a nod is as good as a wink »
The hint, suggestion etc can be understood without further explaining.
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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.
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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.
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all over the board »
Showing a wide range of values with no particular pattern.
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angle for farthings »
To beg out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.
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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.
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back to the drawing board »
Back to the beginning following an unsuccessful attempt.
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bag of wind »
A windbag.
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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.
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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.
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battle cry »
By extension, a strong motto or purpose statement, especially in regards to winning a goal in sports, games or work.
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bear down »
To approach another vessel from windward.
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bear up »
To sail close to the wind.
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beat out »
To win by a narrow margin.
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beat up »
To sail to windward using a series of alternate tacks across the wind.
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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.
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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.
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blood is thicker than water »
Family relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.1866, Anthony Trollope, The Belton Estate, ch. 30,Blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?circa 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, The Scotch Twins, ch. 5,The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!
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blow away »
To cause to go away by blowing.
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blow off »
To pass gas; to break wind.
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board up »
To block doors or windows with boards, either to prevent access or as protection from storms, etc.
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born in a barn »
Engaging in the annoying behavior of inappropriately, and usually neglectfully, leaving open a door or window.
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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.
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brace of shakes »
The time taken for a sail to shake or shiver twice as a ship comes into the wind.
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breadwinner »
The member of a household who earns all or most of the income
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break the bank »
To win more money than is available to be paid.
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break wind »
To flatulate; fart; to expel gases generated during digestion through the anus.
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brown thumb »
Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.
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buy straw hats in winter »
Of stocks, to buy when both demand and price is low, sell when demand and price is high.
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by heart »
Knowing completely; as having committed completely to memory.
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cap over the windmill »
In a crazed manner.
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carry away »
To break under sudden pressure of violent wind.
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cast pearls before swine »
To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.
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chip on one's shoulder »
A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.
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clean up »
To make a large profit; to win by a large margin, or to win a large amount, especially in gambling. Also clean house.
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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.
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come to »
To stop a sailing vessel, especially by turning into the wind. See also come about.
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come to »
To regard or specify, as narrowing a field of choices by category.
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con man »
swindler
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cruising for a bruising »
Following a course of action likely to result in injury or other trouble for oneself.
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dead heat »
A close race or contest in which no winner is apparent.
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dead last »
The standings, often by a considerable margin to the next-to-last-place finisher or after an exceptionally poor showing or season.
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down to a fine art »
Having or showing exceptional proficiency.
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draw out »
To improve a losing hand to a winning hand by receiving additional cards.
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draw the short straw »
To select the shortest straw or other object while drawing straws.
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drawing near »
approaching
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eat the wind »
To take a walk.
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edge out »
To win in a contest or a game by a narrow margin of victory.
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evil twin »
A duplicate or counterpart of something or someone that acts in a contrary, nefarious, or insidious manner.
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evil twin »
A rogue wireless access point installed near a legitimate one for purposes of eavesdropping or phishing.
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fall on one's sword »
To commit suicide by allowing one’s body to drop onto the point of one’s sword..
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fashion plate »
A picture, usually an advertisement, showing the latest fashion in clothing.
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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.
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fight a losing battle »
To continue to wage war when it is clear that one is not going to win.
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for keeps »
To compete seriously, with a strong resolve to win or succeed, as in sports or business.
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forty winks »
Sleep, extra sleep, or a nap.
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front runner »
The most likely winners in a contest, election, etc.
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gapers' block »
A traffic jam resulting from motorists slowing to look at a motor vehicle collision or other roadside distraction.
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go back to the drawing board »
To start again; to scrap a previous idea or plan and try again from the beginning.
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go large »
To have the wind at such an angle to the sail that the vessel gains its highest speed.
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go out the window »
To vanish or cease, especially due to lack of care, attention, etc.; to be discarded, disregarded, or ignored.
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go through hell »
Winston Churchill.
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granary »
A fertile, grain-growing region.
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gulp down »
To eat very quickly without chewing the food properly.
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halcyon days »
Period of calm during the winter, when storms do not occur.
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have the wind up »
To be frightened or disturbed.
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hospital pass »
An unwinnable case, often passed to a newly-qualified member of the firm.
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hot on somebody's heels »
Close behind; pursuing or following closely.
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if pigs had wings »
Never.
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if pigs had wings »
Shortened form of if pigs had wings they would fly.
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if pigs had wings they would fly »
(colloquial) Expresses speakers skepticism toward a hypothetical argument by another.
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in full swing »
Proceeding fully, quickly, or completely; thoroughly begun and in progress.
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in the twinkling of an eye »
Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".
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in the twinkling of an eye »
Immediately; instantaneously.
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in the wake of »
Following.
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in the wind »
Impending or in the offing; imminent.
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it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good »
There is usually something of benefit to someone, no matter how bad the situation.
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kind »
Affectionate, showing benevolence.
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ladies first »
A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.
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laughing stock »
C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.
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lead someone down the garden path »
To deceive, hoodwink.
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let go an anchor to the windward of the law »
To keep within the letter of the law.
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lock up »
To close all doors and windows of a place securely.
