a good man is hard to find »
Men who make good husbands or workers are rare.
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a leopard cannot change its spots »
One cannot change one's own nature.1597, William Shakespeare, Richard II Act i, Scene 1 (First Folio):King. Lyons make Leopards tame.Mowbray. Yea but not change his ?pots.1611, King James Version of the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23:Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe Chapter 32:End now all unkindness. Let us put the Jew to ransom, since the leopard will not change his spots, and a Jew he will continue to be.1918, Johnston McCulley, Thubway Tham's Inthane Moment:The leopard cannot change his spots, old boy.
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a man is known by the company he keeps »
People are similar in character to their friends.
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a picture is worth a thousand words »
Alternative form of a picture paints a thousand words.
|
a picture paints a thousand words »
A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description.1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album:If a picture paints a thousand wordsThen why can't I paint you;The words will never showThe you I've come to know.1989, Alan Kay, quoted in K?o-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, ISBN 9971506645, p. 9:Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, ISBN 1904788734, p. 52:See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!
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actions speak louder than words »
It is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.
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Adds up »
To enhance. " Law of attraction adds up to the success in life."
|
against all odds »
Despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability.
|
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 roads lead to Rome »
different paths can take one to the same goal
|
all's well that ends well »
Problems do not matter if things turn out well in the end.
|
an apple a day »
Healthy eating and living using traditional temperate-zone fresh foods.
|
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.
|
asphalt jungle »
A city or urban area, where the landscape is covered by pavement and the environment is alienating and unsafe.
|
at a loss for words »
Having nothing to say; stunned to the point of speechlessness.
|
at loggerheads »
Unable to agree; opposing.
|
at loose ends »
In an uncertain position or situation.
|
at odds »
In disagreement; conflicting.
|
at odds »
on bad terms
|
babe in the woods »
A person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless.
|
back into »
To back up or walk backwards and hit something.
|
back off »
To move backwards away from something.
|
back up »
To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so.
|
back up »
To move a vehicle backwards.
|
back-assward »
Alternative form of bass-ackwards.
|
back-asswards »
Alternative form of bass-ackwards.
|
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.
|
backassward »
Alternative form of bass-ackwards.
|
backasswards »
Alternative form of bass-ackwards.
|
ballpark figure »
An educated guess or estimation within acceptable bounds.
|
bang up cove »
A dashing fellow who spends his money freely.
|
barrel »
A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.
|
barrel »
The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies for different articles and also in different places for the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A barrel of wine is 31 1/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196 pounds; of beer 31 gallons; of ale 32 gallons; of crude oil 42 gallons.
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barrel of laughs »
A toy in the shape of a barrel that emits sounds of laughter.
|
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.
|
battle cry »
By extension, a strong motto or purpose statement, especially in regards to winning a goal in sports, games or work.
|
bawdy basket »
The twenty-third rank of canters, who carry pins, tape, ballads, and obscene books to sell, but live mostly by stealing.
|
be of two minds »
To be undecided or unsure; to equivocate; to have multiple opinions.
|
bear up »
To endure hardship cheerfully.
|
beauty is in the eye of the beholder »
Individuals have different inclinations on what is beautiful. Individuals have different beauty standards.
|
bend over backwards »
To make a great effort; to take extraordinary care; to go to great lengths.
|
best of both worlds »
A combination of two seemingly contradictory benefits.
|
best regards »
Used as a polite closing of a letter.
|
better safe than sorry »
It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to suffer afterwards.
|
beyond the pale »
Describing behaviour that is considered to be outside the bounds of morality, good behaviour or judgement in civilised company.
|
bill of goods »
A collection of items purchased or offered for sale.
|
bill of goods »
A set of misleading or deceptive claims; misinformation.
|
birds and bees »
Informal sex education, especially describing the sexual activity of animals rather than that of people.
|
birds of a feather »
C1710, Jonathan Swift, "A Conference," lines 11-12.
|
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.
|
birds of the feather flock together »
People who are alike physically tend to congregate and socialize together, despite government efforts at forced integration.
|
bite the hand that feeds you »
To cause harm to a benefactor.
|
blanket term »
A word or phrase that is used to describe multiple groups of related things. The degree of relation may vary. Blanket terms often trade specificity for ease-of-use; in other words, a blanket term by itself gives little detail about the things that it describes or the relationships between them, but is easy to say and remember. Blanket terms often originate as slang, and eventually become integrated into the general vocabulary.
