We've found 915 phrases for WIT (0.1 seconds):

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

a lie has no legs »    You can't get away with a lie, the truth will always come out.

a life of its own »    An independent existence with some characteristics of life.

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

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

a 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.

abide by »    To accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it; to conform to; to acquiesce; as, to abide by an award.

abide with »    To remain or live with someone.

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

according to Hoyle »    In strict accordance with the rules, especially of card games; in the proper or expected manner.

add insult to injury »    To further a loss with mockery or indignity.

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

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

all fur coat and no knickers »    Of superficial appearance and with no real substance beneath.

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

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

all over with »    Completely finished; over.

all things being equal »    Without considering or being affected by external factors.

all told »    With everything included, counted or summed.

all well and good »    Basically good, but with some shortcoming or limitation.

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

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.

angle for farthings »    To beg out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.

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

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 to the teeth »    To equip thoroughly with weapons.

arm's length »    Barely within reach.

as far as »    With respect to; as relates to.

as for »    with reference to

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

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

assume the mantle »    To take on a specific role or position, along with any associated responsibilites.

at a moment's notice »    Immediately; instantaneously; without need of warning.

At ease with nudity »    ISM free identification with nude recreation

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

at one with »    United with; in tune with.

at peace with »    Not disturbed or upset by.

at peace with »    Not menacing or hostile toward.

at the drop of a hat »    Without any hesitation; instantly.

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

away with the fairies »    Not with it, dreaming, not all there.

back out »    To withdraw from something one has promised to do.

back-to-back »    With one's back facing somebody else's back.

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.

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

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.

bankers' hours »    Any easy job, especially one with a short working day.

bar none »    Without exception; excluding nothing else of the same kind.

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

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.

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

bash up »    To assault someone with the intention of causing physical injury.

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

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

bear in with »    Nearer.

bear with »    To be patient with.

beat down »    To strike with great force.

beat off »    To drive something away with blows.

beef to the hoof »    Fat, chubby, particularly with fat legs.

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

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

behind somebody's back »    Without somebody's knowledge; secretly.

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

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 somebody's ear »    Sorry to bend your ear with the whole story, but I think you ought to know.

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

big boys »    The people or bodies with the most influence and/or power.

big shot »    A person with a reputation of importance or power.

big wheel »    A person with a great deal of power or influence, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.

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

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

black »    Without light.

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

blame Canada »    A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.

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

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

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!

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

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

blow smoke »    To speak with a lack of credibility, sense, purpose, or truth; to speak nonsense.

blow up »    To inflate or fill with air.

blurt out »    To say suddenly, without thinking.

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

bone dry »    Completely dry; without any trace of moisture.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

brass neck »    A person with gall.

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

bread and butter »    Bread spread with butter.

bridge »    A song contained within another song, often demarcated by meter, key, or melody.

broad across the beam »    Without fat on the hips and the bottom.

broad in the beam »    Without fat on the hips and the bottom.

brown bread »    Bread with a brown colour as distinct from white bread, wholemeal, granary or other specific types of bread.

bug out »    To abandon someone without warning.

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

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

bump into »    To collide with something.

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

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 hug »    A sweatshirt with a hood.

bury the lead »    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

bury the lede »    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

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

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

butt heads »    To argue uncompromisingly with someone.

butt-naked »    With the buttocks bared.

butter up »    To flatter, especially with the intent of personal gain.

button up »    To fasten with a button or buttons.

by and large »    Mostly, generally; with few exceptions.

by hand »    Manually; without the use of automation or machines.

by one's own hand »    As a result of one's own actions, especially with reference to death by suicide.

by oneself »    Alone; without assistance, accompaniment, or help from others.

by the skin of one's teeth »    Barely; closely; by a narrow margin; with nothing to spare.

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

call in »    To withdraw something from sale or circulation.

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

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

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 whose appearance and behavior suggest guilt mixed with other qualities, such as satisfaction or feigned nonchalance.

cat's cradle »    Any complicated structure which appears to be without purpose.

catch a cold »    To become infected with cold.

catch fire »    Become engulfed with flames.

catch up »    To provide with news.

catch up »    get level with

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

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

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

chase after »    To pursue someone with romantic intentions; to woo.

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.

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

clay »    An earth material with ductile qualities.

close in on »    To catch up with in a chase; to near the end of a pursuit.

close to home »    Affecting people close to, or within, ones family circle.

