We've found 728 phrases for fa (0.1 seconds):

a dumb priest never got a parish »    (Irish) Those who fail to speak up fail to get what they want.

a million times »    by a factor of a million

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

a picture paints a thousand words »    A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description.1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album:If a picture paints a thousand wordsThen why can't I paint you;The words will never showThe you I've come to know.1989, Alan Kay, quoted in K?o-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, ISBN 9971506645, p. 9:Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, ISBN 1904788734, p. 52:See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!

a 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 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.

abide by »    To remain faithful to something or someone; to stand to; to adhere.

about time »    Far past the desired time.

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

absence makes the heart grow fonder »    When someone or something is faraway, you realise how much you love (or miss) them or it.

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.

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

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

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

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

all over grumble »    Unsatisfactory.

all the rage »    Very fashionable and popular, like a craze.

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

all very well »    True, as far as it goes.

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.

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.

angle for farthings »    To beg out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.

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

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 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.

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

arse over tit »    Tumbling; falling; upside-down; unstable or unbalanced.

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 good as one's word »    Faithful to a promise one has made.

as yet »    Up to the present; thus far.

at best »    In the most favorable of conditions; at the most.

au fait »    fully informed;

away with the fairies »    Not with it, dreaming, not all there.

babe in arms »    An infant.

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

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

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

bacon fed »    Fat, greasy.

bacon-faced »    Having a fat, sleek face.

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.

bang straw »    A nick name for a thresher, but applied to all the servants of a farmer.

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

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

base over apex »    Falling over in a jumbled heap.

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.

beat a dead horse »    To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.

beef to the hoof »    Fat, chubby, particularly with fat legs.

been there, done that, bought the T-shirt »    Expresses the speaker's complete familiarity with a situation, with overtones of cynicism or exhaustion.

bells and whistles »    Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.

below par »    Having a price below its face value.

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

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

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.

bet the farm »    To be absolutely certain, to have no doubts.

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.

bid fair »    seem probable

bid fair »    seems probable

big fat »    Complete, utter, total.

bite the dust »    To quit, or fail.

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

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

blimp out »    To become fat or fatter, especially as a result of excessive eating.

blood is thicker than water »    Family relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.1866, Anthony Trollope, The Belton Estate, ch. 30,Blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?circa 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, The Scotch Twins, ch. 5,The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!

blow it »    To fail at something; to mess up; to make a mistake.

blow up »    To fail disastrously.

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

blue-eyed boy »    Someone's favourite, especially a young one.

born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »    Born rich or in a wealthy family.

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

bought the farm »    Simple past tense and past participle of buy the farm: died; often refers to death in battle.

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.

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.

brass farthing »    Something worthless or of small value.

break down »    To fail.

break the buck »    Fall below the value of one dollar per share.[1].

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.

brick by brick »    To create or build something in a steady, step-by-step fashion.

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

bring down »    To make something flying fall to the ground. Usually by firing a weapon of some kind.

bring in »    To earn money for a company or for the family.

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 upon »    To cause to befall.

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

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

buck off »    To cause to fall off.

buckle up »    To fasten one's seat belt or safety belt.

bulletproof »    Reliable, infallible, sturdy or error-tolerant.

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

bum rap »    An undeservedly unfavorable portrayal or reputation.

burst someone's bubble »    To disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown comfortable.

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.

but seriously folks »    Directs attention to immediately preceding failed attempt at humor.

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.

buy the farm »    To die; often, to die in battle.

by far »    To a considerably large extent, easily.

call it even »    To declare debts resolved or favors or other exchange equitable.

carry off »    Knowledge, confidence, or familiarity.

carry one's weight »    To contribute or produce one's fair share, as of work, money, etc.

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

cat's meow »    A highly sought-after and fancy example of something.

cat's pyjamas »    A highly sought-after and fancy example of something, usually referring to inanimate objects.

catch out »    To discover or expose as fake or insincere.

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.

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.

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.

cheat on »    To be unfaithful to.

chew the fat »    To chat idly or generally waste time talking.

circles around »    Far faster or better than.

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

claim to fame »    That for which one has bragging rights; one's reason for being well-known or famous.

clay »    A tennis court surface.

clear the decks »    To remove, or fasten, all loose material, or partitions prior to a naval engagement.

close to home »    Affecting people close to, or within, ones family circle.

cock-and-bull story »    A far-fetched and fanciful story or tale of highly dubious validity.

combine harvester »    farm vehicle

come a cropper »    To fall headlong from a horse.

come a cropper »    To suffer some misfortune; to fail.

come short »    Fail to meet (expectations or standards)

come to »    To recover consciousness after fainting etc.

come to »    To befall; to affect; to happen to; to come upon.