|
bleep out »
To censor inappropriate spoken words by obscuring them with the sound of a bleep.
|
blood is thicker than water »
Family relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.1866, Anthony Trollope, The Belton Estate, ch. 30,Blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?circa 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, The Scotch Twins, ch. 5,The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!
|
blow a kiss »
To kiss one's hand, then blow on the hand in a direction towards the recipient.
|
blue moon »
The moon tinted towards blue as it appears in the sky, caused by dust or smoke in the atmosphere.
|
board up »
To block doors or windows with boards, either to prevent access or as protection from storms, etc.
|
boil down »
As an allusion to the cooking technique of reducing liquids by heat, one boils down a problem, argument, etc. to its most central elements.
|
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.
|
breakfast of champions »
An ironic appellation for beer, junk food, or other foods implied to be unhealthy.
|
bridge »
A valence bond, atom or chain of atoms that connects two different parts of a molecule; the atoms so connected being bridgeheads.
|
bring owls to Athens »
Who brings owls to Athens? — Euelpides, in Aristophanes' Birds.
|
bros before hoes »
(US, informal) A man should prioritize his male friends over his girlfriend or wife.
|
bum rap »
A false accusation, or an injustice, especially one that leads to imprisonment.
|
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 rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
bush telegraph »
A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds, word-of-mouth relay, or smoke signals.
|
busted flush »
Anything which ends up worthless despite great potential.
|
butt heads »
To argue uncompromisingly with someone.
|
by leaps and bounds »
Rapidly. Said of making progress.
|
by virtue of »
Because of; on the grounds of; by reason of; due to; based on.
|
calls for »
Requires; needs to
|
carrot and stick »
Simultaneous rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior.
|
change hands »
To become the property of someone else; to be bought or sold.
|
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.
|
charity mugger »
A person employed by a charity, or by an intermediary fundraising agency employed by the charity, who stands in the street and invites passersby to set up standing orders or direct debits to make regular donations to the charity.
|
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.
|
cold comfort »
Much less reassurance, consolation, aid, or pleasure than one needs or desires.
|
cold hands, warm heart »
Implies inner beauty; a caring person; warm-hearted
|
Cold hands, warm heart; Dirty feet, no sweetheart! »
A few old timer's "fun" way to compliment a lady & to find out if she could be courted.
|
come hell or high water »
Regardless of the hardships.
|
come short »
Fail to meet (expectations or standards)
|
come up »
To come towards, to approach.
|
crowned heads »
monarchs
|
cry out for »
To say that a situation needs a thing, or a solution urgently.
|
cue up »
The act of taking aim on the cue ball with the cue in a game of snooker, or billiards, etc.
|
cut somebody some slack »
To be patient or lenient with somebody; to relax standards or expectations.
|
deadstick landing »
When a pilot lands a plane after the engine has died; a landing lacking any propulsion control.
|
deathblow »
A strike or blow that leads to death, especially a coup de grace.
|
deathblow »
Something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc.
|
debris field »
Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.
|
deliver the goods »
To keep one's promises.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
...grasp the demands and exactions of business life. He learns that the main thing to do is to "deliver the message to Garcia"....
|
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.
|
diamonds are a girl's best friend »
A statement that suggests, while love is a luxury, material wealth (particularly jewellery) is more valuable in the long run.
|
dishpan hands »
Hands which are rough, reddish, and dry, as from irritation and chafing caused by immersion in hot water mixed with detergent.
|
do the hard yards »
To perform a difficult task or tasks.
|
does a bear shit in the woods »
Rhetorical question in response to a question where the answer is an emphatic yes.
|
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.
|
dormitive principle »
Words.
|
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 move backwards.
|
draw out »
To improve a losing hand to a winning hand by receiving additional cards.
|
eat one's own dog food »
To use or consume the economic goods or services that oneself is producing; to be part of a closed household economy.
|
eat one's words »
To regret or retract what one has said.
|
eat out of somebody's hand »
To behave in a docile, submissive way towards somebody.
|
even Homer nods »
Not even the most vigilant and expert are immune from erring.
|
even Jove nods »
Alternative form of even Homer nods.