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.

clutter up »    To fill with rubbish.

cold turkey »    The physiological effects of such a withdrawal.

cold turkey »    The sudden and complete withdrawal of a dependent substance, especially of a drug.

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 down with »    To contract or get; to show symptoms of a minor illness.

come in »    To join or enter; to begin playing with a group.

come out with »    To say something unexpected.

come to grips »    To confront or deal with directly.

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

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

company »    In non-legal context, any business, without respect to incorporation.

comply with »    To abide by a set of rules.

cookie-cutter »    A solution to a problem that can be applied in many situations without modification.

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

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.

cozy up »    With "to", to ingratiate oneself .

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

creep up »    To advance with stealth, unnoticed.

cross that bridge when one comes to it »    To deal with a problem or situation only when it arises.

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

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

cue up »    The act of taking aim on the cue ball with the cue in a game of snooker, or billiards, etc.

cut in »    Especially, to dance with someone who is already dancing by replacing his or her partner.

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

cut somebody some slack »    To be patient or lenient with somebody; to relax standards or expectations.

cut to the chase »    To get to the point; to get on with it; to state something directly.

damn by association »    Discredit or condemn a position, person, or thing by attacking those things with which he/she/it is associated.

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

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

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

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

dead »    Without emotion.

dead »    Without interest to one of the senses; dull; flat.

dead set against »    Completely opposed, with no possibility of a change of mind.

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

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

desk jockey »    One who spends his or her time seated at a desk; especially one who is more concerned with procedure, paperwork, or administration than with its ultimate goal or practical consequence.

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

die »    Followed by with. Now rare as indicating direct cause.

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

dim bulb »    A person who is slow-witted.

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

dishpan hands »    Hands which are rough, reddish, and dry, as from irritation and chafing caused by immersion in hot water mixed with detergent.

do away with »    To destroy, eliminate, or make an end of.

do one »    To depart from a place, often with a sense of urgency.

do something with mirrors »    To insinuate one has performed a magic or optical trick with the use of hidden mirrors, insinuating trickery and sham.

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

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 without »    To manage despite the lack of something.

does Macy's tell Gimbel's »    (US, dated, colloquial, rhetorical question) A rhetorical question with the implied answer being that competitors do not share business secrets with one another.

dogs »    With the, a greyhound racing event.

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

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.

double Dutch »    A game of jump rope with two ropes and frequently two jumpers.

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

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

down with his apple-cart »    Knock or throw him down.

drag »    To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.

drag »    To pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty.

drag out »    To haul or bring out forcefully or as though with force.

draw a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

draw back »    To withdraw from an undertaking.

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

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

drive home »    With tangible or powerful demonstration.

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

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

duke it out »    To fight, especially with the fists.

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

dust off »    To use something after a long time without it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

f** with »    To mess with; to interact with in a careless or inappropriate way.

faceplant »    The act of landing face first, often associated with bailing during extreme sports.

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

fair and square »    Within the applicable rules.

fall for »    To fall in love with somebody.

fall in with »    To join a group of people.

fall in with »    To accept a set of generally agreed rules, or a suggestion.

fall into »    Without having planned it.

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

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

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.

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

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

feel for »    To express sympathy for, to sympathise with.

fence in »    To enclose with a fence.

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

fend off »    Away; to turn away; to defend against; to repel with force or effort.

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.

fight fire with fire »    To respond to an attack with a similar or identical method.

fight fires »    To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.

fill in »    To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information.

fire up »    To excite; to infuse with energy.

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

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

flap one's gums »    To speak idly; to talk without effect.

flash in the pan »    A transient occurrence with no long-term effect.

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

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

fold one's tent »    To withdraw, especially in a discreet manner; to disengage; to quit.

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

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 my money »    Used to mark a statement made by the speaker as an opinion or something not known with certainty.

for the nonce »    For the time being, with the expectation that the situation may change.

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

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

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

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

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

fox in the henhouse »    A relationships wherein a predator is granted free reign within the prey's home confinement, often used in the political sense.

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

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.

fresh start »    A new beginning, without prejudices.

friend with benefits »    A friend with whom one has such a relationship.

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

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

from the bottom of one's heart »    In earnest; sincerely; with one's full feeling.

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

full marks »    To exclaim complete satisfaction with someone's efforts.

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 »    Maximum effort without reservations or delay.

get along »    To be together or coexist well, without arguments or trouble.

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

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

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

get down to brass tacks »    Deal with the important details.

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

get high »    To intoxicate oneself with drugs or other substances.

get in someone's hair »    To hinder someone or interfere with their actions.

get into one's stride »    To become familiar with something recently learnt.

