We've found 2167 phrases for hi (0.116 seconds):

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 closed mouth gathers no feet »    One who does not speak can be certain he won't say anything embarrassing.

a cut above »    Superior to; of a higher quality than.

a different ballpark »    Something totally unrelated or of a vastly different scale or scope.

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

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 little bird told me »    Of information which was gathered from a source not to be overtly exposed.

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

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 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 riddle wrapped up in an enigma »    Something very mysterious and hidden.

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.

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 to »    Indicates something that will happen very soon; indicates that something is imminent.

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

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

all duck or no dinner »    All or nothing.

all eyes »    Watching alertly or attentively.

all fired up »    Excited or energized; highly enthusiastic.

all good things come to an end »    Nothing lasts forever.

all in all »    everything considered

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 one's eggs in one basket »    Devoting all of one’s resources to one thing.

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 tea in China »    Something priceless or invaluable.

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 told »    With everything included, counted or summed.

all's well that ends well »    Problems do not matter if things turn out well in the end.

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

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

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

and then some »    Used to confirm preceding utterance, while implying that what was said or asked is an understatement.

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.

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

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.

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

apron string hold »    An estate held by a man during his wife's life.

arm and a leg »    A relatively high price for an item or service; an exorbitant price.

arm's length »    Barely within reach.

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

as a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly »    Foolish people repeatedly do foolish things.

as long as »    While; for some period of time.

ask around »    To enquire about something to different people.

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

ask for the moon »    To claim or desire something that one cannot have.

ask round »    To enquire about something to different people.

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

at a loss for words »    Having nothing to say; stunned to the point of speechlessness.

at arm's length »    Avoiding a close relationship.

at hand »    Near; soon; approaching; imminent.

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

at sea »    On the ocean or sea, typically of a ship or person aboard a ship.

at the high port »    At once; unhesitatingly; quickly and vigorously.

at the high port »    Or in a charge.

at the wheel »    Driving; in control of a vehicle.

at this point in time »    Right now.

auction off »    To sell something at an auction.

autem mort »    A married woman; also a female beggar with several children hired or borrowed to excite charity.

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 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 off »    To move backwards away from something.

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

back up »    To move a vehicle backwards.

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.

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 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 something is morally despicable as to cause nausea.

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

baggage »    Heavy baggage; women and children. Also a familiar epithet for a woman; as, cunning baggage, wanton baggage, &c.

bail out »    To exit an aircraft while in flight.

bail out on »    To abandon, or stop supporting someone or something.

baker's dozen »    Thirteen, a group of thirteen.

bakers dozen »    Thirteen.

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

ball-breaker »    A person or task which is excessively demanding or punishing.

balloon goes up »    Something exciting or dangerous begins.

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

balls up »    Third-person singular simple present indicative form of ball up.

balls-up »    Something which becomes muddled or botched in some way.

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 out »    To do something quickly, in a slipshod, or unprofessional manner.

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.

bank on »    To be sure of something. To depend on it.

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.

bar none »    Without exception; excluding nothing else of the same kind.

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

barrel »    A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is discharged.

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

barrel of laughs »    That which is enjoyable or entertaining.

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

barrel of monkeys »    Something very funny or amusing.

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.

bat a thousand »    To achieve perfection.

bat a thousand »    To achieve success at each attempt.

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.

be in for »    To be able to expect or anticipate; to be about to suffer, generally said of something unpleasant.

be still my heart »    Calm down, this situation is too exciting or overly distressing.

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.

bear up »    To endure hardship cheerfully.

beat around the bush »    To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.

beat Banaghan »    An Irish saying of one who tells wonderful stories, or of something which is amazing and remarkable.

beat off »    To drive something away with blows.

beat somebody to the punch »    To do something before somebody else is able to.

beat the shit out of »    To beat really badly.

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

beat up »    To get something done, derived from the idea of beating for game.

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

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

bee in one's bonnet »    Something of particular interest or concern; an obsession.

bee's knees »    Something excellent, outstanding.

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.

beer and skittles »    Something pleasurable.

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.

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

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 somebody's ear »    Sorry to bend your ear with the whole story, but I think you ought to know.

best of the bunch »    The best or most preferred person or item within a group.

bet dollars to donuts »    To suggest that something is very likely to be true or that one has a strong hunch about something.

better an egg today than a hen tomorrow »    It is better to have a sure thing now than a possibility of more later.

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.

betwixt and between »    Neither one thing nor the other.

big break »    A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.

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 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 kahuna »    A boss, leader, chieftain, or top-ranking person in an organization.

big wheel »    A person with a great deal of power or influence, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.

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

bird's-eye view »    The view from directly or high above.

birthday suit »    Nakedness; a lack of clothing.

bite one's tongue »    An admonishment to someone who has said something unfeeling or harsh.

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 pill »    Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.

black babies »    Third world charities, the missions.

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.

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.

blessed event »    An occurrence or occasion which is particularly noteworthy and enjoyable.

blind »    Any device intended to conceal or hide; as, a duck blind.

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!

blot out »    To make something undecipherable; to obliterate.

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

blow off »    To shoot something with a gun, causing it to come disconnected.

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

blow over »    To blow on something causing it to topple.

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 something or somebody or destroy something or injure or kill somebody by explosion.

blue moon »    Something absurd.

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.

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.

blurt out »    To say suddenly, without thinking.

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

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

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.

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 up »    Keep suppressed and hidden.

bottom line »    The final balance; the amount of money or profit left after everything has been tallied.

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

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.

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

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 surgery »    Something that is overly complex, detailed or confusing.

branch out »    To attempt something new or different, but related.

brass farthing »    Something worthless or of small value.

bread and butter »    That which is central or fundamental, as to one's business, survival, or income; a staple or cornerstone.

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 sweat »    To put effort into something.

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

break one's duck »    To do something for the first time.

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

break up »    To end a relationship.

breath of fresh air »    Something relieving, refreshing, or new.

breathe easy »    To relax or feel secure about something.

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

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

bridge »    A device which connects two or more computer buses, typically in a transparent manner.

bridge »    A song contained within another song, often demarcated by meter, key, or melody.

bridge »    A system which connects two or more local area networks at layer 2.

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.

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

bring about »    To accomplish, achieve.

bring back »    To fetch something.

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

bring down »    To make a legitimate rulership lose their position of power.

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

bring forward »    To make something happen earlier than originally planned.

bring in »    To move something indoors.

bring off »    To succeed in doing something considered to be very difficult.

bring owls to Athens »    To undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical.

bring round »    To bring something when coming.

bring up »    To bring from a lower position to a higher position.

bring up »    To raise children.

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

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

broad church »    A wide scope of philosophies and ideas.

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

bros before hoes »    (US, informal) A man should prioritize his male friends over his girlfriend or wife.

brown bread »    Bread with a brown colour as distinct from white bread, wholemeal, granary or other specific types of bread.

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

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

bugger all »    Nothing.

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.

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.

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 up »    To increase something suddenly.

bump up »    To promote a person to a higher grade.

bumper crop »    A large yield; an excess of something.

bunny hug »    A sweatshirt with a hood.

buried treasure »    Something, having been concealed for a long time, which later is found and is profitable.

burn down »    To burn to nothing.

burn down »    To completely burn, so that nothing remains.

bury the lead »    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

bury the lede »    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

business end »    The part of a tool or other similar item, that is physically used for its operation, rather than the part which is held.

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

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 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.

butter fingers »    A clumsy person who always drops things, a klutz.

button up »    To fasten all the buttons on a coat, or similar item of clothing, to keep warm.

button-down »    Of a collar, able to be buttoned down to the shirt, as over a necktie.

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

buzz up »    To allow entrance into a building from a higher floor by triggering an electronic lock.

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

by the book »    In a manner which adheres strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.

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

by the skin of one's teeth »    Barely; closely; by a narrow margin; with nothing to spare.

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.

cake crumbs »    Hardly anything.

call a spade a spade »    To speak the truth; to say things as they really are.

call in »    To withdraw something from sale or circulation.

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.

camel through the eye of a needle »    Hyperbole to illustrate that something is almost impossible to do or to happen.

can it »    To silence; to quit doing something; to put an end to something.

cancel out »    To neutralize the effect of something.

cap it all off »    To finish or complete something.

cap it all off »    To surpass or outdo something.

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.

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 coals to Newcastle »    To do something that is unneeded or redundant.

carry out »    To hold while moving something out.

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.

cast off »    To discard or reject something.

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.

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

catch big air »    Superlative of catch air; make a big jump high off the ground.

catch out »    To put a batsman out by catching the batted ball before it touches the ground.

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

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

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 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.

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

cave in »    The location where something has caved in.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

charge up »    To recharge, to give electrical power to something.

charley horse »    A muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg.

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

chase down »    To investigate the cause of something.

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.

check out »    Used to draw attention to something and stimulate excitement about it.

cheese it »    A minced oath used as a warning to stop, hide, or flee.

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 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.

chit chat »    gossip

choke the chicken »    To masturbate.

chopped liver »    A person or object which is not worthy of being noticed; someone or something insignificant.

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.

chump-change »    Of or pertaining to something of little monetary value.

circuit slugger »    A talented baseball batter that hits home runs.