|
even money »
A bet which offers odds of 1 to 1.
|
every king needs a queen »
Every man needs a woman to be with for the rest of his life.
|
every little helps »
Even the smallest things are helpful when towards a goal.
|
fall in »
To collapse inwards.
|
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.
|
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.
|
field day »
Top-to-bottom all-hands cleaning.
|
finders keepers »
The doctrine that whoever finds something is allowed to keep it
|
fine feathers make fine birds »
Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.
|
fine words butter no parsnips »
Talking about doing something does not get it done.
|
flat out »
Bluntly, no holds barred.
|
for the birds »
Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.
|
fork over »
Hundreds of spectators forked over the 70 bucks for tickets.
|
friend with benefits »
A friendship with no reserves when it comes to the release of shared sexual tension thus leading to sexual fraternization.
|
from my cold, dead hands »
A statement that something will not be taken away from you until the day you die.
|
full English »
A cooked breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs, and other foods.
|
full of shit »
Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.
|
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"
|
get one's hands on »
To get; to obtain; to secure.
|
get stuck in »
To dedicate a large amount of effort towards.
|
give as good as one gets »
To behave toward others in a manner resembling or commensurate with their behavior towards oneself, especially in a situation where one is insulted or otherwise ill-treated.
|
give hostage to fortune »
He was very cautious with his words and gave no hostages to fortune.
|
go back on »
To be treacherous or faithless to; betray; as, to go back on friends.
|
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 the distance »
To participate in a boxing match for its maximum number of rounds.
|
go to seed »
To pass from flowering or ripening to the formation of seeds.
|
golden handshake »
A generous severance payment, especially as an inducement to leave employment.
|
good old boy »
A male friend or chum, especially a schoolmate; a man with an established network of friends who assist one another in social and business situations; a decent, dependable fellow.
|
goon squad »
A group of individuals serving as enforcers, bodyguards, and the like, especially persons hired for such a purpose and using violent, thuggish methods.
|
great minds think alike »
Used to emphasize a coincidence, or two people reaching the same conclusion in any manner at the same time.
|
grind to a halt »
Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.
|
ground rules »
The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.
|
hammer home »
Until or so that a person or group of people understands it.
|
hand in hand »
Holding or clasping hands.
|
hands down »
Without much effort; easily.
|
hands down »
Without question[2].
|
hang out with »
To spend time with friends, doing nothing in particular.
|
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 hands full »
To be busy or thoroughly preoccupied.
|
have one's head in the clouds »
To daydream; to think about matters other than the present reality.
|
have one's head in the clouds »
To have fantastic or impractical dreams; to think impractically.
|
head for »
go towards
|
head scratcher »
July 2002, Fox News - Attorney: Williams' Kids Near Compromise About Father's Remains.
|
heads or tails »
A game to bet upon a which side of a coin lays face up after it is thrown.
|
heads up »
Used as an informal warning, caution, or call for attention; pay attention!.
|
heads will roll »
Some people will be fired for incompetence.
|
heads-up »
A warning or call to pay attention; an advisory notice.
|
hear on the grapevine »
To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.
|
hear through the grapevine »
To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.
|
hike up »
To lift; to tug or pull upwards.
|
hindsight is 20/20 »
(idiomatic) In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time of the choice.
|
historical figure »
A fictional or fabricated person who was was given historical importance in legends and myth.
|
hit one out of the ballpark »
To hit a fair ball so well that the ball flies over all of the spectators' seats and lands outside the stadium.
|
hit the rock »
To make a gesture to show celebration, friendship, or to be part of a secret handshake by one person raising their fist so the fist is pointing at the person and the other person lightly punches the fist.
|
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.
|
home run »
The portion of a journey that ends at home.
|
hot button »
The principal desire that a salesman needs to "hit" in order to make a sale.
|
house of cards »
A structure made by laying cards perpendicularly on top of each other.
|
house of cards »
A structure or argument built on a shaky foundation.
|
household name »
A brand name that is well known to the great majority of households.
|
if it's all the same »
If it makes no difference; if nobody minds; if it doesn't bother anyone.
|
if needs be »
If need be; if there is a need.
|
in bed »
Lying on a bed, especially under some bedsheets.
|
in kind »
In the form of goods and service rather than money.
