We've found 1830 phrases for ac (0.116 seconds):

a day late and a dollar short »    Action that was taken too late and too feeble to be of any use.

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

a golden key can open any door »    Sufficient money can accomplish anything.

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

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

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

a man is known by the company he keeps »    People are similar in character to their friends.

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

a million times »    by a factor of a million

a miss is as good as a mile »    A failure remains a failure, regardless of how close to success one has actually come.

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

a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »    An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

abstract nonsense »    Details which involve diagram chasing.

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

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

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

according to »    According to the directions, the glue takes 24 hours to dry.

according to »    Based on what is said or stated.

according to »    In a manner conforming or corresponding to; in proportion.

according to »    Our zeal should be according to knowledge. - Thomas Sprat.

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

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

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

ace of spades »    The playing card belonging to the spades suit and featuring one pip.

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

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

acid test »    A rigorous test or appraisal of the quality or worth of something.

acid test »    To test for the truth.

acknowledge the corn »    To cop a plea; to admit to a small error but not a larger one.

across the board »    A racing bet where one bets that the same competitor will place in first, second and third.

across the board »    Pertaining to all categories or things.

across the pond »    On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

act like a bull in a china shop »    To act rudely or clumsily in a delicate situation.

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

act one's age »    To be mature and not childish.

act out »    To go through the process of a scene from a play, a charade or a pointless exercise.

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

act up »    To misbehave; to cause trouble.

act up »    give trouble

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

add up »    To accumulate; to amount to.

Adds up »    To enhance. " action.com">Law of attraction adds up to the success in life."

after the fact »    Too late; after something is finished or final.

against the grain »    To sand or plane a piece of wood parallel or nearly parallel to the fibers such that splinters forming ahead of the tool originate below the cutting surface.

agree to disagree »    To tolerate each other's opinion and stop arguing; to acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.

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

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

all and sundry »    Each one.

all bark and no bite »    Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.

all hat and no cattle »    Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.

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

all in a day's work »    A nonchalant dismissal of a significant accomplishment.

all it's cracked up to be »    As good as claims or reputation would suggest.

all over grumble »    Unsatisfactory.

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

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

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

all talk and no action »    Speaking, promising, or boasting much, but doing little

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

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

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

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

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

allow for »    To take into account when making plans.

almighty dollar »    The dollar, satirically characterized as a being a god.

also ran »    unplaced horse

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

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

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

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

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

another nail in one's coffin »    One in a series of factors which lead, or purport to lead, to downfall.

answer back »    To reply impertinently; to talk back.

answer back »    To reply to a question at a later time.

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

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

Après-ski »    A place "after skiing". Typically a bar or pub where people go after a day on the slopes to ease off and meet other people.

argue out »    To discuss to reach an agreed conclusion, or decision.

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

arm's length »    Barely within reach.

arm's length »    Distant, detached.

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

arrive at »    To reach.

arse about face »    Something that is placed or arranged the opposite way to the way it should be.

arse end of nowhere »    A very remote place.

as is »    In its present state or condition, especially as a contractual condition of sale.

as you sow, so shall you reap »    The personal consequences of one's actions are in proportion to the good or bad intentions towards others.

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

ask for it »    To provoke an unwanted action.

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

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

at hand »    Near; soon; approaching; imminent.

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

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

at home »    In one's place of residence.

at peace »    Dead.

at peace »    Free of worries; peaceful.

at peace with »    Not disturbed or upset by.

at peace with »    Not menacing or hostile toward.

at work »    At one's workplace.

autem cackler »    Dissenters of every denomination.

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

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

babe magnet »    A person, especially a man, to whom women are attracted.

back at you »    Used to return a greeting.

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

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

back burner »    A state of low urgency; a state of low current importance.

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

back gammon player »    A sodomite.

back in the day »    In the past; at one time, especially a time which is fondly remembered.

back into »    To back up or walk backwards and hit something.

back into »    To reverse a vehicle into a space.

back of beyond »    A very remote place.

back off »    To move backwards away from something.

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

back off »    To lower the setting of.

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

back onto »    To reverse a vehicle onto something.

back onto »    To overlook something from the rear.

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

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

back to our muttons »    To get back to the business at hand.

back to square one »    Located back at the start, as after a dead-end or failure.

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

back up »    As a security measure.

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

back up »    To move a vehicle backwards.

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

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

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

back water »    A very remote, rural area.

back-assward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

back-asswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

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

back-cloth star »    An actor who stands upstage, forcing the other actors to face him and turn their backs to the audience, in order to gain more attention to himself.

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

back-to-back »    Identical or similar and sequential.

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

backassward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

backasswards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

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

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

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

bacon fed »    Fat, greasy.

bacon-faced »    Having a fat, sleek face.

bad egg »    disreputable character

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.

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

baggage »    In a metaphorical sense, factors that restrict a person's freedom, often in an intellectual or psychological way: emotional baggage.

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

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

balancing act »    An effort to manage many conflicting or competing items or interests.

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

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

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

bang on »    Exactly at.

bark up the wrong tree »    To attempt or pursue the wrong thing; to take the wrong approach; to follow a false lead.

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

barrel »    A waste receptacle.

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

barrel of laughs »    That which is immature, embarrassing, or disgraceful.

bass-ackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bass-ackwards »    Alternative form of ass-backwards.

bassackward »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bassackwards »    Alternative form of bass-ackwards.

bat a thousand »    To achieve perfection.

bat a thousand »    To achieve success at each attempt.

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

bat an eyelash »    To react in any slight way; to respond.

bat an eyelid »    To react in any slight way; to respond.

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

be glad to see the back of »    To be glad to get rid of someone; to be glad someone has left.

be had up »    To be accused of, or arrested for a criminal act.

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

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

bear down »    To approach another vessel from windward.

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

beat up »    To alarm by a sudden attack.

beat up »    To sail to windward using a series of alternate tacks across the wind.

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

beauty is only skin deep »    What matters is a person's character, rather than his/her appearance.

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

beddable »    Sexually attractive.

been there, done that »    An assertion that the speaker has personal experience or knowledge of a particular place or topic and is now bored.

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

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

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

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

behind 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.

below par »    Having a price below its face value.

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

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

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

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

better safe than sorry »    It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to suffer afterwards.

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

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

between Scylla and Charybdis »    Similar in meaning to between a rock and a hard place.

beyond the black stump »    Extremely remote, outside the populated area.

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

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

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

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

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

birthday suit »    Nakedness; a lack of clothing.

bit part »    small acting role

bit part »    small acting role

bit part »    small acting role

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

bite the hand that feeds you »    To cause harm to a benefactor.

bite to eat »    A snack or quick meal.

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

black »    Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and colourless.

black »    Bad; evil.

black »    Illegitimate, illegal or disgraced.

black »    Lacking cream, milk, and creamer.

black »    Overcrowded.

black »    Without light.

black and blue »    Covered in bruises.

black babies »    Third world charities, the missions.

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

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

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

black sheep »    A sheep that is black.

black-on-black »    A description of the colors of an automobile .

black-on-black »    A reference to interactions between black people .

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

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.

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

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

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

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

blow up in one's face »    To fail disastrously.

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

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

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

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

bone of contention »    Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached.

born in a barn »    Lacking a sense of etiquette; ill-mannered.

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.

bottle out »    To fail to perform a promised or planned action due to lack of courage.

bottom of the line »    The worst, the most lackluster, or lowest quality currently on the market, especially among selections in a product line.

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

bouncing off the walls »    Moving hyperactively.

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

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

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

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

brace of shakes »    A very short time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

brick wall »    An obstacle.

brickbat »    A piece of brick used as a weapon, especially if thrown, or placed in something like a sock and used as a club.

bridge »    A particular form of one hand placed on the table to support the cue when making a shot in cue sports.

bridge »    A prosthesis replacing one or several adjacent teeth.

bridge »    A statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.

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

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

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

bring about »    To cause to take place.

bring about »    To accomplish, achieve.

bring back »    To fetch something.

bring back »    To cause someone to remember something from the past.

bring back »    To reenact an old rule or law.

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

bring it on »    Used to indicate one's willingness to accept a challenge, confront a threat, etc.

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

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

bring up »    To turn on power or start, as of a machine.

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

broad shoulders »    The ability to take criticism, or accept responsibility.

brown thumb »    Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.

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

build up »    To accumulate, to pile up.

bum rap »    A false accusation, or an injustice, especially one that leads to imprisonment.

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

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

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

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

bundle of nerves »    A lively, continually active person.

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

burn one's fingers »    To harm oneself; to suffer consequences of one's actions.

burn out »    To extinguish due to lack of fuel.

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

bury the hatchet »    To stop fighting or arguing; to reach an agreement, or at least a truce.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Grace of God »    By divine right.

by the Grace of God »    Used as part of the titles of royalty.

by the numbers »    To do something exactly, precisely, or in a formulaic way.

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

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

call someone's bluff »    To take action on the basis that another person is bluffing.

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

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

can of worms »    A complex, troublesome situation arising when a decision or action produces considerable subsequent problems.

Cannon fodder »    Military personnel who are regarded as expendable when attacking the enemy.

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

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

carry the message to Garcia »    To perform a requisite task despite obstacles.

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

cast up one's accounts »    To vomit.

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 in the sack »    Something to be suspicious of.

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

catch on »    To become popular; to become commonplace; to become the standard.

catch up »    To be reaching something that had been ahead.

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

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

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

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

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

cave in »    The act of relenting.

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

center field »    The part of a baseball field which is beyond the infield and straight ahead left if you stand on home plate and face the pitcher.

chain reaction »    A nuclear reaction in which particles produced by the fission of one atom trigger fissions of other atoms.

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

chalk up to »    To attribute or account for something.

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

chalkface »    A musical concept or genre in which music is completely improvised and never played twice. Most often mixing elements of hip-hop, metal, punk and avant-garde jazz.