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

clamp down on »    To take measures to stop something; to put an end to.

clean up »    To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy.

climb up »    To gradually ascend something.

clogs to clogs in three generations »    (UK) Wealth earned in one generation seldom lasts through the third (grandchild

close enough for government work »    It is not worth investing additional time on perfecting this thing.

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

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.

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

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

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

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 hell or high water »    Regardless of the hardships.

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 with »    To say something unexpected.

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

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 up »    To come to a higher position.

come up with »    To invent, create, or think of.

come what may »    In spite of anything that might happen; whatever may occur.

common or garden variety »    Ordinary, standard. Nothing special.

company »    Companionship.

company »    The entire crew of a ship.

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.

cookie-cutter »    Of or pertaining to identical looking things.

cooking with gas »    Now doing something in an effective way.

cool down »    To cause something temperature to lower.

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.

corner the market »    To have exclusive possession; to possess something to a high or excessive degree.

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.

cough up »    To expel from the lungs, throat, etc. by coughing.

count sheep »    To attempt to go to sleep by thinking of something boring, traditionally by counting imaginary sheep.

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

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.

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.

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.

crash course »    A quick, intense course of learning, especially one which is informal or hurried.

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.

creature feature »    A horror film in which one or more monsters plays a prominent role.

creep into »    To enter something or somewhere by creeping.

crème de la crème »    Best of the best; something that's superlative. The very best.

cross off »    To finish; to mark something as complete.

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

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

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

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 out for »    To say that a situation needs a thing, or a solution urgently.

crying shame »    It's a crying shame that so much money has been wasted on this pointless political campaign.

curate's egg »    A thing which has good and bad parts.

curiosity killed the cat »    One should not be curious about things that can be dangerous.

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 corners »    To do a less than thorough or complete job; to do something poorly or take short cuts.

cut down »    To reduce the amount of something.

cut in »    Especially, to dance with someone who is already dancing by replacing his or her partner.

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 to the chase »    To get to the point; to get on with it; to state something directly.

cut up »    To aggressively move in front of another vehicle.

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

damp squib »    Anything that doesn’t work properly, or fails to come up to expectations..

date with destiny »    An inevitable future event or encounter, especially one which is likely to be momentous.

day in, day out »    Every day; daily; constantly or continuously; especially, of something that has become routine or monotonous.

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

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 ringer »    Someone or something that very closely resembles another; someone or something easily mistaken for another.

dead weight »    That which is useless or excess; that which slows something down.

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 »    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.

death knell »    A sign or omen foretelling the death or destruction of something.

deathblow »    Something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc.

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 »    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 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.

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

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.

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 »    A insignificant sound or thing.

dicky-bird »    Endearing term for a small bird, often used when talking with young children.

different as chalk and cheese »    Two things which are superficially alike but very different in substance.

dig up »    To discover something by digging; to unearth.

dig up »    To excavate something.

dimber damber upright man »    The chief of a gang of thieves or gypsies.

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.

dish out »    To distribute or deliver something.

dishpan hands »    Hands which are rough, reddish, and dry, as from irritation and chafing caused by immersion in hot water mixed with detergent.

do one's thing »    To do what one habitually does.

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 up »    To fasten a piece of clothing.

do without »    To manage despite the lack of something.

does a bear shit in the woods »    Rhetorical question in response to a question where the answer is an emphatic yes.

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

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 spilt milk »    It is no use worrying about unfortunate events which have already happened and which cannot be changed.

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

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.

donkey jacket »    thick garment

double up »    To double the quantity, amount or duration of something.

double-tongued »    Saying one thing to one person and something different to another; double talking; deceitful in speech.

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 with his apple-cart »    Knock or throw him down.

drag »    To move a mouse cursor while holding down a button on the mouse, often to move something on the screen.

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

draw back »    To pull something back or apart.

draw out »    To make something last for more time than is necessary; prolong; extend.

draw stumps »    To cease doing something, at least for the day.

draw the short straw »    To select the shortest straw or other object while drawing straws.

drawing near »    approaching

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

dressing-down »    A reprimand or rarely, a thrashing.

drip »    To have a superabundance of valuable things. Usually followed by "with".

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 the porcelain bus »    To vomit, especially while drunk or hung over.

drop a hint »    To reveal a clue or hint about something.

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.

drown out »    To cover, obscure, or hide by being louder than.

drug on the market »    Something which is overabundant at the moment and thus not in demand.

dry eye »    An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.

dummy up »    To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.

dust off »    To remove dust from something.

dust off »    To use something after a long time without it.

dyed-in-the-wool »    Firmly established in a person's beliefs or habits; deeply ingrained in the nature of a person or thing.

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.

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

easy does it »    Relax; do something gently, lightly or carefully; slow down; calm down.

egg on »    To encourage or coax a person to do something, especially something foolhardy or reckless.

egg white »    albumen

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

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.

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 world »    Any change that seems catastrophic or devastating.

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

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.

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.

even keel »    A situation in which the boat is level and balanced for a smooth ride.

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.

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 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 little helps »    Even the smallest things are helpful when towards a goal.

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

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 »    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.

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.

eye up »    To examine closely something coveted.

f** all »    Nothing at all or very little.

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.

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

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.

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.

fall behind »    To be progressively below average in performance.

fall in line »    To submit to the rules of a higher authority; obey; conform.

fall into »    To go into something by falling.

fall off »    A hip hop term; to completely lose the plot in terms of artistic direction.

fall off the turnip truck »    To be naive, uninformed, or unsophisticated, in the manner of a rustic person.

fall out »    To come out of something by falling.

fall through »    To be unsuccessful, abort, come to nothing/naught; to be cancelled; not to proceed.

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.

fancypants »    Alternative spelling of fancy pants. The condition of being overly showy; concerned more about one's reputation than anything else.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

feed the dragon »    To buy or sell products labeled as "Made in China.".

feed the dragon »    To the People's Republic of China.

feel for »    To express sympathy for, to sympathise with.

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.

fend away »    To turn something away; to ward off.

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.

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 »    Anything superfluous or unnecessary.

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

fight shy of »    To avoid something.

fill in »    To substitute for somebody or something.

final curtain »    The end to something which has longed for a long time.

finders keepers »    The doctrine that whoever finds something is allowed to keep it

fine feathers make fine birds »    Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.

fine words butter no parsnips »    Talking about doing something does not get it done.

fire-breathing »    Caustic, vitriolic or scathing.

fire-breathing »    That emits flame from the mouth or nostrils.

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 of all »    Firstly; before anything else.

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

fishing expedition »    A non-specific search for information, especially incriminating information.

fishtail »    The tail of a fish, or an object resembling this.

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

flat-footed »    Having feet which are flat.

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.

flipside »    A necessary consequence or corollary of something; especially one seen as opposite, or as pro versus con.

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.

flower »    The best state of things; the prime.

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 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.

food chain »    A hierarchy.

food chain »    The feeding relationships between species in a biotic community.

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.

for all intensive purposes »    For all highly demanding purposes.[1].

for goodness' sake »    This interjection expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.

for goodness' sake »    This interjection expresses surprise or amazement.

for my money »    Used to mark a statement made by the speaker as an opinion or something not known with certainty.

forbidden fruit »    Illicit pleasure; something that one should not take or get involved with, such as an another person's spouse.

forbidden fruit is the sweetest »    Forbidden things have more worthwhile short-term consequences.

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."

fork over »    I forked over half the allotment this morning.

fountain of youth »    Anything reputed to have the power to restore health and vitality or to restore a youthful appearance.

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 »    Which governed legislation.

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 ride »    An opportunity or benefit which has no cost, especially one enjoyed or undertaken at the expense of others.

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.

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.

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 time to time »    Occasionally; sometimes; once in a while.

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.

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 of hot air »    Talking a lot, especially without saying anything of value or meaning.

full of shit »    Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.

funny money »    A highly inflated currency.

gandy dancer »    A railway laborer, especially a member of a crew which carries rails and affixes them to ties.

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

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

get a jump on »    To start early, especially to start before something begins or before others begin.

get a load of »    To experience someone or something, especially by looking or listening.

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 carried away »    To become excessively involved, to take something too far.

get down to business »    To become involved with something work-related.

get high »    To intoxicate oneself with drugs or other substances.

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 hinder someone or interfere with their actions.

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

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 over with »    To do or finish, especially said of something unpleasant.

get off »    To complete a shift or a day's work.

get off »    To stop touching or interfering with something or someone.

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

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

get one's feet wet »    To begin gaining experience; To take a risk and try something new.

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

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

get over »    To overcome something.

get over »    To recover from something.

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.

giant panda »    chinese animal

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.

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 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 shit »    To care, often used in the negative.

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 it a whirl »    To try, test or attempt.

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

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

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.

go against the grain »    To defy convention; to do something in a manner that is unusual or out of the ordinary.

go all out »    To reserve nothing; to put forth all possible effort or resources.

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

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

go down that road »    To settle a way of doing something; do decide to do something in a particular way.

go down the road »    A way of doing something; to do something in a particular way.

go downhill »    To worsen or degenerate.

go for »    To attack something.

go for »    To do something, especially for leisure.

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

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 it alone »    To do something alone or independently, especially something that is normally or better done in groups.

go large »    To have the wind at such an angle to the sail that the vessel gains its highest speed.

go off at score »    Of a horse, to break suddenly into a gallop; of a person, suddenly to say or do something impetuous.

