We've found 870 phrases for ig (0.116 seconds):

a camel is a horse designed by a committee »    An expression critical of committees

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

a dime's worth »    An insignificant amount.

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

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

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

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

about time »    Close to the right time.

above the salt »    Of high standing or honor.

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

add insult to injury »    To further a loss with mockery or indignity.

against the collar »    In a tight spot.

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

aim at »    To design for a particular audience.

all bark and no bite »    Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.

all cats are gray at night »    Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.

all cats are grey at night »    Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.

all fired up »    Excited or energized; highly enthusiastic.

all hat and no cattle »    Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.

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

all in a day's work »    A nonchalant dismissal of a significant accomplishment.

all right, my lover »    An informal affectionate greeting.

all that glitters is not gold »    Things that appear valuable or worthwhile might not actually be so, things that look nice might not be as good as they look.

all very well »    All right, to a certain extent.

almighty dollar »    The dollar, satirically characterized as a being a god.

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

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

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

as the crow flies »    In a straight line distance between two locations, as opposed to the road distance or over land distance.

at all »    Indicating degree, quantity or frequency greater than zero; to the slightest degree, in any way, somewhat, rather.

at all hours »    Late into the night or early morning; when people ought to be sleeping.

at once »    Immediately; now; right away.

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

at the high port »    Or in a charge.

at this point in time »    Right now.

avoir du pois lay »    Stealing brass weights off the counters of shops.

bad money drives out good »    Debased coinage (with low levels of precious metals) replaces purer coinage (with higher levels of precious metals).(metaphorically) Mediocre talent drives away real talent.

bail out »    To exit an aircraft while in flight.

ballpark estimate »    A ballpark figure, a very rough approximation.

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

bang to rights »    Caught red-handed; in a guilty state.

bank night »    An event where patrons are enticed to buy entry tickets into some venue, for example a movie theater, with the anticipation that they will be entered into a drawing to win an amount of money if their ticket is drawn and they are on-site at the time of the winning.

banyan day »    In British naval tradition, this originally referred to a day of the week when galley kitchens served no meat on board ship.

bar star »    A female who frequents bars or lounges, usually late at night.

bare one's teeth »    Of an animal, to show one's teeth as a sign of aggression.

barking dogs seldom bite »    People who make big threats never usually carry them out.

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

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

batten down »    To close or make watertight, referring to hatches and cargo.

be in a spot of bother »    To have a slight problem, to be in a predicament.

be on to »    To figure out; to realize the truth.

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

because you touch yourself at night »    Used to humourously deflect a request for a reason.

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

bed down »    To put an animal to rest for the night.

behind the eight ball »    At a disadvantage.

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

better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness »    In the face of bad times or hopelessness, it is more worthwhile to do some good, however small, in response than to complain about the situation.

between the jigs and the reels »    Eventually, despite all the confusion.

big boy »    A large object or person.

big boys »    Plural form of big boy.

big boys »    The people or bodies with the most influence and/or power.

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

big bucks »    Lots of money.

big cheese »    A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.

big daddy »    Something or someone of importance.

big deal »    Something very important, difficult, or of concern.

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

big enchilada »    Some item of high value, especially a top prize or reward.

big fat »    Complete, utter, total.

big fish in a small pond »    One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.

big gun »    A large-caliber artillery piece.

big gun »    Someone who is powerful or influential most often in plural form.

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

big mouth »    The mouth of someone who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by inappropriately revealing information.

big picture »    The main film in a double feature.

big picture »    The totality of a situation.

big shot »    A person with a reputation of importance or power.

big sleep »    Death.

big top »    circus tent

big up »    To increase one's muscle mass through exercise.

big up »    To proclaim or exaggerate the importance of.

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

big wheel »    Ferris wheel.

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

bigger fish to fry »    A much more pressing issue to attend to.

bigwig »    A person of importance to a group or organization.

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

bite the bullet »    To endure a punishment or consequence with dignity or stoicism.

black »    Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and colourless.

black »    Without light.

black magic »    Magic derived from evil forces, as distinct from good or benign forces; or magic performed with the intention of doing harm.

blanket term »    A word or phrase that is used to describe multiple groups of related things. The degree of relation may vary. Blanket terms often trade specificity for ease-of-use; in other words, a blanket term by itself gives little detail about the things that it describes or the relationships between them, but is easy to say and remember. Blanket terms often originate as slang, and eventually become integrated into the general vocabulary.

blind »    A covering for a window to keep out light. The covering may be made of cloth or of narrow slats that can block light or allow it to pass.

blow chunks »    To vomit chunks of undigested food.

blow the whistle »    To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.

booze can »    A nightclub or bar, especially one which operates illegally or is otherwise disreputable.

born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »    Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.

bow out »    To resign, or leave, with one's credibility still intact.

