To reach first base on every at-bat.

bat away »    To avoid by diverting the focus of a discussion.

bawdy basket »    The twenty-third rank of canters, who carry pins, tape, ballads, and obscene books to sell, but live mostly by stealing.

bawl out »    To deliver a loud, hard scolding or lecture; to reprimand.

bawl out »    To have a serious argument accompanied with shouting.

be along »    To arrive.

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 a spot of bother »    To have a slight problem, to be in a predicament.

be left holding the baby »    To be left with the responsibility of resolving a problem.

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

be off »    To leave.

be still my heart »    Calm down, this situation is too exciting or overly distressing.

be that as it may »    Even if that is the case; whether that is true or not; nevertheless.

be the way to go »    Represent the best of all possible options or courses of action; pre-eminate over all other choices or alternatives.

be there for »    To be available to provide comfort and support for someone, especially in a period of difficulty.

beam up »    To be teleported over a long distance by means of a specific imaginary technology, specifically from the surface of a planet to an orbiting starship.

bear down »    To approach another vessel from windward.

bear down »    When giving birth, to push.

bear down on »    To approach someone in a very determined way.

bear on »    To influence, have an effect on.

bear on »    To be relevant to.

bear out »    To corroborate, prove, or confirm; to demonstrate; to provide evidence for.

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

beat down »    To severely beat someone up.

beat off »    To drive something away with blows.

beat someone's brains out »    To beat someone very severely.

beat up »    To give a severe beating to.

beat up »    To feel badly guilty and accuse oneself over something. Usually followed by over.

beat up »    To get something done, derived from the idea of beating for game.

beat up »    To verbally assault repeatedly.

beats me »    I don't know; I have no idea.

beauty is in the eye of the beholder »    Individuals have different inclinations on what is beautiful. Individuals have different beauty standards.

beaver away »    To busily undertake a large task.

bed down »    To lie down to sleep for the night, usually of livestock or machinery.

beddable »    Sexually attractive.

beefed out »    Having been improved greatly or upgraded; beefed up.

been there, done that, bought the T-shirt »    Expresses the speaker's complete familiarity with a situation, with overtones of cynicism or exhaustion.

been to the rodeo »    N.d., Alan Neff, Precious Tribes, Vicious Lies, page 72.

beer goggles »    The illusion that people are more attractive, brought on by alcohol consumption.

before you can say Jack Robinson »    Very quickly. Quicker than you expect.

beg off »    To avoid, or cancel some event that one has previously arranged with someone.

beggars can't be choosers »    (proverb) When resources are limited, one must accept even substandard gifts.

behind its time »    Showing characteristics of the past; present in one's work after later advances in the field; coming later than could be generally accepted.

behind the bit »    An equestrian term, meaning that the horse is evading the bit.

behind the eight ball »    At a disadvantage.

behind the scenes »    In secret; out of public view.

believe in »    To ascribe existence to.

believe in »    To ascribe some powers or other attributes to.

believe you me »    An emphatic form of "believe me"; you [the subject] had better believe me [the speaker].

below par »    Having a price below its face value.

below par »    Not up to the average or normal standard.

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

bench jockey »    A baseball term for a player, coach or manager who is annoying and distracts opposition players and umpires from his team's dugout bench with verbal repartee.

bend one's elbow »    To drink alcoholic beverages, especially at a public house or bar.

bend over backwards »    To make a great effort; to take extraordinary care; to go to great lengths.

bend the truth »    To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.

beside oneself »    Overcome; consumed by an emotion.

beside the point »    Irrelevant, moot.

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

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

bet the farm »    To be absolutely certain, to have no doubts.

better an egg today than a hen tomorrow »    It is better to have a sure thing now than a possibility of more later.

better than sex »    Superlative; wonderful.

better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all »    Having experience of love, even if it ended, is better than having no experience of love.Love is worthwhile despite the pain involved in separation.

better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness »    In the face of bad times or hopelessness, it is more worthwhile to do some good, however small, in response than to complain about the situation.

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

between the jigs and the reels »    Eventually, despite all the confusion.

beyond one's pay grade »    Beyond one's level of authority.

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 cheese »    A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.

big deal »    Something very important, difficult, or of concern.

big enchilada »    A very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.

big enchilada »    Some item of high value, especially a top prize or reward.

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 mouth »    The mouth of someone who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by inappropriately revealing information.

bigger fish to fry »    A higher valued result or target to reach.

bill of goods »    A set of misleading or deceptive claims; misinformation.

bird's-eye view »    The view from directly or high above.

birds and bees »    Informal sex education, especially describing the sexual activity of animals rather than that of people.

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

birds of the feather flock together »    People who are alike physically tend to congregate and socialize together, despite government efforts at forced integration.

bit on the side »    Secondary lover, mistress.

bite me »    An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party.

bite one's tongue »    To forcibly prevent oneself from uttering a word.

bite someone's head off »    To severely berate someone.

bite the bullet »    To accept a negative aspect of a situation in order to continue moving forward.

black »    Bad; evil.

black »    Overcrowded.

black and blue »    Covered in bruises.

black magic »    Magic derived from evil forces, as distinct from good or benign forces; or magic performed with the intention of doing harm.

black sheep »    A disliked person; one who is disfavored.

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

black-on-black »    Something that is invisible or intentionally obfuscated, such as warnings or fine print.

blanket term »    A word or phrase that is used to describe multiple groups of related things. The degree of relation may vary. Blanket terms often trade specificity for ease-of-use; in other words, a blanket term by itself gives little detail about the things that it describes or the relationships between them, but is easy to say and remember. Blanket terms often originate as slang, and eventually become integrated into the general vocabulary.

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.

blessed event »    An occurrence or occasion which is particularly noteworthy and enjoyable.

blessed event »    The birth of a baby.

blimp out »    To become fat or fatter, especially as a result of excessive eating.

blind »    A covering for a window to keep out light. The covering may be made of cloth or of narrow slats that can block light or allow it to pass.

blind »    Any device intended to conceal or hide; as, a duck blind.

blind as a bat »    Nearly totally blind, having a very poor sense of vision.

blind date »    A romantic meeting between two people who have never met before.

blink of an eye »    A very short period of time; quickly.

blood mary »    Vodka and tomato juice

blot one's copy book »    To damage one's own reputation through bad behavior.

blow a gasket »    To become very angry or upset.

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 hot and cold »    To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.

blow off »    To vent, usually, to reduce pressure in a container.

blow off steam »    To rant or shout in order to relieve stress; to vent.

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

blow one's top »    To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.

blow out of proportion »    To overreact to or overstate; to treat too seriously or be overly concerned with.

blow over »    To blow on something causing it to topple.

blow over »    To pass naturally; to go away; to settle or calm down.

blow the whistle »    To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.

blow this pop stand »    To exit or remove oneself from a less than exciting location or environment.

blow this popsicle stand »    To leave an establishment speedily.

blow up »    To become popular very quickly.

blow up »    To suddenly get very angry.

blow-by-blow »    Detailing every action or occurrence completely.

blue devils »    Low spirits; depression.

blue note »    Notes added to the major scale for expressive quality in jazz and blues music, particularly the flatted third, fifth and seventh.

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.

board up »    To block doors or windows with boards, either to prevent access or as protection from storms, etc.

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

boil down to »    to be equivalent to; to reduce to.

bomb around »    The drive around at speed for pleasure.

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.

boot camp »    Any short, intensive course of training.

boot camp »    Indoctrination, physical fitness training and basic instruction in service-related subjects for recruits in the Navy and Marine Corps.

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.

borganism »    Some forms of government.

born in a barn »    Engaging in the annoying behavior of inappropriately, and usually neglectfully, leaving open a door or window.

born on the Fourth of July »    Demonstratively patriotic.

born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »    Born rich or in a wealthy family.

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.

born yesterday »    New, naive, innocent, inexperienced or easily deceived.

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

bottoming the house »    The process by where someone cleans their house 'from top to bottom'. It is a very thorough clean indeed, even more so than 'spring cleaning'.

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

bouncing off the walls »    Moving hyperactively.

bow out »    To resign, or leave, with one's credibility still intact.

bowl over »    To overwhelm with astonishment or wonder; to flabbergast.

bowled over »    to be astonished; overwhelmed; surprised; shocked

box on the ear »    Administered on the victim's ear, usually by an educator, to enforce attention.

box the compass »    To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.

box-office bomb »    A motion picture that generates relatively low revenue at the box office, especially that which is less than the budget for the motion picture.

boys and their toys »    Used to evoke the idea that adult men sometimes dote excessively on machines, automobiles, and gadgets in a childish manner.

boys will be boys »    It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.

brace of shakes »    A very short time.

brace of shakes »    The time taken for a sail to shake or shiver twice as a ship comes into the wind.

bragging rights »    The prerogative to praise oneself for an accomplishment or for possession of a superior characteristic.

brain fart »    Something ill-considered and said or done impulsively.

brain surgeon »    Someone very intelligent.

brain surgery »    Something that is overly complex, detailed or confusing.

brain surgery »    Surgery on any part of the nervous system, especially the brain; neurosurgery.

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

brain-dead »    Having no useful thoughts; stupid; ditzy.

brass farthing »    Something worthless or of small value.

brass monkey »    A cocktail of vodka, rum and orange juice, sometimes with the addition of galliano.

brass monkey »    A kind of inexpensive liqueur.

brass monkey »    Said of the weather when it is very cold.

brass monkeys »    Very cold.

brass ring »    Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.

brass-neck »    To behave boldly or shamelessly.

brass-necked »    Nervy; cheeky; shameless.

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

break a leg »    A wish for a successful performance; primarily a valediction to an actor wishing him or her a successful theatrical stage performance.

break a leg »    To perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.

break a sweat »    January 2008, The Age - Walkovers blaze a trail for women's equal-pay theory.

break away »    To leave suddenly.

break down »    To give more detail.

break even »    To neither gain nor lose money.

break even »    To stay the same; to neither advance nor regress.

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 in the case »    A new discovery in a case.

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 off »    To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping.

break the back of »    To achieve the greater part of some project.

break the bank »    To win more money than is available to be paid.

break the buck »    Fall below the value of one dollar per share.[1].

break the ice »    To start to get to know people, by avoiding awkwardness.

break up »    To dissolve; to part.

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

breath of fresh air »    Something relieving, refreshing, or new.

brickbat »    For example, it's quite common for magazines to have a section called Bouquets and Brickbats for compliments and criticisms.

bridge »    A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.

bridge »    A device which connects two or more computer buses, typically in a transparent manner.

bridge »    A prosthesis replacing one or several adjacent teeth.

bridge »    A valence bond, atom or chain of atoms that connects two different parts of a molecule; the atoms so connected being bridgeheads.

bridge »    An edge which, if removed, changes a connected graph to one that is not connected.

bridge »    An elevated platform above the upper deck of a mechanically propelled ship from which it is navigated and from which all activities on deck can be seen and controlled by the captain, etc; smaller ships have a wheelhouse, and sailing ships were controlled from a quarterdeck.

bridge »    Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit.

bright-line rule »    A clearly defined rule or standard, comprised of objective factors, which leaves little or no room for varying interpretation.

brim over »    To overflow over the brim.

bring about »    To accomplish, achieve.

bring forth »    To give birth.

bring home the bacon »    To have a job and earn money or to lead a successful career.

bring in »    To return a verdict in a court of law.

bring in »    To move something indoors.

bring off »    To succeed in doing something considered to be very difficult.

bring out »    To elicit, evoke, or emphasize a particular quality.

bring out »    To cause a visible symptom such as spots or a rash.

bring owls to Athens »    Forgive me, then, for bringing owls to Athens as a thanks-offering. — Goethe, in a letter to Wilhelm von Humboldt.

bring owls to Athens »    Perhaps we have not been sufficiently aware that talking about access and its implications in Scandinavia is like bringing owls to Athens. — Herbert Burkert.

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

bring to the table »    To provide a suggestion.

broken vessel »    A person who is destroyed or forgotten, or who feels flawed or broken.

broken-hearted »    Alternative spelling of brokenhearted. Feeling depressed, despondent, or hopeless, especially over losing a love.

bros before hoes »    (US, informal) A man should prioritize his male friends over his girlfriend or wife.

bros before hos »    Alternative spelling of bros before hoes.

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

brown power »    The production of electricity made from conventional sources, such as coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power.

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

bucket down »    To rain heavily.

bucket of bolts »    A piece of machinery that is not worth more than its scrap value, often of old cars.

bug off »    Used to tell somebody to leave them alone.

bugger up »    To break or spoil something, or make it inoperative, useless etc.

build a better mousetrap »    To invent the next great thing; to have a better idea.

built like a brick shithouse »    Of a person, with an exceptionally well-developed chest.

bulletproof »    Unbreakable, very tough.

bum rap »    An undeservedly unfavorable portrayal or reputation.

bum steer »    Bad advice, regardless of intention.

bump and grind »    A combination of movements resembling such a dance, as in road racing, whitewater kayaking, or exercising; any activity involving prolonged jarring or shaking.

bump and grind »    A sexually suggestive dance involving exaggerated hip movements, especially a striptease dance.

bump up »    To give a more prominent place to; to advance position in queue.

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 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.

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

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

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

burn one's candle at both ends »    To work extremely or excessively hard; to work too hard for good health or peace of mind.

burn out »    To tire due to overwork.

burn rubber »    To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.

bush league »    A low-ranking or inferior level among groups, professions, organizations, etc.

bush league »    A professional sports association at the lower levels of minor league organization.

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 as usual »    The normal course of an activity, particularly in circumstances that are out of the ordinary.

business before pleasure »    An admonishment that discharging one's obligations must take precedence over devoting time to pursuits meant solely for one's own gratification.

busman's holiday »    A holiday or vacation during which you do the same thing that you do for your usual work.

bust a cap in someone's ass »    Alternative form of pop a cap in someone's ass.

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 beaver »    Someone who is very busy or hard-working.

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 then »    Then again, on the other hand; used to show that the opposite viewpoint is possible.

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

butterfly upon a wheel »    An innocent person crushed by life's adversities.

button-down »    Conservative; conventional; unimaginative.

button-down »    Of a collar, able to be buttoned down to the shirt, as over a necktie.

buttoned-down »    Alternative form of button-down.

buy time »    Purposefully cause a delay to something, in order to achieve something else.

buy to let »    To purchase a property as in investment, and to let it out for rental instead of living in it.

by a long shot »    By a wide margin; indicates a very big difference or disparity.

by heart »    Knowing completely; as having committed completely to memory.

by the Grace of God »    By divine right.

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 'em as one sees 'em »    To candidly and honestly express an opinion or viewpoint.

call in »    To summon someone, especially for help or advice.

call it a day »    To cease the activity for the day.

call it even »    To declare debts resolved or favors or other exchange equitable.

call it quits »    To conclude; to quit or stop an activity.

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 on »    To visit somebody; to pay a call.

call out »    To order into service; to summon into service.

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

call the shots »    To make the decisions;to be in charge;to give orders.

call up »    An order to report for military service.

calling card »    A small printed card which identifies the bearer, traditionally presented for introduction when making a social visit to a home or when attending a formal social event or business meeting.

calling card »    An attribute, object, or behavior which is distinctly characteristic of someone or something.

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

cap over the windmill »    In a crazed manner.

captain of industry »    A prominent business person who owns or is the highest-ranking executive of one or more major firms, especially one who has considerable wealth and influence.

carried away »    Made excessively emotional or excited.

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 away »    To break under sudden pressure of violent wind.

carry on »    To act or behave; especially to act or behave so as to attract attention.

carry on »    To have an illicit sexual liaison.

carry on »    To have or maintain.

carry one's own weight »    A variant of carry one's weight.

carry out »    To hold while moving something out.

carry someone's water »    To do someone's bidding; to serve someone's interests.

carry the message to Garcia »    To perform a requisite task without having been informed specifically by what method to do so.

carry water for »    To perform menial tasks for; to serve; to assist.

carved in stone »    Unchangeable.

cash cow »    A product, service, or enterprise that generates ongoing, high net free cash flows.

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

cast off »    To let go a cable or rope securing a vessel to a buoy, wharf etc so that she may proceed.

cast off »    To finish the last row of knitted stitches and remove them securely from the needle.

cast one's vote »    To vote for something.

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

cast the first stone »    To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing that one is blameless.

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 mouse game »    Two individuals and/or groups repeatedly keeping check on each other in a suspicious or self-protective way, often with the goal of one or both parties trying to gain a malicious advantage over the other.

cat that ate the canary »    A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, prohibited, or private.

cat that ate the canary »    A person whose appearance and behavior suggest guilt mixed with other qualities, such as satisfaction or feigned nonchalance.

catbird seat »    Expression used to describe an enviable position, often one of great advantage.

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

catch flies »    An ostensible product of awkwardly having one's mouth open wide.

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

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

catch out »    To discover or expose as fake or insincere.

catch up »    To provide with news.

catch up »    get level with

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.

caucus race »    A political competition; the game of campaigning and one-upmanship to get votes and be elected.

caucus race »    The competitive process in which a political party selects their candidate, esp. presidential; a primary election via caucus.

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

caught with one's hand in the cookie jar »    Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money.

cause a stir »    To cause controversy, or raise a disturbance.

cave in »    The act of something collapsing or caving in.

cave in »    The location where something has caved in.

cave in »    The act of relenting.

caveat lector »    Reader beware.

center field »    A central role in some activity that requires speed.

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.

chain reaction »    A series of events, each one causing the next.

chalkface »    A cliff or quarry exposing chalk, e.g. the White Cliffs of Dover.

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 mind »    To convince someone to make a decision differing from what a previous one.

charge up »    To recharge, to give electrical power to something.

charge up »    To motivate, to instill someone with determination.

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.

chase down »    To investigate the cause of something.

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.

che sera sera »    Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1604, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus:Why then belike we must sin, / And so consequently die. / Aye, we must die an everlasting death. / What doctrine call you this ? Che, sera, sera: / What will be*, shall be; Divinity adieu. / These Metaphysics of Magicians, / And necromantic books, are heavenly.

cheaper by the dozen »    Things are handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.

cheaters never prosper »    One does not gain from cheating.

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

check out »    To leave in a hurry.

check out »    To have one's purchases recorded and bagged at a supermarket, and pay for it.

check out »    To withdraw an item, as from a library, and have the withdrawal recorded.

cherry pick »    To position oneself near the opponent's goal to attempt to receive an errant or intentional pass for an easy score, as in basketball or versions of soccer where offsides are not enforced.

cherry-pick »    To pick out the best, or most desirable items from a list or group, especially to obtain some advantage or to present something in the best possible light.

chew the scenery »    To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.

chicken feed »    A very small or insignificant quantity, especially of money.

chicken feed »    Food given to poultry.

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

chickens coming home to roost »    Consequences visited upon someone who originally had appeared to escape them.

children should be seen and not heard »    Children should behave well and be quiet, especially in the presence of adults.

chime in »    To talk; to join in conversation or discussion.

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

chip on one's shoulder »    A habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.

chopped liver »    A Jewish food made by frying liver and onions in schmaltz.

chopped liver »    A person or object which is not worthy of being noticed; someone or something insignificant.

chow down »    To eat, especially to eat vigorously.

chrome horn »    The front bumper of a car when used to bump another vehicle, usually to inform the driver of the other vehicle, that the first car would like to pass.

chuck it down »    To rain heavily.

chump-change »    Of or pertaining to something of little monetary value.

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

cite chapter and verse »    To provide specific references from an authoritative book, as the Bible or a book of statutes or rules, to support a statement.

cite chapter and verse »    To speak authoritatively, providing detailed factual information.

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

clean out »    To clean, especially to tidy by removing the contents.

clean out »    To empty completely; to remove all money or possessions from.

clean someone's clock »    To defeat decisively, in a physical fight or other competition or negotiation.

clean up one's act »    To reform; to improve one's habits.

clear cut »    Having had all vegetation removed.

clear cut »    Straightforward, obvious, simple, or basic.

clear the decks »    To remove, or fasten, all loose material, or partitions prior to a naval engagement.

climb the walls »    To behave in a distressed or frantic manner; to feel very agitated.

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

close enough for government work »    It is not worth investing additional time on perfecting this thing.

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

close shave »    A shave that is very short or near the skin.

close the stable door after the horse has bolted »    To attempt to prevent a problem only to find it has already happened.

close up »    To move people closer together.

close up shop »    To shut down a shop; to end a business activity.

clout list »    A usually secret list containing the names of people who are to be given special access, benefits, or influence in a political or social situation, especially as a result of having personal, professional, or financial relationships with those in authority.

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 of the walk »    W:The Pogues - w:The Irish Rover.

cock-and-bull story »    A far-fetched and fanciful story or tale of highly dubious validity.

cold fish »    A heartless individual; a person lacking empathy and emotion.

collect one's thoughts »    To become mentally composed, especially after being distressed, surprised, or disoriented; to become calm or organized in one's emotional state or thinking, as in preparation for a conversation, speech, decision, etc.

colt over the fence »    An illegitimate child.

combine harvester »    farm vehicle

come about »    To come to pass; to develop; to occur; to take place; to happen.

come about »    To tack; to change tack; to maneuver the bow of a sailing vessel across the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other; to position a boat with respect to the wind after tacking.

come across »    To give an appearance or impression; to project a certain image.

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

come down »    To recover from drug-induced euphoria.

come down to »    To reach by moving down or reducing.

come down to us »    To survive to the present day; to be extant in some form.

come in »    Of a broadcast, such as radio or television, to have a strong enough signal to be able to be received well.

come of age »    To mature, or become fully developed.

come on »    To progress, to develop.

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

come online »    To enter service or become active.

come out »    To be discovered, be revealed.