|
in layman's terms »
Explaining something in simple words.
|
in other words »
Stated or interpreted another way; introduces an explanation.
|
in the cards »
Destined or fated to happen; predicted or foreseen.
|
in the woods »
In critical condition; near death's door.
|
in two minds »
undecided
|
inner circle »
The closest of friends of a person.
|
it takes all kinds to make a world »
Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds.
|
jack it in »
An imperative to stop doing something that the speaker finds annoying.
|
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.
|
jungle telegraph »
A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds or a relay of runners.
|
keep one's cards close to one's chest »
To avoid revealing one's thoughts, circumstances, or plans.
|
keep up with the Joneses »
To do or buy things for status, show, or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends or neighbors.
|
keep your friends close, and your enemies closer »
One should be on their toes and alert of their surroundings if malicious people are around, to ensure such people can't wreak havoc in one's life.
|
kick in »
To kick or strike so as to cause the object struck to collapse or fall inwards.
|
kids will be kids »
You cannot expect children to act like adults.
|
kill two birds with one stone »
To solve two problems at once.
|
knock around »
To hit someone, or behave violently towards them.
|
laughing stock »
C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.
|
lay hands on »
To find, obtain or procure.
|
lay rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
lead »
I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top. — Bacon.
|
lean towards »
To favor in a decision.
|
lick one's wounds »
He's just off licking his wounds. He'll be back to try again.
|
lick one's wounds »
To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat.
|
lip service »
Empty talk; words absent of action or intention.
|
long goodbye »
Nickname for Alzheimer's disease, especially for the final phase of the disease, during which the patient suffers a progressive decline of cognitive and motor skills and gradually loses the ability to recognize and to communicate with family and friends.[1]; nickname for the relationship between a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease and that person's family or friends.
|
longpig »
Human flesh when cooked in cannabalistic rituals in certain Pacific Islands, due to the allegeded similarity to cooked pork.
|
look up »
To look in an upwards manner.
|
Loose cannon »
An uncontrolled or unpredictable person who causes damage to his own friends, faction, political party, etc.
|
loose end »
A small job that needs to be done, or minor problem that needs to be resolved, before a task can be considered complete.
|
loose ends »
Leftover items that have not been addressed or attended to.
|
loose ends »
unresolved details
|
low blow »
An unfair or illegal blow that lands below the opponent’s waist; a groin attack..
|
make amends »
To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.
|
make for »
To move towards.
|
make for »
head towards
|
man of few words »
A man who doesn't speak much, or speaks only for a short period of time.
|
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.
|
many hands make light work »
A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.
|
mark my words »
Listen to me; used before a statement one wishes to emphasize.
|
mend fences »
To repair damage to a friendship or relationship after a disagreement or other mishap.
|
mills of the gods grind slowly »
Justice may arrive slowly, but it cannot be avoided.
|
mince words »
To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms.
|
mind you »
Used to draw attention to adjacent words.
|
money for old rope »
Money exchanged for goods of low value.
|
mouse potato »
A person who spends excessive amounts of time using a computer.
|
move the goalposts »
To alter the agreed basis, scope, standards or target of a procedure or task during its course, especially to do so to someone's advantage.
|
neck of the woods »
A local neighbourhood or region.
|
nice guy »
An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.
|
no holds barred »
Without reserve; in an especially ruthless or vicious manner.
|
no holds barred »
Without restrictions on holds or what opponents may do.
|
no ifs, ands, or buts »
Period; exactly so; without modification, limitation, or addendum.
|
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
|
nose to the grindstone »
Hard at work.
|
nosebleed seat »
A seat high in the back of bleachers, stands, or the balcony at a theater.
|
odds and ends »
Miscellaneous things.
|
Old Fart »
An elderly person who holds views that are considered old-fashioned.
|
old money »
The monetary system used in the United Kingdom before decimalisation and consisting of pounds, shillings, and pence.
|
on all fours »
On one's hands and knees.
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on good terms with »
Friendly towards; having good relations with.
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on one's hands »
Being one's liability or responsibility; with which one is lumbered.
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on steroids »
To a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.
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on the skids »
In decline; going downhill; in trouble.
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one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »
Words spoken by Neil Armstrong when taking the first steps on the moon.
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one who hesitates is lost »
A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.