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

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

get off »    To stop touching or interfering with something or someone.

get off lightly »    End up with a mild punishment.

get off with »    To befriend someone and snog them, especially in a public place.

get one's finger out »    To proceed with the matter in hand.

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

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

get stuck into »    Get busy with; become occupied with; become immersed in.

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

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 birth »    To produce new life into the world; to have a baby. Transitive when used with to.

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

give somebody the heave-ho »    To fire, expel or break up with someone.

give someone the eye »    To show flirtatious signs with the eye.

gloss over »    To treat something with less care than it deserves; to skimp.

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 by »    To pass, to go past, without much interaction.

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

go out with »    Often in hopes that the relationship will become more longterm as in definition 1.

go out with »    Date, be involved in a romantic relationship with.

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

go the distance »    To have the endurance to see a difficult sustained challenge to its natural end without faltering.

go through with »    To proceed; to continue.

go to the mattresses »    To go to war; to use ruthless tactics; to act without restraint.

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.

good fences make good neighbors »    It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.

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

good old boy »    A male friend or chum, especially a schoolmate; a man with an established network of friends who assist one another in social and business situations; a decent, dependable fellow.

grace period »    A length of time during which rules or penalties do not take effect or are withheld.

grain of salt »    A bit of common sense and skepticism. Generally used in some form of to take with a grain of salt.

grease monkey »    A mechanic, often with the specific connotation of an automobile mechanic.

green thumb »    A person with this skill.

green with envy »    Consumed by envy; envious to the point where it is noticeable to others.

grow cold »    To wane; to lose interest or enthusiasm for something or someone; to become disenchanted or to fall out of love with someone.

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.

gut feeling »    An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.

gut reaction »    An instantaneous reaction made without thought.

hack into »    To reduce something to by hacking with a cutting instrument.

hack it »    To cope with, to be successful in.

hair of the dog »    An alcoholic drink taken the morning after to cure a hangover or withdrawal symptoms.

hair-splittingly »    With exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.

hammer and tongs »    With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.

handle with kid gloves »    To treat something very delicately or carefully.

hands down »    Without much effort; easily.

hands down »    Without question[2].

hang out with »    To spend time with friends, doing nothing in particular.

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

hat in hand »    With humility; in an apologetic or self-effacing fashion.

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

have a bone to pick »    To have a complaint or grievance with somebody.

have a green thumb »    A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.

have a way with »    To be skilled, adept, or graceful in something.

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 at »    To attack; to engage in combat with.

have one's wits about one »    To remain calm, composed, or aware.

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 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.

hedge one's bets »    To place bets with a third party in order to offset potential losses.

hit on »    To flirt with; to approach and speak to (someone), seeking romance, love, sex, etc.

hit the books »    To study, especially with particular intensity.

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

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 somebody's hand »    To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.

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

hold up »    To 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.

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

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

horse sense »    Common sense, especially with a connotation of folk wisdom independent from, and trumping, formal education.

horse's mouth »    Source; someone who directly experienced or witnessed something.

hot lunch »    A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.

hot 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 potato »    An awkward or delicate problem with which nobody wants to be associated.

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.

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

ice up »    To become clogged with ice, usually of a mechanical device.

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 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 lie with dogs you will get fleas »    It is important whom to choose as one's closest acquanitances.

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 canter »    Without much effort; easily.

in bed with »    Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.

in bed with »    Sharing one's bed with.

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

in focus »    Sharp and clear with no fuzziness.

in heaven's name »    An intensifier used with questions.

in line »    Suitable or appropriate; keeping with expectations, norms, ideals, or rules.

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

in order »    In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.

in so far as »    With respect to.

in spades »    To excess, a lot, considerably; without restraint.

in spite of »    Despite, irrespective of, notwithstanding.

in stride »    Without disturbing one's course of activities.

in stride »    Without emotional upset.

in the act »    In the process of doing something; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.

in the dark »    Without information.

in the dark »    Without light; somewhere that is dark.

in the first place »    To begin with; earlier; first; at the start.

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »    Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.

in two shakes »    Very quickly; without delay.

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

in vain »    Without success; ending in failure.

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.

iron out »    To remove with an iron.

it is what it is »    This circumstance is simply a fact and must be accepted or dealt with as it exists.

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

itchy trigger finger »    A tendency to act in haste or without consideration.

jew down »    To bargain or haggle with a seller in order to obtain a lower price for a good or service.