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

come out of one's shell »    To become a naturist. To convert to naturism.

come out of one's shell »    To reveal one's true self.

come out of the closet »    To tell others about homosexuality, bisexuality or any minority or disapproved-of belief, preference, etc., where previously this had been kept secret.

come round »    To recover consciousness.

come through »    To survive.

come to »    To recover consciousness after fainting etc.

come to »    To stop a sailing vessel, especially by turning into the wind. See also come about.

come to »    To reach; to arrive at.

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

come to a head »    To suddenly reveal that which has lain latent for a time.

come to grief »    To have a disastrous outcome.

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

come up with »    To invent, create, or think of.

come what may »    In spite of anything that might happen; whatever may occur.

comfort girl »    A sex slave; prostitute.

common or garden variety »    Ordinary, standard. Nothing special.

company »    A group of individuals with a common purpose, as in a company of actors.

company »    As he had worked for the CIA for over 30 years, he would soon take retirement from the company.

company »    In legal context, an entity that manufactures or sells products , or provides services as a commercial venture. A corporation.

company »    Keep the house clean, I have company coming.

company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

company »    Social visitors.

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.

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

controlled substance »    Except for very limited professional testing purposes.

conversation piece »    interesting object

cook up »    To manufacture; to falsify; to devise an elaborate lie.

cooking with gas »    Now doing something in an effective way.

cool one's jets »    To become less excited, intense, or active.

coon's age »    A very long time.

cop out »    To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.

cop-out »    An excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty; a reason offered when someone cops out.

cop-out »    Avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty; the action of copping out.

copious free time »    A hypothetical time set aside for performing time-consuming tasks, however insinuating that the speaker really has no free time.

copper-bottomed »    Having lower parts made of or covered by copper.

corner the market »    To have exclusive possession; to possess something to a high or excessive degree.

corner the market »    To monopolize a resource or commodity, as with the intent of driving up prices.

correlation does not imply causation »    (statistics) The observed correlation between two parameters, say, the growth of a market and the growth of a neighbor's child may, in fact, have nothing to do with each other's causation.

cost a pretty penny »    To be expensive.

cotton to »    To like; approve of, accept, or tolerate.

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".

couldn't happen to a nicer »    Sarcastically asserts that those in question thoroughly deserve their fate.

covenant of salt »    A long-lasting agreement.

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

cover one's bases »    To be thorough; to prepare thoroughly or completely.

cover up »    To conceal or disguise.

crab mentality »    A way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.

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

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.

cramp someone's style »    To restrict someone's free actions, or to give the impression of such.

crank out »    To produce in large volumes mechanically or as if by machine.

crank up »    To start something mechanical, an act that often used to involve cranking.

crank up »    To increase, as the volume, power or energy of something.

crashpad »    In the aviation industry, used for a place of temporary lodging for airline flight crews.

creep up »    To advance with stealth, unnoticed.

crème de la crème »    Best of the best; something that's superlative. The very best.

cross someone's palm »    To give money to a person, especially as a bribe or as an inducement to perform a service.

cross the aisle »    Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.

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 floor »    Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.

cross the floor »    To vote against one's own political party in parliament.

cross the line »    To cross the equator, as a vessel at sea.

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

cross the Rubicon »    To make an irreversible decision or to take an action with consequences.

crown jewels »    A part of a company sought by another in a hostile takeover.

cry for help »    In her second year at the school Alexis stopped doing her homework and would often scribble on walls. Her teachers wondered whether this was a cry for help, or if she was simply misbehaving.

cry off »    To cancel something that one has previously arranged with someone.

cry one's eyes out »    To weep for an elongated time, or in an excessive manner.

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

cry someone a river »    To try to obtain the sympathy of another person by complaining or sniveling.

cry someone a river »    To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.

cube out »    To reach the volume limit of a container.

cup of tea »    Whatever suits or interests one.

curry favor »    To seek to gain favor by flattery or attention.

curveball »    A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and middle fingers down and resulting in motion down "curve".

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

cut a rug »    To dance, especially in a vigorous manner and in one of the dance styles of the first half of the twentieth century.

cut a swath »    Variant form of cut a wide swath.

cut a wide swath »    To behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.

cut it »    To suffice; to be effective or successful.

cut it fine »    To achieve something at the last possible moment, or with no margin for error.

cut off »    To remove via cutting.

cut off »    To isolate or remove from contact.

cut off one's nose to spite one's face »    To harm oneself as a result of attempting to harm an adversary.

cut one's coat according to one's cloth »    Live according to your means.

cut out »    Well suited; appropriate; fit for a particular activity or purpose.

cut the mustard »    To suffice; to be good or effective enough.

cut up »    To aggressively move in front of another vehicle.

cut up »    To behave like a clown.

cut-and-thrust »    A vehement argument.

cutting edge »    The forefront, or position of greatest advancement in some field.

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

damned if one does and damned if one doesn't »    A dilemma where either choice results in a negative outcome.

damson jam »    fruit preserve

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

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

darn tootin' »    Absolute, utter, complete, very.

dash off »    To leave a place quickly or briefly.

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

day in, day out »    Every day; daily; constantly or continuously; especially, of something that has become routine or monotonous.

day one »    The very beginning.

daylight robbery »    An exorbitant charge for a product or service.

dead »    Completely inactive; without power; without a signal.

dead »    Figuratively, not alive; lacking life.

dead »    No longer living.

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

dead giveaway »    Obvious, easily apparent.

dead ringer »    Someone or something that very closely resembles another; someone or something easily mistaken for another.

dead to rights »    With sufficient evidence to establish responsibility definitively.

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

dead weight »    Weight that does not move.

dead wood »    Dead limbs and branches still attached to a living tree.

deadbeat dad »    A man, especially one who is divorced or estranged from his partner, who fails to provide monetary child support when he is legally required to do so.

deafening silence »    A silence, or a lack of any response, that signifies disapproval or lack of any enthusiasm.

deathblow »    Something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc.

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 end »    The part of a swimming pool with relatively deep water.

deep-six »    To throw something overboard from a ship.

deer in the headlights »    A mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety fear, panic, surpriseand/or confusion, or substance abuse. The behavioral signs are like a deer subjected to a car's headlights, such as widely opened eyes and a lack of motor reactions.

deliver the goods »    To keep one's promises.

deliver the message to Garcia »    ...grasp the demands and exactions of business life. He learns that the main thing to do is to "deliver the message to Garcia"....

deliver the message to Garcia »    ...heaves in a deep breath, gathers himself as though he's crossed a continent to deliver the message to Garcia.

deliver the message to Garcia »    Alternative form of carry the message to Garcia.

deliver the message to Garcia »    Programmers are consistently dehumanized because so many do indeed deliver the message to Garcia only to be at best ignored.

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.

den of iniquity »    A place of immoral behavior, usually of a sexual type.

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

desperate times require desperate measures »    Alternative form of desperate times call for desperate measures.

developments »    A group of building complexes or apartments. Often used for low income housing.

developments »    Plural form of development.

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.

devil's advocate »    A canon lawyer appointed by the Church to argue against the canonization of the proposed candidate.

devil's advocate »    One who debates from a view which they may not actually hold, usually to determine its validity, or simply for the sake of argument.

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

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.

die »    Followed by for. Often expressing wider contextual motivations, though sometimes indicating direct causes.

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

die down »    To become less virulent.

different as chalk and cheese »    Two things which are superficially alike but very different in substance.

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

dig up »    To excavate something.

dig up dirt »    To examine in order to find negative information for public opinion, usually with the purpose of embarrassing or discrediting a person.

dimber damber upright man »    The chief of a gang of thieves or gypsies.

diplomatic flu »    An illness feigned by one or more government officials or other public figures as an excuse for an absence really based on political reasons.

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

dirty money »    Money that is illegally gained, illegally transferred or illegally utilized. Especially money gained through forgery, bribery, or thievery.

dirty word »    A word that is considered vulgar, not necessarily sexual in nature.

discretion is the better part of valour »    It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave speech or action.1597

dish out »    To distribute or deliver something.

dish up »    To serve cooked food.

dive in »    To start a new endeavor enthusiastically and wholeheartedly.

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.

divvy up »    To divide or parcel out.

do a »    To emulate the behavior/behaviour that is generally attributed to the individual named.

do as I say and not as I do »    Don't imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.

do one's damnedest »    To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.

do one's darnedest »    To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.

Do the best and live the rest »    First do your work with your 100% dont think about the result

do the math »    You can do the calculation yourself, with the implication that you don't have to trust someone else's assertions.

do the trick »    To work; to be successful; to solve a problem.

do what%3F »    An intensified version of what or huh.

do-or-die »    Requiring a determined or desperate effort to avoid the consequences of failure.

dodge a bullet »    To have a narrow escape; to avoid injury or disaster.

dog and pony show »    Any presentation or display that is overly contrived or intricate.

dog and pony show »    Originally, a small, traveling circus featuring animals as entertainment.

dog's life »    A life of indolence where the individual may do as he or she pleases, just like a pampered dog.

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 cry over spilled milk »    Alternative spelling of don't cry over spilt milk.

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 dip your pen in company ink »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

don't drive faster than your guardian angel can fly »    Driving (a vehicle) very fast is a dangerous act.

don't give up your day job »    Implying that they could not earn a living from it without other regular employment.

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

don't shit where you eat »    (idiomatic, vulgar) One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.1998 April 14, Nelson Navarro, "Ever faithful, ever true," Manila Standard (Philippines) (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):The guiding principle is Don't shit where you eat. Office romances are always destructive of morale and objectivity.2003 Oct. 8, Jonathan Valania, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Pussy," Philadelphia Weekly (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Limbaugh was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the NAB convention in, of all places, Philadelphia, thus violating the cardinal law of the animal kingdom: Don't shit where you eat.2006 Sept. 19, Michael Musto, "NY Mirror," Village Voice (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Mitchell refused to indulge in on-set romances with either gender. "You don't shit where you eat," he told me, plainly.

don't take any wooden nickels »    Do not permit yourself be cheated or duped; do not be naive.

don't try to teach grandma how to suck eggs »    Don't presume to give advice to those who are more experienced.

done deal »    An agreement that has been finally resolved or decided.

dormitive principle »    Words.

dot the i's and cross the t's »    To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or thorough.

double booked »    Of a single resource, reserved for two different users at the same time.

double Dutch »    Sex using a condom and the contraceptive pill at the same time.

double up »    To have a secondary use.

double-edged sword »    A benefit that is also a liability, or that carries some significant but non-obvious cost or risk.

down and out »    In trouble; in a bad time or situation or having very bad luck.

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

down the drain »    Wasted, squandered; irretrievable.

down to a fine art »    Having or showing exceptional proficiency.

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

down to the wire »    At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.

drag »    To move a mouse cursor while holding down a button on the mouse, often to move something on the screen.

drag »    To move slowly.

drag one's feet »    To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.

drag out »    To extend or lengthen excessively.

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.

drama queen »    Who behaves and speaks in an overly dramatic manner so as to garner attention.

draw back »    To move backwards.

draw on »    To sketch or mark with pencil, crayon, etc., on a given surface.

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

draw on »    To approach, come nearer, as evening.

draw out »    To physically extract, as blood from a vein.

draw out »    To use means to entice or force to be more open or talkative.

draw out »    To improve a losing hand to a winning hand by receiving additional cards.

draw stumps »    To declare an end to the days play, and remove the bails and sometimes the stumps.

dress up »    To present in a favorable light.

dressed to the nines »    Very fancily or formally dressed; wearing very showy or splendid clothing.

drill down »    To examine information at another level or in greater detail; especially in a database, to navigate to a more detailed level or record.

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

drive away »    To depart by driving a vehicle.

drive away »    To force someone or something to leave.

drive home »    To push to or into a target.

drive home »    With tangible or powerful demonstration.

drive off »    To force to leave or go away.

drive one up the wall »    To make a person very angry or bored; to infuriate.

drive out »    Out of somewhere.

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 dime »    To make a phone call, usually means calling the police to report another's activities.

drop a hint »    To reveal a clue or hint about something.

drop back »    Of a quarterback or other player in the backfield, to take a number of steps back from the line of scrimmage immediately after the snap or hike of the ball, to avoid defenders.

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

drop off »    To deliver; to deposit or leave.

drop somebody a line »    To write, call or visit somebody.

drop the ball »    To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.

drop the gloves »    To fight.

drop the gloves »    To remove a prior impediment to action; to prepare for or engage in a dispute.

drop the writ »    To call a federal or provincial election.

drown out »    To cover, obscure, or hide by being louder than.

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 have excess water evaporate or be otherwise removed.

due course »    A. 1735, Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels.

duke it out »    To argue heavily or at length.

dumb down »    To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.

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

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

dust off »    To remove dust from something.

dusty miller »    One of several species of plants with leaves of a dusty appearance: Centaurea cineraria, Senecio cineraria, and Lychnis coronaria.

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.

each to his own »    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion or tastes.My housemate is a strict vegan. I personally could never not eat meat, but each to his own.

eager beaver »    Who is very excited or enthusiastic to begin a task.

ear splitting »    very loud

early bird catches the worm »    Alternative form of early bird gets the worm.

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.

easy as falling off a log »    Very easy.

easy as pie »    Very easy.

easy on the eyes »    Attractive; beautiful.

eat one's heart out »    To feel overwhelming sorrow, jealousy or longing, to grieve.

eat one's own dog food »    To use or consume the economic goods or services that oneself is producing; to be part of a closed household economy.

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

eat out of somebody's hand »    To behave in a docile, submissive way towards somebody.

eat someone out of house and home »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act II Scene I.

eat up »    To accept or believe entirely, immediately, and without questioning.

edge out »    To win in a contest or a game by a narrow margin of victory.

egg somebody on »    To tease, provoke or encourage.

elbow grease »    Effort or hard work, especially physical work involving repeated motion of the forearm, such as scrubbing.

elbow room »    Room or space in which to move or maneuver.

elephant in the room »    A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.

eleventh hour »    Nearly too late; the last minute.

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 of the world »    Any change that seems catastrophic or devastating.

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

end up »    To eventually do.

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 »    To behave in a manner which favours or which is biassed toward.

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 handed »    impartial

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

even Jove nods »    Alternative form of even Homer nods.

even keel »    A situation in which the boat is level and balanced for a smooth ride.

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.

even money »    A bet which offers odds of 1 to 1.

even money »    By extension, an event that is somewhat likely to happen, but far from inevitable.

even so »    nevertheless

even up »    To make even; to make level

every cloud has a silver lining »    In every bad situation there is an element of good1881, National Academy of Code Administration (U.S.), Folio, page 417:Every cloud has a silver lining; but in the old-fashioned meeting-houses every cloud of hymnal melody generally had a nasal lining before the congregation...1887, Shakers, Religion, page 36:that "a little reserve and thou'lt fail surely," will prove to be true in our experience. Every cloud has a silver lining and so has every sorrow,1918, George Jean Nathan, Performing Arts, page 222:But the most popular attitude toward what we may call "sad" plays is the peculiar one of believing that, since every cloud has a silver lining,

every day is a school day »    You learn something new every day.

every dog has its day »    Everyone has a time of success and satisfaction.

every Jack has his Jill »    everybody will find someone to have a romantic relationship with at some point in their life

every king needs a queen »    Every man needs a woman to be with for the rest of his life.

every last »    Every; without exception; used for emphasis.

every little helps »    Even the smallest things are helpful when towards a goal.

every man has a price »    Everyone can be bribed or corrupted for a certain price.

every man Jack »    All the members of a group with no exceptions.

every nook and cranny »    Everywhere.

Every rose has it's thorns »    everything, even if it seems perfect, has faults

every rule has an exception »    Alternative form of there is an exception to every rule.

every silver lining has a cloud »    Every good situation has the potential to turn bad.2007, Diab A. Shetayh, Actuality : The Reality RequiemA great partnership isn't a self-maintaining entity. Perseverance and persistence make it thrive. For every silver lining has a cloud. Ignorance of this reality is not an option.

every time »    At each occasion that.

every time »    Used to express a strong preference for something.

every which way »    All over; in every direction.

every which way »    In all sorts of ways or manners.

every which where »    A more emphatic version of everywhere.

everybody and his cousin »    Everybody; a huge crowd; too many people.

everybody and their brother »    A large number of people; most people.

everyone and their brother »    A large number of people; most people.

everything and the kitchen sink »    Alternative form of everything but the kitchen sink.

everything but the kitchen sink »    Almost everything, whether needed or not.

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.

evil twin »    A rogue wireless access point installed near a legitimate one for purposes of eavesdropping or phishing.

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

eye candy »    A very attractive person or persons, or the salient visible physical attributes of same.

eye candy »    Any object or sight with considerable visual appeal.

eye of the beholder »    The evaluation depending on perception of person who sees and considers.

eye up »    To examine closely something coveted.

f** all »    Nothing at all or very little.

f** someone over »    To exploit somebody in a way which result in an advantage to oneself, at the cost of the other party gaining a considerable disadvantage.

f** this »    The phrase emphatically diminishes the activity or event referred to and expresses that the speaker will have no more to do with it.

face off »    Either an actual or a figurative face to face confrontation, especially a bitter one.

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

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

face value »    No more or less than what is stated; a literal or direct meaning or interpretation.

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

factor space »    A space obtained from another by identification of points that are equivalent to one another in some equivalence relation.

factotum »    A general servant.

factotum »    A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.

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.

fade out »    A type of transition used in movies usually at the end of a scene, in which the transition fades to black from the cut.

fail over »    To automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.

fair game »    A game that is fair, that does not involve cheating etc.

fair sex »    Women collectively.

fair weather friend »    Only when it is advantageous or easy.

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

fall behind »    To be progressively below average in performance.

fall between two stools »    To attempt two tasks and fail at both, when either one could have been accomplished singly.

fall for »    To fall in love with somebody.

fall for »    be deceived by

fall into »    Without having planned it.

fall off »    To diminish in size or value.

fall off a truck »    Of an item of merchandise, to come into a person's possession without having been paid for; to be acquired illegally.

fall off the back of a lorry »    Of an item of merchandise, to come into a perons's possession without having been paid for; to have been acquired illegally.

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

fall off the wagon »    To cease or fail at a regimen of self-improvement or reform; to lapse back into an old habit or addiction.

fall on one's face »    To fail, especially in a dramatic or particularly decisive manner.

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

fall over »    To fall from an upright or standing position to a horizontal or prone position.

fall over »    Of an argument, to fail to be valid.

fall over »    Of a computer program, to crash.

false friend »    A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.

familiarity breeds contempt »    The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.

fancypants »    Alternative spelling of fancy pants. The condition of being overly showy; concerned more about one's reputation than anything else.

far and wide »    Over a great distance, or large area; nearly everywhere.

far cry »    Something very dissimilar or different.

farmer's tan »    The tan line left by clothing, especially, by a short-sleeved shirt.

fashion plate »    A picture, usually an advertisement, showing the latest fashion in clothing.

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

fear »    Extreme veneration or awe, as toward a supreme being or deity.

feast for the eyes »    Visually pleasing sight.

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.

federal case »    Any over-exaggerated ordeal.

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.

feed into »    To be a tributary of another river or waterway.

feel one's oats »    To feel energetic or frisky; to behave in a vigorous or bold manner.

feel up to »    To have an inclination to do something.

feet of clay »    To say that someone, who appears strong or invincible, in fact has a hidden weak point which could cause their fall.

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

fend and prove »    To engage in argument.

field day »    A school day for athletic events; a sports day.

fifteen minutes of fame »    A very short time in the spotlight or brief flurry with fame, after which the person or subject involved is quickly forgotten.

fifth wheel »    A type of trailer hitch, which consists of a horseshoe-shaped plate on a multi-directional pivot, with a locking pin to couple with the kingpin of a truck trailer.

fifth wheel »    A very large trailer that is towed with a pickup truck.

fifth wheel »    A very large truck trailer; an 18-wheeler.

fight shy of »    To avoid something.

fight tooth and nail »    To use every means possible to overcome a difficult opposition.

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

fill in »    To fill; to replace material that is absent or has been removed.

fill the bill »    To satisfy a need; to serve a purpose; to fulfill specified requirements.

film critic »    movie reviewer

film out »    To transfer images or animation from videotape or digital files to a traditional celluloid film print.

filter down »    Of a liquid; to move slowly down to lower substrate levels.

filter down »    Of information, or resources; to move slowly down to lower levels of an organisation, or population.

final cut »    In the movie industry, the final released version of the film.

find out »    To discover, as by asking or exploring.

finders keepers »    The doctrine that whoever finds something is allowed to keep it

fine line »    A difference, albeit vague and difficult to discern.

fine print »    The details, restrictions, terms, or conditions, especially of a contract, often printed in very small type.

fire drill »    An organised practice to prepare occupants of an office, school or other public building for evacuation in the event of a fire.

fire hose »    A hose used to deliver water in case of fire.

fire on all cylinders »    To operate as effectively as possible.

fire-breathing »    Caustic, vitriolic or scathing.

firm up »    To make tentative plans more definite.

first among equals »    A person or position that if formally equivalent to others in a group, but is superior in some attribute.

first come, first served »    People will be dealt with in the order they arrive.

first port of call »    The first port that a vessel calls in at after the start of a voyage.

first rate »    Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.

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.

fish out »    To deplete the supply of fish in a given body of water.

fit to be tied »    Very agitated or distressed; enraged.

fits and starts »    Activity which is intermittent, variable in intensity, and prolonged by interruptions.

five by five »    I hear you loud and clear

five will get you ten »    I strongly believe.

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-chested »    Having a flat chest; having small breasts.

flat-earther »    A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.

flat-earther »    A person who believes or advocates the theory that the earth is flat.

flat-footed »    Having feet which are flat.

flat-footed »    Having the specific physical condition of flat feet.