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

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

chase a rainbow »    To pursue something illusory, impractical, or impossible.

cheer on »    To cheer and support a team, to barrack, to root for.

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

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

circle the wagons »    To prepare to defend against an attack.

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

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

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

clay »    A tennis court surface.

clean up »    To become clean, handsome, smart in appearance, e.g. for a special occasion, especially when it is out of character to be seen as such.

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

clear the decks »    To prepare for action.

clock up »    To accumulate a large amount of time.

clock up »    To accumulate a large distance.

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

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

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

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

cock a snook »    To spread one hand, place the thumb on the nose and wriggle some of the fingers as a gesture of disrespect.

cold comfort »    C. 1594, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, act 4, sc. 1.

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

cold shoulder »    A deliberate act of disrespect; a slight or snub.

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

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

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

come across »    To find, usually by accident.

come along »    To accompany.

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

come back »    To return to a place.

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

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

come of age »    To reach a specific age where one is legally considered to be an adult.

come off »    To become detached.

come on »    A statement or sometimes action reflecting sexual or relational interest.

come online »    To enter service or become active.

come the acid »    To exaggerate.

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

come to »    To reach; to arrive at.

come to terms »    To accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful.

come to terms »    To reach an agreement or settle a dispute.

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

come up »    To come towards, to approach.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

coop up »    To confine in a restricted place or situation.

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

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.

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

cowgirl position »    A sex position in which the man lies on his back, and the woman sits on top of him facing him.

crack a crib »    To break into a house.

crack down »    To enforce more stringently or more thoroughly.

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

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

crack on »    Task.

crack up »    To laugh heartily.

crack up »    To cause to laugh heartily.

crack up »    To become insane; to suffer a mental breakdown.

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

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

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

crashpad »    Any place used for temporary lodging.

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

cream in one's jeans »    To ejaculate while wearing one's trousers.

cross paths »    To be, by chance, in the same physical place at the same time, as a result of two completely separate journeys.

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

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

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

crown jewels »    The jewelry that accompany the office of rulership in a monarchy. I.e., crown, scepter, signet ring, etc.

cruising for a bruising »    Following a course of action likely to result in injury or other trouble for oneself.

cry for help »    Acting out as a means of displaying a subconscious desire for attention or help.

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.

crying shame »    A situation that is considered to be a disgrace, or deplorable.

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

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

cure all »    panacea

cut a wide swath »    To clear a broad track through a grassland, woodland, geographical region, or other area, either by natural means or by human action.

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 off »    To isolate or remove from contact.

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

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

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

cut red tape »    To reduce bureaucracy.

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

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

damn the torpedoes »    Used to dismiss the risks of a dangerous action.

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

dash off »    To leave a place quickly or briefly.

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

dead »    Exact.

dead »    Figuratively, not alive; lacking life.

dead heat »    A close race or contest in which no winner is apparent.

dead last »    The standings, often by a considerable margin to the next-to-last-place finisher or after an exceptionally poor showing or season.

dead on »    Exactly at.

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

deadstick landing »    When a pilot lands a plane after the engine has died; a landing lacking any propulsion control.

deadweight »    A useless, usually encumbering factor.

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

deathblow »    A strike or blow that leads to death, especially a coup de grace.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

dime a dozen »    So common as to be practically worthless.

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

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

dirty old man »    An adult male - usually middle-aged or elderly - who acts in a lecherous or lewd manner.

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

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

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

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

do someone proud »    To cause someone to feel pride, admiration, or satisfaction.

do the honors »    Act as a host to guests.

do the honours »    Act as a host to guests.

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 drive faster than your guardian angel can fly »    Driving (a vehicle) very fast is a dangerous act.

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

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

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

donkey jacket »    thick garment

double back »    To retrace one's steps; to go back where one has already gone.

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

down in the dumps »    Sad; lacking engagement or enthusiasm.

down in the mouth »    Sad or discouraged, especially as indicated by one's facial appearance.

down pat »    Thoroughly practiced, rehearsed, or understood.

down the road, not across the street »    Along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.

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

down-to-earth »    Practical; realistic; pragmatic.

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.

drain the swamp when up to one's neck in alligators »    (idiomatic) When performing a long and complex task, and when you've gotten utterly immersed in secondary and tertiary unexpected tangential subtasks, it's easy to lose sight of the initial objective. This sort of distraction can be particularly problematic if the all-consuming subtask or sub-subtask is not, after all, particularly vital to the original, primary goal, but ends up sucking up time and resources (out of all proportion to its actual importance) only because it seems so urgent.

draw back »    To retreat from a position.

draw back »    To move backwards.

draw back »    To withdraw from an undertaking.

draw back »    To pull something back or apart.

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

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

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

draw out »    To extract, bring out, as concealed information; elicit; educe.

drawing near »    approaching

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

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

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

dry run »    A practice; a rehearsal.

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

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

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

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

earn one's keep »    To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.

ears are burning »    Being the topic of discussion in another place; or sensing that this is happening.

easy on the eyes »    Attractive; beautiful.

eat one's words »    To regret or retract what one has said.

eat out »    To dine at a restaurant or such public place.

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

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

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

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

engine room »    A compartment on a ship in which the engine machinery is located.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

every time »    At each occasion that.

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

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

experience is the best teacher »    Lessons learned from experience are the most lasting.

extract the urine »    To mess around, cajole.

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

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.

face off »    The starting point, in a match of ice hockey. Two players face each other, for snatching the puck.

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

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

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

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

face to face »    In person; directly; in the physical presence of somebody.

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

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

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

faceplant »    Death or defeat in popular multiplayer online games.

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

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

factor space »    In a product space.

factotum »    A general servant.

factotum »    A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.

factotum »    Jack of all trades.

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

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

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

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

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

fair game »    Actions permissible by the rules.

fall back »    To retreat.

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

fall by the wayside »    To fail to be completed, particularly for lack of interest; to be left out.

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

fall off »    To become detached or to drop from.

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

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

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

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

fall short »    To be less satisfactory than expected; to be inadequate or insufficient.

fall through the cracks »    To be missed; to escape the necessary notice or attention.

fall together »    To contract.

false step »    An erroneous action or decision.

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.

farm out »    To subcontract some task to another; to outsource.

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

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

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

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

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

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

fight off »    To succeed in defeating a challenge, or an attack.

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

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

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

first loser »    Second place.

first loser »    The second place finisher in auto racing competition.

first port of call »    The first place to go to start a process.

first things first »    Deal with matters of highest priority first; deal with matters in logical sequence.1922, H. G. Wells, The Secret Places of the Heart, ch.4,"First things first," said Sir Richmond. If we set about getting fuel sanely, if we do it as the deliberate, co-operative act of the whole species, then it follows that we shall look very closely into the use that is being made of it.1999, Frank Pellegrini, "House Republicans Quell Mutiny Over Tax Bounty," Time, 23 Jul.,Judging by the polls

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

fit into »    To be of the right size and shape to be placed in a location.

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

flash in the pan »    A career notable for early success not followed by significant accomplishment.

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

flat-footed »    Unprepared to act.

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

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

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

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

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

fold up »    To make or become more compact by folding.

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

force of habit »    An act that has been repeated to the point where the performance of the act becomes automatic.

force someone's hand »    Bring about a situation which necessitates an agent to act, often causing a plan to be executed prematurely.

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

four-eyes »    A person who wears spectacles.

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

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

free-for-all »    Chaos; a chaotic situation lacking rules or control.

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

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

from time to time »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 3, sc. 3.

full blast »    Maximum capacity or effort.

full English »    A cooked breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs, and other foods.

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

full of shit »    Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.

full tilt boogie »    Intensely, fast paced.

full whack »    The whole amount.

funny stuff »    Irregular, often illegal, activities.

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

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

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

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

gear up »    To prepare for an activity.

gentleman of the back door »    A sodomite.

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

get a rise out of »    To obtain a reaction from someone, especially one of annoyance.

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

get at »    gain access to

get at »    reach

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

get back at »    To retaliate; to take revenge.

get cracking »    To get started; to get busy.

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

get in »    To enter a place; to gain access.

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

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

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

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

get on someone's wick »    To annoy or upset someone, usually by repeated disagreeable actions.

get one's act together »    To become serious, organized, worthwhile, etc.

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

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

get one's marching orders »    To be dismissed disgracefully.

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

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

get the bacon bad »    To be morbidly obese.

get the ball rolling »    To begin; to start some action; to set in motion.

get the sack »    To be fired

ghost train »    fairground attraction

give a man a fish »    Shortened form of give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime »    It is more worthwhile to teach someone to do something, than to do something for them.

give and take »    A process of compromise or accommodation.

give away the store »    To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.

give face »    To honor; to pay respect.

give him enough rope and he'll hang himself »    If one gives someone enough freedom of action, they may destroy themselves by foolish actions.

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

give over »    To devote oneself to a particular activity.

give somebody a piece of one's mind »    To express one's opinion strongly; to voice one's disagreement or dissatisfaction.

give the boot »    To fire, to sack, to dismiss.

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

give the time of day »    To acknowledge somebody; to give somebody any respect or attention.

go along for the ride »    To accompany someone passively, or to take a passive role in a project.

go along with »    To comply with something, even if reluctantly; to accept or tolerate.

go apeshit »    To behave in an extreme manner; to act without restraint, especially by becoming explosively angry.

go back »    To return to a place.

go back on »    To be treacherous or faithless to; betray; as, to go back on friends.

go back on »    To fail to keep; to renege on; as, to go back on one's promises.

go back to the drawing board »    To start again; to scrap a previous idea or plan and try again from the beginning.

go batshit »    To become completely irrational; to react in an irrationally extreme manner.

