against the clock »
In a time-restricted manner, to meet a deadline, hurriedly, timed.
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an apple a day »
Healthy eating and living using traditional temperate-zone fresh foods.
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arse over tit »
Tumbling; falling; upside-down; unstable or unbalanced.
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at death's door »
About to die; in a life-threatening state of health.
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back-of-the-envelope »
Approximate, rough, simplified.
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be the way to go »
Represent the best of all possible options or courses of action; pre-eminate over all other choices or alternatives.
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be-all and end-all »
Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.
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big gun »
A large-caliber artillery piece.
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bite of the reality sandwich »
A wake-up call, a reality check.
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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.
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blue-eyed boy »
Someone's favourite, especially a young one.
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boot camp »
Indoctrination, physical fitness training and basic instruction in service-related subjects for recruits in the Navy and Marine Corps.
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by the way »
[...] I had counted on a life-lease of the profits, whereas I only received those of a few short years. But this is by the way.
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by-the-book »
Adhering strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
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by-the-numbers »
Done in a predictable manner; formulaic.
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bye-bye »
Goodbye.
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call off the dogs »
During a one-sided sports contest, to remove the first-string unit of a team from the game after dominating the opponent.
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caucus race »
A political competition; the game of campaigning and one-upmanship to get votes and be elected.
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clay »
A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.
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cookie-cutter »
A solution to a problem that can be applied in many situations without modification.
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cookie-cutter »
Of or pertaining to cookie cutters.
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cookie-cutter »
Of or pertaining to identical looking things.
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copious free time »
A hypothetical time set aside for performing time-consuming tasks, however insinuating that the speaker really has no free time.
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dirty old man »
An adult male - usually middle-aged or elderly - who acts in a lecherous or lewd manner.
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double-edged sword »
A benefit that is also a liability, or that carries some significant but non-obvious cost or risk.
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double-tongued »
Saying one thing to one person and something different to another; double talking; deceitful in speech.
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down with his apple-cart »
Knock or throw him down.
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drive-by media »
Media professionals who "spray" a bunch of repetitive misstatements, mistaken and misinterpreted news reports to cause excitement and confusion. They then figuratively "drive off" leaving the cleanup of their mess and hysteria to others, to correct and properly explain and interpret.
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dyed-in-the-wool »
Dyed before being formed into cloth.
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dyed-in-the-wool »
Firmly established in a person's beliefs or habits; deeply ingrained in the nature of a person or thing.
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ear tunnel »
A piece of jewelry that fits into a stretched earlobe hole and makes it seem like a peephole and makes it see-through.
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fifth wheel »
A type of trailer hitch, which consists of a horseshoe-shaped plate on a multi-directional pivot, with a locking pin to couple with the kingpin of a truck trailer.
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fire-breathing »
Caustic, vitriolic or scathing.
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fire-breathing »
That emits flame from the mouth or nostrils.
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five-finger discount »
Theft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.
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four-on-the-floor »
Characterised by a steady, uniformly accented beat with a 4/4 time signature.
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four-on-the-floor »
Relating to a vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission mounted beside the driver on the floor of the vehicle.
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free-for-all »
Chaos; a chaotic situation lacking rules or control.
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give somebody the heave-ho »
To fire, expel or break up with someone.
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hack into »
To gain unauthorized entry to, particularly by exploiting little-known weaknesses.
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have it large »
To engage intensely in pleasure-seeking activities.
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he-man »
A strong, virile or sexually active man.
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head-in-the-sand »
Exhibiting disregard or denial of a problem or threat.
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heebie-jeebies »
A general feeling of anxiety, fear, uneasiness, or nausea.
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how-d'ye-do »
A troublesome state of affairs.
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howdy-do »
Same as how-d'ye-do.
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if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »
With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.
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in the act »
In the process of doing something; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.
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in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »
Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.
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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.
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lean and mean »
Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.
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leave nothing to the imagination »
He stripped down to a pair of see-through briefs that left nothing to the imagination.