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.

flip one's lid »    To be explosively angry.

flipside »    A necessary consequence or corollary of something; especially one seen as opposite, or as pro versus con.

flog a dead horse »    To attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more.

flogging the land »    Damaging agricultural land through excessive grazing or clearing.

flower »    Typically including sepals, petals, stamens, and ovaries; often conspicuously colourful.

flower »    The best examples or representatives of a group.

flower »    The vulva, especially the labia majora.

flutter in the dovecote »    A disturbance, usually one caused within a prescribed group of people.

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

fly off the handle »    To become very angry or enraged; to throw a fit or go crazy.

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

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

fly-by-night »    A creatures which flies at night; a nocturnal flier or traveler.

fly-by-night »    Businesses that appear and disappear rapidly, or that give an impression of transience.

fly-by-night »    One who departs or flees at night in order to avoid creditors, law enforcement etc. .

fly-by-night »    Traveling businessmen and tradesmen.

flying visit »    A very short visit.

follow suit »    To play a card of the same suit as the previous or leading card.

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.

for all intensive purposes »    For all highly demanding purposes.[1].

for all intensive purposes »    Misconstruction of “for all intents and purposes”.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].

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

for all one is worth »    Intensely, vigorously, with as much effort as one can supply.

for good »    Forever; permanently.

for good and all »    Permanently, forever.

for heaven's sake »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

for keeps »    To compete seriously, with a strong resolve to win or succeed, as in sports or business.

for keeps »    With an agreement or intention to retain what one gains or receives.

for the birds »    Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.

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 love of »    Used to form interjections expressing exasperation.

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

forbidden fruit »    Illicit pleasure; something that one should not take or get involved with, such as an another person's spouse.

forbidden fruit is the sweetest »    Forbidden things have more worthwhile short-term consequences.

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."

forewarned, forearmed »    Alternative form of forewarned is forearmed.

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

fork over »    I forked over half the allotment this morning.

fork over »    To turn over soil with a gardening fork.

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 score and seven years ago »    87 years prior to today.

four score and seven years ago »    As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.

four-leaf clover »    A bringer of good luck.

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

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 estate »    Which governed legislation.

fourth wall »    The imaginary invisible wall at the front of the stage in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play.

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 range »    not intensively farmed

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.

friend with benefits »    A friendship with no reserves when it comes to the release of shared sexual tension thus leading to sexual fraternization.

from A to Z »    Covering a complete range; comprehensively.

from cover to cover »    All the way to the last page.

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

from here to ya-ya »    A very long distance.

from scratch »    From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.

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

from the get-go »    From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.

from the word go »    From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.

fruit of the poisonous tree »    And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.

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

full of hot air »    Talking a lot, especially without saying anything of value or meaning.

full of oneself »    Egotistical, believing oneself to be superior to others; preoccupied with one's own work, interests, point of view, etc.

full speed ahead »    A command, especially on military vessels, to move forward at maximum speed.

full speed ahead »    Maximum effort without reservations or delay.

full tilt »    As quickly as possible; very rapidly.

full tilt boogie »    At the most extreme level.

full to the gills »    Completely or overly full.

full-fledged »    Having all its feathers; able to fly.

full-fledged »    Having full qualification, credentials or preparation; entire; real.

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

funny stuff »    Irregular, often illegal, activities.

gagging for it »    Up for it, having a strong desire for sex.

gallows humor »    Comedy that makes light of death or other very serious matters.

game plan »    Any strategy devised to reach a given objective.

gang up on »    To join together in a gang in order to overpower someone else.

gapers' block »    A traffic jam resulting from motorists slowing to look at a motor vehicle collision or other roadside distraction.

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.

gear up »    To prepare for an activity.

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

get a leg up »    To gain some advantage; to get a head start.

get a move on »    To hurry up, to get moving.

get a room »    A jocular or sarcastic expression commanding a couple to stop displaying affection in public, and to rent a hotel or motel room to continue amorous activities in private.

get along »    To survive; to do well enough.

get back at »    To retaliate; to take revenge.

get better »    To improve.

get better »    To recover from an illness.

get busy »    Have sex.

get by »    To subsist; to succeed, survive, or manage, at least at a minimum level.

get by the balls »    To have complete control over someone, especially of a woman abusing a man's infatuation with her.

get carried away »    To become excessively involved, to take something too far.

get cold feet »    To become nervous or anxious and reconsider a decision about an upcoming event.

get down to business »    To become involved with something work-related.

get even »    To get revenge.

get in »    To get into or inside something, literally or figuratively.

get in »    To secure membership at a selective school.

get into someone's pants »    To have sex with.

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 get, retrieve, or receive something.

get it »    To possess a preferred outlook on a given issue or issues.

get it on »    To have sex.

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

get moving »    To start hurrying to undertake a task.

get off »    Behaviour.

get off »    To have sex.

get off »    To move from being on top of to not being on top of it.

get off »    To move to not being on top of it.

get off one's high horse »    To stop acting in an imperious, overbearing or bossy manner.

get on somebody's nerves »    To annoy or irritate; to bother.

get one's back up »    To become angry, defensive, or irritable.

get one's claws into »    Have a controlling influence over.

get one's end away »    To have sex.

get one's foot in the door »    To initiate contact or a relationship; to gain access, especially to an entry-level job.

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

get out of Dodge »    To leave; in particular to leave a difficult or dangerous environment with all possible haste.

get out of here »    To leave or exit a place.

get over »    To forget, and move on.

get over »    To overcome something.

get over »    To recover from something.

get over »    surmount

get over »    cross, surmount

get someone's back up »    To annoy a person either deliberately or inadvertently.

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

get the better of »    To overwhelm or overcome; to influence heavily; to tend to control or persuade.

get the boot »    To be voted off a competition in a reality television show.

get the chop »    To be eliminated from a competition in a reality television program.

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

getting even »    retaliating

gift of the gab »    The ability to talk readily, glibly, and convincingly.

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

gimme a five »    A request to receive a high five.

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

give 110%25 »    Make the maximum possible effort.

give a f** »    To care.

give a man a fish »    Shortened form of give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime »    It is more worthwhile to teach someone to do something, than to do something for them.

give a ring »    On the telephone.

give a shit »    To care, often used in the negative.

give a sneck posset »    To fasten the door latch.

give a sneck posset »    To give someone a cold reception; to close the door on someone; to reject them.

give and take »    A process of compromise or accommodation.

give as good as one gets »    To behave toward others in a manner resembling or commensurate with their behavior towards oneself, especially in a situation where one is insulted or otherwise ill-treated.

give away the store »    To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.

give birth »    To invent a new idea.

give birth »    To produce new life into the world; to have a baby. Transitive when used with to.

give chase »    To chase or pursue a person.

give curry »    Angrily.

give ear »    Dante Gabriel Rosetti, A Death-Parting, lines 5-6.

give ear »    To listen: to devote one's attention to an auditory event.

give face »    To honor; to pay respect.

give head »    To perform oral sex on another person.

give heed »    Pay attention to.

give him enough rope and he'll hang himself »    If one gives someone enough freedom of action, they may destroy themselves by foolish actions.

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 in »    To collapse or fall.

give in »    To droop the head.

give in »    To relent or yield.

give it a go »    To try or attempt.

give it a whirl »    To try, test or attempt.

give it one's best shot »    To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.

give it the gun »    Literal meaning.

give me liberty or give me death »    A set-phrase indicating enormous displeasure at any over-authoritarian policy or law.

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 »    To devote oneself to a particular activity.

give over »    To entrust something to another.

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 some skin »    To greet or congratulate someone by slapping his or her palm; see slap me five.

give somebody a hand »    To help, aid, or assist.

give somebody a hard time »    To tease, kid, or rib.

give somebody a piece of one's mind »    To express one's opinion strongly; to voice one's disagreement or dissatisfaction.

give somebody an earful »    To shout very loudly at someone.

give somebody pause »    To give somebody cause for concern.

give somebody the brush-off »    To rebuff, snub or curtly reject someone.

give somebody the cold shoulder »    To snub, resist or reject somebody; to regard somebody distantly.

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

give somebody the heave-ho »    To fire, expel or break up with someone.

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

give somebody the slip »    To evade, escape, or get away from somebody.

give somebody what-for »    To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.

give someone the chair »    To execute a person by means of the electric chair.

give someone the eye »    To show flirtatious signs with the eye.

give someone what for »    To punish; to rebuke.

give the boot »    To fire, to sack, to dismiss.

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

give the elbow »    To terminate the employment of.

give the lie to »    To prove something to be false; to refute.

give the time of day »    To acknowledge somebody; to give somebody any respect or attention.

gloss over »    To cover up a mistake or a crime; to hush up or whitewash.

gloss over »    To treat something with less care than it deserves; to skimp.

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

go all out »    To reserve nothing; to put forth all possible effort or resources.

go all the way »    To have sexual intercourse.

go along for the ride »    To accompany someone passively, or to take a passive role in a project.

go along with »    To comply with something, even if reluctantly; to accept or tolerate.

go apeshit »    To behave in an extreme manner; to act without restraint, especially by becoming explosively angry.

go away »    Command asking someone to leave them alone.

go back to the drawing board »    To start again; to scrap a previous idea or plan and try again from the beginning.

go ballistic »    To become very angry and irrational.

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

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 by the board »    To fall or to go overboard; to be cast over the side of a ship.

go down »    To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.

go down »    To decrease; to change from a greater value to a lesser one.

go down »    To be received or accepted.

go for »    To be equally valid or appropriate.

go for broke »    To try everything possible or do last thing possible in a final attempt.

go for broke »    To wager everything.

go for the gold »    To attempt to achieve the maximum reward or result in an endeavor.

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 in for »    To have an interest in or approve of something.

go large »    To have the wind at such an angle to the sail that the vessel gains its highest speed.

go mad »    Used to indicate that the second verb represents an action that is out of character.

go native »    Of a contractor or consultant, to begin working directly as an employee for a company and cease to work through a contracting firm or agency.

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 off »    To explode metaphorically; to become very angry.

go off »    To depart; to leave.

go on »    To travel on; go by.

go on the rampage »    To behave violently or to riot.

go out »    To leave, especially a building.

go out »    To leave one's abode to go to public places.

go out »    1922, Alfred Edward Housman, XXVIII, lines 3-4.

go out the window »    To vanish or cease, especially due to lack of care, attention, etc.; to be discarded, disregarded, or ignored.

go out with »    Date, be involved in a romantic relationship with.

go over »    To create a response or impression.

go over »    To look at carefully; to scrutinize; to analyze.

go overboard »    Fall out of a vessel.

go overboard »    Go too far, be excessive.

go places »    To make progress or achieve success.

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

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

go the distance »    To have the endurance to see a difficult sustained challenge to its natural end without faltering.

go the way of »    To end up the same way as. To receive the same fate as.

go the whole hog »    To do something as entirely or completely as possible; to reserve or hold back nothing.

go through hell »    To have a miserable experience.

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

go to town »    To proceed enthusiastically, vigorously, or expertly.

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

go with the flow »    To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.

go without »    Be deprived of.

go without saying »    To be obvious, apparent or clear, or already established.

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...

gold mine »    A very profitable economic venture.

gold standard »    A monetary system where the value of circulating money is linked to the value of gold.

golden handcuffs »    Any arrangement or agreement designed to provide extremely favorable benefits or pay, so as to discourage participant from wanting to leave, especially to retain a choice employee.

golden handshake »    A generous severance payment, especially as an inducement to leave employment.

golden ticket »    A philosophy that a quick fix can be achieved.

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

golf widow »    A woman who is deprived of her husband's time and attention due to his regular absence in order to play golf.

gone to the dogs »    To have fallen into disrepair or ruin; to have been stagnant or depreciated.

gongoozle »    To observe things idly.

good and »    Very; exceptionally; utterly.

good evening »    greeting

good fences make good neighbors »    It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.

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.

good things come to those who wait »    A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.

good to go »    Ready for some specific task or ready for normal activity, especially after preparation or recovery.

goodbye cruel world »    A call said before taking a stiff drink, especially a shot of vodka.

goof off »    To dawdle; to engage in idle activity or inactivity.

goon squad »    A group of individuals serving as enforcers, bodyguards, and the like, especially persons hired for such a purpose and using violent, thuggish methods.

grasp all, lose all »    one who wants everything, may lose it all

grass roots »    People and society at the local level rather than at the national centre of political activity.

grass widow »    A divorcée..

grass widower »    A divorcé..

gratuitous violence »    The artificial depiction of excessive violence.

gratuitous violence »    Violence that is not justified.

gravy train »    A gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill.

gravy train »    An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.

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.

greasy spoon »    An inexpensive diner or other informal restaurant, especially one specializing in frying or grilling.

great oaks from little acorns grow »    Alternative form of mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

greatest thing since sliced bread »    A relatively recent invention likely to significantly improve people's lives.

green about the gills »    Having the appearance of being ill.

green light »    Approval, or permission to proceed.

green state »    A state that is, or is perceived as, environmentally friendly.

green with envy »    Consumed by envy; envious to the point where it is noticeable to others.

greener pastures »    Any place or condition that is more favorable or beneficial.

greenwash »    A false or misleading picture of environmental friendliness used to conceal or obscure damaging activities.

grey area »    An area intermediate between two mutually exclusive states or categories where the border between the two is fuzzy.

grind to a halt »    Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.

groaning »    That is heavily laden.

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

grow a pair »    To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation in which one has so far failed to do so.

grow cold »    To wane; to lose interest or enthusiasm for something or someone; to become disenchanted or to fall out of love with someone.

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

guinea pig »    A tailless rodent of the Cavia genus, with short ears and larger than a hamster; the species Cavia porcellus is often kept as a pet.

gulp down »    To eat very quickly without chewing the food properly.

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

gussie up »    To make fancy or attractive, as by artificial or contrived means.

gut factor »    Feelings about what feels right or wrong, good or bad. An inner persuasion that one may feel convinced is the appropriate decision.

hair of the dog »    An alcoholic drink taken the morning after to cure a hangover or withdrawal symptoms.

half-baked »    Partially cooked by heating in an oven.

ham it up »    To act or emote, especially to overact or act badly.

hand grenade »    small explosive device

hand in »    To give something to a responsible person.

hand in glove »    In very close cooperation.

hand in hand »    Naturally, ordinarily or predictably together; commonly having a correlation or relationship.

hand it to somebody »    To give somebody credit or praise.

hand over »    To relinquish control or possession of something to someone.

hand over fist »    Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.

hand waving »    Discussion or argumentation involving approximation, vagueness, educated guessing, or the attempt to explain or excuse vagaries.

hand-in-glove »    Closely cooperative.

handle with kid gloves »    To treat something very delicately or carefully.

handwriting on the wall »    Alternative form of writing on the wall. A divine prediction or sentence to fate.

hang a Louie »    Make a left turn while driving a vehicle.

hang a Ralph »    Make a right turn while driving a vehicle.

hang an arse »    To hang back, to be afraid to advance.

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

hard as nails »    Very hard; tough.

hard of hearing »    Having difficulty hearing; somewhat deaf.

hard pressed »    Having or likely to have difficulty or to find a task almost impossible.

hard-nosed »    Guided by practical experience and observation rather than by theory.

harden »    To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.

hardwired »    In humans and animals, genetically determined, instinctive behavior, as opposed to learned behavior.

hardwired »    Of devices, closely or tightly coupled.

harsh one's mellow »    To get on one's nerves.

has-been »    A formerly popular or influential person whose popularity or effectiveness has peaked and is now in decline. Typically said of professionals or celebrities whose primary success is behind them.

hatchet job »    A treatment which serves primarily to disparage its subject; a piece of criticism which aims to destroy a reputation.

haul ass »    To hurry; to move quickly, especially to leave.

haul off »    To leave.

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 bone to pick »    To have a complaint or grievance with somebody.

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

have a cow »    To get angry; have a fit.

have a fit »    To become suddenly enraged.

have a fit »    To experience an epileptic seizure.

have a flat »    To be the owner of an apartment.

have a flat »    To have a flat tyre.

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 go »    To make an attempt; to try.

have a good time »    To enjoy oneself.

have a green thumb »    A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.

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

have a heart »    To be kind or sympathetic; to treat others kindly.

have a look-see »    Take a look.

have a pair »    To be manly.

have a scream »    To have a good time, to have a blast.

have a screw loose »    A phrase meaning that the subject is insane or irrational.

have a seat »    A polite directive to sit down.

have a seat »    See have; seat.

have a seat »    To sit down; to take a seat.

have a way with »    To be skilled, adept, or graceful in something.

have a whale of a time »    To enjoy oneself greatly.

have a word with »    To talk or speak with.

have an axe to grind »    To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something.

have an eye for »    To have good taste; to have the ability to discriminate or identify quality.

have ants in one's pants »    To be agitated and constantly fidgeting.

have ants in one's pants »    To be sexually excited.

have at »    To attack; to engage in combat with.

have bats in one's belfry »    To be crazy or eccentric.

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 egg on one's face »    To suffer embarrassment or humiliation; to damage one's reputation.

have eyes bigger than one's belly »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

have eyes bigger than one's stomach »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

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 got »    To be obliged.

have had it up to here »    To have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or forbearance.

have in mind »    To consider, to contemplate, to intend.

have it coming »    To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions.

have it in for »    To be very angry at; to have a grudge against.

have it large »    To engage intensely in pleasure-seeking activities.

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 it off »    To engage in sexual intercourse.

have it your way »    Do something the way you want to, but be prepared for the consequences.

have one's back to the wall »    To have no other options remaining.

have one's ducks in a row »    To be organized; to have one's affairs in order; specifically, to have a multi-person effort coordinated towards the exact same goal.

have one's ears lowered »    To get a haircut.

have one's hands full »    To be busy or thoroughly preoccupied.

have one's head in the clouds »    To daydream; to think about matters other than the present reality.

have one's head in the clouds »    To have fantastic or impractical dreams; to think impractically.

have one's heart set on »    To want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality.

have one's name on it »    To be reserved for someone.

have one's number on it »    Te be destined for someone.

have one's wits about one »    To remain calm, composed, or aware.

have one's work cut out for one »    To face a large task or project.

have other fish to fry »    C. 1710, Jonathan Swift, The Journal to Stella, ch. 2, Letter 15.

have other fish to fry »    To have more important things to do.

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

have someone by the short hairs »    To have someone in a difficult situation in which he or she is without alternatives and can be controlled.

have someone's guts for garters »    To reprimand severely.

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

have something to eat »    To eat anything.

have the biscuit »    To be of no further use; to be near death.

have the blues »    To be depressed, to have a low morale.

have the floor »    To have permission or time to speak, especially in a formal situation.

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

have the time of one's life »    To enjoy oneself immensely.

have the time of one's life »    To enjoy oneself more than ever before.

have the wind up »    To be frightened or disturbed.

have tickets on oneself »    To be conceited.

have to do »    To relate; to be relevant.

have to do with »    See "have to do".

have to do with the price of tea in China »    To have any relation or bearing whatsoever on the topic at hand, usually used to emphasize the lack of relationship of a non sequitur.

have truck with »    To have dealings with.

he who laughs last laughs best »    success is better after having previously endured ridicule.

he who laughs last laughs hardest »    Alternative form of he who laughs last laughs best.

he who smelt it dealt it »    (colloquial, originally) A person who calls attention to or complains about a fart is likely trying to pretend it wasn't his or her own.(colloquial, by extension) Used to suggest that a person calling attention to or complaining about a given problem may in fact be the source of the problem.

he-man »    A strong, virile or sexually active man.

head and shoulders »    "He was head and shoulders above the others in the law firm.".

head and shoulders »    "She was head and shoulders better than any of her rivals.".

head for the hills »    To travel to a higher elevation, especially to a rural region on vacation.

head over heels »    At top speed; frantically.

head over heels »    Hopelessly smitten.

head over heels »    Tumbling upside down.

head scratcher »    A device used to scratch the head.

head scratcher »    A particularly puzzling or confusing event.

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

head start »    A factor conducive to superiority and success.

head to toe »    Entirely; completely; over one's full body.

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

heads-up »    A warning or call to pay attention; an advisory notice.

hear on the grapevine »    To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.

hear the grass grow »    To be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.

hear the grass grow »    To have an extremely sensitive sense of hearing.

hear the grass grow »    To hear very well due to being in an exceptionally quiet environment.

hear through the grapevine »    To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.

hear, hear »    Let us hear and applaud the previous speaker; I endorse the previous statement; Expression of support, agreement, or enthusiasm for what has just been said.

heart of glass »    A very fragile romantic state.

heart to heart »    A sincere, serious, or personal conversation.

heat wave »    A period of exceptionally hot weather.

heat wave »    spell of hot weather

heaven helps those who help themselves »    A maxim encouraging people to get involved in their own problems.

heavy-hearted »    Sad, melancholy.

hell and half of Georgia »    A very large region; everywhere.

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

hell or high water »    Highly adverse circumstances; acts of God.

hen's teeth »    Anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen’s teeth.

hens' teeth »    Alternative form of hen's teeth.

here goes nothing »    Indicates a lack of confidence or certainty about the activity about to be tried.

here you are »    Said when you hand something over to someone or do a favour to them, usually to draw the recipient's attention to the exchange; Equivalent to “thank you” when receiving something..

hereinabove »    Above this, in this document.

hic Rhodus, hic salta »    (politics) Prove what you can do, here and now.

hide nor hair »    A trace, indication, or evidence, especially of a person.

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.

hiding to nothing »    A situation in which victory has little or no value, but defeat has a huge cost.

high and low »    everywhere

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.

high on the hog »    Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly.

highway robbery »    Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.

hindsight is 20/20 »    (idiomatic) In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time of the choice.

historical figure »    A fictional or fabricated person who was was given historical importance in legends and myth.

historical figure »    A person who lived long ago, usually of some historical note or importance.

history repeats itself »    Things that have happened in the past will happen again.