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

jump rope »    The length of rope, sometimes with handles, casing or other additions, used in that activity.

jump ship »    To depart a project without warning.

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

jump to conclusions »    Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.

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 gossip network; an informal communication system within a group or organization.

just like that »    Unexpectedly, without warning.

kangaroo court »    A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.

keep a close watch on »    To pay careful attention to a situation or a thing, so that you can deal with any changes or problems.

keep a weather eye open »    To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.

keep at »    preserve with

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 up with »    To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.

keep up with »    To manage to follow .

keep up with the Joneses »    To do or buy things for status, show, or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends or neighbors.

kick with the other foot »    To belong to a different religion.

kicking and screaming »    With extreme reluctance.

kill two birds with one stone »    To solve two problems at once.

kindred soul »    Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself; kindred spirit.

kindred spirit »    Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself.

king »    A playing card with the image of a king on it.

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.

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

knock down »    Sold with a blow from the gavel.

knock up »    To become exhausted or worn out; to fail of strength; to become wearied, as with labor; to give out.

knocked for a six »    to be defeated; outwitted; outfoxed; beaten

knowledge is power »    With knowledge and/or education, one's potential or ability to succeed in the pursuit of his objectives will certainly increase.

knuckle dragger »    A large, strong, and rather dimwitted person.

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

laced-up »    Fastened with a lace.

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.

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

lay off »    From employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance package.

lay off »    To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.

lead »    A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.

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

lemon law »    A law dealing with defective items, especially automobiles, and consumers' rights.

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 go an anchor to the windward of the law »    To keep within the letter of the law.

let someone have it »    To attack someone with great force.

licence to print money »    A means of generating a large income with little effort.

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

life and limb »    Existence together with bodily faculties.

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 crazy »    To a great or excessive degree; with great speed, output, enthusiasm, etc.

like it or lump it »    To accept a situation whether one agrees with it or not.

like water off a duck's back »    Without immediate or lasting effects.

lion »    An individual who shows strength and courage, attributes associated with the lion.

listen in »    To listen without participating.

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

live in sin »    To cohabit as if man and wife without being married.

live paycheck to paycheck »    To spend all that one earns without saving anything.

lone gunman »    An individual person who acts on his or her own initiative, without partners, especially one who has sole responsibility for doing something questionable, confidential, or iniquitous.

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

look daggers »    To stare sharply at someone to indicate disapproval without actually speaking.

look forward to »    To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure.

look out »    To look from within to the outside.

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

lower the boom »    To suddenly overpower, with "on".

lump it »    To endure, accept, put up with a situation one does not like.

make a leg »    To make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back.

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 do with »    To get along with whatever is available.

make it do or do without »    If you don't have a lot of money, extend the life of what you have.

make light of »    To regard without due seriousness; to joke or disregard inappropriately.

make off with »    To steal something and run.

make out »    To characterize as; often with to be.

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

may the Force be with you »    Used to wish someone luck with a difficult endeavor.

melon head »    A dimwit, a fool.

member for Barkshire »    Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.

mercury »    A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.

mess up »    To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.

mess with »    To interfere.

mess with »    To diss; to put down.

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

mince words »    To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms.

mind one's own business »    To concern oneself only with what is of interest to oneself and not interfere in the affairs of others.

mind the store »    To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.

mint sauce »    serve this with lamb

mixed bag »    By extension, a group of entities with few characteristics in common; an assortment.

monkey wrench »    A wrench with a smooth adjustable jaw to grip different sizes of nuts.

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

mop up »    To clean with a mop; especially to clean up a spill or mess.

morning person »    A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.

morning, noon and night »    Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.

mother hen »    An outspoken and overprotective woman dealing with others' affairs.

move on »    To start dealing with something else.

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

muscle in on »    To interfere with, or intrude on something forcibly.

nail down »    To attach with nails.

naked as a jaybird »    Stark naked; nude; especially, naked in a public setting and without embarrassment.

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.

never mind »    I withdraw my previous statement.

never you mind »    Do not concern yourself with it; it is none of your business.

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.

no brainer »    Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.

no cover »    Without a cover charge.

no frills »    Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.

no glove, no love »    Without a condom, there will be no sex.

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

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

no holds barred »    Without reserve; in an especially ruthless or vicious manner.

no holds barred »    Without restrictions on holds or what opponents may do.

no ifs, ands, or buts »    Period; exactly so; without modification, limitation, or addendum.

no pressure »    The situation at hand is rife with emotional pressure.

no smoke without fire »    Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.

no strings attached »    Without conditions or obligations; without a catch.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Ambrose Bierce , The Fiend's Delight In conclusion, his respect for letter-writing ladies is so great that he would not touch one of them with a ten-foot pole.