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

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

go down »    To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.

go down »    To be received or accepted.

go down »    To take place, happen.

go for »    To attack something.

go for the gold »    To attempt to achieve the maximum reward or result in an endeavor.

go in off »    To pot the cue ball accidentally after hitting the object ball.

go mad »    Used to indicate that the second verb represents an action that is out of character.

go native »    Of a contractor or consultant, to begin working directly as an employee for a company and cease to work through a contracting firm or agency.

go off half-cocked »    To take a premature or ill-considered action.

go out »    To leave one's abode to go to public places.

go out the window »    To vanish or cease, especially due to lack of care, attention, etc.; to be discarded, disregarded, or ignored.

go places »    To make progress or achieve success.

go the way of the dinosaurs »    To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go off the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.

go the way of the dodo »    To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go out of the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.

go the whole hog »    To do something as entirely or completely as possible; to reserve or hold back nothing.

go to someone's head »    To strongly affect a person, especially to the detriment of their senses or mental faculties.

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

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

go with the flow »    To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.

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

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

golden syrup »    light treacle

golden ticket »    A philosophy that a quick fix can be achieved.

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

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

good to go »    Ready for some specific task or ready for normal activity, especially after preparation or recovery.

good turn »    A good deed; a thoughtful or selfless act.

goof off »    To dawdle; to engage in idle activity or inactivity.

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

granary »    A storage facility for grain or sometimes animal feed.

grasp at straws »    To guess randomly at or pursue any apparent option, as due to lack of options or information.

grass roots »    People and society at the local level rather than at the national centre of political activity.

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

great minds think alike »    Used to emphasize a coincidence, or two people reaching the same conclusion in any manner at the same time.

great oaks from little acorns grow »    Alternative form of mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

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

greener pastures »    Any place or condition that is more favorable or beneficial.

greenwash »    A false or misleading picture of environmental friendliness used to conceal or obscure damaging activities.

grind to a halt »    Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.

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

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

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

gussie up »    To make fancy or attractive, as by artificial or contrived means.

gut factor »    Feelings about what feels right or wrong, good or bad. An inner persuasion that one may feel convinced is the appropriate decision.

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

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

hair-splitting »    The act of finding exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.

ham it up »    To act or emote, especially to overact or act badly.

hang an arse »    To hang back, to be afraid to advance.

hang out to dry »    To attach washing to a clothesline to dry.

hard-nosed »    Guided by practical experience and observation rather than by theory.

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

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

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

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

have egg on one's face »    To suffer embarrassment or humiliation; to damage one's reputation.

have eyes bigger than one's stomach »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

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

have had it up to here »    To have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or forbearance.

have it coming »    To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions.

have it large »    To engage intensely in pleasure-seeking activities.

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

have one's back to the wall »    To have no other options remaining.

have one's ducks in a row »    To be organized; to have one's affairs in order; specifically, to have a multi-person effort coordinated towards the exact same goal.

have one's head in the clouds »    To have fantastic or impractical dreams; to think impractically.

have one's heart set on »    To want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality.

have one's work cut out for one »    To face a large task or project.

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.

he who smelt it dealt it »    (colloquial, originally) A person who calls attention to or complains about a fart is likely trying to pretend it wasn't his or her own.(colloquial, by extension) Used to suggest that a person calling attention to or complaining about a given problem may in fact be the source of the problem.

he-man »    A strong, virile or sexually active man.

head for the hills »    To go to a safe place; to seek refuge; to flee.

head for the hills »    To travel to a higher elevation, especially to a rural region on vacation.

head start »    For example, prior to the beginning of a race.

head start »    A factor conducive to superiority and success.

heads or tails »    A game to bet upon a which side of a coin lays face up after it is thrown.

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

hell or high water »    Highly adverse circumstances; acts of God.

hem and haw »    To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.

here and there »    In one place and another.

here goes nothing »    Indicates a lack of confidence or certainty about the activity about to be tried.

hide nor hair »    A trace, indication, or evidence, especially of a person.

high noon »    Exactly noon; midday; the middle of the day.

high road »    A course of action which is honorable, dignified, or respectable.

his back is up »    He is offended or angry; an expression or idea taken from a cat; that animal, when angry, always raising its back. An allusion also sometimes used to jeer a crooked man.

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

hit one out of the ballpark »    To produce a spectacular achievement.

hit one's stride »    To reach a full level of efficiency, competence, comfort, etc.; to get going.

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

hit the bottle »    To continually drink alcohol to excess, particularly in response to a setback.

hit the bricks »    To participate in a workplace strike or other job action; to participate in a public protest, especially one involving picketing.

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

hit the jackpot »    To realise a huge load of luck; to receive a more favorable outcome than imagined.

hit the nail on the head »    To identify something exactly; to arrive at exactly the right answer.

hit the road »    To leave a place; to go away.

hit the rock »    To use crack cocaine.

hit the sack »    To go to bed.

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 back »    To contain; stop.

hold back »    To delay, especially in school.

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

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 that thought »    Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.

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

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

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

hole in one »    Any rare, wonderful, or remarkable accomplishment.

holy mackerel »    An expression of surprise.

home away from home »    A place in which one is as comfortable as one's actual home.

home is where you hang your hat »    Rather than feeling nostalgic or sentimental, one should simply accept any place where one happens to reside as one's home.1948, Ruth L. Yorck, "D.P.

homeless dumping »    The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the streets instead of placing them into the custody of a relative or shelter or retaining them in a hospital where they may require expensive medical care.

hoover up »    Into a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.

horse opera »    A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.

horses for courses »    The practice of choosing the best person for a particular job.

hospital pass »    A poorly executed pass to a team-mate causing the receiver to present an easy target for a defender, and thus be tackled hard.

hospital pass »    Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.

hot button »    A central issue, concern or characteristic, especially one that motivates people to make a choice.

hot desking »    The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.

hot 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 spot »    dangerous place; accident place

hot spot »    lively place

hot to trot »    Eager for sexual activity.

house cooling party »    A party to celebrate when a person decides to leave a house or flat, and sometimes to help prepare the space for the incoming residents.

house of cards »    A structure made by laying cards perpendicularly on top of each other.

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.

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

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

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

if the shoe fits »    If it has all of the characteristics of a thing, it probably is that thing.

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

ignorance is bliss »    Lack of knowledge results in happinessSometime you are more comfortable if you dont know something.

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 aid to this fact »    In addition to; and futhermore.

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

in black and white »    Having it displayed using shades of gray/gray rather than colour/color .

in black and white »    Using shades of grey/gray rather than colour/color.

in business »    Engaged in business activity.

in business »    Ready to proceed in a desired activity.

in character »    Acting as the character, not as oneself.

in fact »    Actually, in truth.

in fact »    Resulting from the actions of parties.

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

in for an inch, in for a mile »    Given that one is partly involved in or committed to a project, action, position, etc., there is no reason to refrain from becoming fully involved or fully committed.

in 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 person »    actually present

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

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

in the black »    Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.

in the face of »    Despite, against, contrary to.

in the face of »    On the face of.

in the fast lane »    In a lifestyle, employment position, or other set of circumstances where the rapid pace is exciting, frantic, or risky.

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

in the swim »    Actively participating in the flow of events; very involved.

in the works »    In a mechanism or machine.

in touch »    In contact, or in communication.

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

in your face »    An exclamation of derision or contempt.

inside job »    A crime or other illicit action committed by or with the help of someone either employed by the victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs and premises.

inside track »    Any advantage.

inside track »    The lane or track nearest to the interior.

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

it takes two to tango »    Some things need the active cooperation of two parties; blame is to be laid on both parties in a conflict.

it's all grist to the mill »    Everything referred to in the present context has some sort of use.1999, Simon Blackburn, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press paperback, ISBN 0199690871), ch. 7 section 6: "Kant

it's better to ask forgiveness than permission »    The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than value of delaying to get permission.

it's not the whistle that pulls the train »    Boasting and loud talk should not be mistaken for the work that produces real achievements; bravado is no proof of action.1956, James Reston, "Washington: It's Not the Whistle that Pulls the Train," New York Times, 1 July, p. E8:

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

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

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

ivory tower »    A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.

jack in »    To stop doing a regular activity. Often a job or studies.

jack in »    To insert an electronic coupling into a receptacle; to connect to something, whether involving a physical medium or not.

jack it in »    An imperative to stop doing something that the speaker finds annoying.

jack of all trades »    One competent in many endeavors, especially one who excels in none of them.

jack of all trades, master of none »    A master of integration, who knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring their disciplines together in a practical manner; a polymath; a renaissance man.

jack of all trades, master of none »    A person who has a competent grasp of many skills but who is not outstanding in any one.

jack up »    To raise, hoist, or lift a thing using a jack, or similar means.

jack up »    To raise, increase, or accelerate; often said of prices, fees, or rates. See also jack up the price.

jack up »    To ruin; wreck; mess up; screw up; sometimes as a bowdlerized substitution for f** up.

jack-tar »    Alternative spelling of jacktar.

jacktar »    Nickname for a sailor in the Royal Navy.

jet setting »    The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.

jet-setting »    The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.

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 »    To attack suddenly and violently.

jump »    To employ a parachute to leave an aircraft or elevated location.

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

jump at the chance »    To immediately accept an offer.

jump off »    To move from an elevated place by one jump.

jump on »    To attack someone verbally, or criticise them over strongly for small errors.

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

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

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

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

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

just another pretty face »    Someone who is attractive, but not too distinguished.

just what the doctor ordered »    Exactly what is necessary or useful in a given situation.

keel over »    To collapse in a faint; to black out; to die.

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

keep away from »    To deny access to.

keep on truckin' »    To continue or persist, regardless of circumstances or setbacks; to keep trying or striving.

keep one on one's toes »    To keep one attentive, active, busy or alert.

keep out »    To refrain from entering a place or condition.

keep out »    To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

keep out of »    To stay away from a place or condition.

keep out of »    To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

keep tabs on »    To monitor; to keep track of; to watch.

keep the wolf from the door »    To delay sexual ejaculation.

kernel of truth »    A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.

kick back »    To relax.

kick off »    To force the weaning of a bovine cow's calf by restricting the calf's access to its mother's udders. Used figuratively or literally.

kick off the team »    In sports, to dismiss an athlete from a team, usually for misconduct, poor academic performance or other offenses.