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

hit it big »    To have great success.

hit on »    To flirt with; to approach and speak to (someone), seeking romance, love, sex, etc.

hit on »    To discover, pinpoint; to think up; to realize; to invent.

hit one out of the ballpark »    To hit a fair ball so well that the ball flies over all of the spectators' seats and lands outside the stadium.

hit one out of the ballpark »    To produce a spectacular achievement.

hit one's stride »    To reach a full level of efficiency, competence, comfort, etc.; to get going.

hit paydirt »    To strike it rich; to get lucky or have a big break.

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

hit someone for six »    To hit another person very hard.

hit the bricks »    To leave or depart; to get out.

hit the bricks »    To participate in a workplace strike or other job action; to participate in a public protest, especially one involving picketing.

hit the bricks »    To travel about, especially on foot.

hit the ceiling »    To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.

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

hit the jackpot »    To realise a huge load of luck; to receive a more favorable outcome than imagined.

hit the nail on the head »    To identify something exactly; to arrive at exactly the right answer.

hit the pavement »    Literal meaning.

hit the pavement »    To get moving in an automobile or other road vehicle.

hit the road »    To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.

hit the road »    To leave a place; to go away.

hit the roof »    To be explosively angry.

hit the trail »    To leave or depart.

hit upon »    To think of; to invent; to realize.

hog heaven »    A state of contented bliss.

hoist by one's own petard »    To be hurt, or destroyed by one's own plot or device, of one's own doing which one intended for another; to be "blown up by one's own bomb".

hold a candle »    To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.

hold all the aces »    To be in a strong position when one is competing with someone else, having all the advantages.

hold back »    To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power.

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 own »    To stand up to; to give a respectable performance; to provide worthy competition.

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

hold out »    To survive, endure.

hold out »    To set something aside or save it for later.

hold over »    Something left from an earlier time.

hold somebody's hand »    To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.

hold that thought »    To pause in a conversation for an interruption.

hold that thought »    Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.

hold up »    To withstand; to stand up to; to survive.

hold water »    To withstand scrutiny or criticism; to be valid.

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.

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

homeless dumping »    The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the streets instead of placing them into the custody of a relative or shelter or retaining them in a hospital where they may require expensive medical care.

honesty is the best policy »    Honesty is the most honorable and fulfilling way to live one's life.

honey trap »    The use of a seductive woman to entice a man into revealing secret information.

honorable mention »    An award or recognition given to something that does not make it to a higher standing but is worth mentioning in an honorable way.

hook, line and sinker »    Naively or unquestioningly.

hoover up »    Into a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.

hoover up »    Quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from the plate rather than using cutlery.

horror film »    scary movie

horse opera »    A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.

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

hospital pass »    A poorly executed pass to a team-mate causing the receiver to present an easy target for a defender, and thus be tackled hard.

hospital pass »    Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.

hot and cold »    Ambivalent; having conflicting emotions.

hot and heavy »    Enthusiastic.

hot and heavy »    Passionate.

hot button »    A central issue, concern or characteristic, especially one that motivates people to make a choice.

hot desking »    The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.

hot mess »    A warm meal, usually cooked in a large pot, often similar to a stew or porridge; or, service of such a heated meal to soldiers.

hot mess »    Refers to a person, thing, or situation in such a state of disarray or disapproval by peers, often in reference to physical appearance, perceived to be disastrously embarrassing, pitiful, or beyond repair.

hot potato »    A child's game in which players pass a ball or other item between them, with the object of avoiding being left holding the item when time expires.

hot spot »    lively place

hot to trot »    Eager for sexual activity.

hotfoot it »    To hasten; to move rapidly.

hothouse »    An environment in which growth or development is encouraged; a hotbed.

house cooling party »    A party to celebrate when a person decides to leave a house or flat, and sometimes to help prepare the space for the incoming residents.

house warming »    Presented as a way of welcoming someone to a home into which he or she recently moved.

household name »    A very well-known public figure.

how do I get to Carnegie Hall »    A set phrase, spoken as a rhetorical question, which is answered "Practice, practice, practice!" or sometimes with the humorous literal directions to Seventh Avenue between 56th and 57th.

how do you like them apples »    Directed jestingly or mockingly at someone who has received surprising information, ridiculing the situation.

how's tricks »    Informal greeting roughly equivalent to How are you?.

huckleberry above a persimmon »    Something better than something else.

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.

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

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

ice over »    To become covered in ice, usually of a body of water.

ice up »    To become clogged with ice, usually of a mechanical device.

idiot box »    Television.

idiot light »    Any warning light or indicator on the dashboard of a car, designed to alert the driver of problems, such as the parking brake being on or the oil being low.

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 all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »    With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.

if it ain't broke, don't fix it »    Leave something alone; avoid correcting, fixing, or improving what is already sufficient, as it could end up being detrimental

if looks could kill »    A phrase said upon catching sight of someone's giving you a particularly nasty look of discontent or disapproval.

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 pigs had wings »    Never.

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

if you can't beat them, join them »    If your adversaries are stronger than yourself, it is better to join the adversaries.

if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen »    If you cannot handle the pressure, you should not be in a position where you have to deal with it.

if you love somebody, set them free »    One should be willing to let go of someone they love if they truly love them.

ill advisedly »    unwisely

in a bake »    Very angry.

in a bind »    In a difficult situation, usually of one's own making; having a dilemma; faced with a problem or a set of problems for which there is no easy solution.

in a flash »    Very quickly.

in a league of one's own »    Far excelling even the closest contender; not having any worthy competition.

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

in a pinch »    In an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.

in Abraham's bosom »    No longer living. Dead.

in all my born days »    Ever.

in any way, shape, or form »    In any way at all; whatsoever.

in black and white »    Having it displayed using shades of gray/gray rather than colour/color .

in broad daylight »    In a blatant and publicly visible manner.

in business »    Engaged in business activity.

in business »    Ready to proceed in a desired activity.

in case »    In the event; should there be a need.

in clover »    Happy and contented.

in clover »    In a condition of prosperity.

in detail »    Thoroughly; including every detail.

in Dutch »    In trouble or in disfavor.

in evidence »    Visibly present; noticeable.

in focus »    Clearly perceived.

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 for an inch, in for a mile »    Given that one is partly involved in or committed to a project, action, position, etc., there is no reason to refrain from becoming fully involved or fully committed.

in front of one's nose »    Plain; clearly apparent; obvious.

in heaven's name »    An intensifier used with questions.

in kind »    In the form of goods and service rather than money.

in light of »    Given, considering.

in no time »    Very soon.

in on »    privy to

in one hell of a hurry »    In a very great hurry; very fast or hastily.

in order »    In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.

in shape »    I guess I'd better get my room in shape if I have guests.

in spite of »    Despite, irrespective of, notwithstanding.

in stride »    Without disturbing one's course of activities.

in the act »    In the process of doing something; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.

in the black »    Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.

in the doghouse »    In trouble; the subject of somebody's anger or disapproval.

in the driver's seat »    Having the most important role in a storyline or recognition. Of primary importance.

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »    Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.

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

in the making »    In development; in the process of being made.

in the pink »    In very good health.

in the red »    Having net losses; in debt.

in the reign of Queen Dick »    When pigs fly; never.

in the same boat »    In the same situation or predicament; having the same problems.

in the swim »    Actively participating in the flow of events; very involved.

in the twinkling of an eye »    Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".

in thunderation »    In any set of circumstances whatsoever.

in two shakes »    Very quickly; without delay.

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

in vain »    19C, Friedrich Nietzsche.

in vain »    In a disrespectful manner, especially when concerning religion.

in vain »    Without success; ending in failure.

in view of »    Considering.

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

in virtue of »    By virtue of.

in with a chance »    Having a chance.

inside job »    A crime or other illicit action committed by or with the help of someone either employed by the victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs and premises.

inside track »    Any advantage.

into detail »    Thoroughly; including every detail.

iron out »    To remove with an iron.

iron out »    To resolve (a dispute); to solve (a problem).

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

it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings »    There are more developments yet to come.

it ain't the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God »    The rich can afford more immoral behavior than the poor.

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 is not the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

it isn't the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

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

it pays to advertise »    Good qualities do not get rewarded automatically.

it takes all kinds to make a world »    Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds.

it takes two to tango »    Some things need the active cooperation of two parties; blame is to be laid on both parties in a conflict.

it's a long road that has no turning »    encouragement when things are not going well. Just as a long road eventually has a turning, problems also eventually have a solution, even though one might have to wait.

it's about time »    Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.

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 better to ask forgiveness than permission »    The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than value of delaying to get permission.

it's never too late to mend »    You

it's not the whistle that pulls the train »    Boasting and loud talk should not be mistaken for the work that produces real achievements; bravado is no proof of action.1956, James Reston, "Washington: It's Not the Whistle that Pulls the Train," New York Times, 1 July, p. E8:

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

ivory tower »    A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.

jack in »    To stop doing a regular activity. Often a job or studies.

jack in »    To insert an electronic coupling into a receptacle; to connect to something, whether involving a physical medium or not.

jack it in »    An imperative to stop doing something that the speaker finds annoying.

jack of all trades »    One competent in many endeavors, especially one who excels in none of them.

jack-tar »    Alternative spelling of jacktar.

jacktar »    Nickname for a sailor in the Royal Navy.

jet set »    A set of wealthy people who travel for pleasure.

jet setting »    The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.

jet-setter »    A member of the jet set, a rich person who travels for pleasure.

jet-setting »    The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.

jew down »    To bargain or haggle with a seller in order to obtain a lower price for a good or service.

jive turkey »    Someone who is jiving, as in behaving in a glib and disingenuous fashion.

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

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

jumble sale »    fundraising event

jump »    By jerking the body violently.

jump »    To attack suddenly and violently.

jump »    To cause oneself to leave an elevated location and fall downward.

jump »    To employ a move in certain board games where one game piece is moved from one legal position to another passing over the position of another piece.

jump »    To employ a parachute to leave an aircraft or elevated location.

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

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

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 down »    To leave an elevated position to a lower position by one jump.

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

jump off »    To move from an elevated place by one jump.

jump on »    To board a public transport vehicle.

jump on »    To attack someone verbally, or criticise them over strongly for small errors.

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 rope »    The length of rope, sometimes with handles, casing or other additions, used in that activity.

jump someone's bones »    To have sex.

jump the queue »    To move into a queue ahead of others who have been waiting longer or that have a higher priority; push in.

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

jump to conclusions »    Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.

jump up »    To move from one position to a higher position by one jump.

jumped-up »    Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.

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 another pretty face »    Someone who is attractive, but not too distinguished.

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 in case »    In the event; should there be a need.

just what the doctor ordered »    Exactly what is necessary or useful in a given situation.

kangaroo court »    A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.

keel over »    Of a vessel: to roll so far on its side that it cannot recover; to capsize.

keel over »    To collapse in a faint; to black out; to die.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for someone or something.

keep an eye peeled »    To look out attentively.

keep at »    preserve with

keep away from »    To avoid.

keep away from »    To evade.

keep buggin on »    Never quit; go on

keep down »    Not to vomit.

keep from »    To prevent or restrain ; refrain or cause refrain.

keep from »    To protect or preserve from.

keep it real »    In the imperative, an exhortation used as a departing salutation.

keep it up »    To maintain or continue a positive streak.

keep mum »    Do not talk; especially keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

keep on truckin' »    To continue or persist, regardless of circumstances or setbacks; to keep trying or striving.

keep one on one's toes »    To keep one attentive, active, busy or alert.

keep one's cards close to one's chest »    To avoid revealing one's thoughts, circumstances, or plans.

keep one's cool »    To remain composed, calm, and even-tempered, especially in a provocative situation.

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 one's options open »    To not commit to a decision, to keep various options available.

keep oneself to oneself »    To be introverted; to stay away from others.

keep shtum »    Don't tell anyone; especially, keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

keep straight »    To avoid confusing or mixing up something; to keep something clear or organized.

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

keep up »    To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating.

keep up »    To stay even or ahead.

keep up appearances »    To pretend to be all right or that everything is going well.

keep up with »    To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.

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.

kernel of truth »    A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.

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 ass »    To be very impressive.

kick butt »    To be impressive; to be decisively good or pleasant.

kick off »    To force the weaning of a bovine cow's calf by restricting the calf's access to its mother's udders. Used figuratively or literally.

kick the habit »    To recover from or quit an addiction or habit. For example, to quit smoking, drinking, burping, or drug addiction.

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

kick up the arse »    A severe reprimand, especially one to motivate someone into doing something.

kill the fatted calf »    To begin a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return.

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

kill the rabbit »    To get a positive test result from an old-fashioned pregnancy test.

kill two birds with one stone »    To solve two problems at once.

kind »    Affectionate, showing benevolence.

kind »    Favorable.

kind »    Mild, gentle, forgiving.

kiss and make up »    To settle one's differences and forgive.

kiss of death »    A kiss on the cheek that signifies the death of the receiver, as delivered by a mob boss or one with such influence.

kiss of death »    Something that may seem good and favourable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.

kit and caboodle »    Everything entirely, the whole lot.

kit and kaboodle »    Everything; the lot.

kitchen table software »    Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.

knock around »    To do a relaxing activity.

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

knock back »    To drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly or often.

knock down »    Sold with a blow from the gavel.

knock for a loop »    To astonish; to surprise very much.

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 of the box »    To cause a pitcher to be replaced by heavy hitting.

knock over »    To bump or strike something in such a way as to tip it.

knock over »    To rob; to stage a heist.

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

knock up »    In the morning as by knocking at the door; rouse; call; summon; also, to go door-to-door on election day to persuade a candidate's supporters to go to the polling station and vote. See also knocker up.

knock up »    To become exhausted or worn out; to fail of strength; to become wearied, as with labor; to give out.

knocking on heaven's door »    Dying, close to death.

know something inside and out »    To know something very thoroughly.

knowledge is power »    With knowledge and/or education, one's potential or ability to succeed in the pursuit of his objectives will certainly increase.

l'esprit de l'escalier »    The experience of thinking of a devastating rejoinder only after leaving the scene of the debate.

la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »    The drop of water that makes the vase overflow.

la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »    The final thing that is too much and forces a reaction; the straw that broke the camel's back.

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

ladies man »    Alternative spelling of lady's man.

ladies' man »    Alternative spelling of lady's man.

lady or tiger »    A pure gamble with highly divergent outcomes.

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.

landing strip »    A cultivated pubic hair pattern in which much of the pubic hair is removed, leaving only a central vertical line or rectangle.

lap up »    To revel in, to overtly enjoy.

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.

larger-than-life »    Very imposing, renowned, or impressively influential.

lash out »    To make a fierce verbal attack.

last burst of fire »    A state of exertion where one gives one's all; expending all of one's remaining energy in a final effort to achieve one's goal.

last trump »    Forever.

last word »    The finest, highest, or ultimate representative of some class of objects.

late bloomer »    A person who lives a child's life comparatively later than their peers.

late bloomer »    A person who reaches puberty comparatively later than their peers.

laughing stock »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.

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

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

lay a finger on »    If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.

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

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

lay down »    To specify, institute, enact, assert firmly, state authoritatively, establish or formulate .

lay down the law »    To authoritatively or dogmatically assert what is permitted or not permitted.

lay down the law »    To present the law that applies to a given case.

lay off »    From employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance package.

lay on »    provide;

lay open »    In Japan and South Korea, to publish a patent for initial public review, prior to the formal application for registration.

lay open »    reveal

lay rubber »    To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.

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

lay up »    To take out of active service.

lay up »    To go out of active service.

lead »    A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.

lead »    I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top. — Bacon.

lead »    Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.

lead »    To estimate velocity in knots.

lead »    Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.

lead nowhere »    To have no purpose, to result in nothing.

lead someone down the garden path »    To deceive, hoodwink.

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.

lean and mean »    Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.

lean towards »    To favor in a decision.

leave behind »    To abandon.

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 nothing to the imagination »    He stripped down to a pair of see-through briefs that left nothing to the imagination.

leave nothing to the imagination »    To cover or hide very little or nothing.

leave somebody high and dry »    To abandon somebody; to stop providing assistance at a crucial moment.

leave somebody holding the bag »    To abandon somebody, leaving the responsibility or blame.

leave somebody in the lurch »    To abandon somebody; especially, to abandon somebody and leave him or her in a difficult situation.

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

leave well enough alone »    To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient.

leave well enough alone »    To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient

left and right »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

left field »    The defensive position in the outfield to the left.

left, right and center »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

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.

legal duty »    I've done my legal duty.

legwork »    Skillful or vigorous use of the legs, as in dance or sports.

legwork »    Work, especially research or preparation, that involves significant walking, travel, or similar effort.

lemon law »    A law dealing with defective items, especially automobiles, and consumers' rights.

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 alone »    Or even.

let it be »    To leave something to follow its natural course.

let off »    To forgive and not punish.

let on »    To reveal, disclose, or divulge.

let sleeping dogs lie »    To leave things as they are; especially, to avoid restarting or rekindling an old argument; to leave disagreements in the past.

let slip »    To divulge a secret, as by accident or mistake.

let somebody in on »    To disclose; to tell somebody a secret or share privileged information.

let someone have it »    To attack someone with great force.

let someone have it »    To verbally assail someone.

let the cat out of the bag »    To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.

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

letters after one's name »    A list of abbreviations, separated by commas, representing the academic qualifications and civil or military honours achieved by a person.

level best »    The very best that one can do.

level up »    To progress to the next level of player character stats and abilities. Often used in role-playing games when the character has aquired enough experience points.

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

licence to print money »    The authority to print money, usually given to a central bank exclusively as the issuer of currency.

lick one's chops »    To look forward avidly to eating something.

lick one's chops »    To use one's tongue to remove moistness from the sides of one's mouth, as when salivating or at the conclusion of a meal.

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

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

life is like a box of chocolates »    Life is full of surprises, you never know what will happen next.

life of the party »    A person who participates in entertainment events in a very enthusiastic manner and who has a leading role in inspiring others to join in the spirit of festivity.

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.

life's not all skittles and beer »    Skittles and Beer refers to the carefree, indulgent bar life; skittles being a British pub game. Thus, life's not all skittles and beer means that not everything is about pleasure.

lift up »    To elevate to a higher position.

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

light bucket »    Nickname for a reflecting telescope, especially one with a relatively large aperture and suitable for observing deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies.

like a cat on a hot tin roof »    Jumpy, nervous.

like crazy »    To a great or excessive degree; with great speed, output, enthusiasm, etc.

like father, like son »    A son will have traits similar to his father upon reaching adulthood.

like gangbusters »    Vigorously, rapidly, zealously, or forcibly; in a manner which has considerable impact.

like it's going out of style »    Enthusiastically, to an excessive degree.

like nobody's business »    In an extreme manner; rapidly; excessively; like crazy.

like the back end of a bus »    Very unattractive.

like the new time »    Furiously or vigorously, repeatedly.

lily-livered »    Cowardly, lacking bravery.

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 »    An individual who shows strength and courage, attributes associated with the lion.

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.

lip service »    Empty talk; words absent of action or intention.

listen in »    To eavesdrop; to listen secretly.

listen up »    To listen closely; to pay attention. Often used in the imperative.

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).

little pitchers have long ears »    Alternative form of little pitchers have big ears.

live by the sword, die by the sword »    One who uses violence can expect a violent response. It is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible.(figuratively) One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey poetic justice.

live down »    To get used to something shameful.

live in sin »    To cohabit as if man and wife without being married.

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

live large »    To have a lavish or overly-extravagant lifestyle.

live on »    To survive solely by consuming a certain thing.

live one »    A person, thing, or situation which is particularly interesting, noteworthy, or urgent.

live one »    Someone who is easily fooled, victimized, or ridiculed.

live one »    Someone who is eccentric, nonconformist, or otherwise peculiar.

live paycheck to paycheck »    To spend all that one earns without saving anything.

live up »    To fulfil the expectations placed upon.

live wire »    An electrical wire through which there is a flow of electrical current.

live wire »    An especially energetic, alert, or vivacious person.

Living high on the hog »    Living richly, often above one's means

loaded word »    Any word, set phrase or idiom that has strong positive or negative connotations beyond their ordinary definition.

lock up »    To invest in something long term.

log off »    To depart from conversation; to say goodbye.

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 absent, soon forgotten »    Love fades away when people are distant and don't keep close physical contact.

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 haul »    Travelling a long distance.

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 story short »    Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story.

long time »    Used as part of greeting of two people who have not been in contact for a long time.

long time no hear »    I haven't heard from you for a long time.

long time no see »    I haven't seen you for a long time.

look at »    Visually.

look daggers »    To stare sharply at someone to indicate disapproval without actually speaking.

look forward to »    To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure.

look into »    To investigate, explore, or consider.

look on »    To watch; to observe.

look out »    Be vigilant and aware.

look out for number one »    To act in one's own interests; to act in a manner advantageous primarily to oneself.

look over »    To scan-read and check for errors.

look the other way »    To ignore something wrong. Similar to connive.

look through rose-tinted glasses »    Alternative spelling of wear rose-colored glasses.

look to »    To seek inspiration or advice from someone.

look up »    To have a bright future.

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 brief visit.

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

loose end »    A small job that needs to be done, or minor problem that needs to be resolved, before a task can be considered complete.

loose ends »    Leftover items that have not been addressed or attended to.

loose ends »    unresolved details

lord of the flies »    A ruler over a worthless kingdom; leader of a meaningless microcosm.

lose it »    To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.

lose one's temper »    To be explosively angry. To get very cross.

lose one's touch »    To lose one's special mastery of or knack for a particular skill or activity.

lose out »    To be at a disadvantage.

lose the plot »    To cease to be behaving in a predictable and/or rational manner.

lose the plot »    To have one's results decline severely in quality or suddenly fall below an acceptable standard, especially when compared to past excellence.