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

conk out »    To fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly.

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

cop out »    To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.

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.

couldn't happen to a nicer »    Sarcastically asserts that those in question thoroughly deserve their fate.

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

crash and burn »    To fail utterly.

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.

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

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.

curry favor »    To seek to gain favor by flattery or attention.

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

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

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..

dead duck »    A project that is doomed to failure from the start.

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.

deadweight »    A useless, usually encumbering factor.

deal breaker »    To fail.

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

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

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

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 up »    To fasten a piece of clothing.

do-or-die »    Requiring a determined or desperate effort to avoid the consequences of failure.

dog it »    To underperform; to lag behind; to fail to exert effort.

dog's breakfast »    An unappealing mixture; a disorderly situation; a mess.

don't drive faster than your guardian angel can fly »    Driving (a vehicle) very fast is a dangerous act.

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

doorprikken »    To expose as false.

doss down »    To sleep on someone's sofa or floor because there is no bed spare.

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

down the tubes »    Into a state of collapse or failure.

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

doze off »    To fall asleep unintentionally.

drag »    To pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty.

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

dress up »    To wear fancy dress or a costume.

dress up »    To present in a favorable light.

dressed to the nines »    Very fancily or formally dressed; wearing very showy or splendid clothing.

drift off »    To fall asleep in a gradual manner.

drip »    To fall one drop at a time.

drop a bomb »    To release faeces from the bowels; to excrete.

drop off »    To fall asleep.

drop off »    To fall.

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.

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.

easy as falling off a log »    Very easy.

eat humble pie »    To admit one's faults; to make a humiliating apology.

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.

enough to make the angels weep »    Something so distressing that it causes one to lose hope and faith.

err on the side of »    To behave in a manner which favours or which is biassed toward.

even money »    By extension, an event that is somewhat likely to happen, but far from inevitable.

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

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

Every rose has it's thorns »    everything, even if it seems perfect, has faults

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.

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.

feast or famine »    A situation in which something is always either extremely abundant or in extremely short supply.

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

few and far between »    Rare and scarce.

fiddle faddle »    nonsense

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.

fight a losing battle »    To try to do something so difficult that it will probably end in failure.

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.

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

fool's errand »    A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.

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 that matter »    As far as that is concerned.

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."

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.

free range »    not intensively farmed

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.

fry up »    Full English breakfast.

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 »    Incorrect; uninformed; exaggerating or expressing falsehood.

full of shit »    Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.

full tilt boogie »    Intensely, fast paced.

funny farm »    An insane asylum.

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.

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 into one's stride »    To become familiar with something recently learnt.

get off »    To fall asleep.

get on somebody's case »    To lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.

get taken in »    To be fooled; to fall for.

ghost train »    fairground attraction

give a sneck posset »    To fasten the door latch.

give face »    To honor; to pay respect.

give in »    To collapse or fall.

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

give the lie to »    To prove something to be false; to refute.

glimmer »    A faint light; a dim glow.

glimmer »    A faint or remote possibility.

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 belly-up »    To fail or fold; especially, to close or shut down a business; to go out of business.

go by the board »    To fall or to go overboard; to be cast over the side of a ship.

go down »    Fall to the floor.

go down the pan »    To fail or degenerate rapidly.

go down the toilet »    To fail.

go down the tubes »    To fail or degenerate rapidly.

go in one ear and out the other »    Failed to pay attention.

go overboard »    Fall out of a vessel.

go overboard »    Go too far, be excessive.

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

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

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...

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.

gone to the dogs »    To have fallen into disrepair or ruin; to have been stagnant or depreciated.

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

good fences make good neighbors »    It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.

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

grate »    A horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.

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.

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.

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.

hand down »    To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor.

handwriting on the wall »    Alternative form of writing on the wall. A divine prediction or sentence to fate.

happily ever after »    Living happily until death. Typically associated with fairy tales.

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

haul off »    To alter course so as to get farther away from an object.

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

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

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

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

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.

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 »    A factor conducive to superiority and success.

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

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..

historical figure »    A fictional or fabricated person who was was given historical importance in legends and myth.

hit one out of the ballpark »    To hit a fair ball so well that the ball flies over all of the spectators' seats and lands outside the stadium.

hit the gas »    Go, go faster.

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

hold a grudge »    Far longer than is reasonable.