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.

bragging rights »    The prerogative to praise oneself for an accomplishment or for possession of a superior characteristic.

brain surgeon »    Someone very intelligent.

brass ring »    Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.

break ground »    To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.

break ground »    To lift off the sea bottom when being weighed.

break new ground »    To begin excavating and levelling earth for a new building, or, originally, for cultivation.

break rank »    To march or charge out of the designated order in a military unit.

break up »    To stop a fight; to separate people who are fighting.

break wind »    To flatulate; fart; to expel gases generated during digestion through the anus.

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

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

bright line »    A clear distinction in the context of a legal or moral judgment.

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed »    Alert and in an eager, frisky, or playful mood; full of life.

bright-line rule »    A clear-cut, easy to make decision.

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

brighten up »    To become brighter.

brighten up »    To make cheerful.

brighten up »    Brighten up my day.

brighten up »    Brighten up a room.

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

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

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

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

bunny hop »    A dance from the big band era, a variation of the conga.

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

bury the hatchet »    To stop fighting or arguing; to reach an agreement, or at least a truce.

bush telegraph »    A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds, word-of-mouth relay, or smoke signals.

business before pleasure »    An admonishment that discharging one's obligations must take precedence over devoting time to pursuits meant solely for one's own gratification.

buy straw hats in winter »    Of stocks, to buy when both demand and price is low, sell when demand and price is high.

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

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

by one's lights »    According to one's understanding.

by the Grace of God »    By divine right.

call it a night »    To cease what one has been doing for the night.

call it a night »    To go to bed to sleep.

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 one's own weight »    A variant of carry one's weight.

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

cash cow »    A product, service, or enterprise that generates ongoing, high net free cash flows.

cast the first stone »    To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing that one is blameless.

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

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

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

catch a buzz »    To become slightly inebriated, but not yet be drunk.

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

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

caucus race »    A political competition; the game of campaigning and one-upmanship to get votes and be elected.

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

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

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

chase down »    To investigate the cause of something.

che sara sara »    Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1892 March 17, Cigarette,

cherry-pick »    To pick out the best, or most desirable items from a list or group, especially to obtain some advantage or to present something in the best possible light.

chicken feed »    A very small or insignificant quantity, especially of money.

chickens coming home to roost »    Consequences visited upon someone who originally had appeared to escape them.

chip on one's shoulder »    A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.

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

chow down »    To eat, especially to eat vigorously.

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

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

clean someone's clock »    To defeat decisively, in a physical fight or other competition or negotiation.

clear cut »    Straightforward, obvious, simple, or basic.

close in on »    To enclose around; to tighten or shrink; to collapse.

close one's eyes »    To ignore.

close, but no cigar »    That's almost correct, but not quite.

cock a snook »    To spread one hand, place the thumb on the nose and wriggle some of the fingers as a gesture of disrespect.

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

cold shoulder »    A deliberate act of disrespect; a slight or snub.

come full circle »    To complete a cycle of transition, returning to the point of origin.

come hell or high water »    Regardless of the hardships.

come in »    Of a broadcast, such as radio or television, to have a strong enough signal to be able to be received well.

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

come up »    To come to a higher position.

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

company »    A unit of firefighters and their equipment.

company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

concrete jungle »    An urban or other populated area containing a high density of buildings constructed of concrete or similar materials, especially one which lacks greenery and which seems unattractive, harsh, or unsafe.

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

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

correlation does not imply causation »    (statistics) The observed correlation between two parameters, say, the growth of a market and the growth of a neighbor's child may, in fact, have nothing to do with each other's causation.

crack down on »    To enforce laws or punish more vigilantly.

crack of dawn »    The first moment of daylight; sunrise.

crashpad »    In the aviation industry, used for a place of temporary lodging for airline flight crews.

cream in one's jeans »    To experience an orgasm while clothed; to be thoroughly excited or delighted.

cross the aisle »    Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.

cross the floor »    Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.

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

crunch numbers »    To figure; to do the math.

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

cut a rug »    To dance, especially in a vigorous manner and in one of the dance styles of the first half of the twentieth century.

cut and dried »    Simple, straightforward, clear, or certain.

day and night »    All the time; round the clock; unceasingly.

daylight robbery »    An exorbitant charge for a product or service.

dead »     : So hated by that they are absolutely ignored.

dead »    Completely inactive; without power; without a signal.

dead »    Figuratively, not alive; lacking life.