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

kick the bucket »    Of a machine, to break down such that it cannot be repaired.

kids will be kids »    You cannot expect children to act like adults.

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs »    To seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit.

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

kiss of death »    Something that may seem good and favourable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.

knacker's yard »    A place to send a person or object that is spent beyond all reasonable use.

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

knock around »    To do a relaxing activity.

knock around »    To be in an unknown place.

knock back »    To drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly or often.

knock down »    To hit or knock (something), intentionally or accidentally, so that it falls.

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

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

knock out of the box »    To cause a pitcher to be replaced by heavy hitting.

knock out of the box »    To cause something to be replaced by something else.

knock up »    To gently hit the ball back and forth before a tennis match, as practice or warm-up, and to gauge the state of the playing surface, lighting, etc. See knock-up.

know like the back of one's hand »    To be intimately knowledgeable about something, especially a place.

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

la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »    The final thing that is too much and forces a reaction; the straw that broke the camel's back.

laced-up »    Fastened with a lace.

laced-up »    Fixed in the sprockets of the projector.

laced-up »    Restrained; uptight.

lady's man »    A man who attracts women and enjoys their company.

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

lash out »    To make a fierce verbal attack.

last burst of fire »    A state of exertion where one gives one's all; expending all of one's remaining energy in a final effort to achieve one's goal.

latch onto »    To obtain, acquire or get and keep hold of something.

late bloomer »    A person who reaches puberty comparatively later than their peers.

laughing stock »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.

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

lay down »    To specify, institute, enact, assert firmly, state authoritatively, establish or formulate .

lay down »    To sacrifice, especially in the phrase "to lay down one's life.".

lay down »    To lie down; to place oneself in a reclined or horizontal position, on a bed or similar, for the purpose of resting.

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.

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

lay up »    To take out of active service.

lay up »    To go out of active service.

lead »    I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top. — Bacon.

lead »    Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.

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

leading lady »    starring actress

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

left and right »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

left field »    The part of a baseball field which is beyond the infield and to your left if you stand on home plate and face the pitcher.

left, right and center »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

legal duty »    A duty prescribed by the law, to act or forbear from acting.

let slip »    To divulge a secret, as by accident or mistake.

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

let up »    slacken

let's roll »    Used to suggest that an action should begin.

letters after one's name »    A list of abbreviations, separated by commas, representing the academic qualifications and civil or military honours achieved by a person.

level up »    To progress to the next level of player character stats and abilities. Often used in role-playing games when the character has aquired enough experience points.

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

lie back and think of England »    . "think of England" refers to the importance of children.

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

life and limb »    Existence together with bodily faculties.

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

light into »    Attack.

like father, like son »    A son will have traits similar to his father upon reaching adulthood.

like gangbusters »    Vigorously, rapidly, zealously, or forcibly; in a manner which has considerable impact.

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

like the back end of a bus »    Very unattractive.

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

lily-livered »    Cowardly, lacking bravery.

line one's pockets »    To accumulate personal wealth, especially in an illegal or morally objectionable manner.

link whoring »    The practice of going out of one's way to place links to one's website on someone else's webpage.

lion's den »    Any dangerous or frightening place.

lip service »    Empty talk; words absent of action or intention.

live by the sword, die by the sword »    One who uses violence can expect a violent response. It is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible.(figuratively) One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey poetic justice.

live up »    To fulfil the expectations placed upon.

live wire »    An especially energetic, alert, or vivacious person.

lock up »    To close all doors and windows of a place securely.

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

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

long absent, soon forgotten »    Love fades away when people are distant and don't keep close physical contact.

long arm »    A pole tool used for handling things too far away to reach.

long arm »    Influence, far-reaching power.

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

long time »    Used as part of greeting of two people who have not been in contact for a long time.

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

longpig »    Human flesh when cooked in cannabalistic rituals in certain Pacific Islands, due to the allegeded similarity to cooked pork.

look back »    To look behind oneself.

look back »    To reminisce about a past time.

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

look off »    To put off by one's facial expression.

look out for number one »    To act in one's own interests; to act in a manner advantageous primarily to oneself.

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

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

lose face »    To lose the respect of others, to be humiliated or experience public disgrace.

lose one's touch »    To lose one's special mastery of or knack for a particular skill or activity.

lose the plot »    To have one's results decline severely in quality or suddenly fall below an acceptable standard, especially when compared to past excellence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

made in China »    Cheaply manufactured in East Asia.

made in China »    Manufactured in the People's Republic of China.

made in Japan »    Cheaply manufactured in East Asia.

made in Japan »    Manufactured in Japan.

made in the shade »    In a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living, or general well-being.

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

make a monkey out of »    To cause a person, organization, or action to appear foolish or inferior; to subject someone or something to ridicule..

make a pug face »    To put on a sorry face, as a pug would look.

make a pug-face »    Putting on a sorry face, as a pug would look.

make a splash »    To do something that attracts attention.

make a virtue of necessity »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 4, sc.1.

make a virtue of necessity »    To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.

make book »    To gamble, either by placing or taking bets.

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

make it »    To reach a place.

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

make quick work of »    To accomplish a specified task easily and quickly.

make someone's day »    To make someone happy or to be a source of satisfaction.

make the grade »    To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.

make tracks »    To leave in a hurry.

make tracks »    To leave or depart; to go away.

make up one's mind »    To decide; to reach a conclusion.

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

man of parts »    A man that is talented in multiple areas of life. This includes but is not limited to the area of seduction. He puts very little emphasis on memorized scripts or "peacocking" and instead relies on individualized ways to charm a woman.

man up »    To "be a man about it"; to do the things a good man is traditionally expected to do, such as: taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; displaying bravery or toughness in the face of adversity; providing for one's family, etc.

managerial inbreeding »    Bad management, caused by managers making poor selection choices in recruitment, rewards, and promotions of the staff that report to them, leading to another generation of managers who lack the necessary skill sets to reward and promote the most effective staff.

mark time »    Marching in place; not going anywhere.

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.

matter of fact »    A fact.

matter of fact »    A more factual correction.

matter of fact »    Something completely true.

measure twice and cut once »    (literally, carpentry) One should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material.1872, "Dressmaking," Hall's Journal of Health, vol. 19, no. 12, p. 280:Look at Carpenters! . . . In old times it was a proverb "Measure twice, and cut once."(figuratively, by extension) Plan and prepare in a careful, thorough manner before taking action.2008, Hilary Johnson, "Mergers rattle bank relations," Financial Week, 9 Nov. (retrieved 9 Nov. 2008):Mr. Paz noted that since the onset of the credit crisis, eBay, like other companies, hasn

meat rack »    A place where people can meet looking for sexual partners.

meat rack »    A rack used for storing meat.

memory lane »    A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.

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

middle of nowhere »    Nowhere; any place lacking population, interesting things, or defining characteristics.

mighty oaks from little acorns grow »    Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!

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

mind you »    Used to draw attention to adjacent words.

mind-numbing »    Excessively boring, tedious, or dull; repetitive; of an activity, etc., lacking any interest or variety that might serve as intellectual stimulation.

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

miss the mark »    To fail to reach the result that was intended.

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

mixed bag »    Something tending to have both good and bad results or characteristics; something having a mixture of advantages and disadvantages.

money talks »    It is easier to accomplish goals using money instead of just talk.

monkey around »    To act foolishly.

monkey business »    An activity that is considered silly, or stupid, or time-wasting.

monkey business »    An activity that may be considered illegal, questionable, or a vice, but not felonious.

monkey on one's back »    A state of persistent distress or worry or the cause of such a state.

monkey on one's back »    An addiction, especially to narcotic drugs.

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

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.

motor mouth »    One who talks incessantly; a chatty or loquacious person.

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

mouth of a sailor »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

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

move house »    To change one's place of residence.

move on »    To leave somewhere for another place.

move out »    To vacate one's place of residence.

mover and shaker »    Someone who has power and influence in some field or activity.

movie star »    famous film actor

mum's the word »    The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged.

mutual admiration society »    A group of two or more people, in a workplace or other social environment, who routinely express considerable esteem and support for one another, sometimes to the point of exaggeration or pretense.

nail down »    To attach with nails.

near miss »    narrowly avoided accident

neck and neck »    Very close in progress, as in a race or contest.

necker's knob »    A knob attached to the steering wheel of an automobile, especially before the widespread availability of power steering, helping the driver steer with one arm and leaving the other arm free to provide romantic attention to a companion.

needle in a haystack »    Something that is difficult or impossible to locate; something impossibly complex or intractable.

nest egg »    A natural or artificial egg placed in a bird's nest, to encourage the bird to lay its own eggs there.

new school »    A style, way of thinking, or method for accomplishing a task that is typical of the current era, as opposed to former eras.

nice guy »    An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.

night person »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.

nighthawk »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.

no dice »    An unacceptable alternative.

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 ifs, ands, or buts »    Period; exactly so; without modification, limitation, or addendum.

no news is good news »    A lack of information about a situation suggests that nothing bad has happened.

no pain, no gain »    One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.

no skin off one's back »    No harm to one.

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.

no two ways about it »    No other possible action, choice or option.

noarch »    Short for "no architecture". It is a term used mainly in package management systems to mark packages which are architecture independent. Such packages usually contain graphics, documentation or similar data that can be used on any architecture.

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

nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat »    The idea/proposed action is inconsequential to the current situation.

non-starter »    Someone or something who was listed to start in a race, but did not start in the race.

nosebleed seat »    A seat high in the back of bleachers, stands, or the balcony at a theater.

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

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

not all it's cracked up to be »    Not as good as claimed; falling short of expectations.

not have a leg to stand on »    To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation.

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

not worth a dime »    Worthless, lacking in value.

notch up »    To achieve something.

nothing to sneeze at »    Not bad; decent; acceptable; worthwhile.