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 places »    To make progress or achieve success.

go round in circles »    To repeatedly do the same thing; without making any progress.

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 »    Winston Churchill.

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

going rate »    The current standard or usual price, rate, or salary for something.

gold mine »    A plentiful stockpile of something sought after.

golden opportunity »    Ideal moment to do something.

golden rule »    The principle that one should treat other people in the manner in which one would want to be treated by them.

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.

gongoozle »    To observe things idly.

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

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 things come to those who wait »    A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.

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.

grab and go »    To get something quickly.

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

grand poobah »    A person who is important or high-ranking.

grasp all, lose all »    one who wants everything, may lose it all

grass roots »    The essential foundation or source of something.

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

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

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

greatest thing since sliced bread »    A relatively recent invention likely to significantly improve people's lives.

green thumb »    A person with this skill.

grey area »    A topic that is not clearly one thing or the other.

grin like a Cheshire cat »    To smile broadly, especially in a self-satisfied way.

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 out of »    To become too physically large for something, especially clothes.

grow out of »    To become too mature for something.

hack into »    To reduce something to by hacking with a cutting instrument.

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.

hand in »    To give something to a responsible person.

hand in hand »    Naturally, ordinarily or predictably together; commonly having a correlation or relationship.

hand off »    To pass or transfer something to someone.

hand over »    To relinquish control or possession of something to someone.

handle with kid gloves »    To treat something very delicately or carefully.

hang a Louie »    Make a left turn while driving a vehicle.

hang a Ralph »    Make a right turn while driving a vehicle.

hang on »    To keep; to store something for someone.

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 attach washing to a clothesline to dry.

hang out with »    To spend time with friends, doing nothing in particular.

hard hitting »    uncompromising

harden »    To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.

harden someone's heart »    To make someone more resistant to something.

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.

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.

haul his ashes »    A euphemism for sexual intercourse.

haul somebody over the coals »    To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.

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

have an axe to grind »    To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something.

have 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 your way »    Do something the way you want to, but be prepared for the consequences.

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 other fish to fry »    To have more important things to do.

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 hide »    To punish or subdue someone.

have something to eat »    To eat anything.

have the run of »    To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will.

have to do with the price of tea in China »    To have any relation or bearing whatsoever on the topic at hand, usually used to emphasize the lack of relationship of a non sequitur.

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

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 honcho »    The person in charge; the highest-ranking person in an organization.

head-in-the-sand »    Exhibiting disregard or denial of a problem or threat.

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

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

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

hen's teeth »    Anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen’s teeth.

hen's tooth »    Anything not naturally occuring.

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.

high road »    A main road or highway.

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

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 off »    To delay someone or something temporarily; to keep at bay.

hold on »    Wait a short while.

hold on »    To keep; to store something for someone.

hold one's tongue »    To keep quiet; especially, to leave something unsaid.

hold out »    To hold something out; to extend forward.

hold out »    To set something aside or save it for later.

hold over »    Something left from an earlier time.

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 the phone »    Stop; wait; woah. What's this? Look at this!.

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.

hole in one »    A round that is completed by sinking the ball in a single shot or attempt, with one hit.

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 run »    A four-base hit, a homer.

honest injun »    A phrase used to emphasize the truth of something.

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.

horse around »    To play or fiddle; to clown; to do nothing of importance or consequence.

horse's ass »    A thing or person which is visually unappealing.

horse's mouth »    Source; someone who directly experienced or witnessed something.

hot button »    The principal desire that a salesman needs to "hit" in order to make a sale.

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 »    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 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.

hothouse »    An environment in which growth or development is encouraged; a hotbed.

house warming »    Presented as a way of welcoming someone to a home into which he or she recently moved.

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.

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.

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 spice »    When one is hungry, anything will taste good.

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 looks could kill »    A phrase said upon catching sight of someone's giving you a particularly nasty look of discontent or disapproval.

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

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.

in a bind »    In a difficult situation, usually of one's own making; having a dilemma; faced with a problem or a set of problems for which there is no easy solution.

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

in bed with »    Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.

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 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 high dudgeon »    Resentfully or furiously.

in layman's terms »    Explaining something in simple words.

in line »    On a queue; waiting one's turn for something.

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 order »    Appropriate, worthwhile.

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

in the thick of it »    In a precarious situation.

in the wake of »    In the noticeable disturbance of water behind .

in the way »    Obstructing, blocking, or hindering.

in the works »    In a mechanism or machine.

in this day and age »    In the current time period of years.

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.

ins and outs »    The details or fine points of something.

into thin air »    Immediately and inexplicably out of sight.

it ain't the whistle that pulls the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

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 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 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 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:

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

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.

joe job »    An act of e-mail spamming where the sender's identity and address are those of an innocent third party, intended either to tarnish that person's reputation or to flood that person's e-mail with bounces.

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

jump in »    To enter something quickly. Usually a mode of transport.

jump on »    To board a public transport vehicle.

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 ship »    To depart a project without warning.

jump ship »    To part from a ship.

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 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.

kangaroo court »    A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.

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 maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for someone or something.

keep mum »    Do not talk; especially keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

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

keep out »    The warning kept him out.

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

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 straight »    To avoid confusing or mixing up something; to keep something clear or organized.

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 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 shirt on »    An admonition to be more patient or to calm down.

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.

kick ass »    To beat someone at something.

kick down »    To break or demolish something by physical bodily force.

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

kick up »    Into the air while running or walking or driving.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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 around »    To hit someone, or behave violently towards them.

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

knock it off »    Stop doing something; desist.

knock out »    To strike or bump someone or something out.

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

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

know something inside and out »    To know something very thoroughly.

knowledge is power »    With knowledge and/or education, one's potential or ability to succeed in the pursuit of his objectives will certainly increase.

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 final thing that is too much and forces a reaction; the straw that broke the camel's back.

lady or tiger »    A pure gamble with highly divergent outcomes.

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.

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.

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.

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 word »    The finest, highest, or ultimate representative of some class of objects.

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.

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.

laundry list »    Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered.

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

lay it on the line »    To state something, for example an ultimatum, strongly and clearly.

lay low »    To remain hidden or to hide oneself.

lead »    A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.

lead nowhere »    To have no purpose, to result in nothing.

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 and mean »    Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.

leave behind »    To abandon.

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 in the lurch »    To abandon somebody; especially, to abandon somebody and leave him or her in a difficult situation.

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 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-handed compliment »    A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.

lemonize »    To damage something and then deny or be aloof from the damage.

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 go an anchor to the windward of the law »    To keep within the letter of the law.

let it be »    To leave something to follow its natural course.

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 the good times roll »    To have fun or live fully; may imply letting things that are going well proceed.

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.

lick one's chops »    To anticipate something eagerly.

lick one's chops »    To look forward avidly to eating something.

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.

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

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

life'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 up »    To elevate to a higher position.

light up »    To bring light to something, to brighten.

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.

link whore »    Someone who goes to great lengths to get other people to link to his/her website or blog.

lion »    A Chinese foo dog.

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.

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).

live down »    To get used to something shameful.

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 paycheck to paycheck »    To spend all that one earns without saving anything.

live wire »    An electrical wire through which there is a flow of electrical current.

Living high on the hog »    Living richly, often above one's means

lock up »    To invest in something long term.

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

long arm »    Influence, far-reaching power.

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 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.

look back »    To look behind oneself.

look before you leap »    Don't jump into something too precipitously; be at least a bit foresightful or circumspect.

look forward »    To anticipate or expect; especially, to expect something to be pleasant.

look out »    To look from within to the outside.

look the other way »    To ignore something wrong. Similar to connive.

look up »    To obtain information about something from a text source.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

lump together »    To put different items or groups together and treat them, or think of them as one single group.

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.

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.

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 point »    To take care in doing something of something; to pay attention or ensure that something is done.

make a splash »    To do something that attracts attention.

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 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 for »    ????, translator unknown, author Galileo Galilei, Two Chief World Systems.

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

make it »    To survive, to live through something.

make off with »    To steal something and run.

make over »    To transfer ownership, especially by means of a legal document.

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

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

man 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.

march to the beat of a different drum »    To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and expectations.

mark time »    Marching in place; not going anywhere.

mark up »    To increase the price of something between its wholesale and retail phase.

marry in haste, repent at leisure »    Two things together too soon will lead to problems.

match made in heaven »    A very successful combination of two people or things.

match made in hell »    A very unsuccessful or conflicting combination of two people or things.

matter of fact »    Something completely true.

meal ticket »    Someone or something that provides income or livelihood, especially as an exploited source.

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

member for Barkshire »    Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.

mend fences »    To repair damage to a friendship or relationship after a disagreement or other mishap.

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 mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.

mete out »    To distribute something in portions; to apportion or dole out.

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.

midi system »    hi-fi

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!

mill around »    To move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area.

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

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 »    Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.

miners' canary »    Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.

mint sauce »    serve this with lamb

misfortunes never come singly »    bad things or situations always come in groups, they never come in a single way.

miss the mark »    To fail to hit the target.

mix apples and oranges »    To mix two totally different things.

mixed bag »    Any bag containing a mixture of something.

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.

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 maker »    Something profitable.

monkey business »    Do your homework and forget about all this monkey business.

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

moral high ground »    A position or point of view which is ethically superior or more reputable, in comparison to others which are under consideration.

mother hen »    A female chicken who bears eggs or chicks.

