a bad workman always blames his tools »
It is not the tools we use which make us good, but rather how we employ them.
|
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush »
It is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than a mere potential of a greater one.
|
a bit much »
More than is reasonable.
|
a camel is a horse designed by a committee »
An expression critical of committees
|
a cat can look at a king »
Alternative form of a cat may look at a king.1982, A J Ayer,
|
a cat may look at a king »
Even a purported inferior has certain abilities, even in the presence of a purported superior
|
a chain is only as strong as its weakest link »
An organization (especially a process or a business) is only as strong or powerful as its weakest person. A group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member.
|
a closed mouth gathers no feet »
One who does not speak can be certain he won't say anything embarrassing.
|
a cold day in Hell »
An event that will never happen.
|
a cut above »
Superior to; of a higher quality than.
|
a cut below »
Inferior to; of a lower quality than.
|
a day late and a dollar short »
Action that was taken too late and too feeble to be of any use.
|
a different ballpark »
Something totally unrelated or of a vastly different scale or scope.
|
a dime's worth »
An insignificant amount.
|
a drop in the bucket »
An effort or action having very little overall influence, especially as compared to a huge problem.
|
a drop in the ocean »
A drop in the bucket.
|
a dumb priest never got a parish »
(Irish) Those who fail to speak up fail to get what they want.
|
a few sandwiches short of a picnic »
Exhibiting disquiet or unsoundness of mind; not sane; mad.
|
a fool and his money are soon parted »
It is easy to get money from foolish people, especially rich ones.
|
a friend in need is a friend indeed »
A true friend is one who helps you when you are in need.
|
a gentleman and a scholar »
An admirable person.
|
a golden key can open any door »
Sufficient money can accomplish anything.
|
a good beginning makes a good ending »
Good beginnings promise a good end; start off on a good note to reap the benefits at the end.
|
a good man is hard to find »
Men who make good husbands or workers are rare.
|
a good voice to beg bacon »
Said in ridicule of a bad voice.
|
a great deal »
Very much; to a great extent; a lot; lots.
|
a house is not a home »
A home is not merely a building but requires inhabitants and a friendly atmosphere.
|
a into g »
Ass into gear.
|
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »
even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point
|
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 lie has no legs »
You can't get away with a lie, the truth will always come out.
|
a life of its own »
An independent existence with some characteristics of life.
|
a little bird told me »
Of information which was gathered from a source not to be overtly exposed.
|
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 new broom sweeps clean »
New management will often make radical changes.
|
a nod is as good as a wink »
The hint, suggestion etc can be understood without further explaining.
|
a notch above »
Superior to; of a higher quality than.
|
a number of »
Several of.
|
a penny saved is a penny earned »
A maxim for thrift that says that money not spent may be spent later, or may earn interest in the meantime
|
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!
|
a pull of the hair for being unfair »
The general response to "A kick and a flick for being so quick", which is in turn a response in itself to "A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month".
|
a question of »
The important question is; the necessary question is.
|
a riddle wrapped up in an enigma »
Something very mysterious and hidden.
|
a rising tide lifts all boats »
Benefits provided to a few may lead to conditions that are beneficial to all.
|
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 scholar and a gentleman »
An admirable person.
|
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 kettle never boils »
Alternative form of a watched pot never boils.
|
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.
|
abide by »
To remain faithful to something or someone; to stand to; to adhere.
|
abide with »
To remain or live with someone.
|
able seaman »
ordinary sailor
|
abominable snowman »
yeti
|
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 time »
Close to the right time.
|
about time »
Far past the desired time.
|
about to »
Indicates something that will happen very soon; indicates that something is imminent.
|
about turn »
A complete change of opinion, direction, etc.
|
about turn »
An about face; a military command to a formation of soldiers to reverse the direction in which they are facing.
|
above and beyond »
More than is expected or required.
|
above board »
Honestly, reputably.
|
above one's bend »
Out of one's control or power.
|
above the law »
Exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else.
|
above the salt »
Of high standing or honor.
|
absence makes the heart grow fonder »
When someone or something is faraway, you realise how much you love (or miss) them or it.
|
abstract nonsense »
Details which involve diagram chasing.
|
abut on »
To border on.
|
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.
|
ad fontes »
Go to the sources: An expression emphasizing the importance of conducting fundamental research and of consulting primary sources.
|
adams ale »
water
|
add fuel to fire »
To inflame a situation, to make a situation worse.
|
add fuel to the fire »
To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.
|
add insult to injury »
To further a loss with mockery or indignity.
|
add up »
To take a sum.
|
add up »
To accumulate; to amount to.
|
add up »
To make sense; to be reasonable or consistent.
|
add up to »
To have a particular effect.
|
Adds up »
To enhance. " Law of attraction adds up to the success in life."
|
admiral of the blue »
A landlord or publican wearing a blue apron, as was formerly the custom among men of that vocation.
|
after all »
In the end; anyway; referring to something that was believed to be the case, but has now been shown not to be.
|
after all »
in spite of everything
|
after one's own heart »
Of a person: having the same ideas, opinions or behaviour as oneself.
|
after the fact »
Too late; after something is finished or final.
|
against all odds »
Despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability.
|
against the clock »
In a time-restricted manner, to meet a deadline, hurriedly, timed.
|
against the collar »
In a tight spot.
|
against the grain »
Contrary to what is expected; especially, of behavior different from what society expects.
|
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.
|
against the grain »
Unwillingly, reluctantly. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.
|
age before beauty »
A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones.
|
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.
|
ahead of the game »
Having completed a task before it is due; ready, prepared, or anticipating.
|
aim at »
To design for a particular audience.
|
air bed »
inflatable mattress
|
air out »
To expose to air; to leave open or spread out, as to allow odor or moisture to dissipate.
|
air out »
To discuss in the open.
|
air rage »
Disruptive behaviour on an aircraft.
|
albatross »
A double eagle, or three under par on any one hole.
|
albatross »
A long-term impediment, burden, or curse.
|
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.
|
ale post »
A maypole.
|
all along »
The entire time; always.
|
all and sundry »
All, everyone.
|
all and sundry »
Each one.
|
all at once »
All at the same time; all together.
|
all at once »
Unexpectedly; without warning; all of a sudden.
|
all bark and no bite »
Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.
|
all but »
nearly; except that
|
all cats are gray at night »
Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.
|
all cats are gray in the dark »
Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.
|
all cats are grey at night »
Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.
|
all cats are grey in the dark »
In the dark, physical appearance is unimportant.
|
all clear »
permission to proceed
|
all duck or no dinner »
All or nothing.
|
all ears »
Awaiting an explanation.
|
all ears »
Listening intently; fully focused.
|
all eyes »
Gazing at devotedly.
|
all eyes »
Having prominent eyes.
|
all eyes »
Watching alertly or attentively.
|
all eyes and ears »
To be attentive.
|
all fired up »
Excited or energized; highly enthusiastic.
|
all fur coat and no knickers »
Of superficial appearance and with no real substance beneath.
|
all good things come to an end »
Nothing lasts forever.
|
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 hell broke loose »
A great disaster happened or chaos ensued.
|
all holiday »
A saying signifying that it is all over with the business or person spoken of or alluded to/.
|
all hollow »
As a foregone conclusion.
|
all hollow »
Common misspelling of all hallow.
|
all in »
tired out
|
all in a day's work »
A nonchalant dismissal of a significant accomplishment.
|
all in all »
Generally; for the most part; mostly.
|
all in all »
everything considered
|
all it's cracked up to be »
As good as claims or reputation would suggest.
|
all kidding aside »
Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.
|
all mouth and no trousers »
Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.
|
all mouth and trousers »
Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.
|
all nations »
A composition of all the different spirits sold in a dram-shop, collected in a vessel into which the drainings of the bottles and quartern pots are emptied.
|
all of a sudden »
Adv suddenly, quickly.
|
all of the sudden »
Suddenly, rapidly.
|
all one's eggs in one basket »
Devoting all of one’s resources to one thing.
|
all one's eggs in one basket »
Investing heavily in just one area.
|
all out »
The state of a side having no more men to bat, thus ending its innings.
|
all over »
Done; finished; complete.
|
all over but the shouting »
The substance of the contest is complete, leaving only the cheering.
|
all over grumble »
Inferior.
|
all over grumble »
Unsatisfactory.
|
all over hell's half acre »
All over the place; everywhere.
|
all over the board »
Showing a wide range of values with no particular pattern.
|
all over the map »
Widely scattered or distributed; numerous and differing greatly.
|
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 over the shop »
Everywhere, scattered, disorganised.
|
all over with »
Completely finished; over.
|
all right, my lover »
An informal affectionate greeting.
|
all roads lead to Rome »
different paths can take one to the same goal
|
all set »
Ready; prepared.
|
all talk and no action »
Speaking, promising, or boasting much, but doing little
|
all talk and no cider »
All talk and no results.
|
all that »
Very.
|
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 that jazz »
Everything else related to something; other similar things.
|
all the marbles »
Everything; all that is to be had.
|
all the rage »
Very fashionable and popular, like a craze.
|
all the same »
Anyway; nevertheless; nonetheless.
|
all the tea in China »
Something priceless or invaluable.
|
all the time »
Always; constantly; for the complete duration.
|
all the time »
Very often; frequently.
|
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 things come to those who wait »
(dated) A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.
|
all thumbs »
Clumsy; awkward; not dextrous.
|
all to smash »
Ruined; bankrupt.
|
all told »
With everything included, counted or summed.
|
all very well »
All right, to a certain extent.
|
all very well »
True, as far as it goes.
|
all walks of life »
All professions, lifestyles or social classes.
|
all well and good »
Basically good, but with some shortcoming or limitation.
|
all wet »
Thoroughly soaked; drenched.
|
all wet »
Utterly incorrect; erroneous; uninformed.
|
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.
|
all's well that ends well »
Problems do not matter if things turn out well in the end.
|
all-a-mort »
Sad; at death's door.
|
all-over oneself »
Feeling self-satisfied.
|
allow for »
To take into account when making plans.
|
almighty dollar »
The dollar, satirically characterized as a being a god.
|
almost doesn't count »
Near success (or correctness) is not deemed success (or correctness).
|
along about »
Approximately; at around some time.
|
along the lines »
In a general direction or manner.
|
also ran »
unplaced horse
|
am I right or am I right »
Rhetorical question from somebody who has stated what they consider to be an unassailable truth.
|
amateur hour »
A situation or activity in which the participants show a lack of skill, sound judgment, or professionalism.
|
amber nectar »
Lager beer.
|
an apple a day »
Healthy eating and living using traditional temperate-zone fresh foods.
|
an apple a day keeps the doctor away »
Apples are healthy and stave off illness.Eat healthy and you won't get sick.
|
an axe to grind »
A grievance, with implications of confrontation.
|
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 change »
And some quantity, but less than the increment to the next round number.
|
and counting »
Used to show that the number previously mentioned is continuously changing, i.e. increasing or decreasing.
|
and how »
Used to strongly confirm preceding utterance.
|
and shit »
Used after a noun or list of nouns in place of "etc".
|
and so forth »
Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.
|
and so on »
Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.
|
and then some »
Used to confirm preceding utterance, while implying that what was said or asked is an understatement.
|
angel's advocate »
Someone who sees what's good about an idea and supports it.
|
angle for »
To try to obtain something by subtle indirect means. Political manoeuvres, suggestion, etc.
|
angle for farthings »
To beg out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.
|
ankle socks »
hosiery
|
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.
|
answer for »
To be held responsible for.
|
answer for »
To guarantee.
|
answer on a postcard »
To give a brief answer or opinion.
|
any press is good press »
Being mentioned in the media is beneficial to the subject because it gets publicity.
|
any way one slices it »
From any perspective; in every case.
|
anything goes »
There are no rules or restrictions.
|
Apa Sâmbetei »
"for nothing", "to no result", or that what you have done was destroyed or is rendered useless after you finish it.
|
Apa Sâmbetei »
Saturday's waters.
|
apple does not fall far from the stem »
Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.
|
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
|
apple does not fall far from the trunk »
Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.
|
apple dumplin shop »
A woman's bosom.
|
apple never falls far from the tree »
Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.
|
apple of somebody's eye »
A favourite, a particular preference, or a loved one; the object of somebody's affections.
|
apples and oranges »
Said of a comparison of items that are not comparable.
|
apply oneself »
To put forth a concerted effort; to try; to focus.
|
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.
|
April showers bring May flowers »
April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.By extension, that a period of discomfort can provide the basis for a period of happiness.
|
apron string hold »
An estate held by a man during his wife's life.
|
are your ears burning »
Said of somebody who was not present but was the topic of discussion.
|
argue out »
To discuss to reach an agreed conclusion, or decision.
|
ark ruffian »
Rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, etc. A species of badger.
|
arm and a leg »
A relatively high price for an item or service; an exorbitant price.
|
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 to the teeth »
To equip thoroughly with weapons.
|
arm's length »
Barely within reach.
|
arm's length »
Distant, detached.
|
arm's length »
Independent, but related.
|
armed forces »
The Services
|
around Robin Hood's barn »
All over the place.
|
around Robin Hood's barn »
The long way around; a roundabout or circuitous route.
|
around the bend »
Crazy, insane.
|
around the clock »
All the time or seemingly all the time; constantly.
|
around the corner »
Imminent.
|
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.
|
arse over tit »
Tumbling; falling; upside-down; unstable or unbalanced.
|
arsy varsey »
Tumbling upside down; head over heels.
|
as a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly »
Foolish people repeatedly do foolish things.
|
as a rule »
In general; most often.
|
as a rule »
normally
|
as all get-out »
Extremely; to a superlative degree; very much.
|
as best one can »
In the best possible way, given the circumstances.
|
as far as »
In the scope of.
|
as far as »
With respect to; as relates to.
|
as far as one knows »
To the best of one's knowledge.
|
as for »
with reference to
|
as good as one's word »
Faithful to a promise one has made.
|
as if »
As though; in a manner suggesting.
|
as is »
In its present state or condition, especially as a contractual condition of sale.
|
as long as »
Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; so long as.
|
as long as »
The same length as.
|
as long as »
While; for some period of time.
|
as luck would have it »
As it happened; how it turned out; by good fortune; fortunately or luckily.
|
as of »
From, on or at a specified time.
|
as the crow flies »
In a straight line distance between two locations, as opposed to the road distance or over land distance.
|
as well »
In addition; also.
|
as well »
To the same effect.
|
as yet »
Up to the present; thus far.
|
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.
|
ash wednesday »
first day of lent
|
ask around »
To enquire about something to different people.
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ask for »
To increase the likelihood of something by persisting in some action; to invite.
|
ask for »
request
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ask for »
make a request
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ask for it »
To provoke an unwanted action.
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ask for the moon »
To claim or desire something that one cannot have.
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ask in »
To invite someone to enter one's house.
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ask my arse »
A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.
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ask out »
To invite somebody, especially on a date.
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ask round »
To enquire about something to different people.
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ask round »
To invite someone to your house.
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asleep at the switch »
Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity.
|
asphalt jungle »
A city or urban area, where the landscape is covered by pavement and the environment is alienating and unsafe.
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ass into gear »
Get going; get moving; start producing.
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ass over teakettle »
Frantically.
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ass over teakettle »
Tumbling upside down.
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assault and battery »
. This legal distinction exists only in jurisdictions that distinguish assault as threatened violence rather than actual violence.
|
assume the mantle »
To take on a specific role or position, along with any associated responsibilites.
|
at a glance »
Upon cursory examination; an abbreviated review.
|
at a loss »
Below the cost or price of purchase.
|
at a loss for words »
Having nothing to say; stunned to the point of speechlessness.
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at a moment's notice »
Immediately; instantaneously; without need of warning.
|
at a pinch »
By the skin of one’s teeth; only just; Deo volente; perhaps; if you’re lucky..
|
at a pinch »
in an emergency
|
at a stand »
In a state of confusion or uncertainty; undecided what to do next.
|
at all »
Indicating degree, quantity or frequency greater than zero; to the slightest degree, in any way, somewhat, rather.
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at all hours »
Late into the night or early morning; when people ought to be sleeping.
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at arm's length »
At a distance, away from one's body.
|
at arm's length »
Avoiding a close relationship.
|
at bay »
Cornered; unable to flee.
|
at bay »
Unable to come closer; at a distance.
|
at best »
In the most favorable of conditions; at the most.
|
at cross purposes »
Against one another; contrary in direction or goals.
|
at cross-purposes »
Mutually misunderstanding each other's plans, intentions or meanings.
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at death's door »
About to die; in a life-threatening state of health.
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At ease with nudity »
ISM free identification with nude recreation
|
at first »
Initially; at the start.
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at full tilt »
At full speed; very quickly.
|
at hand »
Being at the moment the center of attention or the cause of trouble.
|
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 »
At ease, comfortable.
|
at home »
In one's place of residence.
|
at home »
In the home of one's parents.
|
at large »
In full, fully.
|
at large »
In general; as a whole.
|
at large »
On the loose; roaming freely; not confined.
|
at last »
After a long time; eventually.
|
at last »
In the end; finally; ultimately.
|
at latter Lammas »
Never.
|
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
|
at once »
At the same time; simultaneously; together.
|
at once »
Immediately; now; right away.
|
at one with »
United with; in tune with.
|
at one's beck and call »
In servitude to; at one’s command.
|
at one's fingertips »
Readily available.
|
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 rest »
Not moving; stationary.
|
at risk »
vulnerable
|
at sea »
Confused, lost, or adrift; bewildered.
|
at sea »
On the ocean or sea, typically of a ship or person aboard a ship.
|
at sixes and sevens »
In a state of confusion.
|
at sixes and sevens »
In a state of dispute or disagreement.
|
at stake »
In danger; hazarded; pledged; at risk.
|
at that »
In addition to what has been said; furthermore; moreover.
|
at that »
Now that it has been mentioned.
|
at the best of times »
At most.
|
at the drop of a hat »
Without any hesitation; instantly.
|
at the end of one's tether »
At the limit of one’s patience; frustrated or annoyed..
|
at the end of the day »
In summary; ultimately.
|
at the end of the road »
No longer in the competition. Voted off. Eliminated.
|
at the end of the road »
No longer living. Dead.
|
at the high port »
At once; unhesitatingly; quickly and vigorously.
|
at the high port »
Or in a charge.
|
at the mercy of »
In the power of; defenceless/defenseless against.
|
at the moment »
As atm.
|
at the momont »
now
|
at the ready »
Ready; in a state of preparation or waiting; in position or anticipation.
|
at the top of one's lungs »
Possible.
|
at the wheel »
Driving; in control of a vehicle.
|
at the wheel »
In control of the situation; in charge.
|
at this point in time »
Right now.
|
at will »
At one's preference; as one sees fit.
|
at work »
At one's workplace.
|
at work »
Working, in the process of doing work.
|
atom bomb »
nuclear weapon
|
au fait »
fully informed;
|
auction off »
To sell something at an auction.
|
autem bawler »
A parson.
|
autem cackler »
Dissenters of every denomination.
|
autem dipper »
Anabaptist.
|
autem diver »
Pickpockets who practice in churches; also churchwardens and overseers of the poor.
|
autem gogler »
Pretended French prophet.
|
autem mort »
A married woman; also a female beggar with several children hired or borrowed to excite charity.
|
autem quaver »
Quaker.
|
avant la lettre »
An example of a term before the term was coined. Describing a term used anachronistically.
|
avoir du pois lay »
Stealing brass weights off the counters of shops.
|
away with the fairies »
Not with it, dreaming, not all there.
|
babe in arms »
An infant.
|
babe in the woods »
A person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless.
|
babe magnet »
A person, especially a man, to whom women are attracted.
|
babes in the wood »
Criminals in the stocks, or pillory.
|
baby blues »
Blue eyes.
|
baby blues »
Period and feeling of depressiveness after giving birth; a less severe form of postnatal depression.
|
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 apple »
A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy, especially one who has an adverse influence on others.
|
bad blood »
A serious feud or grudge.
|
bad blood »
Feelings of hostility or ill will.
|
bad egg »
Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.
|
bad egg »
disreputable character
|
bad for you »
Unhealthy.
|
bad joke »
A situation that is badly planned, or illogical.
|
bad luck »
ill-fortune
|
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.
|
bad news »
An irritating, troublesome, or harmful person, situation, or thing.
|
bad news »
News of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events.
|
bad penny »
A counterfeit or damaged penny.
|
bad penny »
A person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one which repeatedly appears at inopportune times.
|
bad taste in one's mouth »
A feeling of disappointment and frustration.
|
bad taste in one's mouth »
A feeling of guilt, responsibility, or embarrassment as to cause nausea.
|
bad taste in one's mouth »
A feeling something is morally despicable as to cause nausea.
|
bad to the bone »
Completely bad and evil; pure evil.
|
badge bunny »
A woman who is romantically attracted to police officers and who seeks out their companionship.
|
bag and baggage »
All one's possessions.
|
bag of bones »
A skinny, malnourished person.
|
bag of rations »
A fussy or overly zealous military superior.
|
baggage »
Heavy baggage; women and children. Also a familiar epithet for a woman; as, cunning baggage, wanton baggage, &c.
|
baggage »
In a metaphorical sense, factors that restrict a person's freedom, often in an intellectual or psychological way: emotional baggage.
|
baggage »
Luggage; traveling equipment.
|
bail out »
To secure the release of an arrested person by providing bail money.
|
bail out »
To remove water from a boat by scooping it out.
|
bail out »
To exit an aircraft while in flight.
|
bail out »
To rescue, especially financially.
|
bail out »
To leave or not attend.
|
bail out on »
To abandon, or stop supporting someone or something.
|
baker's dozen »
Cousin.
|
baker's dozen »
Thirteen, a group of thirteen.
|
bakers dozen »
Thirteen.
|
balance out »
To counteract one another so as to be balanced.
|
balance the books »
To add up all the debits and credits.
|
balance the books »
To put or keep any closed or conservative system or its analysis in balance.
|
balancing act »
A performance that involves balancing things precariously and suspensefully.
|
balancing act »
An effort to manage many conflicting or competing items or interests.
|
bald eagle »
american bird
|
bale out »
Alternative spelling of bail out.
|
ball up »
To crush into a ball shape.
|
ball up »
To hunch over and pull in one's arms and legs.
|
ball-breaker »
A person or task which is excessively demanding or punishing.
|
balloon goes up »
Something exciting or dangerous begins.
|
ballpark estimate »
A ballpark figure, a very rough approximation.
|
ballpark figure »
An educated guess or estimation within acceptable bounds.
|
ballpoint pen »
writing implement
|
balls up »
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of ball up.
|
balls-up »
Something which becomes muddled or botched in some way.
|
balum rancum »
A hop or dance, where the women are all prostitutes. N. B. The company dance in their birthday suits.
|
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 for the buck »
Efficiency; cost-effectiveness; value.
|
bang on »
Exactly at.
|
bang on about »
To keep talking endlessly about the same subject.
|
bang out »
To do something quickly, in a slipshod, or unprofessional manner.
|
bang straw »
A nick name for a thresher, but applied to all the servants of a farmer.
|
bang to rights »
Caught red-handed; in a guilty state.
|
bang up »
Excellent.
|
bang up »
He’s doing a bang up good job..
|
bang up cove »
A dashing fellow who spends his money freely.
|
bang up job »
Something done very well; something performed above average or better than expected.
|
banged up »
Physically injured or wounded.
|
banged up »
Spending time in prison or jail.
|
bank night »
An event where patrons are enticed to buy entry tickets into some venue, for example a movie theater, with the anticipation that they will be entered into a drawing to win an amount of money if their ticket is drawn and they are on-site at the time of the winning.
|
bank on »
To be sure of something. To depend on it.
|
bankers' hours »
Any easy job, especially one with a short working day.
|
bankers' hours »
The period between 10am and 3pm.
|
banyan day »
In British naval tradition, this originally referred to a day of the week when galley kitchens served no meat on board ship.
|
banyan day »
In modern usage it refers to a picnic or cookout for the ship's crew.
|
baptism by fire »
A change in initial attitude or ideals through a traumatic situation.
|
baptism by fire »
A rite of passage through the survival or success of a crisis.
|
baptism by fire »
A trying ordeal that was not experienced before.
|
bar fly »
A person who frequents bars or lounges to get drunk.
|
bar none »
Without exception; excluding nothing else of the same kind.
|
bar star »
A female who frequents bars or lounges, usually late at night.
|
bare one's teeth »
Of an animal, to show one's teeth as a sign of aggression.
|
bare one's teeth »
To show one's aggression.
|
barge in »
To intrude; to enter or interrupt suddenly and without invitation.
|
bark up the wrong tree »
To attempt or pursue the wrong thing; to take the wrong approach; to follow a false lead.
|
barking dogs never bite »
Alternative form of barking dogs seldom bite.
|
barking dogs seldom bite »
People who make big threats never usually carry them out.
|
barn burner »
Any successful or impressive event.
|
barnburner »
Liberal faction of the New York state United States Democratic Party in the mid 19th century.
|
barrel »
A jar. 1 Kings xvii. 12.
|
barrel »
A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is discharged.
|
barrel »
A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.
|
barrel »
A solid drum, or a hollow cylinder or case.
|
barrel »
A tube.
|
barrel »
A waste receptacle.
|
barrel »
A wave that breaks with a hollow compartment.
|
barrel »
The hollow basal part of a feather.
|
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 »
The ribs and belly of a horse or pony.
|
barrel of laughs »
A toy in the shape of a barrel that emits sounds of laughter.
|
barrel of laughs »
That which is enjoyable or entertaining.
|
barrel of laughs »
That which is immature, embarrassing, or disgraceful.
|
barrel of monkeys »
Something very funny or amusing.
|
barrow man »
A man under sentence of transportation; alluding to the convicts at Woolwich, who are principally employed in wheeling barrows full of brick or dirt.
|
base over apex »
Falling over in a jumbled heap.
|
bash about »
To physically damage something or assault someone.
|
bash in »
To break or dent badly by hitting violently.
|
bash in »
To injure someone by hitting violently.
|
bash out »
To write something very quickly, without much thought.
|
bash up »
To assault someone with the intention of causing physical injury.
|
basket case »
One made powerless or ineffective, as by nerves, panic or stress.
|
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.
|
bat around »
When at least nine batters bat in a half inning.
|
bat away »
To knock an object, usually a ball.
|
bat away »
To avoid by diverting the focus of a discussion.
|
bat for both sides »
To be a batter for both teams in an amateur baseball game.
|
bat for the other team »
To be homosexual.
|
batten down »
To close or make watertight, referring to hatches and cargo.
|
batten down the hatches »
Prepare for trouble.
|
battle cry »
By extension, a strong motto or purpose statement, especially in regards to winning a goal in sports, games or work.
|
battle cry »
Something the troops yell out when going to war or battle.
|
bawdy basket »
The twenty-third rank of canters, who carry pins, tape, ballads, and obscene books to sell, but live mostly by stealing.
|
bawl out »
To deliver a loud, hard scolding or lecture; to reprimand.
|
bawl out »
To have a serious argument accompanied with shouting.
|
be after »
To try to obtain.
|
be after »
To try to capture.
|
be all ears »
To listen carefully or eagerly; to anticipate.
|
be along »
To arrive.
|
be around »
To be alive, existent, or present.
|
be at one's beck and call »
To be in the position of serving someone in any way they desire, usually unwillingly.
|
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 in a spot of bother »
To have a slight problem, to be in a predicament.
|
be in for »
To be able to expect or anticipate; to be about to suffer, generally said of something unpleasant.
|
be in on »
To be a party to a secret shared by a small group of people.
|
be left holding the baby »
To be left with the responsibility of resolving a problem.
|
be mother »
To pour out tea for others.
|
be my guest »
Do as you wish; go ahead; help yourself; go for it!.
|
be of two minds »
To be undecided or unsure; to equivocate; to have multiple opinions.
|
be off »
To leave.
|
be off »
To be working against a present or former addiction to.
|
be off »
To be away from.
|
be on about »
Talk about; mean, intend.
|
be on the edge of one's seat »
To be in suspense; to wait eagerly or anxiously for some resolution.
|
be on to »
To figure out; to realize the truth.
|
be still my heart »
Calm down, this situation is too exciting or overly distressing.
|
be taken ill »
Due to sudden illness.
|
be taken ill »
To become ill.
|
be that as it may »
Even if that is the case; whether that is true or not; nevertheless.
|
be the way to go »
Represent the best of all possible options or courses of action; pre-eminate over all other choices or alternatives.
|
be there for »
To be available to provide comfort and support for someone, especially in a period of difficulty.
|
be there or be square »
Used to encourage someone to go somewhere.
|
be up against »
To be challenged by someone or something stronger than oneself.
|
be-all and end-all »
Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.
|
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.
|
beam up »
To teleport another person or object in the same manner.
|
bear down »
To approach another vessel from windward.
|
bear down »
To press down on someone.
|
bear down »
To intensify one's efforts.
|
bear down »
When giving birth, to push.
|
bear down on »
To approach someone in a very determined way.
|
bear hug »
wrestling hold
|
bear in mind »
Remember; consider; note.
|
bear in with »
Nearer.
|
bear on »
To influence, have an effect on.
|
bear on »
To be relevant to.
|
bear out »
To corroborate, prove, or confirm; to demonstrate; to provide evidence for.
|
bear up »
To sail close to the wind.
|
bear up »
To endure hardship cheerfully.
|
bear with »
To be patient with.
|
beat a dead horse »
To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.
|
beat around the bush »
To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.
|
beat around the bush »
To treat a topic but omit its main points, often intentionally.
|
beat Banaghan »
An Irish saying of one who tells wonderful stories, or of something which is amazing and remarkable.
|
beat down »
To strike with great force.
|
beat down »
To haggle someone to sell at a lower price.
|
beat down »
To severely beat someone up.
|
beat feet »
To flee.
|
beat feet »
To run.
|
beat it »
To go away.
|
beat off »
To drive something away with blows.
|
beat off »
To masturbate.
|
beat off »
To waste time.
|
beat one's head against a stone wall »
To waste effort on a futile project.
|
beat one's meat »
To masturbate.
|
beat out »
To sound a rhythm on a percussion instrument such as a drum.
|
beat out »
To extinguish.
|
beat out »
To win by a narrow margin.
|
beat somebody to the punch »
To do something before somebody else is able to.
|
beat someone's brains out »
To beat someone very severely.
|
beat the crap out of »
To beat really badly.
|
beat the shit out of »
To beat really badly.
|
beat up »
To give a severe beating to.
|
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 cause by some other means, injuries comparable to the result of being beaten up.
|
beat up »
To feel badly guilty and accuse oneself over something. Usually followed by over.
|
beat up »
Repeatedly bomb a military target or targets.
|
beat up »
To get something done, derived from the idea of beating for game.
|
beat up »
To verbally assault repeatedly.
|
beats me »
I don't know; I have no idea.
|
beauty is in the eye of the beholder »
Individuals have different inclinations on what is beautiful. Individuals have different beauty standards.
|
beauty is only skin deep »
What matters is a person's character, rather than his/her appearance.
|
beauty mark »
Or artificially using cosmetics.
|
beauty sleep »
C. 1900, Ralph Connor, The Man From Glengarry, ch. 23.
|
beauty sleep »
Extra sleep or a special nap.
|
beauty sleep »
Sleep before midnight, on the belief that early sleep hours conduce to health and beauty.[1].
|
beauty spot »
mole
|
beaver away »
To busily undertake a large task.
|
because you touch yourself at night »
Used to humourously deflect a request for a reason.
|
bed down »
To lie down to sleep for the night, usually of livestock or machinery.
|
bed down »
To put an animal to rest for the night.
|
bed of roses »
A comfortable or luxurious position.
|
bed of roses »
A pleasant or easy situation.
|
beddable »
Sexually attractive.
|
beddable »
[...] feminine, great body great legs great taste, trained and beddable, Jesus, how beddable.
|
beddy-bye »
Bedtime for a toddler, going to sleep, going to bed.
|
bee in one's bonnet »
Something of particular interest or concern; an obsession.
|
bee's knees »
Something excellent, outstanding.
|
beef to the hoof »
Fat, chubby, particularly with fat legs.
|
beefed out »
Having been improved greatly or upgraded; beefed up.
|
beefed out »
Muscular, often in an exaggerated way.
|
been there, done that »
An assertion that the speaker has personal experience or knowledge of a particular place or topic and is now bored.
|
been there, done that, bought the T-shirt »
Expresses the speaker's complete familiarity with a situation, with overtones of cynicism or exhaustion.
|
been there, done that, got the T-shirt »
Same as been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.
|
been to the rodeo »
Exposed to conmen and hucksters; experienced.
|
been to the rodeo »
N.d., Alan Neff, Precious Tribes, Vicious Lies, page 72.
|
beer and skittles »
Fun times.
|
beer and skittles »
Something pleasurable.
|
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.
|
beg off »
To avoid, or cancel some event that one has previously arranged with someone.
|
beg to differ »
To differ strongly in opinion or interpretation.
|
beggars can't be choosers »
(proverb) When resources are limited, one must accept even substandard gifts.
|
behind bars »
In jail or prison.
|
behind closed doors »
Public disclosure.
|
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 bit »
An equestrian term, meaning that the horse is evading the bit.
|
behind the counter »
Of drugs, dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription or other form of compliance.
|
behind the eight ball »
At a disadvantage.
|
behind the scenes »
In secret; out of public view.
|
believe in »
To ascribe existence to.
|
believe in »
To ascribe some powers or other attributes to.
|
believe you me »
An emphatic form of "believe me"; you [the subject] had better believe me [the speaker].
|
bells and whistles »
Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.
|
belly up »
Dead or defunct.
|
below par »
Having a price below its face value.
|
below par »
Less than par for the hole or course.
|
below par »
Not up to the average or normal standard.
|
below the belt »
Of a punch, landing illegally, below the opponent's waist.
|
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 one's elbow »
To drink alcoholic beverages, especially at a public house or bar.
|
bend over backwards »
To make a great effort; to take extraordinary care; to go to great lengths.
|
bend somebody's ear »
Sorry to bend your ear with the whole story, but I think you ought to know.
|
bend somebody's ear »
To bore; to talk too long.
|
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.
|
bent on »
Completely determined; obstinate.
|
bent on a splice »
About to be married.
|
beside oneself »
Overcome; consumed by an emotion.
|
beside the point »
Irrelevant, moot.
|
best bet »
The best proposal or plan.
|
best laid plans »
A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.
|
best of both worlds »
A combination of two seemingly contradictory benefits.
|
best of the bunch »
The best or most preferred person or item within a group.
|
best regards »
Used as a polite closing of a letter.
|
bet dollars to donuts »
To suggest that something is very likely to be true or that one has a strong hunch about something.
|
bet the farm »
To be absolutely certain, to have no doubts.
|
better an egg today than a hen tomorrow »
It is better to have a sure thing now than a possibility of more later.
|
better safe than sorry »
It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to suffer afterwards.
|
better than sex »
Superlative; wonderful.
|
better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all »
Having experience of love, even if it ended, is better than having no experience of love.Love is worthwhile despite the pain involved in separation.
|
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.
|
between the jigs and the reels »
Eventually, despite all the confusion.
|
betwixt and between »
Neither one thing nor the other.
|
beyond one's pay grade »
Beyond one's capability.
|
beyond one's pay grade »
Beyond one's level of authority.
|
beyond the black stump »
Extremely remote, outside the populated area.
|
beyond the pale »
Describing behaviour that is considered to be outside the bounds of morality, good behaviour or judgement in civilised company.
|
bid fair »
seem probable
|
bid fair »
seems probable
|
big boy »
A large object or person.
|
big boys »
The people or bodies with the most influence and/or power.
|
big break »
A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.
|
big bucks »
Lots of money.
|
big cheese »
A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.
|
big daddy »
Something or someone of importance.
|
big deal »
Something very important, difficult, or of concern.
|
big enchilada »
A very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.
|
big enchilada »
Some item of high value, especially a top prize or reward.
|
big fat »
Complete, utter, total.
|
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.
|
big gun »
A large-caliber artillery piece.
|
big gun »
Someone who is powerful or influential most often in plural form.
|
big kahuna »
A boss, leader, chieftain, or top-ranking person in an organization.
|
big mouth »
The mouth of someone who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by inappropriately revealing information.
|
big picture »
The main film in a double feature.
|
big picture »
The totality of a situation.
|
big shot »
A person with a reputation of importance or power.
|
big sleep »
Death.
|
big top »
circus tent
|
big up »
To increase one's muscle mass through exercise.
|
big up »
To proclaim or exaggerate the importance of.
|
big wheel »
A person with a great deal of power or influence, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.
|
big wheel »
Ferris wheel.
|
bigger fish to fry »
A higher valued result or target to reach.
|
bigger fish to fry »
A much more pressing issue to attend to.
|
bigwig »
A person of importance to a group or organization.
|
bill of goods »
A collection of items purchased or offered for sale.
|
bill of goods »
A set of misleading or deceptive claims; misinformation.
|
bird in the bosom »
A secret pledge that one makes for another.
|
bird in the hand »
Shortened form of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".
|
bird of one's own brain »
One's own idea or conception.
|
bird's-eye view »
The view from directly or high above.
|
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.
|
birthday suit »
Nakedness; a lack of clothing.
|
bit by a barn mouse »
Tipsy.
|
bit on the side »
Secondary lover, mistress.
|
bit part »
small acting role
|
bit part »
small acting role
|
bit part »
small acting role
|
bite i gresset »
To bite the dust, to die.
|
bite i gresset »
To loose.
|
bite me »
An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party.
|
bite of the reality sandwich »
A wake-up call, a reality check.
|
bite off more than one can chew »
To try to do too much; to take on or attempt more than one is capable of doing.
|
bite one's tongue »
An admonishment to someone who has said something unfeeling or harsh.
|
bite one's tongue »
To forcibly prevent oneself from uttering a word.
|
bite someone's head off »
To severely berate someone.
|
bite the bullet »
To accept a negative aspect of a situation in order to continue moving forward.
|
bite the bullet »
To endure a punishment or consequence with dignity or stoicism.
|
bite the dust »
To die.
|
bite the dust »
To quit, or fail.
|
bite the hand that feeds you »
To cause harm to a benefactor.
|
bite to eat »
A snack or quick meal.
|
bits and bobs »
A random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and things.
|
bitter end »
That part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains onboard when a ship is riding at anchor.
|
bitter end »
The end of a long and difficult process.
|
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 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.
|
blame Canada »
A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.
|
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.
|
blaze a trail »
To set precedent or do something novel; to break new ground.
|
blaze a trail »
To show the way or proceed rapidly.
|
bleeding edge »
Something very current, or modern where there may actually be a hazard or risk in using it, such as with potentially unstable software. The term relates to a sword.
|
bleep out »
To censor inappropriate spoken words by obscuring them with the sound of a bleep.
