We've found 899 phrases for id (0.116 seconds):

a good voice to beg bacon »    Said in ridicule of a bad voice.

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

a rising tide lifts all boats »    Benefits provided to a few may lead to conditions that are beneficial to all.

a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »    An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.

a stopped clock is right twice a day »    A normally unreliable person or instrument can occasionally provide correct information, even if only by accident.

abide by »    To accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it; to conform to; to acquiesce; as, to abide by an award.

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

abide with »    To remain or live with someone.

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 »    Based on what is said or stated.

ace in the hole »    A hidden or secret strength, or unrevealed advantage.

acid test »    A rigorous test or appraisal of the quality or worth of something.

acid test »    To test for the truth.

across the pond »    On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

after one's own heart »    Of a person: having the same ideas, opinions or behaviour as oneself.

age before beauty »    A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones.

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

all holiday »    A saying signifying that it is all over with the business or person spoken of or alluded to/.

all in all »    everything considered

all kidding aside »    Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.

all of the sudden »    Suddenly, rapidly.

all out »    The state of a side having no more men to bat, thus ending its innings.

all over the board »    Showing a wide range of values with no particular pattern.

all over the map »    Widely scattered or distributed; numerous and differing greatly.

all talk and no cider »    All talk and no results.

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

am I right or am I right »    Rhetorical question from somebody who has stated what they consider to be an unassailable truth.

an offer one can't refuse »    An offer from one side in any transaction with terms so attractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.

an offer one can't refuse »    An offer from one side in any transaction with the results of failing to accept so unattractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.

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

angel's advocate »    Someone who sees what's good about an idea and supports it.

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

apples and oranges »    Said of a comparison of items that are not comparable.

April showers bring May flowers »    April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.By extension, that a period of discomfort can provide the basis for a period of happiness.

are your ears burning »    Said of somebody who was not present but was the topic of discussion.

arm candy »    An attractive, seemingly romantic companion who accompanies a person in public simply so that one or both of the individuals can gain attention, enhance social status, or create an impression of sexual appeal.

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

arsy varsey »    Tumbling upside down; head over heels.

as long as »    Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; so long as.

ass over teakettle »    Tumbling upside down.

at a stand »    In a state of confusion or uncertainty; undecided what to do next.

at arm's length »    Avoiding a close relationship.

At ease with nudity »    ISM free identification with nude recreation

at home »    In one's place of residence.

at that »    In addition to what has been said; furthermore; moreover.

back away »    Of your attention on the thing in front being avoided.

back up »    To provide support or the promise of support.

back-to-back »    Identical or similar and sequential.

bail out »    To secure the release of an arrested person by providing bail money.

baptism by fire »    A change in initial attitude or ideals through a traumatic situation.

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

barrel »    A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.

barrel »    A solid drum, or a hollow cylinder or case.

bat an eyelid »    To react in any slight way; to respond.

bat away »    To avoid by diverting the focus of a discussion.

bat for both sides »    To be a batter for both teams in an amateur baseball game.

be glad to see the back of »    To be glad to get rid of someone; to be glad someone has left.

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

be of two minds »    To be undecided or unsure; to equivocate; to have multiple opinions.

be there for »    To be available to provide comfort and support for someone, especially in a period of difficulty.

be-all and end-all »    Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.

bear in mind »    Remember; consider; note.

bear out »    To corroborate, prove, or confirm; to demonstrate; to provide evidence for.

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

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

beats me »    I don't know; I have no idea.

beauty is in the eye of the beholder »    Individuals have different inclinations on what is beautiful. Individuals have different beauty standards.

beauty sleep »    Sleep before midnight, on the belief that early sleep hours conduce to health and beauty.[1].

beg off »    To avoid, or cancel some event that one has previously arranged with someone.

beside oneself »    Overcome; consumed by an emotion.

beside the point »    Irrelevant, moot.

best laid plans »    A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.

beyond the black stump »    Extremely remote, outside the populated area.

beyond the pale »    Describing behaviour that is considered to be outside the bounds of morality, good behaviour or judgement in civilised company.

bid fair »    seem probable

bid fair »    seems probable

big enchilada »    A very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.

bird of one's own brain »    One's own idea or conception.

bit on the side »    Secondary lover, mistress.

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

bitter end »    That part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains onboard when a ship is riding at anchor.

blaze a trail »    To show the way or proceed rapidly.

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!

boil down »    As an allusion to the cooking technique of reducing liquids by heat, one boils down a problem, argument, etc. to its most central elements.

bone idle »    lazy

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.

bottle up »    Keep suppressed and hidden.

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.

brain fart »    Something ill-considered and said or done impulsively.

brain-dead »    Having no useful thoughts; stupid; ditzy.

brass monkey »    Said of the weather when it is very cold.

break a sweat »    ' , Karon Karter - The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Pilates Method page 119.

break the bank »    To win more money than is available to be paid.

break the ice »    To start to get to know people, by avoiding awkwardness.

bridge »    A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.

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

bridge »    A particular form of one hand placed on the table to support the cue when making a shot in cue sports.

bridge »    A prosthesis replacing one or several adjacent teeth.

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

bridge »    A statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.

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

bridge »    A valence bond, atom or chain of atoms that connects two different parts of a molecule; the atoms so connected being bridgeheads.

bridge »    An edge which, if removed, changes a connected graph to one that is not connected.

bridge »    An elevated platform above the upper deck of a mechanically propelled ship from which it is navigated and from which all activities on deck can be seen and controlled by the captain, etc; smaller ships have a wheelhouse, and sailing ships were controlled from a quarterdeck.

bridge »    An unintended solder connection between two or more components or pins.

bridge »    Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit.

bridge »    Cue for extended or tedious shots. Also called a spider.

bridge »    The piece, on string instruments, that supports the strings from the sounding board.

bridge »    The upper bony ridge of the human nose.

bring forward »    To call up for consideration.