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

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

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.

how-d'ye-do »    A troublesome state of affairs.

humble pie »    A pie made from the offal of deer or hog.

hung the moon »    To view or be viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.

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 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!"

ill fated »    doomed

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 league of one's own »    Far excelling even the closest contender; not having any worthy competition.

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

in Dutch »    In trouble or in disfavor.

in fact »    Actually, in truth.

in fact »    Resulting from the actions of parties.

in its infancy »    Still in an early stage.

in one hell of a hurry »    In a very great hurry; very fast or hastily.

in one's element »    In a situation which is entirely appropriate or familiar.

in so far as »    With respect to.

in the cards »    Destined or fated to happen; predicted or foreseen.

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 vain »    Without success; ending in failure.

in your face »    An exclamation of derision or contempt.

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

it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings »    There are more developments yet to come.

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

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

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

jive turkey »    Someone who is jiving, as in behaving in a glib and disingenuous fashion.

jump »    To cause oneself to leave an elevated location and fall downward.

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

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.

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.

kick in »    To kick or strike so as to cause the object struck to collapse or fall inwards.

kill the fatted calf »    To begin a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return.

kill the rabbit »    To get a positive test result from an old-fashioned pregnancy test.

kind »    Favorable.

king »    A male monarch; member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.

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

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.

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

knock down »    To drink fast.

knock up »    To put together, fabricate, or assemble, particularly if done hastily or temporarily. See also knock together.

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.

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

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.

laced-up »    Fastened with a lace.

late model »    Recently designed or fabricated; new.

lay an egg »    To produce a failure or flop; to do something which is unsuccessful.

lay low »    To knock out; to cause to fall.

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.

lean towards »    To favor in a decision.

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.

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 down »    To disappoint; to betray or fail somebody.

let somebody down »    To fail somebody; to disappoint or to fail to uphold a commitment.

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

life and limb »    Existence together with bodily faculties.

light a fire under »    To start sooner or move faster.

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

lion »    A famous person.

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

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

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

loose end »    The end of a rope that has not been fastened.

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

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 errand »    A mission likely to fail.

love is blind »    A person who is in love can see no faults or imperfections in the person who is loved.

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..

lucky break »    A stroke of luck; a fortunate event, particularly of the sort that propels one to success, fame, etc.

made in China »    Cheaply manufactured in East Asia.

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

made in Japan »    Cheaply manufactured in East Asia.

made in Japan »    Manufactured in Japan.

make a living »    To earn enough income to support oneself and, if applicable, one's family.

make a name for oneself »    To gain fame.

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 an exhibition of oneself »    She had far too much to drink and made an exhibition of herself by flirting with everyone.

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

make it »    To become famous and successful.

make it big »    To become famous and successful.

make out »    To fabricate a story.

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

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

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.

matter of fact »    A fact.

matter of fact »    A more factual correction.

matter of fact »    Something completely true.

mend one's ways »    To recognise one's failings and attempt to remedy them.

mind one's own business »    To concern oneself only with what is of interest to oneself and not interfere in the affairs of others.

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.

mother hen »    An outspoken and overprotective woman dealing with others' affairs.

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

move the goal posts »    To unilaterally change the rules, or terms of an agreement, especially in an unfair or underhand way.

movie star »    famous film actor

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

music to one's ear »    Some unexpected good news; a favorable outcome after some initial confusion or delay.

nervous hit »    A production which receives generally favorably notice, but is not assured of success.

no dice »    An unfavorable result.

no frills »    Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.

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 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 smoke without fire »    Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.

no-show »    An absence; somebody who doesn't show up or a failure to show up.

nod off »    To fall asleep, especially while in a seated position or in inappropriate circumstances.

not all it's cracked up to be »    Not as good as claimed; falling short of expectations.

not have the faintest »    To not know; to have no idea.

not win for losing »    To repeatedly fail in one's gambles or efforts.

not worth a brass farthing »    Worth nothing or next to nothing.

nutfarm »    An insane asylum.

object lesson »    A lesson taught using a familiar or unusual object as a focus.

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.