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make a killing »
To win or earn a large amount of money.
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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.
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nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat »
The idea/proposed action is inconsequential to the current situation.
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not win for losing »
To repeatedly fail in one's gambles or efforts.
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nudge nudge wink wink »
A phrase added at the end of the sentence to hint that the speaker is referring to something else, euphemistically.
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on the ropes »
Showing signs of imminent failure or collapse.
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out the window »
A missed opportunity.
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out the window »
Made obsolete; altered drastically as a result of situational change.
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outsider »
A competitor or contestant who has little chance of winning; a long shot; a dark horse.
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owing to »
because of
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parade of horribles »
A rhetorical device employing a series of progressively more terrible results following from an act.
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pencil whip »
To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.
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peter out »
To dwindle; to trail off; to diminish to nothing.
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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.
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prawn cocktail offensive »
A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.
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put the wind up »
To frighten or disturb.
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quote unquote »
Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.
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rag-chewing »
A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.
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red hot »
to be keen; he is the favourite to win
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rip off »
To steal, cheat or swindle.
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roll down the windows »
To flail one's arms in a circular motion when off-balance, as to mimic the act of rolling down a car window.
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rule out »
To cross an item out by drawing a straight line through it, as with a ruler.
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run after »
To make a determined effort to win someone's affections.
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run back »
To rewind a film or cassette.
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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".
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set of pipes »
A wind instrument incorporating multiple pipes, such as a panpipe or bagpipe.
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shoo-in »
A candidate or contestant generally agreed upon as the presumptive winner; somebody who is well-liked or widely agreed upon.
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shotgun »
A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.
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shroud »
Especially, the dress for the dead; a winding sheet.
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sit out »
To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.
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sit out »
To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.
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slam dunk »
Tacking on top of the wind of the following yacht in close quarters.
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sleep on it »
To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.
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sort out »
To clarify by reviewing mentally.
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sow the wind, reap the whirlwind »
Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to him.
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spanner »
A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.
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stiff upper lip »
The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, associated with stereotypical British people.
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stitch up »
To close by sewing.
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strike through »
Partly obliterate text by drawing a continuous line through the centre thereof, usually to indicate the deletion of an error or obsolete information.
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summer and winter »
Endured.
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summer and winter »
To spend extended periods of time with; to test.
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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.
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swing for the fences »
To swing at the ball as hard as possible, with the aim of getting a home run, increasing the chance of missing the ball.
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swing state »
A state which may vote Democratic or Republican, in a given election or generally; a purple state.
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swing the lead »
To pretend to be unwell so that you do not have to work.
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swings and roundabouts »
Offsetting gains and losses.
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take a bow »
To accept applause at the end of a performance in a theatre. Often this includes actually bowing to the audience.
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take in »
To deceive; to hoodwink.
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take the wind out of someone's sails »
To discourage someone greatly; to cause someone to lose hope or the will to continue.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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the way to a man's heart is through his stomach »
Cooking for a man is a good way to win his affections.
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three sheets to the wind »
Drunk.
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throw caution to the wind »
Do something despite the risks.
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throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn
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throw one's cap over the windmill »
To act in a crazed manner.
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throw shapes »
To act tough or put up a front. For example, to threaten a person by making "karate chops" at them, without actually doing harm or knowing karate.
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throwing money away »
The act of spending money foolishly; wasting money without regard of the consequences.
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tilt at windmills »
To attack imaginary enemies.
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tilt at windmills »
To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.
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to the victor go the spoils »
The winner of a conflict wins additional benefits, beyond just the subject of the conflict.
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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
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top dog »
In a competition, the one expected to win.
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twist in the wind »
To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.
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twist in the wind »
To wait for an uncomfortably long period of time.
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under one's wing »
Under one's protection, sponsorship, or tutelage.
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under sail »
With sails unfurled; powered by the wind.
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up for grabs »
Available for anyone to obtain, claim or win.
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victory at sea »
Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.
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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.
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what with »
Owing to; because of; as a result of.
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whatever creams your twinkie »
Do what you will, whatever makes you happy.
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win over »
To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.
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wind back »
To wind a tape, cassette, or film, etc towards the beginning; to rewind.
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wind back the clock »
Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.
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wind down »
Lower by winding something.
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wind down »
To slow; to become calmer or less busy.
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wind down »
Relax; get rid of stress.
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wind up one's bottoms »
To finish a job.
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window dressing »
A means of creating a deceptively favourable impression of something or someone; something for appearance only.
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window dressing »
The decorative display of retail merchandise in store windows.
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window dressing »
The goods and trimmings used in such display.
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window dressing »
These latest modifications are mere window dressing, the same problems remain.
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window-shopping »
The browsing of shop windows without any intention of buying.
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wine merchant »
vintner
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wine tosser »
A person who buys wine, but does not drink it.
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wine tosser »
A person who talks a great deal about wine but actually knows very little.
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wing it »
To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.
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winkle out »
To acquire something or someone with difficulty.
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winkle out »
Tom managed to winkle the truth out of John eventually.
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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.
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yak shaving »
Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.
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you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows »
You don't need an expert to tell you what you already know.
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