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

bring out »    To make a shy person more confident.

bring owls to Athens »    Who brings owls to Athens? — Euelpides, in Aristophanes' Birds.

bring to the table »    To provide a suggestion.

broad church »    A wide scope of philosophies and ideas.

build a better mousetrap »    To invent the next great thing; to have a better idea.

built like a tank »    Broad shouldered and of solid, muscular build.

bum around »    To wander around idly to no purpose; to loaf or loiter.

bump into »    To collide with something.

burn one's bridges »    To destroy one's path, connections, reputation, opportunities, etc.

burn rubber »    To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.

burn the midnight oil »    To work studiously, especially late into the night.

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

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.

button-down »    Serious; staid; businesslike.

by a long shot »    By a wide margin; indicates a very big difference or disparity.

by far »    To a considerably large extent, easily.

by leaps and bounds »    Rapidly. Said of making progress.

by one's own hand »    As a result of one's own actions, especially with reference to death by suicide.

by the by »    Used to introduce a new topic; incidentally.

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.

call 'em as one sees 'em »    To candidly and honestly express an opinion or viewpoint.

call off the dogs »    During a one-sided sports contest, to remove the first-string unit of a team from the game after dominating the opponent.

calling card »    A prepaid card or credit card, usually electronically readable, used to pay the charges when making a telephone call.

calling card »    A small printed card which identifies the bearer, traditionally presented for introduction when making a social visit to a home or when attending a formal social event or business meeting.

can of worms »    A complex, troublesome situation arising when a decision or action produces considerable subsequent problems.

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 off »    Knowledge, confidence, or familiarity.

carry someone's water »    To do someone's bidding; to serve someone's interests.

castle in the air »    A visionary project or scheme; a day-dream; an idle fancy; a pipe dream; any plan, desire, or idea that is unlikely to be ever realized; a near impossibility.

cat and mouse game »    Two individuals and/or groups repeatedly keeping check on each other in a suspicious or self-protective way, often with the goal of one or both parties trying to gain a malicious advantage over the other.

cat in the meal-tub »    Something concealed; a hidden danger.

catch flies »    An ostensible product of awkwardly having one's mouth open wide.

catch up »    To provide with news.

caucus race »    The competitive process in which a political party selects their candidate, esp. presidential; a primary election via caucus.

center field »    The defensive position in the outfield in the middle, typically played by a player that can run fast.

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 mind »    To decide differently than one had decided before.

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

cheaper by the dozen »    Things are handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.

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

cherry pick »    To position oneself near the opponent's goal to attempt to receive an errant or intentional pass for an easy score, as in basketball or versions of soccer where offsides are not enforced.

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

chicken out »    To shy away from a daring task; to decline, refuse, or avoid something due to fear or uncertainty.

chump change »    A sum of money considered to be insignificant.

chump change »    An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.

circle the wagons »    To draw a wagon train into a circle to allow the wagons to provide cover when under attack.

circular firing squad »    A political party or other group experiencing considerable disarray because the members are engaging in internal disputes and mutual recrimination.

cite chapter and verse »    To provide specific references from an authoritative book, as the Bible or a book of statutes or rules, to support a statement.

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

clean out »    To clean, especially to tidy by removing the contents.

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

close shave »    A near accident or mishap; a dangerous or risky encounter or incident.

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

cold comfort »    Much less reassurance, consolation, aid, or pleasure than one needs or desires.

cold fish »    A heartless individual; a person lacking empathy and emotion.

come about »    To tack; to change tack; to maneuver the bow of a sailing vessel across the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other; to position a boat with respect to the wind after tacking.

come across »    To find, usually by accident.

come of age »    To reach a specific age where one is legally considered to be an adult.

come the acid »    To exaggerate.

come the acid »    To make oneself unpleasant, especially by sarcasm.

come to a head »    To rapidly come to a turning point.

come unstuck »    To get into trouble, to have an accident or mishap, to go off the rails.

company »    A group of individuals with a common purpose, as in a company of actors.

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

comply with »    To abide by a set of rules.

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

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

cop-out »    An excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty; a reason offered when someone cops out.

cop-out »    Avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty; the action of copping out.

copious free time »    A hypothetical time set aside for performing time-consuming tasks, however insinuating that the speaker really has no free time.

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.

cross that bridge when one comes to it »    To deal with a problem or situation only when it arises.

crying shame »    A situation that is considered to be a disgrace, or deplorable.

curveball »    A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and middle fingers down and resulting in motion down "curve".

cut a swath »    Variant form of cut a wide swath.

cut a wide swath »    To behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.

cut a wide swath »    To clear a broad track through a grassland, woodland, geographical region, or other area, either by natural means or by human action.

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

dark horse »    A candidate who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice.

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 last »    The standings, often by a considerable margin to the next-to-last-place finisher or after an exceptionally poor showing or season.

dead of night »    Middle of the night.

dead to rights »    With sufficient evidence to establish responsibility definitively.

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.

deep-six »    To get rid of something unwanted.

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.

devil's advocate »    A canon lawyer appointed by the Church to argue against the canonization of the proposed candidate.

devil's advocate »    One who debates from a view which they may not actually hold, usually to determine its validity, or simply for the sake of argument.

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

die »    Followed by for. Often expressing wider contextual motivations, though sometimes indicating direct causes.

dirty old man »    An adult male - usually middle-aged or elderly - who acts in a lecherous or lewd manner.

dirty word »    A word that is considered vulgar, not necessarily sexual in nature.

divide and conquer »    A combination of political, military and economic strategies that aim to gain and maintain power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.(computing) Applied to various algorithms, such as quicksort, that solve a problem by splitting it recursively into smaller problems until all of the remaining problems are trivial.(as imperative, proverb) In order to rule securely, don't allow alliances of your enemies.

divvy up »    To divide or parcel out.

do a »    To emulate the behavior/behaviour that is generally attributed to the individual named.