Old Fart »    An elderly person who holds views that are considered old-fashioned.

old hat »    Something uninteresting, hackneyed, or passé due to overuse or long-standing familiarity..

old hat »    Something with which one is very familiar, or in which one is experienced or skilled.

old money »    Families that have been wealthy for generations or members of such families.

old school »    Characteristic of a style, outlook, or method employed in a former era, remembered either as inferior to the current style, or alternately, remembered nostalgically as superior or preferable to the new style, the older denoting something that would be considered out of date or out of fashion to some, but as such, is considered by others as cool and hip.

on the clock »    Of a taxicab, engaged for hire; displayed numerically as time or fare on the meter of a taxicab.

on the face of »    Notwithstanding.

on the face of it »    Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.

on the mend »    Improving or undergoing restoration to a previous, more favorable condition.

on the plus side »    Positively; from a favorable view or perspective.

on the ropes »    Showing signs of imminent failure or collapse.

one-hit wonder »    A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.

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.

orphan drug »    But which is not manufactured or marketed because the demand is insufficient to cover the costs of supply.

out of house and home »    Helping Your Dog Adjust to a New Home, The Progressive Animal Welfare Society.

out of touch »    No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.

out of whole cloth »    Fabricated, fictitious.

painting rocks »    Pointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment but in fact merely disguising the unemployment level.

pass out »    To faint; fall asleep.

pay the fiddler »    To face the consequences of one’s actions..

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.

pea patch »    A small farm.

peaches-and-cream »    Of facial complexion, smooth, with attractive yellow-pink coloring.

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.

piece of work »    A product or manufactured article, especially an item of art or craft.

pipe dream »    fanciful hope

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.

plump up »    To shake or arrange so as to be fatter or more evenly distributed.

pot calling the kettle black »    A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.

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

powers that be »    The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially as seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.

press stud »    snap fastener

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.

pride cometh before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

pride goes before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

pride goeth before a fall »    Alternative form of pride comes before a fall.

pulcher »    Beautiful, fair.

pull a »    He pulled an Elvis and got really fat.

pull a face »    To make an abnormal facial expression.

pull a fast one »    To deceive or trick.

pull strings »    To manipulate, especially by asking favours of.

punch bowl waterfall »    A plunging waterfall descending from a narrow stream into a pool.

put back »    To drink fast; to knock down alcohol.

put one's best foot forward »    To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.

put one's foot down »    To make a car go faster, accelerate.

put the boot in »    To kick a fallen opponent.

rake »    The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.

red face test »    A hypothetical test of a person's embarrassment, that is either passed or failed. Saying one passes the red face test means one would not blush and thus would not be embarrassed by disclosing something to others or doing something, and saying one fails the red face test means a situation would cause them discernible embarrassment.

red herring »    A clue that is misleading or that has been falsified, intended to divert attention.

red hot »    to be keen; he is the favourite to win

reinvent the wheel »    To redo work unnecessarily when it has already been done satisfactorily; to rethink an already working system, technique, etc. in a pointless attempt to improve it.

ride one's luck »    To avoid failure only by good fortune.

right as rain »    Correct; factually accurate.

ring a bell »    To seem at least vaguely familiar.

ring false »    To seem to be incorrect, or implausible.

ring hollow »    To seem to be false or implausible; to be unconvincing.

rip off »    To charge an exorbitant or unfair rate.

rise up »    To rise to the surface.

rum go »    An odd affair; a surprising event; a confusing experience; a queer thing.

run away with »    To leave secretly with another person. Usually with the intention of getting married or of living together against the wishes of the family.

run down »    To criticize someone or an organisation, often unfairly.

run hot and cold »    To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure.

sack out »    To fall asleep, usually from implied exhaustion.

safety pin »    fastener

save face »    To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.

say goodbye »    To wish someone farewell upon their leaving.

scratch the surface »    To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.

screw the pooch »    To screw up; to fail in dramatic and ignominious fashion.

seagull approach »    The occurence of casual, ill-informed and hasty decisions or comments made by outside authorities who lack an understanding of the local issues or a real understanding of the facts of a particular situ.

seeing is believing »    You need to see something to believe it; visible facts cannot be denied.

sell like hot cakes »    To sell fast.

seller's market »    An excess of demand over supply, leading to abnormally high prices; a market condition favoring the seller.

send away »    To send to a particular place for a long time, as a family member, an employee, etc.

set down »    Simple sum of parts set + down, to place, especially on the ground or a surface; to cease carrying.

sex up »    To enhance in terms of fashionable appeal.

shit-eating grin »    A broad smile indicating self-awareness that may suggest self-satisfaction, smugness, discomfort, or embarrassment.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.

shut one's face »    To stop talking; to be quiet.

sink or swim »    To fail or succeed, no matter what.

sit out »    To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.

sitting pretty »    In a favorable situation, especially a situation in which one possesses an advantage.

slip up »    To err, falter; to make a mistake.