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

love is blind »    A person who is in love can see no faults or imperfections in the person who is loved.

love nest »    A room, especially a bedroom or boudoir, used for sexual intercourse.

love nest »    Vagina.

love to bits »    A lot.

loved up »    Alternative spelling of loved-up.

low-hanging fruit »    Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.

lower the boom »    To suddenly overpower, with "on".

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 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.

lucky dip »    A game in which prizes are covered up and mixed together in a container, so that contestants can dip their hand into the container and randomly pull out a prize.

mad money »    A sum of money kept in reserve or to insulate oneself financially in the event of the sudden breakdown of a relationship in which one is economically dependent.

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

made in the shade »    In a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living, or general well-being.

main verte »    Green thumb.

make a go of it »    To attempt; especially, to attempt to make a living.

make a living »    To earn enough income to support oneself and, if applicable, one's family.

make a meal of »    That is the eleventh edit that you have made to that word, you are really making a meal of it.

make a meal of »    To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated.

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 a virtue of necessity »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 4, sc.1.

make a virtue of necessity »    To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.

make amends »    To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.

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 exhibition of oneself »    She had far too much to drink and made an exhibition of herself by flirting with everyone.

make an honest woman »    Especially if she is having a sexual relationship.

make believe »    To pretend or imagine.

make book »    To be very confident.

make do with »    To get along with whatever is available.

make for »    To move towards.

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 headway »    To progress; to move forward.

make it »    To have sex.

make it »    To survive, to live through something.

make it do or do without »    If you don't have a lot of money, extend the life of what you have.

make it up as one goes along »    To improvise continuously.

make no bones about »    To see no difficulty in, have no objection to.

make oneself scarce »    To leave or depart, or to avoid or stay away.

make out »    To kiss or to make love.

make out like a bandit »    To profit greatly; to get an excessively good deal.

make over »    To renovate or to convert to a different use.

make over »    To transfer ownership, especially by means of a legal document.

make sure »    To verify; to recheck; to use extra care or caution.

make the grade »    To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.

make the welkin ring »    By extension of , to celebrate or revel.

make tracks »    To leave in a hurry.

make tracks »    To leave or depart; to go away.

make up »    To resolve, forgive or smooth over an argument or fight.

make waves »    To cause a disturbance.

make waves »    To upset the status quo.

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

man of parts »    A man that is talented in multiple areas of life. This includes but is not limited to the area of seduction. He puts very little emphasis on memorized scripts or "peacocking" and instead relies on individualized ways to charm a woman.

man up »    To "be a man about it"; to do the things a good man is traditionally expected to do, such as: taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; displaying bravery or toughness in the face of adversity; providing for one's family, etc.

managerial inbreeding »    Bad management, caused by managers making poor selection choices in recruitment, rewards, and promotions of the staff that report to them, leading to another generation of managers who lack the necessary skill sets to reward and promote the most effective staff.

manoeuvre the apostles »    To rob Peter to pay Paul; that is, to borrow money of one man to pay another.

match made in heaven »    A marriage that is likely to be happy and successful because the two people are very compatible with each other.

match made in heaven »    A very successful combination of two people or things.

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.

may the Force be with you »    Used to wish someone luck with a difficult endeavor.

meal ticket »    A ticket or voucher that can be exchanged for food.

meal ticket »    Someone or something that provides income or livelihood, especially as an exploited source.

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

mean the world to »    To be loved or cared about a great deal by.

measure twice and cut once »    (literally, carpentry) One should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material.1872, "Dressmaking," Hall's Journal of Health, vol. 19, no. 12, p. 280:Look at Carpenters! . . . In old times it was a proverb "Measure twice, and cut once."(figuratively, by extension) Plan and prepare in a careful, thorough manner before taking action.2008, Hilary Johnson, "Mergers rattle bank relations," Financial Week, 9 Nov. (retrieved 9 Nov. 2008):Mr. Paz noted that since the onset of the credit crisis, eBay, like other companies, hasn

measure twice, cut once »    Alternative form of measure twice and cut once.

meaty »    Resembling meat in flavour, etc.

member for Barkshire »    Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.

memory lane »    A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.

mercury »    A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.

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

mess of pottage »    Something of trivial value, especially of immediate value.

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

middle of the road »    Having a centrist attitude or philosophy; not extreme, especially politically.

mighty oaks from little acorns grow »    Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!

mike up »    To fit a microphone and transmitter to a person. Usually for television performers, or for police informers.

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

mills of the gods grind slowly »    Justice may arrive slowly, but it cannot be avoided.

mince words »    To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms.

mind one's P's and Q's »    Alternative spelling of mind one's p's and q's.

mind one's p's and q's »    To be very careful to behave correctly.

mind over matter »    Willpower alone can overcome a physical problem.

mind the store »    To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.

mind the store »    To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.

mind-numbing »    Excessively boring, tedious, or dull; repetitive; of an activity, etc., lacking any interest or variety that might serve as intellectual stimulation.

miner's canary »    A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.

miner's canary »    Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.

miners' canary »    A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.

miners' canary »    Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.

mint sauce »    serve this with lamb

misery loves company »    Misery is easier to bear when one is not the only one miserable.1995, Chris Abbott,

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

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 it up »    To compete vigorously, to quarrel, or to fight physically.

mix up »    To confuse or reverse.

mixed bag »    Something tending to have both good and bad results or characteristics; something having a mixture of advantages and disadvantages.

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

mock up »    To create a model or demonstration; to create a preliminary version or sample.

money doesn't grow on trees »    You must work in order to have money.

money for old rope »    Money exchanged for goods of low value.

monkey business »    An activity that is considered silly, or stupid, or time-wasting.

monkey business »    An activity that may be considered illegal, questionable, or a vice, but not felonious.

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

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 equal »    Ostensibly equal, but in reality more privileged.

morning person »    A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.

mother hen »    An outspoken and overprotective woman dealing with others' affairs.

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

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

mouth of a sailor »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

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

move house »    To change one's place of residence.

move it »    To hurry; to hurry up.

move on »    To leave somewhere for another place.

move on »    To start dealing with something else.

move one's body »    To dance.

move out »    To vacate one's place of residence.

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

move the goalposts »    To alter the agreed basis, scope, standards or target of a procedure or task during its course, especially to do so to someone's advantage.

mover and shaker »    Someone who has power and influence in some field or activity.

movie star »    famous film actor

much of a muchness »    Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them.

mull over »    To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.

mum's the word »    The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged.

murder will out »    A murderer will always be discovered.

murder will out »    Secrets or hidden crimes will eventually be exposed or discovered.

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

mutual admiration society »    A group of two or more people, in a workplace or other social environment, who routinely express considerable esteem and support for one another, sometimes to the point of exaggeration or pretense.

my arse »    Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.

my eye »    Expression of disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.

my foot »    Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.

naff off »    A mild version of f** off.

nail biter »    A nervous or uncomfortable situation.

name and shame »    So as to single them out for individual blame and censure.

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.

near miss »    narrowly avoided accident

near the knuckle »    Risqué, sexual, suggestive of impropriety..

nearly never bulled a cow »    (Irish) Near enough is not good enough.

necessity is the mother of innovation »    Alternative form of necessity is the mother of invention.

necessity is the mother of invention »    A person who is in great need of something will find a way to get it.

neck and neck »    Very close in progress, as in a race or contest.

necker's knob »    A knob attached to the steering wheel of an automobile, especially before the widespread availability of power steering, helping the driver steer with one arm and leaving the other arm free to provide romantic attention to a companion.

neither here nor there »    Not important; having no significance or influence on the question at hand; not related; not relevant; not germane; not pertinent.

nervous as a cat »    "She's as nervous as a cat.".

nervous as a cat »    Very nervous.

nervous hit »    A production which receives generally favorably notice, but is not assured of success.

nest egg »    A savings; a reserve of money.

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

never in a million years »    Absolutely not.

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!.

never look a gift horse in the mouth »    Alternative form of don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

never mind »    Do not be concerned.

never mind »    I withdraw my previous statement.

never mind »    It is not important; do not fret.

never you mind »    Do not concern yourself with it; it is none of your business.

nice guy »    An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.

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

nickel-and-dime »    Alternative spelling of nickel and dime.

night person »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.

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

nightcap »    A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas. Nightcaps were common in northern Europe before central heating was available, when homes were cold at night.

nighthawk »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.

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.

nip in the bud »    To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.

no brainer »    Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.

no comment »    A refusal to say the obvious impolite retort.

no cover »    Without a cover charge.

no dice »    An unacceptable alternative.

no dice »    An unfavorable result.

no frills »    Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.

no glove, no love »    Without a condom, there will be no sex.

no good deed ever 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 holds barred »    Without reserve; in an especially ruthless or vicious manner.

no joy »    A negative outcome.

no love lost »    Dislike, animosity.

no matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney »    Regardless of how many clever points or fine distinctions one makes, what one is saying is still false or is still nonsense.

no nevermind »    No difference.

no pain, no gain »    One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.

no score »    In a sporting event, a score of zero to zero.

no screaming hell »    Something that is not particularly effective or impressive; something that is below expectations.

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 smoke without fire »    Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.

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

none of someone's business »    A matter that someone is not entitled to be involved in or informed about.

none too »    Not very

nose-picking »    To insert a finger into one's nostril, especially to remove mucus.

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

not a sausage »    Jill: Not a sausage I'm afraid, I'm just visiting.

not at all »    Used similarly to you're welcome, as a conventional reply to an expression of gratitude.

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

not give a monkey's »    Not to have the slightest interest or concern.

not have a leg to stand on »    To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation.

not have the faintest »    To not know; to have no idea.

not leave one's thoughts »    Said when one keeps thinking about something.

not much of anything »    Very little; not a lot.

not quite »    Almost, very nearly.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Ambrose Bierce, The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Vol. 8.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong aversion.

not very »    Not.

not worth a dime »    Worthless, lacking in value.

not worth a plug nickel »    Having no or almost no value; worthless.

notch up »    To achieve something.

nothing ventured, nothing gained »    If one takes no risks, one will not gain any benefits.

now you're cooking »    A phrase, often given in response, meaning that the subject has switched to a more suitable or more efficient approach.

now you're talking »    A phrase indicating agreement with a previously stated suggestion to change a course of action.

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

number one with a bullet »    Superlative; impossible to beat.

nut-cutting time »    Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.

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

nutty as a fruitcake »    Behaving in an eccentric, foolish, or kooky manner; very nutty.

object lesson »    Anything used an example or lesson which serves to warn others as to the outcomes that result from a particular action or behavior, as exemplified by the fates of those who followed that course.

odd one out »    A visual puzzle where the guesser has to choose which word/picture/symbol etc. does not fit with the others.

of a »    Every.

of an »    Indicates a more or less habitual activity during the given part of the day.

of course »    Acknowledges the validity of the associated phrase.

of course »    Asserts that the associated phrase should not be argued, particularly if it is obvious or there is no choice in the matter.

off balance »    Not physical balanced; not having physical equilibrium.

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

off one's game »    Playing or competing below one's usual level of performance.

off the back foot »    From a defensive position.

off the beaten path »    In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.

off the beaten track »    In a place or places not commonly visited.

off the chain »    Free from work or direct supervision. In reference to slave labor, where workers are chained, or to the figurative chain of workers of an assembly line.

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

off the hook »    Relieved of a duty, burden, responsibility, or pressure.

off the reservation »    Violating rules.

off the top of one's head »    Without great thought or investigation; extemporaneous; natural; offhand.

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

off-color »    Considered dirty, vulgar or obscene.

off-roader »    A vehicle that is designed to drive off the road.

off-the-shelf »    As purchased or as commonly available, without modification or customization.

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

offer affordances »    To give elbow room or leeway for something to happen.

oil burner »    A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.

oil burner »    A heating device which burns fuel oil; an oil furnace.

old college try »    A vigorous, committed attempt or effort.

Old Fart »    An elderly person who holds views that are considered old-fashioned.

old hand »    A person who is experienced at a certain activity.

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

old hat »    Something widely or long practiced, known, or accepted; something conventional.

old hat »    Something with which one is very familiar, or in which one is experienced or skilled.

old money »    Families that have been wealthy for generations or members of such families.

old saw »    A cliché, saying, or overused expression; especially a proverb or maxim.

on a regular basis »    Regularly, occurring in regular time intervals or patterns.

on a roll »    Having a streak of good luck or good progress or success.

on a shoestring »    On a very tight budget; with few resources or little money.

on an irregular basis »    Irregularly, occurring in irregular time intervals or patterns.

on average »    Usually, typically; as a rule; as often as not.

on board »    Even when I am on board the plane, I can never feel secure that my luggage is, too.

on cloud nine »    Very happy, blissful.

on edge »    Tense, nervous or irritable.

on good terms with »    Friendly towards; having good relations with.

on hand »    Available; ready; in stock.

on high »    In the sky or the heavens.

on hold »    On reserve; being held for someone.

on one's toes »    Attentive, active, busy or alert.

on opposite sides of the barricades »    Of starkly different, opposite views on an issue.

on steroids »    To a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.

on the anvil »    Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.

on the back burner »    Not immediate; inactive; receiving less than full or regular attention.

on the back foot »    In a defensive posture; off-balance.

on the ball »    Alert, active, or attentive; on top of things.

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 brain »    Obsessively in mind.

on the brink »    Very nearly; imminent; close.

on the bubble »    Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.

on the clock »    In the official time expired in a game or other sporting event.

on the clock »    In the official time remaining in a game or other sporting event.

on the defensive »    Prepared to defend or protect against criticism, attack or aggression.

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

on the fly »    Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.

on the go »    Actively traveling; busy; moving often.

on the go »    To have started.

on the ladder »    Figuratively a property ladder, owning property.

on the level »    A discreet reference to freemasonry.

on the level »    Honest, sincere, straightforward.

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 »    Healing or recovering, as from an injury or illness.

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

on the other hand »    From another point of view.

on the pill »    Using oral contraceptives.

on the plus side »    Positively; from a favorable view or perspective.

on the point »    Very nearly; imminent; close.

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

on the same wavelength »    In rapport or complete accord.

on the spot »    At that very moment; right away.

on the spot »    Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.

on the spur of the moment »    On very short notice; spontaneously.

on the verge »    Very near or close.

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

on tiptoe »    Moving carefully, quietly, warily or stealthily.

on wheels »    Having wheels affixed to the bottom, and so transportable.

on wheels »    Mobile; able to be moved.

on wheels »    To a large degree, excessive.

on-the-spot »    In the right place at this very moment.

once and for all »    Finally, permanently, conclusively.

once in a blue moon »    Never.

once in a blue moon »    Very rarely; very infrequently.

once you go black, you never go back »    An expression assuming that once a person of another race gets in a sexual relationship with a black person they won't return to their own race.

one and all »    All, everyone.

one and the same »    The same person or thing. Used to emphasize the identity or equivalence of two things.

one at a time »    Individually, as opposed to collectively; slowly or methodically, figuratively.

one by one »    Individually in succession; one at a time.

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 fell swoop »    One stroke; one action or event with many results.

one good turn deserves another »    One act of kindness should be paid back by another act of kindness.

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 side »    You should move to one side and allow me to go through the passageway you are blocking.

one step forward, two steps back »    A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

one swallow does not a summer make »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one swallow doesn't make a summer »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

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

one's bark is worse than one's bite »    The individual acts threatening but is relatively harmless.

one's jig is up »    Alternative form of the jig is up. [for one].

one-hit wonder »    A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.

one-horse town »    A very small town.

one-man band »    A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.

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.

one-night stand »    An occasion when a performer or team of them expects to perform at a theater for a single evening.

one-note »    Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.

one-trick pony »    A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.

one-upmanship »    The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.

onesie-twosie »    Individually or in very small groups, rather in larger batches.

only fools and horses work »    Philosophy of life that people who do not look for an easy way of earning a living are foolish.

ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »    (biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.

opening time »    hour at which a pub can start serving

or else »    Go now, or else you'll have to stay all night.

or else »    Otherwise or as an alternative.

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

orphan drug »    But which is not manufactured or marketed because the demand is insufficient to cover the costs of supply.

out loud »    Using the voice; not silently; aloud.

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

out of character »    Inconsistent with one's personality, disposition, or usual expected behaviour.

out of character »    Not acting; not "on"; behaving within one's natural personality rather than that of a character in a performance piece.

out of character »    Not in character; not successfully performing within the mindset of a given character in a theatrical performance. See also break character, drop character.

out of gas »    Tired; lacking energy or motivation.

out of house and home »    Helping Your Dog Adjust to a New Home, The Progressive Animal Welfare Society.

out of house and home »    In a manner that deprives one of dwelling or some aspect thereof.

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

out of one's league »    In a situation in which one is mismatched with one or more others, whose accomplishments, preparedness, or other characteristics are on a significantly higher or lower level than one's own.

out of sight »    Not accessible to view.

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

out of stock »    Temporarily unavailable for sale.

out of the box »    Immediately, without intervention from the customer.

out of the question »    Impossible to even contemplate.

out of the way »    Improper or offensive.

out of the woods »    Out of peril; likely to recover or prevail over trouble; finished with the worst or most threatening part of a problem or illness.

out of this world »    Exceptionally high quality; wonderful; marvellous.

out of touch »    No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.

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

out on the tiles »    I've had a pint of bitter and now I'm feeling better and I'm out on the tiles." Led Zeppelin in their song "Out on the tiles", 1970.

out the wazoo »    Out the ass; excessive or excessively; too much.

out to lunch »    Clueless, inattentive or careless.

outside the box »    Beyond the bounds of convention.

outside world »    The rest of the world outside of some closed, restricted, or remote environment.

over a barrel »    In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.

over and out »    Used to signal the end of a conversation, especially one conducted by CB radio or the like.

over and over »    Repeatedly; again and again; many times.

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 one's head »    Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.

over the hill »    Old, past the prime of life.

over the moon »    Delighted, thrilled.

over the top »    Bold; beyond normal, expected, or reasonable limits; excessive; outrageous.

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

overkill »    A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.

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

overleap »    To ignore.

overleap »    To leap over, to jump over, to cross by jumping.

overleap »    To omit.

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

pachyderm »    Someone who is insensitive.

pack up »    To give in.

pack up »    To move one's residence.

pain in the neck »    Someone or something which is annoying, irritating or inconvenient.

paint oneself into a corner »    To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.

paint with a broad brush »    To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.

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

palace politics »    The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers within a government, especially as involving internal rivalry and intrigue.

paper »    A written document that reports scientific or academic research and is usually subjected to peer review before publication in a scientific journal or in the proceedings of a scientific or academic meeting .

paper »    A written document, generally shorter than a book , in particular one written for the Government.

paper trail »    A written record, history, or collection of evidence.

paper trail »    The records left by a person or organization in the course of activities.

parade of horribles »    A rhetorical device employing a series of progressively more terrible results following from an act.

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

park that thought »    Alternative form of hold that thought.

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".

parking lot »    An open area, generally paved, where automobiles may be left when not in use.

parting shot »    An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.

party animal »    A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.

party crasher »    Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.

party to »    Privy to; having knowledge of.

pass by »    To pass over. disregard, overlook.

pass on »    To convey or communicate.

pass the buck »    To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.

pass through »    To make something move through something else.

patience is a virtue »    it is better to be patient than impatient

patience of Job »    From the Bible, James Ch.5 V.11.

pave the way »    To make future development easier.

pay attention »    To be attentive; to focus one's attention.

pay for »    To exchange for, especially money for goods or services.

pay off »    To bribe, especially to deter oversight.

pay one's dues »    To acquire status or to earn the right to enjoy certain benefits, especially through lengthy experience, hardship, or service to an organization.

pay out »    To repay, take revenge.

pay the bills »    To provide enough income to sustain one's lifestyle.

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.

payback's a bitch »    Usually a complete sentence as an interjection: I am amused that someone got their revenge on you...but you certainly had it coming.

payback's a bitch »    Usually a complete sentence: I will get revenge when you least expect it.

pea patch »    A realm of endeavor.

peaches and cream »    A very enjoyable experience.

peaches-and-cream »    Of facial complexion, smooth, with attractive yellow-pink coloring.

peachy keen »    Extremely good, exactly right; all right. Often used in the negative or with an ironic or sarcastic connotation to mean the opposite.

pearl of wisdom »    A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.

peashooter »    Any small or ineffective gun.

pee off »    Euphemistic variant of piss off.

peel grapes »    To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.

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.

pencil pusher »    One who does routine office work; someone involved mainly in paperwork.

pencil whip »    To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.

pencil-neck »    A person with a very thin neck.

pencil-necked »    Having a very thin neck.

pencilneck »    A person with a very thin neck.

pendre la cr%C3%A9maill%C3%A8re »    To have a housewarming party.

penny for your thoughts »    Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted.

penny pincher »    One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones »    Do not criticize others if you have weaknesses yourself.

perfect storm »    A situation where a calamity is caused by the convergence and amplifying interaction of a number of factors.

perp walk »    The intentional public display before news cameras of someone in police custody, especially someone famous or notorious, for the purpose of satisfying public interest, demonstrating the authorities' effectiveness, or shaming the person.

phase out »    To remove or relinquish the use of something little by little.

physical break »    A short break in a meeting or in a classroom setting, intended to improve attention.

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

pick up »    To improve, increase, or speed up.

pick up »    To receive.

pick up »    To point out (a person's behaviour, habits or actions),in a critical manner.

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 »    Any vegetable preserved in vinegar and consumed as relish.

pickle »    A cucumber preserved in a solution, usually a brine or a vinegar syrup.

pickle »    An affectionate term for a loved one.

pickle »    The brine used for preserving food.

piece of ass »    A very attractive woman, when considered as a sex object.

piece of cake »    A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple to do.

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.

pig out »    To eat voraciously or ravenously; to gorge oneself.

pile-up »    A traffic accident or collision involving multiple vehicles.