|
blessed event »
An occurrence or occasion which is particularly noteworthy and enjoyable.
|
blessed event »
The birth of a baby.
|
blessing in disguise »
A misfortune that has an unexpected benefit.
|
blimp out »
To become fat or fatter, especially as a result of excessive eating.
|
blind »
A covering for a window to keep out light. The covering may be made of cloth or of narrow slats that can block light or allow it to pass.
|
blind »
A forced bet.
|
blind »
A player who is or was forced to make a bet.
|
blind »
An 1800s baseball term meaning no score.
|
blind »
Any device intended to conceal or hide; as, a duck blind.
|
blind as a bat »
Nearly totally blind, having a very poor sense of vision.
|
blind date »
A romantic meeting between two people who have never met before.
|
blink of an eye »
A very short period of time; quickly.
|
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!
|
blood mary »
Vodka and tomato juice
|
blot one's copy book »
To damage one's own reputation through bad behavior.
|
blot out »
To obscure.
|
blot out »
To make something undecipherable; to obliterate.
|
blow a fuse »
To lose one's temper; to become enraged.
|
blow a gasket »
To become very angry or upset.
|
blow a kiss »
To kiss one's hand, then blow on the hand in a direction towards the recipient.
|
blow away »
Flabbergast; scintillate; impress greatly.
|
blow away »
To be dispersed as a result of being blown.
|
blow away »
To cause to go away by blowing.
|
blow chunks »
To be very bad, inadequate, unpleasant, or miserable; to thoroughly suck.
|
blow chunks »
To suffer from explosive diarrhea.
|
blow chunks »
To vomit chunks of undigested food.
|
blow hot and cold »
To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.
|
blow it »
To fail at something; to mess up; to make a mistake.
|
blow off »
To pass gas; to break wind.
|
blow off »
To vent, usually, to reduce pressure in a container.
|
blow off »
To shoot something with a gun, causing it to come disconnected.
|
blow off steam »
To rant or shout in order to relieve stress; to vent.
|
blow one's chances »
To forfeit opportunities to achieve some goal.
|
blow one's top »
To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.
|
blow out of proportion »
To overreact to or overstate; to treat too seriously or be overly concerned with.
|
blow over »
To blow on something causing it to topple.
|
blow over »
To pass naturally; to go away; to settle or calm down.
|
blow smoke »
To speak with a lack of credibility, sense, purpose, or truth; to speak nonsense.
|
blow someone out of the water »
To trounce; to defeat someone thoroughly, at a game or in battle.
|
blow someone's mind »
To astonish someone, to flabbergast someone.
|
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 this pop stand »
To exit or remove oneself from a less than exciting location or environment.
|
blow this popsicle stand »
To leave an establishment speedily.
|
blow up »
To explode or be destroyed by explosion.
|
blow up »
To explode something or somebody or destroy something or injure or kill somebody by explosion.
|
blow up »
To inflate or fill with air.
|
blow up »
To enlarge or zoom in.
|
blow up »
To become popular very quickly.
|
blow up »
To suddenly get very angry.
|
blow up in one's face »
To fail disastrously.
|
blow-by-blow »
Detailing every action or occurrence completely.
|
blue devils »
Low spirits; depression.
|
blue moon »
A long time.
|
blue moon »
Something absurd.
|
blue moon »
The moon tinted towards blue as it appears in the sky, caused by dust or smoke in the atmosphere.
|
blue moon »
The third full moon in a quarter that contains four rather than the usual three full moons.
|
blue note »
Notes added to the major scale for expressive quality in jazz and blues music, particularly the flatted third, fifth and seventh.
|
blue state »
A state of the United States voting Democratic in a given election, or tending to vote Democratic in general.
|
blue whale »
largest mammal
|
blue-eyed boy »
Someone's favourite, especially a young one.
|
bluewash »
To tout a business or organization's commitment to social responsibility, and to use this perception for public relations and economic gain; to present a humanitarian front in this manner.
|
bluewash »
To use a blue paint or glaze.
|
blurt out »
To say suddenly, without thinking.
|
board up »
To block doors or windows with boards, either to prevent access or as protection from storms, etc.
|
bog standard »
Especially plain, ordinary, or unremarkable; having no special, excess or unusual features; plain vanilla.
|
bogged down »
Stuck, as if in a bog.
|
bogged down »
Stuck; mired, as in detail, difficulty; delayed or made slower.
|
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.
|
boil down to »
to be equivalent to; to reduce to.
|
bolt bucket »
A machine, especially an automobile. Implies that the machine is clunky or unreliable.
|
bomb around »
The drive around at speed for pleasure.
|
bone dry »
Completely dry; without any trace of moisture.
|
bone idle »
lazy
|
bone of contention »
Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached.
|
bone up »
To study or cram, especially in order to refresh one's knowledge of a topic.
|
boo boo »
blunder
|
booby prize »
A prize or status, often unwelcome, awarded as a joke or disincentive to the loser of a contest or for poor performance.
|
book in »
register
|
boot camp »
A short, intensive, quasi-military program generally aimed at young offenders as an alternative to a jail term.
|
boot camp »
Any short, intensive course of training.
|
boot camp »
Indoctrination, physical fitness training and basic instruction in service-related subjects for recruits in the Navy and Marine Corps.
|
boot up »
To start a computer using its bootstrap procedure.
|
booze can »
A nightclub or bar, especially one which operates illegally or is otherwise disreputable.
|
borganism »
An organization of autonomous organisms that exhibit collectivism: individual "units" that have merged to yield a unified construct. Such an amalgam may possess a collective consciousness, arguably an emergent phenomenon of social networking.
|
borganism »
Some forms of government.
|
born in a barn »
Engaging in the annoying behavior of inappropriately, and usually neglectfully, leaving open a door or window.
|
born in a barn »
Lacking a sense of etiquette; ill-mannered.
|
born in a barn »
Of humble birth, especially when referring to Jesus Christ.
|
born on the Fourth of July »
Demonstratively patriotic.
|
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »
Born rich or in a wealthy family.
|
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »
Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.
|
born yesterday »
New, naive, innocent, inexperienced or easily deceived.
|
borne out »
Past participle of bear out.
|
borne out »
Substantiated.
|
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.
|
bottle up »
Put into bottles.
|
bottle up »
Keep suppressed and hidden.
|
bottom line »
The final balance; the amount of money or profit left after everything has been tallied.
|
bottom line »
The summary or result; the most important information; the upshot; the net-net.
|
bottom of the line »
The worst, the most lackluster, or lowest quality currently on the market, especially among selections in a product line.
|
bottom of the ninth »
By extension, any last chance or final opportunity.
|
bottom of the ninth »
In baseball, the second part of the ninth and final inning. The end of the game.
|
bottoming the house »
The process by where someone cleans their house 'from top to bottom'. It is a very thorough clean indeed, even more so than 'spring cleaning'.
|
bought the farm »
Simple past tense and past participle of buy the farm: died; often refers to death in battle.
|
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.
|
bowl of cherries »
An enjoyable experience.
|
bowl out »
And thus end their innings.
|
bowl over »
To overwhelm with astonishment or wonder; to flabbergast.
|
bowled over »
to be astonished; overwhelmed; surprised; shocked
|
box on the ear »
Administered on the victim's ear, usually by an educator, to enforce attention.
|
box the compass »
To know, and be able to recite the 32 points and quarter points of the magnetic compass from North, both clockwise and anticlockwise.
|
box the compass »
To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.
|
box-office bomb »
A motion picture that generates relatively low revenue at the box office, especially that which is less than the budget for the motion picture.
|
boxer shorts »
underwear
|
boy in the boat »
Clitoris.
|
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 fart »
A lapse in the thought process; an inability to think or remember something clearly.
|
brain fart »
Something ill-considered and said or done impulsively.
|
brain surgeon »
Someone very intelligent.
|
brain surgeon »
Someone who does brain surgery.
|
brain surgery »
Something that is overly complex, detailed or confusing.
|
brain surgery »
Surgery on any part of the nervous system, especially the brain; neurosurgery.
|
brain teaser »
puzzle
|
brain-dead »
Having an irreversible loss of brain function and cessation of brain activity.
|
brain-dead »
Having no useful thoughts; stupid; ditzy.
|
branch out »
To expand in the manner of branches.
|
branch out »
To attempt something new or different, but related.
|
brass farthing »
Something worthless or of small value.
|
brass monkey »
A cocktail of vodka, rum and orange juice, sometimes with the addition of galliano.
|
brass monkey »
A kind of inexpensive liqueur.
|
brass monkey »
An Australian beer.
|
brass monkey »
Said of the weather when it is very cold.
|
brass monkeys »
Very cold.
|
brass neck »
A person with gall.
|
brass neck »
Gall, shamelessness, cheek.
|
brass ring »
Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.
|
brass-neck »
To behave boldly or shamelessly.
|
brass-necked »
Nervy; cheeky; shameless.
|
bread and butter »
Bread spread with butter.
|
bread and butter »
That which is central or fundamental, as to one's business, survival, or income; a staple or cornerstone.
|
breadwinner »
The member of a household who earns all or most of the income
|
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 a leg »
To perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.
|
break a sweat »
' , Karon Karter - The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Pilates Method page 119.
|
break a sweat »
January 2008, The Age - Walkovers blaze a trail for women's equal-pay theory.
|
break a sweat »
To put effort into something.
|
break a sweat »
To start sweating.
|
break away »
To leave suddenly.
|
break down »
To fail.
|
break down »
To become unstable, mentally or otherwise.
|
break down »
To decay.
|
break down »
To give more detail.
|
break even »
To neither gain nor lose money.
|
break even »
To stay the same; to neither advance nor regress.
|
break ground »
To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.
|
break ground »
To initiate a new venture, or to advance beyond previous achievements.
|
break ground »
To lift off the sea bottom when being weighed.
|
break in »
To enter by force or illicit means.
|
break in »
New function more naturally through use or wear.
|
break in the case »
A new discovery in a case.
|
break into »
To enter illegally or by force.
|
break into »
To open or begin to use.
|
break into »
To try to start in a profession or business.
|
break into »
To begin suddenly.
|
break new ground »
By extension, to initiate a new venture.
|
break new ground »
To begin excavating and levelling earth for a new building, or, originally, for cultivation.
|
break off »
To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.
|
break off »
To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping.
|
break one's duck »
To do something for the first time.
|
break one's duck »
To score one's first run in an innings.
|
break out »
To escape, especially forcefully or defiantly.
|
break out »
To bring out, use, or present.
|
break out »
To separate from a bundle.
|
break out »
To begin suddenly; to emerge in a certain condition.
|
break rank »
To march or charge out of the designated order in a military unit.
|
break someone's heart »
To cause a person to feel grief or sadness.
|
break the back of »
To achieve the greater part of some project.
|
break the bank »
To exhaust one's financial resources.
|
break the bank »
To win more money than is available to be paid.
|
break the buck »
Fall below the value of one dollar per share.[1].
|
break the ice »
To start to get to know people, by avoiding awkwardness.
|
break up »
To break or separate into pieces; to disintegrate or come apart.
|
break up »
To end a relationship.
|
break up »
To dissolve; to part.
|
break up »
Of a telephone conversation, to cease to be understandable because of a bad connection.
|
break up »
To break or separate into pieces.
|
break up »
To stop a fight; to separate people who are fighting.
|
break wind »
To flatulate; fart; to expel gases generated during digestion through the anus.
|
breakfast of champions »
An ironic appellation for beer, junk food, or other foods implied to be unhealthy.
|
breath of fresh air »
Something relieving, refreshing, or new.
|
breathe down someone's neck »
To follow someone too closely, making it uncomfortable for them.
|
breathe easy »
To relax or feel secure about something.
|
brick by brick »
To create or build something in a steady, step-by-step fashion.
|
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.
|
brickbat »
A criticism or uncomplimentary remark hurled at artwork or other recipient.
|
brickbat »
For example, it's quite common for magazines to have a section called Bouquets and Brickbats for compliments and criticisms.
|
brickbat »
Reason Magazine: Daily Brickbat[1].
|
bridge »
A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
|
bridge »
A device which connects two or more computer buses, typically in a transparent manner.
|
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 song contained within another song, often demarcated by meter, key, or melody.
|
bridge »
A statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.
|
bridge »
A system which connects two or more local area networks at layer 2.
|
bridge »
A valence bond, atom or chain of atoms that connects two different parts of a molecule; the atoms so connected being bridgeheads.
|
bridge »
An edge which, if removed, changes a connected graph to one that is not connected.
|
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 »
An unintended solder connection between two or more components or pins.
|
bridge »
Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit.
|
bridge »
Cue for extended or tedious shots. Also called a spider.
|
bridge »
The piece, on string instruments, that supports the strings from the sounding board.
|
bridge »
The upper bony ridge of the human nose.
|
bright line »
A clear distinction in the context of a legal or moral judgment.
|
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed »
Alert and in an eager, frisky, or playful mood; full of life.
|
bright-line rule »
A clear-cut, easy to make decision.
|
bright-line rule »
A clearly defined rule or standard, comprised of objective factors, which leaves little or no room for varying interpretation.
|
brighten up »
To become brighter.
|
brighten up »
To make cheerful.
|
brighten up »
Brighten up my day.
|
brighten up »
Brighten up a room.
|
brim over »
To overflow over the brim.
|
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 down »
To make a legitimate rulership lose their position of power.
|
bring down »
To reduce.
|
bring down »
To make something flying fall to the ground. Usually by firing a weapon of some kind.
|
bring down »
To make someone feel bad emotionally.
|
bring down the house »
To garner enthusiastic or wild applause.
|
bring forth »
To produce, bear as fruit.
|
bring forth »
To give birth.
|
bring forth »
To create, generate, bring into existence.
|
bring forth »
To display, produce, bring out for display.
|
bring forward »
To call up for consideration.
|
bring forward »
To make something happen earlier than originally planned.
|
bring home the bacon »
To have a job and earn money or to lead a successful career.
|
bring in »
To introduce a new rule, law, or system of organisation.
|
bring in »
To introduce a person or group of people to an organisation.
|
bring in »
To earn money for a company or for the family.
|
bring in »
To return a verdict in a court of law.
|
bring in »
To move something indoors.
|
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 off »
To succeed in doing something considered to be very difficult.
|
bring out »
To elicit, evoke, or emphasize a particular quality.
|
bring out »
On the market; roll out.
|
bring out »
To make a shy person more confident.
|
bring out »
To cause a visible symptom such as spots or a rash.
|
bring owls to Athens »
Forgive me, then, for bringing owls to Athens as a thanks-offering. — Goethe, in a letter to Wilhelm von Humboldt.
|
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 owls to Athens »
To undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical.
|
bring owls to Athens »
Who brings owls to Athens? — Euelpides, in Aristophanes' Birds.
|
bring round »
To bring something when coming.
|
bring round »
To resuscitate; to cause to regain consciousness.
|
bring to heel »
To be forced to obey.
|
bring to heel »
To force someone to obey.
|
bring to the table »
To provide a suggestion.
|
bring up »
To bring from a lower position to a higher position.
|
bring up »
To mention.
|
bring up »
To raise children.
|
bring up »
To turn on power or start, as of a machine.
|
bring upon »
To cause to befall.
|
broad across the beam »
Without fat on the hips and the bottom.
|
broad church »
A wide scope of philosophies and ideas.
|
broad in the beam »
Without fat on the hips and the bottom.
|
broad shoulders »
The ability to take criticism, or accept responsibility.
|
broken vessel »
A person who is destroyed or forgotten, or who feels flawed or broken.
|
broken-hearted »
Alternative spelling of brokenhearted. Feeling depressed, despondent, or hopeless, especially over losing a love.
|
bros before hoes »
(US, informal) A man should prioritize his male friends over his girlfriend or wife.
|
bros before hos »
Alternative spelling of bros before hoes.
|
brown bag »
A short presentation or seminar on a given subject, especially one given at lunchtime.
|
brown bread »
Bread with a brown colour as distinct from white bread, wholemeal, granary or other specific types of bread.
|
brown noser »
One who sucks up; a bootlicker, ass-kisser, sycophant.
|
brown power »
The production of electricity made from conventional sources, such as coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power.
|
brown thumb »
Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.
|
browned off »
Annoyed, upset, angry, bored, fed up, disgusted.
|
brush off »
An abrupt rebuff or dismissal.
|
brush up »
To review; to improve an existing but rusty or under-developed skill.
|
buck off »
To cause to fall off.
|
buck up »
Cheer up; take courage; take heart.
|
buck up »
Hurry up; make haste.
|
bucket down »
To rain heavily.
|
bucket of bolts »
A piece of machinery that is not worth more than its scrap value, often of old cars.
|
buckle down »
To put forth the needed effort; to focus; become serious; apply oneself.
|
buckle up »
To fasten one's seat belt or safety belt.
|
buff the muffin »
To masturbate.
|
bug off »
Used to tell somebody to leave them alone.
|
bug out »
To abandon someone without warning.
|
bug out »
To cause to bulge.
|
bugger all »
Nothing.
|
bugger off »
Go away.
|
bugger off »
An expression of disagreement or disbelief.
|
bugger up »
To break or spoil something, or make it inoperative, useless etc.
|
build a better mousetrap »
To invent the next great thing; to have a better idea.
|
build up »
To accumulate, to pile up.
|
build up »
To strengthen.
|
built like a brick shithouse »
Exceptionally well constructed; strong or tough.
|
built like a brick shithouse »
Of a person, with an exceptionally well-developed chest.
|
built like a tank »
Broad shouldered and of solid, muscular build.
|
built like a tank »
Sturdy; exceptionally well constructed.
|
bull session »
An informal meeting among men.
|
bull's eye »
sweet
|
bulletproof »
Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.
|
bulletproof »
Reliable, infallible, sturdy or error-tolerant.
|
bulletproof »
Unbreakable, very tough.
|
bum around »
To wander around idly to no purpose; to loaf or loiter.
|
bum chum »
A male’s homosexual partner..
|
bum rap »
A false accusation, or an injustice, especially one that leads to imprisonment.
|
bum rap »
An undeservedly unfavorable portrayal or reputation.
|
bum rush »
Storming into an establishment.
|
bum steer »
Bad advice, regardless of intention.
|
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 and grind »
A sexually suggestive dance involving exaggerated hip movements, especially a striptease dance.
|
bump into »
To collide with something.
|
bump into »
To meet someone by chance.
|
bump off »
To kill, especially to murder.
|
bump up »
To increase something suddenly.
|
bump up »
To promote a person to a higher grade.
|
bump up »
To give a more prominent place to; to advance position in queue.
|
bumper crop »
A large yield; an excess of something.
|
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 joy »
A newborn baby.
|
bundle of joy »
A pet.
|
bundle of nerves »
A lively, continually active person.
|
bundle of nerves »
A person with an especially nervous, excitable, or fearful disposition.
|
bung up »
To close an opening with a cork, cork like object or other improvised obstruction.
|
bunk off »
We all bunked off school yesterday to watch the football.
|
bunny hop »
A dance from the big band era, a variation of the conga.
|
bunny hop »
A ground ball that hops along the field instead of rolling.
|
bunny hop »
A jump made where both wheels leave the ground.
|
bunny hug »
A style of dance.
|
bunny hug »
A sweatshirt with a hood.
|
buoy up »
To uplift, hearten, inspire or raise the spirits.
|
buried treasure »
Something, having been concealed for a long time, which later is found and is profitable.
|
buried treasure »
Treasure stashed underground or underwater.
|
burn a hole in one's pocket »
To cause someone to be tempted to spend money.
|
burn down »
To completely burn, so that nothing remains.
|
burn one's bridges »
To destroy one's path, connections, reputation, opportunities, etc.
|
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 out »
To tire due to overwork.
|
burn rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
burn the midnight oil »
To work studiously, especially late into the night.
|
burn up »
To catch fire and burn until destroyed.
|
burn up »
To destroy by burning.
|
burn up »
To anger; to annoy.
|
burnt to a crisp »
Inedible.
|
burst someone's bubble »
To disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown comfortable.
|
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.
|
bush league »
A low-ranking or inferior level among groups, professions, organizations, etc.
|
bush league »
A professional sports association at the lower levels of minor league organization.
|
bush telegraph »
A gossip network.
|
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.
|
business as usual »
The normal course of an activity, particularly in circumstances that are out of the ordinary.
|
business before pleasure »
An admonishment that discharging one's obligations must take precedence over devoting time to pursuits meant solely for one's own gratification.
|
business end »
The part of a tool or other similar item, that is physically used for its operation, rather than the part which is held.
|
business girl »
A prostitute.
|
business girl »
A young woman employed in business or office work.
|
busman's holiday »
A holiday or vacation during which you do the same thing that you do for your usual work.
|
bust a cap in someone's ass »
Alternative form of pop a cap in someone's ass.
|
bust ass cold »
Extremely cold.
|
bust chops »
To nag; to berate or hound in an effort to elicit action.
|
bust one's butt »
To work exceptionally hard.
|
bust one's chops »
To exert oneself.
|
busted flush »
A potential flush which ultimately was not filled.
|
busted flush »
Anything which ends up worthless despite great potential.
|
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 beaver »
Someone who is very busy or hard-working.
|
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 seriously folks »
Directs attention to immediately preceding failed attempt at humor.
|
but then »
Then again, on the other hand; used to show that the opposite viewpoint is possible.
|
but who's counting »
Used as a retort or comeback, often to deprecate oneself or another for excessive concern or attention to.
|
butt heads »
To argue uncompromisingly with someone.
|
butt-naked »
Stark-naked, completely nude.
|
butt-naked »
With the buttocks bared.
|
butter fingers »
A clumsy person who always drops things, a klutz.
|
butter up »
To flatter, especially with the intent of personal gain.
|
butterfly upon a wheel »
An innocent person crushed by life's adversities.
|
button up »
To fasten with a button or buttons.
|
button up »
To fasten all the buttons on a coat, or similar item of clothing, to keep warm.
|
button-down »
Conservative; conventional; unimaginative.
|
button-down »
Of a collar, able to be buttoned down to the shirt, as over a necktie.
|
button-down »
Serious; staid; businesslike.
|
buttoned-down »
Alternative form of button-down.
|
buy out »
To purchase the entire stock or extent of something.
|
buy out »
To purchase the ownership of a company.
|
buy straw hats in winter »
Of stocks, to buy when both demand and price is low, sell when demand and price is high.
|
buy the farm »
To die; often, to die in battle.
|
buy time »
Purposefully cause a delay to something, in order to achieve something else.
|
buy to let »
To purchase a property as in investment, and to let it out for rental instead of living in it.
|
buzz off »
Used to tell someone to go away.
|
buzz up »
To allow entrance into a building from a higher floor by triggering an electronic lock.
|
by a long shot »
By a wide margin; indicates a very big difference or disparity.
|
by all means »
Yes certainly; definitely.
|
by and large »
Mostly, generally; with few exceptions.
|
by dint of »
By reason of; by means of.
|
by far »
To a considerably large extent, easily.
|
by hand »
Manually; without the use of automation or machines.
|
by heart »
Knowing completely; as having committed completely to memory.
|
by hook or by crook »
By any means possible; one way or another.
|
by leaps and bounds »
Rapidly. Said of making progress.
|
by no means »
Certainly not; definitely not.
|
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 book »
In a manner which adheres strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
|
by the by »
Used to introduce a new topic; incidentally.
|
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.
|
by the same token »
For a similar reason; in a similar manner; similarly; likewise; along the same lines.
|
by the skin of one's teeth »
Barely; closely; by a narrow margin; with nothing to spare.
|
by the time »
When.
|
by the way »
His mother will be coming for dinner tomorrow, and, by the way, she volunteered to bring dessert.
|
by the way »
Incidentally; a parenthetical statement not timely, central, or crucial to the topic at hand; foregone, passed by, something that has already happened.
|
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.
|
by trade »
As a profession; professionally.
|
by virtue of »
Because of; on the grounds of; by reason of; due to; based on.
|
by-the-book »
Adhering strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
|
by-the-numbers »
Done in a predictable manner; formulaic.
|
bye-bye »
Goodbye.
|
cake crumbs »
Crumbs from a cake.
|
cake crumbs »
Hardly anything.
|
call 'em as one sees 'em »
To candidly and honestly express an opinion or viewpoint.
|
call a spade a spade »
To speak the truth; to say things as they really are.
|
call forth »
To induce, inspire.
|
call in »
To communicate with a base etc, by telephone.
|
call in »
To summon someone, especially for help or advice.
|
call in »
To withdraw something from sale or circulation.
|
call it a day »
To cease the activity for the day.
|
call it a day »
To retire.
|
call it a night »
To cease what one has been doing for the night.
|
call it a night »
To go to bed to sleep.
|
call it even »
To declare debts resolved or favors or other exchange equitable.
|
call it quits »
To conclude; to quit or stop an activity.
|
call off »
To recall; to cancel or call a halt to.
|
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.
|
call off the dogs »
To ease up on after inflicting great punishment.
|
call on »
To visit somebody; to pay a call.
|
call on »
In a classroom, to select a student.
|
call on »
To request or ask of somebody; to select for a task.
|
call on »
To correct; to point out an error or untruth.
|
call out »
To specify, especially in detail.
|
call out »
To order into service; to summon into service.
|
call out »
To yell out; to vocalize audibly; announce.
|
call out »
To arrange for a professional to call at your home for some purpose.
|
call out »
To challenge.
|
call someone's bluff »
To take action on the basis that another person is bluffing.
|
call the shots »
To make the decisions;to be in charge;to give orders.
|
call up »
An order to report for military service.
|
calling card »
A prepaid card or credit card, usually electronically readable, used to pay the charges when making a telephone call.
|
calling card »
A small printed card which identifies the bearer, traditionally presented for introduction when making a social visit to a home or when attending a formal social event or business meeting.
|
calling card »
An attribute, object, or behavior which is distinctly characteristic of someone or something.
|
calling card »
Excrement, especially of a domestic animal.
|
calls for »
Requires; needs to
|
camel through the eye of a needle »
Hyperbole to illustrate that something is almost impossible to do or to happen.
|
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 it »
To silence; to quit doing something; to put an end to something.
|
can of worms »
A complex, troublesome situation arising when a decision or action produces considerable subsequent problems.
|
can of worms »
A troublesome situation; an issue whose resolution is difficult or contentious, but not necessarily complex.
|
can't wait »
To eagerly anticipate; to find it unbearable to wait for a forthcoming pleasurable event.
|
cancel out »
To neutralize the effect of something.
|
Cannon fodder »
Military personnel who are regarded as expendable when attacking the enemy.
|
cap it all off »
To finish or complete something.
|
cap it all off »
To surpass or outdo something.
|
cap over the windmill »
In a crazed manner.
|
captain of industry »
A prominent business person who owns or is the highest-ranking executive of one or more major firms, especially one who has considerable wealth and influence.
|
carbon copy »
duplicate
|
carpe diem »
seize the day, make the most of today, enjoy the present
|
carpe diem cras »
seize the day tomorrow, make the most of tomorrow
|
carried away »
Made excessively emotional or excited.
|
carrot and stick »
Simultaneous rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior.
|
carry a torch for »
[2] To harbor feelings of love despite not being in a relationship; generally unrequited or after a relationship has ended, and sometimes implying secret feelings. There is the implication of keeping hope alive.
|
carry a tune »
To produce music, especially to sing, with accurate pitch.
|
carry away »
To break under sudden pressure of violent wind.
|
carry coals to Newcastle »
To do something that is unneeded or redundant.
|
carry off »
Knowledge, confidence, or familiarity.
|
carry on »
To act or behave; especially to act or behave so as to attract attention.
|
carry on »
To continue or proceed as before.
|
carry on »
To have an illicit sexual liaison.
|
carry on »
To have or maintain.
|
carry on »
To take baggage or luggage onto an airplane, rather than check it.
|
carry one's own weight »
A variant of carry one's weight.
|
carry one's weight »
To contribute or produce one's fair share, as of work, money, etc.
|
carry out »
To hold while moving something out.
|
carry someone's water »
To do someone's bidding; to serve someone's interests.
|
carry the can »
To take responsibility, especially in a challenging situation.
|
carry the message to Garcia »
To perform a requisite task despite obstacles.
|
carry the message to Garcia »
To perform a requisite task without having been informed specifically by what method to do so.
|
carry water for »
To perform menial tasks for; to serve; to assist.
|
carved in stone »
Unchangeable.
|
case in point »
An example that illustrates a point.
|
cash cow »
A product, service, or enterprise that generates ongoing, high net free cash flows.
|
cash cow »
Someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money; a moneymaker.
|
cash in »
To profit from; to use an opportunity to maximum advantage, especially financially.
|
cast aspersions »
To make damaging or spiteful remarks.
|
cast off »
To discard or reject something.
|
cast off »
To let go a cable or rope securing a vessel to a buoy, wharf etc so that she may proceed.
|
cast off »
To finish the last row of knitted stitches and remove them securely from the needle.
|
cast on »
To start the first row of knitting by putting stitches on a needle.
|
cast one's vote »
To vote for something.
|
cast pearls before swine »
To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.
|
cast the first stone »
To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing that one is blameless.
|
cast up one's accounts »
To vomit.
|
castle in the air »
A visionary project or scheme; a day-dream; an idle fancy; a pipe dream; any plan, desire, or idea that is unlikely to be ever realized; a near impossibility.
|
cat and dog life »
Unhappy married life.
|
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 got someone's tongue »
Why are you not saying anything?.
|
cat in the meal-tub »
Something concealed; a hidden danger.
|
cat in the sack »
Something to be suspicious of.
|
cat that ate the canary »
A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, prohibited, or private.
|
cat that ate the canary »
A person whose appearance and behavior suggest guilt mixed with other qualities, such as satisfaction or feigned nonchalance.
|
cat's cradle »
A children's string game.
|
cat's cradle »
Any complicated structure which appears to be without purpose.
|
cat's meow »
A highly sought-after and fancy example of something.
|
cat's meow »
A self-satisfied person.
|
cat's pyjamas »
A highly sought-after and fancy example of something, usually referring to inanimate objects.
|
cat's pyjamas »
That new car was really the cat's pyjamas.
|
catbird seat »
Expression used to describe an enviable position, often one of great advantage.
|
catch a buzz »
To become slightly inebriated, but not yet be drunk.
|
catch a cold »
To become infected with cold.
|
catch a tan »
To get a suntan.
|
catch air »
To make a jump.
|
catch big air »
Superlative of catch air; make a big jump high off the ground.
|
catch dust »
To be rarely used.
|
catch fire »
Become engulfed with flames.
|
catch flies »
An ostensible product of awkwardly having one's mouth open wide.
|
catch hell »
Be severely reprimanded, punished, or beaten.
|
catch it »
Be severely reprimanded, punished, or beaten.
|
catch on »
To begin to understand; to realize or detect.
|
catch on »
To become popular; to become commonplace; to become the standard.
|
catch out »
To discover or expose as fake or insincere.
|
catch out »
To put a batsman out by catching the batted ball before it touches the ground.
|
catch some z's »
To sleep.
|
catch someone's eye »
To capture someone's attention.
|
catch up »
To pick up suddenly.
|
catch up »
To entangle.
|
catch up »
To provide with news.
|
catch up »
To be reaching something that had been ahead.
|
catch up »
To compensate for or make up a deficiency.
|
catch up »
To get news.
|
catch up »
get level with
|
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.
|
catch-as-catch-can »
Intermittent; only when possible or when the opportunity presents itself.
|
catmeat »
Catfood consisting of meat.
|
catmeat »
Meat from a cat.
|
catmeat »
Someone who has been badly beaten.
|
cattle call »
An audition which is open to the public and thus draws a large number of applicants, many of whom are inexperienced.
|
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 between the devil and the deep blue sea »
Having a choice between two alternatives, both undesirable.
|
caught in the act »
To be found doing something that you weren't supposed to be doing, while you're doing it.
|
caught with one's hand in the cookie jar »
Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money.
|
caught with one's pants down »
Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.
|
cause a stir »
To cause controversy, or raise a disturbance.
|
cave in »
The act of something collapsing or caving in.
|
cave in »
The location where something has caved in.
|
cave in »
The act of relenting.
|
caveat lector »
Reader beware.
|
cease fire »
truce
|
cease to be »
To die.
|
center field »
A central role in some activity that requires speed.
|
center field »
The defensive position in the outfield in the middle, typically played by a player that can run fast.
|
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.
|
ceterum censeo »
A formulaic expression used to end a speech by reinforcing one, often unrelated, major view.
|
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 attribute, credit, or blame.
|
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.
|
champ at the bit »
To bite the bit, especially when restless.
|
champ at the bit »
To show impatience or frustration when delayed.
|
chance'd be a fine thing »
Given to indicate that an aforementioned thing would be desirable but unlikely. Comparable to if I should be so lucky.
|
chances are »
It is likely that, it is probable that.
|
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.
|
change of heart »
A change of one's opinion, belief or decision.
|
change of life »
Menopause.
|
change one's mind »
To convince someone to make a decision differing from what a previous one.
|
change one's mind »
To decide differently than one had decided before.
|
change one's tune »
To change one's story.
|
change one's tune »
To reconsider; rethink; to reach a different conclusion.
|
charge up »
To recharge, to give electrical power to something.
|
charge up »
To motivate, to instill someone with determination.
|
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.
|
charley horse »
A muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg.
|
chase a rainbow »
To pursue something illusory, impractical, or impossible.
|
chase after »
To chase someone.
|
chase after »
To pursue someone with romantic intentions; to woo.
|
chase down »
To pursue and apprehend someone.
|
chase down »
To investigate the cause of something.
|
chase tail »
Partner.
|
chat up »
In a friendly, open, or casual manner, sometimes also in a charming or affected manner, usually to curry favor, and sometimes flirtatiously with the intention of establishing a romantic or sexual encounter or relationship with that person.
|
che sara sara »
Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1892 March 17, Cigarette,
|
che sera sera »
Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1604, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus:Why then belike we must sin, / And so consequently die. / Aye, we must die an everlasting death. / What doctrine call you this ? Che, sera, sera: / What will be*, shall be; Divinity adieu. / These Metaphysics of Magicians, / And necromantic books, are heavenly.
|
cheaper by the dozen »
Things are handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.
|
cheat on »
To be unfaithful to.
|
cheat sheet »
A sheet of paper containing notes used to assist on a test.
|
cheat sheet »
Any summary or quick reference used as a shortcut or reminder, a crib sheet.
|
cheaters never prosper »
One does not gain from cheating.
|
check in »
To announce or record one's arrival at a hotel, airport etc.
|
check is in the mail »
A common excuse used by debtors to put off creditors.
|
check out »
To pay the bill, and record one's departure, as from a hotel.
|
check out »
To leave in a hurry.
|
check out »
To die.
|
check out »
To have one's purchases recorded and bagged at a supermarket, and pay for it.
|
check out »
To withdraw an item, as from a library, and have the withdrawal recorded.
|
check out »
To examine or inspect; to espy.
|
check out »
To obtain computer source code from a repository.
|
check out »
Used to draw attention to something and stimulate excitement about it.
|
cheek by jowl »
In close proximity; crammed uncomfortably close together.
|
cheer on »
To cheer and support a team, to barrack, to root for.
|
cheer up »
To become happy.
|
cheer up »
To make someone happy.
|
cheese down »
To coil the tail of a rope on deck so as to present a neat appearance.
|
cheese it »
A minced oath used as a warning to stop, hide, or flee.
|
cheese off »
To annoy.
|
cheesed off »
Annoyed, upset, angry.
|
cherry pick »
To position oneself near the opponent's goal to attempt to receive an errant or intentional pass for an easy score, as in basketball or versions of soccer where offsides are not enforced.
|
cherry pick »
To select only the best from a range of options.
|
cherry picking »
Selecting only the best from a group or other range of choices.
|
cherry-pick »
To pick out the best, or most desirable items from a list or group, especially to obtain some advantage or to present something in the best possible light.
|
chew out »
To lecture, scold, reprimand, or rebuke.
|
chew somebody out »
To berate; to shout at someone.
|
chew the cud »
To meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate.
|
chew the fat »
To chat idly or generally waste time talking.
|
chew the scenery »
To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.
|
chicken feed »
A very small or insignificant quantity, especially of money.
|
chicken feed »
Food given to poultry.
|
chicken out »
To shy away from a daring task; to decline, refuse, or avoid something due to fear or uncertainty.
|
chickens coming home to roost »
Consequences visited upon someone who originally had appeared to escape them.
|
child's play »
Something particularly simple or easy.
|
children should be seen and not heard »
Children should behave well and be quiet, especially in the presence of adults.
|
chill out »
Relax, take it easy.
|
chime in »
To talk; to join in conversation or discussion.
|
chin up »
Be happy; cheer up.
|
chinese gooseberry »
kiwi fruit
|
chip in »
To contribute.
|
chip in »
To interrupt a discussion for the purpose of making a comment.
|
chip in »
To make a contribution; help in a small way; especially, to pay for a part of something.
|
chip in »
To put a chip shot in the hole.
|
chip in »
To put into the pot the amount of chips or money required to continue.
|
chip off the old block »
Someone who takes after their parent.
|
chip on one's shoulder »
A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.
|
chip on one's shoulder »
A habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.
|
chip on one's shoulder »
A tendency to take offence quickly.
|
choke the chicken »
To masturbate.
|
chomp at the bit »
To show impatience or frustration when delayed.
|
chopped liver »
A Jewish food made by frying liver and onions in schmaltz.
|
chopped liver »
A person or object which is not worthy of being noticed; someone or something insignificant.
|
chow down »
To eat, especially to eat vigorously.
|
chrome horn »
The front bumper of a car when used to bump another vehicle, usually to inform the driver of the other vehicle, that the first car would like to pass.
|
chuck it down »
To rain heavily.
|
chuck out »
To discard, to dispose of.
|
chump change »
A sum of money considered to be insignificant.
|
chump change »
An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.
|
chump-change »
Of or pertaining to something of little monetary value.
|
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.
|
circles around »
Far faster or better than.
|
circuit slugger »
A talented baseball batter that hits home runs.
|
circular firing squad »
A political party or other group experiencing considerable disarray because the members are engaging in internal disputes and mutual recrimination.
|
cite chapter and verse »
To provide specific references from an authoritative book, as the Bible or a book of statutes or rules, to support a statement.
|
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.
|
claim to fame »
That for which one has bragging rights; one's reason for being well-known or famous.
|
clam up »
To become silent; to stop talking, to shut up.
|
clamp down on »
To take measures to stop something; to put an end to.
|
class clown »
A student who frequently makes jokes or pokes fun; a wiseacre.
|
clay »
A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.
|
clay »
A tennis court surface.
|
clay »
An earth material with ductile qualities.
|
clay »
The material of the human body.
|
clean code »
Software code that is formatted correctly and in an organized manner so that another coder can easily read or modify it.