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.

nut-cutting time »    Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.

object lesson »    Anything used an example or lesson which serves to warn others as to the outcomes that result from a particular action or behavior, as exemplified by the fates of those who followed that course.

of an »    Indicates a more or less habitual activity during the given part of the day.

of course »    Acknowledges the validity of the associated phrase.

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

off the back foot »    From a defensive position.

off the beaten path »    In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.

off the beaten track »    In a place or places not commonly visited.

off the mark »    Inaccurate; not correct or appropriate.

oil burner »    A heating device which burns fuel oil; an oil furnace.

oil burner »    A machine that uses oil as its fuel.

old hand »    A person who is experienced at a certain activity.

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

old hat »    Something widely or long practiced, known, or accepted; something conventional.

old school »    Characteristic of a style, outlook, or method employed in a former era, remembered either as inferior to the current style, or alternately, remembered nostalgically as superior or preferable to the new style, the older denoting something that would be considered out of date or out of fashion to some, but as such, is considered by others as cool and hip.

on a full stomach »    Directly after eating, after a meal.

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

on acid »    Exaggerated, bizarre or unpredictable.

on high »    "According to those on high there is no global warming".

on one's toes »    Attentive, active, busy or alert.

on steroids »    To a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.

on the back burner »    Not immediate; inactive; receiving less than full or regular attention.

on the back foot »    In a defensive posture; off-balance.

on the ball »    Alert, active, or attentive; on top of things.

on the button »    Exactly, precisely.

on the defensive »    Prepared to defend or protect against criticism, attack or aggression.

on the dot »    Exactly; precisely, especially of a numerical quantity.

on the face of »    Notwithstanding.

on the face of it »    Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.

on the fly »    Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.

on the go »    Actively traveling; busy; moving often.

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

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

on the nose »    Exactly; precisely.

on the pill »    Using oral contraceptives.

on the right track »    Using the correct general approach to a particular task or problem; pursuing something in a promising way.

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

on the same wavelength »    In rapport or complete accord.

on the spot »    In a particular place.

on the straight and narrow »    Honest; proceeding according to rules and plans.

on the way »    Coming, approaching.

on track »    On a well-defined promotion path in an organisation, usually tenure.

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

on-the-spot »    In the right place at this very moment.

once you go black, you never go back »    An expression assuming that once a person of another race gets in a sexual relationship with a black person they won't return to their own race.

one and all »    Each one.

one another »    Used of a reciprocal relationship among a group of more than two people or things; compare each other.

one another »    each other

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

one good turn deserves another »    One act of kindness should be paid back by another act of kindness.

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

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »    A cliché used to exaggerate an accomplishment or milestone..

one step at a time »    Slowly and carefully, ensuring that each action has been completed successfully before taking the next.

one step forward, two steps back »    A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

one thousand »    Used in a common chronometric counting scheme, in which each iteration is sequentially numbered and supposed to be approximately one second in length.

one's bark is worse than one's bite »    The individual acts threatening but is relatively harmless.

one-hit wonder »    A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.

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

one-trick pony »    A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.

one-upmanship »    The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.

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.

opposites attract »    people who are completely different make ideal partners.

orphan drug »    But which is not manufactured or marketed because the demand is insufficient to cover the costs of supply.

other days, other ways »    People of the past thought and acted differently.

out of character »    Inconsistent with one's personality, disposition, or usual expected behaviour.

out of character »    Not acting; not "on"; behaving within one's natural personality rather than that of a character in a performance piece.

out of character »    Not in character; not successfully performing within the mindset of a given character in a theatrical performance. See also break character, drop character.

out of gas »    Lacking fuel.

out of gas »    Tired; lacking energy or motivation.

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 »    Amongst all those horsey people I felt quite out of place.

out of place »    Not in the proper situation or arrangement, or inappropriate for the circumstances.

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

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

out of reach »    Inaccessible or unattainable.

out of reach »    The adult magazines were out of reach of toddlers.

out of sight »    Not accessible to view.

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

out of touch »    No longer maintaining contact or communications.

out of whack »    Not in proper alignment.

out of whack »    Not in proper balance; unbalanced.

out of whack »    Not working or operating properly.

out of whack »    Wrong, broken; specifically.

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

out the door »    The exact image, a lookalike.

out the door »    Exact, correct.

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

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

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

pachyderm »    A member of the obsolete taxonomic group Pachydermata, grouping of thick-skinned, hoofed animals such as the rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephant, pig and horse.

pachyderm »    Someone who is insensitive.

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

pachyderm »    What others say about him or her.

pack away »    To store away, place out of the way, or stash, especially for the longer term.

pack away »    To eat a great deal.

pack up »    To give in.

pack up »    To clear away.

pack up »    To put back together.

pack up »    To move one's residence.

pack up »    To prepare for shipping, as a gift.

packing heat »    Carrying one or more firearms on one's person, especially in a concealed manner.

paint the town red »    To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.

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

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

pan out »    To succeed; to proceed according to plan; to result or end up.

paper »    A written document that reports scientific or academic research and is usually subjected to peer review before publication in a scientific journal or in the proceedings of a scientific or academic meeting .

paper trail »    The records left by a person or organization in the course of activities.

parade of horribles »    A rhetorical device employing a series of progressively more terrible results following from an act.

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

part and parcel »    An integral or essential piece; that which must be done or accepted as part of something else.

pass the buck »    To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.

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

pay for »    To be punished or held accountable for.

pay for it »    To suffer the consequences of one's actions.

pay one's dues »    To acquire status or to earn the right to enjoy certain benefits, especially through lengthy experience, hardship, or service to an organization.

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

pay the fiddler »    To face the consequences of one’s actions..

payback's a bitch »    Usually a complete sentence as an interjection: I am amused that someone got their revenge on you...but you certainly had it coming.

payback's a bitch »    Usually a complete sentence: I will get revenge when you least expect it.

peace and quiet »    Tranquility; freedom from stress or interruptions.

peaches and cream »    A very enjoyable experience.

peaches-and-cream »    Of facial complexion, smooth, with attractive yellow-pink coloring.

peachy keen »    Extremely good, exactly right; all right. Often used in the negative or with an ironic or sarcastic connotation to mean the opposite.

peel out »    To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.

penalty box »    That is assessed after an infraction.

pencil whip »    To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.

penny black »    old stamp

perfect storm »    A situation where a calamity is caused by the convergence and amplifying interaction of a number of factors.

pi%C3%A8ce de r%C3%A9sistance »    A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..

pick one's nose »    The act of picking one's nose, insertion of a finger or other object into one's nostril.

pick up »    To point out (a person's behaviour, habits or actions),in a critical manner.

pick up speed »    accelerate

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

pick up the tab »    To accept a charge and pay for it, especially at a bar or restaurant.

piece de resistance »    A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..

piece of ass »    A very attractive woman, when considered as a sex object.

piece of ass »    An act of intercourse, especially a one night stand.

piece of cake »    A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple to do.

piece of work »    A product or manufactured article, especially an item of art or craft.

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

pig out »    To eat voraciously or ravenously; to gorge oneself.

pile up »    To form a pile, stack, or heap.

pile up »    To collect or accumulate, as a backlog.

pile-up »    A traffic accident or collision involving multiple vehicles.

pin down »    To attach or secure with pins.

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

pinch-hit »    To bat in place of another player.

pinch-hit »    To do something in the place of another person who is not able to perform or is less skilled; to substitute or stand in for somebody.

piss up a rope »    To engage in futile or impossible activity.

pissin like a race horse »    To urinate profusely.

pissing contest »    An argument which is instigated, or exacerbated while consuming alcohol.

plan on »    To expect; to prepare future actions based on.

play along »    To take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.

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

play dumb »    To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.

play fast and loose »    To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.

play hardball »    To act rough and ruthless, especially in politics or business.

play hardball »    To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.

play it by ear »    To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.

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

play it safe »    To take a cautious, risk-free approach.

play one's cards right »    To act sensibly; to make the right moves.

play silly buggers »    To act in a stupid or reckless manner.

play the ponies »    To bet on horse racing.

play the race card »    Donald A. Carson, Love in Hard Places p.94.

play the race card »    Mark Fuhrman, Murder in Brentwood p.153.

play the race card »    To assert that race or racism is responsible for a course of events, especially when race is not of particular significance to the issue in question; to attempt to inspire a particular reaction by raising the issue of race.

play the same tape »    To repeat exactly what one previously said or did.

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

poacher turned gamekeeper »    A person who now works against the same people they once supported.

point of no return »    The point in an aircraft's flight when there is insufficient fuel to reverse direction and return to the place of origin.

point the finger »    To accuse; to direct or imply blame.

point the finger at »    To accuse or blame.

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

pot calling the kettle black »    A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.

potter »    One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.

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

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

potter's field »    A public place where strangers, paupers, and criminals are buried.

potty mouth »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

pound sand »    To engage in a futile activity.

pour oil on troubled waters »    To calm something or someone who is tenacious or misbehaving.

pour out »    To leave a place quickly, and in large numbers.

power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely »    The corrupting influence of power is total when one's power is total.Lord Acton see: Wikiquote

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

practice makes perfect »    If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.

preach to the choir »    Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.

pretzel »    A toasted bread or cracker usually in the shape of a loose knot.

pride comes before a fall »    A person who is extremely proud of his or her abilities will often suffer a setback or failure, because he or she tends to be overconfident and to make errors of judgment.

problem child »    A child who is particularly difficult to raise or educate, especially due to a lack of self-control and disruptive and antisocial behavior.

