a dumb priest never got a parish »
(Irish) Those who fail to speak up fail to get what they want.
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all things come to those who wait »
(dated) A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.
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bad egg »
Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.
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born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »
Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.
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by the way »
[...] I had counted on a life-lease of the profits, whereas I only received those of a few short years. But this is by the way.
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can of worms »
A troublesome situation; an issue whose resolution is difficult or contentious, but not necessarily complex.
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cast pearls before swine »
To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.
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cat that ate the canary »
A person whose appearance and behavior suggest guilt mixed with other qualities, such as satisfaction or feigned nonchalance.
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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.
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couldn't happen to a nicer »
Sarcastically asserts that those in question thoroughly deserve their fate.
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damn by association »
Discredit or condemn a position, person, or thing by attacking those things with which he/she/it is associated.
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deep thinker »
A person whose thoughts are profound; an intellectual.
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diamond in the rough »
A person whose goodness or other positive qualities are hidden by a harsh or unremarkable surface appearance.
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don't try to teach grandma how to suck eggs »
Don't presume to give advice to those who are more experienced.
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drink from a firehose »
To take a small amount from an enormous, hard-to-manage quantity.
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elephant in the room »
A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.
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fire hose »
A hose used to deliver water in case of fire.
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fire hose »
The human penis.
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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."
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fortune favors the bold »
Luck is usually on the side of those who take chances and risks.
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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.
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God helps those who help themselves »
Fortune comes to those who make a genuine effort to accomplish things.
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good things come to those who wait »
A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.
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grab bag »
A gift, purchase, etc. whose contents are concealed until after a selection is made.
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grass widow »
A married woman whose husband is away.
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grass widower »
A married man whose wife is away.
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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.
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heaven helps those who help themselves »
A maxim encouraging people to get involved in their own problems.
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herd cats »
To attempt to control those resistant to control.
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in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »
Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.
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joe job »
An act of e-mail spamming where the sender's identity and address are those of an innocent third party, intended either to tarnish that person's reputation or to flood that person's e-mail with bounces.
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jug ears »
Ears whose plane is markedly not parallel to the plane of the head.
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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.
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make the cut »
To succeed; to be chosen out of a field of candidates or possibilities.
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meals on wheels »
Food delivered to the homes of those unable to cook for themselves.
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miner's canary »
Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.
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miners' canary »
Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.
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morning person »
A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.
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night person »
A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.
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nighthawk »
A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.
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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.
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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.
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oil burner »
A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.
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on high »
"According to those on high there is no global warming".
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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.
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one of those days »
A bad day.
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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.
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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.
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out of place »
Amongst all those horsey people I felt quite out of place.
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party animal »
A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.
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pig in a poke »
Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.
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rank and file »
Those lacking any particular title or status; those having no station.
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ride the short bus »
To participate in a special education program, such as for those with learning disabilities.
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robber baron »
Especially in the 19th-century and early 20th-century, a business tycoon who had great wealth and influence but whose methods were morally questionable.
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skip rope »
To jump over a rope, both of whose ends are held by the jumper or by two others, while the rope is moved under the jumper's feet in a continual rhythm; to play the game of jump rope or exercise by jumping rope.
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smallpox blanket »
An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.
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such as »
Those who.
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the shoemaker's children go barefoot »
One often neglects those closest to oneself.
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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.
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those who will not when they may, when they will they shall have nay »
(archaic) One should take immediate advantage of an opportunity that may not be available later.
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time and material »
A form of contractual compensation involving payment for materials used and at agreed rates for the those involved in performing the services.
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war bride »
A company or individual whose business is increased by warfare.
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when in Rome, do as the Romans do »
behave as those around do
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wild-goose chase »
A task whose execution is inordinately complex relative to the value of the outcome.
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willy nilly »
Without regard for consequences or the will of those affected.
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work spouse »
A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.
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you and whose army%3F »
You can't do all that on your own.
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