|
clean house »
To clean the interior of a house.
|
clean house »
To reform by removing undesirable personnel and procedures.
|
clean out »
To clean, especially to tidy by removing the contents.
|
clean out »
To empty completely; to remove all money or possessions from.
|
clean someone's clock »
To defeat decisively, in a physical fight or other competition or negotiation.
|
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 »
To make a large profit; to win by a large margin, or to win a large amount, especially in gambling. Also clean house.
|
clean up »
To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy.
|
clean up one's act »
To reform; to improve one's habits.
|
clear cut »
Having had all vegetation removed.
|
clear cut »
Straightforward, obvious, simple, or basic.
|
clear the decks »
To prepare for action.
|
clear the decks »
To remove, or fasten, all loose material, or partitions prior to a naval engagement.
|
clear up »
To clarify, to correct a misconception.
|
clear up »
Of stormy weather, to dissipate, to become calm.
|
climb the walls »
To behave in a distressed or frantic manner; to feel very agitated.
|
climb up »
To make a gradual ascent or increase.
|
climb up »
To gradually ascend something.
|
climbing the walls »
Present participle of climb the walls.
|
clock in »
To be measured at.
|
clock in »
To begin work.
|
clock up »
To accumulate a large amount of time.
|
clock up »
To accumulate a large distance.
|
clogs to clogs in three generations »
(UK) Wealth earned in one generation seldom lasts through the third (grandchild
|
close as wax »
Miserly.
|
close down »
To stop trading as a business.
|
close down »
To surround someone, as to impede their movement.
|
close enough for government work »
It is not worth investing additional time on perfecting this thing.
|
close fisted »
stingy
|
close in on »
To enclose around; to tighten or shrink; to collapse.
|
close in on »
To catch up with in a chase; to near the end of a pursuit.
|
close in on »
To near a goal or completion.
|
close off »
To seal or block the entrance to a road, an area, or a building so that people cannot enter.
|
close one's eyes »
To ignore.
|
close shave »
A near accident or mishap; a dangerous or risky encounter or incident.
|
close shave »
A shave that is very short or near the skin.
|
close the stable door after the horse has bolted »
To attempt to prevent a problem only to find it has already happened.
|
close to home »
Affecting people close to, or within, ones family circle.
|
close up »
To move people closer together.
|
close up »
To shut a building or a business for a period of time.
|
close up »
To heal a cut or other wound.
|
close up shop »
To shut down a shop; to end a business activity.
|
close, but no cigar »
That's almost correct, but not quite.
|
closed book »
A person or thing that cannot be easily understood; someone or something incomprehensible or puzzling.
|
clothes don't make the man »
An aphorism meaning that you cannot judge a person solely by his appearance. Usually pertains to men.
|
cloud nine »
A state of happiness, elation or bliss; often used in the phrase on cloud nine.
|
cloud up »
To become cloudy.
|
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.
|
clue in »
To inform, instruct, or tell.
|
clue stick »
A metaphorical stick used to beat information or understanding into a slow learner.
|
clutter up »
To fill with rubbish.
|
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 hoop »
elated
|
cock a snook »
To spread one hand, place the thumb on the nose and wriggle some of the fingers as a gesture of disrespect.
|
cock of the walk »
A proud or conceited person.
|
cock of the walk »
W:The Pogues - w:The Irish Rover.
|
cock up »
Unintentionally; to screw up, mess up or f** up.
|
cock-and-bull story »
A far-fetched and fanciful story or tale of highly dubious validity.
|
cold comfort »
C. 1594, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, act 4, sc. 1.
|
cold comfort »
Much less reassurance, consolation, aid, or pleasure than one needs or desires.
|
cold fish »
A heartless individual; a person lacking empathy and emotion.
|
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.
|
cold one »
A beer.
|
cold shoulder »
A deliberate act of disrespect; a slight or snub.
|
cold snap »
A period of exceptionally cold weather.
|
cold turkey »
The physiological effects of such a withdrawal.
|
cold turkey »
The sudden and complete withdrawal of a dependent substance, especially of a drug.
|
collect dust »
To remain untouched and unused for a long period of time.
|
collect one's thoughts »
To become mentally composed, especially after being distressed, surprised, or disoriented; to become calm or organized in one's emotional state or thinking, as in preparation for a conversation, speech, decision, etc.
|
colt over the fence »
An illegitimate child.
|
combine harvester »
farm vehicle
|
come a cropper »
To fall headlong from a horse.
|
come a cropper »
To suffer some misfortune; to fail.
|
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 about »
happen
|
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 along »
To progress; to make progress.
|
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 by »
To obtain; to get, now especially by chance or involuntarily.
|
come by »
To come near to; to pass.
|
come clean »
To confess; admit.
|
come down »
To descend.
|
come down »
To recover from drug-induced euphoria.
|
come down to »
To reach by moving down or reducing.
|
come down to »
To depend upon, basically, ultimately or in essence.
|
come down to us »
To survive to the present day; to be extant in some form.
|
come down with »
To contract or get; to show symptoms of a minor illness.
|
come full circle »
To complete a cycle of transition, returning to the point of origin.
|
come full circle »
To make a complete change or reform.
|
come hell or high water »
Regardless of the hardships.
|
come in »
To enter.
|
come in »
Of a broadcast, such as radio or television, to have a strong enough signal to be able to be received well.
|
come in »
To join or enter; to begin playing with a group.
|
come in handy »
To be useful or helpful, especially at some time in the future.
|
come of age »
To mature, or become fully developed.
|
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 on »
To progress, to develop.
|
come on »
To get one's period, start menstruating.
|
come on »
To encounter, discover; to come upon.
|
come on »
An expression of encouragement.
|
come on »
An expression of disbelief.
|
come online »
To enter service or become active.
|
come out »
To be discovered, be revealed.
|
come out »
To be published, be issued.
|
come out »
To make a formal debut in society.
|
come out »
To end up or result.
|
come out »
To walk onto the field at the beginning of an innings.
|
come out »
To come out of the closet.
|
come out in the wash »
Of problems or difficulties, to work out, resolve, or become understood eventually and naturally.
|
come out of one's shell »
To become a naturist. To convert to naturism.
|
come out of one's shell »
To reveal one's true self.
|
come out of the closet »
To tell others about homosexuality, bisexuality or any minority or disapproved-of belief, preference, etc., where previously this had been kept secret.
|
come out of the woodwork »
To appear or emerge as though out of nowhere, frequently in large numbers or quantity.
|
come out with »
To say something unexpected.
|
come round »
To make a regular circuit.
|
come round »
To change one's opinion.
|
come round »
To recover consciousness.
|
come round »
To cease anger or hostility.
|
come short »
Fail to meet (expectations or standards)
|
come the acid »
To exaggerate.
|
come the acid »
To make oneself unpleasant, especially by sarcasm.
|
come through »
To survive.
|
come through »
To succeed.
|
come through »
Not to let somebody down, keep one's promise.
|
come to »
To recover consciousness after fainting etc.
|
come to »
To stop a sailing vessel, especially by turning into the wind. See also come about.
|
come to »
To total; to amount to.
|
come to »
To reach; to arrive at.
|
come to »
To devote attention to in due course; to come around to.
|
come to »
To befall; to affect; to happen to; to come upon.
|
come to »
To regard or specify, as narrowing a field of choices by category.
|
come to a head »
To rapidly come to a turning point.
|
come to a head »
To suddenly make mature or perfected that which was inchoate or imperfectly formed.
|
come to a head »
To suddenly reveal that which has lain latent for a time.
|
come to grief »
To have a disastrous outcome.
|
come to grips »
To confront or deal with directly.
|
come to mind »
To appear in one's thoughts.
|
come to terms »
To accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful.
|
come to terms »
To reach an agreement or settle a dispute.
|
come to think of it »
By the way; now that I think about it; indicates something brought to mind.
|
come unhinged »
To become angered or crazy; to lose control of one's senses or sanity.
|
come unstuck »
To get into trouble, to have an accident or mishap, to go off the rails.
|
come up »
To come to a higher position.
|
come up »
To appear before a judge or court.
|
come up »
To come towards, to approach.
|
come up »
To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly; to come to attention, present itself.
|
come up »
To begin to feel the effects of a recreational drug.
|
come up with »
To invent, create, or think of.
|
come what may »
In spite of anything that might happen; whatever may occur.
|
comfort girl »
A sex slave; prostitute.
|
comfort woman »
A woman forced, or supposedly recruited, into brothels by the Japanese occupation forces during World War II.
|
coming out of one's ears »
In great or excess quantity.
|
common ground »
A characteristic or interest shared by multiple people or systems.
|
common or garden variety »
Ordinary, standard. Nothing special.
|
common-and-garden »
Ordinary, standard.
|
common-or-garden »
Ordinary, standard.
|
company »
A group of individuals with a common purpose, as in a company of actors.
|
company »
A military unit, typically consisting of two or three platoons.
|
company »
A unit of firefighters and their equipment.
|
company »
As he had worked for the CIA for over 30 years, he would soon take retirement from the company.
|
company »
I treasure your company.
|
company »
In legal context, an entity that manufactures or sells products , or provides services as a commercial venture. A corporation.
|
company »
In non-legal context, any business, without respect to incorporation.
|
company »
It took six companies to put out the fire.
|
company »
Keep the house clean, I have company coming.
|
company »
Nickname for an intelligence service.
|
company »
The Boys in Company C.
|
company »
The entire crew of a ship.
|
comply with »
To abide by a set of rules.
|
con man »
swindler
|
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.
|
conk out »
To fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly.
|
conk out »
To die.
|
consume mass quantities »
To eat or drink abundant amounts of food or beverage.
|
consume mass quantities »
To use large amounts of any resource.
|
controlled substance »
Except for very limited professional testing purposes.
|
conversation piece »
interesting object
|
cook the books »
To manipulate accounting information, esp. illegally, by a corporation.
|
cook up »
To manufacture; to falsify; to devise an elaborate lie.
|
cook up »
To prepare a heroin dose by heating.
|
cook up »
To prepare a meal.
|
cookie-cutter »
A solution to a problem that can be applied in many situations without modification.
|
cookie-cutter »
Of or pertaining to cookie cutters.
|
cookie-cutter »
Of or pertaining to identical looking things.
|
cooking with gas »
Now doing something in an effective way.
|
cool down »
To become cooler, to be reduced in temperature.
|
cool down »
To cause something temperature to lower.
|
cool down »
To become less agitated.
|
cool down »
To cause to become less agitated.
|
cool it »
Calm down, relax, take a time out.
|
cool one's jets »
To become less excited, intense, or active.
|
coon's age »
A very long time.
|
coop up »
To confine in a restricted place or situation.
|
cop a feel »
To stealthily fondle someone in a sexual manner.
|
cop out »
To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.
|
cop-out »
A person who cops out.
|
cop-out »
An excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty; a reason offered when someone cops out.
|
cop-out »
Avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty; the action of copping out.
|
copious free time »
A hypothetical time set aside for performing time-consuming tasks, however insinuating that the speaker really has no free time.
|
copper beech »
tree
|
copper-bottomed »
Having lower parts made of or covered by copper.
|
copper-bottomed »
Thoroughly reliable.
|
copy typist »
office worker
|
cordon off »
To protect from intrusion by enclosing in a rope barrier.
|
corner the market »
To have exclusive possession; to possess something to a high or excessive degree.
|
corner the market »
To monopolize a resource or commodity, as with the intent of driving up prices.
|
corporation pop »
Water.
|
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.
|
cost a pretty penny »
To be expensive.
|
cotton on »
To realize; come to understand.
|
cotton to »
To like; approve of, accept, or tolerate.
|
coug it »
To suddenly lose a contest through reversal of fortune, mistakes, or bad judgment. The phrase is analogous to "blow it", or "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory".
|
cough up »
To expel from the lungs, throat, etc. by coughing.
|
cough up »
To pay money.
|
cough up »
To lose a competition by one's own mistakes, usually near the end of the contest.
|
could not get elected dogcatcher »
Is unpopular.
|
couldn't happen to a nicer »
Sarcastically asserts that those in question thoroughly deserve their fate.
|
count on »
To rely upon, trust, or expect.
|
count sheep »
To attempt to go to sleep by thinking of something boring, traditionally by counting imaginary sheep.
|
country mile »
A long way, a great distance.
|
couple up »
To get into pairs.
|
covenant of salt »
A long-lasting agreement.
|
cover one's ass »
To make preparations or take precautions to ensure that one is not blamed or punished for one's conduct.
|
cover one's bases »
To be thorough; to prepare thoroughly or completely.
|
cover up »
To conceal or disguise.
|
cowgirl position »
A sex position in which the man lies on his back, and the woman sits on top of him facing him.
|
cozy up »
With "to", to ingratiate oneself .
|
crab mentality »
A way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.
|
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 up »
To laugh heartily.
|
crack up »
To cause to laugh heartily.
|
crack up »
To become insane; to suffer a mental breakdown.
|
cradle robber »
A person who marries or becomes romantically involved with someone who is much younger or who employs or otherwise engages a young person for a purpose inappropriate for his or her age.
|
cramp someone's style »
To restrict someone's free actions, or to give the impression of such.
|
crane fly »
daddy longlegs
|
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.
|
crank up »
To increase, as the volume, power or energy of something.
|
crap out »
To break down.
|
crash and burn »
To fail utterly.
|
crash course »
A quick, intense course of learning, especially one which is informal or hurried.
|
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.
|
cream in one's jeans »
To experience an orgasm while clothed; to be thoroughly excited or delighted.
|
cream of the crop »
The best or most desirable among some selection.
|
creature comfort »
Any small item or detail that makes a person comfortable and at home.
|
creature feature »
A horror film in which one or more monsters plays a prominent role.
|
creep into »
To enter something or somewhere by creeping.
|
creep into »
To enter surreptitiously.
|
creep up »
To advance with stealth, unnoticed.
|
crème de la crème »
Best of the best; something that's superlative. The very best.
|
criss-cross applesauce »
Cross-legged.
|
crocodile tear »
A tear shed insincerely, in a false display of sorrow or some other emotion.
|
crocodile tears »
A display of tears that is forced or false.
|
crocodile tears »
Plural form of crocodile tear.
|
crop up »
To occur, especially suddenly or unexpectedly.
|
cross my heart »
A declaration that the speaker is telling the truth.
|
cross off »
To strike out; to cross out; to draw a line through.
|
cross off »
To finish; to mark something as complete.
|
cross out »
To strike out; to draw a line through.
|
cross paths »
August 5 2004, SFGate.com.
|
cross paths »
To be, by chance, in the same physical place at the same time, as a result of two completely separate journeys.
|
cross someone's palm »
To give money to a person, especially as a bribe or as an inducement to perform a service.
|
cross someone's path »
To meet by chance.
|
cross that bridge when one comes to it »
To deal with a problem or situation only when it arises.
|
cross the aisle »
Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.
|
cross the aisle »
To vote, unite, or otherwise co-operate with members of another political party in order to achieve governmental or political action.
|
cross the floor »
Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.
|
cross the floor »
To vote against one's own political party in parliament.
|
cross the line »
To cross the equator, as a vessel at sea.
|
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 »
A part of a company sought by another in a hostile takeover.
|
crown jewels »
A prized possession or asset.
|
crown jewels »
The jewelry that accompany the office of rulership in a monarchy. I.e., crown, scepter, signet ring, etc.
|
crown jewels »
The male genitalia.
|
crowned heads »
monarchs
|
cruising for a bruising »
Following a course of action likely to result in injury or other trouble for oneself.
|
crunch numbers »
To figure; to do the math.
|
crush out »
To force out or separate by pressure.
|
cry all the way to the bank »
To be happy due to the receipt of money, although expressing sorrow about the cause of such receipt.
|
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.
|
cry off »
To cancel something that one has previously arranged with someone.
|
cry one's eyes out »
To moan.
|
cry one's eyes out »
To weep for an elongated time, or in an excessive manner.
|
cry out »
To shout in a loud voice, due to pain, or fear, or unhappiness.
|
cry out for »
To say that a situation needs a thing, or a solution urgently.
|
cry someone a river »
To try to obtain the sympathy of another person by complaining or sniveling.
|
cry someone a river »
To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.
|
cry the blues »
To complain, especially in order to obtain sympathy for one's own purportedly sad situation.
|
cry the blues »
To sing in the style of blues music.
|
cry wolf »
To raise a false alarm; to constantly warn others about an imagined threat, thereby failing to get assistance when a real threat appears.
|
crying shame »
A situation that is considered to be a disgrace, or deplorable.
|
crying shame »
It's a crying shame that so much money has been wasted on this pointless political campaign.
|
crystal clear »
Completely clear and understood.
|
crystal-clear »
Completely clear and understood.
|
cube out »
To reach the volume limit of a container.
|
cuckoo clock »
ornate timepiece
|
cue up »
The act of taking aim on the cue ball with the cue in a game of snooker, or billiards, etc.
|
cup of joe »
A cup of coffee.
|
cup of tea »
A cup full of tea.
|
cup of tea »
Whatever suits or interests one.
|
curate's egg »
A thing which has good and bad parts.
|
cure all »
panacea
|
curiosity killed the cat »
One should not be curious about things that can be dangerous.
|
curry favor »
To seek to gain favor by flattery or attention.
|
curveball »
A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and middle fingers down and resulting in motion down "curve".
|
curveball »
An unexpected turn of events initiated by an opponent or chance.
|
cut a rug »
To dance, especially in a vigorous manner and in one of the dance styles of the first half of the twentieth century.
|
cut a swath »
Variant form of cut a wide swath.
|
cut a wide swath »
To behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.
|
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 and dried »
Simple, straightforward, clear, or certain.
|
cut corners »
To do a less than thorough or complete job; to do something poorly or take short cuts.
|
cut down »
To insult, to belittle.
|
cut down »
To reduce the amount of something.
|
cut in »
To intrude or interrupt.
|
cut in »
Especially, to dance with someone who is already dancing by replacing his or her partner.
|
cut in »
When painting, to paint edges, corners, or trim in preparation for rolling larger areas.
|
cut it »
To suffice; to be effective or successful.
|
cut it close »
To judge or finish something close to its limit.
|
cut it fine »
To achieve something at the last possible moment, or with no margin for error.
|
cut it out »
To stop; refrain from; halt.
|
cut of one's jib »
Someone’s general appearance or the implications thereof, especially in relation to making an impression or one’s style..
|
cut off »
To remove via cutting.
|
cut off »
To isolate or remove from contact.
|
cut off »
To end abruptly.
|
cut off »
To interrupt.
|
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 one's teeth »
To begin; to gain early experience.
|
cut out »
Well suited; appropriate; fit for a particular activity or purpose.
|
cut out »
delete
|
cut red tape »
To reduce bureaucracy.
|
cut short »
Interrupt and curtail before the planned end time.
|
cut short »
Make shorter by cutting.
|
cut somebody some slack »
To be patient or lenient with somebody; to relax standards or expectations.
|
cut the cheese »
To flatulate.
|
cut the mustard »
To suffice; to be good or effective enough.
|
cut to the chase »
To get to the point; to get on with it; to state something directly.
|
cut up »
To cut into smaller pieces.
|
cut up »
To aggressively move in front of another vehicle.
|
cut up »
To be upset.
|
cut up »
To behave like a clown.
|
cut up »
distress greatly
|
cut-and-thrust »
A vehement argument.
|
cutie pie »
A cute person.
|
cutie pie »
A small hand-held radiation meter.
|
cutting edge »
The forefront, or position of greatest advancement in some field.
|
cutting edge »
The sharp edge of the blade of a knife.
|
daily grind »
The difficult, routine, or monotonous tasks of daily work.
|
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.
|
damned if one does and damned if one doesn't »
A dilemma where either choice results in a negative outcome.
|
damp squib »
A firework that fails to go off, due to wetting.
|
damp squib »
Anything that doesn’t work properly, or fails to come up to expectations..
|
damson jam »
fruit preserve
|
dar brincos »
To jump, leap.
|
dark horse »
A candidate who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice.
|
dark horse »
An unexpected success.
|
darken somebody's doorstep »
To enter somebody else's home uninvited.
|
darn tootin' »
Absolute, utter, complete, very.
|
darn tootin' »
Absolutely correct; speaking the truth.
|
dash off »
To leave a place quickly or briefly.
|
dash off »
To write quickly or informally.
|
date with destiny »
An inevitable future event or encounter, especially one which is likely to be momentous.
|
dawn of a new day »
A new beginning; a fresh start; an important, promising turning point.
|
dawn on »
To occur to somebody; to be realized.
|
day and age »
A time period of years or more.
|
day and night »
All the time; round the clock; unceasingly.
|
day in, day out »
Every day; daily; constantly or continuously; especially, of something that has become routine or monotonous.
|
day nursery »
creche
|
day one »
The very beginning.
|
day out »
An excursion, returning home on the same day.
|
daylight robbery »
An exorbitant charge for a product or service.
|
days »
Life.
|
dead »
: So hated by that they are absolutely ignored.
|
dead »
Broken or inoperable.
|
dead »
Completely inactive; without power; without a signal.
|
dead »
Exact.
|
dead »
Figuratively, not alive; lacking life.
|
dead »
Full and complete.
|
dead »
No longer living.
|
dead »
No longer used or required.
|
dead »
Not in play.
|
dead »
Stationary; static.
|
dead »
Unproductive.
|
dead »
Without emotion.
|
dead »
Without interest to one of the senses; dull; flat.
|
dead air »
An unintended interruption in a radio broadcast during which there is no sound; a similar interruption of a television broadcast in which there is neither sound nor a video signal.
|
dead as a dodo »
That has become out of date.
|
dead as a dodo »
Undoubtedly and unquestionably dead.
|
dead as a doorknob »
Entirely, unquestionably or certainly dead.
|
dead as a doornail »
Unquestionably dead. Used for both inanimate objects and once living beings.
|
dead duck »
A project that is doomed to failure from the start.
|
dead duck »
One who is in serious danger or trouble.
|
dead end »
A path or strategy that goes nowhere or is blocked on one end.
|
dead giveaway »
Obvious, easily apparent.
|
dead heat »
A close race or contest in which no winner is apparent.
|
dead in the water »
Nearly dead, doomed.
|
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 men tell no tales »
Once someone is dead, they can no longer communicate, hence killing someone is the best way to keep him/her quiet.
|
dead of night »
Middle of the night.
|
dead on »
Exactly at.
|
dead ringer »
Someone or something that very closely resembles another; someone or something easily mistaken for another.
|
dead set against »
Completely opposed, with no possibility of a change of mind.
|
dead shot »
Perfect shooter
|
dead to rights »
With sufficient evidence to establish responsibility definitively.
|
dead tree edition »
Paper version of a publication that can be found online.
|
dead weight »
That which is useless or excess; that which slows something down.
|
dead weight »
Weight that does not move.
|
dead wood »
Dead limbs and branches still attached to a living tree.
|
dead wood »
Personnel no longer contributing to an organization.
|
deadbeat dad »
A man, especially one who is divorced or estranged from his partner, who fails to provide monetary child support when he is legally required to do so.
|
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.
|
deadweight »
The largest weight of cargo a ship is able to carry; i.e, the weight of a ship when fully loaded minus its weight when empty.
|
deaf as a doorpost »
Stone deaf.
|
deafening silence »
A silence, or a lack of any response, that signifies disapproval or lack of any enthusiasm.
|
deal breaker »
To fail.
|
death by spellcheck »
The problems caused by spellcheckers being incapable of correcting most homophone confusions.
|
death knell »
A sign or omen foretelling the death or destruction of something.
|
death knell »
The tolling of a bell announcing death.
|
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.
|
deep down »
Fundamentally; in essence; in reality; really.
|
deep end »
A situation where expertise or experience is required.
|
deep end »
The part of a swimming pool with relatively deep water.
|
deep pockets »
An ample supply of money, especially money which one is willing to spend; the possessor of such money.
|
deep six »
To discard, cancel, halt; to completely put an end to something.
|
deep thinker »
A person whose thoughts are profound; an intellectual.
|
deep water »
A difficult or embarrassing situation.
|
deep water »
Waters suitable for deep-draft ships, especially ocean-going.
|
deep-six »
To get rid of something unwanted.
|
deep-six »
To throw something overboard from a ship.
|
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 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"....
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
...heaves in a deep breath, gathers himself as though he's crossed a continent to deliver the message to Garcia.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
Alternative form of carry the message to Garcia.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
Programmers are consistently dehumanized because so many do indeed deliver the message to Garcia only to be at best ignored.
|
deliver the message to Garcia »
What we need is people who get the job done, no matter how. We don't want pickers who'll only learn if we use their preferred learning method. Have you read "A Message to Garcia" ? That's what we need today - young people who can deliver the message to Garcia.
|
den of iniquity »
A place of immoral behavior, usually of a sexual type.
|
depend on »
To be dependent on something or someone for support or help.
|
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.
|
desktop publishing »
DTP
|
desperate times call for desperate measures »
In adverse circumstances actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice.
|
desperate times require desperate measures »
Alternative form of desperate times call for desperate measures.
|
developments »
A group of building complexes or apartments. Often used for low income housing.
|
developments »
Plural form of development.
|
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 »
A canon lawyer appointed by the Church to argue against the canonization of the proposed candidate.
|
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.
|
diamond in the rough »
An uncut diamond.
|
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.
|
dicky-bird »
Endearing term for a small bird, often used when talking with young children.
|
dictated but not read »
Dictated, as to a secretary or stenographer, but not proofread by the person who dictated the text so annotated.
|
die »
Followed by for. Often expressing wider contextual motivations, though sometimes indicating direct causes.
|
die »
Followed by from. General use, though somewhat more common in medical or scientific contexts.
|
die »
Followed by of. General use.
|
die »
Followed by with. Now rare as indicating direct cause.
|
die »
To stop living; to become dead; to undergo death.
|
die down »
To become less virulent.
|
die out »
To become extinct.
|
different as chalk and cheese »
Two things which are superficially alike but very different in substance.
|
dig deep »
Try especially hard.
|
dig in »
To begin eating.
|
dig in »
To make a burst of hard work.
|
dig up »
To discover something by digging; to unearth.
|
dig up »
To excavate something.
|
dig up dirt »
To examine in order to find negative information for public opinion, usually with the purpose of embarrassing or discrediting a person.
|
dim bulb »
A person who is slow-witted.
|
dimber damber upright man »
The chief of a gang of thieves or gypsies.
|
dime a dozen »
So common as to be practically worthless.
|
diplomatic flu »
An illness feigned by one or more government officials or other public figures as an excuse for an absence really based on political reasons.
|
dirty laundry »
A clothes hamper or other container used to place unclean or soiled laundry.
|
dirty laundry »
Laundry that is unclean or soiled.
|
dirty laundry »
Unflattering facts or questionable activities that one wants to remain secret, but which some other may use to blackmail with.
|
dirty money »
Money that is illegally gained, illegally transferred or illegally utilized. Especially money gained through forgery, bribery, or thievery.
|
dirty old man »
An adult male - usually middle-aged or elderly - who acts in a lecherous or lewd manner.
|
dirty word »
A word that is considered vulgar, not necessarily sexual in nature.
|
dirty word »
The name of a topic that a person does not like to hear or discuss.
|
disc jockey »
radio presenter
|
discretion is the better part of valour »
It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave speech or action.1597
|
dish out »
On to a dish ready for eating.
|
dish out »
To distribute or deliver something.
|
dish up »
To serve cooked food.
|
dishpan hands »
Hands which are rough, reddish, and dry, as from irritation and chafing caused by immersion in hot water mixed with detergent.
|
dismal science »
Nickname for economics or for the field of political economy.
|
dive in »
To start a new endeavor enthusiastically and wholeheartedly.
|
divide and conquer »
A combination of political, military and economic strategies that aim to gain and maintain power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.(computing) Applied to various algorithms, such as quicksort, that solve a problem by splitting it recursively into smaller problems until all of the remaining problems are trivial.(as imperative, proverb) In order to rule securely, don't allow alliances of your enemies.
|
divvy up »
To divide or parcel out.
|
do a »
To emulate the behavior/behaviour that is generally attributed to the individual named.
|
do a bunk »
To escape or flee under incriminating circumstances.
|
do a number on »
To damage; to treat harshly; to produce ill effects.
|
do a slow burn »
To experience a gradually increasing feeling of anger or frustration.
|
do as I say and not as I do »
Don't imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.
|
do away with »
To destroy, eliminate, or make an end of.
|
do drugs »
To abuse an illegal drug or drugs, especially as a result of chemical addiction.
|
do in »
To kill or end.
|
do justice »
To really allow to be apprehended in its full scope.
|
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 one's thing »
To do what one habitually does.
|
do out »
to redecorate; to adorn
|
do someone proud »
To cause someone to feel pride, admiration, or satisfaction.
|
do something with mirrors »
To insinuate one has performed a magic or optical trick with the use of hidden mirrors, insinuating trickery and sham.
|
do something with mirrors »
To jokingly pretend that one did something using magic mirrors, that one is a magician; a joking explanation of the fantastic or the unexplained.
|
Do the best and live the rest »
First do your work with your 100% dont think about the result
|
do the hard yards »
To perform a difficult task or tasks.
|
do the honors »
Act as a host to guests.
|
do the honors »
Perform a duty.
|
do the honours »
Act as a host to guests.
|
do the honours »
Perform a duty.
|
do the math »
You can do the calculation yourself, with the implication that you don't have to trust someone else's assertions.
|
do the nasty »
To engage in sexual intercourse.
|
do the trick »
To work; to be successful; to solve a problem.
|
do up »
To fasten a piece of clothing.
|
do up »
To redecorate a room etc.
|
do what%3F »
An intensified version of what or huh.
|
do without »
To manage despite the lack of something.
|
do-or-die »
Requiring a determined or desperate effort to avoid the consequences of failure.
|
dodge a bullet »
To have a narrow escape; to avoid injury or disaster.
|
does a bear shit in the woods »
Rhetorical question in response to a question where the answer is an emphatic yes.
|
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.
|
dog and pony show »
Any presentation or display that is overly contrived or intricate.
|
dog and pony show »
Originally, a small, traveling circus featuring animals as entertainment.
|
dog around »
To follow diligently.
|
dog it »
To underperform; to lag behind; to fail to exert effort.
|
dog my cats »
Used as a mild oath, or as an expression of astonishment.
|
dog's breakfast »
An unappealing mixture; a disorderly situation; a mess.
|
dog's life »
A life of indolence where the individual may do as he or she pleases, just like a pampered dog.
|
dog's life »
A miserable, unhappy existence.
|
dog-eat-dog »
Harsh and ruthless.
|
dogs »
Feet.
|
dogs »
With the, a greyhound racing event.
|
don't be penny wise and pound foolish »
Don't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.
|
don't count your chickens before they're hatched »
You should not count on something before it happens.
|
don't cry over spilled milk »
Alternative spelling of don't cry over spilt milk.
|
don't cry over spilt milk »
It is no use worrying about unfortunate events which have already happened and which cannot be changed.
|
don't dip your pen in company ink »
Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.
|
don't drive faster than your guardian angel can fly »
Driving (a vehicle) very fast is a dangerous act.
|
don't drop the soap »
(idiomatic) Used as a mockery to someone who is about to be or should be confined in prison.
|
don't get me started »
About the subject currently being discussed.
|
don't give up your day job »
Implying that they could not earn a living from it without other regular employment.
|
don't go there »
Don't start talking about that.
|
don't hold your breath »
"Don't wait." Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned to is unlikely to happen soon or at all.
|
don't let the bedbugs bite »
Used to wish a person a good night's sleep.
|
don't look a gift horse in the mouth »
Do not unappreciatively question a gift or handout too closely.
|
don't look at me »
A response indicating that one is not willing or able to perform a task.
|
don't put all your eggs in one basket »
Don't dedicate all your resources into one thing.
|
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 take any wooden nickels »
Do not permit yourself be cheated or duped; do not be naive.
|
don't try to teach grandma how to suck eggs »
Don't presume to give advice to those who are more experienced.
|
done a bunk »
Simple past tense and past participle of do a bunk.
|
done deal »
An agreement that has been finally resolved or decided.
|
donkey jacket »
thick garment
|
donkey work »
Hard, boring, routine work.
|
donkey's ears »
A long time.
|
donkey's years »
A long time.
|
doorprikken »
To expose as false.
|
doorprikken »
To puncture.
|
dormitive principle »
Words.
|
doss down »
To sleep on someone's sofa or floor because there is no bed spare.
|
dot the i's and cross the t's »
To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or thorough.
|
double back »
To retrace one's steps; to go back where one has already gone.
|
double booked »
Of a single resource, reserved for two different users at the same time.
|
double cream »
dairy product
|
double Dutch »
A date where both man and woman pay for their portion of the bill.
|
double Dutch »
A game of jump rope with two ropes and frequently two jumpers.
|
double Dutch »
A language game akin to pig Latin.
|
double Dutch »
Incomprehensible language.
|
double Dutch »
Sex using a condom and the contraceptive pill at the same time.
|
double entendre »
A phrase that has two meanings, especially where one is innocent and literal, the other risqué, bawdy, or ironic; an innuendo..
|
double entendre »
Plural form of double entendre.
|
double talk »
Lying, especially in a formal political statement.
|
double talk »
Speaking in a mixture of real English and English-sounding gibberish, for humorous effect.
|
double up »
To double the quantity, amount or duration of something.
|
double up »
To have a secondary use.
|
double up »
After a fly ball has been caught.
|
double-edged sword »
A benefit that is also a liability, or that carries some significant but non-obvious cost or risk.
|
double-tongued »
Saying one thing to one person and something different to another; double talking; deceitful in speech.
|
down and out »
In trouble; in a bad time or situation or having very bad luck.
|
down for the count »
Decisively beaten; rendered irrelevant for the long term.
|
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 on one's luck »
Unlucky or undergoing a period of bad luck, especially with respect to financial matters.
|
down pat »
Thoroughly practiced, rehearsed, or understood.
|
down the drain »
Wasted, squandered; irretrievable.
|
down the road, not across the street »
Along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.
|
down the tubes »
Into a state of collapse or failure.
|
down to a fine art »
Having or showing exceptional proficiency.
|
down to the short strokes »
In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.
|
down to the wire »
At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.
|
down under »
In Australia.
|
down with his apple-cart »
Knock or throw him down.
|
down-and-outer »
Someone who is down and out.
|
down-to-earth »
Practical; realistic; pragmatic.
|
doze off »
To fall asleep unintentionally.
|
drag »
To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.
|
drag »
To move a mouse cursor while holding down a button on the mouse, often to move something on the screen.
|
drag »
To move slowly.
|
drag »
To pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty.
|
drag one's feet »
To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.
|
drag out »
To extend or lengthen excessively.
|
drag out »
To haul or bring out forcefully or as though with force.
|
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.
|
drama queen »
Any exaggeratedly dramatic person.
|
drama queen »
Who behaves and speaks in an overly dramatic manner so as to garner attention.
|
draw a bath »
To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.
|
draw a blank »
To be unable to produce a required piece of information.
|
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 appeal to, make a demand of, rely on; to utilize or make use of, as a source.
|
draw on »
To advance, continue; to move or pass slowly or continuously, as under a pulling force.
|
draw on »
To approach, come nearer, as evening.
|
draw out »
To make something last for more time than is necessary; prolong; extend.
|
draw out »
To physically extract, as blood from a vein.
|
draw out »
To extract, bring out, as concealed information; elicit; educe.
|
draw out »
To use means to entice or force to be more open or talkative.
|
draw out »
To improve a losing hand to a winning hand by receiving additional cards.
|
draw stumps »
To cease doing something, at least for the day.
|
draw stumps »
To declare an end to the days play, and remove the bails and sometimes the stumps.
|
draw the line »
To set a boundary, rule, or limit, especially on what one will tolerate.
|
draw the short straw »
To select the shortest straw or other object while drawing straws.
|
draw up »
come to a halt
|
drawing near »
approaching
|
dress down »
To scold.
|
dress down »
To wear casual or informal clothes.
|
dress up »
To wear smart clothes for an occasion.
|
dress up »
To wear fancy dress or a costume.
|
dress up »
To decorate; to prettify.
|
dress up »
To present in a favorable light.
|
dressed to the nines »
Very fancily or formally dressed; wearing very showy or splendid clothing.
|
dressing-down »
A reprimand or rarely, a thrashing.
|
dribs and drabs »
A series of negligible amounts.
|
drift off »
To fall asleep in a gradual manner.
|
drill down »
To examine information at another level or in greater detail; especially in a database, to navigate to a more detailed level or record.
|
drink from a firehose »
To take a small amount from an enormous, hard-to-manage quantity.
|
drink off »
To drink the entirety of in a short period; originally and especially, in a single gulp.
|
drink up »
Finish one's drink.
|
drip »
To fall one drop at a time.
|
drip »
To have a superabundance of valuable things. Usually followed by "with".
|
drip »
To leak slowly.
|
drip »
To put a small amount of a liquid on something, drop by drop.
|
drive away »
To depart by driving a vehicle.
|
drive away »
To force someone or something to leave.
|
drive home »
To push to or into a target.
|
drive home »
With tangible or powerful demonstration.
|
drive off »
To force to leave or go away.
|
drive one up the wall »
To make a person very angry or bored; to infuriate.
|
drive out »
Out of somewhere.
|
drive the porcelain bus »
To vomit, especially while drunk or hung over.
|
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.
|
drop a bollock »
To make a mistake.
|
drop a bomb »
To announce surprising or alarming information suddenly and without warning.
|
drop a bomb »
To release faeces from the bowels; to excrete.
|
drop a dime »
To make a phone call, usually means calling the police to report another's activities.
|
drop a hint »
To reveal a clue or hint about something.
|
drop a line »
A note or telegram.
|
drop a line »
On the telephone.
|
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 in »
. Often hyphenated drop-in.
|
drop in »
One who arrives unannounced or without an appointment.
|
drop off »
To fall asleep.
|
drop off »
To deliver; to deposit or leave.
|
drop off »
To lessen or reduce.
|
Drop out of warp »
Dis-engage the cruise control on the car
|
drop somebody a line »
To write, call or visit somebody.
|
drop the ball »
To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.
|
drop the gloves »
To fight.
|
drop the gloves »
To remove a prior impediment to action; to prepare for or engage in a dispute.
|
drop the writ »
To call a federal or provincial election.
|
drown out »
To cover, obscure, or hide by being louder than.
|
drug of choice »
Substance that a suspect is addicted to.
|
drug of choice »
The best-choice medication to treat a particular medical problem.
|
drug on the market »
Something which is overabundant at the moment and thus not in demand.
|
drum up »
To generate or encourage; to campaign for.
|
druther »
Would rather; would prefer to.
|
druthers »
Wishes, preferences, or ways.
|
dry eye »
An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.
|
dry eye »
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca , an eye disease caused by decreased tear production.