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

move on »    To start dealing with something else.

much of a muchness »    Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them.

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.

mull over »    To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.

murder will out »    Secrets or hidden crimes will eventually be exposed or discovered.

muscle in on »    To interfere with, or intrude on something forcibly.

my way or the highway »    Will be excluded.

nail biter »    One who bites or chews his or her fingernails.

ñapa »    the little something extra

necessity is the mother of invention »    A person who is in great need of something will find a way to get it.

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.

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

never change a running system »    Don't change something that is working

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!.

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

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

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.

nine day wonder »    Something that generates interest for a limited time and is then abandoned.

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 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 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 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 screaming hell »    Something that is not particularly effective or impressive; something that is below expectations.

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 spring chicken »    Said of a person who is no longer particularly young.

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.

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

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.

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 the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.

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

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 be caught dead »    To refuse completely to do something.

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 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 worth a brass farthing »    Worth nothing or next to nothing.

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.

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 »    January 2008, Chicago Tribune - Clinton's Hispanic edge over Obama.

nut-cutting time »    Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.

nuts and bolts »    The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.

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 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.

off one's game »    C. 1910, Ralph Henry Barbour, "The Dub" in The New Boy at Hilltop and Other Stories.

off the beaten path »    In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.

off-roader »    A vehicle that is designed to drive off the road.

offer affordances »    To give elbow room or leeway for something to happen.

oh dark thirty »    Some unspecified hour in the early morning.

oil burner »    A heating device which burns fuel oil; an oil furnace.

oil burner »    A machine that uses oil as its fuel.

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 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 money »    The monetary system used in the United Kingdom before decimalisation and consisting of pounds, shillings, and pence.

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

on a whim »    Done without thinking seriously about the consequences.

on all fours »    Similar in nature or effect to something else; consistent.

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 authority.

on high »    In the sky or the heavens.

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 sight »    I recognized him on sight.

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 the anvil »    Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.

on the ball »    Alert, active, or attentive; on top of things.

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

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 make »    Actively seeking a romantic encounter or relationship.

on the right track »    Using the correct general approach to a particular task or problem; pursuing something in a promising way.

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 way »    Coming, approaching.

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-the-spot »    In the right place at this very moment.

once in a while »    Occasionally; sometimes.

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 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 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 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 step forward, two steps back »    A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

one thousand »    Used in a common chronometric counting scheme, in which each iteration is sequentially numbered and supposed to be approximately one second in length.

one up »    To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.

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-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-track mind »    That said to be possessed by someone who is obsessed with something or only able to think of one thing.

one-trick pony »    A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.

one-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.

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 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.

opening time »    hour at which a pub can start serving

opt in »    To choose to participate in something.

opt out »    To choose not to participate in something.

or what »    Or something else; allows for the existence of an unexpressed alternative to what was said.

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

out of bounds »    Prohibited to enter.

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 house and home »    Gail White, Partying with the Intelligentsia.

out of it »    Disoriented; not thinking clearly.

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 proportion »    Not in a proper or pleasing relation to other things, especially in terms of size.

out of sight »    In hiding.

out of sight »    The notice was out of sight behind the door.

out of sight, out of mind »    When something is not nearby, it is forgotten about.

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 way »    Not obstructing or hindering; not in the way.

out of thin air »    From non-existent resources.

out of this world »    Exceptionally high quality; wonderful; marvellous.

out of work »    Unemployed, or having nothing to do.

over a barrel »    In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.

over the hill »    Old, past the prime of life.

overkill »    An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.

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 with thick skin. It is used for animals such as an elephant or a hippopotamus.

pachyderm »    What others say about him or her.

pack up »    To prepare for shipping, as a gift.

pain in the ass »    Something that causes discomfort or is otherwise troublesome.

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.

palace politics »    The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers within a government, especially as involving internal rivalry and intrigue.

paper »    A newspaper or anything used as such .

paper trail »    A written record, history, or collection of evidence.

part and parcel »    An integral or essential piece; that which must be done or accepted as part of something else.

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.

pass by »    To proceed past something.

pass off »    To misrepresent something.

pass through »    To transit something.

pass through »    To make something move through something else.

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 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.

peashooter »    A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.

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.

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-necked »    Having a very thin neck.

pencilneck »    A person with a very thin neck.

people person »    Someone who is happier or more skilled at dealing with people rather than things or concepts.

peter out »    To dwindle; to trail off; to diminish to nothing.

phase in »    To introduce something little by little.

phase out »    To remove or relinquish the use of something little by little.

pickin' and grinnin' »    Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.

pickle »    A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown.

pig in a poke »    Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.

pig out »    They watched the game and pigged out on chips and pizza.

pile-up »    A traffic accident or collision involving multiple vehicles.

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.

pink slip »    An automobile roadworthiness inspection certificate.

pissing contest »    An argument which is instigated, or exacerbated while consuming alcohol.

play around »    To behave in a silly, or childish, or irresponsible way.

play ball »    To start anything tumultuous.

play down »    To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.

play hardball »    To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.

play it by ear »    To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.

play Old Harry »    To play the devil; to make mischief.

play possum »    To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.

play second fiddle »    To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.

play to the gallery »    To appeal to the least sophisticated parts of an audience in order to obtain maximum approval.

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.

plead the fifth »    To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.

pleased as Punch »    Pleased with one's actions or achievements.

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.

pocket money »    child's allowance

poison »    Something that harms a person or thing.

poison tree bears poison fruit »    Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.

polish off »    To remove by polishing .

polo shirt »    garment

pony in the barn »    An exciting and real prospect, something to be legitimately excited about.

pope's nose »    The tail end piece of a cooked chicken.

pore over »    To examine something carefully and attentively.

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.

poster boy »    See poster child.

poster child »    One who is a prototypical or quintessential example of something.

poster girl »    See poster child.

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

potter about »    To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.

potter around »    To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.

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

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.

pound the pavement »    To campaign diligently; to seek something, such as business, employment, or answers.

pour oil on troubled waters »    To calm something or someone who is tenacious or misbehaving.

power behind the throne »    Someone who appears to be without special status, but who has great covert influence on a person in authority.

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.

pre-war »    Describing the most recent or significant war in a culture's history.

preach to the choir »    Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.

preprogram »    To program something in advance.

pretty penny »    A considerable amount of money; a high price or a high income.

pretzel »    Anything that is knotted, twisted, or tangled.

prevention is better than cure »    it is better to prevent the creation of a bad thing, than to destroy it.

price is right »    The cost of a thing is reasonable and of good value.

pride comes before a fall »    A person who is extremely proud of his or her abilities will often suffer a setback or failure, because he or she tends to be overconfident and to make errors of judgment.

problem child »    A child who is particularly difficult to raise or educate, especially due to a lack of self-control and disruptive and antisocial behavior.

problem child »    Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or annoyance.

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.

pull apart »    To open something by pulling on various parts of it.

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.

pull off »    To achieve; to succeed at something difficult.

pull out »    To remove something from a container.

pull out »    To maneuver a vehicle from the side of a road onto the lane.

pull out all the stops »    To reserve or hold back nothing.

pull someone down a peg »    To lower someone's high self-opinion.

pull teeth »    To do something that is especially difficult or effortful.

pull up »    Drive close to something, especially a curb.

pull up stumps »    To cease doing something, at least for the day.

punch in »    To enter a workplace by punching a time card.

push the boat out »    To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.

pushing up daisies »    Dead.

put a lid on it »    To be quiet; shut up; to stop talking about something or making noise.

put a stop to »    To terminate or abolish something.

put across »    To explain or state something clearly and understandably.

put an end to »    To terminate or abolish something.

put aside »    To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.

put back »    To return something to it's original place.

put by »    To run a ship aground intentionally to avoid a collision.

put down »    To write something.

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 on »    To don clothing or equipment.

put one past somebody »    To deceive, trick, or fool, especially by concealing something.

put one's back into »    To make a strenuous effort to do something.

put one's foot in one's mouth »    To misspeak; to say something embarrassing or wrong.

put oneself in someone's shoes »    To try to look at a situation from a different point of view; as if one were the other person. To empathise.

put paid to »    To stop something once and for all.

put somebody in his place »    To bring somebody down; to humble or insult.

put something into perspective »    To compare with something similar to give a clearer, more accurate idea.

put the cart before the horse »    To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities.

put the cat among the pigeons »    Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way. — The Times, 19 September 1994.

put to the test »    To test something or someone; to evaluate, scrutinize or explore by testing or experimentation.

put up »    To place in a high location.

put up »    To cajole or dare to do something.

put up or shut up »    Desist from saying something unless one is able to prove it.

put up with »    To tolerate, suffer through, or allow, esp. something annoying.

put words in somebody's mouth »    To attribute to somebody something he or she did not say; to claim inaccurately that somebody said or intended something.

quantum mechanics »    Something overly complicated or detailed.

quantum mechanics »    The branch of physics which studies matter and energy at the level of atoms and other elementary particles, and substitutes probabilistic mechanisms for classical Newtonian ones.

quick on the uptake »    Able to readily understand things; intelligent.

quick-and-dirty »    Of or pertaining to the creation or repair of software or hardware in a manner which permits operation within a brief period of time, although with compromised functionality or reliability.

quiet down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

quieten down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

rabble rouser »    Someone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.

rack one's brain »    To struggle to think of or remember something.

rag bagger »    A sailboat, usually a cruising sailboats which tend to carry and store lots of supplies along the deck, or any sailboat that looks like a neglected vessel, or messy vessel.

rags to riches »    In a biographical context, from poverty to exceptional wealth.

rain or shine »    Regardless of what the circumstances are, and how the weather is.

rainy day »    A difficult period of need, when things do not go right.

raise the bar »    To raise standards or expectations, especially by creating something to a higher standard.

raise the spectre »    To cause concern that something unfortunate might happen.

rake »    A set of coupled rail vehicles, normally coaches or wagons.