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 of night »    Middle of the night.

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

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

dead weight »    Weight that does not move.

deadweight »    A useless, usually encumbering factor.

deadweight »    The largest weight of cargo a ship is able to carry; i.e, the weight of a ship when fully loaded minus its weight when empty.

deafening silence »    A silence, or a lack of any response, that signifies disapproval or lack of any enthusiasm.

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

deer in the headlights »    A mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety fear, panic, surpriseand/or confusion, or substance abuse. The behavioral signs are like a deer subjected to a car's headlights, such as widely opened eyes and a lack of motor reactions.

deliver the message to Garcia »    Programmers are consistently dehumanized because so many do indeed deliver the message to Garcia only to be at best ignored.

desperate times call for desperate measures »    In adverse circumstances actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice.

dicky-bird »    A insignificant sound or thing.

dig deep »    Try especially hard.

dig in »    To begin eating.

dig in »    To make a burst of hard work.

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

dig up »    To excavate something.

dig up dirt »    To examine in order to find negative information for public opinion, usually with the purpose of embarrassing or discrediting a person.

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

diplomatic flu »    An illness feigned by one or more government officials or other public figures as an excuse for an absence really based on political reasons.

dog and pony show »    Originally, a small, traveling circus featuring animals as entertainment.

dog around »    To follow diligently.

don't be penny wise and pound foolish »    Don't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.

don't let the bedbugs bite »    Used to wish a person a good night's sleep.

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.

double Dutch »    A language game akin to pig Latin.

double-edged sword »    A benefit that is also a liability, or that carries some significant but non-obvious cost or risk.

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.

dress up »    To present in a favorable light.

dribs and drabs »    A series of negligible amounts.

drill down »    To examine information at another level or in greater detail; especially in a database, to navigate to a more detailed level or record.

drink off »    To drink the entirety of in a short period; originally and especially, in a single gulp.

drive-by media »    Media professionals who "spray" a bunch of repetitive misstatements, mistaken and misinterpreted news reports to cause excitement and confusion. They then figuratively "drive off" leaving the cleanup of their mess and hysteria to others, to correct and properly explain and interpret.

drop the gloves »    To fight.

drum up »    To generate or encourage; to campaign for.

duke it out »    To fight, especially with the fists.

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

e pluribus unum »    A national motto of the United States of America, meaning "From many, one", or "out of many, one", referring to the integration of 13 independent colonies into one country, and that has taken an additional meaning, giving the pluralistic nature of American society from immigration.

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

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

elephant in the room »    A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.

emperor's new clothes »    Something obvious and embarrassing that is politely ignored or that goes unacknowledged.

enough is as good as a feast »    Just the right amount is as good as more than enough: there is no value in excess.

even Homer nods »    Not even the most vigilant and expert are immune from erring.

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

every silver lining has a cloud »    Every good situation has the potential to turn bad.2007, Diab A. Shetayh, Actuality : The Reality RequiemA great partnership isn't a self-maintaining entity. Perseverance and persistence make it thrive. For every silver lining has a cloud. Ignorance of this reality is not an option.

everything happens for a reason »    All events are purposeful.Everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as failure. Mary-Kate OlsenPeople like to say "everything happens for a reason." If you repeat that in your head long enough that starts to sound like "anything can happen with a razor." Laura KightlingerI believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think it's important to seek out that reason - that's how we learn. Drew Barrymore

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

face off »    Either an actual or a figurative face to face confrontation, especially a bitter one.

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

fall on deaf ears »    Of a request, complaint, etc, to be ignored.

fall on one's sword »    To resign from a job or other position of responsibility, especially when pressured to do so.

fall over »    To fall from an upright or standing position to a horizontal or prone position.

false friend »    A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.

feast for the eyes »    Visually pleasing sight.

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 one's oats »    To feel energetic or frisky; to behave in a vigorous or bold manner.

fifteen minutes of fame »    A very short time in the spotlight or brief flurry with fame, after which the person or subject involved is quickly forgotten.

fight a losing battle »    To continue to wage war when it is clear that one is not going to win.

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

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

fight fires »    To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.

fight off »    To succeed in defeating a challenge, or an attack.

fight off »    To resist, particularly an infection or an emotion.

fight shy of »    To avoid something.

fight tooth and nail »    To use every means possible to overcome a difficult opposition.

figure out »    To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.

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

fire up »    To ignite.

first rate »    Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.