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opposite number »
A person who holds a position in an organization that corresponds to that held by another person in an other organization; a counterpart.
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out of bounds »
Beyond the bounds of civility or morality; extremely unreasonable.
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out of bounds »
Prohibited to enter.
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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.
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out of pocket »
Lacking funds, or suffering a loss.
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out of the woods »
Out of peril; likely to recover or prevail over trouble; finished with the worst or most threatening part of a problem or illness.
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outside the box »
Beyond the bounds of convention.
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overkill »
A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.
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paper trail »
The records left by a person or organization in the course of activities.
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pay for »
To exchange for, especially money for goods or services.
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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.
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penny pincher »
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
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pinchpenny »
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
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play for love »
To play a game of cards without stakes.
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play it by ear »
To play a song according to how it sounds, rather than from a written score.
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play on words »
A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.
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play one's cards right »
To act sensibly; to make the right moves.
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point blank »
The distance between a gun and a target such that it requires minimal effort in aiming it. In particular no allowance needs to be made for the effects of gravity, target movement or wind in aiming the projectile.
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power chord »
A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power chords make extensive use of intervals such as open fourths and fifths.
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press the flesh »
To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.
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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.
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prone out »
In order to be propelled shorewards by a broken wave.
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proverbs run in pairs »
Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work."1863, Sir Richard Burton, Abeokuta and the Camaroons Mountains, vol. 1, Tinsley (London), p. 309:Moreover, all the world over, proverbs run in pairs, and pull both ways: for the most part one neutralizes, by contradiction, the other.
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pull up »
Lift upwards or vertically.
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put one's hands together »
To clap; to applaud.
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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.
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put your hands together »
Clap; applaud.
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rabble rouser »
Someone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.
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rag bagger »
A sailor who tends to sail on messy cruising vessels.
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raise the bar »
To raise standards or expectations, especially by creating something to a higher standard.
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read out »
To read something and say the words to inform other people.
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read somebody's lips »
To discern what somebody is saying by watching the shape of the mouth rather than by hearing the sounds of the words.
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real job »
A job which requires the employee to, work regular hours for a consistent wage that often exceeds the provisions of applicable minimum wage legislation. A job that produces a living wage.
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ride roughshod over »
To act in a bullying or inconsiderate manner; to display disregard towards someone or something.
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ring around »
To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.
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ring round »
To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.
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rip to shreds »
To rip up, so that only shreds remain.
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rip to shreds »
To severely devalue, to refute.
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robber baron »
Especially in the 19th-century and early 20th-century, a business tycoon who had great wealth and influence but whose methods were morally questionable.
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root cause »
An initiating cause of a chain of events which leads to an outcome or effect of interest.
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round down »
To the greatest integer that is not greater than it, or to some other lower value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.
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round up »
To the smallest integer that is not less than it, or to some other greater value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.
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rubber-chicken dinner »
A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.
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run around with »
To spend a lot of time with a person or group of people. Often used to talk about a person's group of friends that one does not like much.
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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.
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see a man about a horse »
A message signaling one needs to go missing for a short while, for any reason, without giving a real explanation.
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sell »
To agree to transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.
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sell »
To promote a particular viewpoint; to manipulate towards a desired end.
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sell a bargain »
A species of wit, much in vogue about the latter end of the reign of Queen Anne, and frequently alluded to by Dean Swift, who says the maids of honour often amused themselves with it. It consisted in the seller naming his or her hinder parts, in answer to the question, What? which the buyer was artfully led to ask. As a specimen, take the following instance: A lady would come into a room full of company, apparently frightened, crying out "It is white, and follows me!" As soon as someone responded "What?" she sold him the bargain, by saying "Mine arse".
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sell someone a bill of goods »
To deceive or cheat someone.
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shoot the moon »
To take a risk which may result in great rewards; to succeed after taking such a risk.
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shotgun »
A gun which fires loads consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.
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shrinking violet »
A very shy person, who avoids contact with others if avoidable.
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shuffle »
A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.
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shuffle »
The act of shuffling cards.
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sit on one's hands »
Or situation.
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skip rope »
To jump over a rope, both of whose ends are held by the jumper or by two others, while the rope is moved under the jumper's feet in a continual rhythm; to play the game of jump rope or exercise by jumping rope.