|
dry one's eyes »
To cease crying.
|
dry out »
To have excess water evaporate or be otherwise removed.
|
dry out »
To sober up; to cease to be drunk.
|
dry rot »
timber decay
|
dry run »
A practice; a rehearsal.
|
duck soup »
Easy, or a piece of cake.
|
due course »
A. 1399, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales.
|
due course »
A. 1735, Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels.
|
due course »
A. 1803, Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey.
|
due course »
Regular or appropriate passage or occurrence.
|
due to »
because of
|
duke it out »
To argue heavily or at length.
|
duke it out »
To fight, especially with the fists.
|
duly noted »
In a due, fit, or becoming manner; as it ought to be; properly.
|
dumb bunny »
A stupid person.
|
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 out »
From a video game in the process of localizing that game from a foreign country.
|
dummy run »
A trial or practice before the real attempt.
|
dummy up »
To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.
|
dummy up »
To not answer questions.
|
dust off »
To remove dust from something.
|
dust off »
To use something after a long time without it.
|
dusty miller »
A formulaic phrase for a miller, related to the dust generated in the milling process.
|
dusty miller »
One of several species of plants with leaves of a dusty appearance: Centaurea cineraria, Senecio cineraria, and Lychnis coronaria.
|
dye in the wool »
To dye woolen fibers before they are spun into thread.
|
dyed in the wool »
Simple past tense and past participle of dye in the wool.
|
dyed-in-the-wool »
Dyed before being formed into cloth.
|
dyed-in-the-wool »
Firmly established in a person's beliefs or habits; deeply ingrained in the nature of a person or thing.
|
e mail »
electronic message
|
e pluribus unum »
A national motto of the United States of America, meaning "From many, one", or "out of many, one", referring to the integration of 13 independent colonies into one country, and that has taken an additional meaning, giving the pluralistic nature of American society from immigration.
|
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.
|
eager beaver »
Who is very excited or enthusiastic to begin a task.
|
ear splitting »
very loud
|
ear trumpet »
old hearing aid
|
ear tunnel »
A part of the ear.
|
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.
|
early bath »
Being shown a red card in soccer.
|
early bird catches the worm »
Alternative form of early bird gets the worm.
|
early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise »
platitude from Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym Poor Richard.
|
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.
|
east sussex »
english county
|
easy as falling off a log »
Very easy.
|
easy as pie »
Very easy.
|
easy come, easy go »
Easily won and easily lost; usually said when resigned to a loss.
|
easy does it »
Relax; do something gently, lightly or carefully; slow down; calm down.
|
easy on the eyes »
Attractive; beautiful.
|
easy street »
A carefree situation or lifestyle, especially as resulting from possession of wealth.
|
eat crow »
To recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.
|
eat for two »
To be pregnant.
|
eat humble pie »
To admit one's faults; to make a humiliating apology.
|
eat one's hat »
Used in a result clause to express disbelief in the conditional clause proposition.
|
eat one's heart out »
To feel overwhelming sorrow, jealousy or longing, to grieve.
|
eat one's own dog food »
To test the beta programs that are in the test phase on one's own computers; to dogfood.
|
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 one's young »
To betray a constituent or charge out of self-serving interests or desperation; savaging.
|
eat out »
To dine at a restaurant or such public place.
|
eat out »
To perform cunnilingus.
|
eat out of somebody's hand »
To behave in a docile, submissive way towards somebody.
|
eat pussy »
To perform cunnilingus.
|
eat someone out of house and home »
C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act II Scene I.
|
eat someone out of house and home »
To consume such a portion of one's store of food that little is left for the owner.
|
eat someone's dust »
To be outrun.
|
eat someone's dust »
To get one to be on a losing end.
|
eat the wind »
To take a walk.
|
eat up »
To accept or believe entirely, immediately, and without questioning.
|
eat up »
To consume completely.
|
economical with the truth »
Not telling the whole truth, especially in order to present a false image of a situation; untruthful; lying. Often used with sarcasm or satire.
|
edge out »
To win in a contest or a game by a narrow margin of victory.
|
eff off »
A censored form of the phrase f** off.
|
egg on »
To encourage or coax a person to do something, especially something foolhardy or reckless.
|
egg somebody on »
To tease, provoke or encourage.
|
egg white »
albumen
|
elbow grease »
Effort or hard work, especially physical work involving repeated motion of the forearm, such as scrubbing.
|
elbow room »
Freedom or leeway.
|
elbow room »
Room or space in which to move or maneuver.
|
elephant in the room »
A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.
|
eleventh hour »
Nearly too late; the last minute.
|
embarrassment of riches »
An abundance or overabundance of something; too much of a good thing.
|
emperor's new clothes »
Something obvious and embarrassing that is politely ignored or that goes unacknowledged.
|
empty promise »
A promise that is either not going to be carried out, worthless or meaningless.
|
empty vessels make the most sound »
noisy, opinionated people are often stupid.
|
end of »
A short form of end of story.
|
end of the line »
Final cessation or discontinuance of a process, institution, or person, especially one which has existed for a considerable period of time; death.
|
end of the line »
The termination point of a railway or similar transportation system.
|
end of the world »
Any change that seems catastrophic or devastating.
|
end of the world »
End of habitability for life on Earth.
|
end of the world »
End of humanity.
|
end of the world »
End of the planet Earth.
|
end up »
To conclude, turn out, sometimes unexpectedly.
|
end up »
To arrive at a destination, sometimes unexpectedly.
|
end up »
To eventually do.
|
engine room »
A compartment on a ship in which the engine machinery is located.
|
engine room »
The source of power in a team or other group.
|
enough is as good as a feast »
Just the right amount is as good as more than enough: there is no value in excess.
|
enough is enough »
One should be satisfied, there should be no more
|
enough to make the angels weep »
Something so distressing that it causes one to lose hope and faith.
|
enquire after »
To ask about the health of someone.
|
err on the side of »
To behave in a manner which favours or which is biassed toward.
|
err on the side of caution »
To act in the least risky manner in a situation where one is uncertain about the consequences.
|
esprit de corps »
A shared spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group, for example of a military unit.
|
estate agent »
property seller
|
esthetically challenged »
Of a person, ugly.
|
eureka moment »
The moment of a sudden unexpected discovery.
|
even handed »
impartial
|
even Homer nods »
Not even the most vigilant and expert are immune from erring.
|
even Jove nods »
Alternative form of even Homer nods.
|
even keel »
A situation in which the boat is level and balanced for a smooth ride.
|
even keel »
A state of having one's emotions under control and balanced.
|
even keel »
Of a business or other activity which is under control and running smoothly.
|
even money »
A bet which offers odds of 1 to 1.
|
even money »
By extension, an event that is somewhat likely to happen, but far from inevitable.
|
even so »
nevertheless
|
even up »
To make even; to make level
|
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 day is a school day »
You learn something new every day.
|
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 king needs a queen »
Every man needs a woman to be with for the rest of his life.
|
every last »
Every; without exception; used for emphasis.
|
every little helps »
Even the smallest things are helpful when towards a goal.
|
every man has a price »
Everyone can be bribed or corrupted for a certain price.
|
every man Jack »
All the members of a group with no exceptions.
|
every nook and cranny »
Everywhere.
|
Every rose has it's thorns »
everything, even if it seems perfect, has faults
|
every rule has an exception »
Alternative form of there is an exception to every rule.
|
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.
|
every time »
Used to express a strong preference for something.
|
every which way »
All over; in every direction.
|
every which way »
In all sorts of ways or manners.
|
every which where »
A more emphatic version of everywhere.
|
everybody and his cousin »
Everybody; a huge crowd; too many people.
|
everybody and their brother »
A large number of people; most people.
|
everyone and their brother »
A large number of people; most people.
|
everything and the kitchen sink »
Alternative form of everything but the kitchen sink.
|
everything but the kitchen sink »
Almost everything, whether needed or not.
|
everything happens for a reason »
All events are purposeful.Everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as failure. Mary-Kate OlsenPeople like to say "everything happens for a reason." If you repeat that in your head long enough that starts to sound like "anything can happen with a razor." Laura KightlingerI believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think it's important to seek out that reason - that's how we learn. Drew Barrymore
|
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.
|
execution style »
Resembling an execution; with the victim aware, but unable to defend himself or resist.
|
experience is the best teacher »
Lessons learned from experience are the most lasting.
|
expose oneself »
To appear nude in public.
|
extract the urine »
To mess around, cajole.
|
eye candy »
A very attractive person or persons, or the salient visible physical attributes of same.
|
eye candy »
Any object or sight with considerable visual appeal.
|
eye for an eye »
Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.
|
eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth »
Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.
|
eye of the beholder »
The evaluation depending on perception of person who sees and considers.
|
eye up »
To examine closely something coveted.
|
f** all »
Nothing at all or very little.
|
f** it »
An expression of frustration.
|
f** it »
An expression of great indifference or nonchalance.
|
f** knows »
I don't know; nobody knows; it is unclear.
|
f** someone over »
To exploit somebody in a way which result in an advantage to oneself, at the cost of the other party gaining a considerable disadvantage.
|
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.
|
f**ing hell »
An exclamation of anger.
|
f**ing hell »
An exclamation of great surprise.
|
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.
|
fade out »
decrease gradually
|
fail over »
To automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.
|
fair and square »
Totally fairly and undoubtedly.
|
fair and square »
Within the applicable rules.
|
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 »
A game that is fair, that does not involve cheating etc.
|
fair game »
Actions permissible by the rules.
|
fair game »
An goal or object that may legitimately be sought.
|
fair off »
To clear.
|
fair sex »
Women collectively.
|
fair to middling »
Only tolerably good.
|
fair weather friend »
Only when it is advantageous or easy.
|
faith will move mountains »
Belief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.
|
fall apart »
To break into pieces through being in a dilapidated state.
|
fall apart »
To be emotionally in crisis.
|
fall away »
To cease to support a person or cause.
|
fall back »
To retreat.
|
fall behind »
To be progressively below average in performance.
|
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 down »
To fall to the ground.
|
fall down »
To collapse.
|
fall for »
To be fooled; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick.
|
fall for »
To fall in love with somebody.
|
fall for »
be deceived by
|
fall in »
To collapse inwards.
|
fall in »
Of a soldier, to get into position in a rank.
|
fall in line »
C. 2004, Career Soldiers, "Won't Waste My Life".
|
fall in line »
To submit to the rules of a higher authority; obey; conform.
|
fall in with »
To join a group of people.
|
fall in with »
To accept a set of generally agreed rules, or a suggestion.
|
fall into »
To go into something by falling.
|
fall into »
Without having planned it.
|
fall into »
To be classified as; to fall under.
|
fall off »
To become detached or to drop from.
|
fall off »
To diminish in size or value.
|
fall off »
A hip hop term; to completely lose the plot in terms of artistic direction.
|
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 turnip truck »
To be naive, uninformed, or unsophisticated, in the manner of a rustic person.
|
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 »
To experience; to suffer; to fall upon.
|
fall on deaf ears »
Of a request, complaint, etc, to be ignored.
|
fall on one's face »
To fail, especially in a dramatic or particularly decisive manner.
|
fall on one's sword »
To commit suicide by allowing one’s body to drop onto the point of one’s sword..
|
fall on one's sword »
To resign from a job or other position of responsibility, especially when pressured to do so.
|
fall on one's sword »
To voluntarily take the blame for a situation.
|
fall out »
To come out of something by falling.
|
fall over »
To fall from an upright or standing position to a horizontal or prone position.
|
fall over »
Of an argument, to fail to be valid.
|
fall over »
Of a computer program, to crash.
|
fall short »
To be less satisfactory than expected; to be inadequate or insufficient.
|
fall through »
To be unsuccessful, abort, come to nothing/naught; to be cancelled; not to proceed.
|
fall through the cracks »
To be missed; to escape the necessary notice or attention.
|
fall together »
To contract.
|
fall upon »
To fall on; to experience; to suffer.
|
falling out »
A disagreement; a major difference of opinion.
|
false friend »
A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.
|
false step »
A misstep; a stumble.
|
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.
|
family jewels »
Testicles.
|
fancypants »
Alternative spelling of fancy pants. The condition of being overly showy; concerned more about one's reputation than anything else.
|
far and away »
By a large degree or margin; greatly.
|
far and wide »
Over a great distance, or large area; nearly everywhere.
|
far be it »
A disclaimer stating that the person speaking will not do something.
|
far be it »
Pewtey in Marriage Guidance Counselor from And Now For Something Completely Different.
|
far cry »
Something very dissimilar or different.
|
far fetched »
improbable
|
far out »
New, radical and extreme.
|
fare thee well »
Goodbye, farewell.
|
farm out »
To subcontract some task to another; to outsource.
|
farmer's tan »
The tan line left by clothing, especially, by a short-sleeved shirt.
|
fashion plate »
A person who dresses in especially stylish fashions.
|
fashion plate »
A picture, usually an advertisement, showing the latest fashion in clothing.
|
fast asleep »
Sleeping, in a deep sleep.
|
fat chance »
Little or no likelihood of occurrence or success.
|
fat lip »
A swelling on the lip, especially one resulting from a punch or other blow.
|
fat of the land »
The greatest part of anything; the finest and most abundant share of resources; the cream of the crop.
|
fear »
A phobia, a sense of fear induced by something or someone.
|
fear »
A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.
|
fear »
Extreme veneration or awe, as toward a supreme being or deity.
|
feast for the eyes »
Visually pleasing sight.
|
feast or famine »
A situation in which something is always either extremely abundant or in extremely short supply.
|
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.
|
fed up »
Frustrated, annoyed, tired .
|
federal case »
Any over-exaggerated ordeal.
|
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.
|
feed into »
To be a tributary of another river or waterway.
|
feed out of »
To feed from.
|
feed the dragon »
To buy or sell products labeled as "Made in China.".
|
feed the dragon »
To the People's Republic of China.
|
feel around »
To grope.
|
feel for »
To express sympathy for, to sympathise with.
|
feel free »
Don't be ashamed, be my guest.
|
feel one's oats »
To feel energetic or frisky; to behave in a vigorous or bold manner.
|
feel one's oats »
To feel important; to be empowered.
|
feel up »
To grope someone in a sexual manner.
|
feel up to »
To be confident in being able to do something.
|
feel up to »
To have an inclination to do something.
|
feet of clay »
To say that someone, who appears strong or invincible, in fact has a hidden weak point which could cause their fall.
|
fence in »
To enclose with a fence.
|
fence in »
To restrict freedom.
|
fencepost problem »
In computer programming, a problem dealing with how to treat the initial or boundary values of a discrete problem.
|
fend and prove »
To engage in argument.
|
fend away »
To turn something away; to ward off.
|
fend off »
Away; to turn away; to defend against; to repel with force or effort.
|
few and far between »
Rare and scarce.
|
fiddle faddle »
nonsense
|
field day »
A day of class taken away from school for a field trip.
|
field day »
A great time or a great deal to do, at somebody else's expense.
|
field day »
A great time or a great deal to do.
|
field day »
A parade day.
|
field day »
A school day for athletic events; a sports day.
|
field day »
Top-to-bottom all-hands cleaning.
|
fifteen minutes of fame »
A very short time in the spotlight or brief flurry with fame, after which the person or subject involved is quickly forgotten.
|
fifteen minutes of fame »
Alternate form of 15 minutes of fame.
|
fifth wheel »
A type of trailer hitch, which consists of a horseshoe-shaped plate on a multi-directional pivot, with a locking pin to couple with the kingpin of a truck trailer.
|
fifth wheel »
A very large trailer that is towed with a pickup truck.
|
fifth wheel »
A very large truck trailer; an 18-wheeler.
|
fifth wheel »
Anything superfluous or unnecessary.
|
fight a losing battle »
To continue to wage war when it is clear that one is not going to win.
|
fight a losing battle »
To try to do something so difficult that it will probably end in failure.
|
fight fire with fire »
To respond to an attack with a similar or identical method.
|
fight fires »
To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.
|
fight off »
To succeed in defeating a challenge, or an attack.
|
fight off »
To resist, particularly an infection or an emotion.
|
fight shy of »
To avoid something.
|
fight tooth and nail »
To use every means possible to overcome a difficult opposition.
|
figure out »
To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.
|
file away »
To store in a file.
|
fill in »
To fill; to replace material that is absent or has been removed.
|
fill in »
To inform somebody, especially to supply someone missing or missed information.
|
fill in »
To substitute for somebody or something.
|
fill in »
To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information.
|
fill somebody's shoes »
To do somebody's job; to perform or assume somebody's role.
|
fill the bill »
To satisfy a need; to serve a purpose; to fulfill specified requirements.
|
fill up »
To make full.
|
fill up »
To become full.
|
film critic »
movie reviewer
|
film out »
To transfer images or animation from videotape or digital files to a traditional celluloid film print.
|
filter down »
Of a liquid; to move slowly down to lower substrate levels.
|
filter down »
Of information, or resources; to move slowly down to lower levels of an organisation, or population.
|
final curtain »
The end to something which has longed for a long time.
|
final cut »
A group, after a selection process getting rid of other candidates.
|
final cut »
In the movie industry, the final released version of the film.
|
find one's feet »
To grow in confidence in a new situation as one gains experience.
|
find out »
To discover, as by asking or exploring.
|
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 line »
A difference, albeit vague and difficult to discern.
|
fine print »
The details, restrictions, terms, or conditions, especially of a contract, often printed in very small type.
|
fine words butter no parsnips »
Talking about doing something does not get it done.
|
finish off »
To finish completely.
|
fire away »
To begin shooting at an enemy.
|
fire away »
To begin to talk or present information quickly.
|
fire drill »
An organised practice to prepare occupants of an office, school or other public building for evacuation in the event of a fire.
|
fire escape »
emergency exit
|
fire hose »
A hose used to deliver water in case of fire.
|
fire hose »
The human penis.
|
fire off »
To ask an unexpected question rapidly.
|
fire off »
To write a note or letter quickly.
|
fire on all cylinders »
To operate as effectively as possible.
|
fire up »
To ignite.
|
fire up »
To start.
|
fire up »
To excite; to infuse with energy.
|
fire-breathing »
Caustic, vitriolic or scathing.
|
fire-breathing »
That emits flame from the mouth or nostrils.
|
firm up »
To make muscles more toned through physical exercise.
|
firm up »
To make tentative plans more definite.
|
first among equals »
A person or position that if formally equivalent to others in a group, but is superior in some attribute.
|
first among equals »
In the British and other parliamentary systems, a term used to describe the relationship of the prime minister to the other members of the cabinet.
|
first class »
excellent
|
first come, first served »
People will be dealt with in the order they arrive.
|
first loser »
Second place.
|
first loser »
The second place finisher in auto racing competition.
|
first of all »
Firstly; before anything else.
|
first port of call »
The first place to go to start a process.
|
first port of call »
The first port that a vessel calls in at after the start of a voyage.
|
first rate »
Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.
|
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 for compliments »
To try to induce someone to make a compliment.
|
fish or cut bait »
To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.
|
fish out »
To deplete the supply of fish in a given body of water.
|
fish to fry »
A matter to attend to.
|
fishing expedition »
A non-specific search for information, especially incriminating information.
|
fishtail »
The tail of a fish, or an object resembling this.
|
fit as a fiddle »
Perfectly fit; in excellent health.
|
fit as a lop »
In good health, fitness.
|
fit into »
To be of the right size and shape to be placed in a location.
|
fit into »
To be of similar cultural or social status as the members of a group of people.
|
fit to be tied »
Very agitated or distressed; enraged.
|
fits and starts »
Activity which is intermittent, variable in intensity, and prolonged by interruptions.
|
five by five »
I hear you loud and clear
|
five will get you ten »
I strongly believe.
|
five-finger discount »
Theft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.
|
fix someone's wagon »
To punish someone; to cause injury, distress, or inconvenience for someone.
|
fix up »
To repair or refurbish.
|
flag down »
Use a flag or some kind of signal to get the attention of someone.
|
flap one's gums »
To speak idly; to talk without effect.
|
flash in the pan »
A career notable for early success not followed by significant accomplishment.
|
flash in the pan »
A transient occurrence with no long-term effect.
|
flat chat »
At maximum capability or speed.
|
flat chat »
Extremely busy.
|
flat out »
At top speed.
|
flat out »
Bluntly, no holds barred.
|
flat-chested »
Having a flat chest; having small breasts.
|
flat-earther »
A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.
|
flat-earther »
A person who believes or advocates the theory that the earth is flat.
|
flat-footed »
Having feet which are flat.
|
flat-footed »
Having the specific physical condition of flat feet.
|
flat-footed »
To firmly hold and maintain a decision; to stand one's ground.
|
flat-footed »
Unprepared to act.
|
flea in one's ear »
A stinging rebuke or rebuff.
|
flesh out »
To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.
|
flick the bean »
To masturbate by stimulating the clitoris.
|
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.
|
flip one's lid »
To be explosively angry.
|
flipside »
Later or tomorrow.
|
flipside »
A necessary consequence or corollary of something; especially one seen as opposite, or as pro versus con.
|
flipside »
The B-side of a phonograph record.
|
flog a dead horse »
To attempt to get extra work out of a ship's crew during the dead horse period.
|
flog a dead horse »
To attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more.
|
flogging the land »
Damaging agricultural land through excessive grazing or clearing.
|
flower »
Typically including sepals, petals, stamens, and ovaries; often conspicuously colourful.
|
flower »
A plant that bears flowers.
|
flower »
An inflorescence that resembles a flower, but actually contains many small florets, such as a sunflower.
|
flower »
Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.
|
flower »
The best examples or representatives of a group.
|
flower »
The best state of things; the prime.
|
flower »
The vulva, especially the labia majora.
|
fluff up »
To make a gaffe or blunder.
|
flunk out »
Often requiring a retaking of the course or academic year.
|
flutter in the dovecote »
A disturbance, usually one caused within a prescribed group of people.
|
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.
|
fly in the ointment »
Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.
|
fly off the handle »
To become very angry or enraged; to throw a fit or go crazy.
|
fly on the wall »
A quiet, non-participating, or unseen observer; an eavesdropper or witness.
|
fly the coop »
To depart hastily or unannounced; to escape or flee.
|
fly the coop »
To escape from a pen or similar enclosure.
|
fly the freak flag »
To behave in a unconventional or unrestrained manner; to exhibit the uninhibited side of one's personality.
|
fly-by-night »
A creatures which flies at night; a nocturnal flier or traveler.
|
fly-by-night »
Businesses that appear and disappear rapidly, or that give an impression of transience.
|
fly-by-night »
One who departs or flees at night in order to avoid creditors, law enforcement etc. .
|
fly-by-night »
Traveling businessmen and tradesmen.
|
flying visit »
A very short visit.
|
fold one's tent »
To withdraw, especially in a discreet manner; to disengage; to quit.
|
fold up »
To go out of business.
|
fold up »
To make or become more compact by folding.
|
follow in someone's footsteps »
To follow the same path as someone.
|
follow suit »
To follow an example; to imitate.
|
follow suit »
To play a card of the same suit as the previous or leading card.
|
follow through »
To finish; to complete, especially, of a commitment.
|
food chain »
A hierarchy.
|
food chain »
The feeding relationships between species in a biotic community.
|
fool's errand »
A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.
|
fool's errand »
Such an undertaking, assigned as a prank.
|
fool's paradise »
A state of happiness due to illusion or false hope.
|
fools rush in where angels fear to tread »
A person who does not plan ahead and think matters through becomes involved in risky or unfavorable situations which prudent people avoid.
|
footloose and fancy free »
Able to do as one pleases, unconstrained by social ties or responsibilities.
|
for all intensive purposes »
For all highly demanding purposes.[1].
|
for all intensive purposes »
Misconstruction of “for all intents and purposes”.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].
|
for all intents and purposes »
For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.
|
for all one is worth »
Intensely, vigorously, with as much effort as one can supply.
|
for all the world »
Entirely, to all appearances.
|
for crying out loud »
Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.
|
for f**'s sake »
An expression of anger or frustration.
|
for good »
Forever; permanently.
|
for good and all »
Permanently, forever.
|
for good measure »
As a precaution; just in case; added as an extra.
|
for goodness' sake »
This interjection expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.
|
for goodness' sake »
This interjection expresses surprise or amazement.
|
for heaven's sake »
Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.
|
for keeps »
Permanently.
|
for keeps »
To compete seriously, with a strong resolve to win or succeed, as in sports or business.
|
for keeps »
With an agreement or intention to retain what one gains or receives.
|
for kicks »
In order to obtain pleasure or excitement; for fun.
|
for my money »
Used to mark a statement made by the speaker as an opinion or something not known with certainty.
|
for Pete's sake »
Expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.
|
for starters »
as a beginning
|
for that matter »
As far as that is concerned.
|
for the birds »
Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.
|
for the heck of it »
For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.
|
for the hell of it »
For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.
|
for the love of »
Used to form interjections expressing exasperation.
|
for the most part »
Mostly; in general; usually.
|
for the nonce »
For the time being, with the expectation that the situation may change.
|
for the record »
Already publicly known.
|
for the record »
For the purpose of being recorded.
|
for the sake of it »
For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.
|
for the time being »
Temporarily; until later.
|
for XYZ reasons »
For reasons unknown and not worth speculating on.
|
forbidden fruit »
Illicit pleasure; something that one should not take or get involved with, such as an another person's spouse.
|
forbidden fruit »
The fruit forbidden to Adam.
|
forbidden fruit is the sweetest »
Forbidden things have more worthwhile short-term consequences.
|
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.
|
forewarned is forearmed »
Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.1863, Charles Reade, Hard Cash, ch. 4:[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.1885, G. A. Henty, Saint George for England, ch. 4:Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.circa 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind":"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."
|
forewarned, forearmed »
Alternative form of forewarned is forearmed.
|
fork over »
Hundreds of spectators forked over the 70 bucks for tickets.
|
fork over »
I forked over half the allotment this morning.
|
fork over »
To turn over soil with a gardening fork.
|
forked tongue »
The characteristic of deceptiveness; duplicity; untruthfulness.
|
fortune favors the bold »
Luck is usually on the side of those who take chances and risks.
|
fortune favors the brave »
Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.
|
fortune favours the bold »
Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.
|
fortune favours the brave »
Alternative form of fortune favors the bold.
|
forty winks »
Sleep, extra sleep, or a nap.
|
foul up »
To botch; to make a mess of.
|
foul up »
To make a mistake, to go wrong.
|
fountain of youth »
Anything reputed to have the power to restore health and vitality or to restore a youthful appearance.
|
four poster »
bed
|
four score and seven years ago »
87 years prior to today.
|
four score and seven years ago »
As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.
|
four-eyes »
A person who wears spectacles.
|
four-leaf clover »
A bringer of good luck.
|
four-leaf clover »
An uncommon variation of the clover, having four leaves instead of the usual three.
|
four-on-the-floor »
Characterised by a steady, uniformly accented beat with a 4/4 time signature.
|
four-on-the-floor »
Relating to a vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission mounted beside the driver on the floor of the vehicle.
|
fourth estate »
Journalism or journalists considered as a group; the Press.
|
fourth estate »
Which governed legislation.
|
fourth wall »
The boundary between the fiction and the audience.
|
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.
|
fox in the henhouse »
A relationships wherein a predator is granted free reign within the prey's home confinement, often used in the political sense.
|
freak flag »
Unconventional or unrestrained behavior; extreme, nonconformist views; the side of one's personality which harbors a tendency toward such behavior or such views.
|
free lunch »
Something obtained without any payment, obligation or effort.
|
free range »
not intensively farmed
|
free rein »
Loose rein, as of a horse.
|
free rein »
The absence of constraints; freedom to make decisions.
|
free ride »
An opportunity or benefit which has no cost, especially one enjoyed or undertaken at the expense of others.
|
free-for-all »
Chaos; a chaotic situation lacking rules or control.
|
french letter »
A condom.
|
fresh legs »
Somebody who has yet to play in a match, and therefore has plenty of energy.
|
fresh off the boat »
Newly arrived from a foreign place, especially as an immigrant who is still unfamiliar with the customs and language of his or her new environment.
|
fresh out of »
Of someone who has recently left one stage of life to begin another.
|
fresh start »
A new beginning, without prejudices.
|
friend with benefits »
A friend with whom one has such a relationship.
|
friend with benefits »
A friendship with no reserves when it comes to the release of shared sexual tension thus leading to sexual fraternization.
|
frig it »
An expression of frustration similar to, but not as coarse as f** it.
|
frog in one's throat »
Any temporary physical difficulty in speaking.
|
frog in one's throat »
Hoarseness or the need to cough.
|
from A to Z »
Covering a complete range; comprehensively.
|
from cover to cover »
All the way to the last page.
|
from here to Sunday »
Everywhere; all over the place.
|
from here to ya-ya »
A very long distance.
|
from my cold, dead hands »
A statement that something will not be taken away from you until the day you die.
|
from pillar to post »
To another; hither and thither, to and fro.
|
from scratch »
From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.
|
from soup to nuts »
From beginning to end; throughout.
|
from soup to nuts »
From the first course of a meal to the last.
|
from the bottom of one's heart »
In earnest; sincerely; with one's full feeling.
|
from the Department of the Bleeding Obvious »
So obvious it was unnecessary to say.
|
from the get-go »
From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.
|
from the ground up »
From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals.
|
from the word go »
From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.
|
from time to time »
C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 3, sc. 3.
|
from time to time »
Occasionally; sometimes; once in a while.
|
front and center »
A command to come to the center of attention of an assemblage, as of military personnel or students.
|
front runner »
The most likely winners in a contest, election, etc.
|
fruit of one's loins »
C. 1950, Kay Boyle, "Adam's Death" in Fifty Stories , ISBN 9780811212069, p. 541.
|
fruit of one's loins »
One's child, children, or descendents.
|
fruit of the poisonous tree »
And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.
|
fruit of the union »
A child, especially from a marriage or similar union.
|
fruit salad »
dessert dish
|
fry up »
Full English breakfast.
|
frying pan »
cooking utensil
|
fudge the issue »
Adopt a solution to a specific problem which does not address the larger, more general problem of which the specific problem is an instance.
|
full as a goog »
Having eaten too much, or being drunk.
|
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 beans »
Energetic and enthusiastic.
|
full of beans »
Incorrect; uninformed; exaggerating or expressing falsehood.
|
full of hot air »
Talking a lot, especially without saying anything of value or meaning.
|
full of it »
Speaking nonsense; lying, exaggerating, or boasting.
|
full of oneself »
Egotistical, believing oneself to be superior to others; preoccupied with one's own work, interests, point of view, etc.
|
full of shit »
Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.
|
full speed ahead »
A command, especially on military vessels, to move forward at maximum speed.
|
full speed ahead »
Maximum effort without reservations or delay.
|
full tilt »
As quickly as possible; very rapidly.
|
full tilt boogie »
At the most extreme level.
|
full tilt boogie »
In an extremely focused manner.
|
full tilt boogie »
Intensely, fast paced.
|
full tilt boogie »
Out of control.
|
full to the gills »
Completely or overly full.
|
full whack »
The whole amount.
|
full-fledged »
Having all its feathers; able to fly.
|
full-fledged »
Having full qualification, credentials or preparation; entire; real.
|
funny farm »
An insane asylum.
|
funny money »
A highly inflated currency.
|
funny money »
Bills of any foreign currency or of counterfeit origin.
|
funny money »
Money gained in a devious or sneaky manner.
|
funny money »
Play money.
|
funny stuff »
Irregular, often illegal, activities.
|
gagging for it »
Up for it, having a strong desire for sex.
|
gallows humor »
Comedy that makes light of death or other very serious matters.
|
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.
|
gandy dancer »
A railway laborer, especially a member of a crew which carries rails and affixes them to ties.
|
gang up »
To join together, as a gang.
|
gang up on »
To join together in a gang in order to overpower someone else.
|
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"
|
garden variety »
Ordinary, common, or unexceptional.
|
gear up »
To prepare for an activity.
|
gentleman of the back door »
A sodomite.
|
get »
A difficult return or block of a shot.
|
get »
Lineage.
|
get »
Offspring.
|
get a grip »
To relax; to calm down; to stop being angry; to come to one's senses or become more rational.
|
get a handle on »
To build or acquire a basic level of understanding or control.
|
get a jump on »
To start early, especially to start before something begins or before others begin.
|
get a kick out of »
To be delighted by; to be amused by.
|
get a leg up »
To gain some advantage; to get a head start.
|
get a leg up »
To get a boost or a lift.
|
get a load of »
To experience someone or something, especially by looking or listening.
|
get a move on »
To hurry up, to get moving.
|
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 along »
To be together or coexist well, without arguments or trouble.
|
get along »
To survive; to do well enough.
|
get at »
gain access to
|
get at »
intend
|
get at »
mean, intend
|
get at »
reach
|
get away »
escape
|
get away »
make an escape
|
get away with »
To do something which is prohibited, forbidden or generally not allowed, and not be punished for the action.
|
get away with murder »
To do something bad or illegal and not be punished.
|
get back at »
To retaliate; to take revenge.
|
get bent out of shape »
To take offense; to become angry, agitated or upset.
|
get better »
To improve.
|
get better »
To recover from an illness.
|
get busy »
Have sex.
|
get busy »
Start working, usually in opposition to idleness.
|
get by »
To subsist; to succeed, survive, or manage, at least at a minimum level.
|
get by »
to pass
|
get by the balls »
To have complete control over someone, especially of a woman abusing a man's infatuation with her.
|
get carried away »
To become excessively involved, to take something too far.
|
get cold feet »
To become nervous or anxious and reconsider a decision about an upcoming event.
|
get cracking »
To get started; to get busy.
|
get down to brass tacks »
Deal with the important details.
|
get down to business »
To become involved with something work-related.
|
get even »
To get revenge.
|
get fresh »
To flirt.
|
get high »
To intoxicate oneself with drugs or other substances.
|
get in »
To be elected to some office.
|
get in »
To enter a place; to gain access.
|
get in »
To get into or inside something, literally or figuratively.
|
get in »
To secure membership at a selective school.
|
get in someone's hair »
To annoy someone.
|
get in someone's hair »
To hinder someone or interfere with their actions.
|
get into one's stride »
To become familiar with something recently learnt.
|
get into someone's pants »
To have sex with.
|
get into trouble »
To become pregnant.
|
get into trouble »
To perform an action which is illegal, prohibited, forbidden or proscribed and to become subject to punishment for such action.
|
get it »
To "get what's coming to him/her"; to feel one's wrath; to receive punishment; to receive a retaliation; to receive a beating.
|
get it »
To get, retrieve, or receive something.
|
get it »
To possess a preferred outlook on a given issue or issues.
|
get it »
To realize or understand why a joke is funny.
|
get it »
To understand, comprehend, or grasp.
|
get it into one's head »
imagine
|
get it on »
To have sex.
|
get it over with »
To do or finish, especially said of something unpleasant.
|
get moving »
To start hurrying to undertake a task.
|
get off »
Behaviour.
|
get off »
Consequences.
|
get off »
To become sexually aroused.
|
get off »
To complete a shift or a day's work.
|
get off »
To disembark from mass transportation, such as a bus or train.
|
get off »
To disembark.
|
get off »
To fall asleep.
|
get off »
To have sex.
|
get off »
To move from being on top of to not being on top of it.
|
get off »
To move to not being on top of it.
|
get off »
To stop touching or interfering with something or someone.
|
get off »
To stop using a piece of equipment.
|
get off lightly »
End up with a mild punishment.
|
get off one's high horse »
To stop acting in an imperious, overbearing or bossy manner.
|
get off the ground »
To succeed or begin to succeed.
|
get off with »
To befriend someone and snog them, especially in a public place.
|
get on somebody's case »
To lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.
|
get on somebody's nerves »
To annoy or irritate; to bother.
|
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 butt somewhere »
Go somewhere, especially quickly.
|
get one's claws into »
Have a controlling influence over.
|
get one's end away »
To have sex.
|
get one's feet wet »
To begin gaining experience; To take a risk and try something new.
|
get one's finger out »
To free one's finger.
|
get one's finger out »
To proceed with the matter in hand.
|
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 hands on »
To get; to obtain; to secure.
|
get one's knickers in a twist »
To become overwrought or unnecessarily upset over a trivial matter.
|
get one's marching orders »
To be dismissed disgracefully.
|
get one's wires crossed »
To get confused or mixed up; to make a mistake.
|
get out of bed on the wrong side »
To start the day in a bad mood for no apparent reason.
|
get out of Dodge »
To leave; in particular to leave a difficult or dangerous environment with all possible haste.
|
get out of here »
To leave or exit a place.
|
get out of here! »
An exclamation of disbelief.
|
get over »
To forget, and move on.
|
get over »
To overcome something.
|
get over »
To recover from something.
|
get over »
surmount
|
get over »
cross, surmount
|
get ready »
prepare oneself
|
get somebody's goat »
To annoy, infuriate, bother, or incense.
|
get someone's back up »
To annoy a person either deliberately or inadvertently.
|
get someone's nose out of joint »
To become angry; to take offense or take exception.
|
get someone's nose out of joint »
To make someone angry.
|
get something over with »
To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.
|
get something straight »
To understand; to clarify.
|
get stuck »
To be unable to make progress.
|
get stuck in »
To dedicate a large amount of effort towards.
|
get stuck into »
Get busy with; become occupied with; become immersed in.
|
get taken in »
To be fooled; to fall for.
|
get taken in »
To be unofficially fostered.
|
get the axe »
To be fired, axed, terminated.
|
get the bacon bad »
To be morbidly obese.
|
get the ball rolling »
To begin; to start some action; to set in motion.
|
get the better of »
To overwhelm or overcome; to influence heavily; to tend to control or persuade.
|
get the boot »
To be dismissed from employment.
|
get the boot »
To be voted off a competition in a reality television show.
|
get the chop »
To be dismissed from employment.
|
get the chop »
To be eliminated from a competition in a reality television program.
|
get the drift »
To understand, at least at some basic or general level.
|
get the sack »
To be fired
|
get up »
arise
|
gets down »
dismounts
|
getting even »
retaliating
|
giant panda »
chinese animal
|
gift of the gab »
The ability to talk readily, glibly, and convincingly.
|
gild the lily »
To embellish or improve something unnecessarily; to add superfluous attributes to something.
|
gimme a five »
A request to receive a high five.
|
ginger beer »
soft drink
|
ginger snap »
biscuit
|
gird up one's loins »
To prepare oneself for something demanding.
|
give 'em enough rope »
Allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.
|
give 110%25 »
Make the maximum possible effort.
|
give a f** »
To care.
|
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 a ring »
On the telephone.
|
give a shit »
To care, often used in the negative.
|
give a sneck posset »
To fasten the door latch.
|
give a sneck posset »
To give someone a cold reception; to close the door on someone; to reject them.
|
give and take »
A process of compromise or accommodation.