snake oil »    A type of 19th century patent medicine sold in the United States that claimed to contain snake fat, supposedly a Native American remedy for various ailments.

sneck posset »    A fastened latch.

snow in »    By a large snowfall.

so far »    Until now; previously; yet.

so far »    as yet; up till now

so far so good »    Up to this point, all is OK.Well, you've packed your bags for the holiday, bought your tickets, reserved the hotel and put the dog in kennels. So far so good, now let's get to Minorca without any troubles.

soft hearted »    Be kind; Fall for someone

spare tire »    Excess weight or fat accumulated near the waist.

spare tyre »    A large stomach and rolls of fat around the waist.

spin a yarn »    To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.

spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar »    To have something important fail for want of a small amount of money or effort.

stand back »    To stand a long way behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a fast bowler.

stand by »    To remain loyal or faithful.

stand from under »    To escape something falling or being thrown from above.

stand one's ground »    To maintain or stick by an opinion or position; to remain resolute in the face of opposition.

standard fare »    Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.

standard fare »    Something which is normal, routine, or unexceptional; something which is commonly provided or encountered.

standard fare »    The usual price for travel by air, rail, or another means of transport.

stare someone in the face »    To be extremely visible and obvious.

state of affairs »    A specific situation; a set of circumstances.

step on a rake »    To fall victim to a hazard.

step on a rake »    To step on the tines of a garden rake, causing the handle of the rake to rise from the ground rapidly, invariably striking the person walking in the face.

step on it »    To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.

stick in the mud »    More generally, one who is slow, old-fashioned, or unprogressive; an old fogey.

stick one's nose in »    To be nosy; to meddle or interfere in the affairs of another.

sticking point »    A disputed issue or state of affairs that causes an interruption or outright impasse in progress towards some goal or resolution, especially in negotiation or argumentation.

sticking point »    The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking-place.

sticking-place »    The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking point.

stone's throw »    A short distance, roughly equivalent to how far a person can throw a stone.

straight face »    A face that is expressionless, especially not laughing.

straight out of the chute »    Something done immediately, or "from the beginning". Taken from rodeo routine: the bucking bronco, or bull, or the calf for the calf-roping contest is kept in a narrow pen, a chute, until it is released and dashes out to its fate.

strap on a pair »    To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation where one has so far failed to do so.

strip away »    To ignore a factor which obscures the reality.

success has many fathers, failure is an orphan »    Many will seek credit for success, few will accept responsibility for failure.

suck face »    To kiss, especially deeply and for a prolonged time.

suck up »    To adulate or flatter somebody excessively, generally to obtain some personal benefit or favour.

sugarcoated »    Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.

sweet dreams »    Phrase said to someone before they fall asleep, wishing them a good sleep.

sweetheart deal »    A transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.

swing for the fences »    To act in a way that might generate a very good result, but which also has a large chance of failing.

sword and sandal »    Of or pertaining to a genre of books or films relating fantasy-adventure tales involving heroic exploits in ancient or biblical times.

sword and sorcery »    Of or pertaining to a genre of narratives—including short stories, novels, television shows, films, and computer games—which combines wizardry and other fantastical supernatural elements with violent combat using medieval weaponry..

take a dim view of »    To dislike; to regard with skepticism, disbelief, disfavor, etc.

take a dive »    To lose or fail intentionally.

take a spill »    To trip or fall.

take a tumble »    To fall in price or value.

take a tumble »    To fall off something, or down something.

take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »    If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,

take down »    To remove something from a wall or similar vertical surface to which it is fixed.

take for granted »    To give little attention to or to underestimate the value of, to fail to appreciate.

take the fall »    To assume blame for oneself.

take to the cleaners »    To take a significant quantity of a person's money or valuables, through gambling, unfavorable investing, fraud, litigation, etc.

talk dirty »    To use profane language, especially sexual vulgarities for the purpose of arousal.

talk someone's ear off »    To talk excessively or far more than is wanted or appreciated.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

tall tale »    A greatly exaggerated, fantastic story.

teacher's pet »    A student who is perceived to be favored by the teacher.

teacher's pet »    favourite pupil

tell tales »    To be lying, to be making false claims.

that's the way life is »    That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree »    A child grows up to be very similar to its parents in the way they act and in their physical abilities.

the bigger they are, the harder they fall »    The larger something is, the more disastrous and spectacular its downfall

the calm before the storm »    A period of peace before a disturbance or crisis; an unnatural or false calm before a storm.