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

do something with mirrors »    To insinuate one has performed a magic or optical trick with the use of hidden mirrors, insinuating trickery and sham.

do something with mirrors »    To jokingly pretend that one did something using magic mirrors, that one is a magician; a joking explanation of the fantastic or the unexplained.

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

dodge a bullet »    To have a narrow escape; to avoid injury or disaster.

dog's life »    A life of indolence where the individual may do as he or she pleases, just like a pampered dog.

don't drop the soap »    (idiomatic) Used as a mockery to someone who is about to be or should be confined in prison.

don't hold your breath »    "Don't wait." Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned to is unlikely to happen soon or at all.

don't 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.

done deal »    An agreement that has been finally resolved or decided.

down the road, not across the street »    Along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.

drag one's feet »    To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.

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.

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

drip »    To put a small amount of a liquid on something, drop by drop.

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.

dumb bunny »    A stupid person.

dumb down »    To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.

dummy out »    From a video game in the process of localizing that game from a foreign country.

ear trumpet »    old hearing aid

earn one's keep »    To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.

easy come, easy go »    Easily won and easily lost; usually said when resigned to a loss.

eat one's words »    To regret or retract what one has said.

empty vessels make the most sound »    noisy, opinionated people are often stupid.

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.

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

err on the side of caution »    To act in the least risky manner in a situation where one is uncertain about the consequences.

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

evil twin »    A duplicate or counterpart of something or someone that acts in a contrary, nefarious, or insidious manner.

eye candy »    Any object or sight with considerable visual appeal.

eye for an eye »    Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.

eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth »    Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.

eye of the beholder »    The evaluation depending on perception of person who sees and considers.

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.

factor space »    A space obtained from another by identification of points that are equivalent to one another in some equivalence relation.

fair enough »    An expression used to concede a point; denotes that, upon consideration, something is correct or reasonable; an expression of acknowledgment or understanding.

fair to middling »    Only tolerably good.

fall apart »    To break into pieces through being in a dilapidated state.

fall by the wayside »    To fail to be completed, particularly for lack of interest; to be left out.

fall off a truck »    Of an item of merchandise, to come into a person's possession without having been paid for; to be acquired illegally.

fall off the back of a lorry »    Of an item of merchandise, to come into a perons's possession without having been paid for; to have been acquired illegally.

fall on one's sword »    To commit suicide by allowing one’s body to drop onto the point of one’s sword..

fall over »    Of an argument, to fail to be valid.

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.

far and wide »    Over a great distance, or large area; nearly everywhere.

far be it »    Pewtey in Marriage Guidance Counselor from And Now For Something Completely Different.

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.

feel up to »    To be confident in being able 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.

fiddle faddle »    nonsense

fight fire with fire »    To respond to an attack with a similar or identical method.

fight shy of »    To avoid something.

film out »    To transfer images or animation from videotape or digital files to a traditional celluloid film print.

filter down »    Of a liquid; to move slowly down to lower substrate levels.

final cut »    A group, after a selection process getting rid of other candidates.

find one's feet »    To grow in confidence in a new situation as one gains experience.

fire off »    To ask an unexpected question rapidly.

first things first »    Deal with matters of highest priority first; deal with matters in logical sequence.1922, H. G. Wells, The Secret Places of the Heart, ch.4,"First things first," said Sir Richmond. If we set about getting fuel sanely, if we do it as the deliberate, co-operative act of the whole species, then it follows that we shall look very closely into the use that is being made of it.1999, Frank Pellegrini, "House Republicans Quell Mutiny Over Tax Bounty," Time, 23 Jul.,Judging by the polls

fish or cut bait »    To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.

fit as a fiddle »    Perfectly fit; in excellent health.

flap one's gums »    To speak idly; to talk without effect.

flat-earther »    A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.

flight of fancy »    An idea, narrative, suggestion, etc. which is extremely imaginative and which appears to be entirely unrealistic, untrue, or impractical; thinking which is very speculative.

flip one's lid »    To be explosively angry.

flipside »    Later or tomorrow.

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

flipside »    The B-side of a phonograph record.

fly the freak flag »    To behave in a unconventional or unrestrained manner; to exhibit the uninhibited side of one's personality.

fly-by-night »    Businesses that appear and disappear rapidly, or that give an impression of transience.

fly-by-night »    One who departs or flees at night in order to avoid creditors, law enforcement etc. .

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 the birds »    Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.

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

forbidden fruit »    The fruit forbidden to Adam.

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

fortune favors the bold »    Luck is usually on the side of those who take chances and risks.

four-on-the-floor »    Relating to a vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission mounted beside the driver on the floor of the vehicle.

fourth estate »    Journalism or journalists considered as a group; the Press.

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

fruit of the poisonous tree »    And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.

full tilt »    As quickly as possible; very rapidly.

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

get away with »    To do something which is prohibited, forbidden or generally not allowed, and not be punished for the action.

get busy »    Start working, usually in opposition to idleness.

get cold feet »    To become nervous or anxious and reconsider a decision about an upcoming event.

get in »    To get into or inside something, literally or figuratively.