|
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 away the store »
To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.
|
give birth »
To invent a new idea.
|
give birth »
To produce new life into the world; to have a baby. Transitive when used with to.
|
give chase »
To chase or pursue a person.
|
give curry »
Angrily.
|
give ear »
Dante Gabriel Rosetti, A Death-Parting, lines 5-6.
|
give ear »
To listen: to devote one's attention to an auditory event.
|
give face »
To honor; to pay respect.
|
give head »
To perform oral sex on another person.
|
give heed »
Pay attention to.
|
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 »
He was very cautious with his words and gave no hostages to fortune.
|
give hostage to fortune »
To take an action or make a statement that is risky because it could cause you trouble later.
|
give in »
To collapse or fall.
|
give in »
To droop the head.
|
give in »
To relent or yield.
|
give it a go »
To try or attempt.
|
give it a whirl »
To try, test or attempt.
|
give it one's best shot »
To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.
|
give it the gun »
Literal meaning.
|
give me liberty or give me death »
A set-phrase indicating enormous displeasure at any over-authoritarian policy or law.
|
give notice »
To announce one's intent to leave a job; to inform an employer that one is leaving.
|
give of oneself »
To devote oneself unselfishly to a task, especially to give time and energy.
|
give or take »
Approximately; plus or minus some unknown amount.
|
give over »
To devote oneself to a particular activity.
|
give over »
To entrust something to another.
|
give over »
Usually as an imperative. To tell someone to stop molesting, fooling around, or saying silly things. Or sometimes to stop saying flattering things.
|
give some skin »
To greet or congratulate someone by slapping his or her palm; see slap me five.
|
give somebody a hand »
To help, aid, or assist.
|
give somebody a hard time »
To tease, kid, or rib.
|
give somebody a piece of one's mind »
To express one's opinion strongly; to voice one's disagreement or dissatisfaction.
|
give somebody an earful »
To shout very loudly at someone.
|
give somebody pause »
To give somebody cause for concern.
|
give somebody the brush-off »
To rebuff, snub or curtly reject someone.
|
give somebody the cold shoulder »
To snub, resist or reject somebody; to regard somebody distantly.
|
give somebody the creeps »
To give someone a feeling of uneasiness or mild fright.
|
give somebody the heave-ho »
To fire, expel or break up with someone.
|
give somebody the runaround »
Especially by providing useless information or directions .
|
give somebody the slip »
To evade, escape, or get away from somebody.
|
give somebody what-for »
To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.
|
give someone the chair »
To execute a person by means of the electric chair.
|
give someone the eye »
To show flirtatious signs with the eye.
|
give someone what for »
To punish; to rebuke.
|
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 elbow »
To terminate the employment of.
|
give the lie to »
To prove something to be false; to refute.
|
give the time of day »
To acknowledge somebody; to give somebody any respect or attention.
|
glad rags »
best clothes
|
glimmer »
A faint light; a dim glow.
|
glimmer »
A faint or remote possibility.
|
glimmer »
A flash of light.
|
gloss over »
To cover up a mistake or a crime; to hush up or whitewash.
|
gloss over »
To treat something with less care than it deserves; to skimp.
|
glow worm »
beetle
|
glutton for punishment »
One persistent in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.
|
go against the grain »
To defy convention; to do something in a manner that is unusual or out of the ordinary.
|
go ahead »
To proceed; to begin.
|
go all out »
To reserve nothing; to put forth all possible effort or resources.
|
go all the way »
To continue to the conclusion of a task or project.
|
go all the way »
To have sexual intercourse.
|
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 away »
Command asking someone to leave them alone.
|
go away »
Go away, stop annoying me!.
|
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 bad »
putrefy
|
go ballistic »
To become very angry and irrational.
|
go batshit »
To become completely irrational; to react in an irrationally extreme manner.
|
go belly-up »
To die.
|
go belly-up »
To fail or fold; especially, to close or shut down a business; to go out of business.
|
go between »
an intermediary
|
go blue »
Of states and counties, to be carried by a Democratic candidate in a given U.S. election.
|
go by »
To pass, to go past, without much interaction.
|
go by the board »
To be superseded, rejected, or obliterated; to pass by with little consequence; to amount to nothing.
|
go 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 by the board »
To fall or to go overboard; to be cast over the side of a ship.
|
go by the wayside »
To become obsolete or outmoded.
|
go commando »
To not wear underpants.
|
go down »
To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.
|
go down »
To decrease; to change from a greater value to a lesser one.
|
go down »
Fall to the floor.
|
go down »
To stop functioning, to go offline.
|
go down »
To be received or accepted.
|
go down »
To perform oral sex.
|
go down »
To take place, happen.
|
go down that road »
To settle a way of doing something; do decide to do something in a particular way.
|
go down the pan »
To fail or degenerate rapidly.
|
go down the road »
A way of doing something; to do something in a particular way.
|
go down the toilet »
To fail.
|
go down the tubes »
To fail or degenerate rapidly.
|
go down the wrong way »
To swallow food or drink so that it goes down the wrong tube in one's throat and makes one cough or for a short period lose one's breath or choke.
|
go downhill »
To worsen or degenerate.
|
go Dutch »
To pay for one's own food and bills, or split the cost, when eating at a restaurant or going out for entertainment.
|
go dutch »
share expenses equally
|
go figure »
Expresses perplexity, confusion, surprise, or puzzlement.
|
go for »
To attack something.
|
go for »
To be equally valid or appropriate.
|
go for »
To do something, especially for leisure.
|
go for »
To endure, sustain or spend time.
|
go for »
To go somewhere in order to get something.
|
go for »
To try for something.
|
go for broke »
To try everything possible or do last thing possible in a final attempt.
|
go for broke »
To wager everything.
|
go for it »
A cry of encouragement.
|
go for the gold »
To attempt to achieve the maximum reward or result in an endeavor.
|
go from strength to strength »
To continue to get stronger[1].
|
go from zero to hero »
To become very popular after being unpopular.
|
go from zero to hero »
To change from negative outcome to positive outcome. To improve one's fortunes significantly.
|
go in for »
To enter a competition.
|
go in for »
To have an interest in or approve of something.
|
go in for »
To engage or take part in something.
|
go in off »
To pot the cue ball accidentally after hitting the object ball.
|
go in one ear and out the other »
Failed to pay attention.
|
go in the out door »
To engage in anal sex.
|
go it alone »
To do something alone or independently, especially something that is normally or better done in groups.
|
go jump in the lake »
Used to tell a person that to go away, or that their request will not be met.
|
go large »
To enjoy oneself to the maximum.
|
go large »
To have the wind at such an angle to the sail that the vessel gains its highest speed.
|
go large »
To supersize.
|
go mad »
To become insane.
|
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 native »
To adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants, especially when dwelling in a colonial region; to become less refined under the influence of a less cultured, more primitive, or simpler social environment.
|
go off »
To explode.
|
go off »
To explode metaphorically; to become very angry.
|
go off »
To begin clanging or making noise.
|
go off »
To depart; to leave.
|
go off »
To putrefy or become inedible.
|
go off »
To like less.
|
go off at score »
Of a horse, to break suddenly into a gallop; of a person, suddenly to say or do something impetuous.
|
go off half-cocked »
To take a premature or ill-considered action.
|
go off the boil »
Cease to boil when heat is no longer applied.
|
go off the boil »
To become less successful.
|
go off the boil »
To become of diminished intensity or urgency.
|
go off the boil »
To lose interest; to pall.
|
go on »
To continue; expand upon.
|
go on »
To happen.
|
go on »
To make a decision based on.
|
go on »
To travel on; go by.
|
go on the rampage »
To behave violently or to riot.
|
go out »
To leave, especially a building.
|
go out »
To leave one's abode to go to public places.
|
go out »
To be turned off or extinguished.
|
go out »
To become extinct, to expire.
|
go out »
1922, Alfred Edward Housman, XXVIII, lines 3-4.
|
go out of one's way »
To make an extra effort.
|
go out on a limb »
To hazard a guess.
|
go out on a limb »
To take a risk.
|
go out on the town »
To party all night long.
|
go out the window »
To vanish or cease, especially due to lack of care, attention, etc.; to be discarded, disregarded, or ignored.
|
go out with »
Often in hopes that the relationship will become more longterm as in definition 1.
|
go out with »
Date, be involved in a romantic relationship with.
|
go over »
To create a response or impression.
|
go over »
To look at carefully; to scrutinize; to analyze.
|
go overboard »
Fall out of a vessel.
|
go overboard »
Go too far, be excessive.
|
go places »
To make progress or achieve success.
|
go public »
Make public, announce publicly or to the press.
|
go red »
Of states or counties, to be carried by a Republican candidate in a given U.S. election.
|
go red »
To become sunburnt.
|
go red »
To blush.
|
go round in circles »
To repeatedly do the same thing; without making any progress.
|
go south »
To become unfavorable; to decrease; to take a turn for the worse.
|
go the distance »
To have the endurance to see a difficult sustained challenge to its natural end without faltering.
|
go the distance »
To participate in a boxing match for its maximum number of rounds.
|
go the extra mile »
To make an extra effort; to do a particularly good job.
|
go the way of »
To end up the same way as. To receive the same fate as.
|
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 through hell »
To have a miserable experience.
|
go through hell »
Winston Churchill.
|
go through the mill »
To experience the suffering or discipline necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or to a certain mental state.
|
go through with »
To proceed; to continue.
|
go to Canossa »
To submit to the pope.
|
go to pot »
To come to a bad end.
|
go to pot »
To decline or deteriorate.
|
go to seed »
To deteriorate; to decline into an unkempt or debased condition.
|
go to seed »
To pass from flowering or ripening to the formation of seeds.
|
go to sleep »
An expression used to dismiss an extremely foolish statement, or to dismiss somebody that one does not feel like talking to.
|
go to someone's head »
To strongly affect a person, especially to the detriment of their senses or mental faculties.
|
go to the dogs »
To decline or deteriorate.
|
go to the mat »
To continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.
|
go to the mattresses »
To go to war; to use ruthless tactics; to act without restraint.
|
go to the wall »
To make an all-out effort.
|
go to town »
To proceed enthusiastically, vigorously, or expertly.
|
go to work »
Beat up, batter.
|
go to work »
To begin performing some task or work.
|
go to work »
To go to one's job, as by commuting.
|
go too far »
To exceed an unstated limit, especially a limit of acceptable behaviour.
|
go up »
rise
|
go up against »
To challenge someone.
|
go up in smoke »
To be completely ruined.
|
go up in smoke »
To catch fire and burn.
|
go west »
To die; to become destroyed.
|
go with the flow »
To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.
|
go without »
Be deprived of.
|
go without saying »
To be obvious, apparent or clear, or already established.
|
god fearing »
pious
|
god forbid »
Don't let it be.
|
God helps those who help themselves »
Fortune comes to those who make a genuine effort to accomplish things.
|
God works in mysterious ways »
Expressing confidence that a conundrum has a solution despite it not being apparent.Expressing that a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run.Person A: It seems that I'm about to be fired from my job.Person B: Well, God works in mysterious ways - maybe it'll be the kick you need to apply to university...
|
going rate »
The current standard or usual price, rate, or salary for something.
|
going to the dogs »
In such a poor state that it should be left to the dogs.
|
gold mine »
A mine for gold ore or metal.
|
gold mine »
A plentiful stockpile of something sought after.
|
gold mine »
A very profitable economic venture.
|
gold standard »
A monetary system where the value of circulating money is linked to the value of gold.
|
gold standard »
A test or measure of comparison that is considered ultimate or ideal.
|
golden duck »
The score of zero runs after getting out on the first ball faced.
|
golden handcuffs »
Any arrangement or agreement designed to provide extremely favorable benefits or pay, so as to discourage participant from wanting to leave, especially to retain a choice employee.
|
golden handshake »
A generous severance payment, especially as an inducement to leave employment.
|
golden hello »
A payment offered to an employee as an inducement to join, especially if currently working for a competitor.
|
golden opportunity »
Ideal moment to do something.
|
golden rule »
A fundamental rule or principle.
|
golden rule »
The principle that one should treat other people in the manner in which one would want to be treated by them.
|
golden syrup »
light treacle
|
golden ticket »
A philosophy that a quick fix can be achieved.
|
golden ticket »
A qualification, person or thing that can provide lucrative opportunities.
|
golf widow »
A woman who is deprived of her husband's time and attention due to his regular absence in order to play golf.
|
Gone to the bad »
soured, spoiled, turned rotten
|
gone to the dogs »
To have fallen into disrepair or ruin; to have been stagnant or depreciated.
|
gongoozle »
To leisurely watch the passage of boats, from the bank of a canal, lock or bridge.
|
gongoozle »
To observe things idly.
|
good and »
Very; exceptionally; utterly.
|
good drunk »
A person who is cheerful and companionable when intoxicated, retaining reasonable control of his or her mental and emotional faculties.
|
good egg »
A good person, someone to be trusted; a friend.
|
good enough for jazz »
Good enough.
|
good evening »
greeting
|
good fences make good neighbors »
It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.
|
good for you »
well done
|
good job »
Well done; congratulations!.
|
good luck with that »
An expression wishing someone success in an unlikely enterprise.
|
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 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.
|
good on you »
An exclamation of encouragement or congratulation; well done.
|
good riddance »
Used to indicate that a departure, or loss is welcome.
|
good things come to those who wait »
A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.
|
good to go »
Ready for some specific task or ready for normal activity, especially after preparation or recovery.
|
good to go »
Ready for use or ready for normal operation, especially after repair or renewal.
|
good turn »
A good deed; a thoughtful or selfless act.
|
goodbye cruel world »
A call said before taking a stiff drink, especially a shot of vodka.
|
goodbye cruel world »
An exclamation made before commiting suicide, or in a suicide note.
|
goof off »
To dawdle; to engage in idle activity or inactivity.
|
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.
|
goose is cooked »
All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success.
|
grab and go »
To get something quickly.
|
grab bag »
A gift, purchase, etc. whose contents are concealed until after a selection is made.
|
grab bag »
Any random assortment, selection or possibility.
|
grace period »
A length of time during which rules or penalties do not take effect or are withheld.
|
grain of salt »
A bit of common sense and skepticism. Generally used in some form of to take with a grain of salt.
|
granary »
A fertile, grain-growing region.
|
granary »
A storage facility for grain or sometimes animal feed.
|
grand poobah »
A person who is important or high-ranking.
|
grand total »
The entire or final sum.
|
granny smith »
apple
|
grasp all, lose all »
one who wants everything, may lose it all
|
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.
|
grass roots »
The essential foundation or source of something.
|
grass snake »
reptile
|
grass widow »
A divorcée..
|
grass widow »
A married woman whose husband is away.
|
grass widow »
A mother out of wedlock.
|
grass widower »
A divorcé..
|
grass widower »
A married man whose wife is away.
|
grate »
A horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.
|
gratuitous violence »
The artificial depiction of excessive violence.
|
gratuitous violence »
Violence that is not justified.
|
gravy train »
A gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill.
|
gravy train »
An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.
|
gray area »
A part that is not clear or certain; something that is open to interpretation.
|
grease monkey »
A mechanic, often with the specific connotation of an automobile mechanic.
|
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.
|
grease someone's palm »
To bribe a person.
|
greasy spoon »
An inexpensive diner or other informal restaurant, especially one specializing in frying or grilling.
|
great dane »
dog
|
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.
|
greatest thing since sliced bread »
A relatively recent invention likely to significantly improve people's lives.
|
green about the gills »
Having the appearance of being ill.
|
green fingers »
A seemingly natural gardening ability.
|
green light »
A traffic light in its green state .
|
green light »
Approval, or permission to proceed.
|
green state »
A state that is, or is perceived as, environmentally friendly.
|
green thumb »
A natural skill for gardening.
|
green thumb »
A person with this skill.
|
green with envy »
Consumed by envy; envious to the point where it is noticeable to others.
|
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.
|
grey area »
A topic that is not clearly one thing or the other.
|
grey area »
An area intermediate between two mutually exclusive states or categories where the border between the two is fuzzy.
|
grin like a Cheshire cat »
To smile broadly, especially in a self-satisfied way.
|
grind one's gears »
To annoy or irritate.
|
grind to a halt »
Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.
|
groaning »
That is heavily laden.
|
gross out »
To sicken.
|
ground rules »
The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.
|
group captain »
raf officer
|
grow a pair »
To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation in which one has so far failed to do so.
|
grow cold »
To wane; to lose interest or enthusiasm for something or someone; to become disenchanted or to fall out of love with someone.
|
grow on »
To become more likeable to someone.
|
grow out of »
To become too physically large for something, especially clothes.
|
grow out of »
To become too mature for something.
|
grow up »
To mature and become an adult.
|
grunt work »
That is considered undesirable and therefore delegated to underlings.
|
guilt trip »
A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.
|
guilt trip »
Remarks intended to produce such a feeling.
|
guilty as sin »
Unquestionably guilty.
|
guinea pig »
A tailless rodent of the Cavia genus, with short ears and larger than a hamster; the species Cavia porcellus is often kept as a pet.
|
gulp down »
To eat very quickly without chewing the food properly.
|
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.
|
gunk up »
To soil or dirty; to mess up; to clog.
|
gunshy »
Being afraid to use a gun.
|
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.
|
had better »
Should; ought to; need to.
|
hair of the dog »
An alcoholic drink taken the morning after to cure a hangover or withdrawal symptoms.
|
hair-splitting »
The act of finding exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.
|
hair-splittingly »
With exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.
|
halcyon days »
A period of calm, often nostalgic: “halcyon days of yore”, “halcyon days of youth”..
|
halcyon days »
Period of calm during the winter, when storms do not occur.
|
half a mind »
A moderate inclination.
|
half nelson »
wrestling hold
|
half-baked »
Partially cooked by heating in an oven.
|
halfway decent »
Good - better than expected.
|
halfway decent »
No more than adequate.
|
ham fisted »
clumsy
|
ham it up »
To act or emote, especially to overact or act badly.
|
hammer and tongs »
With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.
|
hammer home »
Until or so that a person or group of people understands it.
|
hammer out »
To come to an agreement after much arguing.
|
hand down »
To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor.
|
hand down »
To forward to the proper officer .
|
hand grenade »
small explosive device
|
hand in »
To give something to a responsible person.
|
hand in glove »
In very close cooperation.
|
hand in hand »
Naturally, ordinarily or predictably together; commonly having a correlation or relationship.
|
hand it to somebody »
To give somebody credit or praise.
|
hand off »
To pass or transfer something to someone.
|
hand over »
To relinquish control or possession of something to someone.
|
hand over fist »
Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.
|
hand waving »
Discussion or argumentation involving approximation, vagueness, educated guessing, or the attempt to explain or excuse vagaries.
|
hand-in-glove »
Closely cooperative.
|
handbags at dawn »
A catty squabble.
|
handle with kid gloves »
To treat something very delicately or carefully.
|
hands down »
Without much effort; easily.
|
hands down »
Without question[2].
|
handwriting on the wall »
Alternative form of writing on the wall. A divine prediction or sentence to fate.
|
hang a Louie »
Make a left turn while driving a vehicle.
|
hang a Ralph »
Make a right turn while driving a vehicle.
|
hang about »
To stay, linger or loiter.
|
hang an arse »
To hang back, to be afraid to advance.
|
hang around »
To stay, linger or loiter.
|
hang by a thread »
To be in danger, calling for precise caution. To be in a precarious situation.
|
hang in the balance »
To be in a precarious situation, unsure of the future.
|
hang on »
To keep; to store something for someone.
|
hang on »
To pay close attention.
|
hang out »
To spend time doing nothing in particular.
|
hang out one's shingle »
To open an office or business, especially in a profession.
|
hang out to dry »
To abandon someone who is in need or in danger.
|
hang out to dry »
To attach washing to a clothesline to dry.
|
hang out with »
To spend time with friends, doing nothing in particular.
|
hang paper »
To write a bad check.
|
hang up »
To terminate a phone call.
|
hang up one's boots »
Retire, call it a day.
|
hanging offence »
A crime so serious that it is punishable by means of death by hanging.
|
happily ever after »
Living happily until death. Typically associated with fairy tales.
|
happy camper »
One who is thoroughly content or satisfied.
|
happy go lucky »
carefree
|
happy medium »
A balanced position between two opposite extremes.
|
hard as nails »
Very hard; tough.
|
hard cheese »
Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.
|
hard done by »
Used, cheated, dejected.
|
hard feelings »
Resentment, anger.
|
hard lines »
Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.
|
hard of hearing »
Having difficulty hearing; somewhat deaf.
|
hard pressed »
Having or likely to have difficulty or to find a task almost impossible.
|
hard shoulder »
mortorway shopping area
|
hard-hearted »
unfeeling
|
hard-nosed »
Guided by practical experience and observation rather than by theory.
|
hard-nosed »
Hardheaded.
|
hardball »
In baseball, a type of ball and baseball game, as opposed to softball.
|
harden »
To become hard.
|
harden »
To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.
|
harden someone's heart »
To make someone more resistant to something.
|
hardwired »
Designed to perform a specific task.
|
hardwired »
In humans and animals, genetically determined, instinctive behavior, as opposed to learned behavior.
|
hardwired »
Not changeable.
|
hardwired »
Of devices, closely or tightly coupled.
|
harsh one's mellow »
Disturbing someone otherwise in a state of calm.
|
harsh one's mellow »
To annoy or irritate; to bother.
|
harsh one's mellow »
To get on one's nerves.
|
harsh one's mellow »
To make someone feel bad emotionally.
|
has-been »
A formerly popular or influential person whose popularity or effectiveness has peaked and is now in decline. Typically said of professionals or celebrities whose primary success is behind them.
|
hash out »
To work through the details of something; especially to work through difficulties.
|
haste makes waste »
One makes mistakes when being too hasty.
|
hat in hand »
With humility; in an apologetic or self-effacing fashion.
|
hatchet job »
A treatment which serves primarily to disparage its subject; a piece of criticism which aims to destroy a reputation.
|
hatchet man »
A professional killer.
|
hatchet man »
Someone who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.
|
hate somebody's guts »
To despise; to hate intensely or passionately.
|
haul ass »
To hurry; to move quickly, especially to leave.
|
haul his ashes »
A euphemism for sexual intercourse.
|
haul off »
To alter course so as to get farther away from an object.
|
haul off »
To draw back the arm in order to punch.
|
haul off »
To leave.
|
haul somebody over the coals »
To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.
|
have a ball »
To enjoy thoroughly; to have lots of fun or excitement.
|
have a blast »
To thoroughly enjoy; to be excited or have lots of fun.
|
have a bone to pick »
To have a complaint or grievance with somebody.
|
have a bun in the oven »
To be pregnant; to be expecting a baby.
|
have a cow »
To get angry; have a fit.
|
have a fit »
To become suddenly enraged.
|
have a fit »
To experience an epileptic seizure.
|
have a flat »
To be the owner of an apartment.
|
have a flat »
To have a flat tyre.
|
have a frog in one's throat »
To feel the need to cough; to have a tickle in one's throat; to have a scratchy or uneven voice.
|
have a go »
Shout at or tell off unnecessarily or excessively.
|
have a go »
To make an attempt; to try.
|
have a good time »
To enjoy oneself.
|
have a green thumb »
A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.
|
have a handle on »
To be in control; to understand or grasp.
|
have a heart »
To be kind or sympathetic; to treat others kindly.
|
have a look-see »
Take a look.
|
have a pair »
To be manly.
|
have a scream »
To have a good time, to have a blast.
|
have a screw loose »
A phrase meaning that the subject is insane or irrational.
|
have a seat »
A polite directive to sit down.
|
have a seat »
See have; seat.
|
have a seat »
To sit down; to take a seat.
|
have a way with »
To be skilled, adept, or graceful in something.
|
have a whale of a time »
To enjoy oneself greatly.
|
have a word with »
To talk or speak with.
|
have an axe to grind »
To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something.
|
have an eye for »
To have good taste; to have the ability to discriminate or identify quality.
|
have ants in one's pants »
To be agitated and constantly fidgeting.
|
have ants in one's pants »
To be sexually excited.
|
have at »
To attack; to engage in combat with.
|
have bats in one's belfry »
To be crazy or eccentric.
|
have been around »
To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive.
|
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 belly »
To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.
|
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 got »
To be obliged.
|
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 in mind »
To consider, to contemplate, to intend.
|
have it coming »
To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions.
|
have it in for »
To be very angry at; to have a grudge against.
|
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 it off »
To engage in sexual intercourse.
|
have it your way »
Do something the way you want to, but be prepared for the consequences.
|
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 ears lowered »
To get a haircut.
|
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.
|
have one's heart set on »
To want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality.
|
have one's name on it »
To be reserved for someone.
|
have one's number on it »
Te be destined for someone.
|
have one's wits about one »
To remain calm, composed, or aware.
|
have one's work cut out for one »
To face a large task or project.
|
have other fish to fry »
C. 1710, Jonathan Swift, The Journal to Stella, ch. 2, Letter 15.
|
have other fish to fry »
To have more important things to do.
|
have second thoughts »
To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.
|
have someone by the short hairs »
To have someone in a difficult situation in which he or she is without alternatives and can be controlled.
|
have someone's guts for garters »
To reprimand severely.
|
have someone's hide »
To punish or subdue someone.
|
have something to eat »
To eat anything.
|
have the biscuit »
To be of no further use; to be near death.
|
have the blues »
To be depressed, to have a low morale.
|
have the floor »
To have permission or time to speak, especially in a formal situation.
|
have the run of »
To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will.
|
have the time of one's life »
To enjoy oneself immensely.
|
have the time of one's life »
To enjoy oneself more than ever before.
|
have the wind up »
To be frightened or disturbed.
|
have tickets on oneself »
To be conceited.
|
have to do »
To relate; to be relevant.
|
have to do with »
See "have to do".
|
have to do with the price of tea in China »
To have any relation or bearing whatsoever on the topic at hand, usually used to emphasize the lack of relationship of a non sequitur.
|
have truck with »
To have dealings with.
|
he who laughs last laughs best »
success is better after having previously endured ridicule.
|
he who laughs last laughs hardest »
Alternative form of he who laughs last laughs best.
|
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 and shoulders »
"He was head and shoulders above the others in the law firm.".
|
head and shoulders »
"She was head and shoulders better than any of her rivals.".
|
head and shoulders »
To a considerable degree; better; outstanding.
|
head for »
go towards
|
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 girl »
senior female pupil
|
head honcho »
The person in charge; the highest-ranking person in an organization.
|
head over heels »
At top speed; frantically.
|
head over heels »
Hopelessly smitten.
|
head over heels »
Tumbling upside down.
|
head scratcher »
A device used to scratch the head.
|
head scratcher »
A particularly puzzling or confusing event.
|
head scratcher »
December 2007, W:Daily News Tribune - Golden Globes nominations a head-scratcher.
|
head scratcher »
July 2002, Fox News - Attorney: Williams' Kids Near Compromise About Father's Remains.
|
head south »
Alternative form of go south; to decrease or become unfavorable; to take a turn for the worse.
|
head start »
For example, prior to the beginning of a race.
|
head start »
A factor conducive to superiority and success.
|
head to toe »
Entirely; completely; over one's full body.
|
head up »
To lead or take the lead; to direct; to take charge.
|
head-in-the-sand »
Exhibiting disregard or denial of a problem or threat.
|
head-on »
Direct, abrupt, blunt or unequivocal; not prevaricating.
|
head-on »
Of a collision, from the front or in the direction of motion.
|
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 out »
To listen to someone until that person has finished.
|
hear the grass grow »
To be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.
|
hear the grass grow »
To have an extremely sensitive sense of hearing.
|
hear the grass grow »
To hear very well due to being in an exceptionally quiet environment.
|
hear through the grapevine »
To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.
|
hear, hear »
Let us hear and applaud the previous speaker; I endorse the previous statement; Expression of support, agreement, or enthusiasm for what has just been said.
|
heart of glass »
A very fragile romantic state.
|
heart of gold »
A kind, compassionate, or caring attitude; kindheartedness.
|
heart to heart »
A sincere, serious, or personal conversation.
|
heart-breaking »
That causes extreme sorrow or grief.
|
heat up »
To heat, to cause to become hotter.
|
heat wave »
A period of exceptionally hot weather.
|
heat wave »
spell of hot weather
|
heaven helps those who help themselves »
A maxim encouraging people to get involved in their own problems.
|
heavy-hearted »
Sad, melancholy.
|
hedge one's bets »
To place bets with a third party in order to offset potential losses.
|
hedge one's bets »
To reduce the risk of making a mistake, by keeping one's options open.
|
heebie-jeebies »
A general feeling of anxiety, fear, uneasiness, or nausea.
|
hell and half of Georgia »
A very large region; everywhere.
|
hell hath no fury like a woman scorned »
A woman will make someone suffer if they reject her.
|
hell on earth »
A very unpleasant situation; torment, particularly when widespread.
|
hell or high water »
Highly adverse circumstances; acts of God.
|
hell raiser »
wild pleasure seeker
|
help oneself »
Take freely.
|
helping hand »
Any assistance, help or aid.
|
hem and haw »
To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.
|
hem in »
enclose, confine
|
hen's teeth »
Anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen’s teeth.
|
hen's teeth »
Plural form of hen's tooth.
|
hen's tooth »
Anything not naturally occuring.
|
hens' teeth »
Alternative form of hen's teeth.
|
herd cats »
To attempt to control those resistant to control.
|
here and now »
immediately
|
here and there »
From time to time.
|
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.
|
here you are »
Said when you hand something over to someone or do a favour to them, usually to draw the recipient's attention to the exchange; Equivalent to “thank you” when receiving something..
|
here's to »
Denoting proposed salutation while drinking alcohol, toast.
|
hereinabove »
Above this, in this document.
|
hic Rhodus, hic salta »
(politics) Prove what you can do, here and now.
|
hide and seek »
children's game
|
hide nor hair »
A trace, indication, or evidence, especially of a person.
|
hide one's light under a bushel »
For a person to keep some talent or skill hidden from other people. The tone is that a person having a talent which they can be proud of ought not hide it.
|
hiding to nothing »
A situation in which victory has little or no value, but defeat has a huge cost.
|
high and low »
everywhere
|
high as a kite »
Very much under the influence of drugs, extremely high.
|
high cotton »
The best of times; a time of well being.
|
high ground »
A location which is at a relatively high elevation, especially in comparison to the immediate surrounding area.
|
high ground »
A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.
|
high horse »
An appearance or sense of smug superiority.
|
high noon »
Exactly noon; midday; the middle of the day.
|
high on the hog »
Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly.
|
high road »
A course of action which is honorable, dignified, or respectable.
|
hightail it »
To hurry or run; often, to flee.
|
highway robbery »
Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.
|
hike up »
To lift; to tug or pull upwards.
|
hike up »
To raise or increase sharply.
|
hill of beans »
Something of no importance.
|
hind tit »
An inferior source of food or other resources.
|
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.
|
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.
|
historical figure »
A fictional or fabricated person who was was given historical importance in legends and myth.
|
historical figure »
A person who lived long ago, usually of some historical note or importance.
|
history repeats itself »
Things that have happened in the past will happen again.
|
hit a snag »
To encounter an unexpected problem or delay.
|
hit home »
To be especially memorable or meaningful; to be fully understood, believed or appreciated.
|
hit home »
To do something particularly great.
|
hit it big »
To have great success.
|
hit man »
hired killer
|
hit on »
To flirt with; to approach and speak to (someone), seeking romance, love, sex, etc.
|
hit on »
To discover, pinpoint; to think up; to realize; to invent.
|
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 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 paydirt »
To strike it rich; to get lucky or have a big break.
|
hit someone for six »
Be affected in a devastating way by some unexpected news.
|
hit someone for six »
To hit another person very hard.
|
hit the big time »
To become successful and widely known.
|
hit the books »
To study, especially with particular intensity.
|
hit the bottle »
To continually drink alcohol to excess, particularly in response to a setback.
|
hit the bricks »
To leave or depart; to get out.
|
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 bricks »
To travel about, especially on foot.
|
hit the ceiling »
To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.
|
hit the gas »
Go, go faster.
|
hit the ground running »
To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.
|
hit the hay »
To go to bed.
|
hit the headlines »
To appear prominently in the news, especially on the front page.
|
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 pavement »
Literal meaning.
|
hit the pavement »
To get moving in an automobile or other road vehicle.
|
hit the road »
To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.
|
hit the road »
To leave a place; to go away.
|
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.
|
hit the rock »
To use crack cocaine.
|
hit the rocks »
To be at a low point in one's pursuits.
|
hit the roof »
To be explosively angry.
|
hit the sack »
To go to bed.
|
hit the spot »
To be particularly pleasing or appropriate; to be just right.
|
hit the trail »
To leave or depart.
|
hit up »
To request or demand.
|
hit upon »
To address.
|
hit upon »
To think of; to invent; to realize.
|
hocus pocus »
chicanery
|
hog heaven »
A state of contented bliss.
|
hoist by one's own petard »
To be hurt, or destroyed by one's own plot or device, of one's own doing which one intended for another; to be "blown up by one's own bomb".
|
hold a candle »
To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.
|
hold a grudge »
Far longer than is reasonable.
|
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 delay, especially in school.
|
hold down »
To restrain; to check.
|
hold down »
To continue, to hold and to manage well.
|
hold forth »
Talk at great length; expatiate; harangue.
|
hold forth »
To extend or offer, propose.
|
hold off »
To delay someone or something temporarily; to keep at bay.
|
hold off »
To delay commencing an action (until some specified time or event has passed).
|
hold on »
Wait a short while.
|
hold on »
To keep; to store something for someone.
|
hold one's breath »
To inhale and then intentionally close the epiglottis so that one's breath is not exhaled.
|
hold one's breath »
To wait, as if breathlessly.
|
hold one's horses »
To be patient; to wait.
|
hold one's liquor »
To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming a significant amount of alcohol.
|
hold one's own »
To stand up to; to give a respectable performance; to provide worthy competition.
|
hold one's tongue »
To keep quiet; especially, to leave something unsaid.
|
hold one's water »
To be patient; to control one's impulses.
|
hold one's water »
To hold one's urine.
|
hold out »
To hold something out; to extend forward.
|
hold out »
To survive, endure.
|
hold out »
To set something aside or save it for later.
|
hold over »
Something left from an earlier time.
|
hold somebody's hand »
To grasp or hold a person's hand.
|
hold somebody's hand »
To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.
|
hold someone's feet to the fire »
To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce him or her to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for his or her actions.
|
hold sway »
Dominate.
|
hold that thought »
To pause in a conversation for an interruption.
|
hold that thought »
Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.
|
hold the fort »
To assume responsibility, especially in another’s absence..
|
hold the fort »
To maintain a secure position.
|
hold the phone »
Stop; wait; woah. What's this? Look at this!.
|
hold up »
To wait or delay.
|
hold up »
To withstand; to stand up to; to survive.
|
hold up »
To fulfil / fulfill or complete one's part of an agreement.
|
hold up one's end »
I'm holding up my end and you had better hold up yours.
|
hold up one's end »
To hold up one's end of the bargain; to fulfill one's promise or obligation.
|
hold water »
To withstand scrutiny or criticism; to be valid.
|
hold with the hare and run with the hounds »
To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.
|
hold with the hare and run with the hounds »
To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.
|
hold your fire »
Do not discharge your weapon. Used originally for weapons needing a spark or lighting of a fuse to ignite gunpowder, now sometimes used to mean any weapon launching a projectile.
|
hold your fire »
Wait, don't retaliate, calm down, be quiet.
|
holding pattern »
A path taken by an aircraft waiting to land.
|
holding pattern »
Any failure to advance; useless or unproductive activity.
|
hole in one »
A round that is completed by sinking the ball in a single shot or attempt, with one hit.
|
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 in on »
To focus or narrow down to something; to find or draw closer, as by trial and error or a gradual seeking process.
|
home is where the heart is »
One's true home is where one feels happiest.
|
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.
|
home run »
A four-base hit, a homer.
|
home run »
A success; especially, a popular success.
|
home run »
Sexual Intercourse.
|
home run »
The portion of a journey that ends at home.
|
home run »
baseball term
|
home stretch »
The final part of a distance or the final effort needed to finish.
|
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.
|
honest injun »
A phrase used to emphasize the truth of something.
|
honest-to-goodness »
Real; genuine.
|
honesty is the best policy »
Honesty is the most honorable and fulfilling way to live one's life.
|
honey trap »
The use of a seductive woman to entice a man into revealing secret information.
|
honorable mention »
An award or recognition given to something that does not make it to a higher standing but is worth mentioning in an honorable way.
|
hook line and sinker »
completely
|
hook, line and sinker »
Naively or unquestioningly.
|
hoover up »
Into a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.
|
hoover up »
Quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from the plate rather than using cutlery.
|
hopped up »
Drugged; intoxicated.
|
hopping mad »
Extremely angry; furious to the point of outburst.
|
horizontal dancing »
Sexual intercourse.
|
horizontal mambo »
Sexual intercourse.
|
horror film »
scary movie
|
horse around »
To play or fiddle; to clown; to do nothing of importance or consequence.
|
horse of a different color »
An unrelated or only incidentally related matter with distinctly different significance.
|
horse opera »
A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.
|
horse opera »
An equestrian show, as in a circus.
|
horse pucky »
Nonsense; feces.
|
horse sense »
Common sense, especially with a connotation of folk wisdom independent from, and trumping, formal education.
|
horse's ass »
A jerk; an unpleasant, unlikable person; an asshole.
|
horse's ass »
A thing or person which is visually unappealing.
|
horse's mouth »
Source; someone who directly experienced or witnessed something.
|
Horsefeathers »
Absolute nonsense; poppycock
|
horses for courses »
A person suited for one job may not be suited for another job, regardless of their expertise in the former job.
|
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 »
A throw that stays in the air long enough that it allows too many people to get underneath it, increasing the risk of injury and a trip to the hospital. Thus, a hospital pass.
|
hospital pass »
An unwinnable case, often passed to a newly-qualified member of the firm.
|
hospital pass »
Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.
|
hot air »
empty talk
|
hot and cold »
Ambivalent; having conflicting emotions.
|
hot and heavy »
Enthusiastic.
|
hot and heavy »
Passionate.
|
hot button »
A central issue, concern or characteristic, especially one that motivates people to make a choice.
|
hot button »
The principal desire that a salesman needs to "hit" in order to make a sale.
|
hot chocolate »
warm drink
|
hot cross buns »
good friday cakes
|
hot desking »
The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.
|
hot dog »
sausage in a roll
|
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 mess »
A warm meal, usually cooked in a large pot, often similar to a stew or porridge; or, service of such a heated meal to soldiers.
|
hot mess »
Refers to a person, thing, or situation in such a state of disarray or disapproval by peers, often in reference to physical appearance, perceived to be disastrously embarrassing, pitiful, or beyond repair.