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

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

pull a face »    To make an abnormal facial expression.

pull off »    To achieve; to succeed at something difficult.

pull oneself up by one's bootstraps »    To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only on one's own effort or abilities.

pull out all the stops »    To reserve or hold back nothing.

pull somebody's leg »    To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting. It usually implies teasing or goading by jokingly lying.

pull the other leg »    In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe what another has just said.

pull the trigger »    To commit to a course of action.

pump up »    To inflate with a pumping action.

punch in »    To enter a workplace by punching a time card.

put a damper on »    To stop people from enjoying an activity.

put across »    To explain or state something clearly and understandably.

put across »    To perform a theatrical production.

put away »    To store away, place out of the way, clean up, or organize.

put back »    To return something to it's original place.

put back »    To postpone an arranged event or appointment.

put back »    To drink fast; to knock down alcohol.

put back »    To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time.

put by »    To perform an action without attracting attention.

put down »    To set down, stop carrying, or place in a low location.

put down »    To replace the telephone receiver and terminate a call. To hang up.

put down »    To place a baby somewhere to sleep.

put down roots »    To feel that one belong in a place.

put in »    To place inside.

put into practice »    To take a theory and make it a practical reality.

put on »    To place upon or atop.

put one's back into »    To make a strenuous effort to do something.

put one's foot down »    To make a car go faster, accelerate.

put oneself across »    To explain one's ideas and opinions clearly so that another person can understand them and get a picture of your personality.

put somebody in his place »    To bring somebody down; to humble or insult.

put someone down as »    To assume someone has a particular character from very little information.

put someone's back up »    To annoy someone deliberately.

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

put the cat among the pigeons »    Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way. — The Times, 19 September 1994.

put the clock back »    To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time.

put the hammer down »    To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.

put through its paces »    To test completely; to exercise the full range of abilities or functions.

put up »    To place in a high location.

put words in somebody's mouth »    To attribute to somebody something he or she did not say; to claim inaccurately that somebody said or intended something.

quick-and-dirty »    Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.

quiet down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

quieten down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

rack one's brain »    To struggle to think of or remember something.

rag the puck »    To proceed slowly at any activity in order to use up time; to stall for time.

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.

raise somebody's hackles »    Make someone angry.

rake »    A set of coupled rail vehicles, normally coaches or wagons.

rake »    The sloped edge of a roof at or adjacent to the first or last rafter.

rank and file »    Those lacking any particular title or status; those having no station.

rat race »    An activity or situation which is congested with participants and which is hectic or tedious, especially in the context of a busy, modern urban lifestyle.

reach an early grave »    To be sentenced to death before the age of 18.

reach an early grave »    To die young. To die before the age of 80.

reach an early grave »    To resign near the start for good.

reach for the stars »    To have high hopes, to be ambitious.

read somebody the riot act »    To scold or berate somebody; to reprimand.

real job »    A job that can't be replaced advantageously by a machine or a procedure.

real Macoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

rebrousser chemin »    To retrace one's steps, to turn back.

reckon for »    To answer for; to pay the account for.

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

reckon with »    To take into account.

red face test »    A hypothetical test of a person's embarrassment, that is either passed or failed. Saying one passes the red face test means one would not blush and thus would not be embarrassed by disclosing something to others or doing something, and saying one fails the red face test means a situation would cause them discernible embarrassment.

red-handed »    In the act of wrongdoing.

rediscover fire »    To relearn fundamental concepts, principles or practices that had been previously well known and widely practiced at a prior time in human society.

reinvent the wheel »    To redo work unnecessarily when it has already been done satisfactorily; to rethink an already working system, technique, etc. in a pointless attempt to improve it.

revenge is a dish best served cold »    An expression that emotional detachment is ideal when taking revenge, as one is righting the wrongs that have been done to the doer.

ride herd on »    To supervise a group of people, such as workers, and/or their actions, i.e. their work.

ride out »    To tackle a difficult problem and survive.

ride roughshod over »    To act in a bullying or inconsiderate manner; to display disregard towards someone or something.

ride tall in the saddle »    To act or conduct oneself in a manner that is imposing, impressive, resolute, or manly.

right as rain »    Correct; factually accurate.

right back »    Used in several informal constructions to indicate return -- especially imminent return to a point of origin.

right on the money »    Exact; precise; exactly right.

rim job »    Anilingus; act where one person licks the other's anus.

ring back »    To return a phone call.

ring back »    To make another phone call to the same person.

ring in »    To make a phone call to one's usual place of work.

rise from the ashes »    To make a comeback after a long hiatus. To come back into common use or practice. To come back into popularity. To come back to being a thing of today.

rise up »    To rise to the surface.

roach coach »    Whimsically, a catering or food truck.

road movie »    A film in which much of the action takes place during a journey, especially one involving overland travel.

robber baron »    In Europe, an aristocrat who charged exorbitant fees or otherwise exacted money from people who journeyed across land or waterways which he controlled.

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

roll down the windows »    To flail one's arms in a circular motion when off-balance, as to mimic the act of rolling down a car window.

root up »    To dig or pull up by the roots; to deracinate.

rose-colored glasses »    An optimistic perception of something; a positive opinion; seeing something in a positive way, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.

rules are made to be broken »    it is acceptable to break rules.

rules OK »    To be popularly accepted, or supported by the general majority of people.

run across »    To cross by running.

run across »    To find or discover by chance.

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 back »    To take someone home by car. Give someone a lift to their house.

run back »    To rewind a film or cassette.

run down »    To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device.

run for one's money »    A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation.

run for the roses »    Nickname for the Kentucky Derby horse race.

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

run into »    To reach a large figure.

run over »    To practice quickly, briefly.

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

run through »    To use completely, in a short space of time. Usually money.

run through »    To pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a group, organisation, or system.

run to »    To reach a particular maximum amount, size, value, etc.

run to »    To reach the limit of one's abilities or tastes.

run up »    To accumulate a debt.

runner up »    second-placed competitor

running on empty »    Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.

rush hour »    The times of the day when traffic jams are commonplace, due mainly to people commuting to or from work.

sack out »    To fall asleep, usually from implied exhaustion.

sacked out »    Sound asleep, usually from a healthy exhaustion.

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

said and done »    Agreed to and accomplished or finished.

save face »    To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.

save someone's bacon »    To save someone's life.

say grace »    To recite a prayer of invocation or thanksgiving at meal time.

scissorbill »    The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.

scrape off »    To remove something by a scraping action.

scratch the surface »    To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.

screw back »    To cue the cue ball in such a way as to impart backspin. On impact, the ball will follow a reverse trajectory according to the spin.

scrounge up »    To seek or find despite a lack of apparent resources or availability.

seagull approach »    The occurence of casual, ill-informed and hasty decisions or comments made by outside authorities who lack an understanding of the local issues or a real understanding of the facts of a particular situ.

seagull manager »    A manager who comes into the workplace or office only on occasion, especially when a problem arises or to criticize or critique employees.

second banana »    A person who serves in a supporting, secondary, or subsidiary capacity; an assistant.

second childhood »    The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.

second nature »    A mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.

seeing is believing »    You need to see something to believe it; visible facts cannot be denied.

seize the day »    To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.

sell »    To pretend that an opponent's blows or maneuvers are causing legitimate injury; to act.

sell ice to Eskimos »    To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

send away »    To send to a particular place for a long time, as a family member, an employee, etc.

send somebody packing »    To expel or eject somebody; to chase off or force out.

send to Coventry »    To ostracize, or systematically ignore someone.

sent to Coventry »    Ostracised, ignored.

serpentine »    Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of snakes.

set back »    To cost money, as.

set back »    To delay or obstruct.

set back »    To remove from or allow distance.

set down »    Simple sum of parts set + down, to place, especially on the ground or a surface; to cease carrying.

set foot »    To go to a place , or to be there.

set in one's ways »    Driven by habit; inclined or determined to continue according to one's custom or established preferences.

set the Thames on fire »    To achieve something amazing; to do something which brings great public acclaim.

set up shop »    To physically arrange a shop or workplace.

settle for »    To accept or allow something, especially something not entirely desirable.

settle in »    To get comfortable or established, as in a new place.

sex machine »    Any machine that is used for sexual pleasure.

sex machine »    Someone with considerable sexual prowess.

sex up »    To make more palatable or acceptable to the general public; to improve the image or perception.

sex up »    To make more sexually attractive.

sex up »    To take part in sexual acts with.

sexual tension »    Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.

shack up »    To live together, especially of an unmarried couple.

shacked up »    Simple past tense and past participle of shack up.

shape up or ship out »    To either improve one's behavior or else be required to leave; to either improve one's performance in an activity or else withdraw from that activity completely.

sharp as a tack »    Very intelligent.

sharp tongue »    The practice or characteristic of speaking to others in a harsh, critical, or insulting manner.

shell out »    To use a program's "shell escape" function to execute an unrelated command or to invoke a subsidiary, interactive shell.

shift gears »    To change pace or mode of operation.

shit a brick »    To react strongly or excessively, especially in anger or fear.

shit or get off the pot »    To choose between taking action now, or foregoing the opportunity until a later date.

shit-eating grin »    A broad smile indicating self-awareness that may suggest self-satisfaction, smugness, discomfort, or embarrassment.

shitstorm »    Considerable backlash from the public.

shoot first and ask questions later »    To act boldly.

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

shoot oneself in the foot »    To act against one's own interests, e.g., by saying what one is really thinking.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.

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

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

short on looks »    Plain, unattractive.

shotgun »    A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.

shotgun approach »    An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.

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

showstopper »    A performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive reaction strong enough to pause the production.

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

shroud »    A covered place used as a retreat or shelter, as a cave or den; also, a vault or crypt.

shuffle »    The act of shuffling cards.

shuffle »    To get lost in the shuffle: to lack attention when you deserve it.

shut one's face »    To stop talking; to be quiet.

shy bairns get nowt »    If you're too shy, or don't ask, you will not get what you want.A' forgot te ask hor for me money back!Wye, shy bairns get nowt

sigh of relief »    A reassurance or support, something that reduces stress from an arduous activity.

sign in »    To take some action to access a secured program or web page on a computer; to log in.

silence is golden »    Peace and quiet have immense value.Often the best choice is to say nothing.

silver bullet »    Any straightforward solution perceived to have great effectiveness or bring miraculous results.

since when »    Used to indicate doubt as to the veracity of a statement.