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

get out of bed on the wrong side »    To start the day in a bad mood for no apparent reason.

get the bacon bad »    To be morbidly obese.

give away the store »    To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.

give birth »    To invent a new idea.

give somebody a hand »    To help, aid, or assist.

give somebody a hard time »    To tease, kid, or rib.

give somebody the runaround »    Especially by providing useless information or directions .

go along for the ride »    To accompany someone passively, or to take a passive role in a project.

go back to the drawing board »    To start again; to scrap a previous idea or plan and try again from the beginning.

go blue »    Of states and counties, to be carried by a Democratic candidate in a given U.S. election.

go by the board »    To estimate the velocity of a boat or ship in knots by casting overboard the knotted line to whose end is attached the lead and thereafter counting the knots in the line as it goes aft along the side boards of the vessel.

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

go by the wayside »    To become obsolete or outmoded.

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

go down the pan »    To fail or degenerate rapidly.

go down the tubes »    To fail or degenerate rapidly.

go for »    To be equally valid or appropriate.

go in off »    To pot the cue ball accidentally after hitting the object ball.

go off half-cocked »    To take a premature or ill-considered action.

go red »    Of states or counties, to be carried by a Republican candidate in a given U.S. election.

god forbid »    Don't let it be.

God works in mysterious ways »    Expressing confidence that a conundrum has a solution despite it not being apparent.Expressing that a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run.Person A: It seems that I'm about to be fired from my job.Person B: Well, God works in mysterious ways - maybe it'll be the kick you need to apply to university...

gold standard »    A test or measure of comparison that is considered ultimate or ideal.

golden handcuffs »    Any arrangement or agreement designed to provide extremely favorable benefits or pay, so as to discourage participant from wanting to leave, especially to retain a choice employee.

golden opportunity »    Ideal moment to do something.

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 leisurely watch the passage of boats, from the bank of a canal, lock or bridge.

gongoozle »    To observe things idly.

good riddance »    Used to indicate that a departure, or loss is welcome.

goodbye cruel world »    A call said before taking a stiff drink, especially a shot of vodka.

goodbye cruel world »    An exclamation made before commiting suicide, or in a suicide note.

goof off »    To dawdle; to engage in idle activity or inactivity.

goon squad »    A group of individuals serving as enforcers, bodyguards, and the like, especially persons hired for such a purpose and using violent, thuggish methods.

grass widow »    A divorcée..

grass widow »    A married woman whose husband is away.

grass widow »    A mother out of wedlock.

grass widower »    A divorcé..

grass widower »    A married man whose wife is away.

gravy train »    An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.

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.

grunt work »    That is considered undesirable and therefore delegated to underlings.

gunboat diplomacy »    The pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of military power.

gunshy »    Being afraid to use a gun.

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

hang an arse »    To hang back, to be afraid to advance.

hard-nosed »    Guided by practical experience and observation rather than by theory.

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.

have an eye for »    To have good taste; to have the ability to discriminate or identify quality.

have ants in one's pants »    To be agitated and constantly fidgeting.

have in mind »    To consider, to contemplate, to intend.

have someone's hide »    To punish or subdue someone.

he who laughs last laughs best »    success is better after having previously endured ridicule.

head and shoulders »    To a considerable degree; better; outstanding.

head over heels »    Tumbling upside down.

head scratcher »    July 2002, Fox News - Attorney: Williams' Kids Near Compromise About Father's Remains.

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

hear, hear »    Let us hear and applaud the previous speaker; I endorse the previous statement; Expression of support, agreement, or enthusiasm for what has just been said.

hell on earth »    A very unpleasant situation; torment, particularly when widespread.

helping hand »    Any assistance, help or aid.

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

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..

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 noon »    Exactly noon; midday; the middle of the day.

highway robbery »    Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.

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.

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'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 the big time »    To become successful and widely known.

hit the nail on the head »    To identify something exactly; to arrive at exactly the right answer.

hold one's own »    To stand up to; to give a respectable performance; to provide worthy competition.

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

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

hold somebody's hand »    To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.

hold water »    To withstand scrutiny or criticism; to be valid.

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

home is where you hang your hat »    Rather than feeling nostalgic or sentimental, one should simply accept any place where one happens to reside as one's home.1948, Ruth L. Yorck, "D.P.

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

horse of a different color »    An unrelated or only incidentally related matter with distinctly different significance.

hot cross buns »    good friday cakes

hot mess »    A warm meal, usually cooked in a large pot, often similar to a stew or porridge; or, service of such a heated meal to soldiers.

hot 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 spot »    dangerous place; accident place

hotfoot it »    To hasten; to move rapidly.

house cooling party »    A party to celebrate when a person decides to leave a house or flat, and sometimes to help prepare the space for the incoming residents.

how do you like them apples »    Directed jestingly or mockingly at someone who has received surprising information, ridiculing the situation.

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.

idiot box »    Television.

idiot light »    Any warning light or indicator on the dashboard of a car, designed to alert the driver of problems, such as the parking brake being on or the oil being low.

idiot mittens »    Mittens connected by yarn or string running through one sleeve, along the back and out the other sleeve of a coat, to prevent the mittens becoming lost. Generally worn by small children.

if 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.

in addition »    Also; as well; besides.

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

in evidence »    Visibly present; noticeable.

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 light of »    Given, considering.

in line »    Suitable or appropriate; keeping with expectations, norms, ideals, or rules.

in order »    Ready, prepared; orderly; tidy.

in spades »    To excess, a lot, considerably; without restraint.

in stride »    Without disturbing one's course of activities.

in stride »    Without emotional upset.

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

in the fast lane »    In a lifestyle, employment position, or other set of circumstances where the rapid pace is exciting, frantic, or risky.

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »    Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.

in the running »    Of a candidate, potential or likely; worthy of consideration.

in touch »    The ball, or a player, is in touch when it, or he, is outside the playing area or touching the touchlines of the playing area.

in two minds »    undecided

in unity there is strength »    More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.

in view of »    Considering.

inside baseball »    Matters of interest only to insiders.

inside baseball »    Technical matters concerning baseball not apparent to spectators.