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

rat race »    An activity or situation which is congested with participants and which is hectic or tedious, especially in the context of a busy, modern urban lifestyle.

reach for the stars »    To have high hopes, to be ambitious.

read out »    To read something and say the words to inform other people.

read somebody's lips »    To discern what somebody is saying by watching the shape of the mouth rather than by hearing the sounds of the words.

real deal »    A thing or person which is genuine, authentic, or worthy of serious regard.

real job »    A job that can't be replaced advantageously by a machine or a procedure.

real job »    A job which requires the employee to, work regular hours for a consistent wage that often exceeds the provisions of applicable minimum wage legislation. A job that produces a living wage.

real Macoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real McCoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real McKoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real men don't eat quiche »    (aphorism, humorous) The stereotypical man does not do things that are considered effeminate, as to do so would imply they are effeminate.

reality check »    A check or review to make sure something is consistent, reasonable, etc.

rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic »    To do something pointless or insignificant that will soon be overtaken by events, or that contributes nothing to the solution of a current problem.

rebound relationship »    A relationship proceeding a longterm relationship, usually short in duration and used to help mend the "broken heart".

reckon without »    To ignore that which cannot readily be ignored.

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 flag »    A cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong.

red mist »    Anger sufficient to cloud judgement, to stop clear thinking.

reflect on »    To think carefully about something, and give it due consideration.

rein in »    To stop or slow something, by exercising control.

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.

rest his soul »    Used parenthetically to mark the referent as being deceased.

ride roughshod over »    To act in a bullying or inconsiderate manner; to display disregard towards someone or something.

ride shotgun »    To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

ring around »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

ring round »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

rise from the ashes »    To make a comeback after a long hiatus. To come back into common use or practice. To come back into popularity. To come back to being a thing of today.

rivet counter »    A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.

roach coach »    Whimsically, a catering or food truck.

road movie »    A film in which much of the action takes place during a journey, especially one involving overland travel.

road to Damascus »    That was my Road to Damascus moment. They played one hit after another and this is the song I remember most clearly.

rob the cradle »    To use a young person for a purpose inappropriate to his or her age.

robber baron »    In Europe, an aristocrat who charged exorbitant fees or otherwise exacted money from people who journeyed across land or waterways which he controlled.

rock up »    To work one's way vertically up a chimney or cleft using a rocking movement.

rocket science »    Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing.

rocket scientist »    Someone qualified to understand or handle that which is overly complex, detailed or confusing; a genius.

rocking horse shit »    A metaphor for something exceedingly rare or, more likely, nonexistent.

rocking-horse shit »    Alternative form of rocking horse shit.

Rome wasn't built in a day »    It takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive.

root cause »    An initiating cause of a chain of events which leads to an outcome or effect of interest.

rose-colored glasses »    An optimistic perception of something; a positive opinion; seeing something in a positive way, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.

rough around the edges »    In need of refinement; unsophisticated.

round off »    To complete or finish something.

rub up against »    To touch something with one's body.

rubber-chicken dinner »    A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.

rule out »    To make something impossible.

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

rumor campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

run a mile »    To escape, flee or leave a situation or relationship, usually as a result of a shocking or sudden announcement or revelation.

run about »    To be very busy doing many different things.

run around »    To be very busy doing many different things.

run around after »    To spend a lot of time doing things for another person or group of people. Often used when that person could reasonably do the things for themselves.

run away »    To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile.

run down »    To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.

run down »    To find something or someone after searching for a long time.

run down »    To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device.

run for the hills »    Flee.

run for the roses »    A college football game or series of games played with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the championship Rose Bowl game.

run off »    To write something quickly.

run off with »    To leave with someone with the intention of living with them or marrying them. Usually in secret because other people think it is wrong.

run on fumes »    To operate a vehicle that is low on fuel.

run scared »    To try everything to avoid defeat.

run something by »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run something past »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run something up the flagpole »    To float an idea that one suspects might be controversial.

run through »    To repeat something.

run up »    To make something, usually an item of clothing, very quickly.

run up against »    Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.

rustle up »    To quickly prepare something.

sacred cow »    Something which cannot be tampered with, or criticized, for fear of public outcry.

same difference »    It makes no difference; it amounts to the same thing.

same old story »    What usually happens, a happening which is not surprising.

scared shitless »    Very scared, terrified.

scarf down »    To eat something quickly.

scrape off »    To remove something by a scraping action.

scrape the bottom of the barrel »    To use the least desirable parts of something.

scratch one's head »    To puzzle, ponder, or wonder about something.

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

screw this »    "I don't care enough to continue"; "This is too stressful for me"; whatever.

scrimp and save »    To scrimp greatly; to economize; to live very frugally, particularly when saving for something.

sea legs »    Ability to travel by ship without becoming seasick.

sea legs »    The ability, when walking aboard ship, to anticipate the motion of the deck so as to walk steadily without losing balance.

second childhood »    A childlike state in any adult, resulting from mental illness, trauma, or other conditions.

second childhood »    The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.

second string »    In sports, a unit of players that plays behind the first string.

see a man about a horse »    A message signaling one needs to go missing for a short while, for any reason, without giving a real explanation.

see something through »    To fulfill a commitment.

see the light »    To gain an understanding of something previously not understood, especially in a sudden insight.

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

seek and ye shall find »    something can be found if it is looked for.

seize the day »    To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.

sell a bargain »    A species of wit, much in vogue about the latter end of the reign of Queen Anne, and frequently alluded to by Dean Swift, who says the maids of honour often amused themselves with it. It consisted in the seller naming his or her hinder parts, in answer to the question, What? which the buyer was artfully led to ask. As a specimen, take the following instance: A lady would come into a room full of company, apparently frightened, crying out "It is white, and follows me!" As soon as someone responded "What?" she sold him the bargain, by saying "Mine arse".

sell down the river »    To betray, especially in a manner which causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed.

sell ice to Eskimos »    To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

sell-by date »    The final date on which a perishable product can be legally sold to the public.

sell-by date »    Used to indicate that something, or someone, is old and out of date.

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

send away for »    To write to a business or other organisation, requesting a thing.

send up »    To imitate someone or something for the purpose of satirical humour.

separate the wheat from the chaff »    To select only that which is of value.

set aside »    To declare something invalid or null and void.

set aside »    To disagree with something and reject or overturn it.

set aside »    To separate and reserve something for a specific purpose.

set off »    To count an addition in one thing against a reduction in something else.

set one's cap at »    . Or, more generally, to choose something as a goal.

set the Thames on fire »    To achieve something amazing; to do something which brings great public acclaim.

settle for »    To accept or allow something, especially something not entirely desirable.

settle upon »    To decide something over other options.

sex machine »    Any machine that is used for sexual pleasure.

sex machine »    Someone with considerable sexual prowess.

sex up »    To enhance in terms of fashionable appeal.

shape up or ship out »    To either improve one's behavior or else be required to leave; to either improve one's performance in an activity or else withdraw from that activity completely.

she'll be apples »    Everything will be all right.

she'll be right »    OK, no problem, everything will be all right.

shift gears »    To change pace or mode of operation.

shift gears »    To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.

shirtless »    Not wearing a shirt. Having a bare torso.

shirtless »    Very poor.

shit a brick »    To react strongly or excessively, especially in anger or fear.

shit happens »    Bad things happen, and there is nothing we can do about it.

shit one's pants »    To be extremely frightened.

shit one's pants »    To involuntarily defecate into one's pants or other clothing.

shit oneself »    To soil oneself.

shit or get off the pot »    To choose between taking action now, or foregoing the opportunity until a later date.

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

shitstorm »    A violent situation.

shitstorm »    Considerable backlash from the public.