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get »    (vulgar) The sexual satisfactions that one receives from a spouse or romantic partner are not sufficient to compensate for the significant periods of bad faith and unpleasant treatment which such relationships routinely involve.1971, Allen Churchill, The Literary Decade, ISBN 9780135375228:Years later she expressed her disillusionment with sex by saying, "The fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."1999, Ben Sonnenberg, Lost Property: Memoirs and Confessions of a Bad Boy, ISBN 9781582430454, p. 93:Maitland got drunk at his parties and threw his arm around you and pulled you over to his wife and made you look down her dress, saying, "The trouble with marriage is that the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."2008, Joseph Heywood, Blue Wolf In Green Fire, ISBN 9781599213590, p. 63:"I can't believe a little pussy got me into dis mess." "Shit happens," Service said. "Sometimes the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."

the nose knows »    Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.

the straw that broke the camel's back »    A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.

them's the facts »    That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.

there but for the grace of God go I »    A recognition that others' misfortune could be one's own, if it weren't for the blessing/kindness/luck bestowed by fate or the Divine.Man's fate is in God's hands.More generally, our fate is not entirely in our own hands.

throw dirt enough, and some will stick »    If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say

throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.

throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn

throw smoke »    To consistently pitch fastballs that are difficult to hit.

tickle someone's fancy »    To amuse, entertain, or appeal to someone; to stimulate someone's imagination in a favorable manner.

to a fare-thee-well »    To the greatest extent or to completion; to a state of refinement or perfection.

to a fault »    To an excessive degree; extremely.

to hell in a handbasket »    To a bad state of affairs quickly.

to thine own self be true »    The easiest person to deceive is oneself."This above all:to thine own self be true,and it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man." -William Shakespeare

tone down »    To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.

too big for one's boots »    Far less capable than one's claims to be.

top of the line »    The best, fanciest, or highest quality, especially among selections in a product line.

toss-up »    A decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter.

trench mouth »    Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.

true blue »    Indubitably loyal or faithful.

tuck in »    To push the fabric at the bottom of a shirt under the pants.

tune out »    To fail to pay attention to; to ignore.

turn away »    To rotate the body or head so as not to face someone or something.

turn up »    To belay or make fast a line on a cleat or pin.

turnabout is fair play »    It is allowable to retaliate against an enemy's dirty tricks by using the same ones against him.

twatfaced »    F**ed, pissed, drunk as a skunk.

twist in the wind »    To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.

twist of fate »    An unfortunate turn of events.

two wrongs make a right »    A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another

until one is blue in the face »    Forever; for a hopelessly long time.

up against »    Facing; challenging, or opposing.

up the ying yang »    Far more than one needs.

up to scratch »    Sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality.

urban fabric »    The physical aspect of urbanism, emphasizing building types, thoroughfares, open space, frontages, and streetscapes; while excluding without prejudice to this useful term, environmental, functional, economic and sociocultural aspects.

wake up and smell the coffee »    To face reality and stop deluding oneself.

walk into »    To fall into .

war bride »    A company or individual whose business is increased by warfare.

wash away »    To eliminate, or destroy by fast moving water, such as in a flood, or a high sea.

wash up »    To wash one's hands and/or face, often around mealtimes.

watch one's mouth »    In the imperative form, used as a warning to avoid or stop using inappropriate language, especially profanity, or disrespectful utterances.

watch one's mouth »    To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.

wear down »    To cause physical or mental fatigue.

wear out »    To exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness, as by continued strain or exertion.

wear out »    To become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary, as by continued strain or exertion.

when he's at home »    In reality; in fact; when it comes down to it.

when the shit hits the fan »    A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.

white lie »    A deliberate, untrue statement which does no harm or is intended to produce a favorable result.

willful ignorance »    A bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt. It may also be shown as for a person to have no clue in a decision but still goes ahead in their decision.

window dressing »    A means of creating a deceptively favourable impression of something or someone; something for appearance only.

wipe out »    To crash, fall over.

without fail »    Certainly; by all means; as a matter of importance.

write up »    To document the faults of.

written all over someone's face »    Very obvious, from someone's facial expression.

year dot »    A very long time ago, from the beginning or as far back as one can remember.

you can hang your hat on that »    It's something to put faith in, to rely upon or trust (when used in a positive connotation).

you can't say fairer than that »    That is good, reasonable, or fair; one cannot hope for a better decision or outcome.

you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours »    If you do me a favor then I will do you a favor; quid pro quo.

zip up »    To close with a zip fastener.

zip up »    To close as if with a zip fastener.

zonk out »    To fall suddenly into a very deep sleep.

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