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

inside joke »    A joke that is understood or meant to be understood only by certain people who are in the know about the details.

inside track »    Any advantage.

inside track »    The lane or track nearest to the interior.

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 about time »    Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.

itchy trigger finger »    A tendency to act in haste or without consideration.

ivory tower »    A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.

jack up »    To raise, increase, or accelerate; often said of prices, fees, or rates. See also jack up the price.

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 »    To propel oneself rapidly upward such that momentum causes the body to become airborne.

jump about »    To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.

jump around »    To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.

jump the gun »    To trade securities based on information that is not yet public; to trade on inside information.

jump the shark »    To undergo a storyline development which is so ridiculous that previous quality is considered to have been lost.

jump to conclusions »    Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.

just deserts »    A punishment or reward that is considered to be what the recipient deserved.

keel over »    Of a vessel: to roll so far on its side that it cannot recover; to capsize.

keep a lid on »    To keep something secret.

keep away from »    To avoid.

keep one's cards close to one's chest »    To avoid revealing one's thoughts, circumstances, or plans.

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

keep up with »    To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.

kid around »    To engage in playful fun.

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

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

knock up »    In the morning as by knocking at the door; rouse; call; summon; also, to go door-to-door on election day to persuade a candidate's supporters to go to the polling station and vote. See also knocker up.

knocked up »    "pregnant", typically outside of marriage.

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

laughing stock »    An object of ridicule, someone who is publicly ridiculed; a butt of sport.

lay low »    To remain hidden or to hide oneself.

lay on »    provide;

lay rubber »    To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.

lay the groundwork »    To create a foundation; to provide the basics or fundamentals.

lead time »    The amount of time between the initiation of some process and its completion, e.g. the time required to manufacture or procure a product; the time required before something can be provided or delivered.

leader of the free world »    The President of the United States.

leaf through »    Rapidly reading short sections at random.

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 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

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 sleeping dogs lie »    To leave things as they are; especially, to avoid restarting or rekindling an old argument; to leave disagreements in the past.

let slip »    To divulge a secret, as by accident or mistake.

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

lick one's chops »    To use one's tongue to remove moistness from the sides of one's mouth, as when salivating or at the conclusion of a meal.

life of Riley »    An ideal life of carefree prosperity and contentment.

life's a bitch »    An expression of acceptance of misfortune.1950, Joy Davidman, Weeping Bay, page 184:She'd have been willing enough to use them, poor dead little bitch. Life's a bitch. Life's a bad joke.

light middleweight »    type of boxer

like gangbusters »    Vigorously, rapidly, zealously, or forcibly; in a manner which has considerable impact.

like nobody's business »    In an extreme manner; rapidly; excessively; like crazy.

lion »    A large cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly to much of Europe. The term may apply to the species as a whole, to individuals, or to male individuals. It also applies to related species like mountain lions.

lion »    An individual who shows strength and courage, attributes associated with the lion.

liquid courage »    Alcohol drunk to induce a feeling of courage in the drinker.

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 one »    Someone who is easily fooled, victimized, or ridiculed.

loaded word »    Any word, set phrase or idiom that has strong positive or negative connotations beyond their ordinary definition.

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 drink »    Any drink containing more than 5 ounces of liquid and less than 9 ounces. Typically, a long drink will have lots of ice and mixer.

long finger »    Middle finger.

long shot »    A master shot, the primary wide shot of a scene into which the closeups will be edited later.

look into »    To investigate, explore, or consider.

look out »    To look from within to the outside.

loose end »    A small job that needs to be done, or minor problem that needs to be resolved, before a task can be considered complete.

lot lizard »    A low or stupid person.

low blow »    A rhetorical attack that is considered unfair or unscrupulous.

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.

make a decision »    To decide.

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 point »    To argue or promote an idea.

make book »    To be very confident.

make fun of »    To tease, ridicule or make jokes about.

make game of »    To ridicule; to jest.

make oneself scarce »    To leave or depart, or to avoid or stay away.

make the cut »    To succeed; to be chosen out of a field of candidates or possibilities.

make up one's mind »    To decide; to reach a conclusion.

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 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.

me three »    Used to express agreement, after someone has already said "me too".

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

meatball surgery »    A nickname for surgery that is meant to be performed rapidly to stabilize the patient as quickly as possible.

meaty »    Of a person or a body part, large and solid.

melt into »    To become a liquid by melting.

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

mercury »    A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.

mess around »    To fiddle idly.

mess around »    To joke, kid, or play.

mess up »    To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.

middle ground »    A compromise position between extremes.

middle ground »    The middle distance.

middle of nowhere »    Nowhere; any place lacking population, interesting things, or defining characteristics.

middle of the road »    Having a centrist attitude or philosophy; not extreme, especially politically.

middle of the road »    Of a type of melodic popular music that has wide appeal.

midi system »    hi-fi

mills of the gods grind slowly »    Justice may arrive slowly, but it cannot be avoided.

miner's canary »    A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.

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

miners' canary »    A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.

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

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.

monkey business »    An activity that is considered silly, or stupid, or time-wasting.

monkey business »    An activity that may be considered illegal, questionable, or a vice, but not felonious.

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

mouth breather »    A person who is boorish, stupid, or otherwise unattractive.

move house »    To change one's place of residence.

move out »    To vacate one's place of residence.

muck about »    To do random unplanned work or spend time idly.

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

mutual admiration society »    A group of two or more people, in a workplace or other social environment, who routinely express considerable esteem and support for one another, sometimes to the point of exaggeration or pretense.

name and shame »    So as to single them out for individual blame and censure.

near miss »    narrowly avoided accident

necker's knob »    A knob attached to the steering wheel of an automobile, especially before the widespread availability of power steering, helping the driver steer with one arm and leaving the other arm free to provide romantic attention to a companion.

neither fish nor fowl »    Said of something not easily categorized or not fitting neatly into any established group.