Shittin in high cotton »    Living well, often above one's means

shoot 'em up »    A short story, novel, television show, film, computer game, or other narrative which depicts considerable gunplay.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To act against one's own interests, e.g., by saying what one is really thinking.

shoot the bull »    To chinwag; to talk idly.

shoot the moon »    To achieve the lowest score possible, such that the player is usually rewarded with bonus points.

shoot the moon »    To attain great heights, a high value, or a numerically high measurement.

shoot the moon »    To hit the moon, with a rocket or by other means.

shoot the moon »    To take a risk which may result in great rewards; to succeed after taking such a risk.

shoot the shit »    To chat casually; to gossip.

short leash »    Forcing one to function within a strict set of rules, or under great scrutiny or oversight.

short strokes »    The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

shot in the arm »    A shot of drug in the arm, to get on a high.

shotgun »    A gun which fires loads consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.

shotgun »    A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.

shotgun »    The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver.

shotgun approach »    An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.

shotgun wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is already pregnant.

show off »    To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.

shroud »    One of the two annular plates at the periphery of a water wheel, which form the sides of the buckets; a shroud plate.

shroud »    That which clothes, covers, conceals, or protects; a garment.

shroud »    That which covers or shelters like a shroud.

shroud »    The branching top of a tree; foliage.

shrouded »    Concealed or hidden from sight, as if by a shroud.

shuffle off this mortal coil »    To die; to divest oneself of one's mortal body.

sick joke »    A joke which is in poor taste, especially one which depicts as amusing a situation which the listener considers to be tragic or disgusting.

side issue »    An issue or topic which is not of direct significance to a primary concern.

sigh of relief »    A reassurance or support, something that reduces stress from an arduous activity.

sigh of relief »    A release of stress through breathing motions.

sight for sore eyes »    A pleasing sight, something that is beautiful to look at.

silence is golden »    Peace and quiet have immense value.Often the best choice is to say nothing.

silver bullet »    A bullet made of silver, usually with reference to the folkloric belief that such bullets are the only weapons which can kill a werewolf.

silver screen »    The cinema screen onto which movies are projected.

sing soprano »    To perform vocal music in a higher pitch than alto.

sit back »    To recline while still in a seated position, with one's back on the frame of the seat.

sit in »    To attend something for one time, as a visitor.

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.

six of one, half a dozen of the other »    The two alternatives are equivalent or indifferent; it doesn't matter which one we choose.

size up »    To evaluate; to estimate or anticipate the magnitude, difficulty, or strength of something.

skate on thin ice »    In a risky, potentially dangerous or delicate situation.

skeleton crew »    The minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency or shut down, and at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.

skin in the game »    A stake; something at risk.

skip out »    To shirk; to avoid attending or to leave early, especially without permission.

skip rope »    To jump over a rope, both of whose ends are held by the jumper or by two others, while the rope is moved under the jumper's feet in a continual rhythm; to play the game of jump rope or exercise by jumping rope.

skirt chaser »    A man with amorous intentions who habitually seeks out female companionship.

slag off »    To talk insultingly to or about someone or something.

slanging match »    A row; an argument in which names are called.

sleeves from one's vest »    Something non-existent; something of no value or cost.

slip into something a little more comfortable »    To wear something suitable to be stripped off by a lover.

slippery slope »    A chain of events that, once initiated, cannot be halted; especially one in which the final outcome is undesirable or precarious.

small fry »    One or more children.

small fry »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

small potatoes »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

smart chance »    A substantial quantity of something.

smash hit »    Something that is tremendously popular or successful.

smell a rat »    To sense something suspicious.

smell test »    An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

smoke like a chimney »    To smoke tobacco frequently.

smooth operator »    A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc.

snake oil »    Snake oil is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat joint pain.

sniff out »    To find something using the sense of smell.

sniff out »    To find, especially to find something that cannot be seen.

snipe hunt »    A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.

snow on the mountaintop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

snow on the rooftop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

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

so much for »    An expression of disregard, or resignation; something said upon giving up, quitting, or disposing of something.

so-and-so »    Anything generic.

sod all »    Nothing.

soft touch »    A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.

soft touch »    A person or group which is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one which loans or readily gives money to another.

softroader »    . This involves increased ground clearance with tyre, wheel, and suspension tweaks, skid plates and refers to mini SUV or wagons.

some people »    Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.

something awful »    Intensely or extremely; badly; in the worst way.

song and dance »    An excessively elaborate story or excuse used to justify something.

sound off »    To hold forth about something in an opinionated manner.

soup-to-nuts »    Comprehensive; complete; covering all of something.

sour grapes »    A putting down or expression of disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.

sow the wind, reap the whirlwind »    Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to him.

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

spare the rod and spoil the child »    If one does not discipline a child, he or she will never learn obedience and good manners.

spare tyre »    An extra tyre carried in case one of the vehicle's tyres is damaged or deflated.

spark off »    To initiate something by providing the necessary conditions.

speak to »    To give evidence regarding something; to attest for.

spectator sport »    A sporting activity which has a relatively high ratio of watchers to direct participants.

spectator sport »    An activity which consists of watching or observing.

spectator sport »    Something, especially a process or activity, which is a popular object of observation; an activity which a person prefers to watch rather than to participate in.

spice up »    To enhance the flavor of something by adding spice to it.

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

spit it out »    To overcome reluctance to say something particular or to speak in general.

spit the dummy »    To a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner.

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

spot check »    A cursory inspection or examination or the inspection or examination of a sample of something.

spring to mind »    To appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.

spruce up »    To refresh, revamp; to freshen or improve something, especially its appearance.

squaring the circle »    The historical problem of how to construct, using compass and ruler, a square having the same area as a given circle.

squeaky wheel gets the grease »    The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.

squirrel away »    To stash or hide; to hoard, collect, save, or accumulate; to create a reserve, stash, or hoard of some supply, so as to recall a squirrel's burying of nuts.

staircase wit »    Thinking of an idea or course of action too late to use it effectively, or the tendency to do so.

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

stand by »    To do nothing. To be inactive in a situation.

stand corrected »    Said to acknowledge someone who corrects something that one says or writes that was not correct.

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

stand off »    To stand some distance apart form something or someone.

stand up »    To bring something up and set it into a standing position.

stand up »    To jilt or shirk.

stand up »    To stand immediately behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a slow or spin bowler, and to attempt to stump the batsman.

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.

stars in one's eyes »    The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.

start off on the wrong foot »    To begin badly; especially, to begin a relationship badly.

stave off »    To prevent something from happening; to obviate or avert.

steal a march on »    To get ahead of someone or something by starting earlier.

step down »    To gradually reduce something, a little at a time, as an electronic step down transformer.

step out »    To date, to be in a romantic relationship.

stepping stone »    A stone that can be stepped on in crossing something, especially a marsh or creek.

stepping stone »    Something used as a way to progress to something or somewhere else.

stew in one's juices »    To be alone and self-absorbed in an uncomfortable state of mind, especially while experiencing the unpleasant effects of one's own actions.

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

stickhandle »    To deal capably and swiftly with a situation, especially in a manner which deflects potential problems.

sticking at nothing »    Being ruthless

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.

sticky fingers »    A petty thief or petty thieves.

stop someone in his tracks »    To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.

stop up »    To increase the aperture of a photographic lens, moving from an f/stop represented by a higher number to an f/stop represented by a lower number and causing more light to pass into the camera.

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.

straighten out »    To correct; to stop doing something wrong.

straw poll »    A survey of opinion which is unofficial, casual, or ad hoc.

strike up »    To start something with somebody else. Usually a conversation or relationship.

strike up »    To start something, usually playing live music.

strike while the iron is hot »    To act on an opportunity promptly; to avoid waiting.

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

strip away »    To remove something bit by bit.

strip down »    To remove all of one's clothing.

strip off »    To remove anything by stripping, e.g. items of clothing or paint from the side of a ship.

stuffed shirt »    One who is overly official or officious; somebody in charge but not necessarily in power or effective.

stumbing-block »    A hindrance, obstacle or impediment.

stumble across »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble on »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble upon »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumbling block »    A hindrance, obstacle or impediment.

stump up »    To pay for something. Often indicating reluctance to pay.

stupid is as stupid does »    A person's intelligence may be judged by the wisdom of his or her actions.

such-and-such »    A placeholder or generic thing.

suck hind tit »    To be last in line.

suck hind tit »    To be the youngest or most neglected child.

suck hind tit »    To feed from an inferior source of food.

suck it up »    To put up with something; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.

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

sweat »    Fluid that exits the body through pores in the skin usually due to physical stress and/or high temperature for the purpose of regulating body temperature and removing certain compounds from the circulation.

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

sweeten the pot »    To make something more desirable.

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.

swing state »    A state which may vote Democratic or Republican, in a given election or generally; a purple state.

switch off »    To lose interest, and start thinking about something else.

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 back seat »    To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.

take a bead on »    To aim a gun at something.

take a bow »    To accept applause at the end of a performance in a theatre. Often this includes actually bowing to the audience.

take a chance »    To risk; to try something risky.

take a gamble »    To risk; to try something risky.

take a hike »    To go away; to leave or depart.

take a hike »    To go hiking.

take a number »    Recognize that many others are in the same situation; recognize that one's concerns are not of high priority; be prepared to wait.

take a picture »    To photographically capture an image.

take a powder »    To leave in a hurry; run away; scram; depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with a connotation of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.

take a risk »    To do something risky.

take a shit »    To defecate.

take a shot in the dark »    To try on something without having any knowledge about the subject.

take a spin »    To go for a ride; especially, to try riding or driving something.

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

take aback »    Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly.

take against »    He took against me when I was promoted over him.

take apart »    To dismantle something into it's component pieces.

take apart »    To move someone away from others to be able to talk to, or give them something in private.

take away »    To remove something and put it in a different place.

take away »    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.

take away »    To subtract or diminish something.

take away »    To leave a memory or impression in one's mind that you think about later.

take away »    To prevent, or limit, someone from being somewhere, or from doing something.

take away from »    To make something seem not so good or interesting.

take back »    To resume a relationship.

take back »    To regain possession of something.

take back »    To return 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 down »    To remove something from a hanging position.

take down »    To write a note. Usually to record something that is said.

take down »    To lower an item of clothing without removing it.

take five »    To break something up.

take for granted »    To assume something to be true without verification or proof.

take in »    To foster or adopt a child informally.

take it out on »    To unleash one's anger on [a person or thing other than the one that caused it].

take it to the bank »    Said to emphasize that something is known for sure.

take on »    To begin to have or exhibit.

take one's time »    To go about something slowly and carefully.

take one's time »    To take more time to do something than is considered acceptable.

take out of context »    To interpret something in a manner in which it was not intended to be understood, often deliberately.

take over »    To assume control of something, especially by force; to usurp.

take over »    To buy out the ownership of a business.