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

fit into »    To be of the right size and shape to be placed in a location.

flag down »    Use a flag or some kind of signal to get the attention of someone.

flash in the pan »    A career notable for early success not followed by significant accomplishment.

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.

flutter in the dovecote »    I further argued that the principal cause for the political deadlock that persisted for thirty years after the guns fell silent was Israeli intransigence rather than Arab intransigence. The appearance of the first wave of revisionist studies excited a great deal of interest and controversy in the media and more than a flutter in the academic dovecote. — Israel Confronts Its Past.

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

fly-by-night »    A creatures which flies at night; a nocturnal flier or traveler.

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

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

fly-by-night »    Traveling businessmen and tradesmen.

fool's errand »    Such an undertaking, assigned as a prank.

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

for all one is worth »    Intensely, vigorously, with as much effort as one can supply.

forewarned is forearmed »    Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.1863, Charles Reade, Hard Cash, ch. 4:[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.1885, G. A. Henty, Saint George for England, ch. 4:Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.circa 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind":"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."

four-on-the-floor »    Characterised by a steady, uniformly accented beat with a 4/4 time signature.

fox in the henhouse »    A relationships wherein a predator is granted free reign within the prey's home confinement, often used in the political sense.

free lunch »    Something obtained without any payment, obligation or effort.

fresh off the boat »    Newly arrived from a foreign place, especially as an immigrant who is still unfamiliar with the customs and language of his or her new environment.

frig it »    An expression of frustration similar to, but not as coarse as f** it.

funny money »    A highly inflated currency.

funny money »    Bills of any foreign currency or of counterfeit origin.

gallows humor »    Comedy that makes light of death or other very serious matters.

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

get a kick out of »    To be delighted by; to be amused by.

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

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

get off lightly »    End up with a mild punishment.

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

get something straight »    To understand; to clarify.

gimme a five »    A request to receive a high five.

give 'em enough rope »    Allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.

give somebody the creeps »    To give someone a feeling of uneasiness or mild fright.

give someone the eye »    To show flirtatious signs with the eye.

glimmer »    A faint light; a dim glow.

glimmer »    A flash of light.

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

go figure »    Expresses perplexity, confusion, surprise, or puzzlement.

go from zero to hero »    To change from negative outcome to positive outcome. To improve one's fortunes significantly.

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

go out on the town »    To party all night long.

go out the window »    To vanish or cease, especially due to lack of care, attention, etc.; to be discarded, disregarded, or ignored.

go to the mat »    To continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.

go to town »    To proceed enthusiastically, vigorously, or expertly.

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 syrup »    light treacle

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

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

great oaks from little acorns grow »    Alternative form of mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

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

green light »    A traffic light in its green state .

green light »    Approval, or permission to proceed.

guilt trip »    A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.

guinea pig »    A tailless rodent of the Cavia genus, with short ears and larger than a hamster; the species Cavia porcellus is often kept as a pet.

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

gut factor »    Feelings about what feels right or wrong, good or bad. An inner persuasion that one may feel convinced is the appropriate decision.

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

hardwired »    Designed to perform a specific task.

hardwired »    Of devices, closely or tightly coupled.

have eyes bigger than one's belly »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

have eyes bigger than one's stomach »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

have got »    To be obliged.

have the wind up »    To be frightened or disturbed.

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

head for the hills »    To travel to a higher elevation, especially to a rural region on vacation.

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

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

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.

high and low »    everywhere

high as a kite »    Very much under the influence of drugs, extremely high.

high cotton »    The best of times; a time of well being.

high ground »    A location which is at a relatively high elevation, especially in comparison to the immediate surrounding area.

high ground »    A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.

high horse »    An appearance or sense of smug superiority.

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

high on the hog »    Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly.

high road »    A course of action which is honorable, dignified, or respectable.

high road »    A main road or highway.

hightail it »    To hurry or run; often, to flee.

highway robbery »    Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.

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.

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

historical figure »    A person who lived long ago, usually of some historical note or importance.

hit it big »    To have great success.

hit paydirt »    To strike it rich; to get lucky or have a big break.

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.

hit the rock »    To make a gesture to show celebration, friendship, or to be part of a secret handshake by one person raising their fist so the fist is pointing at the person and the other person lightly punches the fist.

hit the spot »    To be particularly pleasing or appropriate; to be just right.

hold one's breath »    To inhale and then intentionally close the epiglottis so that one's breath is not exhaled.

hold one's liquor »    To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming a significant amount of alcohol.

hold up one's end »    To hold up one's end of the bargain; to fulfill one's promise or obligation.

hold your fire »    Do not discharge your weapon. Used originally for weapons needing a spark or lighting of a fuse to ignite gunpowder, now sometimes used to mean any weapon launching a projectile.

honorable mention »    An award or recognition given to something that does not make it to a higher standing but is worth mentioning in an honorable way.