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

no good deed ever goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

no good deed goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

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

nobody's perfect »    Used when someone's mistakes or flaws are acknowledged, to remind that everyone else makes mistakes and has flaws1995, New York Magazine Vol. 28, No. 5, 30 January 1995, The de-moralization of society (Book Review)Hypocrisy, particularly in sexual matters, is excused on the grounds that hey, nobody's perfect, and at least folks back then felt bad enough to lie.2000, Madonna, Nobody's PerfectI feel so sad. What I did wasn't right. I feel so bad and I must say to you: Sorry, but nobody's perfect. Nobody's perfect. What did you expect? I'm doing my best

nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat »    The idea/proposed action is inconsequential to the current situation.

non-starter »    An idea or argument that cannot be sensibly debated.

non-starter »    Someone or something who was listed to start in a race, but did not start in the race.

not a sausage »    Jill: Not a sausage I'm afraid, I'm just visiting.

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

not leave one's thoughts »    Said when one keeps thinking about something.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong aversion.

of course »    Acknowledges the validity of the associated phrase.

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

off the table »    Beyond consideration.

off-color »    Considered dirty, vulgar or obscene.

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

old hat »    Something widely or long practiced, known, or accepted; something conventional.

old maid »    card game

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 accident »    Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.

on acid »    Exaggerated, bizarre or unpredictable.

on board »    It's a good idea, but let's see if we can get a few more of the management team on board.

on its merits »    Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.

on opposite sides of the barricades »    Of starkly different, opposite views on an issue.

on second thought »    After reconsidering; on further consideration.

on steroids »    To a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.

on the double »    Rapidly or immediately.

on the fence »    Undecided; wavering in one's opinion.

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

on the skids »    In decline; going downhill; in trouble.

on the spot »    Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.

one and the same »    The same person or thing. Used to emphasize the identity or equivalence of two things.

one at a time »    Individually, as opposed to collectively; slowly or methodically, figuratively.

one brick short of a full load »    Stupid.

one by one »    Individually in succession; one at a time.

one can run but one can't hide »    There is nothing someone can do to evade something.You can run but you can't hide.

one candle short of a box »    not bright; stupid

one good turn deserves another »    One act of kindness should be paid back by another act of kindness.

one in the eye for »    An event or achievement which is unpleasant for someone, especially for those who considered it impossible or unwelcome; an annoyance.

one side »    You should move to one side and allow me to go through the passageway you are blocking.

one's bark is worse than one's bite »    The individual acts threatening but is relatively harmless.

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.

onesie-twosie »    Individually or in very small groups, rather in larger batches.

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.

opposites attract »    people who are completely different make ideal partners.

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

out of sight »    In hiding.

out of the box »    See outside the box.

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 to lunch »    Away eating lunch or for a midday break; especially, away from work or a job.

outside chance »    Small chance.

outside the box »    Beyond the bounds of convention.

outside world »    The rest of the world outside of some closed, restricted, or remote environment.

outside world »    The world external to the human mind.

outsider »    A competitor or contestant who has little chance of winning; a long shot; a dark horse.

outsider »    A newcomer with little or no experience in an organization or community.

outsider »    One who is not part of a community or organization.

over the transom »    Said of an unsolicited work submitted for publication.

ox is in the ditch »    This is a big problem; there is unavoidable or demanding work ahead.

pack up »    To move one's residence.

paint with a broad brush »    To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.

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

parcel out »    To divide into portions or chunks; to ration.

pardon me »    Sorry; said as an apology.

pay the bills »    To provide enough income to sustain one's lifestyle.

pay the fiddler »    To contribute in order to participate.

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

pay the piper »    To pay a monetary debt or experience unfavorable consequences, especially when the payment or consequences are inevitable in spite of attempts to avoid them.

peel out »    To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.

piece of ass »    A very attractive woman, when considered as a sex object.

piffy on a rock bun »    A person ignored or sidelined from an activity.

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

pinch and a punch for the first of the month »    Said the first day of a new month, accompanied by a pinch and a punch to the victim.

pipe dream »    A plan, desire, or idea that will not likely work; a near impossibility.

play around »    To engage in sexual practices outside of marriage.

play dumb »    To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.

play fast and loose »    To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.

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

play silly buggers »    To act in a stupid or reckless manner.

play someone like a fiddle »    Skilfully.

play the same tape »    To repeat exactly what one previously said or did.

point out »    To identify with a bodily gesture, notably by pointing a finger or implement.

pop off »    To release flatulence, in most cases, in short rapid succession.

potter »    One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

proverbs come in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.

pull a »    To emulate a behaviour generally attributed to the individual named.

pull oneself up by one's bootstraps »    To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only on one's own effort or abilities.

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

pull the other leg »    In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe what another has just said.

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

put aside »    To save money.

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

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

put forward »    To propose for consideration.

put in »    To place inside.

put oneself across »    To explain one's ideas and opinions clearly so that another person can understand them and get a picture of your personality.

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

put paid to »    To mark a bill or a debt record as "paid".

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

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.

quite a bit »    A considerable amount.

rain check »    To provide a service at a later date.

ramp up »    To increase rapidly to a new value.

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.

red tape »    A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.

rediscover fire »    To relearn fundamental concepts, principles or practices that had been previously well known and widely practiced at a prior time in human society.

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

rely on »    To be confident in.

revenge is a dish best served cold »    An expression that emotional detachment is ideal when taking revenge, as one is righting the wrongs that have been done to the doer.

ridden hard and put away wet »    Mistreated; not properly cared for.

ride herd on »    To supervise a group of people, such as workers, and/or their actions, i.e. their work.