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 »    Francis Lynde, The Quickening.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To approach something or someone.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong aversion.

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.

number one with a bullet »    Superlative; impossible to beat.

odd one out »    A visual puzzle where the guesser has to choose which word/picture/symbol etc. does not fit with the others.

off the top of one's head »    Without great thought or investigation; extemporaneous; natural; offhand.

off-the-cuff »    Extemporaneous; without prior preparation; impromptu.

off-the-shelf »    As purchased or as commonly available, without modification or customization.

old hat »    Something with which one is very familiar, or in which one is experienced or skilled.

on a shoestring »    On a very tight budget; with few resources or little money.

on a whim »    Done without thinking seriously about the consequences.

on good terms with »    Friendly towards; having good relations with.

on its merits »    Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.

on one's hands »    Being one's liability or responsibility; with which one is lumbered.

on one's own »    Alone; by oneself; without the companionship or assistance of others.

on purpose »    Purposefully; with intention; deliberately.

on spec »    Short form of "on speculation": Creating a work with the hope of selling it, as opposed to creating a work "on commission" for hire.

on the bubble »    Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position.

on the cuff »    On credit, with payment to be made later.

on the face of »    Notwithstanding.

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 spot »    Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.

on top of »    Fully informed about, and in control of something; up to speed with.

on track »    Proceeding as planned, as expected, or in a manner consistent with an established pattern.

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 fell swoop »    One stroke; one action or event with many results.

one-note »    Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.

one-track mind »    That said to be possessed by someone who is obsessed with something or only able to think of one thing.

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.

open ended »    without definite limits

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 house and home »    Gail White, Partying with the Intelligentsia.

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 place »    She comes in out of the storm with not a hair out of place.

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

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

out of the box »    Immediately, without intervention from the customer.

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 touch »    No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.

out on one's ear »    Fired, dismissed or thrown out, especially for some wrongdoing or otherwise with disgrace.

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

overkill »    A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.

own up »    To acknowledge, confess, or admit guilt. Often used with to.

pachyderm »    Someone with thick skin. It is used for animals such as an elephant or a hippopotamus.

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.

palace politics »    The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers within a government, especially as involving internal rivalry and intrigue.

pea patch »    A small piece of land planted with peas.

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.

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 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.

pencilneck »    A person with a very thin neck.

penny pincher »    One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.

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

people person »    Someone who is happier or more skilled at dealing with people rather than things or concepts.

pick up »    To notice, detect or discern, often used with "on".

pick up »    To meet and seduce somebody for romantic purposes, especially in a social situation, sometimes used with "on".

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

pin down »    To attach or secure with pins.

pinchpenny »    One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.

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

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 for love »    To play a game of cards without stakes.

play hookey »    To be absent without permission, especially from school.

play hooky »    To miss school, work, or other duties without permission or an excuse.

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 with fire »    To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially.

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.

plug away »    To persist or continue, as with an effort.

point out »    To identify with a bodily gesture, notably by pointing a finger or implement.

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

pop out »    To leave a room or building with the expectation of returning soon.

pop up »    To appear without warning.

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

power behind the throne »    Someone who appears to be without special status, but who has great covert influence on a person in authority.

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.

puff up »    To inflate with air.

pull one's head in »    To withdraw as a turtle might; to discontinue support of a particular argument.

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 withdraw; especially of military forces; to retreat.

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.

pump up »    To inflate with a pumping action.

put by »    To perform an action without attracting attention.

put one's shoulder to the wheel »    To work or exert oneself heavily or with full effort.

put something into perspective »    To compare with something similar to give a clearer, more accurate idea.

put the cart before the horse »    To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities.

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 up with »    To tolerate, suffer through, or allow, esp. something annoying.

quick-and-dirty »    Of or pertaining to the creation or repair of software or hardware in a manner which permits operation within a brief period of time, although with compromised functionality or reliability.

rag the puck »    To retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.

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.

rake »    A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.

rake »    The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.