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.

pinchpenny »    One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.

piping hot »    Very hot.

piss and vinegar »    Exuberance or enthusiasm, especially to an excessive degree; bravado; youthful energy.

piss off »    To leave, to go away.

piss up a rope »    To engage in futile or impossible activity.

pissing contest »    An immature dispute over some trivial matter.

pitch a tent »    To have an erection that shows through the trousers.

pitch woo »    To make love.

pitched battle »    A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.

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

play down »    To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.

play dumb »    To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.

play fast and loose »    To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.

play fast and loose »    To ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits ones purpose.

play for love »    To play a game of cards without stakes.

play games »    To deceive, to lie about one's intentions.

play hardball »    To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.

play it by ear »    To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.

play Old Harry »    Blenkiron and I have been moving in the best circles as skilled American engineers who are going to play Old Harry with the British on the Tigris. — John Buchan, "Greenmantle", 1916..

play Old Harry »    To play the devil; to make mischief.

play one's cards right »    To act sensibly; to make the right moves.

play possum »    To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.

play the fool »    To behave in a foolish or comical manner.

play the race card »    Donald A. Carson, Love in Hard Places p.94.

play the race card »    To assert that race or racism is responsible for a course of events, especially when race is not of particular significance to the issue in question; to attempt to inspire a particular reaction by raising the issue of race.

play the same tape »    To repeat exactly what one previously said or did.

play to the gallery »    To appeal to the least sophisticated parts of an audience in order to obtain maximum approval.

play up »    To misbehave.

play up »    To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.

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.

plump up »    To shake or arrange so as to be fatter or more evenly distributed.

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.

point of no return »    The point in an aircraft's flight when there is insufficient fuel to reverse direction and return to the place of origin.

point of no return »    The point in any journey, process, or sequence of events when it is no longer possible to reverse course or stop the process.

poison »    A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism.

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

polish off »    To remove by polishing .

pop in »    To visit in an impromptu manner.

pop off »    To leave, and return in a short time.

pop out »    To leave a room or building with the expectation of returning soon.

pop the cherry »    To break the hymen; to lose one's virginity.

pore over »    To examine something carefully and attentively.

possession is nine-tenths of the law »    One who has possession of a thing has some right to it; a popular statement of the doctrine of adverse possession.

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

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

potty mouth »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

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.

pour oil on troubled waters »    To calm something or someone who is tenacious or misbehaving.

pour out »    To serve a drink into a cup or glass.

pour out »    To leave a place quickly, and in large numbers.

pour out »    To talk volubly and deeply. Usually implies telling the truth.

power behind the throne »    Someone who appears to be without special status, but who has great covert influence on a person in authority.

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.

power up »    To turn the electrical power on to a device as a precondition to make it operational.

power up »    To become ready for operation as a result of the provision of electrical power.

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

practice makes perfect »    If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.

prawn cocktail offensive »    A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.

preach to the choir »    Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.

preprogram »    To predispose to certain thoughts or behaviours.

preprogram »    To program something in advance.

prevail upon »    To convince; to persuade.

prevention is better than cure »    it is better to prevent the creation of a bad thing, than to destroy it.

price is right »    The cost of a thing is reasonable and of good value.

price out of the market »    To charge an exorbitant price for a service or product so that no one will purchase it.

prick up one's ears »    To listen attentively.

pride comes before a fall »    A person who is extremely proud of his or her abilities will often suffer a setback or failure, because he or she tends to be overconfident and to make errors of judgment.

pride cometh before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

pride goes before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

pride goeth before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

prima donna »    diva

private branch exchange »    Telephone lines.

private eye »    A private personal detective, employed to gather information about someone.

problem child »    A child who is particularly difficult to raise or educate, especially due to a lack of self-control and disruptive and antisocial behavior.

problem child »    Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or annoyance.

prone out »    In order to be propelled shorewards by a broken wave.

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.

prove out »    To demonstrate the feasibility of.

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.

puke up »    To vomit.

pull a »    He pulled an Elvis and got really fat.

pull a »    To emulate a behaviour generally attributed to the individual named.

pull a fast one »    To deceive or trick.

pull apart »    To open something by pulling on various parts of it.

pull away »    To move ahead.

pull off »    To remove by pulling.

pull off »    To achieve; to succeed at something difficult.

pull oneself up by one's bootstraps »    To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only on one's own effort or abilities.

pull out »    To remove something from a container.

pull out »    To maneuver a vehicle from the side of a road onto the lane.

pull out all the stops »    To reserve or hold back nothing.

pull over »    To cause to pull over.

pull rank »    To assert one's authority over a subordinate who disagrees.

pull somebody's leg »    To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting. It usually implies teasing or goading by jokingly lying.

pull strings »    To manipulate, especially by asking favours of.

pull teeth »    To remove teeth, usually because they are diseased or damaged.

pull the other leg »    In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe what another has just said.

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 together »    To unite for a common objective.

pull up »    Lift upwards or vertically.

pull up »    Retrieve; get.

pull up »    Drive close to something, especially a curb.

purple prose »    Extravagant or flowery writing, especially in a literary work.

push one's luck »    To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.

push the boat out »    To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.

push the envelope »    To go beyond established limits; to pioneer.

put a damper on »    To stop people from enjoying an activity.

put all one's eggs in one basket »    Rather than diversifying.

put aside »    To save money.

put aside »    To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.

put away »    Divorce.

put back »    To postpone an arranged event or appointment.

put by »    To preserve food by canning, freezing, drying, etc.

put by »    To save money.

put by »    To run a ship aground intentionally to avoid a collision.

put down »    To replace the telephone receiver and terminate a call. To hang up.

put down »    To drop someone off, or let them out of a vehicle.

put forth »    To give or supply; to make or create.

put one foot in front of the other »    To move forward, progress steadily.

put one over »    To fool, trick or deceive.

put one past somebody »    To deceive, trick, or fool, especially by concealing something.

put one's best foot forward »    To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.

put one's foot in it »    To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.

put one's money where one's mouth is »    More generally, to take an obvious stake in the truth of a claim that one is making.

put one's shoulder to the wheel »    To work or exert oneself heavily or with full effort.

put oneself in someone's shoes »    To try to look at a situation from a different point of view; as if one were the other person. To empathise.

put out »    The statistic of the number of outs a defensive player directly caused.

put out feelers »    To explore or watch for; ask around; investigate.

put someone down as »    To assume someone has a particular character from very little information.

put something into perspective »    To compare with something similar to give a clearer, more accurate idea.

put the cat among the pigeons »    If you set the cat among the pigeons, you will cause a flutter in the dovecote.

put the cat among the pigeons »    Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way. — The Times, 19 September 1994.

put the hammer down »    To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.

put to the test »    To test something or someone; to evaluate, scrutinize or explore by testing or experimentation.

put up or shut up »    Desist from saying something unless one is able to prove it.

quake in one's boots »    To be frightened, scared, or nervous.

quantum mechanics »    Something overly complicated or detailed.

quantum mechanics »    The branch of physics which studies matter and energy at the level of atoms and other elementary particles, and substitutes probabilistic mechanisms for classical Newtonian ones.

quicumque vult »    A forward girl, ready to oblige every man that shall ask her.

quicumque vult »    The Athanasian Creed.

quiet down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

quieten down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

quote unquote »    Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.

rabble rouser »    Someone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.

rag bagger »    A sailboat, usually a cruising sailboats which tend to carry and store lots of supplies along the deck, or any sailboat that looks like a neglected vessel, or messy vessel.

rag bagger »    A sailor who tends to sail on messy cruising vessels.

rag the puck »    To proceed slowly at any activity in order to use up time; to stall for time.

rag-chewing »    A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.

rags to riches »    In a biographical context, from poverty to exceptional wealth.

rain cats and dogs »    To rain very heavily.

rain check »    In social interactions, a polite way to turn down an invitation, with the implication one is simply postponing it and that another time would be acceptable.

rain check »    To provide a service at a later date.

rain cheque »    Any voucher or note issued by a store to allow a customer to get a special or sale price later if an item is out of stock.

rain dogs and cats »    To rain very heavily.

rain pitchforks »    To rain heavily.

raise a hand »    To volunteer.

raise Cain »    To behave in a disruptive manner.

raise one's hand »    To volunteer.

rake »    A set of coupled rail vehicles, normally coaches or wagons.

rake »    The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.

ramp up »    To increase rapidly to a new value.

rank and file »    Those lacking any particular title or status; those having no station.

rat race »    An activity or situation which is congested with participants and which is hectic or tedious, especially in the context of a busy, modern urban lifestyle.

rat run »    A small road that people venture down when they want to sneak off the motorway and take a short cut.

reach an early grave »    To be sentenced to death before the age of 18.

reach an early grave »    To die young. To die before the age of 80.

reach an early grave »    To resign near the start for good.

reach for the stars »    To have high hopes, to be ambitious.

read out »    To read some data and inform the person using the device.

real job »    A job that can't be replaced advantageously by a machine or a procedure.

real job »    A job which requires the employee to, work regular hours for a consistent wage that often exceeds the provisions of applicable minimum wage legislation. A job that produces a living wage.

reality check »    A check or review to make sure something is consistent, reasonable, etc.

reap what one sows »    To receive as a reward or harvest in the same measure as one's exertions, in a good or a bad sense. To receive justice.

rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic »    To do something pointless or insignificant that will soon be overtaken by events, or that contributes nothing to the solution of a current problem.

red herring »    A clue that is misleading or that has been falsified, intended to divert attention.

red hot »    to be keen; he is the favourite to win

red letter day »    Usually very positive, sometimes very negative.

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

red tape »    A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.

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.

redolent »    Fragrant or aromatic; having a sweet scent.

redolent »    Having the smell of.

redolent »    Suggestive or reminiscent.

reflect on »    To think carefully about something, and give it due consideration.

reflect on »    To give an impression of .

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.

rest on one's laurels »    To rely on a past success instead of trying to improve oneself further.

rev up »    To increase the speed of an engine, especially that of a stationary motor car.

revenge is a dish best served cold »    An expression that emotional detachment is ideal when taking revenge, as one is righting the wrongs that have been done to the doer.

ride herd on »    To supervise a group of people, such as workers, and/or their actions, i.e. their work.

ride one's luck »    To avoid failure only by good fortune.

ride out »    To tackle a difficult problem and survive.

ride roughshod over »    To act in a bullying or inconsiderate manner; to display disregard towards someone or something.

ride shotgun »    To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

ride tall in the saddle »    To act or conduct oneself in a manner that is imposing, impressive, resolute, or manly.

ride the rails »    To travel by railway train, trolley, etc.

ride the short bus »    To have a need for a special education program, as because learning disabled.

right as rain »    Very good; healthy.

right away »    Very soon; quickly; immediately.

right back »    Used in several informal constructions to indicate return -- especially imminent return to a point of origin.

ring a bell »    To seem at least vaguely familiar.

ring hollow »    To seem to be false or implausible; to be unconvincing.

ring off »    To finish a telephone conversation and disconnect.

ring off the hook »    Of a telephone, to ring constantly or excessively.

ring out »    To sound very loudly.

ringside seat »    Any vantage point providing an excellent view.

rip to shreds »    To severely devalue, to refute.

rivet counter »    A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.

road movie »    A film in which much of the action takes place during a journey, especially one involving overland travel.

road to Damascus »    A road to Damascus moment, or change, is an important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal, of ideas or beliefs occurs.

roadwarrior »    A person who carries a mobile device such as a laptop or PDA and uses wireless internet connections to work.

roadwarrior »    Alternative spelling of road warrior.

rob Peter to pay Paul »    To solve a problem in a way that makes another problem worse.

rob the cradle »    To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.

rock bottom »    The very lowest possible level.

rock the boat »    To disturb the status quo or go against rules or conventions, as in an effort to get attention.

rock up »    To work one's way vertically up a chimney or cleft using a rocking movement.

rocket science »    Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing.

rocket scientist »    Someone qualified to understand or handle that which is overly complex, detailed or confusing; a genius.

rocking-horse shit »    Alternative form of rocking horse shit.

roll in wealth »    To be very rich.

roll out the red carpet »    To extend the utmost hospitality; to treat someone as an honored guest; to welcome or host, especially in a showy or extravagant manner.

roll up one's sleeves »    To prepare to work.

rolling stone »    A person who moves around a lot and never settles down.

Rome wasn't built in a day »    It takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive.

root around »    Alternative form of root about.

root cause »    An initiating cause of a chain of events which leads to an outcome or effect of interest.

ropable »    Alternative spelling of ropeable. Able to be roped.

rose-colored glasses »    An optimistic perception of something; a positive opinion; seeing something in a positive way, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.

rose-coloured »    Having a pink colour.

roses are red »    The start of a generic poem about love.

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 off »    To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.

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 off on »    To adapt to a way of behaving after constant exposure to it.

rubber-chicken dinner »    A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.

rum go »    An odd affair; a surprising event; a confusing experience; a queer thing.

rumor campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

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 find or discover by chance.

run afoul of »    To contravene.

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 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 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 back »    To take someone home by car. Give someone a lift to their house.

run down »    To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.

run down »    To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device.

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 one's money »    A difficult challenge for the person indicated, especially one involving a competitive situation.

run in »    Alternative spelling of run-in.

run into the ground »    To wear out, especially through excessive use.

run off »    To pour or spill off or over.

run off »    To leave someone without prior advice.

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 on fumes »    To operate a vehicle that is low on fuel.

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 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 pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a group, organisation, or system.

run to »    To reach a particular maximum amount, size, value, etc.

run up »    To make something, usually an item of clothing, very quickly.

rush hour »    busy travel period

safe and sound »    Having come to no harm, especially after being exposed to danger.

salad years »    The inexperienced, youthful prime of an individual, group, organization or entity.

save face »    To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.

save someone's bacon »    To save someone's life.

save the day »    To rescue the situation.

say goodbye »    To wish someone farewell upon their leaving.

say grace »    To recite a prayer of invocation or thanksgiving at meal time.

scare out of one's wits »    To frighten someone to such an extent that they behave irrationally.

scared shitless »    Very scared, terrified.

scissorbill »    The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.

scope out »    To examine; to scout; to investigate; to check out.

scrape off »    To remove something by a scraping action.

scrape together »    To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.

scratch that »    To disregard, omit, or ignore the previous statement.

scream »    A form of singing associated with the metal and screamo styles of music. It is a loud, rough, distorted version of the voice; rather than the normal voice of the singer.

screen out »    To use a screen, grate, sieve or similar means to separate large from small objects or particles.

screen out »    Figuratively, to exclude.

screen test »    movie audition

screw back »    To cue the cue ball in such a way as to impart backspin. On impact, the ball will follow a reverse trajectory according to the spin.

screw it »    "I don't care enough to continue"; whatever.

screw this »    "I don't care enough to continue"; "This is too stressful for me"; whatever.

scrimp and save »    To scrimp greatly; to economize; to live very frugally, particularly when saving for something.

scrounge up »    To seek or find despite a lack of apparent resources or availability.

sea legs »    Ability to travel by ship without becoming seasick.

sea legs »    Alternative name of surimi.

second banana »    A comedian who plays a secondary or supporting role, especially as straight man and traditionally in vaudeville or burlesque theatre.

second banana »    A person who serves in a supporting, secondary, or subsidiary capacity; an assistant.

second childhood »    The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.

second nature »    A mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.

second sight »    clairvoyance

second-guess »    Presumably from trying to improve with a second stab.

see a man »    To go have a drink or to meet one's bootlegger.

see a man »    To take one's leave for some urgent purpose, especially to go to the bathroom.

see a man about a horse »    A message signaling one needs to go missing for a short while, for any reason, without giving a real explanation.

see red »    To receive a red card, and be dismissed from the playing field.

see someone's point »    To comprehend the meaning that someone is trying to convey.

see the forest for the trees »    To discern an overall pattern from a mass of detail; to see the bigger picture, or the broader, more general situation. Generally used in the negative.

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 yellow »    To receive a yellow card.

seeing is believing »    You need to see something to believe it; visible facts cannot be denied.

seize the day »    To enjoy the present and not worry about the future; to live for the moment.

seize the day »    To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.

sell »    To agree to transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.

sell »    To pretend that an opponent's blows or maneuvers are causing legitimate injury; to act.

sell »    To promote a particular viewpoint; to manipulate towards a desired end.

sell a bargain »    A species of wit, much in vogue about the latter end of the reign of Queen Anne, and frequently alluded to by Dean Swift, who says the maids of honour often amused themselves with it. It consisted in the seller naming his or her hinder parts, in answer to the question, What? which the buyer was artfully led to ask. As a specimen, take the following instance: A lady would come into a room full of company, apparently frightened, crying out "It is white, and follows me!" As soon as someone responded "What?" she sold him the bargain, by saying "Mine arse".

sell down the river »    To betray, especially in a manner which causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed.

sell out »    To abandon one's supporters or principles to seek profit or other personal advantage.

sell someone a bill of goods »    To deceive or cheat someone.

seller's market »    An excess of demand over supply, leading to abnormally high prices; a market condition favoring the seller.

send to Coventry »    To ostracize, or systematically ignore someone.

senior note »    A bond that takes priority over other debt securities sold by the issuer. In the event the issuer goes bankrupt, senior debt must be repaid before other creditors receive any payment.

sent to Coventry »    Ostracised, ignored.

separate the wheat from the chaff »    To select only that which is of value.

serpentine »    Having the shape or form of a snake.

serpentine »    Of, or having attributes associated with, the mythological serpent, such as craftiness or deceitfulness.

serpentine »    Sinuous; curving in alternate directions.

serve somebody right »    To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.

serve time »    To be in prison or a similar institute.

set aside »    To declare something invalid or null and void.

set aside »    To disagree with something and reject or overturn it.

set aside »    To separate and reserve something for a specific purpose.

set back »    To remove from or allow distance.

set in one's ways »    Driven by habit; inclined or determined to continue according to one's custom or established preferences.

set of pipes »    Voice for singing.

set off »    To leave; to begin a journey or trip.

set the Thames on fire »    To achieve something amazing; to do something which brings great public acclaim.

settle someone's hash »    To physically or verbally subdue someone.

settle upon »    To decide something over other options.

sex up »    To make more palatable or acceptable to the general public; to improve the image or perception.

sex up »    To make more sexually attractive.

sexual relation »    Behaviour of a sexual nature between one or more individuals.

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.

shake a leg »    To get busy; to get going; to be productive.

shank-nag »    To travel on foot.

shanks' mare »    One's own legs used for walking; to "travel by shanks' mare" or "ride on shanks' mare" is to walk to your destination.

shape up »    To improve; to correct one's bad habits or behavior.

shape up or ship out »    To either improve one's behavior or else be required to leave; to either improve one's performance in an activity or else withdraw from that activity completely.

sharp as a tack »    Very intelligent.

sharp cookie »    One who is intelligent, bright, or sharp; especially, one who can identify attempts to deceive or mislead.

she'll be apples »    Everything will be all right.

she'll be right »    OK, no problem, everything will be all right.

shell out »    To use a program's "shell escape" function to execute an unrelated command or to invoke a subsidiary, interactive shell.

shift gears »    To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.

shirtless »    Not wearing a shirt. Having a bare torso.

shirtless »    Very poor.

shit a brick »    To react strongly or excessively, especially in anger or fear.

shit one's pants »    To involuntarily defecate into one's pants or other clothing.

shitstorm »    A violent situation.

Shittin in high cotton »    Living well, often above one's means

shoo-in »    A candidate or contestant generally agreed upon as the presumptive winner; somebody who is well-liked or widely agreed upon.

shoot 'em up »    A short story, novel, television show, film, computer game, or other narrative which depicts considerable gunplay.

shoot first and ask questions later »    To take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.

shoot the boots »    To kick swiftly and violently, especially in the groin.

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

shoot the moon »    To achieve the lowest score possible, such that the player is usually rewarded with bonus points.

shoot the moon »    To attain great heights, a high value, or a numerically high measurement.

shoot through like a Bondi tram »    To leave in haste.

short leash »    Forcing one to function within a strict set of rules, or under great scrutiny or oversight.

short on looks »    Plain, unattractive.

shot in the dark »    A guess, attempt, or choice made with little or no evidence or knowledge.

shotgun »    The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver.

show one's true colors »    To reveal how one really is, as opposed to how one has been portrayed.

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 up »    To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically.

show up »    To make visible; to expose.

showstopper »    A performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive reaction strong enough to pause the production.

showstopper »    Any impediment that prevents all further progress.

shrinking violet »    A very shy person, who avoids contact with others if avoidable.

shroud »    A covered place used as a retreat or shelter, as a cave or den; also, a vault or crypt.

shroud »    A rope or cable serving to support the mast sideways.

shroud »    That which clothes, covers, conceals, or protects; a garment.

shroud »    That which covers or shelters like a shroud.

shrouded »    Wearing, or provided with a shroud.

shuffle »    To get lost in the shuffle: to lack attention when you deserve it.

shuffle off this mortal coil »    To die; to divest oneself of one's mortal body.

shy bairns get noot »    (Geordie) Alternative spelling of shy bairns get nowt.

sigh of relief »    A reassurance or support, something that reduces stress from an arduous activity.

sight unseen »    Not having seen the object beforehand.

sign in »    In order to get into the office after hours, you'll have to sign in at the security desk.

sign off »    Term used to describe the closing of a radio or television station's studios and cessation of a broadcasting signal, usually during the overnight hours.

sign on »    The time of day when a radio or television station begins broadcasting, usually after being off the air for several hours.

silence is golden »    Peace and quiet have immense value.Often the best choice is to say nothing.

silver bullet »    A bullet made of silver, usually with reference to the folkloric belief that such bullets are the only weapons which can kill a werewolf.

silver bullet »    A cocktail somewhat like a martini.

silver bullet »    Any straightforward solution perceived to have great effectiveness or bring miraculous results.

silver screen »    By extension, the movies or that related to movies or cinema.

silver screen »    The cinema screen onto which movies are projected.

silver spoon »    Wealth passed down or inherited.

silver surfer »    An elderly person who regularly uses the Internet.

silver-tongue »    The trait of being clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.

silver-tongued »    Eloquent and articulate.

since when »    Used to indicate doubt as to the veracity of a statement.

sing along »    A gathering or event where participants are encouraged to add their voices in song.

sing soprano »    To perform vocal music in a higher pitch than alto.

sink one's teeth into »    To become involved in; particularly in an enthusiastic manner.

sit in »    To attend something for one time, as a visitor.

sit on the fence »    To remain neutral on a certain topic, to not have a stance or opinion.

sit through »    To unwillingly stay seated until the end of an event.

sitting duck »    An obvious or unconcealed target.

sitting pretty »    Having a comfortable or certain supply of money or resources.

sitting pretty »    In a favorable situation, especially a situation in which one possesses an advantage.

six feet under »    Buried six feet underground; not alive; dead.

six of one, half a dozen of the other »    The two alternatives are equivalent or indifferent; it doesn't matter which one we choose.

size up »    To evaluate; to estimate or anticipate the magnitude, difficulty, or strength of something.