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

ride out »    To tackle a difficult problem and survive.

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

ride shotgun »    To assist and protect.

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

ride tall in the saddle »    To act or conduct oneself in a manner that is imposing, impressive, resolute, or manly.

ride tall in the saddle »    To ride a horse in an erect, imposing manner.

ride the rails »    To travel by railway train, trolley, etc.

ride the short bus »    To have a need for a special education program, as because learning disabled.

ride the short bus »    To participate in a special education program, such as for those with learning disabilities.

ringside seat »    A seat in the front row of a boxing or wrestling match.

ringside seat »    Any vantage point providing an excellent view.

road to Damascus »    A road to Damascus moment, or change, is an important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal, of ideas or beliefs occurs.

rule of thumb »    A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.

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 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 by »    To inform someone briefly of the main points of an idea.

run into »    To collide with.

run into »    To cause to collide with.

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.

said and done »    Agreed to and accomplished or finished.

salad years »    The inexperienced, youthful prime of an individual, group, organization or entity.

scissorbill »    Someone considered contemptible or foolish.

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

second banana »    A person who serves in a supporting, secondary, or subsidiary capacity; an assistant.

second fiddle »    A fiddle part in harmony to the first fiddle.

second fiddle »    A sidekick or subordinate, or the role of such a person.

second fiddle »    The person playing second fiddle.

sell »    To agree to transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.

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".

senior note »    A bond that takes priority over other debt securities sold by the issuer. In the event the issuer goes bankrupt, senior debt must be repaid before other creditors receive any payment.

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.

settle on »    To make a decision or selection; to decide.

settle upon »    To decide something over other options.

sex machine »    Someone with considerable sexual prowess.

sexual relation »    Behaviour of a sexual nature between one or more individuals.

sexual tension »    Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.

shanks' mare »    One's own legs used for walking; to "travel by shanks' mare" or "ride on shanks' mare" is to walk to your destination.

sharp cookie »    One who is intelligent, bright, or sharp; especially, one who can identify attempts to deceive or mislead.

shell out »    To use a program's "shell escape" function to execute an unrelated command or to invoke a subsidiary, interactive shell.

shitstorm »    Considerable backlash from the public.

shoo-in »    A candidate or contestant generally agreed upon as the presumptive winner; somebody who is well-liked or widely agreed upon.

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

shoot first and ask questions later »    To take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.

shoot off at the mouth »    Don't let [presidential press secretary Ron] Ziegler shoot off at the mouth without our knowledge.

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

shoot the breeze »    To chat idly or generally waste time talking.

shoot the bull »    To chinwag; to talk idly.

shore up »    To strengthen, reinforce, or consolidate.

shot in the dark »    A guess, attempt, or choice made with little or no evidence or knowledge.

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

shotgun »    A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Mostly heard in the southern United States.

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

show the flag »    Of a naval vessel or military force, to identify itself by displaying the flag of its country of origin, especially in order to establish an authoritative presence and to exert diplomatic or political influence.

show the flag »    To display the flag of one's country, especially as an expression of patriotic pride.

shrinking violet »    A very shy person, who avoids contact with others if avoidable.

shroud »    A rope or cable serving to support the mast sideways.

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

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

shrouded »    Wearing, or provided with a shroud.

shuffle »    A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.

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.

sick puppy »    In a morbid or gruesome way.

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

sit out »    To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.

skin and bones »    Said of one who is emaciated; very skinny, as from lack of nutrition.

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

sleep on »    To consider after a period of sleep, implying a decision will be made the next day.

sleep on it »    To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.

smart arse »    One who is particularly flippant or insolent or tends to make snide remarks or jokes.

smoking gun »    Evidence, particularly of a crime, that is difficult or impossible to dispute.

sniff test »    An informal reality check of an idea or proposal, using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

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 long as »    Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; as long as.

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

so quiet one can hear a pin drop »    Said during a lull in a normally bustling place or scene, or as the result of a sudden dramatic or tense moment.

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

sort out »    To organise or separate into groups, as a collection of items, so as to make tidy.

spanner »    A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.

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

speak for oneself »    To provide an opinion only on one's own behalf.

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

spill over »    To enter into another zone by way of accident or overcrowding; to overflow.

square away »    To finish, complete, tidy or put in order.

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.

stamp out »    To get rid of, eradicate.

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

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

stave in »    To stave from the outside, to crush inward, to cause to collapse inward.

steer clear »    To avoid; to dodge; to sidestep.

stem the tide »    To slow or stop the increase.

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

stickhandle »    To maintain individual possession of the puck or ball by controlling it with movements of one's stick, especially to do so in a skillful manner.

still water runs deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect

still waters run deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect.

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

strip off »    To remove anything by stripping, e.g. items of clothing or paint from the side of a ship.

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.

stupid is as stupid does »    A person's intelligence may be judged by the wisdom of his or her actions.

suck up »    To absorb fluid.

suffer fools gladly »    To be tolerant of stupidity or incompetence in other people.

sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof »    No need to worry about the future; the present provides enough to worry about.

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

sure of oneself »    Self-confident.

swallow one's pride »    To set aside one's feelings of pride and adopt a more humble or appropriate stance.

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.

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

tack up »    To prepare a horse for riding by equipping it with tack.

tail between one's legs »    A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.

take a leaf out of someone's book »    To adopt an idea or practice of another person.

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 spin »    To go for a ride; especially, to try riding or driving something.

take down »    To write a note. Usually to record something that is said.

take it or leave it »    It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.

take it to the bank »    Said to emphasize that something is known for sure.

take one's time »    To take more time to do something than is considered acceptable.

take sides »    To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.