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.

reckon with »    To settle accounts with or to settle claims with.

reckon with »    To deal with.

reckon with »    To take into account.

reckon without »    To ignore that which cannot readily be ignored.

ride the short bus »    To participate in a special education program, such as for those with learning disabilities.

rivet counter »    A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.

rob the cradle »    To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.

rock up »    To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.

rub up against »    To touch something with one's body.

rub up against »    To touch another person with one's body in a sexually stimulating manner.

rule out »    To cross an item out by drawing a straight line through it, as with a ruler.

rule with an iron fist »    To rule with absolute authority or to the detriment of the people. To rule tyrannically.

run a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

run around with »    To spend a lot of time with a person or group of people. Often used to talk about a person's group of friends that one does not like much.

run away »    To 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 away with »    To be misled by imagining that one's desires can come true.

run down »    To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.

run down »    To reduce the size or stock levels of a business, often with a view to closure.

run for the roses »    A college football game or series of games played with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the championship Rose Bowl game.

run into »    To collide with.

run into »    To cause to collide with.

run into »    To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.

run 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 off with »    To steal or abscond.

run on »    To continue without interruption.

run on »    To operate with a particular energy source.

run on fumes »    By extension, to operate with few resources or little money.

run out on »    To leave a partner suddenly and without prior warning.

run rampant »    To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.

run roughshod over »    To treat roughly or without care, respect, or moderation; to act without control; to damage.

run through »    To impale a person with a blade, usually a sword.

run up against »    Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.

sabre-rattling »    Any threat, such as one company threatening another with a lawsuit.

sacred cow »    Something which cannot be tampered with, or criticized, for fear of public outcry.

scare out of one's wits »    To frighten someone to such an extent that they behave irrationally.

scissorbill »    And railroad term for someone who refused to join the union or who openly colluded with management to thwart the union.

scrape together »    To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.

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.

sea legs »    Ability to travel by ship without becoming seasick.

sea legs »    The ability, when walking aboard ship, to anticipate the motion of the deck so as to walk steadily without losing balance.

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-guess »    Presumably from trying to guess with second sight.

second-guess »    Presumably from trying to improve with a second stab.

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 eye to eye »    To agree with someone; to concur; to get along.

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".

serpentine »    Of, or having attributes associated with, the mythological serpent, such as craftiness or deceitfulness.

set aside »    To disagree with something and reject or overturn it.

sex machine »    Someone with considerable sexual prowess.

sex up »    To take part in sexual acts with.

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.

shoot first and ask questions later »    To take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.

shoot off at the mouth »    Don't let [presidential press secretary Ron] Ziegler shoot off at the mouth without our knowledge.

shoot the moon »    To achieve the lowest score possible, such that the player is usually rewarded with bonus points.

shoot the moon »    To hit the moon, with a rocket or by other means.

short leash »    Forcing one to function within a strict set of rules, or under great scrutiny or oversight.

short of »    Except; without resorting to; up to the point of.

short of »    Insufficiently equipped with.

shot in the dark »    A guess, attempt, or choice made with little or no evidence or knowledge.

shotgun »    A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Mostly heard in the southern United States.

shotgun shack »    A house with no internal barrier between the front and back doors.

shrinking violet »    A very shy person, who avoids contact with others if avoidable.

shrouded »    Wearing, or provided with a shroud.

shuffle »    A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.

shuffle »    An instance of walking without lifting one's feet.

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.

sit back »    To recline while still in a seated position, with one's back on the frame of the seat.

skip out »    To shirk; to avoid attending or to leave early, especially without permission.

skirt chaser »    A man with amorous intentions who habitually seeks out female companionship.

sleep together »    To be intimate with another person in the same bed.

sleep together »    To have sex with.

sleep with »    To have sexual intercourse with.

sleep with »    To share a bed or bedroom 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.

slippery as an eel »    So slippery that it is almost impossible to hold with one's hands.

slop bowl »    One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.

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.

smooth operator »    A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc.

snake oil »    Any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.

sneak off »    To leave a place, or a meeting, without being seen or heard.

sneak up »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

sneak up on »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

so far so good »    Up to this point, all is OK.Well, you've packed your bags for the holiday, bought your tickets, reserved the hotel and put the dog in kennels. So far so good, now let's get to Minorca without any troubles.

so-called »    Same as above, without the negative connotation.

so-called »    So named; called by such a name, with a very strong connotation that the item is not worthy of that name.

socialized medicine »    A politically charged term used to contrast such systems with free market alternatives and emphasize the perceived link to socialism.

softroader »    . This involves increased ground clearance with tyre, wheel, and suspension tweaks, skid plates and refers to mini SUV or wagons.

sort out »    To separate from the remainder of a group; often construed with from.

space out »    To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.

speak for oneself »    Expressing disagreement with an opinion expressed by another.

speak to »    To resonate with, to strike a chord in.

speak with a forked tongue »    To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.

spill one's seed »    To masturbate or to ejaculate when the penis has been withdrawn from one's partner.

