a leopard cannot change its spots »
One cannot change one's own nature.1597, William Shakespeare, Richard II Act i, Scene 1 (First Folio):King. Lyons make Leopards tame.Mowbray. Yea but not change his ?pots.1611, King James Version of the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23:Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe Chapter 32:End now all unkindness. Let us put the Jew to ransom, since the leopard will not change his spots, and a Jew he will continue to be.1918, Johnston McCulley, Thubway Tham's Inthane Moment:The leopard cannot change his spots, old boy.
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by the way »
[...] I had counted on a life-lease of the profits, whereas I only received those of a few short years. But this is by the way.
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catch-as-catch-can »
A. 1681, John Fryer, Richard Chiswell, Robert Roberts, Robert White, A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters, Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672 and Finished 1681.
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company »
As he had worked for the CIA for over 30 years, he would soon take retirement from the company.
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cry for help »
In her second year at the school Alexis stopped doing her homework and would often scribble on walls. Her teachers wondered whether this was a cry for help, or if she was simply misbehaving.
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day and age »
A time period of years or more.
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donkey's years »
A long time.
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flunk out »
Often requiring a retaking of the course or academic year.
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flutter in the dovecote »
I further argued that the principal cause for the political deadlock that persisted for thirty years after the guns fell silent was Israeli intransigence rather than Arab intransigence. The appearance of the first wave of revisionist studies excited a great deal of interest and controversy in the media and more than a flutter in the academic dovecote. — Israel Confronts Its Past.
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four score and seven years ago »
87 years prior to today.
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four score and seven years ago »
As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.
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in this day and age »
In the current time period of years.
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kitchen table software »
Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.
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leap year »
Period of 366 days
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many happy returns »
A greeting, usually for birthdays, in reference to the passing year; Happy birthday!.
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