|
hot off the presses »
Freshly printed, minted, written, or created.
|
hot on »
Enthusiastic for.
|
hot on »
Knowledgeable about.
|
hot on »
Skilled at.
|
hot on somebody's heels »
Close behind; pursuing or following closely.
|
hot potato »
A child's game in which players pass a ball or other item between them, with the object of avoiding being left holding the item when time expires.
|
hot potato »
An awkward or delicate problem with which nobody wants to be associated.
|
hot spot »
dangerous place; accident place
|
hot spot »
lively place
|
hot to trot »
Eager for sexual activity.
|
hot to trot »
Eager to begin; anxious to get going.
|
hot under the collar »
Worried.
|
hot up »
To increase in temperature.
|
hot up »
To become more heated.
|
hotfoot it »
To hasten; to move rapidly.
|
hotheaded »
Easily excited or angered.
|
hothouse »
A heated greenhouse.
|
hothouse »
An environment in which growth or development is encouraged; a hotbed.
|
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.
|
house of cards »
A structure or argument built on a shaky foundation.
|
house warming »
Presented as a way of welcoming someone to a home into which he or she recently moved.
|
household name »
A brand name that is well known to the great majority of households.
|
household name »
A genericized trademark or anepronym.
|
household name »
A very well-known public figure.
|
how are you »
An informal greeting, not requiring a literal response. Typical responses include.
|
how come »
Why; why is it; for what reason or purpose?.
|
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.
|
how do you like them apples »
Directed jestingly or mockingly at someone who has received surprising information, ridiculing the situation.
|
how's the weather »
An inquiry about the weather.
|
how's the weather »
Indicating a change of subject to unimportant topics.
|
how's tricks »
Informal greeting roughly equivalent to How are you?.
|
how-d'ye-do »
A troublesome state of affairs.
|
howdy-do »
Same as how-d'ye-do.
|
huckleberry above a persimmon »
Something better than something else.
|
hum and haw »
Procrastinate and take a long time before doing something or taking a decision.
|
humble pie »
A pie made from the offal of deer or hog.
|
humble pie »
Humility, being humble.
|
hung the moon »
To view or be viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.
|
hunger is a good sauce »
(dated) Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.1854, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Shirley Brooks, Francis Cowley Burnand, Owen Seaman, Punch, Vol. XXVI, Punch Publications Ltd., page 74:His bread and cheese were somewhat dry, to be sure; his ale had become flat, and considerably warmer than was desirable; but hunger is a good sauce, and thirst is not particular.
|
hunger is the best sauce »
Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.
|
hunger is the best spice »
When one is hungry, anything will taste good.
|
hunker down »
To take shelter; to prepare oneself for some eventuality; to focus on a task.
|
hunker down »
To stubbornly hold to a position.
|
hurt someone's feelings »
To offend or hurt someone.
|
hustle and bustle »
A large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding.
|
ice cream »
dessert item
|
ice over »
To become covered in ice, usually of a body of water.
|
ice up »
To become clogged with ice, usually of a mechanical device.
|
idiot box »
Television.
|
idiot light »
Any warning light or indicator on the dashboard of a car, designed to alert the driver of problems, such as the parking brake being on or the oil being low.
|
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 all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »
With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.
|
if it ain't broke, don't fix it »
Leave something alone; avoid correcting, fixing, or improving what is already sufficient, as it could end up being detrimental
|
if it's all the same »
If it makes no difference; if nobody minds; if it doesn't bother anyone.
|
if looks could kill »
A phrase said upon catching sight of someone's giving you a particularly nasty look of discontent or disapproval.
|
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 need be »
If necessary; if there is a need.
|
if needs be »
If need be; if there is a need.
|
if only »
I wish that; signifies a wish or desire.
|
if pigs had wings »
Never.
|
if pigs had wings »
Shortened form of if pigs had wings they would fly.
|
if pigs had wings they would fly »
(colloquial) Expresses speakers skepticism toward a hypothetical argument by another.
|
if the mountain won't come to Muhammad »
"If one cannot get one's own way, one must bow to the inevitable.".
|
if the shoe fits »
If it has all of the characteristics of a thing, it probably is that thing.
|
if you can't beat them, join them »
If your adversaries are stronger than yourself, it is better to join the adversaries.
|
if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen »
If you cannot handle the pressure, you should not be in a position where you have to deal with it.
|
if you lie with dogs you will get fleas »
It is important whom to choose as one's closest acquanitances.
|
if you love somebody, set them free »
One should be willing to let go of someone they love if they truly love them.
|
if you want a thing done well, do it yourself »
It is better to do something oneself, than rely on others to do it well.
|
ignorance is bliss »
Lack of knowledge results in happinessSometime you are more comfortable if you dont know something.
|
ill advisedly »
unwisely
|
ill fated »
doomed
|
ill health »
A state of illness, or bad health.
|
ill use »
maltreat
|
impiastro »
Nuisance, bore.
|
impiastro »
Poultice.
|
in a bake »
Very angry.
|
in a bind »
In a difficult situation, usually of one's own making; having a dilemma; faced with a problem or a set of problems for which there is no easy solution.
|
in a canter »
Without much effort; easily.
|
in a flash »
Very quickly.
|
in a league of one's own »
Far excelling even the closest contender; not having any worthy competition.
|
in a nutshell »
In summary; briefly or simply.
|
in a pig's eye »
Very unlikely; probably never.
|
in a pinch »
In an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.
|
in a state »
Agitated and anxious.
|
in Abraham's bosom »
No longer living. Dead.
|
in addition »
Also; as well; besides.
|
in aid to this fact »
In addition to; and futhermore.
|
in all my born days »
Ever.
|
in all one's glory »
Completely naked.
|
in any way, shape, or form »
In any way at all; whatsoever.
|
in bed »
Lying on a bed, especially under some bedsheets.
|
in bed with »
Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.
|
in bed with »
Sharing one's bed with.
|
in black and white »
Explicitly, in writing, clearly and without doubt or misunderstanding, without any grey areas.
|
in 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 broad daylight »
In a blatant and publicly visible manner.
|
in broad daylight »
In ample natural illumination, during the daytime.
|
in business »
Engaged in business activity.
|
in business »
Ready to proceed in a desired activity.
|
in case »
In the event; should there be a need.
|
in character »
Acting as the character, not as oneself.
|
in clover »
Happy and contented.
|
in clover »
In a condition of prosperity.
|
in cold blood »
In a ruthless and unfeeling manner; premeditated and deliberate.
|
in detail »
Thoroughly; including every detail.
|
in Dutch »
In trouble or in disfavor.
|
in Dutch »
Written or spoken in the dutch language.
|
in effigy »
Symbolizing, usually as an effigy.
|
in evidence »
Visibly present; noticeable.
|
in fact »
Resulting from the actions of parties.
|
in focus »
Clearly perceived.
|
in focus »
Sharp and clear with no fuzziness.
|
in for a dime, in for a dollar »
Americanised form of in for a penny, in for a pound.1983, Allen Drury, Decision, p. 356:In for a dime, in for a dollar, he thought crazily, and said what he had to say in a voice he forced to stay level and calm.1998, Ellen Miller, Like Being Killed, p. 47:In for a dime, in for a dollar. I whispered to Gerry,
|
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 front of one's nose »
Plain; clearly apparent; obvious.
|
in full swing »
Proceeding fully, quickly, or completely; thoroughly begun and in progress.
|
in fun »
as a joke; not serious
|
in hand »
under control
|
in heaven's name »
An intensifier used with questions.
|
in high dudgeon »
Resentfully or furiously.
|
in hot water »
In trouble; in the position of arousing somebody's anger or displeasure.
|
in its infancy »
Still in an early stage.
|
in kind »
In the form of goods and service rather than money.
|
in layman's terms »
Explaining something in simple words.
|
in laymen's terms »
In layman's terms.
|
in light of »
Given, considering.
|
in line »
On a queue; waiting one's turn for something.
|
in line »
Positioned in a straight line.
|
in line »
Suitable or appropriate; keeping with expectations, norms, ideals, or rules.
|
in line »
To assume a position in the future.
|
in no time »
Very soon.
|
in no uncertain terms »
With great clarity, emphasis, or exactness; without any ambiguity.
|
in no way, shape, or form »
Not in any way at all; not at all, nohow.
|
in one hell of a hurry »
In a very great hurry; very fast or hastily.
|
in one's cups »
Drunk.
|
in one's element »
In a situation which is entirely appropriate or familiar.
|
in one's pocket »
Subject to one's whims because of bribery.
|
in one's right mind »
Sane, sensible, reasonable; thinking clearly.
|
in one's stockinged feet »
Wearing socks, stockings or other hosiery on one's feet but no shoes.
|
in order »
Appropriate, worthwhile.
|
in order »
Complete, finished.
|
in order »
In a sequence.
|
in order »
In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.
|
in order »
Ready, prepared; orderly; tidy.
|
in other words »
Stated or interpreted another way; introduces an explanation.
|
in particular »
specially
|
in person »
actually present
|
in process of time »
In the course of time; as time goes on; gradually; in due course.
|
in shape »
I guess I'd better get my room in shape if I have guests.
|
in shape »
I hope to get in shape for summer swimsuit season.
|
in shape »
In a good state of physical fitness or bodily appearance.
|
in shape »
In good condition, repair; in a good state.
|
in short »
briefly
|
in so far as »
With respect to.
|
in spades »
Beyond doubt.
|
in spades »
To excess, a lot, considerably; without restraint.
|
in spite of »
Despite, irrespective of, notwithstanding.
|
in stride »
Without disturbing one's course of activities.
|
in stride »
Without emotional upset.
|
in tandem »
together
|
in the act »
In the process of doing something; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.
|
in the altogether »
Naked.
|
in the black »
Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.
|
in the buff »
Nude.
|
in the cards »
Destined or fated to happen; predicted or foreseen.
|
in the clear »
Not guilty or not suspected of wrongdoing.
|
in the dark »
Without information.
|
in the dark »
Without light; somewhere that is dark.
|
in the dock »
Under scrutiny; subject to critical inspection.
|
in the doghouse »
In trouble; the subject of somebody's anger or disapproval.
|
in the doghouse »
Unmarried and unlikely to marry.
|
in the driver's seat »
Having the most important role in a storyline or recognition. Of primary importance.
|
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 hospital »
Admitted as a patient in a hospital.
|
in the hot seat »
Under pressure to perform; under scrutiny; at the center of attention.
|
in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »
Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.
|
in the light of »
In the illumination from.
|
in the limelight »
In the focus of attention, especially from the media.
|
in the long run »
After a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.
|
in the loop »
Informed; up to date; current; part of the discussion.
|
in the making »
In development; in the process of being made.
|
in the nick of time »
At the last possible moment; at the last minute.
|
in the offing »
Nearby, soon to come, in the near future.
|
in the pink »
In very good health.
|
in the pink »
Nude, naked.
|
in the red »
Having net losses; in debt.
|
in the reign of Queen Dick »
When pigs fly; never.
|
in the running »
Of a candidate, potential or likely; worthy of consideration.
|
in the same boat »
In the same situation or predicament; having the same problems.
|
in the short run »
Lasting only a short time, shortsightedly.
|
in the sun »
Exposed to sunlight.
|
in the swim »
Actively participating in the flow of events; very involved.
|
in the thick of it »
In a precarious situation.
|
in the toilet »
Finished; to an end.
|
in the twinkling of an eye »
Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".
|
in the twinkling of an eye »
Immediately; instantaneously.
|
in the wake of »
As a result of.
|
in the wake of »
Following.
|
in the wake of »
In the noticeable disturbance of water behind .
|
in the way »
Obstructing, blocking, or hindering.
|
in the wind »
Impending or in the offing; imminent.
|
in the woods »
In critical condition; near death's door.
|
in the works »
Being planned or worked upon.
|
in the works »
In a mechanism or machine.
|
in this day and age »
In the current time period of years.
|
in thunderation »
In any set of circumstances whatsoever.
|
in too deep »
In a situation where one can't cope.
|
in touch »
The ball, or a player, is in touch when it, or he, is outside the playing area or touching the touchlines of the playing area.
|
in two minds »
undecided
|
in two shakes »
Very quickly; without delay.
|
in unity there is strength »
More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.
|
in vain »
19C, Friedrich Nietzsche.
|
in vain »
In a disrespectful manner, especially when concerning religion.
|
in vain »
Without success; ending in failure.
|
in view of »
Considering.
|
in vino veritas »
drunken folks speak truth, one tells the truth under the influence of alcohol
|
in virtue of »
By virtue of.
|
in with a chance »
Having a chance.
|
in your face »
An exclamation of derision or contempt.
|
index finger »
digit
|
inner circle »
The closest of friends of a person.
|
inquire after »
To ask about the health of someone.
|
inquire of »
To ask someone.
|
ins and outs »
The details or fine points of something.
|
inside baseball »
Matters of interest only to insiders.
|
inside baseball »
Technical matters concerning baseball not apparent to spectators.
|
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 joke »
A joke that is understood or meant to be understood only by certain people who are in the know about the details.
|
inside track »
Any advantage.
|
inside track »
The lane or track nearest to the interior.
|
installed base »
The number of units of a system or product that are currently in use.
|
instance in »
To cite an instance; to adduce an example.
|
into detail »
Thoroughly; including every detail.
|
into thin air »
Immediately and inexplicably out of sight.
|
iron out »
To remove with an iron.
|
iron out »
To resolve (a dispute); to solve (a problem).
|
is the Pope Catholic »
The answer to the question is, obviously, resoundingly affirmative.
|
it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings »
There are more developments yet to come.
|
it ain't the whistle that pulls the train »
Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.
|
it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God »
The rich can afford more immoral behavior than the poor.
|
it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog »
(rare or obsolete, proverb) If a person is determined to punish someone, they will find a way to do so.1596
|
it is not the whistle that pulls the train »
Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.
|
it is what it is »
This circumstance is simply a fact and must be accepted or dealt with as it exists.
|
it is what it is »
This thing has its own distinct nature; this thing is itself.
|
it isn't the whistle that pulls the train »
Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.
|
it never rains but it pours »
Unfortunate events occur in quantity.
|
it pays to advertise »
Good qualities do not get rewarded automatically.
|
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.
|
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 a long road that has no turning »
encouragement when things are not going well. Just as a long road eventually has a turning, problems also eventually have a solution, even though one might have to wait.
|
it's about time »
Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.
|
it's all good »
Used to express unconcern.
|
it's all Greek to me »
I don’t understand any of it; it makes no sense..
|
it's all Greek to me »
I tried reading the instructions, but it’s all Greek to me..
|
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 an ill wind that blows nobody any good »
There is usually something of benefit to someone, no matter how bad the situation.
|
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 never too late to mend »
You
|
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.
|
itsy bitsy »
Minuscule.
|
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 set »
A set of wealthy people who travel for pleasure.
|
jet setting »
The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.
|
jet-setter »
A member of the jet set, a rich person who travels for pleasure.
|
jet-setting »
The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.
|
jew down »
To bargain or haggle with a seller in order to obtain a lower price for a good or service.
|
jive turkey »
Someone who is jiving, as in behaving in a glib and disingenuous fashion.
|
jive turkey »
Someone who is jiving, as in dancing. Often applied to people being funny or showy.
|
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.
|
joe job »
An uninteresting, low-level, low-paying job.
|
join the club »
An expression of sympathy for a shared experience.
|
join up »
To enlist or enroll.
|
jolly someone along »
To make someone happy or compliant, as by encouragement or flattery.
|
jug ears »
Ears whose plane is markedly not parallel to the plane of the head.
|
jumble sale »
fundraising event
|
jumbo jet »
airliner
|
jump »
By jerking the body violently.
|
jump »
That is further forward.
|
jump »
To attack suddenly and violently.
|
jump »
To cause oneself to leave an elevated location and fall downward.
|
jump »
To employ a move in certain board games where one game piece is moved from one legal position to another passing over the position of another piece.
|
jump »
To employ a parachute to leave an aircraft or elevated location.
|
jump »
To force to jump.
|
jump »
To propel oneself rapidly upward such that momentum causes the body to become airborne.
|
jump about »
To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.
|
jump about »
To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.
|
jump around »
To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.
|
jump around »
To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.
|
jump at »
To accept something enthusiastically. Usually an opportunity, or chance, or job etc.
|
jump at the chance »
To immediately accept an offer.
|
jump down »
To leave an elevated position to a lower position by one jump.
|
jump for joy »
Exalt, [rejoice]], feel elation.
|
jump in »
To enter something quickly. Usually a mode of transport.
|
jump off »
To participate in the final round of an equestrian showjumping event.
|
jump off »
To move from an elevated place by one jump.
|
jump on »
To board a public transport vehicle.
|
jump on »
To attack someone verbally, or criticise them over strongly for small errors.
|
jump on the bandwagon »
To profit from a craze; to join a trend.
|
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 ship »
To depart a project without warning.
|
jump someone's bones »
To have sex.
|
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.
|
jump the gun »
To trade securities based on information that is not yet public; to trade on inside information.
|
jump the queue »
To desire preferential treatment, undue influence; impatient.
|
jump the queue »
To move into a queue ahead of others who have been waiting longer or that have a higher priority; push in.
|
jump the shark »
To undergo a storyline development which is so ridiculous that previous quality is considered to have been lost.
|
jump through hoops »
To put forth effort for the sake of appearance or demonstration.
|
jump to conclusions »
Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.
|
jump up »
To move from one position to a higher position by one jump.
|
jumped-up »
Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.
|
jumped-up »
We're doomed if this wee jumped-up monkey gets Gordon Smith's blessing.
|
jungle telegraph »
A gossip network; an informal communication system within a group or organization.
|
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.
|
just another pretty face »
Someone who is attractive, but not too distinguished.
|
just deserts »
A punishment or reward that is considered to be what the recipient deserved.
|
just for fun »
For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.
|
just in case »
If and only if.
|
just in case »
In the event; should there be a need.
|
just like that »
In that manner.
|
just like that »
Unexpectedly, without warning.
|
just the same »
Anyway; despite.
|
just what the doctor ordered »
Exactly what is necessary or useful in a given situation.
|
kangaroo court »
A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.
|
keel over »
Of a vessel: to roll so far on its side that it cannot recover; to capsize.
|
keel over »
To collapse in a faint; to black out; to die.
|
keep a close watch on »
To pay careful attention to a situation or a thing, so that you can deal with any changes or problems.
|
keep a lid on »
To keep something secret.
|
keep a weather eye open »
To be alert; to concentrate on a matter in hand.
|
keep a weather eye open »
To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.
|
keep an eye on »
To watch and pay attention to.
|
keep an eye open »
To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.
|
keep an eye open »
To maintain vigilance for someone or something.
|
keep an eye out »
To watch for, look for, or search for.
|
keep an eye peeled »
To look out attentively.
|
keep at »
To persist in.
|
keep at »
preserve with
|
keep away from »
To avoid.
|
keep away from »
To evade.
|
keep away from »
To deny access to.
|
keep buggin on »
Never quit; go on
|
keep down »
To repress.
|
keep down »
To restrain or control.
|
keep down »
To cause not to increase or rise.
|
keep down »
Not to vomit.
|
keep down »
To lie low. To stay concealed by not standing up.
|
keep from »
To prevent or restrain ; refrain or cause refrain.
|
keep from »
To protect or preserve from.
|
keep it down »
To be quiet.
|
keep it real »
In the imperative, an exhortation used as a departing salutation.
|
keep it real »
To be authentic, true to oneself; to be cool.
|
keep it up »
To maintain one's erection.
|
keep it up »
To maintain or continue a positive streak.
|
keep mum »
Do not talk; especially keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.
|
keep on »
Persist or continue.
|
keep on »
To remain in an existing position.
|
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 one's cards close to one's chest »
To avoid revealing one's thoughts, circumstances, or plans.
|
keep one's cool »
To remain composed, calm, and even-tempered, especially in a provocative situation.
|
keep one's eye on the ball »
My ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.
|
keep one's eye on the ball »
To maintain one's concentration fixed on one important theme.
|
keep one's eyes peeled »
To watch closely; to look for.
|
keep one's lips sealed »
To keep quiet; to keep a secret; to not tell.
|
keep one's mouth shut »
To keep a secret; to refrain from speaking indiscreetly or carelessly.
|
keep one's options open »
To not commit to a decision, to keep various options available.
|
keep one's pecker up »
Remain cheerful; keep smiling.
|
keep oneself to oneself »
To be introverted; to stay away from others.
|
keep out »
To refrain from entering a place or condition.
|
keep out »
After being warned, he kept out.
|
keep out »
To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.
|
keep out »
The warning kept him out.
|
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 quiet »
Remain silent.
|
keep quiet »
To refrain from talking about something; to keep a secret.
|
keep shtum »
Don't tell anyone; especially, keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.
|
keep somebody in stitches »
To keep somebody laughing hard or amused.
|
keep somebody posted »
To inform or to keep somebody up to date.
|
keep straight »
To avoid confusing or mixing up something; to keep something clear or organized.
|
keep tabs on »
To monitor; to keep track of; to watch.
|
keep the wolf from the door »
To delay sexual ejaculation.
|
keep the wolf from the door »
To ward off poverty or hunger.
|
keep up »
To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating.
|
keep up »
To stay even or ahead.
|
keep up »
To ensure that one remains well-informed about something.
|
keep up appearances »
To pretend to be all right or that everything is going well.
|
keep up with »
To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.
|
keep up with »
To manage to follow .
|
keep up with the Joneses »
To do or buy things for status, show, or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends or neighbors.
|
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.
|
keep your hair on »
An admonition to stay calm.
|
keep your shirt on »
An admonition to be more patient or to calm down.
|
kept up »
maintained
|
kernel of truth »
A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.
|
kettle of fish »
A situation which is recognized as different from or as an alternative to some other situation, and which is not necessarily unfavorable.
|
kettle of fish »
An awkward situation; a predicament.
|
key off »
To take as a controlling input datum.
|
kick around »
To abuse or mistreat; to bully.
|
kick around »
To wander loose; to float around; to hang around.
|
kick ass »
To be very impressive.
|
kick ass »
To beat someone at something.
|
kick ass »
To beat someone in a fight.
|
kick back »
To relax.
|
kick butt »
To be impressive; to be decisively good or pleasant.
|
kick down »
To break or demolish something by physical bodily force.
|
kick in »
To kick or strike so as to cause the object struck to collapse or fall inwards.
|
kick in »
To start or connect suddenly.
|
kick in »
To contribute, especially to a collection of money.
|
kick off »
To make the first kick in a game or part of a game.
|
kick off »
To shut down or turn_off suddenly.
|
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 out »
To stop, stall, or disconnect suddenly.
|
kick someone when they are down »
To make it worse for someone who is going through a difficult time.
|
kick the bucket »
Of a machine, to break down such that it cannot be repaired.
|
kick the bucket »
To die.
|
kick the dust »
To die
|
kick the habit »
To recover from or quit an addiction or habit. For example, to quit smoking, drinking, burping, or drug addiction.
|
kick up »
Into the air while running or walking or driving.
|
kick up »
To function improperly.
|
kick up a fuss »
To show annoyance, or to complain loudly about something, often when it is of little importance in reality.
|
kick up the arse »
A severe reprimand, especially one to motivate someone into doing something.
|
kick with the other foot »
To belong to a different religion.
|
kicking and screaming »
With extreme reluctance.
|
kid around »
To engage in playful fun.
|
kids will be kids »
You cannot expect children to act like adults.
|
kill off »
To eliminate, or make extinct.
|
kill off »
To represent or portray as being dead.
|
kill the fatted calf »
To begin a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return.
|
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.
|
kill the rabbit »
To get a positive test result from an old-fashioned pregnancy test.
|
kill two birds with one stone »
To solve two problems at once.
|
kind »
Affectionate, showing benevolence.
|
kind »
Favorable.
|
kind »
Mild, gentle, forgiving.
|
kind of »
Slightly; somewhat; sort of.
|
kindred soul »
Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself; kindred spirit.
|
kindred spirit »
Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself.
|
king »
A male monarch; member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.
|
king »
A playing card with the image of a king on it.
|
king »
A powerful or influential person.
|
king of hearts »
picture card
|
kiss and make up »
To settle one's differences and forgive.
|
kiss of death »
A kiss on the cheek that signifies the death of the receiver, as delivered by a mob boss or one with such influence.
|
kiss of death »
Something that may seem good and favourable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.
|
kiss of life »
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
|
kiss up »
To pay false flattery to another, particularly a superior at work, in order to get special attention.
|
kiss up »
To pay false flattery.
|
kiss up to »
To pay false flattery to; to flatter in excess.
|
kit and caboodle »
Everything entirely, the whole lot.
|
kit and kaboodle »
Everything; the lot.
|
kitchen table software »
Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.
|
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.
|
knee high to a grasshopper »
Short; especially relating to when the subject was a small child.
|
kneel before »
To kneel in front of someone or something, especially in order to worship or supplicate.
|
knight in shining armor »
A person who will rescue a dangerous situation; a hero.
|
knock about »
An informal game, usually football.
|
knock around »
To spend time with someone as a friend.
|
knock around »
To do a relaxing activity.
|
knock around »
To be in an unknown place.
|
knock around »
To hit someone, or behave violently towards them.
|
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 down »
To demolish.
|
knock down »
Sold with a blow from the gavel.
|
knock down »
To reduce the price of.
|
knock for a loop »
To astonish; to surprise very much.
|
knock it off »
Stop doing something; desist.
|
knock off »
An imitation, especially one of poorer quality.
|
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 »
To strike or bump someone or something out.
|
knock out »
To render someone unconscious, as by a blow to the head.
|
knock out »
To put someone to sleep.
|
knock out »
To exhaust a personal or animal.
|
knock out »
To complete, especially in haste; knock off.
|
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 over »
To bump or strike something in such a way as to tip it.
|
knock over »
To rob; to stage a heist.
|
knock somebody's socks off »
To impress greatly; amaze; stun.
|
knock the living daylights out of »
To knock out; to hit and cause to be unconscious.
|
knock together »
To assemble something quickly; to knock up.
|
knock up »
To impregnate, especially out of wedlock. See knocked up.
|
knock up »
To put together, fabricate, or assemble, particularly if done hastily or temporarily. See also knock together.
|
knock up »
In the morning as by knocking at the door; rouse; call; summon; also, to go door-to-door on election day to persuade a candidate's supporters to go to the polling station and vote. See also knocker up.
|
knock up »
To exhaust; wear out; weary; beat; tire out; to fatigue until unable to do more.
|
knock up »
To become exhausted or worn out; to fail of strength; to become wearied, as with labor; to give out.
|
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.
|
knock-on effect »
A secondary, often unintended effect.
|
knock-on effect »
The continued running of an engine after the ignition has been turned off; dieseling.
|
knocked for a six »
to be defeated; outwitted; outfoxed; beaten
|
knocked up »
"pregnant", typically outside of marriage.
|
knocking on heaven's door »
Dying, close to death.
|
know like the back of one's hand »
To be intimately knowledgeable about something, especially a place.
|
know something inside and out »
To know something very thoroughly.
|
know the score »
Be aware of a situation, especially of the consequences of misconduct.
|
knowledge is power »
With knowledge and/or education, one's potential or ability to succeed in the pursuit of his objectives will certainly increase.
|
knuckle down »
To get to work; to focus on a task.
|
knuckle dragger »
A large, strong, and rather dimwitted person.
|
knuckle sandwich »
A punch to the face, especially to the mouth.
|
knuckle under »
To yield or cooperate when pressured or forced to do so.
|
l'esprit de l'escalier »
The experience of thinking of a devastating rejoinder only after leaving the scene of the debate.
|
la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »
The drop of water that makes the vase overflow.
|
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.
|
labor of love »
A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.
|
laced-up »
Fastened with a lace.
|
laced-up »
Fixed in the sprockets of the projector.
|
laced-up »
Restrained; uptight.
|
ladies and gentlemen »
Used to address an audience.
|
ladies first »
A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.
|
ladies man »
Alternative spelling of lady's man.
|
ladies' man »
Alternative spelling of lady's man.
|
lady abbess »
A bawd, the mistress of a brothel.
|
lady of the night »
Prostitute.
|
lady or tiger »
A pure gamble with highly divergent outcomes.
|
lady's man »
A man who attracts women and enjoys their company.
|
lady's man »
A womanizer.
|
lame joke »
An attempt at humor which is perceived to have been used previously to the point of being cliche, or was never funny to begin with.
|
land of opportunity »
A nickname for the United States.
|
land on one's feet »
To be lucky, or successful, often in difficult situations.
|
landing strip »
A cultivated pubic hair pattern in which much of the pubic hair is removed, leaving only a central vertical line or rectangle.
|
landing strip »
A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.
|
lap of luxury »
A position or situation in which one is spoiled and indulged.
|
lap up »
To consume by lapping.
|
lap up »
To revel in, to overtly enjoy.
|
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.
|
larger-than-life »
Of greater size or magnitude than is naturally or normally the case.
|
larger-than-life »
Very imposing, renowned, or impressively influential.
|
lash out »
To make a sudden blow.
|
lash out »
To make a fierce verbal attack.
|
last burst of fire »
A final effort or warning.
|
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.
|
last minute »
Point in time, too close to a deadline to reasonably begin a critical task.
|
last of the big spenders »
Someone who doesn't spend much money.
|
last post »
military bugle call
|
last resort »
The only remaining, unwanted, option or choice.
|
last trump »
Forever.
|
last trump »
The moment of God's final judgement on Earth.
|
last word »
A final decision, or the right to make such a decision.
|
last word »
The final statement uttered by a person before death.
|
last word »
The finest, highest, or ultimate representative of some class of objects.
|
last-ditch »
Final, as a last resort; done in desperation.
|
latch onto »
To obtain, acquire or get and keep hold of something.
|
late bloomer »
A person who lives a child's life comparatively later than their peers.
|
late bloomer »
A person who reaches puberty comparatively later than their peers.
|
late model »
Recently designed or fabricated; new.
|
latter day »
modern
|
laugh all the way to the bank »
To be happy due to the receipt of money.
|
laughing stock »
An object of ridicule, someone who is publicly ridiculed; a butt of sport.
|
laughing stock »
C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.
|
laughter is the best medicine »
It is healthy to laugh.
|
laundry list »
Hence, a long list of items, especially an exhaustive one.
|
laundry list »
Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered.
|
law of the jungle »
The survival of the fittest, strongest or most cunning.
|
lay a finger on »
If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.
|
lay a finger on »
To merely touch.
|
lay about »
To strike blows in all directions.
|
lay about »
To set about, with infinitive or gerund.
|
lay an egg »
To produce a failure or flop; to do something which is unsuccessful.
|
lay an egg »
To produce an egg.
|
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 stock, store for the future. See also lay by.
|
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 down the law »
To authoritatively or dogmatically assert what is permitted or not permitted.
|
lay down the law »
To present the law that applies to a given case.
|
lay down the law »
To promulgate law.
|
lay hands on »
To find, obtain or procure.
|
lay it on the line »
To state something, for example an ultimatum, strongly and clearly.
|
lay low »
To remain hidden or to hide oneself.
|
lay low »
To knock out; to cause to fall.
|
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 off »
Alone.
|
lay off »
made redundant
|
lay on »
provide;
|
lay open »
In Japan and South Korea, to publish a patent for initial public review, prior to the formal application for registration.
|
lay open »
to disclose
|
lay open »
reveal
|
lay out »
To arrange in a certain way.
|
lay out »
expend money
|
lay rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
lay the groundwork »
To create a foundation; to provide the basics or fundamentals.
|
lay to rest »
To bury one who has died.
|
lay up »
To store; to put by.
|
lay up »
To disable.
|
lay up »
To take out of active service.
|
lay up »
To go out of active service.
|
lead »
A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.
|
lead »
A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.
|
lead »
Bullets.
|
lead »
I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top. — Bacon.
|
lead »
Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.
|
lead »
To estimate velocity in knots.
|
lead »
Used in pencils.
|
lead »
Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.
|
lead a charmed life »
To always be lucky and safe from danger.
|
lead down a garden path »
To mislead; to seduce.
|
lead nowhere »
To have no purpose, to result in nothing.
|
lead someone down the garden path »
To deceive, hoodwink.
|
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.
|
leader of the free world »
The President of the United States.
|
leading lady »
starring actress
|
leaf through »
Rapidly reading short sections at random.
|
lean and mean »
Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.
|
lean on »
To apply pressure on.
|
lean on »
To depend upon for support.
|
lean to »
shed
|
lean towards »
To favor in a decision.
|
leap year »
Period of 366 days
|
learn by heart »
To memorize.
|
leather working »
The technology of making products from leather.
|
leave behind »
To abandon.
|
leave no stone unturned »
To do a task very carefully and thoroughly, not missing any step.
|
leave no stone unturned »
To search thoroughly for something, looking in every conceivable place.
|
leave nothing to the imagination »
He stripped down to a pair of see-through briefs that left nothing to the imagination.
|
leave nothing to the imagination »
To cover or hide very little or nothing.
|
leave somebody high and dry »
To abandon somebody; to stop providing assistance at a crucial moment.
|
leave somebody holding the bag »
To abandon somebody, leaving the responsibility or blame.
|
leave somebody in the lurch »
To abandon somebody; especially, to abandon somebody and leave him or her in a difficult situation.
|
leave to one's own devices »
To leave alone, unsupervised, without assistance.
|
leave well enough alone »
To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient.
|
leave well enough alone »
To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient
|
left and right »
All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.
|
left field »
The defensive position in the outfield to the left.
|
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.
|
left-handed compliment »
A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.
|
leg pull »
To joke
|
legal beagle »
A skillful and adroit attorney.
|
legal duty »
A duty prescribed by the law, to act or forbear from acting.
|
legal duty »
I've done my legal duty.
|
legal eagle »
A skillful and adroit attorney.
|
legwork »
Skillful or vigorous use of the legs, as in dance or sports.
|
legwork »
Work, especially research or preparation, that involves significant walking, travel, or similar effort.
|
lemon drop »
boiled sweet
|
lemon law »
A law dealing with defective items, especially automobiles, and consumers' rights.
|
lemon sole »
fish
|
lemonize »
To add lemon.
|
lemonize »
To damage something and then deny or be aloof from the damage.
|
lend a hand »
To help or assist, especially voluntarily.
|
less is more »
That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated; simplicity is preferable to complexity; brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity.1855, Robert Browning, "Men and Women":Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged.1954, "'Less Is More'," Time, 14 Jun.:The essence of Mies's architectural philosophy is in his famous and sometimes derided phrase, "Less is more." This means, he says, having "the greatest effect with the least means."2007, Gia Kourlas, "Dance Review: An Ordered World Defined With Soothing Spareness," New York Times, 3 Mar. (retrieved 22 Oct. 2008):The program, which features two premieres
|
let alone »
Much less; to say nothing of.
|
let alone »
Or even.
|
let down »
To disappoint; to betray or fail somebody.
|
let down »
lower
|
let go »
To no longer hold on.
|
let go »
To dismiss from employment.
|
let go an anchor to the windward of the law »
To keep within the letter of the law.
|
let go and let God »
To consciously surrender one's free will to the will of God.
|
let her rip »
To set off or allow to begin.
|
let in »
allow to enter
|
let in on »
To tell someone a secret.
|
let it be »
To leave something to follow its natural course.
|
let off »
To cause to explode.
|
let off »
To forgive and not punish.
|
let on »
To reveal, disclose, or divulge.
|
let one's hair down »
To relax and enjoy oneself.
|
let rip »
To get angry.
|
let sleeping dogs lie »
To leave things as they are; especially, to avoid restarting or rekindling an old argument; to leave disagreements in the past.
|
let slip »
To divulge a secret, as by accident or mistake.
|
let slip »
allow to escape
|
let somebody down »
To fail somebody; to disappoint or to fail to uphold a commitment.
|
let somebody in on »
To disclose; to tell somebody a secret or share privileged information.
|
let someone have it »
To attack someone with great force.
|
let someone have it »
To verbally assail someone.
|
let the cat out of the bag »
To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.
|
let the good times roll »
To have fun or live fully; may imply letting things that are going well proceed.
|
let up »
To lessen.
|
let up »
slacken
|
let's roll »
Used to suggest that an action should begin.
|
let-down »
A disappointment or anticlimax.
|
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 best »
The very best that one can do.
|
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.
|
level-headed »
Sensible; rational; possessing sound judgment.
|
lex dubia non obligat »
(law) A doubtful law is not binding.
|
licence to print money »
A means of generating a large income with little effort.
|
licence to print money »
The authority to print money, usually given to a central bank exclusively as the issuer of currency.
|
lick one's chops »
To anticipate something eagerly.
|
lick one's chops »
To look forward avidly to eating something.
|
lick one's chops »
To use one's tongue to remove moistness from the sides of one's mouth, as when salivating or at the conclusion of a meal.
|
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.
|
lick out »
To perform cunnilingus on.
|
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.
|
lie doggo »
keep quiet
|
lie in wait »
prepare an ambush
|
lie through one's teeth »
To tell a gross or egregious untruth.
|
life and limb »
Existence together with bodily faculties.
|
life is like a box of chocolates »
Life is full of surprises, you never know what will happen next.
|
life of Riley »
An ideal life of carefree prosperity and contentment.
|
life of the party »
A person who participates in entertainment events in a very enthusiastic manner and who has a leading role in inspiring others to join in the spirit of festivity.
|
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.
|
life's not all skittles and beer »
Skittles and Beer refers to the carefree, indulgent bar life; skittles being a British pub game. Thus, life's not all skittles and beer means that not everything is about pleasure.
|
lift a finger »
To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.
|
lift up »
To elevate to a higher position.
|
lift up »
To lighten the mood of someone.
|
light a fire under »
To start sooner or move faster.
|
light bucket »
Nickname for a reflecting telescope, especially one with a relatively large aperture and suitable for observing deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies.
|
light middleweight »
type of boxer
|
light up »
To become light, to brighten.
|
light up »
To bring light to something, to brighten.
|
light up »
To light a cigarette, pipe, etc.
|
lighten up »
To become less serious and more cheerful or casual; to relax.
|
like a cat on a hot tin roof »
Jumpy, nervous.
|
like a million bucks »
Extremely good or well.
|
like a million dollars »
Extremely good or well.
|
like crazy »
To a great or excessive degree; with great speed, output, enthusiasm, etc.
|
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 hot cakes »
Quickly, especially by purchase or consumption.
|
like it or lump it »
To accept a situation whether one agrees with it or not.
|
like it's going out of style »
Enthusiastically, to an excessive degree.
|
like nobody's business »
In an extreme manner; rapidly; excessively; like crazy.
|
like the back end of a bus »
Very unattractive.
|
like the new time »
Furiously or vigorously, repeatedly.
|
like water off a duck's back »
Without immediate or lasting effects.