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.

skimp and save »    Alternative form of scrimp and save.

skin and bones »    Said of one who is emaciated; very skinny, as from lack of nutrition.

skin diver »    underwater swimmer

skinny as a rail »    Especially of a person, very skinny.

skip out »    To shirk; to avoid attending or to leave early, especially without permission.

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 »    An impressively forceful dunk.

sleep around »    To have numerous sexual partners.

sleep on it »    To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.

sleep together »    To have sex with.

sleep with »    To have sexual intercourse with.

sleep with the fishes »    To be killed and have one's body disposed off in the sea or other body of water.

sleeping at the switch »    Variant form of asleep at the switch.

sleepy head »    A very tired person.

sleeves from one's vest »    Something non-existent; something of no value or cost.

slip into something a little more comfortable »    To wear something suitable to be stripped off by a lover.

slippery slope »    A chain of events that, once initiated, cannot be halted; especially one in which the final outcome is undesirable or precarious.

slippery slope »    A logical argument that follows a chain of events or causes and effects to some conclusion.

slob »    A lazy and slovenly person.

smack of »    To seem like; to appear or give an impression or feeling of; to arouse suspicion of.

small fry »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

small potatoes »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

smallpox blanket »    An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.

smart off »    To show disrespect verbally.

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.

smell the barn »    To experience heightened anticipation or to act with renewed speed or energy as one approaches a destination, goal, or other desired outcome, like a livestock animal at day's end returning to its barn.

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.

smoke signal »    A type of flare or combustion device sometimes used as a distress signal.

smoke signal »    An indirect message or indication, especially concerning a future event.

smoking gun »    Evidence, particularly of a crime, that is difficult or impossible to dispute.

smooth operator »    A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc.

smooth operator »    A skillful, manipulative person, con artist, or clever scoundrel.

snail's pace »    A very slow pace.

snake oil »    A fraudulent, ineffective potion or nostrum; panacea.

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.

snappy comeback »    A prompt, clever retort.

snazz up »    To improve appearance or appeal by increasing stylishness or functionality, or by adding other attractive features.

sneak off »    To leave a place, or a meeting, without being seen or heard.

sneck posset »    A cold reception, closing the door on a visitor.

snipe hunt »    A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.

snowed under »    Have too much work.

snug as a bug in a rug »    Very cosy and comfortable.

so far »    Until now; previously; yet.

so far so good »    Up to this point, all is OK.Well, you've packed your bags for the holiday, bought your tickets, reserved the hotel and put the dog in kennels. So far so good, now let's get to Minorca without any troubles.

so long as »    Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; as long as.

so much as »    Even; suggests a minimum, especially regarding what might be expected.

so much for »    An expression of disregard, or resignation; something said upon giving up, quitting, or disposing of something.

so so »    average

so-called »    Same as above, without the negative connotation.

so-called »    So named; called by such a name, with a very strong connotation that the item is not worthy of that name.

soap opera »    TV series

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.

soapbox »    Especially when only tangentially relevant to an ongoing discussion.

socialized medicine »    A politically charged term used to contrast such systems with free market alternatives and emphasize the perceived link to socialism.

socialized medicine »    An umbrella term for any system of government-run health care.

soft mick »    An extravagant person.

soft sawder »    "How the old boy swallowed my soft sawder and Brummagem notes!" —Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man.

soft sawder »    "If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!" —Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" — first usage.

soft shoe »    A kind of tap dancing performed in soft-soled shoes, popular in vaudeville.

soft shoe »    A speech, explanation, sales pitch, or other set of remarks delivered in a restrained or conciliatory manner in order to persuade, distract, or otherwise influence someone.

soft spot »    A point of vulnerability in a defence.

soft touch »    A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.

soft touch »    A person or group which is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one which loans or readily gives money to another.

softroader »    . This involves increased ground clearance with tyre, wheel, and suspension tweaks, skid plates and refers to mini SUV or wagons.

soldier on »    To continue or persist, despite adversity or difficulty.

some days you get the bear, other days the bear gets you »    One cannot always overcome a powerful adversary.

somewhere along the line »    At some unspecified time; eventually or once; at some point.

son of the morning »    A traveler.

song and dance »    An excessively complex set of instructions.

song and dance »    An excessively elaborate story or excuse used to justify something.

sort oneself out »    To organize or solve one's personal problems.

sort out »    To clarify by reviewing mentally.

soup-to-nuts »    Comprehensive; complete; covering all of something.

sour grapes »    A putting down or expression of disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.

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 the wind, reap the whirlwind »    Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to him.

space out »    To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.

spare the rod and spoil the child »    If one does not discipline a child, he or she will never learn obedience and good manners.

spare tyre »    An extra tyre carried in case one of the vehicle's tyres is damaged or deflated.

spark off »    To initiate something by providing the necessary conditions.

speak for »    To claim, reserve, or occupy.

speak for oneself »    To provide an opinion only on one's own behalf.

speak of the devil »    An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

speak of the devil and he appears »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

speak to »    To give evidence regarding something; to attest for.

speak up »    To make oneself or one's opinions known; to advocate or assert oneself.

speak with a forked tongue »    To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.

special needs »    Needs for special care, services or accommodations.

spectator sport »    A sporting activity which has a relatively high ratio of watchers to direct participants.

spectator sport »    An activity which consists of watching or observing.

spectator sport »    Something, especially a process or activity, which is a popular object of observation; an activity which a person prefers to watch rather than to participate in.

spice up »    To enhance the flavor of something by adding spice to it.

spice up »    To make more exotic, fun or extravagant.

spick and span »    Alternative form of spick-and-span.

spill one's guts »    To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.

spill over »    To enter into another zone by way of accident or overcrowding; to overflow.

spill the beans »    To reveal a secret; to disclose.

spine-tingling »    Nervy or scary.

spit it out »    To overcome reluctance to say something particular or to speak in general.

splice the mainbrace »    To have a drink.

spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar »    To have something important fail for want of a small amount of money or effort.

spring fever »    A feeling of invigoration and restlessness associated with the arrival of the warm weather and renewal of nature in the spring season.

spring fever »    A feeling of laziness or listlessness associated with the arrival of the warm, comfortable weather of the spring season.

spring in one's step »    Enthusiasm, energy or a positive outlook or cheerful attitude.

spruce up »    To refresh, revamp; to freshen or improve something, especially its appearance.

spy on »    To secretly watch; to surveil.

squaring the circle »    The historical problem of how to construct, using compass and ruler, a square having the same area as a given circle.

squeaky wheel gets the grease »    The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.

squint like a bag of nails »    To squint very much, as though one's eyes were directed as many ways as the points of a bag of nails.

squirrel away »    To stash or hide; to hoard, collect, save, or accumulate; to create a reserve, stash, or hoard of some supply, so as to recall a squirrel's burying of nuts.

staircase wit »    Thinking of an idea or course of action too late to use it effectively, or the tendency to do so.

stand a chance »    To have a chance.

stand by »    To wait in expectation of some event; to make ready.

stand by »    To do nothing. To be inactive in a situation.

stand for »    To advocate, to support.

stand from under »    To escape something falling or being thrown from above.

stand in someone's shoes »    To see from another's point of view; to feel what another feels.

stand off »    To prevent any would-be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture.

stand on one's own two feet »    To be independent. To survive without any help.

stand out »    To be obvious or conspicuous, in contrast to one's surroundings.

stand stock still »    Paul Travers' Adventures, by Sam T. Clover.

stand the test of time »    To remain useful or valued over a long period of time; to last a long time.

standard fare »    Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.

standard fare »    Something which is normal, routine, or unexceptional; something which is commonly provided or encountered.

standard fare »    The usual price for travel by air, rail, or another means of transport.

stare someone in the face »    To be extremely visible and obvious.

starry eyed »    natively optimistic

stars in one's eyes »    The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.

start over »    To begin again; to return to the beginning.

stave in »    To stave from the outside, to crush inward, to cause to collapse inward.

stave off »    To prevent something from happening; to obviate or avert.

steal away »    To leave secretively.

steer clear »    To avoid; to dodge; to sidestep.

step in front of a moving train »    To sacrifice one's own life for a noble and loyal cause.

step on a rake »    To fall victim to a hazard.

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.

step on it »    To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.

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 it to the man »    To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government.

stick one's neck out »    To take a risk, putting oneself in a vulnerable position.

stick out »    To be prominent, noticeable, or obtrusive.

stick-in-the-mud »    Alternative spelling of stick in the mud.

stickhandle »    To maintain individual possession of the puck or ball by controlling it with movements of one's stick, especially to do so in a skillful manner.

sticks and stones »    Evocative of the saying "sticks and stones may (or will) break my bones, but words (or names) will never hurt (or harm) me".1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped

sticky fingers »    A petty thief or petty thieves.

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.

stone cold »    Very cold; lacking any semblance of warmth.

stone's throw »    A short distance, roughly equivalent to how far a person can throw a stone.

stop press »    The event or news article important enough to delay or interrupt the print, or require a reprint, of a publication, particularly of a newspaper edition.

stop someone in his tracks »    To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.

stop the presses »    An imperative form used to introduce especially new, important, surprising, or recent developments.

stop up »    To fill a hole or cavity, or block an opening or passage, as with a plug.

stop up »    To increase the aperture of a photographic lens, moving from an f/stop represented by a higher number to an f/stop represented by a lower number and causing more light to pass into the camera.

straight away »    Very soon; quickly; immediately.

strap on a pair »    To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation where one has so far failed to do so.

straw poll »    A survey of opinion which is unofficial, casual, or ad hoc.

streak of good luck »    A series of lucky events.

strike up »    To start something with somebody else. Usually a conversation or relationship.

strike up »    To start something, usually playing live music.

strike while the iron is hot »    To act on an opportunity promptly; to avoid waiting.

strip away »    To remove something bit by bit.

strip down »    To remove all of one's clothing.

strip down »    To remove inessentials from.

strip off »    To remove anything by stripping, e.g. items of clothing or paint from the side of a ship.

strip off »    To be removed by stripping.

strut one's stuff »    To behave, or to perform in a showy or ostentatious manner, especially in a way to impress others; to show off.

stuck up »    Snobbish, conceited; believing oneself to be better than others; haughty.

stuffed like a turkey »    Engorged from overeating.

stuffed shirt »    One who is overly official or officious; somebody in charge but not necessarily in power or effective.

stumble across »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble on »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble upon »    To discover or find something by accident.

suck in »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck into »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck up »    To adulate or flatter somebody excessively, generally to obtain some personal benefit or favour.

sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof »    No need to worry about the future; the present provides enough to worry about.

sugarcoated »    Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.

swallow up »    To completely enclose or envelop.

swear on a stack of Bibles »    To make a promise or give one's assurance with great conviction.

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.

sweat bullets »    To sweat profusely; especially, to be very nervous or anxious.

sweet hereafter »    Heaven; paradise as enjoyed in the afterlife.

sweetheart deal »    A transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.

swing for the fences »    To act in a way that might generate a very good result, but which also has a large chance of failing.

swing state »    A state which may vote Democratic or Republican, in a given election or generally; a purple state.

swing the lead »    To pretend to be unwell so that you do not have to work.

switch off »    To turn a switch to the "off" position in order to stop or disable a device.

switch on »    To turn a switch to the "on" position in order to start or enable a device.

sword and sandal »    Of or pertaining to a genre of books or films relating fantasy-adventure tales involving heroic exploits in ancient or biblical times.

sword and sorcery »    Of or pertaining to a genre of narratives—including short stories, novels, television shows, films, and computer games—which combines wizardry and other fantastical supernatural elements with violent combat using medieval weaponry..

tail between one's legs »    A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.

take a back seat »    To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.

take a bath »    To lose a large amount of money in an investment.

take a bullet »    To purposely receive a gunshot that was intended for another.

take a dim view of »    To dislike; to regard with skepticism, disbelief, disfavor, etc.

take a dive »    To feign a knockout in order to lose intentionally.

take a dive »    To lose or fail intentionally.

take a hike »    To go away; to leave or depart.

take a look »    To examine or observe.

take a powder »    To leave in a hurry; run away; scram; depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with a connotation of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.

take a shot in the dark »    To try on something without having any knowledge about the subject.

take a spin »    To go for a ride; especially, to try riding or driving something.

take a stand »    To assert an opinion or viewpoint; to defend one's point of view or beliefs.

take a tumble »    To fall in price or value.

take against »    He took against me when I was promoted over him.

take apart »    To move someone away from others to be able to talk to, or give them something in private.

take away »    To remove something and put it in a different place.

take away »    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.

take away »    To leave a memory or impression in one's mind that you think about later.

take away »    To make someone leave a place and go somewhere else. Usually not with the person's consent.

take away »    To prevent, or limit, someone from being somewhere, or from doing something.

take back »    To cause to remember some past event or time.

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 down »    To remove something from a wall or similar vertical surface to which it is fixed.

take down »    To remove something from a hanging position.

take down »    To remove a temporary structure such as scaffolding.

take down »    To lower an item of clothing without removing it.

take down a peg »    Alternative form of pull down a peg.

take effect »    To become active; to become effective.

take five »    To break something up.

take five »    To take a five-minute break from some activity, take a short break from some activity.

take for granted »    To assume something to be true without verification or proof.

take for granted »    To give little attention to or to underestimate the value of, to fail to appreciate.

take in »    To deceive; to hoodwink.

take in »    To receive into your home for the purpose of processing for a fee.

take it from me »    Believe me, rest assured.

take it or leave it »    It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.

take its toll »    To affect, especially negatively; to damage or degrade; to cause destruction.

take leave of one's senses »    To go crazy; to stop behaving rationally.

take liberties »    To behave disrespectfully, especially to make unwanted sexual advances.

take off »    To remove.

take off »    To leave the ground and begin flight; to ascend into the air.

take on »    To begin to have or exhibit.

take one's leave »    Say goodbye.

take one's lumps »    To endure through criticism or other adversity.

take one's lumps »    To receive physical abuse and to survive.

take out »    Alternative spelling of takeout.

take out the trash »    To forcefully remove people from a place.

take out the trash »    To remove rubbish from a place.

take over »    To assume control of something, especially by force; to usurp.

take over »    To adopt a further responsibility or duty.

take over »    To relieve someone temporarily.

take over »    To buy out the ownership of a business.

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take over »    To annex a territory by conquest or invasion.

take over »    To become more successful than someone or something else.

take sides »    To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.

take somebody's word for it »    To believe what somebody tells one.

take the bull by the horns »    To confront a difficulty, rather than avoiding it.

take the lead »    To assume leadership over a group.

take the lead »    To become the leader, to advance into first place.

take the Michael »    Alternative form of take the mickey, usually considered more polite.

take the mick »    Alternative form of take the mickey.

take the offensive »    To attack instead of defending; to be bold and proactive.

take the piss »    Everyone takes the piss out of the bankers these days.

take the red pill »    To understand the world in its previously unknown reality.

take the reins »    To assume charge over.

take the shadow for the substance »    To be easily deceived, credulous, superficial.

take the wheel »    To be in control of the steering wheel of a vehicle or a vessel.

take things as they come »    To accept and deal with events as they occur, with a composed state of mind.

take to »    To enter; to go into or move towards.

take to one's heels »    To leave; especially, to flee or run away.

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 »    That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.

take up with »    To be contented to receive; to receive without opposition; to put up with.

take upon »    To take charge of an item of business, or an obligation, as a personal initiative.

taking upon oneself »    venturing

talk a mile a minute »    To speak quickly or excessively.

talk dirty »    To use profane language, especially sexual vulgarities for the purpose of arousal.

talk is cheap »    It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.

talk like an apothecary »    To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.

talk of the devil »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

talk out of turn »    To make a remark or provide information when it is inappropriate or indiscreet to do so, or when one does not have permission or the authority to do so.

talk out one's ass »    To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.

talk over »    To discuss.

talk over »    To persuade someone; to talk around.

talk somebody under the table »    With excessive talk or numerous arguments.

talk someone's ear off »    To talk excessively or far more than is wanted or appreciated.

talk through one's hat »    To assert something as true or valid; to bluff.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

talking head »    A pundit who discusses issues of the day, especially one on TV.

tall in the saddle »    Imposing, impressive; resolute; manly.

tart up »    To modify or repackage a product, service, or idea to make it more attractive or easier to sell.

task force »    A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.

taxi driver »    cabby

tea service »    crockery set

teacher's pet »    A student who is perceived to be favored by the teacher.

teacher's pet »    favourite pupil

tear a strip off somebody »    To scold vigorously.

tear away »    To remove oneself reluctantly; often expressed in the negative.

tee off »    To irritate, vex, or annoy.

tell all »    To reveal everything, particularly information that is normally withheld.

tell all »    To tell everyone.

tell it to Sweeney »    I do not believe what you said.

tell it to the marines »    I do not believe what you said.

tell off »    To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.

tell you the truth »    Used to positively assert the frank honesty of an associated statement of set of statements; equivalent to "to you tell the truth".

tempest in a teapot »    A major fuss over a trivial matter.

tempus fugit »    time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.

test bed »    Any venue, setup, etc. used for experimentation, testing, proving a concept, etc.

than a bygod »    Used with a comparative to express extreme heat or cold.

thanks for nothing »    Expression of displeasure towards a person who has not provided what was wanted.

that'll be the day »    Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.

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.

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree »    A child grows up to be very similar to its parents in the way they act and in their physical abilities.

the company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

the course of true love never did run smooth »    There will always be problems in a relationship.

the Devil »    Used to add emphasis to a question or statement.

the die is cast »    The future is determined; there are no more options; events will proceed in an irreversible manner.

the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on »    Life goes on, even if some will try to stop or talk against progress.

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 end all-be all »    Something ultimate; the best part of something; the thing which solves all problems associated with something.

the end justifies the means »    Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.

the ends justify the means »    Alternative form of the end justifies the means.

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 fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you take »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you're going to get »    Alternative form of 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 man »    The oppressive powers that be, including the government and corporations; the system, as coordinated outside of one’s control..

the man in the street »    average person

the more things change, the more they stay the same »    A proverb making the observation that turbulent changes do not affect reality on a deeper level other than to cement the status quo.

the name of the game »    The overall purpose; the principal goal, or objective.

the proof is in the pudding »    Alternative form of the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

the road to hell is paved with good intentions »    well-intended acts can lead to disaster

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you take »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you're going to get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the shoe is on the other foot »    The roles of people in a situation have been reversed, such the advantage has shifted to a party which was previously disadvantaged.

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »    (proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.

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 upper hand »    An advantage or lead.

the whistle does not pull the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

the whistle doesn't pull the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

the whole nine yards »    All the way; with everything done completely or thoroughly.

the whole nine yards »    And everything. Often used, like etc., to finish out a list.

the whole shooting match »    Everything; the entire collection, endeavor, or activity.

the whole world and his dog »    Everybody; too many people; a huge crowd.

the world is one's lobster »    (UK, humorous) intentional misrendering of the proverb "the world is one's oyster"

the world is one's oyster »    In order to achieve something in this world, one has to grab the opportunity.

the world over »    All over the world; globally; throughout the world.

then again »    From another point of view; on the other hand; on second thought.

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 may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnace »    Even if a person is in his or her senior years, with gray hair, he or she can still have ambition and energy, especially sexual energy.

there ya go »    You have done it precisely correctly.

there you go »    You have done it, or are doing it, correctly.

there you have it »    That is it; that is the situation or state of things.

there you have it »    Used to introduce a speaker's interpretation of what has just transpired or been described.

there's a sucker born every minute »    There are a great number of fools in the world, and there always be.

there's many a slip twixt cup and lip »    In any situation, however well planned, something can always go wrong.

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 I in team »    A team game is focused on the team, not on the individual.

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.

there, there »    Conveys comfort; used to calm somebody urge somebody to relax, especially when the person is crying.

thick as thieves »    Intimate, close-knit.

thieve out »    To walk out of a place stealthily.

thin-skinned »    Having a thin skin.

thin-skinned »    Overly sensitive to criticism; quick to take offence; touchy.

think over »    To ponder or reflect on a subject.

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 the world of »    To have a good opinion; to esteem; to admire.

think up »    To create in one’s mind; to invent..

third degree »    Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession.

third hand »    Not new, having more than one previous owner.

third string »    A unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.

third time's a charm »    One is sure to succeed at a task or event on the third try.

third wheel »    A person or thing that serves no useful purpose.

thorn in the flesh »    Ivar Specto. The Soviet Union and the Muslim World, 1917-1958.

thorn in the flesh »    A persistent difficulty or something very annoying that will not go away.