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 bull by the horns »    To confront a difficulty, rather than avoiding it.

take the Michael »    Alternative form of take the mickey, usually considered more polite.

take the mickey »    To ridicule or mock.

take the piss »    To ridicule or mock.

talk is cheap »    It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.

talk out of turn »    To make a remark or provide information when it is inappropriate or indiscreet to do so, or when one does not have permission or the authority to do so.

talk through one's hat »    To assert something as true or valid; to bluff.

tan someone's hide »    To beat or spank someone.

tart up »    To modify or repackage a product, service, or idea to make it more attractive or easier to sell.

tell it to Sweeney »    I do not believe what you said.

tell it to the marines »    I do not believe what you said.

thanks for nothing »    Expression of displeasure towards a person who has not provided what was wanted.

that'll be the day »    Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.

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

the course of true love never did run smooth »    There will always be problems in a relationship.

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 finger »    An obscene gesture, typically consisting of extending the middle finger at somebody.

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 grass is always greener on the other side »    Other circumstances seem more desirable than one's own but in reality are often not

the long and short of it »    The gist; the essence or substance; the most important or salient features; said of a summary or digest.

the man »    The oppressive powers that be, including the government and corporations; the system, as coordinated outside of one’s control..

the thing of it »    The important point to consider.

them's the breaks »    (idiomatic) That is the way things happen; that's life.

there are two sides to every question »    One should not make a judgement until one hears the other side.

there is an exception to every rule »    Usually said in a situation when the rule is incorrect and unusable.

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's no I in team »    A team game is focused on the team, not on the individual.

think better of it »    To change one's mind; especially to decide against.

think through »    To fully consider an action, and understand all its consequences.

think twice »    To reconsider, use judgement; to proceed with caution or thought.

third string »    Of a decidedly lower quality or condition.

thorn in someone's side »    A persistent annoyance.

three skips of a louse »    Said about some trifling or insignificant matter.

three-martini lunch »    A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.

through the roof »    Rapidly increasing.

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 one's hat in the ring »    To announce one's candidacy in a contest.

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.

tide over »    To support or sustain someone, especially financially, for a limited period.

tie up loose ends »    To deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.

tiger team »    An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.

time and tide »    Shortened form of time and tide wait for no man

time and tide wait for no man »    action is necessary without delay

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.

tip one's hand »    In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand.

tip the scales »    To turn to one side a balanced situation.

tipsy turvy »    upside down

to boot »    Moreover, on top of that, besides, also.

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.

toe the line »    To abide by the rules or conventions.

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

too big for one's britches »    Disturbingly confident, unacceptably cocky.

top of the morning »    A generic greeting said to someone in the morning.

top oneself »    To commit suicide.

topsy turvy »    upside down

toss-up »    The toss of a coin used to decide some issue.

toss-upness »    The quality of being a toss-up, usually used in reference to a toss-up state in American presidential elections.

travel iron »    holiday accessory

travel junkie »    Who are using their time and money to seek out adventure holidays and travel.

tread lightly »    To proceed carefully; especially, to seek to avoid causing offense.

trigger-happy »    Having a tendency or desire to shoot a firearm irresponsibly before adequately identifying the target.

turn a hair »    To become afraid or visibly upset.

turn heads »    To garner a considerable amount of attention.

turn tricks »    To work as a prostitute, providing sexual services for money.

turn up one's nose »    To refuse, especially as due to pride or status.

turn upside down »    To flip over; to rotate top to bottom.

turn upside down »    To thoroughly examine.

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 cents »    A nearly worthless amount, alluding to placing a copper penny on each of the eyelids of a pauper's or slave's body before burial.

under one's hat »    Concealed; confidential; secret.

under way »    A vessel is said to be underway when she is not anchored, moored, aground, or beached[1]. Compare with make way.

under wraps »    Secret or hidden.

unwashed masses »    Of people who are considered by someone to be somehow uneducated, uninformed, godless, or in some other way unqualified for inclusion in the speaker's elite circles.

up one's sleeve »    Hidden, in reserve.

up to »    Considering all members of an equivalence class the same.

upset the applecart »    To spoil carefully laid plans or arrangements; to spoil something.

virgin territory »    By extension, ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.

wake up on the wrong side of bed »    To feel grumpy, irritable; to be easily annoyed.

walk into »    To collide with.

walk the talk »    To do what one said one could do, or would do, not just making empty promises. To walk one's talk is to be innocent of hypocrisy.

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

war bride »    A woman who marries a man who is on active duty military in wartime.

ward off »    To parry, or turn aside.

warm the cockles of someone's heart »    To provide happiness, to bring a deeply-felt contentment.

wash down »    To help to swallow by drinking a liquid, after eating something, or taking a pill.

wash over »    Said of the way an emotion affects one suddenly.

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

water under the bridge »    Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.

wee small hours »    The very early morning, just after midnight, when most people are asleep.

what do I know »    Implies that a statement is based on a guess or assumption rather than on knowledge or evidence.

when all is said and done »    In the end; ultimately.

where there's smoke, there's fire »    If there is telltale evidence of some event, the event is probably occurring.

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.

white goods »    fridges, washing machines, etc

white wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is still a virgin.

wide awake »    Awake and very alert.

wide of the mark »    Inaccurate.

wide of the mark »    Missing the target.

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 down »    Relax; get rid of stress.

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 »    An individual or group perspective or social setting.

wrong side of the tracks »    . May refer to area where the working class, poor or extremely poor live.

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.

yield up »    To disclose something hidden.

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 don't dip your pen in company ink »    One should avoid romantic relationships in the workplace.

you made your bed, now sleep in it »    A moralizing rejection said to someone looking for an easy out, especially of a situation they put themselves into.

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

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