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take over »    To become more successful than someone or something else.

take something in one's stride »    Not to allow oneself to be set back, daunted, upset or embarrassed by unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.

take something in stride »    To cope with something without much effort; to accept or manage something well.

take the lead »    To assume leadership over a group.

take the rap »    To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the actions of another.

take the wheel »    To be in control of the steering wheel of a vehicle or a vessel.

take things as they come »    To accept and deal with events as they occur, with a composed state of mind.

take to task »    To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.

take to the hills »    To flee or vanish; to run away.

take up »    That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.

take up with »    To form a close relationship with someone.

talk is cheap »    It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.

talk like an apothecary »    To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.

talk out one's ass »    To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.

talk the talk »    Speak like an expert, claim to be knowledgeable about something.

talk through one's hat »    To assert something as true or valid; to bluff.

talk up »    In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.

tan someone's hide »    To beat or spank someone.

tee off »    To hit the first shot of the hole.

teething troubles »    Small problems such as are to be expected with some any new and untried system or product.

tell all »    To reveal everything, particularly information that is normally withheld.

tell apart »    To be able to know the difference between things; to distinguish.

tempus fugit »    time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.

ten foot pole »    See not touch something with a ten foot pole.

thanks for nothing »    Expression of displeasure towards a person who has not provided what was wanted.

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

that'll be the day »    Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.

that's that »    There is nothing more to say or to do concerning the matter.

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

that's the way the ball bounces »    That is the way things happen

that's the way the cookie crumbles »    That is the way things happen; that's life.

that's the way the mop flops »    That is the way things happen.

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 ball is in your court »    It is your turn to do something; often making a decision.

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

the course of true love never did run smooth »    There will always be problems in a relationship.

the end all-be all »    Something ultimate; the best part of something; the thing which solves all problems associated with something.

the end justifies the means »    Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.

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

the icing on the cake »    Something wonderful at the end of something good.

the more things change, the more they stay the same »    A proverb making the observation that turbulent changes do not affect reality on a deeper level other than to cement the status quo.

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

the pits »    Something miserable or unpleasant.

the plot thickens »    Used, often ironically, to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation.

the proof of the pudding is in the eating »    The only real test of something is as what it is intended to be used for.

the shoe is on the other foot »    The roles of people in a situation have been reversed, such the advantage has shifted to a party which was previously disadvantaged.

the shoemaker's children go barefoot »    One often neglects those closest to oneself.

the sky is the limit »    Nothing is impossible or out of reach

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »    (proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.

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

the terrorists will have won »    Phrase used following a description of an activity to indicate that if that activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, an which is an unacceptable result.

the thing of it »    The important point to consider.

the way to a man's heart is through his stomach »    Cooking for a man is a good way to win his affections.

the whistle does not pull the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

the whistle doesn't pull the train »    Alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

the whole nine yards »    All the way; with everything done completely or thoroughly.

the whole nine yards »    And everything. Often used, like etc., to finish out a list.

the whole shooting match »    Everything; the entire collection, endeavor, or activity.

the whole world and his dog »    Everybody; too many people; a huge crowd.

the world is one's oyster »    In order to achieve something in this world, one has to grab the opportunity.

them's the breaks »    (idiomatic) That is the way things happen; that's life.

there is nothing new under the sun »    There is nothing truly novel in existence. Every new idea has some sort of precedent or echo from the past.

there may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnace »    Even if a person is in his or her senior years, with gray hair, he or she can still have ambition and energy, especially sexual energy.

there you have it »    That is it; that is the situation or state of things.

there's many a slip twixt cup and lip »    In any situation, however well planned, something can always go wrong.

there's no point crying over spilt milk »    You should not be upset over something that cannot be undone.

there's no such thing as a free lunch »    Nothing is free; everything has a price.

there's nowt so queer as folk »    Nothing is as strange as people can be.

they're only after one thing »    Men are only interested in sex.

thick and thin »    Both good and bad times.

thick as thieves »    Intimate, close-knit.

thief in the night »    Something stealthy or that occurs without warning.

thieve out »    To walk out of a place stealthily.

thin edge of the wedge »    Beginning; opening; precedent.

thin end of the wedge »    Something that if allowed or accepted to a small degree would lead to systematic encroachment.

thin out »    To make or become sparse.

thin-skinned »    Having a thin skin.

thin-skinned »    Overly sensitive to criticism; quick to take offence; touchy.

think about »    To ponder.

think better of it »    To change one's mind; especially to decide against.

think of England »    To tolerate or endure bad sex. Used in conjunction with "I just lie on my back and.." "I just go through the motions and..." etc.

think one's shit doesn't stink »    To be arrogant or snobbish; to feel superior to others.

think over »    To ponder or reflect on a subject.

think tank »    A group of which performs research and develops reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporations, interest groups, or government.

think the world of »    To have a good opinion; to esteem; to admire.

think through »    To fully consider an action, and understand all its consequences.

think twice »    To reconsider, use judgement; to proceed with caution or thought.

think up »    To create in one’s mind; to invent..

third degree »    Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession.

third hand »    Not new, having more than one previous owner.

third rate »    inferior

third string »    A unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.

third string »    Of a decidedly lower quality or condition.

third time's a charm »    One is sure to succeed at a task or event on the third try.

third wheel »    A person or thing that serves no useful purpose.

thorn in the flesh »    A persistent difficulty or something very annoying that will not go away.

thrash out »    To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.

three Rs »    The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.

three-martini lunch »    A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.

three-on-the-tree »    On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.

throw a spanner in the works »    To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.

throw away »    To discard or dispose of something.

throw caution to the wind »    Do something despite the risks.

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

throw down »    To cause something one is holding to drop, often forcefully.

throw down »    To accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to "represent".

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

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

throw in at the deep end »    To introduce a person to a new situation without adequately preparing him or her.

throw out »    To discard; to dispense with something; to throw away.

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

throw somebody a curve »    To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

throw the baby out with the bathwater »    To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.

throw to the dogs »    To give up on something valuable.

throw to the dogs »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as into the streets.

throw to the wolves »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as onto the streets, especially towards predators.

thumb a ride »    To flag or signal a passing vehicle in hopes of securing passage.

thumb a ride »    To secure a ride by flagging down a vehicle.

thumb one's nose »    To place a thumb upon the tip of the nose, usually while simultaneous wiggling one's fingers, in a gesture of disrespect.

thus and so »    A generic thing; a placeholder name.

thus and such »    A placeholder or generic name for something.

tight ship »    A well-organized and highly disciplined organization.

timing is everything »    Consideration of other events can greatly influence some desired outcome (such as an audience laughing to a comedian's joke).Telling the old joke about a butt-crack was not a good idea, just as the plumber arrived, Bob.You know what they say: "timing is everything." I'm sure we can find another plumber before the house floods.

tin god »    An individual that abuses or exceeds his authority over others, frequently in petty ways; for example a low-level manager in situational comedies and other entertainment.

to be the cat's whiskers »    To perform better than was generally supposed possible.

to beat the band »    Very vigorously; at a frantic pace; to a high degree; in large quantities.

to each his own »    Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.

to give a person line »    To allow a person more or less liberty until it is convenient to stop or check him/her, like a hooked fish that swims away with the line.

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

today we are all »    An expression indicating that the speaker empathizes with members of an identifiable group that was the subject of a disaster, and projects that others empathize as well.

today we are all »    August 12, 2008:, Robert Barnes, "McCain to Georgian President: "Today, We Are All Georgians"", Washington Post.

tomorrow is another day »    Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed

top dollar »    The maximum amount of money that an item, service, or worker is worth; a very high price.

top drawer »    Of the highest quality.

top it all off »    To emphasize or underscore; to make something even better or worse.

top notch »    Very good; of the highest quality.

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

top off »    To fill completely; to fill or refill the final portion of something not empty.

top shelf »    Best, or high quality.

top up »    To fill something.

top up »    To extend the credit of something.

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

touch a nerve »    To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.

touch%C3%A9 »    An acknowledgement of a hit.

tough call »    A choice or judgment which is difficult to make, especially one involving only two alternatives.

tough cookie »    A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person.

tower block »    high-rise building

toy with »    Handling something in a careless or frivolous manner.

trick of the trade »    A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.

trip to the woodshed »    An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered.

truth be told »    Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.

try out »    To test something in order to see if it works.

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

tumble to »    To discover, or suddenly understand something.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn a phrase »    To create a particular linguistic expression which is strikingly clear, appropriate, and memorable.

turn against »    To rebel or oppose something formerly supported.

turn against »    To rotate against or in opposition to something.