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.

thrash out »    To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.

three Rs »    The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.

three Rs »    The basic education received in primary schools. Literally; reading, writing and arithmetic.

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.

throw a wobbly »    To burst out into a verbal uproar.

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 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 in the towel »    To quit; to give up.

throw one's cap over the windmill »    To act in a crazed manner.

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 pitch a curve ball.

throw somebody a curve »    To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

throw the baby out with the bathwater »    To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.

throw to the dogs »    To give up on something valuable.

throw to the dogs »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as into the streets.

throw to the wolves »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as onto the streets, especially towards predators.

throw to the wolves »    To sacrifice someone, especially in an attempt to save oneself.

throw up »    To vomit.

thumb a ride »    To flag or signal a passing vehicle in hopes of securing passage.

thumb a ride »    To secure a ride by flagging down a vehicle.

thumbs up »    A gesture signifying approval or okay; a thumb pointing up out of a fist.

thumbs up »    An approval or okay.

tick off »    To annoy, aggravate.

tick over »    To run smoothly and without problems.

tickle someone's fancy »    To amuse, entertain, or appeal to someone; to stimulate someone's imagination in a favorable manner.

tickle the ivories »    I don't have as much time as I'd like, but I still enjoy tickling the ivories from time to time.

tickle the ivories »    To play the piano.

tide over »    To support or sustain someone, especially financially, for a limited period.

tie up »    To complete, finish, or resolve.

tie up loose ends »    To deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.

tiger team »    A specialized group tasked with testing the effectiveness of an organization's ability to protect assets by attempting to circumvent, defeat or otherwise thwart that organization's internal and external security.

tight-lipped »    Having the lips pressed together.

tight-lipped »    Unwilling to divulge information.

tilt at windmills »    To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

time after time »    Again and again; repeatedly; every time; always.

time and material »    A form of contractual compensation involving payment for materials used and at agreed rates for the those involved in performing the services.

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

time is money »    When a person's time is not used productively; time is valuable and should not be wasted.

time out »    To call for a suspension of activity or conversation.

timeserver »    A device, node or program that distributes the correct time to clients in a network.

timeserver »    A person who conforms to current opinions, especially for reasons of personal advantage; an opportunist.

timing is everything »    Consideration of other events can greatly influence some desired outcome (such as an audience laughing to a comedian's joke).Telling the old joke about a butt-crack was not a good idea, just as the plumber arrived, Bob.You know what they say: "timing is everything." I'm sure we can find another plumber before the house floods.

tin ear »    Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.

tin god »    An individual that abuses or exceeds his authority over others, frequently in petty ways; for example a low-level manager in situational comedies and other entertainment.

tip one's hand »    In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand.

tip one's hand »    To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage.

tip one's hat »    To briefly remove or tap one's hat as a gesture of greeting, deference, or respect.

tip-off »    An obvious clue or indication.

tipping it down »    Raining heavily.

tipsy turvy »    upside down

tit for tat »    Equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.

to a fault »    To an excessive degree; extremely.

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

to beat the band »    Very vigorously; at a frantic pace; to a high degree; in large quantities.

to boot »    Moreover, on top of that, besides, also.

to die for »    Very good; exquisite; excellent; particularly desirable.

to each his own »    Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.

to err is human »    Everyone makes mistakes.

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 go »    Belonging to the subgroup that have not passed or have not been finished or have not been addressed yet.

to go »    Served in a package or takeout container so as to be taken away from a restaurant rather than eaten on the premises.

to say the least »    Used to suggest that what was previously stated was an understatement.

to spare »    left over

to the max »    To a great degree or extent; very.

to the moon »    To a very distant or unreachable place.

to the point »    Relevant or pertinent; succinct; specific.

to the victor go the spoils »    The winner of a conflict wins additional benefits, beyond just the subject of the conflict.

to thine own self be true »    The easiest person to deceive is oneself."This above all:to thine own self be true,and it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man." -William Shakespeare

toe the line »    To abide by the rules or conventions.

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

tone down »    To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.

tone down »    To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.

too hot to hold »    A place that has too much police activity to harbor a fugitive unnoticed.

tooth and nail »    Viciously; with all one’s strength or power; without holding back..

top banana »    The principal comedian in a vaudeville or burlesque show.

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.

top notch »    Very good; of the highest quality.

top oneself »    To outdo oneself or do more than one's previous best.

top shelf »    Books, magazines, or movies that have adult content, or soft-core porn.

topsy turvy »    upside down

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 a nerve »    To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.

touch base »    To consult, visit, or communicate with.

touch with a barge pole »    Get romantically involved with.

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.

touchy-feely »    Driven by intuition or emotion, with a connotation of de-emphasis of rational thought or logic.

touchy-feely »    Having a fondness for physical contact with other people, especially to an excessive degree.

tough call »    A choice or judgment which is difficult to make, especially one involving only two alternatives.

tough love »    The compassionate use of stringent disciplinary measures, to attempt to improve someone's behavior.

toy with »    Handling something in a careless or frivolous manner.

track record »    An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

trailer park trash »    Lower-class people who live in trailer parks.

trailer trash »    Deleted from the movie trailer. Not included in theatrical run.

train wreck »    An inevitable disaster.

travel iron »    holiday accessory

travel junkie »    Who are using their time and money to seek out adventure holidays and travel.

tread lightly »    To proceed carefully; especially, to seek to avoid causing offense.

trench mouth »    Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.

trick of the trade »    A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.

tried and true »    Well-established and tested; known to work or succeed based on extensive experience.

trigger-happy »    Having a tendency or desire to shoot a firearm irresponsibly before adequately identifying the target.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to react excessively or violently at the slightest provocation.

trip balls »    Experiencing severe drug-induced hallucinatory trip.

trip out »    To have a fit, to become enraged.

trip out »    To have as an image in one's mind.

true believer »    A strict follower of a religious doctrine.

trump up »    Heavily publicise, promote or market a product.

truth will out »    A mystery will always be solved, or a truth will always be discoveredTruth will eventually and inevitably be discovered.

try out one's own chops »    To produce one's own records with one's own vocals.

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 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 up »    To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.

tune up »    To make preparations for vigorous exercise; to warm up.

turf war »    A dispute over territory between rival gangs.

turf war »    A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn a hair »    To become afraid or visibly upset.

turn a trick »    To perform a sexual service for a customer.

turn away »    To avert or deflect something.

turn back »    To reverse one's direction and retrace one's steps.

turn down »    To reduce the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn in »    To submit something; to give.

turn in one's grave »    To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.

turn off »    To power down; to stop a device by switching it off.

turn off »    To leave a road; exit.

turn on »    To power up; to start a device by switching it on.

turn on »    To attract, give pleasure, or encourage.

turn out »    To extinguish a light or other device.

turn out »    To leave a road.

turn out »    To refuse service or shelter; to eject or evict.

turn over »    To flip over; to rotate top to bottom.

turn over »    To produce, complete, or cycle through.

turn over »    To relinquish; give back.

turn over a new leaf »    To engage in self-improvement; to begin a good habit or shed a bad habit.

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 the page »    To move on to new involvements or activities; to make a fresh start.

turn the tables »    To reverse a situation, such that the advantage has shifted to the party which was previously disadvantaged.

turn to stone »    To become completely still, not moving.

turn tricks »    To work as a prostitute, providing sexual services for money.

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.

turn upside down »    To flip over; to rotate top to bottom.

turn-on »    Something that attracts, gives pleasure, or encourages, especially sexually.

twelfth man »    reserve in cricket

twelve-ounce curls »    Drinking beer.

twenty-twenty hindsight »    Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.

twist of fate »    An unfortunate turn of events.

two a penny »    Very common; cheap.

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.

two heads are better than one »    Some problems may be solved more easily by two (or more) people working together than by one working alone.

two thumbs up »    A hand gesture indicating strong approval.

two thumbs up »    The strong approval itself.

two wrongs don't make a right »    (ethics) A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.1915, William MacLeod Raine, The Highgrader, ch. 15:"But when it comes to taking what belongs to another

two-second rule »    A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.

uncle sam »    the us government

under erasure »    Of a bit of text, written and strickenthrough; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.

under one's nose »    Directly in front of one; clearly visible.

under one's nose »    Obvious or apparent.

under the radar »    Without attracting notice; in an undetected or secretive manner.

under the weather »    Experiencing adversity.

under the weather »    Somewhat intoxicated or suffering from a hangover.

under way »    A vessel is said to be underway when she is not anchored, moored, aground, or beached[1]. Compare with make way.

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 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.

up a creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation, without any help. Superlative form of up a creek: most up a creek.

up for grabs »    Available for anyone to obtain, claim or win.

up hill and down dale »    Here and there; everywhere.

up one's sleeve »    Hidden, in reserve.

up shit creek »    Alternative form of up the creek.

up shit creek without a paddle »    Alternative form of up the creek without a paddle.

up the river »    To prison.

up the walls »    Very busy, swamped.

up the wazoo »    Up the ass; excessive or excessively; too much.

up to »    Considering all members of an equivalence class the same.

up to »    Doing; involved in.

up to eleven »    Beyond the maximum possible threshold.

up to here »    Overwhelmed, busy, buried or swamped.

up to no good »    Misbehaving, being mischievous.

up to snuff »    Mentally alert, shrewd, savvy.

up to something »    Doing something mischievous or scheming.

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.

up-and-coming »    Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.

up-to-date »    Informed about the latest news or developments.

ups and downs »    Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.

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.

valley of death »    Death; or a place or period where death is impending.

valley of death »    Lord Alfred Tennyson, The Charge of the Light Brigade.

valley of death »    The phase of a startup business beginning with the entrepreneur's fulltime commitment to it and ending when the business has achieved sustainable cash flow.

valley of the shadow of death »    Valleys on earth one must walk through, that is, part of the human experience.

variable tandem repeat locus »    Any DNA sequence that exists in multiple copies strung together in various tandem lengths.

variety is the spice of life »    Variety is what makes life interesting

venus flytrap »    insect-eating plant

verge on »    To approach or come close to something; to border or be on the edge of something.

vertically challenged »    Of a person, short.

vice squad »    police department

victory at sea »    Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.

virgin territory »    By extension, ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.

virgin territory »    Land that has never been explored or developed.

vote down »    By a majority vote.

vote in »    To collectively approve a nominee into an office or position as a result of voting.

vote out »    To expel the holder of an office or other position through an act of voting.

vote with one's feet »    To show a lack of support for something by departing or otherwise absenting oneself.

vote with one's feet »    To show support for something by going to or otherwise being present somewhere.

vouch for »    To affirm the truth or reliability of.

wade through »    To do a boring, repetitive research task.

wage war »    A figurative allusion to pay discrepancies.

wail on »    To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

wail on »    To beat heavily on anything.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To defer action or decision until another matter is finished or resolved.

walk and chew gum at the same time »    To do something very easy.

walk away from »    To abandon or leave; to shun.

walk it off »    To deal with an negative emotional event without complaint; to take it like a man.

walk it off »    To walk or pace in order to relieve a pain or cramp.

walk on eggshells »    To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.

walk on eggshells »    To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.

walk out »    To leave suddenly, especially as a form of protest.

walk the line »    To behave in an authorized or socially accepted manner, especially as prescribed by law or morality; to exercise self-control.

walking on air »    very happy

wall to wall carpets »    floor coverings

walls have ears »    There is a risk of being heard, so pay attention to what you say.

waltz Matilda »    To travel with a swag; that is, with one's belongings wrapped in a cloth.

war bride »    A company or individual whose business is increased by warfare.

war bride »    A woman who marries a man who is on active duty military in wartime.

ward off »    To avert or prevent.

warm the cockles of someone's heart »    To provide happiness, to bring a deeply-felt contentment.

warm up »    To prepare for executing an already-learned activity by a limited amount of additional practice.

warts and all »    Of or pertaining to a description or other depiction which reveals the full range of characteristics of a person or thing, including the shortcomings and imperfections.

wash away »    To eliminate, or destroy by fast moving water, such as in a flood, or a high sea.

wash away »    To eliminate, in a figurative sense.

wash one's hands of »    To absolve oneself of responsibility or future blame for.

wash out »    To remove something by washing.

wash over »    To pass unnoticed so that one is unaffected by it.

wash over »    Said of the way an emotion affects one suddenly.

wash over »    Of open water. To surge over the banks, or other retaining structure.

washed out »    To be very tired and lacking energy.

washed up »    Finished; having no future in a particular role.

watch one's mouth »    In the imperative form, used as a warning to avoid or stop using inappropriate language, especially profanity, or disrespectful utterances.

watch one's step »    To move cautiously.

watch out »    To be aware or conscious; to look closely or carefully; to use caution. Often used in the imperative.

watch over »    To guard and protect.

watch this space »    An indication that a development will follow.

water down »    To simplify or oversimplify; to make easier; to make less difficult.

water over the dam »    An event or set of events which has already happened and cannot be changed.

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.

way to go »    An expression of congratulations, encouragement, or approval.

weak sister »    A person who is cowardly or indecisive.

weaker vessel »    A woman; women collectively.

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 off »    To disappear because of being abraded, over-polished, or abused.

wear one's heart on one's sleeve »    To be extremely transparent, open, or forthright about one's emotions.

wear out »    To cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use, especially hard, heavy, or careless use.

wear out »    To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.

wear rose-colored glasses »    To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.

weather the storm »    To reach the end of a very difficult situation without too much harm or damage.

wee small hours »    He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.

wee small hours »    The very early morning, just after midnight, when most people are asleep.

weed out »    To remove unwanted elements from a group.

weekend warrior »    A part-time soldier, or reservist.

well begun is half done »    Much depends on the beginning of an endeavor.

well, I never »    An exclamation of great surprise.

wet blanket »    A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

wet one's whistle »    To have a drink; to quench one's thirst.

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.

whale on »    To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

whale on »    To beat heavily on anything.

what do I know »    Implies that a statement is based on a guess or assumption rather than on knowledge or evidence.

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.

what is more »    Furthermore, or in addition, moreover.

what the Devil »    Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.

what the dickens »    Euphemism for what the Devil, used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning a question.

what's the good of »    What is the purpose or advantage of.

whatever creams your twinkie »    Do what you will, whatever makes you happy.

whatever floats your boat »    What makes you happy; what stimulates you.

whatever it takes »    Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.

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 Hell freezes over »    Never; not in this lifetime; not a chance.

when in Rome, do as the Romans »    Alternative form of when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

when in Rome, do as the Romans do »    behave as those around do

when it's at home »    Plainly; in plain English; when it comes down to it; at it's most basic level.

when pigs fly »    Never.

when push comes to shove »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is critical or urgent; when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult.

when the cat's away »    People are likely to take advantage of the absence of authority or enforcement of compliance.

when the cat's away the mice will play »    In the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.

when the shit hits the fan »    A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.

when you're up to your neck in alligators, it's easy to forget that the initial objective was to drain the swamp »    Only because it seems so urgent.

where there's smoke, there's fire »    If there is telltale evidence of some event, the event is probably occurring.

wherever you go, there you are »    (colloquial, clich

whisper campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

whistle Dixie »    To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.

whistle in the dark »    To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.

whistle past the graveyard »    To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.

whistle past the graveyard »    To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.

whistle walk »    The path slaves took to deliver food from the kitchen building of a plantation to the main dining room. Slaves were expected to whistle during this walk in order to assure their masters that they were not eating the food.

whistle-blower »    One who reports a problem or violation to the authorities; especially, an employee or former employee who reports a violation by an employer.

whistle-stop train tour »    Any travel that's quick and with only brief pauses.

white coat hypertension »    Elevated blood pressure measured by a medical practitioner and deemed to result from the patient's emotional response to the medical environment.

white elephant »    An ornament etc that is unwanted or is a financial burden; an unprofitable investment.

white lie »    A deliberate, untrue statement which does no harm or is intended to produce a favorable result.

white on rice »    A descriptive analogy of closeness. See like white on rice.

white wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is still a virgin.

white-knuckle »    Causing fear, excitement, apprehension, suspense, or nervousness.

whitewash »    A victory without reply.

who shot John »    A long and involved explanation; a thing of which an explanation would be long and involved.

who's 'she', the cat's mother%3F »    A rebuke especially directed towards children for having referred to their mother, or any other woman in the third person, instead of using a properly respectful title or their name when appropriate.

whole shebang »    A building or house and everything in it.

whole shebang »    Everything; the entire thing.

whomp on »    To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.

whoop it up »    To have a great time; to party or revel excessively or noisily.

why the dickens »    Euphemism for why the Devil, used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.

wide awake »    Awake and very alert.

wild-goose chase »    A task whose execution is inordinately complex relative to the value of the outcome.

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.

wimp out »    To behave like a wimp.

win over »    To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.

wind back the clock »    Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.

window dressing »    A means of creating a deceptively favourable impression of something or someone; something for appearance only.

window dressing »    The decorative display of retail merchandise in store windows.

wine merchant »    vintner

wine tosser »    A person who talks a great deal about wine but actually knows very little.

wing it »    To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.

winkle out »    Tom managed to winkle the truth out of John eventually.

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.

wipe away »    To remove or erase with a wiping motion.

wipe out »    To crash, fall over.

wipe the slate clean »    To forget about previous differences and disagreements, and make a fresh start.

with a vengeance »    Intensely motivated; resolute; forceful.

within an ace of »    Very near; on the point of.

word of mouth »    Verbal means of passing of information.

word to the wise »    A piece of advice.

work against the clock »    To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work one's arse off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

work one's butt off »    To work very hard or to excess.

work one's tail off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

work over »    To improve a prototype, or first draft.

work over »    To physically attack someone to cause them injury.

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.

work the room »    To interact enthusiastically with the attendees at an event, by moving among them, greeting them, and engaging them in conversation.

worked up »    Excessively emotional, excited or aroused.

world »    An individual or group perspective or social setting.

world »    Human collective existence; existence in general.

world »    The Universe.

worlds apart »    Vastly different.

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 »    In poor physical condition due to long or heavy use.

worth every penny »    Completely worthwhile.

worth its weight in gold »    Highly valuable.

worth the risk »    The benefit of the success is more valuable than the problems caused by the potential loss.

wrap around one's fingers »    To make one susceptible to desire, in that their behavior or actions are influenced.

wrap in the flag »    To claim one's cause deserves support for patriotic reasons or that one's own motives are patriotic.

wrap up »    To fold and secure something to be the cover or protection for something.

wreak havoc »    To cause damage, disruption, or destruction.

wreck havoc »    cause destruction

wrestling with a pig »    To engage in a pointless task that leaves one worse off for having made an honest attempt.

wring out »    To squeeze a wet material, either by twisting with one's hands, or by passing it through a wringer, to remove the water.

wring out »    To force someone to give something, usually truth, or money.

write down »    To make a downward adjustment in the value of an asset.

write off »    To reduce an asset's book value to zero.

write off »    Figuratively, to assign a low value to something.

write one's own ticket »    To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.

write up »    To write about positively.

write up »    review

written all over someone's face »    Very obvious, from someone's facial expression.

wrong side of the tracks »    . May refer to area where the working class, poor or extremely poor live.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

yank off »    To remove something, like a piece of cloth or bread, by tearing it with one quick strong pull.

yank out »    To remove something like a nail, or a tooth with one quick strong pull.

year dot »    A very long time ago, from the beginning or as far back as one can remember.

year in, year out »    During every year; always.

yell silently »    To think very strong thoughts, that one wishes to yell out loud but does not.

yield up »    To give something against one's will.

you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar »    It's easier to persuade others with polite requests and a positive attitude than with rude demands and negativity.

you can hang your hat on that »    It's something to put faith in, to rely upon or trust (when used in a positive connotation).

you can say that again »    That is very true.

you can't fight city hall »    (chiefly US) Nothing can be done to change the situation, because it is a governmental decision.I see they're going to build the airport after all. I suppose you can't fight city hall.

you can't get a quart into a pint pot »    What is being discussed is not possible.They've asked me to get to New York by five o'clock, but you can't get a quart into a pint pot!

you can't judge a book by its cover »    It is not possible to make reliable judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.

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 make an omelette without breaking eggs »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

you can't polish a turd »    (vulgar) Something inherently bad cannot be improved.

you can't run with the hare and hunt with the hounds »    You can't have it both ways.

you can't take it with you »    It is not possible to take one's material wealth to whatever world may await one after death.1900, E. Phillips Oppenheim, A Millionaire of Yesterday, ch. 6:"The clause which

you can't tell a book by its cover »    Alternative form of you can't judge a book by its cover.

you don't dip your pen in company ink »    One should avoid romantic relationships in the workplace.

you don't dip your pen in the company's ink »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

you don't dip your pen in the inkwell »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

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 it »    Indicates agreement, approval, encouragement.

you knows it »    Indicates agreement, approval, encouragement.

you made your bed, now sleep in it »    A moralizing rejection said to someone looking for an easy out, especially of a situation they put themselves into.

you never know what you've got till it's gone »    Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.

you only get what you give »    There is a positive correlation between the effort one puts in and the benefits one receives.

you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours »    If you do me a favor then I will do you a favor; quid pro quo.

you shouldn't have »    Used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity, especially when receiving a gift.

you snooze you lose »    If you are not alert and attentive, you will not be successful.

you what%3F »    An intensified version of what or huh.

you're never too old to learn »    It is possible to learn new things, at any age; (implying) follow your desires and dreams

you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

your mileage may vary »    It may work differently in your situation, or be different in your experience.

your mileage may vary »    To express a possible difference in taste, "this is just my opinion, your opinion may be different".

zero in on »    To converge on something.

zip up »    To convert a computer file into a smaller package.

zonk out »    To fall suddenly into a very deep sleep.

zoom down »    To move quickly along a particular route, list, etc.

zoom in »    To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a larger image, or a closer view.

zoom out »    To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a smaller image, or a more distant view.

zoom past »    To pass very quickly.

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