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

sit back »    To relax, to not exert oneself.

sit in for »    To substitute; to take somebody's place.

sit out »    To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.

sit still »    To accept, tolerate, or acquiesce.

skin and bones »    Said of one who is emaciated; very skinny, as from lack of nutrition.

slam dunk »    Tacking on top of the wind of the following yacht in close quarters.

slip through the cracks »    To escape notice or lack sufficient attention.

slippery as an eel »    So crafty, or cunning that they cannot be caught by the police, although it is known that they are acting illegally.

smack of »    To seem like; to appear or give an impression or feeling of; to arouse suspicion of.

smell the barn »    To experience heightened anticipation or to act with renewed speed or energy as one approaches a destination, goal, or other desired outcome, like a livestock animal at day's end returning to its barn.

smoke like a chimney »    To smoke tobacco frequently.

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

snail's pace »    A very slow pace.

snake in the grass »    A treacherous person.

snake oil »    A fraudulent, ineffective potion or nostrum; panacea.

snappy comeback »    A prompt, clever retort.

snazz up »    To improve appearance or appeal by increasing stylishness or functionality, or by adding other attractive features.

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

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 quiet one can hear a pin drop »    Said during a lull in a normally bustling place or scene, or as the result of a sudden dramatic or tense moment.

so-and-so »    A name used to take the place of an epithet.

so-and-so »    A placeholder name, used when a name is not known; a generic name.

soapbox »    A crate for packing soap, or, by extension, any inexpensive crude platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it, especially when used for speeches.

soft sawder »    "If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!" —Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" — first usage.

soft shoe »    A speech, explanation, sales pitch, or other set of remarks delivered in a restrained or conciliatory manner in order to persuade, distract, or otherwise influence someone.

soft touch »    A person or group which is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one which loans or readily gives money to another.

some people »    Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.

sort out »    To attack physically.

sow the wind, reap the whirlwind »    Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to him.

space out »    To stupefy, intoxicate, disorient, or lose attention or focus, especially by the use of drugs.

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

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

spare tire »    An extra wheel or tire carried as a replacement in case of a flat.

spare tire »    Excess weight or fat accumulated near the waist.

spare tyre »    A large stomach and rolls of fat around the waist.

special needs »    Needs for special care, services or accommodations.

spectator sport »    A sporting activity which has a relatively high ratio of watchers to direct participants.

spectator sport »    An activity which consists of watching or observing.

spectator sport »    Something, especially a process or activity, which is a popular object of observation; an activity which a person prefers to watch rather than to participate in.

speed up »    To accelerate, to increase speed.

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

spill over »    To enter into another zone by way of accident or overcrowding; to overflow.

splice the mainbrace »    To have a drink.

spot on »    Exact or correct.

spread out »    To place items further apart.

spur of the moment »    Impluse; short notice; a lack of planning.

square one »    The place where one begins; a lack of progress.

square up »    To pay back money that is owed.

squirrel away »    To stash or hide; to hoard, collect, save, or accumulate; to create a reserve, stash, or hoard of some supply, so as to recall a squirrel's burying of nuts.

stab in the back »    An act of betrayal or treachery.

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

stand back »    To maintain a safe distance from a hazard.

stand back »    To abstain from participation.

stand back »    To stand a long way behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a fast bowler.

stand by »    To do nothing. To be inactive in a situation.

stand corrected »    Said to acknowledge someone who corrects something that one says or writes that was not correct.

stand in for »    To replace; to act as a double or substitute for.

stand off »    To prevent any would-be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture.

stand one's ground »    To maintain or stick by an opinion or position; to remain resolute in the face of opposition.

standard fare »    Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.

stare someone in the face »    To be extremely visible and obvious.

stat whore »    Through unscrupulous or tacky means.

stay put »    To remain in one fixed place.

steal somebody's thunder »    To detract from somebody's accomplishments or glory; to undermine.

step in front of a moving train »    To sacrifice one's own life for a noble and loyal cause.

step on a rake »    To step on the tines of a garden rake, causing the handle of the rake to rise from the ground rapidly, invariably striking the person walking in the face.

step on it »    To act quickly.

step on it »    To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.

step out »    To exit a place on foot, often for a short time.

step up »    accelerate

step up to the plate »    To initiate action; to assume a responsibility.

stew in one's juices »    To be alone and self-absorbed in an uncomfortable state of mind, especially while experiencing the unpleasant effects of one's own actions.

stick in the mud »    A person unwilling to participate in activities, often because he or she believes the activity is not wholly kosher; a party pooper.

stick it to the man »    To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government.

sticking point »    The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking-place.

sticking-place »    The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking point.

still water runs deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect

still waters run deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect.

stir-crazy »    By extension, restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity.

stone cold »    Very cold; lacking any semblance of warmth.

stop someone in his tracks »    To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.

straight face »    A face that is expressionless, especially not laughing.

strike while the iron is hot »    To act on an opportunity promptly; to avoid waiting.

strip away »    To ignore a factor which obscures the reality.

stumbing-block »    A hindrance, obstacle or impediment.

stumble across »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble across »    To meet somebody by chance.

stumble on »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble upon »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumbling block »    A hindrance, obstacle or impediment.

stupid is as stupid does »    A person's intelligence may be judged by the wisdom of his or her actions.

success has many fathers, failure is an orphan »    Many will seek credit for success, few will accept responsibility for failure.

such-and-such »    A placeholder or generic thing.

suck face »    To kiss, especially deeply and for a prolonged time.

suck off »    To fellate a man until he ejaculates.

sugarcoated »    Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.

swan song »    A final performance or accomplishment, especially one before retirement.

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

sweetheart deal »    A transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.

swing for the fences »    To act in a way that might generate a very good result, but which also has a large chance of failing.

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

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

tag team »    Two or more people or groups acting alternately to accomplish some task.

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

take a back seat »    To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.

take a bite »    To eat a quick, light snack.

take a bow »    To accept applause at the end of a performance in a theatre. Often this includes actually bowing to the audience.

take a crack at »    To attempt or try.

take a joke »    To accept a joke at one's expense.

take a leaf out of someone's book »    To adopt an idea or practice of another person.

take aback »    To surprise or shock; to discomfit.

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

take away »    To remove something and put it in a different place.

take away »    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.

take away »    To subtract or diminish something.

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

take back »    To retract an earlier statement.

take back »    To cause to remember some past event or time.

take back »    To resume a relationship.

take back »    To regain possession of something.

take back »    To return something.

take down »    To remove something from a wall or similar vertical surface to which it is fixed.

take effect »    To become active; to become effective.

take five »    To take a five-minute break from some activity, take a short break from some activity.

take into account »    Or pay attention to; to notice.

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

take kindly »    To accept or condone.

take on »    To acquire, bring in, or introduce.

take one's time »    To take more time to do something than is considered acceptable.

take out the trash »    To forcefully remove people from a place.

take out the trash »    To remove rubbish from a place.

take sitting down »    To tolerate, accept, or acquiesce; to take no action.

take something in one's stride »    Not to allow oneself to be set back, daunted, upset or embarrassed by unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.

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

take the lead »    To become the leader, to advance into first place.

take the liberty »    To act on one's own authority.

take the offensive »    To attack instead of defending; to be bold and proactive.

take the rap »    To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the actions of another.

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

take to »    To begin, as a new habit or practice.

take to task »    To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.

take up »    That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.

take up the gauntlet »    To accept a challenge.

talk back »    To reply impertinently; to answer in a cheeky manner.

talk is cheap »    It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.

talk out one's ass »    To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

talk up »    In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.

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

tart up »    To modify or repackage a product, service, or idea to make it more attractive or easier to sell.

task force »    A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.

teacher's pet »    A student who is perceived to be favored by the teacher.

teacher's pet »    favourite pupil

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

telling off »    A reprimand, reproach, or lecture.

tempus fugit »    time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.

ten a penny »    So common as to be practically worthless.

that does it »    Expression of annoyance or frustration; indicates that one has reached the limit of one's patience or temper.

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

that's the way life is »    That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.

that's what's up »    Used to express acquiescence or concurrence.

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree »    A child grows up to be very similar to its parents in the way they act and in their physical abilities.

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

the bigger they are, the harder they fall »    The larger something is, the more disastrous and spectacular its downfall

the calm before the storm »    A period of peace before a disturbance or crisis; an unnatural or false calm before a storm.

the end justifies the means »    Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.

the 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 nose knows »    Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.

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

the sky is the limit »    Nothing is impossible or out of reach

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »    (proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.

the straw that broke the camel's back »    A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.

the terrorists will have won »    Phrase used following a description of an activity to indicate that if that activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, an which is an unacceptable result.

the way to a man's heart is through his stomach »    Cooking for a man is a good way to win his affections.

the whole shooting match »    Everything; the entire collection, endeavor, or activity.

the world is one's oyster »    In order to achieve something in this world, one has to grab the opportunity.

them's the facts »    That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.

there and back »    One or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.

there but for the grace of God go I »    A recognition that others' misfortune could be one's own, if it weren't for the blessing/kindness/luck bestowed by fate or the Divine.Man's fate is in God's hands.More generally, our fate is not entirely in our own hands.

there may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnace »    Even if a person is in his or her senior years, with gray hair, he or she can still have ambition and energy, especially sexual energy.

there's no accounting for taste »    When it comes to subjective matters of taste, people have wildly different opinions.Disagreements about matters of taste can't be objectively resolved.

there's no place like home »    one feels the most comfortable at home

there's no time like the present »    Now (i.e., the present time) is an appropriate time to take a particular action.

thieve out »    To walk out of a place stealthily.

thin end of the wedge »    Something that if allowed or accepted to a small degree would lead to systematic encroachment.

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 through »    To fully consider an action, and understand all its consequences.

third degree »    Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession.