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

turn away »    To avert or deflect something.

turn back »    To fold something back; to fold down.

turn down »    To reduce the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn in »    To submit something; to give.

turn in one's grave »    To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.

turn into a pumpkin »    Used to indicate a curfew, or the time by which one must depart.

turn off »    To power down; to stop a device by switching it off.

turn on »    To power up; to start a device by switching it on.

turn on »    To rebel; to go against something formerly supported.

turn out »    To turn or rotate outwards or out of something.

turn the tables »    To reverse a situation, such that the advantage has shifted to the party which was previously disadvantaged.

turn to stone »    To cause something to become stone.

turn up »    To increase the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn-on »    Something that attracts, gives pleasure, or encourages, especially sexually.

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

twenty-twenty hindsight »    Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To wait or dawdle; to accomplish nothing useful or lack a useful occupation.

two birds with one stone »    Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.

two bob »    Two shillings.

two can play that game »    The tactics and/or strategies of an enemy can be used against him.

two left feet »    Exhibiting particular clumsiness, especially at dancing or at soccer.

two wrongs don't make a right »    (ethics) A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.1915, William MacLeod Raine, The Highgrader, ch. 15:"But when it comes to taking what belongs to another

two-fisted drinker »    Either someone who can handle their liquor well, or an alcoholic clutching a drink in each hand.

two-second rule »    A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.

under fire »    Criticized or held responsible for something.

under one's belt »    Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

under one's wing »    Under one's protection, sponsorship, or tutelage.

under the impression »    Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.

under wraps »    Secret or hidden.

underwater basket weaving »    An easy and useless college or high school class.

untar »    To extract a tar archive.

up hill and down dale »    Here and there; everywhere.

up one's alley »    Matching a person's interests or abilities well.

up one's sleeve »    Hidden, in reserve.

up shit creek »    Alternative form of up the creek.

up shit creek without a paddle »    Alternative form of up the creek without a paddle.

up the ante »    To make something more desirable.

up to no good »    Misbehaving, being mischievous.

up to something »    Doing something mischievous or scheming.

uphill battle »    A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.

uphill battle »    difficult struggle

ups and downs »    Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.

upset the applecart »    To spoil carefully laid plans or arrangements; to spoil something.

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.

valley of death »    The phase of a startup business beginning with the entrepreneur's fulltime commitment to it and ending when the business has achieved sustainable cash flow.

verge on »    To approach or come close to something; to border or be on the edge of something.

vote with one's feet »    To show a lack of support for something by departing or otherwise absenting oneself.

vote with one's feet »    To show support for something by going to or otherwise being present somewhere.

wade in »    To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.

wail on »    To beat heavily on anything.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.

walk and chew gum at the same time »    To do something very easy.

walk in on »    To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.

walk in the park »    Something easy or pleasant, especially by comparison to something.

walk on eggshells »    To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.

warts and all »    Of or pertaining to a description or other depiction which reveals the full range of characteristics of a person or thing, including the shortcomings and imperfections.

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

wash down »    To help to swallow by drinking a liquid, after eating something, or taking a pill.

wash down »    To wash something completely from top to bottom.

wash out »    To remove something by washing.

wash out »    To lose traction while going around a turn, especially in cycling, motorsports and skiing/snowboarding.

waste breath »    To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.

watch one's head »    To look out for things one's head might bump into.

watch this space »    An indication that a development will follow.

water over the dam »    An event or set of events which has already happened and cannot be changed.

water under the bridge »    Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.

wax lyrical »    To talk about something with much interest or excitement.

weak sister »    A person or thing which is the least robust or least dependable member of a group.

wear out »    Of a shirt, not tucked into the pants; worn in a casual manner.

wear rose-colored glasses »    To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.

wee small hours »    He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.

wet behind the ears »    Inexperienced; not seasoned; new; just beginning.

wet boy »    A contractor assassin or hit man.

wet one's whistle »    To have a drink; to quench one's thirst.

whack-a-mole »    The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.

whale on »    To beat heavily on anything.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander »    If something is acceptable for one person, it is acceptable for another.

whatever it takes »    Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.

wheel around »    To transport someone or something to various locations by pushing a wheeled transporter such as a wheelchair or a wheelbarrow or trolley.

when Hell freezes over »    Never; not in this lifetime; not a chance.

when the chips are down »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is urgent or critical.

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

where the sun don't shine »    Up or in the anus.

whip up »    To produce something quickly, especially of a meal.

whipped cream »    dessert topping

whisper campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

whistle Dixie »    To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.

whistle in the dark »    To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.

whistle past the graveyard »    To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.

whistle past the graveyard »    To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.

whistle walk »    The path slaves took to deliver food from the kitchen building of a plantation to the main dining room. Slaves were expected to whistle during this walk in order to assure their masters that they were not eating the food.

whistle-blower »    One who reports a problem or violation to the authorities; especially, an employee or former employee who reports a violation by an employer.

whistle-stop »    A small train station.

whistle-stop train tour »    A tour in a political campaign that makes many brief stops in small communities.

whistle-stop train tour »    Any travel that's quick and with only brief pauses.

white coat hypertension »    Elevated blood pressure measured by a medical practitioner and deemed to result from the patient's emotional response to the medical environment.

white elephant »    An albino elephant.

white elephant »    An ornament etc that is unwanted or is a financial burden; an unprofitable investment.

white goods »    fridges, washing machines, etc

white hat »    A white hat hacker.

white hole »    A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.

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

white marriage »    An unconsummated marriage.

white on rice »    A descriptive analogy of closeness. See like white on rice.

white trash »    A poorly educated white person with low moral and social standards and low social status.

white wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is still a virgin.

white-knuckle »    Causing fear, excitement, apprehension, suspense, or nervousness.

whitewash »    A lime and water mixture for painting walls and fences bright white.

whitewash »    A victory without reply.

who pays the piper calls the tune »    One who pays for something controls it.

who shot John »    A long and involved explanation; a thing of which an explanation would be long and involved.

who's 'she', the cat's mother%3F »    A rebuke especially directed towards children for having referred to their mother, or any other woman in the third person, instead of using a properly respectful title or their name when appropriate.

whole enchilada »    All of something or a group of related things taken in totality.

whole shebang »    A building or house and everything in it.

whole shebang »    Everything; the entire thing.

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.

win over »    To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.

wind back the clock »    Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.

wind down »    Lower by winding something.

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

wing it »    To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.

winkle out »    To acquire something or someone with difficulty.

winter rat »    An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.

wipe out »    To physically erase something written.

wisdom tooth »    third molar

wishful thinking »    Decision-making based on self-delusion.

wishful thinking »    The illusion that what one would like is actually true.

within an ace of »    Very near; on the point of.

wolf in sheep's clothing »    Something harmful or problematic disguised as something peaceful or pleasant.

woo back »    To gain somebody back by wooing him or her.

wooden spoon »    An ironic prize for finishing last in a competition.

work against the clock »    To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work spouse »    A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.

world »    A planet,especially one which is inhabited or inhabitable.

world-beater »    Someone or something superior to all others of its sort.

worth every penny »    Completely worthwhile.

worth its weight in gold »    Highly valuable.

worth one's while »    Good and important enough for one to spend time, effort, or money on.

wouldn't shout if a shark bit him »    Frugal, miserly.

wrap up »    To fold and secure something to be the cover or protection for something.

wrap up »    To form a cylinder by rolling a sheet of something.

wring out »    To force someone to give something, usually truth, or money.

write down »    Down in writing; to record something.

write off »    Figuratively, to assign a low value to something.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

yank off »    To remove something, like a piece of cloth or bread, by tearing it with one quick strong pull.

yank out »    To remove something like a nail, or a tooth with one quick strong pull.

yell silently »    To think very strong thoughts, that one wishes to yell out loud but does not.

yellow journalism »    Material published in a broadcast or periodical, such as a tabloid newspaper or magazine, which is sensationalistic and of questionable accuracy and taste.

yellow press »    Newspapers which publish sensationalist articles rather than well researched and sober journalism.

yellowbelly »    Someone from Lincolnshire.

yes man »    A person who always agrees with his employer or superior.

yield up »    To give something against one's will.

yield up »    To disclose something hidden.

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 lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink »    You can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it.

you can't fight city hall »    (chiefly US) Nothing can be done to change the situation, because it is a governmental decision.I see they're going to build the airport after all. I suppose you can't fight city hall.

you can't judge a book by its cover »    It is not possible to make reliable judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.

you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear »    It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.

you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

you can't polish a turd »    (vulgar) Something inherently bad cannot be improved.

you can't take it with you »    It is not possible to take one's material wealth to whatever world may await one after death.1900, E. Phillips Oppenheim, A Millionaire of Yesterday, ch. 6:"The clause which

you can't unring a bell »    Some things can't be undone.

you don't dip your pen in company ink »    One should avoid romantic relationships in the workplace.

you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows »    You don't need an expert to tell you what you already know.

you know what »    A phrase used to get someone's attention before announcing something.

you make the bed you lie in »    A person's circumstances are normally the result of his or her own actions.

you name it »    Used after a short list to show that further examples are unnecessary; all kinds of things.

you're never too old to learn »    It is possible to learn new things, at any age; (implying) follow your desires and dreams

you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

your mileage may vary »    To express a possible difference in taste, "this is just my opinion, your opinion may be different".

zero in »    To focus one's aim; to zoom in and center on something.

zero in on »    To converge on something.

zone out »    To stop paying attention and think about something else, or to think about nothing.

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