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.

staircase wit »    Thinking of an idea or course of action too late to use it effectively, or the tendency to do so.

stand on one's own two feet »    To be independent. To survive without any help.

stars in one's eyes »    The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.

stepping razor »    A dangerous person, who is not to be messed with.

stick with »    To continue or persist; to stick to.

stick with »    To follow or adhere to.

stick with »    To remain close by.

stickhandle »    To deal capably and swiftly with a situation, especially in a manner which deflects potential problems.

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.

stiff upper lip »    The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, associated with stereotypical British people.

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.

stock phrase »    A phrase frequently or habitually used by a person or group, and thus associated with them.

stop up »    To fill a hole or cavity, or block an opening or passage, as with a plug.

straight man »    A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.

strike up »    To start something with somebody else. Usually a conversation or relationship.

stroke of work »    With "do not do a", to do none of the assigned task at all.

suck it up »    To put up with something; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.

sugarcoated »    Coated with sugar.

summer and winter »    To spend extended periods of time with; to test.

swear on a stack of Bibles »    To make a promise or give one's assurance with great conviction.

swim with sharks »    To operate among dangerous people.

swim with sharks »    To take a huge risk.

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.

switch off »    To turn a switch to the "off" position in order to stop or disable a device.

switch off »    To lose interest, and start thinking about something else.

switch off »    To alternate between; to trade.

switch on »    To turn a switch to the "on" position in order to start or enable a device.

switch on »    To change one's expression or appearance as if by turning a switch.

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..

tack up »    To prepare a horse for riding by equipping it with tack.

tag along »    To accompany, join, or follow; to go with.

tail between one's legs »    A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.

take a dim view of »    To dislike; to regard with skepticism, disbelief, disfavor, etc.

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 aback »    Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly.

take away »    To make someone leave a place and go somewhere else. Usually not with the person's consent.

take down »    To lower an item of clothing without removing it.

take for granted »    To assume something to be true without verification or proof.

take it or leave it »    It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.

take lying down »    To endure without complaint or protest.

take off »    To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take sides »    To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.

take someone's point »    To agree with what a person says; to understand a person's argument and be persuaded by it.

take something in stride »    To cope with something without much effort; to accept or manage something well.

take the stand »    To testify as a witness in a trial.

take things as they come »    To accept and deal with events as they occur, with a composed state of mind.

take up with »    To form a close relationship with someone.

take up with »    To be contented to receive; to receive without opposition; to put up with.

take with a pinch of salt »    Not take entirely seriously.

talk somebody under the table »    With excessive talk or numerous arguments.

tar with the same brush »    To characterize using the same undesirable attribute, especially unjustly.

team up with »    To associate with another in a joint enterprise.

tear one's hair out »    To react with extreme agitation.

teething troubles »    Small problems such as are to be expected with some any new and untried system or product.

tell all »    To reveal everything, particularly information that is normally withheld.

ten foot pole »    See not touch something with a ten foot pole.

than a bygod »    Used with a comparative to express extreme heat or cold.

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 beast with two backs »    Two people engaged in sexual intercourse.

the end all-be all »    Something ultimate; the best part of something; the thing which solves all problems associated with something.

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 more the merrier »    It is more fun with more people.

the road to hell is paved with good intentions »    well-intended acts can lead to disaster

the whole nine yards »    All the way; with everything done completely or thoroughly.

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.

thief in the night »    Something stealthy or that occurs without warning.

think of England »    To tolerate or endure bad sex. Used in conjunction with "I just lie on my back and.." "I just go through the motions and..." etc.

think twice »    To reconsider, use judgement; to proceed with caution or thought.

three-martini lunch »    A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.

throw a fit »    To become angry, enraged, or upset; to act or react with an outburst, as by shouting, swearing, etc.

throw down »    To fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand.

throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.

throw in at the deep end »    To introduce a person to a new situation without adequately preparing him or her.

throw money away »    To spend money foolishly or indiscriminately; to waste money without regard of the consequences.

throw out »    To discard; to dispense with something; to throw away.

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.

throw the baby out with the bathwater »    To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.

throwing money away »    The act of spending money foolishly; wasting money without regard of the consequences.

tick off »    Sign with a tick.

tick over »    To run smoothly and without problems.

tie up »    To secure with rope, string, etc.