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

throw a spanner in the works »    To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.

throw away »    To place a son or daughter for adoption.

throw dirt enough, and some will stick »    If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say

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

throw down »    To accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to "represent".

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

throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn

throw off »    To introduce errors or inaccuracies; to skew.

throw one's cap over the windmill »    To act in a crazed manner.

throw one's hat in the ring »    To announce one's candidacy in a contest.

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 somebody a curve »    To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

throw to the wolves »    To sacrifice someone, especially in an attempt to save oneself.

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

thumb one's nose »    To act disrespectfully, especially by flouting the object of disrespect.

thumb one's nose »    To place a thumb upon the tip of the nose, usually while simultaneous wiggling one's fingers, in a gesture of disrespect.

thus and so »    A generic thing; a placeholder name.

thus and such »    A placeholder or generic name for something.

tie someone's hands »    To render one powerless to act, to thwart someone.

tie up loose ends »    To deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.

tiger team »    An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.

tight lipped »    taciturn

tilt at windmills »    To attack imaginary enemies.

tilt at windmills »    To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

time and material »    A form of contractual compensation involving payment for materials used and at agreed rates for the those involved in performing the services.

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

time out »    To call for a suspension of activity or conversation.

timing is everything »    Consideration of other events can greatly influence some desired outcome (such as an audience laughing to a comedian's joke).Telling the old joke about a butt-crack was not a good idea, just as the plumber arrived, Bob.You know what they say: "timing is everything." I'm sure we can find another plumber before the house floods.

tip of the hat »    A gesture of acknowledgement; often, an expression of gratitude.

tip one's hand »    In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand.

tip one's hat »    To acknowledge or show respect; to honor.

tit for tat »    Equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.

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

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

to beat the band »    Very vigorously; at a frantic pace; to a high degree; in large quantities.

to each his own »    Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.

to go »    Served in a package or takeout container so as to be taken away from a restaurant rather than eaten on the premises.

to hand »    accessible

to the letter »    Literally, exactly, to follow the rules as they're written.

to the moon »    To a very distant or unreachable place.

today we are all »    March 11, 2004: Denis MacShane, Guardian Unlimited.

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

too big for one's britches »    Disturbingly confident, unacceptably cocky.

too hot to hold »    A place that has too much police activity to harbor a fugitive unnoticed.

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

touch of the tar brush »    Of South Asian or Afro-Caribbean in their background and/or in their appearance.

touch%C3%A9 »    An acknowledgement of a hit.

touch%C3%A9 »    An acknowledgement of the success, appropriateness or superiority of an argument, sometimes used sarcastically to mock one's opponent's absurd logic.

touchy-feely »    Having a fondness for physical contact with other people, especially to an excessive degree.

tough nut to crack »    A difficult or sticky problem.

track down »    To hunt for or locate; to search for; to find.

track record »    An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

travel iron »    holiday accessory

trench mouth »    Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.

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

trigger-happy »    Inclined to react excessively or violently at the slightest provocation.

turf war »    A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.

turn around »    An upset; a suprising comeback.

turn away »    To rotate the body or head so as not to face someone or something.

turn back »    To reverse one's direction and retrace one's steps.

turn back »    To backtrack.

turn back »    To fold something back; to fold down.

turn back »    No turn a dial anticlockwise or adjust a clock or other meter to an earlier time or reading.

turn back »    To refuse to allow someone to pass a border or enter a place.

turn loose »    To roam freely or to act freely.

turn on »    To attract, give pleasure, or encourage.

turn one's back »    To forsake, to abandon; to ignore.

turn over »    To relinquish; give back.

turn the other cheek »    To accept a punishment or an injury and not act out revenge or retaliate.

turn the page »    To move on to new involvements or activities; to make a fresh start.

turn-on »    Something that attracts, gives pleasure, or encourages, especially sexually.

twatfaced »    F**ed, pissed, drunk as a skunk.

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

twiddle one's thumbs »    To wait or dawdle; to accomplish nothing useful or lack a useful occupation.

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

two can play that game »    The tactics and/or strategies of an enemy can be used against him.

two cents »    A nearly worthless amount, alluding to placing a copper penny on each of the eyelids of a pauper's or slave's body before burial.

two for two »    In baseball, meeting two out of two attempts at-bat. Specifically, it means the batter has reached base safely two out of two times.

two wrongs don't make a right »    (ethics) A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.1915, William MacLeod Raine, The Highgrader, ch. 15:"But when it comes to taking what belongs to another

two wrongs make a right »    A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another

two-fisted drinker »    Either someone who can handle their liquor well, or an alcoholic clutching a drink in each hand.

under fire »    Subjected to enemy attack.

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

under the gun »    The first player to act on the first round of betting in Texas hold 'em.

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

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

under the wire »    Across the finish line.

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

underwater basket weaving »    "Sure, somewhere out there, college slackers were taking broom ball and underwater basket weaving." — The Columbus Dispatch, September 15, 2005.

untar »    To extract a tar archive.

until one is blue in the face »    Forever; for a hopelessly long time.

up against »    Facing; challenging, or opposing.

up against »    In contact with, abutting.

up to scratch »    Sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality.

up to snuff »    Adequate; of acceptable or quality; satisfying an appropriate standard.

up-and-coming »    Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.

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

ups and downs »    Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.

urban fabric »    The physical aspect of urbanism, emphasizing building types, thoroughfares, open space, frontages, and streetscapes; while excluding without prejudice to this useful term, environmental, functional, economic and sociocultural aspects.

used to »    Accustomed to; in the habit of.

valley of death »    Death; or a place or period where death is impending.

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.

verge on »    To approach or come close to something; to border or be on the edge of something.

virgin territory »    By extension, ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.

vote out »    To expel the holder of an office or other position through an act of voting.

vote with one's feet »    To show a lack of support for something by departing or otherwise absenting oneself.

wack out »    To become deranged.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To defer action or decision until another matter is finished or resolved.

wake up and smell the coffee »    To face reality and stop deluding oneself.

walk a tightrope »    To undertake a precarious course of action.

walk it off »    To walk or pace in order to relieve a pain or cramp.

walk the line »    To behave in an authorized or socially accepted manner, especially as prescribed by law or morality; to exercise self-control.

walk the walk »    Act competently, like an expert.

war bride »    A woman who marries a man who is on active duty military in wartime.

warm up »    To prepare for executing an already-learned activity by a limited amount of additional practice.

warts and all »    Of or pertaining to a description or other depiction which reveals the full range of characteristics of a person or thing, including the shortcomings and imperfections.

wash out »    To lose traction while going around a turn, especially in cycling, motorsports and skiing/snowboarding.

wash up »    To wash one's hands and/or face, often around mealtimes.

washed out »    To be very tired and lacking energy.

watch this space »    An indication that a development will follow.

water under the bridge »    Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.

way back when »    A time in the distant past.

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

weigh down »    To act as a ballast for.

well ain't that the catfish in the trap »    A sentence commonly spoken in the Southern United States. It can often be used in place of "well, I'll be damned". Used to express surprise.

wet blanket »    A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

wet boy »    A contractor assassin or hit man.

whack-a-mole »    The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

what goes around comes around »    The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle.A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person.

what it says on the tin »    Exactly what is described or what one would expect from the name.

what of it »    So what? Who cares? Expresses disinterest, disregard or lack of concern.

what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander »    If something is acceptable for one person, it is acceptable for another.

whatever it takes »    Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.

when he's at home »    In reality; in fact; when it comes down to it.

when push comes to shove »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is critical or urgent; when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult.

when the going gets tough, the tough get going »    in difficult times, it is the strong-willed who take action.

when, as, and if »    Used to indicate the timing and contingency of some obligation in contracts, especially financial.

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

white coat hypertension »    Elevated blood pressure measured by a medical practitioner and deemed to result from the patient's emotional response to the medical environment.

white goods »    fridges, washing machines, etc

white hat »    A white hat hacker.

white hole »    A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.

wide of the mark »    Inaccurate.

wind back »    To wind a tape, cassette, or film, etc towards the beginning; to rewind.

wind back the clock »    Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.

wine tosser »    A person who talks a great deal about wine but actually knows very little.

winkle out »    To acquire something or someone with difficulty.

winter rat »    An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.

wishful thinking »    The illusion that what one would like is actually true.

with open arms »    With enthusiasm, as if embracing.

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

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

wolf in sheep's clothing »    Something harmful or problematic disguised as something peaceful or pleasant.

woo back »    To gain somebody back by wooing him or her.

work like a charm »    works great - exactly as expected

work out »    To extract gradually.

work over »    To physically attack someone to cause them injury.

work spouse »    A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.

work the room »    To interact enthusiastically with the attendees at an event, by moving among them, greeting them, and engaging them in conversation.

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.

wrap around one's fingers »    To make one susceptible to desire, in that their behavior or actions are influenced.

write one's own ticket »    To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.

written all over someone's face »    Very obvious, from someone's facial expression.

wrong side of the tracks »    . May refer to area where the working class, poor or extremely poor live.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

year dot »    A very long time ago, from the beginning or as far back as one can remember.

yellow journalism »    Material published in a broadcast or periodical, such as a tabloid newspaper or magazine, which is sensationalistic and of questionable accuracy and taste.

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 teach an old dog new tricks »    It is impossible, or almost impossible, to change people's habits or traits or mindset.

you don't dip your pen in company ink »    One should avoid romantic relationships in the workplace.

you get what you pay for »    In commercial transactions, the quality of goods and services increases as the prices increase, i.e., the more one pays, the better the merchandise.2003, Michael Blumenthal, "For Whom the School Bell Tolls," Time, 7 Dec.:Though it may sound unapologetically capitalistic to say so

you make the bed you lie in »    A person's circumstances are normally the result of his or her own actions.

you never know what you've got till it's gone »    Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.

you pays your money and you takes your choice »    Each person should make their own decisions.

you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours »    If you do me a favor then I will do you a favor; quid pro quo.

you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

zip up »    To convert a computer file into a smaller package.

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