|
lily-livered »
Cowardly, lacking bravery.
|
line in the sand »
A defining moment, a cutoff point.
|
line one's pockets »
To accumulate personal wealth, especially in an illegal or morally objectionable manner.
|
link whore »
Someone who goes to great lengths to get other people to link to his/her website or blog.
|
link whoring »
The practice of going out of one's way to place links to one's website on someone else's webpage.
|
lion »
A stylized representation of a large cat, used on a coat of arms.
|
lion »
A Chinese foo dog.
|
lion »
A famous person.
|
lion »
A large cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly to much of Europe. The term may apply to the species as a whole, to individuals, or to male individuals. It also applies to related species like mountain lions.
|
lion »
An individual who shows strength and courage, attributes associated with the lion.
|
lion »
The arms of the University of the West Indies are Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished Or on a Chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. Crest: A Pelican proper. . See talk page.
|
lion's den »
Any dangerous or frightening place.
|
lion's den »
The lair of a lion.
|
lion's share »
The majority; a large or generous portion.
|
lip service »
Empty talk; words absent of action or intention.
|
liquid courage »
Alcohol drunk to induce a feeling of courage in the drinker.
|
listen in »
To eavesdrop; to listen secretly.
|
listen in »
To listen without participating.
|
listen up »
To listen closely; to pay attention. Often used in the imperative.
|
little pitcher »
A child.
|
little pitchers have big ears »
Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).
|
little pitchers have long ears »
Alternative form of little pitchers have big ears.
|
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 down »
To get used to something shameful.
|
live in sin »
To cohabit as if man and wife without being married.
|
live it up »
To have a wonderful life; to live fully and have fun.
|
live large »
To have a lavish or overly-extravagant lifestyle.
|
live on »
To survive solely by consuming a certain thing.
|
live one »
A person, thing, or situation which is particularly interesting, noteworthy, or urgent.
|
live one »
Someone who is easily fooled, victimized, or ridiculed.
|
live one »
Someone who is eccentric, nonconformist, or otherwise peculiar.
|
live paycheck to paycheck »
To spend all that one earns without saving anything.
|
live up »
To fulfil the expectations placed upon.
|
live wire »
An electrical wire through which there is a flow of electrical current.
|
live wire »
An especially energetic, alert, or vivacious person.
|
Living high on the hog »
Living richly, often above one's means
|
loaded for bear »
Mentally prepared for a daunting situation or confrontation.
|
loaded for bear »
Thoroughly equipped, as for a demanding task or confrontation.
|
loaded word »
Any word, set phrase or idiom that has strong positive or negative connotations beyond their ordinary definition.
|
lock horns »
To come into conflict.
|
lock lips »
To kiss on the lips; to engage in a French kiss.
|
lock up »
To imprison or incarcerate someone.
|
lock up »
To invest in something long term.
|
lock up »
To close all doors and windows of a place securely.
|
lock up »
To cease responding, to freeze.
|
log off »
To depart from conversation; to say goodbye.
|
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 drink »
Any drink containing more than 5 ounces of liquid and less than 9 ounces. Typically, a long drink will have lots of ice and mixer.
|
long finger »
A state of postponement or procrastination.
|
long finger »
Middle finger.
|
long finger »
[hire purchase]] or credit.
|
long goodbye »
Nickname for Alzheimer's disease, especially for the final phase of the disease, during which the patient suffers a progressive decline of cognitive and motor skills and gradually loses the ability to recognize and to communicate with family and friends.[1]; nickname for the relationship between a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease and that person's family or friends.
|
long haul »
Travelling a long distance.
|
long in the tooth »
Old.
|
long pork »
Human flesh.
|
long row to hoe »
A difficult or arduous task.
|
long run »
An extended period of time.
|
long shot »
A master shot, the primary wide shot of a scene into which the closeups will be edited later.
|
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 since »
Past.
|
long story short »
Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story.
|
long time »
Used as part of greeting of two people who have not been in contact for a long time.
|
long time no hear »
I haven't heard from you for a long time.
|
long time no see »
I haven't seen you 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 after »
To watch or protect; to keep safe.
|
look back »
To look behind oneself.
|
look back »
To reminisce about a past time.
|
look before you leap »
Don't jump into something too precipitously; be at least a bit foresightful or circumspect.
|
look daggers »
To stare sharply at someone to indicate disapproval without actually speaking.
|
look for »
To search; to seek.
|
look forward »
To anticipate or expect; especially, to expect something to be pleasant.
|
look forward to »
To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure.
|
look into »
To investigate, explore, or consider.
|
look like »
To be similar in appearance to; resemble.
|
look like »
To seem.
|
look off »
To mislead by directing one's apparent attention away from one's true object of intent.
|
look off »
To put off by one's facial expression.
|
look on »
To watch; to observe.
|
look out »
To look from within to the outside.
|
look out »
Be vigilant and aware.
|
look out for number one »
To act in one's own interests; to act in a manner advantageous primarily to oneself.
|
look over »
To scan-read and check for errors.
|
look the other way »
To ignore something wrong. Similar to connive.
|
look through rose-tinted glasses »
Alternative spelling of wear rose-colored glasses.
|
look to »
To seek inspiration or advice from someone.
|
look up »
To look in an upwards manner.
|
look up »
To have a bright future.
|
look up »
To obtain information about something from a text source.
|
look up to »
To show respect or admiration for.
|
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.
|
look-in »
A brief visit.
|
look-in »
A chance to participate, compete, or succeed.
|
look-in »
A quick glance.
|
look-in »
A quick short pass to a receiver running diagonally toward the center of the field.
|
loom large »
be prominent
|
Loose cannon »
A cannon that breaks loose during battle or a storm and causes serious damage to the ship and its crew.
|
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 end »
The end of a rope that has not been fastened.
|
loose ends »
Leftover items that have not been addressed or attended to.
|
loose ends »
unresolved details
|
lord of the flies »
A ruler over a worthless kingdom; leader of a meaningless microcosm.
|
lose face »
To lose the respect of others, to be humiliated or experience public disgrace.
|
lose it »
To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.
|
lose it »
To lose control of a situation.
|
lose one's cool »
To become upset or disconcerted; to lose one's temper.
|
lose one's head »
To go crazy.
|
lose one's marbles »
To go crazy.
|
lose one's mind »
To become mad, insane.
|
lose one's shirt »
To lose all of one's money; to go broke; to undergo financial ruin or disaster.
|
lose one's shit »
To lose one's temper.
|
lose one's temper »
To be explosively angry. To get very cross.
|
lose one's touch »
To lose one's special mastery of or knack for a particular skill or activity.
|
lose out »
To be at a disadvantage.
|
lose the number of one's mess »
To die, to perish.
|
lose the plot »
To cease to be behaving in a predictable and/or rational manner.
|
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.
|
lost cause »
A cause, attempt, or effort that is hopeless or futile.
|
lost errand »
A mission likely to fail.
|
lot lizard »
A customer or salesperson at a used car lot.
|
lot lizard »
A low or stupid person.
|
lot lizard »
A prostitute at a truck stop.
|
louse up »
Mess up; confuse; put into a state of disorder.
|
love is blind »
A person who is in love can see no faults or imperfections in the person who is loved.
|
love nest »
A room, especially a bedroom or boudoir, used for sexual intercourse.
|
love nest »
Vagina.
|
love to bits »
A lot.
|
loved up »
Alternative spelling of loved-up.
|
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.
|
low-hanging fruit »
Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.
|
lower the boom »
To suddenly overpower, with "on".
|
lower the boom »
To use one's superior physical strength; clobber.
|
lower the boom on »
To punish someone.
|
lower the boom on »
To terminate or abolish something.
|
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.
|
luck out »
To experience great luck; to be extremely fortunate or lucky.
|
luck out »
To have run out of luck.
|
lucky break »
A stroke of luck; a fortunate event, particularly of the sort that propels one to success, fame, etc.
|
lucky dip »
A game in which prizes are covered up and mixed together in a container, so that contestants can dip their hand into the container and randomly pull out a prize.
|
lucky dip »
A selection solely at random.
|
lucky dip »
September 2005, BBC News - Dome sale 'was like a lucky dip'.
|
lump in one's throat »
A feeling of emotional sadness. On the point of crying.
|
lump it »
To endure, accept, put up with a situation one does not like.
|
lump to one's throat »
A feeling of emotional sadness. On the point of crying.
|
lump together »
To put different items or groups together and treat them, or think of them as one single group.
|
mad as a March hare »
Crazy, demented.
|
mad money »
A sum of money kept in reserve or to insulate oneself financially in the event of the sudden breakdown of a relationship in which one is economically dependent.
|
mad money »
A sum of money, often relatively small in amount, kept in reserve to use for impulsive, frivolous purposes.
|
made in China »
Cheaply manufactured in East Asia.
|
made in China »
Manufactured in the People's Republic of China.
|
made in China »
Of poor or low quality.
|
made in Japan »
Cheaply manufactured in East Asia.
|
made in Japan »
Manufactured in Japan.
|
made in Japan »
Of poor or low quality.
|
made in the shade »
In a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living, or general well-being.
|
magic bullet »
A simple remedy to a difficult or complex problem, especially a cure for a disease.
|
magnum opus »
greatest work
|
main verte »
Green thumb.
|
make a decision »
To decide.
|
make a fool of oneself »
To appear foolish to others.
|
make a go of it »
To attempt; especially, to attempt to make a living.
|
make a killing »
To win or earn a large amount of money.
|
make a leg »
To make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back.
|
make a living »
To earn enough income to support oneself and, if applicable, one's family.
|
make a meal of »
That is the eleventh edit that you have made to that word, you are really making a meal of it.
|
make a meal of »
To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated.
|
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 mountain out of a molehill »
To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.
|
make a name for oneself »
To gain fame.
|
make a pig's ear of »
To do badly; to make a mess of.
|
make a point »
To argue or promote an idea.
|
make a point »
To take care in doing something of something; to pay attention or ensure that something is done.
|
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 stink »
To complain; to demand attention or remedy for a problem.
|
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 amends »
To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.
|
make an example of »
He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.
|
make an example of »
To punish someone so as to be a warning to others.
|
make an exhibition of oneself »
She had far too much to drink and made an exhibition of herself by flirting with everyone.
|
make an exhibition of oneself »
To embarrass oneself or others in public.
|
make an honest woman »
Especially if she is having a sexual relationship.
|
make believe »
To pretend or imagine.
|
make book »
To be very confident.
|
make book »
To gamble, either by placing or taking bets.
|
make do with »
To get along with whatever is available.
|
make for »
To move towards.
|
make for »
????, translator unknown, author Galileo Galilei, Two Chief World Systems.
|
make for »
To tend to produce or result in.
|
make for »
head towards
|
make fun of »
To tease, ridicule or make jokes about.
|
make game of »
To ridicule; to jest.
|
make haste »
hurry
|
make hay »
To cut grass to turn into hay for animal feed.
|
make hay »
To take advantage of an opportunity.
|
make hay while the sun shines »
To act while an opportunity exists; to take action while a situation is favorable.
|
make head or tail of »
To determine to be good or bad.
|
make head or tail of »
To understand even minimally.
|
make headway »
To progress; to move forward.
|
make it »
To become famous and successful.
|
make it »
To have sex.
|
make it »
To reach a place.
|
make it »
To survive, to live through something.
|
make it big »
To become famous and successful.
|
make it do or do without »
If you don't have a lot of money, extend the life of what you have.
|
make it snappy »
Do it quickly; be quick about it.
|
make it up as one goes along »
To improvise continuously.
|
make light of »
To regard without due seriousness; to joke or disregard inappropriately.
|
make no bones about »
To see no difficulty in, have no objection to.
|
make off »
To run away; to exit.
|
make off with »
To steal something and run.
|
make oneself scarce »
To leave or depart, or to avoid or stay away.
|
make out »
To discern.
|
make out »
To designate as the recipient.
|
make out »
To characterize as; often with to be.
|
make out »
To kiss or to make love.
|
make out »
To succeed; to turn out or end up.
|
make out »
To fabricate a story.
|
make out like a bandit »
To profit greatly; to get an excessively good deal.
|
make over »
To renovate or to convert to a different use.
|
make over »
To transfer ownership, especially by means of a legal document.
|
make quick work of »
To accomplish a specified task easily and quickly.
|
make sense »
To be coherent or reasonable.
|
make sense »
To decipher or understand.
|
make short work of »
To make a task quicker or easier.
|
make someone's day »
To make someone happy or to be a source of satisfaction.
|
make someone's skin crawl »
To disturb or bother; to frighten or disgust.
|
make someone's teeth itch »
To bother or unsettle a person; to put someone on edge.
|
make sure »
To verify; to recheck; to use extra care or caution.
|
make the cut »
To succeed; to be chosen out of a field of candidates or possibilities.
|
make the grade »
To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.
|
make the most of »
To profit as much as possible from.
|
make the welkin ring »
By extension of.
|
make the welkin ring »
By extension of , to celebrate or revel.
|
make the welkin ring »
To make a loud noise.
|
make tracks »
To leave in a hurry.
|
make tracks »
To leave or depart; to go away.
|
make up »
To constitute; to compose; to form.
|
make up »
To compensate, fill in or catch up.
|
make up »
To assemble, or mix.
|
make up »
To apply cosmetics or makeup.
|
make up »
To resolve, forgive or smooth over an argument or fight.
|
make up one's mind »
To decide; to reach a conclusion.
|
make waves »
To cause a disturbance.
|
make waves »
To upset the status quo.
|
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 is man to man »
The human is a human for itself
|
man made »
artificial
|
man of few words »
A man who doesn't speak much, or speaks only for a short period of time.
|
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 proposes, God disposes »
Things don't always work out as they were planned.
|
man up »
His station, prepared for departure of an aircraft, ship, etc.
|
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.
|
man up »
To staff adequately; to staff up; to successfully fill all needed labor positions.
|
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.
|
mandare a monte »
To mess up, to ruin.
|
manoeuvre the apostles »
To rob Peter to pay Paul; that is, to borrow money of one man to pay another.
|
many a mickle makes a muckle »
(UK) a lot of small amounts together, become a large amount.
|
many hands make light work »
A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.
|
many happy returns »
A greeting, usually for birthdays, in reference to the passing year; Happy birthday!.
|
map out »
To organise the basic plan for a project.
|
march to the beat of a different drum »
To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and expectations.
|
mark down »
To reduce the price of.
|
mark down »
To write a memorandum about.
|
mark my words »
Listen to me; used before a statement one wishes to emphasize.
|
mark time »
Marching in place; not going anywhere.
|
mark up »
To increase the price of something between its wholesale and retail phase.
|
mark up »
To add coding to text so that it will display properly on a computer.
|
marry in haste, repent at leisure »
Getting married too soon will lead to a bad marriage.
|
marry in haste, repent at leisure »
Two things together too soon will lead to problems.
|
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 heaven »
A very successful combination of two people or things.
|
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.
|
match made in hell »
A very unsuccessful or conflicting combination of two people or things.
|
matter of course »
A natural or logical outcome.
|
matter of course »
An expected or customary outcome.
|
matter of fact »
A fact.
|
matter of fact »
A more factual correction.
|
matter of fact »
Something completely true.
|
may the Force be with you »
Used to wish someone luck with a difficult endeavor.
|
me three »
Used to express agreement, after someone has already said "me too".
|
meal ticket »
A ticket or voucher that can be exchanged for food.
|
meal ticket »
Someone or something that provides income or livelihood, especially as an exploited source.
|
meals on wheels »
Food delivered to the homes of those unable to cook for themselves.
|
mean the world to »
To be loved or cared about a great deal by.
|
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
|
measure twice, cut once »
Alternative form of measure twice and cut once.
|
measure up »
To meet expectations; to be as good as.
|
meat market »
A market where meat is sold.
|
meat market »
Or night club.
|
meat rack »
A place where people can meet looking for sexual partners.
|
meat rack »
A rack used for storing meat.
|
meatball surgery »
A nickname for surgery that is meant to be performed rapidly to stabilize the patient as quickly as possible.
|
meaty »
Of a person or a body part, large and solid.
|
meaty »
Of, relating to, or containing meat.
|
meaty »
Resembling meat in flavour, etc.
|
meaty »
Substantial.
|
medicine man »
sharman
|
meet one's maker »
To die or to pass into the afterlife.
|
meet up »
To meet somebody, by arrangement.
|
melon head »
A dimwit, a fool.
|
melon head »
A melon-headed whale.
|
melt into »
To become a liquid by melting.
|
melt into »
To disappear into.
|
melting pot »
Come together and are homogenized.
|
member for Barkshire »
Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.
|
memory lane »
A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.
|
mend fences »
To repair damage to a friendship or relationship after a disagreement or other mishap.
|
mend one's ways »
To recognise one's failings and attempt to remedy them.
|
mercury »
A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.
|
mess around »
To fiddle idly.
|
mess around »
To joke, kid, or play.
|
mess around »
To have a non-committal sexual relationship.
|
mess of pottage »
Something of trivial value, especially of immediate value.
|
mess up »
To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.
|
mess up »
To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.
|
mess up »
To botch, bungle; to perform poorly on.
|
mess up »
To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.
|
mess up »
To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.
|
mess up »
To damage; injure.
|
mess up »
To manhandle; beat up; rough up.
|
mess up »
To discombobulate, utterly confuse, or confound psychologically; to throw into a state of mental disarray.
|
mess with »
To interfere.
|
mess with »
To diss; to put down.
|
mete out »
To distribute something in portions; to apportion or dole out.
|
mickey finn »
spiked drink
|
middle ground »
A compromise position between extremes.
|
middle ground »
The middle distance.
|
middle of nowhere »
Nowhere; any place lacking population, interesting things, or defining characteristics.
|
middle of the road »
Having a centrist attitude or philosophy; not extreme, especially politically.
|
middle of the road »
Of a type of melodic popular music that has wide appeal.
|
midi system »
hi-fi
|
might makes right »
The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.
|
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!
|
mike up »
To fit a microphone and transmitter to a person. Usually for television performers, or for police informers.
|
mill around »
To move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area.
|
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 one's own business »
To concern oneself only with what is of interest to oneself and not interfere in the affairs of others.
|
mind one's P's and Q's »
Alternative spelling of mind one's p's and q's.
|
mind one's p's and q's »
To be very careful to behave correctly.
|
mind over matter »
Willpower alone can overcome a physical problem.
|
mind the store »
To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.
|
mind the store »
To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.
|
mind you »
Mind that you; be careful that you.
|
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.
|
mine arse on a bandbox »
An answer to the offer of any thing inadequate to the purpose for which it is proffered, like offering a bandbox for a seat.
|
miner's canary »
A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.
|
miner's canary »
Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.
|
miners' canary »
A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.
|
miners' canary »
Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.
|
mint condition »
Used, but still like new, as if freshly minted.
|
mint sauce »
serve this with lamb
|
misery loves company »
Misery is easier to bear when one is not the only one miserable.1995, Chris Abbott,
|
misfortunes never come singly »
bad things or situations always come in groups, they never come in a single way.
|
miss out »
To miss an experience or lose an opportunity, etc. that should not be missed.
|
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 hit the target.
|
miss the mark »
To fail to reach the result that was intended.
|
miss the point »
To fail to grasp the meaning of an utterance.
|
mix apples and oranges »
To mix two totally different things.
|
mix it up »
To compete vigorously, to quarrel, or to fight physically.
|
mix up »
To mix or blend.
|
mix up »
To confuse or reverse.
|
mix up »
confused situation
|
mix up »
misunderstanding
|
mixed bag »
Any bag containing a mixture of something.
|
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.
|
mixed blessing »
Something that has both good and bad features.
|
mixed message »
Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.
|
mock up »
To create a model or demonstration; to create a preliminary version or sample.
|
mocking is catching »
An admonishment to be careful of criticising others, lest the same happen to you.Mocking is Catching was the title of a 1726 song by Henry Carey.
|
moment of truth »
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
|
money can't buy happiness »
Money can buy external things, but true happiness comes from inside.
|
money doesn't grow on trees »
You must work in order to have money.
|
money for old rope »
Money exchanged for goods of low value.
|
money maker »
A woman's buttocks.
|
money maker »
Something profitable.
|
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 business »
Do your homework and forget about all this monkey business.
|
monkey business »
Wasting time, or effort, on some foolish project.
|
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 pipe wrench.
|
monkey wrench »
A problem, obstacle or dilemma; something unexpected or troublesome.
|
monkey wrench »
A wrench with a smooth adjustable jaw to grip different sizes of nuts.
|
month of Sundays »
A very long time; too long.
|
mop the floor with somebody »
To trounce or defeat thoroughly or in a humiliating manner.
|
mop up »
To clean with a mop; especially to clean up a spill or mess.
|
mop up »
To fix problems; to correct or repair.
|
moral high ground »
A position or point of view which is ethically superior or more reputable, in comparison to others which are under consideration.
|
more cry than wool »
Asserted but not grounded in reality.
|
more equal »
Ostensibly equal, but in reality more privileged.
|
more haste, less speed »
When we are in a hurry, we often end up completing our task slower.
|
more like it »
Better, more desirable.
|
morning person »
A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.
|
morning, noon and night »
Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.
|
moses basket »
portable cradle
|
mother hen »
A female chicken who bears eggs or chicks.
|
mother hen »
An outspoken and overprotective woman dealing with others' affairs.
|
motor mouth »
One who talks incessantly; a chatty or loquacious person.
|
mouse potato »
A person who spends excessive amounts of time using a computer.
|
mouth breather »
A person who is boorish, stupid, or otherwise unattractive.
|
mouth breather »
A person who routinely inhales and exhales through the mouth, instead of through the nose.
|
mouth of a sailor »
The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.
|
mouthful of marbles »
An indistinct, muffled or garbled manner of speaking.
|
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 it »
To hurry; to hurry up.
|
move on »
To leave somewhere for another place.
|
move on »
To start dealing with something else.
|
move one's body »
To dance.
|
move out »
To vacate one's place of residence.
|
move the goal posts »
To unilaterally change the rules, or terms of an agreement, especially in an unfair or underhand way.
|
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.
|
mover and shaker »
Someone who has power and influence in some field or activity.
|
movie star »
famous film actor
|
much of a muchness »
Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them.
|
muck about »
To do random unplanned work or spend time idly.
|
muck about »
To do somethings with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works.
|
muck about »
To be playful; full of fun and high spirits.
|
muck around »
Means the same as muck about.
|
muck out »
To clean the excrement and other rubbish from the area where an animal is kept, such as a horse stable or a dog kennel.
|
muckety muck »
A person in a position of power, authority, or status.
|
mug up »
To study intensely.
|
mug's game »
A foolish, profitless, or hopeless undertaking.
|
mull over »
To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.
|
mum's the word »
The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged.
|
murder will out »
A murderer will always be discovered.
|
murder will out »
Secrets or hidden crimes will eventually be exposed or discovered.
|
muscle in »
To interfere, or intrude forcibly.
|
muscle in on »
To interfere with, or intrude on something forcibly.
|
music to one's ear »
Some unexpected good news; a favorable outcome after some initial confusion or delay.
|
mutton dressed as lamb »
A mature woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if a deliberate attempt to appear young.
|
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.
|
my arse »
Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.
|
my eye »
Cheech and Chong.
|
my eye »
Expression of disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.
|
my foot »
Indicates disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.
|
my lips are sealed »
See keep one's lips sealed.
|
my way or the highway »
Will be excluded.
|
myope comme une taupe »
Blind as a bat.
|
naff off »
A mild version of f** off.
|
nail biter »
A nervous or uncomfortable situation.
|
nail biter »
An engaging or exciting cliffhanger.
|
nail biter »
One who bites or chews his or her fingernails.
|
nail down »
Firm or certain.
|
naked ape »
A human being.
|
naked as a jaybird »
Stark naked; nude; especially, naked in a public setting and without embarrassment.
|
name and shame »
So as to single them out for individual blame and censure.
|
ñapa »
the little something extra
|
narrow down »
Make more specific.
|
nary a »
Not one; none.
|
ne'er cast a clout til May be out »
Advice not to change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.
|
ne'er do well »
useless
|
near miss »
narrowly avoided accident
|
near the knuckle »
Risqué, sexual, suggestive of impropriety..
|
nearly never bulled a cow »
(Irish) Near enough is not good enough.
|
necessity is the mother of innovation »
Alternative form of necessity is the mother of invention.
|
necessity is the mother of invention »
A person who is in great need of something will find a way to get it.
|
neck and neck »
Very close in progress, as in a race or contest.
|
neck of the woods »
A local neighbourhood or region.
|
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.
|
necktie party »
An execution by hanging, especially a lynching.
|
needle in a haystack »
Something that is difficult or impossible to locate; something impossibly complex or intractable.
|
neither fish nor fowl »
Said of something not easily categorized or not fitting neatly into any established group.
|
neither here nor there »
Not important; having no significance or influence on the question at hand; not related; not relevant; not germane; not pertinent.
|
nervous as a cat »
"She's as nervous as a cat.".
|
nervous as a cat »
Very nervous.
|
nervous hit »
A production which receives generally favorably notice, but is not assured of success.
|
nest egg »
A natural or artificial egg placed in a bird's nest, to encourage the bird to lay its own eggs there.
|
nest egg »
A savings; a reserve of money.
|
never change a running system »
Don't change something that is working
|
never in a million years »
Absolutely not.
|
never in a month of Sundays »
At no time whatsoever.
|
never in a month of Sundays »
Never in a month of Sundays would I have imagined that you'd be this tall in real life!.
|
never look a gift horse in the mouth »
Alternative form of don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
|
never mind »
Do not be concerned.
|
never mind »
I withdraw my previous statement.
|
never mind »
It is not important; do not fret.
|
never you mind »
Do not concern yourself with it; it is none of your business.
|
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.
|
next to »
Almost; nearly.
|
nice guy »
An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.
|
nickel and dime »
Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.
|
nickel-and-dime »
Alternative spelling of nickel and dime.
|
night owl »
One who stays up late at night or goes to bed late.
|
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.
|
nightcap »
A beverage drunk before bed that is usually alcoholic.
|
nightcap »
A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas. Nightcaps were common in northern Europe before central heating was available, when homes were cold at night.
|
nightcap »
The second game of a doubleheader.
|
nighthawk »
A New World nightjar.
|
nighthawk »
A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.
|
nine day wonder »
Something that generates interest for a limited time and is then abandoned.
|
nine lives »
Durability; near immunity to damage.
|
nip and tuck »
So evenly matched that the advantage shifts from one to the other, and the outcome is uncertain.
|
nip in the bud »
To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.
|
nip in the bud »
To stop something at an early stage.
|
no biggie »
Not a big deal, not something to worry about.
|
no brainer »
Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.
|
no comment »
A refusal to say the obvious impolite retort.
|
no comment »
An "official" refusal to relay any further information, as a response to a newspaper reporter's question.
|
no cover »
Without a cover charge.
|
no dice »
An unacceptable alternative.
|
no dice »
An unfavorable result.
|
no fear »
certainly not
|
no frills »
Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.
|
no glove, no love »
Without a condom, there will be no sex.
|
no good deed ever goes unpunished »
Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.
|
no good deed goes unpunished »
Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.
|
no great shakes »
Unexceptional; not special or noteworthy; not very effective.
|
no holds barred »
Without reserve; in an especially ruthless or vicious manner.
|
no holds barred »
Without restrictions on holds or what opponents may do.
|
no ifs, ands, or buts »
Period; exactly so; without modification, limitation, or addendum.
|
no joy »
A negative outcome.
|
no love lost »
Dislike, animosity.
|
no man is an island »
All people are connected to other people and dependent on other people.1623, John Donne,
|
no matter »
regardless of
|
no matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney »
Regardless of how many clever points or fine distinctions one makes, what one is saying is still false or is still nonsense.
|
no nevermind »
No difference.
|
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 pressure »
The situation at hand is rife with emotional pressure.
|
no prize for guessing »
Used to form expressions emphasizing the unsurprising nature of what follows.
|
no rest for the wicked »
(humorous) People who are wicked must work harder than normal people.
|
no score »
In a sporting event, a score of zero to zero.
|
no screaming hell »
Something that is not particularly effective or impressive; something that is below expectations.
|
no skin off one's back »
No harm to one.
|
no skin off one's nose »
No harm to one.
|
no slave to fashion »
A person whose style of clothing and appearance are unconventional, informal, or slovenly; a person who takes little interest in how he or she is dressed.
|
no slouch »
Pretty good; not bad.
|
no smoke without fire »
Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.
|
no spring chicken »
Said of a person who is no longer particularly young.
|
no strings attached »
Without conditions or obligations; without a catch.
|
no sweat »
See: no problem.
|
no time like the present »
A shortened form of there's no time like the present
|
no two ways about it »
No other possible action, choice or option.
|
no way »
In no way; nowise.
|
no-show »
An absence; somebody who doesn't show up or a failure to show up.
|
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 off »
To fall asleep, especially while in a seated position or in inappropriate circumstances.
|
nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat »
The idea/proposed action is inconsequential to the current situation.
|
non-starter »
An idea or argument that cannot be sensibly debated.
|
non-starter »
Someone or something who was listed to start in a race, but did not start in the race.
|
non-starter »
Something that is not going to happen.
|
none of someone's business »
A matter that someone is not entitled to be involved in or informed about.
|
none too »
Not very
|
nose candy »
Cocaine.
|
nose test »
An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.
|
nose test »
An inspection of an object using the sense of smell, as for freshness of food.
|
nose test »
An inspection of the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.
|
nose to the grindstone »
Hard at work.
|
nose-pick »
To pick boogers from the nose.
|
nose-picker »
One who picks their nose.
|
nose-picking »
To insert a finger into one's nostril, especially to remove mucus.
|
nosebleed seat »
A seat high in the back of bleachers, stands, or the balcony at a theater.
|
not a chance »
Absolutely not; no way.
|
not a pretty sight »
Something disappointing, disquieting, disreputable, or otherwise unworthy of admiration.
|
not a pretty sight »
Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.
|
not a sausage »
Absolutely nothing, none of something.
|
not a sausage »
Jill: Not a sausage I'm afraid, I'm just visiting.
|
not a sausage »
John: Do you know how I get to the town center from here?.
|
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 at all »
Used similarly to you're welcome, as a conventional reply to an expression of gratitude.
|
not bad »
Reasonably good.
|
not be able to get a word in edgeways »
To be unable to say a single word because of someone else's talkativeness.
|
not be caught dead »
To refuse completely to do something.
|
not cricket »
Unsportsmanlike.
|
not give a monkey's »
Not to have the slightest interest or concern.
|
not half bad »
Pretty good; okay; decent.
|
not have a leg to stand on »
To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation.
|
not have the faintest »
To not know; to have no idea.
|
not in Kansas anymore »
No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings; in the big city.
|
not leave one's thoughts »
Said when one keeps thinking about something.
|
not long for this world »
Unlikely to remain for much time.
|
not much of anything »
Very little; not a lot.
|
not on your life »
Absolutely not; under no circumstances.
|
not on your nelly »
Not on your life, an emphatic form of no.
|
not on your tintype »
An answer indicating outright rejection or denial; no way; absolutely not.
|
not quite »
Almost, very nearly.
|
not the end of the world »
It's of minor importance, at least not as important as it first seemed.
|
not to put too fine a point on it »
Used to apologise for a possibly impolite statement one is making.
|
not touch something with a ten foot pole »
Ambrose Bierce , The Fiend's Delight In conclusion, his respect for letter-writing ladies is so great that he would not touch one of them with a ten-foot pole.
|
not touch something with a ten foot pole »
Ambrose Bierce, The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Vol. 8.
|
not touch something with a ten foot pole »
Francis Lynde, The Quickening.
|
not touch something with a ten foot pole »
To approach something or someone.
|
not touch something with a ten foot pole »
To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong aversion.
|
not very »
Not.
|
not win for losing »
To repeatedly fail in one's gambles or efforts.
|
not worth a brass farthing »
Worth nothing or next to nothing.
|
not worth a dime »
Worthless, lacking in value.
|
not worth a plug nickel »
Having no or almost no value; worthless.
|
notch up »
To achieve something.
|
nothing flat »
Amount of time; no time at all.
|
nothing special »
Ordinary, run-of-the-mill.
|
nothing to it »
Easy; simple or straightforward.
|
nothing to sneeze at »
Not bad; decent; acceptable; worthwhile.
|
nothing to write home about »
Not exceptional; not noteworthy or especially good.
|
nothing ventured, nothing gained »
If one takes no risks, one will not gain any benefits.
|
noughts and crosses »
pen and paper game
|
now and then »
Sometimes; occasionally.
|
now you mention it »
The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling.
|
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.
|
nudge nudge wink wink »
A phrase added at the end of the sentence to hint that the speaker is referring to something else, euphemistically.
|
nugget of truth »
A small amount of truth in a generally untrue statement.
|
nugget of truth »
January 2008, Chicago Tribune - Clinton's Hispanic edge over Obama.
|
number one »
First; foremost; best.
|
number one with a bullet »
Superlative; impossible to beat.
|
nut-cutting time »
Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.
|
nut-cutting time »
Time to gather nuts before they are taken by other animals or buried in snow.
|
nutfarm »
An insane asylum.
|
nuthouse »
A lunatic asylum.
|
nuts and bolts »
The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.
|
nutty as a fruitcake »
Behaving in an eccentric, foolish, or kooky manner; very nutty.
|
object lesson »
A lesson taught using a familiar or unusual object as a focus.
|
object lesson »
A punishment intended as a deterrent to others.
|
object lesson »
An example that typifies a principle.
|
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.
|
odd and curious »
A way to designate special coins, namely coins that are both odd and imperfect or seriously damaged.
|
odd and curious »
On the Isle of Man, the common or general man.
|
odd one out »
A visual puzzle where the guesser has to choose which word/picture/symbol etc. does not fit with the others.
|
odd one out »
Something or someone in a group that is different or exceptional, that does not fit.
|
odds and ends »
Miscellaneous things.
|
of a »
Every.
|
of all people »
Especially; more than other people.
|
of an »
Belonging to the same.
|
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.
|
of course »
Asserts that the associated phrase should not be argued, particularly if it is obvious or there is no choice in the matter.
|
of course »
Indicates enthusiastic agreement.
|
of late »
In the recent past; recently; lately.
|
of sorts »
Resembling; similar to; in a way; partial or not entire; somewhat.
|
off and on »
Intermittently.
|
off balance »
Not physical balanced; not having physical equilibrium.
|
off balance »
Surprised; perplexed.
|
off board »
Not on or in a means of transportation.
|
off chance »
A condition of not being likely or probable.
|
off licence »
drinks shop
|
off one's dot »
Off one's rocker; bananas; mad.
|
off one's game »
C. 1910, Ralph Henry Barbour, "The Dub" in The New Boy at Hilltop and Other Stories.
|
off one's game »
Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.
|
off one's game »
Playing or competing below one's usual level of performance.
|
off one's own bat »
At one's own instigation.
|
off one's rocker »
Crazy; insane.
|
off the back foot »
From a defensive position.
|
off the bat »
From the start; immediately; right away.
|
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 chain »
Crazy and exciting; delirious and wild. By analogy to a frenetic dog when unleashed.
|
off the chain »
Free from work or direct supervision. In reference to slave labor, where workers are chained, or to the figurative chain of workers of an assembly line.
|
off the deep end »
Crazy, erratic, or irrational.
|
off the hook »
Of a telephone, having an open connection; not hung up.
|
off the hook »
Performing extraordinarily well.
|
off the hook »
Relieved of a duty, burden, responsibility, or pressure.
|
off the mark »
Inaccurate; not correct or appropriate.
|
off the radar »
Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.
|
off the rails »
In an abnormal manner, especially in a manner that causes damage or malfunctioning.
|
off the rails »
Insane.
|
off the rails »
Off the intended path.
|
off the rails »
Out of control.
|
off the reservation »
Violating rules.
|
off the table »
Beyond consideration.
|
off the top of one's head »
Without great thought or investigation; extemporaneous; natural; offhand.
|
off the wagon »
No longer maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from an undesirable habit, especially drinking alcohol.
|
off-color »
Considered dirty, vulgar or obscene.
|
off-roader »
A vehicle that is designed to drive off the road.
|
off-the-cuff »
Extemporaneous; without prior preparation; impromptu.
|
off-the-shelf »
As purchased or as commonly available, without modification or customization.
|
off-the-wall »
Greatly inappropriate.
|
off-the-wall »
Wildly unconventional; bizarre; absurd.
|
offer affordances »
To give elbow room or leeway for something to happen.
|
offer one's condolences »
To offer sympathy to someone.
|
oh dark hundred »
Some unspecified hour in the early morning.
|
oh dark thirty »
Some unspecified hour in the early morning.
|
oh, well »
An expression of disappointment or resignation; too bad; pity.
|
oil burner »
A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.
|
oil burner »
A heating device which burns fuel oil; an oil furnace.
|
oil burner »
A machine that uses oil as its fuel.
|
old college try »
A vigorous, committed attempt or effort.
|
Old Fart »
An elderly person who holds views that are considered old-fashioned.
|
old fogey »
Old person.
|
old habits die hard »
Existing habits are hard to change.
|
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 hat »
Something with which one is very familiar, or in which one is experienced or skilled.
|
old maid »
card game
|
old masters »
great painters
|
old money »
Families that have been wealthy for generations or members of such families.
|
old money »
The imperial system of measurement, as opposed to the metric system.
|
old money »
The monetary system used in the United Kingdom before decimalisation and consisting of pounds, shillings, and pence.
|
old saw »
A cliché, saying, or overused expression; especially a proverb or maxim.
|
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.
|
old stick »
A man, chap, fellow, guy.
|
old testament »
part of the bible
|
old time used to be »
Ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend. Often used in songs.
|
old time used to be »
Roberta, lyrics by Leadbelly.
|
old time used to be »
Somebody Loan Me A Dime. lyrics by Boz Scaggs.
|
on a full stomach »
Directly after eating, after a meal.
|
on a regular basis »
Regularly, occurring in regular time intervals or patterns.
|
on a roll »
Having a streak of good luck or good progress or success.
|
on a shoestring »
On a very tight budget; with few resources or little money.
|
on a whim »
Done without thinking seriously about the consequences.
|
on about »
Speaking about, talking of.
|
on accident »
Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.
|
on acid »
Exaggerated, bizarre or unpredictable.
|
on all fours »
On one's hands and knees.
|
on all fours »
Similar in nature or effect to something else; consistent.
|
on an irregular basis »
Irregularly, occurring in irregular time intervals or patterns.
|
on at »
to pester; to irritate; to annoy
|
on average »
Usually, typically; as a rule; as often as not.
|
on board »
Agreeing or supporting.
|
on board »
Even when I am on board the plane, I can never feel secure that my luggage is, too.
|
on board »
Is that new teammate properly on board yet?.