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.

time and tide wait for no man »    action is necessary without delay

to a T »    Precisely; exactly; perfectly; with great attention to detail.

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 that end »    For that reason, with that goal, intending to produce that result.

today we are all »    An expression indicating that the speaker empathizes with members of an identifiable group that was the subject of a disaster, and projects that others empathize as well.

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

tooth and nail »    Viciously; with all one’s strength or power; without holding back..

touch base »    To consult, visit, or communicate with.

touch with a barge pole »    Get romantically involved with.

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.

toy with »    Handling something in a careless or frivolous manner.

toy with »    Play, esp. with or as with a toy.

trick out »    To trick out; to mod or customize an object, typically for the purpose of both personalization as well as enhancing the object's performance capabilities and more particularly for the purpose of performing stunts with that object.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.

try out one's own chops »    To produce one's own records with one's own vocals.

tuck into »    To eat, especially with gusto.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn off »    To power down; to stop a device by switching it off.

turn on »    To power up; to start a device by switching it on.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored.

twist in the wind »    To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.

two birds with one stone »    Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.

under a spell »    Bewitched, held by the power of a magical spell.

under lock and key »    Imprisoned with little or no chance of escape.

under one's belt »    Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

under sail »    With sails unfurled; powered by the wind.

under the radar »    Without attracting notice; in an undetected or secretive manner.

under the table »    Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.

under way »    A vessel is said to be underway when she is not anchored, moored, aground, or beached[1]. Compare with make way.

up a creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation, without any help. Superlative form of up a creek: most up a creek.

up against »    In contact with, abutting.

up shit creek without a paddle »    Alternative form of up the creek without a paddle.

up the creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation with no means of rectifying it.

up with the larks »    To wake up early, to be an early bird.

uphill battle »    A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.

upper crust »    The topmost layer of a bread, pastry dish, or other item with a hardened coating.

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 »    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.

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.

wade in »    To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.

walk around »    To walk with no real planned destination, but to just walk, to meander "around".

walk into »    To collide with.

walk into »    meet with unwittingly

walk it off »    To deal with an negative emotional event without complaint; to take it like a man.

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.

wall in »    To enclose by surrounding with walls.

wall off »    To separate with a wall.

wall up »    To seal with a wall.

waltz Matilda »    To travel with a swag; that is, with one's belongings wrapped in a cloth.

watch one's mouth »    To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.

wax lyrical »    To talk about something with much interest or excitement.

weather the storm »    To reach the end of a very difficult situation without too much harm or damage.

weigh down »    To be too much for someone to cope with.

what with »    Owing to; because of; as a result of.

what's up »    A casual greeting with usage similar to "How are you?" or "Nice to meet you".

what's up with »    Used to express disbelief or curiosity.

whistle Dixie »    To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.

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-stop train tour »    Any travel that's quick and with only brief pauses.

white trash »    A poorly educated white person with low moral and social standards and low social status.

whitewash »    A victory without reply.

whomp on »    To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.

willy nilly »    Without regard for consequences or the will of those affected.

window-shopping »    The browsing of shop windows without any intention of buying.

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 »    To acquire something or someone with difficulty.

wipe away »    To remove or erase with a wiping motion.

with a vengeance »    Intensely motivated; resolute; forceful.

with bated breath »    "holding one's breath".

with bated breath »    Eagerly; with great anticipation.

with flying colors »    Extremely well; in an exceptional, noteworthy, or extraordinary manner.

with no further ado »    Without any other formalities; with no further delay.

with open arms »    With enthusiasm, as if embracing.

within an ace of »    Very near; on the point of.

without fail »    Certainly; by all means; as a matter of importance.

without further ado »    With no further ado.

wits' end »    A. 1911, John Muir, in John Muir and Michael P. Branch, John Muir's Last Journey: South to the Amazon and East to Africa, 2002, page 138.

wits' end »    Limit of one's sanity or mental capacity; point of desperation.

wolf down »    Quickly and without regard for table manners.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work out »    To conclude with the correct solution.

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.

work the room »    To interact with one's audience, taking queues from its reactions and adapting one's performance or words to elicit the audience's attention and enthusiasm.

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.

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.

yes man »    A person who always agrees with his employer or superior.

yes to death »    To agree with someone, often sarcastically.

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'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 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 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 knows it »    You're right; I wholeheartedly agree with your statement.

zip up »    To close with a zip fastener.

zip up »    To close as if with a zip fastener.

BTW, Why won't you become an editor?