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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.
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look through rose-tinted glasses »
Alternative spelling of wear rose-colored glasses.
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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
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monkey business »
An activity that is considered silly, or stupid, or time-wasting.
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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
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nose-pick »
To pick boogers from the nose.
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nose-picker »
One who picks their nose.
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nose-picking »
To insert a finger into one's nostril, especially to remove mucus.
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nothing special »
Ordinary, run-of-the-mill.
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off-the-cuff »
Extemporaneous; without prior preparation; impromptu.
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off-the-shelf »
As purchased or as commonly available, without modification or customization.
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off-the-wall »
Greatly inappropriate.
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off-the-wall »
Wildly unconventional; bizarre; absurd.
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on-the-spot »
In the right place at this very moment.
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one-hit wonder »
A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.
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one-hit wonder »
A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.
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one-horse town »
A very small town.
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one-man band »
A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.
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one-man band »
An organisation or business that is effectively run by only one person.
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one-night stand »
A single sexual encounter between two individuals, where at least one of the parties has no immediate intention or expectation of establishing a longer-term sexual or romantic relationship. As the phrase implies, the relationship lasts for only one night.
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one-night stand »
An occasion when a performer or team of them expects to perform at a theater for a single evening.
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one-note »
Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.
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one-off »
Occurring once; one-time.
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one-track mind »
That said to be possessed by someone who is obsessed with something or only able to think of one thing.
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one-trick pony »
A performing animal that knows only one trick.
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one-trick pony »
A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.
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one-up »
To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.
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one-upmanship »
A succession of instances of outdoing a competitor.
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one-upmanship »
The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.
|
onesie-twosie »
Individually or in very small groups, rather in larger batches.
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pile-up »
A traffic accident or collision involving multiple vehicles.
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possession is nine-tenths of the law »
One who has possession of a thing has some right to it; a popular statement of the doctrine of adverse possession.
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pre-war »
Describing the most recent or significant war in a culture's history.
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pre-war »
Describing the period before a war.
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pre-war »
Describing the period before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.
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reality check »
A wake-up call, reminder.
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red herring »
A smoke-cured herring.
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red tape »
A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.
|
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.
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rose-colored glasses »
Glasses that are tinted in a pink or rose shade.
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rose-coloured »
Cheerfully optimistic.
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rose-coloured »
Having a pink colour.
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run-of-the-mill »
Ordinary; not special.
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sabre-rattling »
A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.
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sabre-rattling »
Any threat, such as one company threatening another with a lawsuit.
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seat-of-the-pants »
Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.
|
shotgun »
A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Mostly heard in the southern United States.
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show up »
To outperform or one-up, often in an arrogant manner.
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sit out »
To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.
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spine-tingling »
Nervy or scary.
|
stick-in-the-mud »
Alternative spelling of stick in the mud.
|
take five »
To take a five-minute break from some activity, take a short break from some activity.
|
thick as thieves »
Intimate, close-knit.
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three-martini lunch »
A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.
|
three-on-the-tree »
On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.
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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.
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time out »
To call for a time-out.
|
to a fare-thee-well »
To the greatest extent or to completion; to a state of refinement or perfection.
|
tomorrow is another day »
Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed
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tongue-in-cheek »
Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.
|
tongue-tied »
Unable to speak; at a loss for words.
|
touchy-feely »
Driven by intuition or emotion, with a connotation of de-emphasis of rational thought or logic.
|
twelve-ounce curls »
Drinking beer.
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wear rose-colored glasses »
To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.
|
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.
|
whistle-blower »
One who reports a problem or violation to the authorities; especially, an employee or former employee who reports a violation by an employer.
|
whistle-stop »
A small train station.
|
whistle-stop train tour »
A tour in a political campaign that makes many brief stops in small communities.
|
whistle-stop train tour »
Any travel that's quick and with only brief pauses.
|
white-knuckle »
Causing fear, excitement, apprehension, suspense, or nervousness.
|
| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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