|
on board »
It's a good idea, but let's see if we can get a few more of the management team on board.
|
on board »
On or in a means of transportation.
|
on cloud nine »
Very happy, blissful.
|
on course »
Proceeding smoothly as planned.
|
on demand »
When needed or required.
|
on edge »
Tense, nervous or irritable.
|
on end »
Remarkably long; continuously.
|
on end »
Upright; erect; endways.
|
on good terms with »
Friendly towards; having good relations with.
|
on hand »
Available; ready; in stock.
|
on hand »
close by; ready to help
|
on high »
"According to those on high there is no global warming".
|
on high »
"The Lord our God who dwelleth on high" Psalms 63:5.
|
on high »
In the sky or the heavens.
|
on hold »
Delayed; postponed.
|
on hold »
On reserve; being held for someone.
|
on hold »
Waiting on a telephone call.
|
on ice »
Not being used, or not to be used e.g.
|
on ice »
Performed by ice skaters as an ice show.
|
on its merits »
Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.
|
on one's deathbed »
Close to death.
|
on one's feet »
Being stable or capable, especially in a financial or emotional sense.
|
on one's feet »
Being standing up.
|
on one's feet »
Being well again after a bout of illness.
|
on one's hands »
Being one's liability or responsibility; with which one is lumbered.
|
on one's high horse »
Self-righteous; proceeding on the belief one is more correct or proper than others.
|
on one's own »
Alone; by oneself; without the companionship or assistance of others.
|
on one's soapbox »
Stating or professing one's opinion; attempting to persuade others of something.
|
on one's toes »
Attentive, active, busy or alert.
|
on one's watch »
During the period of time when one is in a position of authority or responsibility.
|
on opposite sides of the barricades »
Of starkly different, opposite views on an issue.
|
on pins and needles »
Feeling sharp anticipation or anxiety; in a state of suspense.
|
on purpose »
Purposefully; with intention; deliberately.
|
on second thought »
After reconsidering; on further consideration.
|
on sight »
I recognized him on sight.
|
on sight »
Immediately when sighted.
|
on spec »
I'm writing an article on spec. I hope some magazine will buy it.
|
on spec »
Short form of "on speculation": Creating a work with the hope of selling it, as opposed to creating a work "on commission" for hire.
|
on steroids »
To a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.
|
on sufferance »
Unwillingly agreed to or barely tolerated.
|
on tenterhooks »
In a state of suspense or apprehension.
|
on the anvil »
Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.
|
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 ball »
Being in control of the ball.
|
on the blink »
Functioning erratically, malfunctioning; not working or not working well. Usually refers to a mechanical or electronic device.
|
on the bounce »
Consecutively, in succession.
|
on the brain »
Obsessively in mind.
|
on the brink »
Very nearly; imminent; close.
|
on the bubble »
Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.
|
on the bubble »
Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position.
|
on the bubble »
Uncertain of success.
|
on the button »
Exactly, precisely.
|
on the cheap »
Economically, especially if too economically.
|
on the clock »
Displayed numerically on the mileage or kilometric gauge.
|
on the clock »
In the official time expired in a game or other sporting event.
|
on the clock »
In the official time remaining in a game or other sporting event.
|
on the clock »
Of a taxicab, engaged for hire; displayed numerically as time or fare on the meter of a taxicab.
|
on the clock »
Remunerated per unit of time.
|
on the clock »
Working at one's job; occupied in some manner during one's hours of remunerated employment.
|
on the cuff »
On credit, with payment to be made later.
|
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 double »
Rapidly or immediately.
|
on the face of »
Notwithstanding.
|
on the face of it »
Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.
|
on the fence »
Undecided; wavering in one's opinion.
|
on the fly »
Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.
|
on the game »
Working as a prostitute.
|
on the go »
Actively traveling; busy; moving often.
|
on the go »
To have started.
|
on the horn »
On the telephone.
|
on the house »
Free, complimentary.
|
on the ladder »
Figuratively a property ladder, owning property.
|
on the level »
A discreet reference to freemasonry.
|
on the level »
Honest, sincere, straightforward.
|
on the line »
In a contest or enterprise.
|
on the line »
On a level with the eye of the spectator; said of a picture, as hung in an exhibition of pictures.
|
on the loose »
Not incarcerated or in captivity; not under control.
|
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 mend »
Healing or recovering, as from an injury or illness.
|
on the mend »
Improving or undergoing restoration to a previous, more favorable condition.
|
on the nose »
Exactly; precisely.
|
on the nose »
Smelly, malodorous.
|
on the other hand »
From another point of view.
|
on the outs »
On unfriendly terms; estranged.
|
on the pill »
Using oral contraceptives.
|
on the plus side »
Positively; from a favorable view or perspective.
|
on the point »
Very nearly; imminent; close.
|
on the prowl »
Hunting or seeking.
|
on the pull »
Seeking the intimate company of a member of the opposite sex.
|
on the rag »
Menstruating.
|
on the right track »
Using the correct general approach to a particular task or problem; pursuing something in a promising way.
|
on the ropes »
Leaning against the ropes of the boxing ring, as when exhausted and nearing defeat or collapse.
|
on the ropes »
Showing signs of imminent failure or collapse.
|
on the run »
Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.
|
on the run »
Fleeing.
|
on the same wavelength »
In rapport or complete accord.
|
on the skids »
In decline; going downhill; in trouble.
|
on the sly »
Slyly, in an inconspicuous manner, so as not to be seen; secretly; stealthily.
|
on the spot »
At that very moment; right away.
|
on the spot »
Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.
|
on the spot »
In a particular place.
|
on the spur of the moment »
On very short notice; spontaneously.
|
on the square »
"Are you on the square?".
|
on the square »
A discrete, unassuming reference to freemasonry.
|
on the square »
Honest and open.
|
on the straight and narrow »
Honest; proceeding according to rules and plans.
|
on the tip of one's tongue »
Known but not quite remembered.
|
on the town »
Casually enjoying the nightlife of a town or city.
|
on the up-and-up »
Legitimate; honest; upright.
|
on the uptake »
In understanding or in the ability to absorb new information; especially in the phrases "quick on the uptake" and "slow on the uptake".
|
on the verge »
Very near or close.
|
on the wagon »
By extension, maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from some other undesirable habit.
|
on the wane »
In a period of decrease or decline.
|
on the wane »
The moon was on the wane.
|
on the way »
Coming, approaching.
|
on the whole »
For the most part; apart from some insignificant details.
|
on thin ice »
In a dangerous, hazardous, or delicate situation; at risk.
|
on tiptoe »
Moving carefully, quietly, warily or stealthily.
|
on tiptoe »
We crept out on tiptoe so as not to wake the children.
|
on top of »
Fully informed about, and in control of something; up to speed with.
|
on top of »
In addition to something else.
|
on top of the world »
Delighted; ecstatic; exceptionally pleased, happy, or satisfied.
|
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 wheels »
Having wheels affixed to the bottom, and so transportable.
|
on wheels »
Mobile; able to be moved.
|
on wheels »
To a large degree, excessive.
|
on-the-spot »
In the right place at this very moment.
|
once again »
Again.
|
once and for all »
Finally, permanently, conclusively.
|
once bitten, twice shy »
One is cautious in the future if one has been hurt in the past.
|
once in a blue moon »
Never.
|
once in a blue moon »
Very rarely; very infrequently.
|
once in a while »
Occasionally; sometimes.
|
once or twice »
A small, indefinite number of times.
|
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 »
All, everyone.
|
one and all »
Each one.
|
one and the same »
The same person or thing. Used to emphasize the identity or equivalence of two things.
|
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 at a time »
Individually, as opposed to collectively; slowly or methodically, figuratively.
|
one brick short of a full load »
Not mentally sound; insane.
|
one brick short of a full load »
Stupid.
|
one by one »
Individually in succession; one at a time.
|
one can run but one can't hide »
There is nothing someone can do to evade something.You can run but you can't hide.
|
one can't hold two watermelons in one hand »
do not attempt to take on more than you can handle
|
one candle short of a box »
not bright; stupid
|
one card shy of a full deck »
Mentally deranged; demented; insane.
|
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 of his majesty's bad bargains »
A worthless soldier, a malingeror.
|
one of those days »
A bad day.
|
one or two »
a few
|
one side »
You should move to one side and allow me to go through the passageway you are blocking.
|
one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »
A cliché used to exaggerate an accomplishment or milestone..
|
one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »
Words spoken by Neil Armstrong when taking the first steps on the moon.
|
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 swallow does not a summer make »
One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.
|
one swallow does not make a summer »
A sign is not proof
|
one swallow doesn't make a summer »
One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.
|
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 two »
wall pass
|
one up »
To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.
|
one who hesitates is lost »
A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.
|
one's bark is worse than one's bite »
The individual acts threatening but is relatively harmless.
|
one's days are numbered »
Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.
|
one's jig is up »
Alternative form of the jig is up. [for one].
|
one-hit wonder »
A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.
|
one-hit wonder »
A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.
|
one-horse town »
A very small town.
|
one-man band »
A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.
|
one-man band »
An organisation or business that is effectively run by only one person.
|
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.
|
one-night stand »
An occasion when a performer or team of them expects to perform at a theater for a single evening.
|
one-note »
Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.
|
one-off »
Occurring once; one-time.
|
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 performing animal that knows only one trick.
|
one-trick pony »
A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.
|
one-up »
To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.
|
one-upmanship »
A succession of instances of outdoing a competitor.
|
one-upmanship »
The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.
|
onesie-twosie »
Individually or in very small groups, rather in larger batches.
|
only fools and horses work »
Philosophy of life that people who do not look for an easy way of earning a living are foolish.
|
ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »
(biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.
|
open a can of whoop ass »
A good-humored threat of physical harm.
|
open a can of whoop ass »
I'm gonna open up a can of whoop-ass on ya.
|
open ended »
without definite limits
|
open fire »
To begin firing at something or someone.
|
open one's big mouth »
To speak about things, when it would be better to stay silent.
|
open prison »
penal institution
|
opening time »
hour at which a pub can start serving
|
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.
|
opposites attract »
people who are completely different make ideal partners.
|
opt in »
To choose to participate in something.
|
opt out »
To choose not to participate in something.
|
or else »
Clean up your room, or else!.
|
or else »
Go now, or else you'll have to stay all night.
|
or else »
Otherwise or as an alternative.
|
or so »
approximately; there abouts
|
or what »
Or something else; allows for the existence of an unexpressed alternative to what was said.
|
orange up »
To make more orange.
|
orange up »
To make more prominent by making orange or adding orange colour.
|
orange up »
To become more orange.
|
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.
|
other half »
A spouse.
|
out loud »
Using the voice; not silently; aloud.
|
out of bounds »
Beyond the bounds of civility or morality; extremely unreasonable.
|
out of bounds »
Prohibited to enter.
|
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 date »
Not current, outmoded, out of style, or too old to be used.
|
out of fix »
Wrong, broken, nonfunctional.
|
out of gas »
Lacking fuel.
|
out of gas »
Tired; lacking energy or motivation.
|
out of house and home »
Cassandra Chrones Moore, Haunted Housing: How Toxic Scare Stories Are Spooking the Public Out of House and Home.
|
out of house and home »
Gail White, Partying with the Intelligentsia.
|
out of house and home »
Global Checkup: How Healthy is Earth?, Science NOW.
|
out of house and home »
Helping Your Dog Adjust to a New Home, The Progressive Animal Welfare Society.
|
out of house and home »
In a manner that deprives one of dwelling or some aspect thereof.
|
out of it »
Disoriented; not thinking clearly.
|
out of it »
Not participating in some trend or group.
|
out of kilter »
Disturbed; out of order; not working or adjusted properly.
|
out of line »
Inappropriate or unsuitable, especially by reason of being unmannerly or indelicate.
|
out of luck »
Experiencing a temporary misfortune.
|
out of nowhere »
In an unexpected or inexplicable manner of arrival or occurrence.
|
out of one's depth »
To be in a situation which one is poorly prepared or unprepared to handle.
|
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 order »
Inappropriate or unsuitable.
|
out of order »
Not functioning properly.
|
out of order »
Out of normal sequence.
|
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 proportion »
Not in a proper or pleasing relation to other things, especially in terms of size.
|
out of reach »
Inaccessible or unattainable.
|
out of reach »
The adult magazines were out of reach of toddlers.
|
out of sight »
How was the party? Out of sight, man!.
|
out of sight »
Not accessible to view.
|
out of sight »
Superb, excellent.
|
out of sight »
The notice was out of sight behind the door.
|
out of sight »
You better stay out of sight for a few days.
|
out of sight, out of mind »
When something is not nearby, it is forgotten about.
|
out of sorts »
Irritable or somewhat unwell, with vague medical symptoms.
|
out of stock »
Temporarily unavailable for sale.
|
out of the blue »
Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.
|
out of the box »
Immediately, without intervention from the customer.
|
out of the box »
See outside the box.
|
out of the frying pan, into the fire »
From an already bad situation to a worse one.
|
out of the loop »
Not informed up to date; current; not kept part of the discussion.
|
out of the mouths of babes »
The greatest wisdom comes from children, who are not afraid or weary of the world and its pressures.
|
out of the question »
Impossible to even contemplate.
|
out of the running »
No longer in competition.
|
out of the way »
Improper or offensive.
|
out of the way »
Not obstructing or hindering; not in the way.
|
out of the way »
Remote or secluded.
|
out of the way »
Taken care of.
|
out of the way »
Unusual or out of the ordinary.
|
out of the woods »
Out of peril; likely to recover or prevail over trouble; finished with the worst or most threatening part of a problem or illness.
|
out of thin air »
From non-existent resources.
|
out of this world »
Exceptionally high quality; wonderful; marvellous.
|
out of touch »
No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.
|
out of touch »
No longer maintaining contact or communications.
|
out of wedlock »
Of parents not legally married.
|
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 of whole cloth »
Fabricated, fictitious.
|
out of work »
Unemployed, or having nothing to do.
|
out on a limb »
in a precarious position
|
out on one's ear »
Fired, dismissed or thrown out, especially for some wrongdoing or otherwise with disgrace.
|
out on the tiles »
I've had a pint of bitter and now I'm feeling better and I'm out on the tiles." Led Zeppelin in their song "Out on the tiles", 1970.
|
out on the tiles »
Out for a night on the town.
|
out the door »
The exact image, a lookalike.
|
out the door »
Exact, correct.
|
out the wazoo »
Out the ass; excessive or excessively; too much.
|
out the window »
A missed opportunity.
|
out the window »
Made obsolete; altered drastically as a result of situational change.
|
out to lunch »
Away eating lunch or for a midday break; especially, away from work or a job.
|
out to lunch »
Clueless, inattentive or careless.
|
out-and-out »
Complete, utter.
|
outshout »
To merit the most attention or praise.
|
outshout »
To shout louder or for longer than another.
|
outside chance »
Small chance.
|
outside the box »
Beyond the bounds of convention.
|
outside world »
The rest of the world outside of some closed, restricted, or remote environment.
|
outside world »
The world external to the human mind.
|
outsider »
A competitor or contestant who has little chance of winning; a long shot; a dark horse.
|
outsider »
A newcomer with little or no experience in an organization or community.
|
outsider »
One who is not part of a community or organization.
|
over a barrel »
In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.
|
over and out »
Used to signal the end of a conversation, especially one conducted by CB radio or the like.
|
over and over »
Repeatedly; again and again; many times.
|
over my dead body »
Under no circumstances; absolutely not.
|
over one's head »
More complex or confusing than one can understand; beyond one’s comprehension..
|
over one's head »
Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.
|
over the hill »
Old, past the prime of life.
|
over the moon »
Delighted, thrilled.
|
over the top »
Bold; beyond normal, expected, or reasonable limits; excessive; outrageous.
|
over the transom »
Said of an unsolicited work submitted for publication.
|
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.
|
overleap »
To ignore.
|
overleap »
To leap over, to jump over, to cross by jumping.
|
overleap »
To omit.
|
owing to »
because of
|
own up »
To acknowledge, confess, or admit guilt. Often used with to.
|
ox is in the ditch »
This is a big problem; there is unavoidable or demanding work ahead.
|
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.
|
pain in the ass »
Something that causes discomfort or is otherwise troublesome.
|
pain in the butt »
A nuisance; a source of trouble or annoyance.
|
pain in the neck »
Someone or something which is annoying, irritating or inconvenient.
|
paint oneself into a corner »
To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.
|
paint the town red »
To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.
|
paint with a broad brush »
To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.
|
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.
|
palm off »
To attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.
|
pan out »
By swirling dirt or crushed rock in a pan of water, in the manner of a traditional prospector seeking gold.
|
pan out »
To succeed; to proceed according to plan; to result or end up.
|
paper »
A newspaper or anything used as such .
|
paper »
A sheet material used for writing on or printing on , usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.
|
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 »
A written document, generally shorter than a book , in particular one written for the Government.
|
paper »
Money.
|
paper »
Wallpaper.
|
paper »
Wrapping paper.
|
paper trail »
A written record, history, or collection of evidence.
|
paper trail »
The records left by a person or organization in the course of activities.
|
par for the course »
To be expected; normal; common; usual.
|
parade of horribles »
A parade featuring a progression of people wearing comic and grotesque costumes.
|
parade of horribles »
A rhetorical device employing a series of progressively more terrible results following from an act.
|
parcel out »
To divide into portions or chunks; to ration.
|
pardon me »
Polite expression to get someone to repeat.
|
pardon me »
Sorry; said as an apology.
|
pardon my French »
Please excuse my swearing or bad language.
|
pare down »
To reduce by paring or a similar gradual process.
|
park that thought »
Alternative form of hold that thought.
|
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".
|
parking lot »
A major thruway blocked by stop and go traffic.
|
parking lot »
An open area, generally paved, where automobiles may be left when not in use.
|
part and parcel »
An integral or essential piece; that which must be done or accepted as part of something else.
|
parting shot »
An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.
|
party animal »
A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.
|
party crasher »
Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.
|
party pooper »
Someone who unnecessarily dampens fun.
|
party to »
Privy to; having knowledge of.
|
pass away »
To die.
|
pass by »
To proceed past something.
|
pass by »
To pass over. disregard, overlook.
|
pass muster »
To adequately pass a formal or informal inspection.
|
pass muster »
To measure up to a particular standard.
|
pass off »
To happen.
|
pass off »
To misrepresent something.
|
pass on »
To convey or communicate.
|
pass on »
To die.
|
pass on »
To skip or decline.
|
pass out »
To faint; fall asleep.
|
pass out »
To distribute, to hand out.
|
pass out »
To graduate, usually marked by the ceremony at the end of their training.
|
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.
|
pass the hat »
To ask for money, especially from a group of people; to solicit donations or contributions.
|
pass through »
To transit something.
|
pass through »
To make something move through something else.
|
pass through »
To infiltrate.
|
patience is a virtue »
it is better to be patient than impatient
|
patience of Job »
An great amount of patience.
|
patience of Job »
From the Bible, James Ch.5 V.11.
|
patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels »
The appeal to patriotism is often used to distract the public from real issues.
|
pave the way »
To make future development easier.
|
pay attention »
To be attentive; to focus one's attention.
|
pay for »
To exchange for, especially money for goods or services.
|
pay for »
To be punished or held accountable for.
|
pay for it »
To suffer the consequences of one's actions.
|
pay off »
To bribe, especially to deter oversight.
|
pay off »
To become worthwhile after a lapse.
|
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 one's dues »
To outlay money which is owed as a membership fee or price of admission.
|
pay out »
To distribute money; to disburse.
|
pay out »
To slacken a rope by lengthening it; to allow a rope to run out.
|
pay out »
To repay, take revenge.
|
pay the bills »
To provide enough income to sustain one's lifestyle.
|
pay the fiddler »
To contribute in order to participate.
|
pay the fiddler »
To face the consequences of one’s actions..
|
pay the freight »
To bear the cost.
|
pay the freight »
To pay for the cost of transport.
|
pay the piper »
To pay a monetary debt or experience unfavorable consequences, especially when the payment or consequences are inevitable in spite of attempts to avoid them.
|
pay through the nose »
To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.
|
pay up »
To pay for something in total, after a certain amount of time after receiving a purchase.
|
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.
|
pea patch »
A baseball field.
|
pea patch »
A realm of endeavor.
|
pea patch »
A small farm.
|
pea patch »
A small piece of land planted with peas.
|
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.
|
peanut gallery »
Any source of heckling, unwelcome commentary or criticism, especially from a know-it-all or of an inexpert nature.
|
pearl of wisdom »
A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.
|
peashooter »
A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.
|
peashooter »
Any small or ineffective gun.
|
pee off »
Euphemistic variant of piss off.
|
peed off »
Simple past tense and past participle of pee off.
|
peel grapes »
To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.
|
peel out »
To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.
|
peg it »
To run away; to leg it; to scarper.
|
pelt of the dog »
An immoderate, excessive quantity of alcohol drunk the morning after whilst suffering withdrawal symptoms or a hangover, which goes beyond alleviating the complaint to causing drunkenness; cf. hair of the dog.
|
penalty box »
That is assessed after an infraction.
|
penalty box »
The penalty area.
|
pencil pusher »
One who does routine office work; someone involved mainly in paperwork.
|
pencil skirt »
clothing item
|
pencil whip »
To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.
|
pencil-neck »
A person with a very thin neck.
|
pencil-neck »
An insubstantial person; a weakling.
|
pencil-necked »
Having a very thin neck.
|
pencil-necked »
Insubstantial; weak.
|
pencilneck »
A person with a very thin neck.
|
pencilneck »
An insubstantial person; a weakling.
|
pendre la cr%C3%A9maill%C3%A8re »
To have a housewarming party.
|
penguin suit »
A tuxedo.
|
penny black »
old stamp
|
penny for your thoughts »
Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted.
|
penny pincher »
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
|
penny wise and pound foolish »
Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful and profligate with large amounts.
|
people person »
Someone who is happier or more skilled at dealing with people rather than things or concepts.
|
people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones »
Do not criticize others if you have weaknesses yourself.
|
pep up »
To make stronger or more interesting.
|
per se »
by or in itself
|
perfect storm »
A powerful hurricane or other major weather disturbance, especially as produced by a combination of meteorological conditions.
|
perfect storm »
A situation where a calamity is caused by the convergence and amplifying interaction of a number of factors.
|
perp walk »
The intentional public display before news cameras of someone in police custody, especially someone famous or notorious, for the purpose of satisfying public interest, demonstrating the authorities' effectiveness, or shaming the person.
|
personal computers »
PCs
|
peter out »
To dwindle; to trail off; to diminish to nothing.
|
petits pois »
small peas
|
phase in »
To introduce something little by little.
|
phase out »
To remove or relinquish the use of something little by little.
|
physical break »
A short break in a meeting or in a classroom setting, intended to improve attention.
|
pi%C3%A8ce de r%C3%A9sistance »
A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..
|
pick of the litter »
The best person or item in a group.
|
pick on »
To bully or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.
|
pick one's nose »
The act of picking one's nose, insertion of a finger or other object into one's nostril.
|
pick somebody's brain »
To seek information from someone knowledgeable; to ask questions of someone.
|
pick up »
To lift; to grasp and raise.
|
pick up »
To collect an object, especially in passing.
|
pick up »
To clean up; to return to an organized state.
|
pick up »
To collect a passenger.
|
pick up »
To improve, increase, or speed up.
|
pick up »
To restart or resume.
|
pick up »
To learn, to grasp; to begin to understand.
|
pick up »
To receive.
|
pick up »
To notice, detect or discern, often used with "on".
|
pick up »
To point out (a person's behaviour, habits or actions),in a critical manner.
|
pick up »
To meet and seduce somebody for romantic purposes, especially in a social situation, sometimes used with "on".
|
pick up »
To answer a telephone. See pick up the phone.
|
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.
|
pickin' and grinnin' »
Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.
|
pickle »
Any vegetable preserved in vinegar and consumed as relish.
|
pickle »
A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown.
|
pickle »
A cucumber preserved in a solution, usually a brine or a vinegar syrup.
|
pickle »
A difficult situation, peril.
|
pickle »
A penis.
|
pickle »
A rundown.
|
pickle »
An affectionate term for a loved one.
|
pickle »
The brine used for preserving food.
|
piece de resistance »
A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..
|
piece of ass »
A male prostitute.
|
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 cake »
One slice of cake.
|
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 in a poke »
Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.
|
pig out »
To eat voraciously or ravenously; to gorge oneself.
|
pig out »
They watched the game and pigged out on chips and pizza.
|
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.
|
pin down »
To corner somebody in order to get a firm answer.
|
pin tuck »
narrow ornamental fold
|
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.
|
pinchpenny »
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
|
pink slip »
An automobile roadworthiness inspection certificate.
|
pink slip »
Notice of the termination of employment.
|
pipe down »
To be quiet; to refrain from being noisy.
|
pipe dream »
A plan, desire, or idea that will not likely work; a near impossibility.
|
pipe dream »
fanciful hope
|
pipe up »
To speak up.
|
piping hot »
Very hot.
|
piss and moan »
To complain, especially needlessly and loudly.
|
piss and vinegar »
Exuberance or enthusiasm, especially to an excessive degree; bravado; youthful energy.
|
piss away »
To spend wastefully.
|
piss money up the wall »
To waste money, normally through ineptness in business.
|
piss off »
To leave, to go away.
|
piss off »
To annoy, anger.
|
piss up a rope »
To engage in futile or impossible activity.
|
pissed off »
Annoyed, upset, angry.
|
pissin like a race horse »
To urinate profusely.
|
pissing contest »
A boys' prankish competition to determine who can urinate the furthest up a wall.
|
pissing contest »
An argument which is instigated, or exacerbated while consuming alcohol.
|
pissing contest »
An immature dispute over some trivial matter.
|
pit against »
To set someone in opposition to someone else.
|
pitch a tent »
To have an erection that shows through the trousers.
|
pitch in »
To help out; lend assistance; contribute; to do one's part.
|
pitch woo »
To flatter.
|
pitch woo »
To make love.
|
pitched battle »
A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.
|
pitched battle »
An intense, rancorous argument or confrontation.
|
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 behave in a silly, or childish, or irresponsible way.
|
play around »
To work with in a non-serious manner.
|
play around »
To engage in sexual practices outside of marriage.
|
play ball »
An expression used at the beginning of a game of baseball.
|
play ball »
To work together; to cooperate.
|
play down »
To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
|
play dumb »
To pretend to be mute.
|
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 fast and loose »
To ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits ones purpose.
|
play for love »
To play a game of cards without stakes.
|
play games »
To deceive, to lie about one's intentions.
|
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 hookey »
To be absent without permission, especially from school.
|
play hooky »
To miss school, work, or other duties without permission or an excuse.
|
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 Old Harry »
Blenkiron and I have been moving in the best circles as skilled American engineers who are going to play Old Harry with the British on the Tigris. — John Buchan, "Greenmantle", 1916..
|
play Old Harry »
To play the devil; to make mischief.
|
play on words »
A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.
|
play one against another »
To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.
|
play one's cards right »
To act sensibly; to make the right moves.
|
play possum »
To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.
|
play possum »
To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.
|
play possum »
To feign sleep, illness, etc.
|
play second fiddle »
To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.
|
play silly buggers »
To act in a stupid or reckless manner.
|
play someone like a fiddle »
Skilfully.
|
play the field »
To date more than one person at the same time.
|
play the fool »
To behave in a foolish or comical 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.
|
play to the gallery »
To appeal to the least sophisticated parts of an audience in order to obtain maximum approval.
|
play up »
To misbehave.
|
play up »
To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.
|
play with fire »
To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially.
|
plays down »
minimises
|
plead the fifth »
To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.
|
plead the fifth »
To refuse to answer a question, or refuse to speak, especially when the response would reflect badly on the speaker.
|
pleased as Punch »
Pleased with one's actions or achievements.
|
plug away »
To persist or continue, as with an effort.
|
plug in »
To a plug socket.
|
plump up »
To shake or arrange so as to be fatter or more evenly distributed.
|
plus »
(literally) The more it changes, the more it's the same thing (sometimes loosely translated as the more things change, the more they stay the same).Although the outward appearance may change, fundamentals are constant.
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plus fours »
knickerbockers
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poacher turned gamekeeper »
A person who now works against the same people they once supported.
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pocket money »
child's allowance
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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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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.
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point of no return »
The point in any journey, process, or sequence of events when it is no longer possible to reverse course or stop the process.
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point out »
To identify with a bodily gesture, notably by pointing a finger or implement.
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point out »
To tell, remind, indicate to someone.
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point the finger »
To accuse; to direct or imply blame.
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point the finger at »
To accuse or blame.
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poison »
A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism.
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poison »
Something that harms a person or thing.
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poison pen »
A usually intentionally rude, spiteful, and/or condescending piece of writing directed at a person, group, lifestyle, way of thought, or other target.
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poison tree bears poison fruit »
Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.
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polish off »
To remove by polishing .
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polo shirt »
garment
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pony in the barn »
An exciting and real prospect, something to be legitimately excited about.
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poor power »
Limited ability.
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pop a cap in someone's ass »
To shoot someone with a gun.
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pop in »
To visit in an impromptu manner.
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pop off »
To leave, and return in a short time.
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pop off »
To die suddenly.
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pop off »
To kill someone.
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pop off »
To release flatulence, in most cases, in short rapid succession.
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pop one's clogs »
To die.
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pop out »
To leave a room or building with the expectation of returning soon.
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pop someone's cherry »
To deflower someone.
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pop the cherry »
To break the hymen; to lose one's virginity.
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pop the question »
To propose marriage.
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pop up »
To appear without warning.
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pop up »
To come up with a "pop" sound.
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pop up »
appear suddenly
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pope's nose »
The tail end piece of a cooked chicken.
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popped the question »
proposed
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pore over »
To examine something carefully and attentively.
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pork sausages »
bangers
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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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poster boy »
See poster child.
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poster child »
One who is a prototypical or quintessential example of something.
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poster girl »
See poster child.
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Postpone »
to cancel until a future a time
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pot calling the kettle black »
A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.
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potter »
God, the creator.
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potter »
One who makes pots and other ceramic wares.
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potter »
One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.
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potter about »
To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.
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potter around »
To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.
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potter's clay »
A nation or kingdom.
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potter's clay »
A person or people created and shaped by God.
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potter's clay »
I am the potter’s clay.
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potter's clay »
The clay used by a potter.
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potter's clay »
We are but potter’s clay.
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potter's field »
A public place where strangers, paupers, and criminals are buried.
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potty mouth »
The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.
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pound of flesh »
Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.
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pound sand »
To engage in a futile activity.
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pound the pavement »
To campaign diligently; to seek something, such as business, employment, or answers.
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pound the pavement »
To travel on foot; to walk or run.
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pour oil on troubled waters »
To calm something or someone who is tenacious or misbehaving.
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pour out »
To serve a drink into a cup or glass.
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pour out »
To leave a place quickly, and in large numbers.
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pour out »
To talk volubly and deeply. Usually implies telling the truth.
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power behind the throne »
Someone who appears to be without special status, but who has great covert influence on a person in authority.
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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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power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely »
The corrupting influence of power is total when one's power is total.Lord Acton see: Wikiquote
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power point »
electrical socket
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power up »
To turn the electrical power on to a device as a precondition to make it operational.
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power up »
To become ready for operation as a result of the provision of electrical power.
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powers that be »
The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially as seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.
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practice makes perfect »
If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.
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prawn cocktail offensive »
A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.
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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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preach to the choir »
Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.
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preprogram »
To predispose to certain thoughts or behaviours.
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preprogram »
To program something in advance.
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present day »
current
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press stud »
snap fastener
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press the flesh »
To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.
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pretty penny »
A considerable amount of money; a high price or a high income.
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pretty pictures »
Image supplements in a presentation: graphs, charts, etc.
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pretzel »
A toasted bread or cracker usually in the shape of a loose knot.
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pretzel »
Anything that is knotted, twisted, or tangled.
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prevail upon »
To convince; to persuade.
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prevention is better than cure »
it is better to prevent the creation of a bad thing, than to destroy it.
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price is right »
The cost of a thing is reasonable and of good value.
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price on one's head »
A compensation for capturing or killing a person, especially someone guilty of a crime.
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price out of the market »
To charge an exorbitant price for a service or product so that no one will purchase it.
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prick up one's ears »
To listen attentively.
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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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pride cometh before a fall »
Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.
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pride goes before a fall »
Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.
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pride goeth before a fall »
Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.
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prime of life »
The period of one's mature life when one is at a peak of health and performance.
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private branch exchange »
Telephone lines.
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private eye »
A private personal detective, employed to gather information about someone.
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prize fighter »
boxer
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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.
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problem child »
Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or annoyance.
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prone out »
In order to be propelled shorewards by a broken wave.
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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.
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pronunciamiento »
A pronouncement or "declaration".
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prop up the bar »
To spend time drinking alcohol at the bar in a pub.
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prove out »
To demonstrate the feasibility of.
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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.
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proverbs go in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1932, Bertrand Russell,
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proverbs hunt in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.
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proverbs often come in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.
|
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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puddle jumper »
A small passenger airplane, typically used for shorter connecting trips to smaller airports.
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puff out »
To inflate.
|
puff out »
To blow briefly and lightly.
|
puff up »
To inflate with air.
|
puff up »
To swell due to injury or illness.
|
puff up »
To become proud.
|
puke up »
To vomit.
|
pulcher »
Beautiful, fair.
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pulcher »
Beauty.
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pulcher »
Noble, honorable, excellent.
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pull a »
He pulled an Elvis and got really fat.
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pull a »
To emulate a behaviour generally attributed to the individual named.
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pull a face »
To make an abnormal facial expression.
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pull a fast one »
To deceive or trick.
|
pull an all-nighter »
Work diligently throughout the night.
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pull apart »
To open something by pulling on various parts of it.
|
pull away »
To move ahead.
|
pull my finger »
A phrase used when playing a prank regarding flatulence, in which a mark is asked to pull the finger of the person playing the prank, who simultaneously flatulates so as to suggest a causal relationship between the pulling of the finger and the resulting expulsion of gas.
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pull off »
To remove by pulling.
|
pull off »
To achieve; to succeed at something difficult.
|
pull one's finger out »
To stop wasting time in preliminaries, and concentrate on the important task.
|
pull one's head in »
To withdraw as a turtle might; to discontinue support of a particular argument.
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pull one's own weight »
To do the work that one is obligated to.
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pull one's socks up »
To start making an effort; to renew or redouble one's efforts.
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pull one's weight »
To do the work that one is obligated to.
|
pull oneself together »
To become mentally focused after a period of being unfocused.
|
pull oneself up by one's bootstraps »
To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only on one's own effort or abilities.
|
pull out »
To withdraw; especially of military forces; to retreat.
|
pull out »
To use coitus interruptus as a method of birth control.
|
pull out »
To remove something from a container.
|
pull out »
To maneuver a vehicle from the side of a road onto the lane.
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pull out all the stops »
To reserve or hold back nothing.
|
pull over »
To cause to pull over.
|
pull rank »
To assert one's authority over a subordinate who disagrees.
|
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.
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pull someone down a peg »
To lower someone's high self-opinion.
|
pull strings »
To manipulate, especially by asking favours of.
|
pull teeth »
To do something that is especially difficult or effortful.
|
pull teeth »
To remove teeth, usually because they are diseased or damaged.
|
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 other one, it's got bells on »
The implication is that one leg has been pulled, and the joker will have more fun with the other one due to the bells.
|
pull the other one, it's got bells on »
Monty Python's Holy Grail.
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pull the plug »
To cease from production or publication.
|
pull the plug »
To cease life support.
|
pull the plug »
To cease to support; to halt.
|
pull the plug »
To unplug or cut power.
|
pull the trigger »
To commit to a course of action.
|
pull the trigger »
To fire a gun.
|
pull together »
To unite for a common objective.
|
pull up »
Lift upwards or vertically.
|
pull up »
Retrieve; get.
|
pull up »
Drive close to something, especially a curb.
|
pull up stumps »
To cease doing something, at least for the day.
|
pump iron »
To lift weights; to engage in weight or strength training.
|
pump up »
To inflate by means of a pump.
|
pump up »
To inflate with a pumping action.
|
pump up »
To excite a person or group to a frenzy.
|
pump up »
To cause one's muscles to swell by means of focussed weightlifting.
|
punch bowl waterfall »
A plunging waterfall descending from a narrow stream into a pool.
|
punch in »
To enter a workplace by punching a time card.
|
pure and simple »
Plain and unadorned.
|
purple prose »
Extravagant or flowery writing, especially in a literary work.
|
push one's luck »
To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.
|
push the boat out »
To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.
|
push the envelope »
To go beyond established limits; to pioneer.
|
pushing up daisies »
Dead.
|
put a damper on »
To stop people from enjoying an activity.
|
put a foot wrong »
To make a mistake.
|
put a lid on it »
To be quiet; shut up; to stop talking about something or making noise.
|
put a sock in it »
To be quiet; to shut one's mouth; to stop talking.
|
put a stop to »
To terminate or abolish something.
|
put about »
To change direction.
|
put across »
To explain or state something clearly and understandably.
|
put across »
To perform a theatrical production.
|
put all one's eggs in one basket »
Rather than diversifying.
|
put an end to »
To terminate or abolish something.
|
put aside »
To save money.
|
put aside »
To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.
|
put away »
To store away, place out of the way, clean up, or organize.
|
put away »
To eat a great deal.
|
put away »
To send someone to prison.
|
put away »
Divorce.
|
put away »
To strike out a batter.
|
put away »
To catch a fly ball or tag out a baserunner.
|
put away »
To take a large lead in a game.
|
put back »
To return something to it's original place.
|
put back »
To postpone an arranged event or appointment.
|
put back »
To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time.
|
put by »
To preserve food by canning, freezing, drying, etc.
|
put by »
To perform an action without attracting attention.
|
put by »
To save money.
|
put by »
To run a ship aground intentionally to avoid a collision.
|
put down »
To set down, stop carrying, or place in a low location.
|
put down »
To insult, belittle, or demean.
|
put down »
To pay an initial amount of money on a large purchase.
|
put down »
To halt, eliminate, stop, or squelch, often by force.
|
put down »
To administer euthanasia to, as an animal too old or ill to cure.
|
put down »
To write something.
|
put down »
To replace the telephone receiver and terminate a call. To hang up.
|
put down »
To add a name to a list.
|
put down »
To make prices, or taxes, lower.
|
put down »
To place a baby somewhere to sleep.
|
put down »
To drop someone off, or let them out of a vehicle.
|
put down for »
To record that someone has offered to help, or contribute something.
|
put down roots »
To do things which show that one wishes to stay put.
|
put down roots »
To feel that one belong in a place.
|
put down to »
To state the cause of a situation.
|
put forth »
To give or supply; to make or create.
|
put forward »
To propose for consideration.
|
put forward »
|