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slippery as an eel »
So slippery that it is almost impossible to hold with one's hands.
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smart arse »
One who is particularly flippant or insolent or tends to make snide remarks or jokes.
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special needs »
Needs for special care, services or accommodations.
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stands in »
deputises
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sticking point »
A disputed issue or state of affairs that causes an interruption or outright impasse in progress towards some goal or resolution, especially in negotiation or argumentation.
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sticks and stones »
Evocative of the saying "sticks and stones may (or will) break my bones, but words (or names) will never hurt (or harm) me".1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped
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summer and winter »
To spend extended periods of time with; to test.
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sweat »
Fluid that exits the body through pores in the skin usually due to physical stress and/or high temperature for the purpose of regulating body temperature and removing certain compounds from the circulation.
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sweet tooth »
A liking for foods that are sweet; a weakness for sweets.
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take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »
If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,
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take the fifth »
To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.
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take to »
To enter; to go into or move towards.
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talk like an apothecary »
To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.
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task force »
A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.
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tell off »
To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.
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thanks for nothing »
Expression of displeasure towards a person who has not provided what was wanted.
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that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »
Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.
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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.
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the bends »
decompression sickness
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the ends justify the means »
Alternative form of the end justifies the means.
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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."
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the whole nine yards »
All the way; with everything done completely or thoroughly.
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the whole nine yards »
And everything. Often used, like etc., to finish out a list.
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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.
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throw to the wolves »
To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as onto the streets, especially towards predators.
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throw up »
To display a gang sign using the hands.
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tie someone's hands »
To render one powerless to act, to thwart someone.
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tie up loose ends »
To deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.
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time heals all wounds »
Negative feelings eventually erode away
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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.
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tin god »
An individual that abuses or exceeds his authority over others, frequently in petty ways; for example a low-level manager in situational comedies and other entertainment.
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tip one's hand »
In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand.
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tongue-tied »
Unable to speak; at a loss for words.
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tough cookie »
A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person.
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trip to the woodshed »
An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered.
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try out one's own chops »
To produce one's own records with one's own vocals.
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tuits »
"tricky": Needs many tuits. [2].
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turn heads »
To garner a considerable amount of attention.
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turn of phrase »
An artful phrasing of words.
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turn out »
To turn or rotate outwards or out of something.
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turn up »
To reposition by rotating, flipping, etc. upwards.
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twenty-twenty hindsight »
Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.
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two birds with one stone »
Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.
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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.
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two heads are better than one »
Some problems may be solved more easily by two (or more) people working together than by one working alone.
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up the ying yang »
Far more than one needs.
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up to »
Against; next to; near; towards.
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uphill battle »
A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.
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ups and downs »
Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.
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wash one's hands of »
To absolve oneself of responsibility or future blame for.
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wash up »
To wash one's hands and/or face, often around mealtimes.
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weekend warrior »
A person who indulges in a sport or pastime on an infrequent basis, usually on weekends when work commitments are not present.
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well begun is half done »
Much depends on the beginning of an endeavor.
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wet blanket »
A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.
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what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »
Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.
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what you see is what you get »
The image corresponds to the reality.
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white goods »
fridges, washing machines, etc
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white trash »
A poorly educated white person with low moral and social standards and low social status.
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who's 'she', the cat's mother%3F »
A rebuke especially directed towards children for having referred to their mother, or any other woman in the third person, instead of using a properly respectful title or their name when appropriate.
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will on »
To wish intensely that someone succeeds in what they are doing. Often implies a silent, or almost inaudible wish.
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wind back »
To wind a tape, cassette, or film, etc towards the beginning; to rewind.
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window dressing »
The goods and trimmings used in such display.
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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.
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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.
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worlds apart »
Vastly different.
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wring out »
To squeeze a wet material, either by twisting with one's hands, or by passing it through a wringer, to remove the water.
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you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar »
It's easier to persuade others with polite requests and a positive attitude than with rude demands and negativity.
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you can't run with the hare and hunt with the hounds »
You can't have it both ways.
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you can't teach an old dog new tricks »
It is impossible, or almost impossible, to change people's habits or traits or mindset.
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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
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you name it »
Used after a short list to show that further examples are unnecessary; all kinds of things.
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you never know what you've got till it's gone »
Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.
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