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

household name »    A very well-known public figure.

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.

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

if only »    I wish that; signifies a wish or desire.

if pigs had wings »    Never.

if pigs had wings »    Shortened form of if pigs had wings they would fly.

if pigs had wings they would fly »    (colloquial) Expresses speakers skepticism toward a hypothetical argument by another.

ignorance is bliss »    Lack of knowledge results in happinessSometime you are more comfortable if you dont know something.

in a pig's eye »    Very unlikely; probably never.

in broad daylight »    In a blatant and publicly visible manner.

in broad daylight »    In ample natural illumination, during the daytime.

in effigy »    Symbolizing, usually as an effigy.

in high dudgeon »    Resentfully or furiously.

in light of »    Given, considering.

in line »    Positioned in a straight line.

in no uncertain terms »    With great clarity, emphasis, or exactness; without any ambiguity.

in one's right mind »    Sane, sensible, reasonable; thinking clearly.

in the dark »    Without light; somewhere that is dark.

in the light of »    In the illumination from.

in the limelight »    In the focus of attention, especially from the media.

in the reign of Queen Dick »    When pigs fly; never.

in the short run »    Lasting only a short time, shortsightedly.

in the sun »    Exposed to sunlight.

in vain »    In a disrespectful manner, especially when concerning religion.

index finger »    digit

into thin air »    Immediately and inexplicably out of sight.

it's a long road that has no turning »    encouragement when things are not going well. Just as a long road eventually has a turning, problems also eventually have a solution, even though one might have to wait.

it's not what you know but who you know »    For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know

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

jump the queue »    To move into a queue ahead of others who have been waiting longer or that have a higher priority; push in.

jump up »    To move from one position to a higher position by one jump.

jumped-up »    Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.

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

keep one's eye on the ball »    My ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.

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

keep up appearances »    To pretend to be all right or that everything is going well.

keep up with the Joneses »    To do or buy things for status, show, or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends or neighbors.

kick ass »    To beat someone in a fight.

kick off »    To force the weaning of a bovine cow's calf by restricting the calf's access to its mother's udders. Used figuratively or literally.

kick with the other foot »    To belong to a different religion.

kind of »    Slightly; somewhat; sort of.

kiss of death »    A kiss on the cheek that signifies the death of the receiver, as delivered by a mob boss or one with such influence.

knee high to a grasshopper »    Short; especially relating to when the subject was a small child.

knight in shining armor »    A person who will rescue a dangerous situation; a hero.

knock the living daylights out of »    To knock out; to hit and cause to be unconscious.

knock up »    To exhaust; wear out; weary; beat; tire out; to fatigue until unable to do more.

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

knock-on effect »    The continued running of an engine after the ignition has been turned off; dieseling.

laced-up »    Restrained; uptight.

lady of the night »    Prostitute.

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

lapsed academic »    A person formerly employed as a professor or researcher in a university or other institution of higher education, especially one who no longer attempts to remain current in his or her former academic field.

last of the big spenders »    Someone who doesn't spend much money.

last word »    A final decision, or the right to make such a decision.

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

late model »    Recently designed or fabricated; new.

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

leave somebody high and dry »    To abandon somebody; to stop providing assistance at a crucial moment.

left and right »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

left, right and center »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

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

legwork »    Skillful or vigorous use of the legs, as in dance or sports.

legwork »    Work, especially research or preparation, that involves significant walking, travel, or similar effort.

lemon law »    A law dealing with defective items, especially automobiles, and consumers' rights.

lex dubia non obligat »    (law) A doubtful law is not binding.

lift up »    To elevate to a higher position.

lift up »    To lighten the mood of someone.

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

light bucket »    Nickname for a reflecting telescope, especially one with a relatively large aperture and suitable for observing deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies.

light into »    Attack.

light middleweight »    type of boxer

light up »    To become light, to brighten.

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

light up »    To light a cigarette, pipe, etc.

lighten up »    To become less serious and more cheerful or casual; to relax.

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

like the new time »    Furiously or vigorously, repeatedly.

lion's den »    Any dangerous or frightening place.

little pitchers have big ears »    Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).

little pitchers have long ears »    Alternative form of little pitchers have big ears.

live by the sword, die by the sword »    One who uses violence can expect a violent response. It is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible.(figuratively) One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey poetic justice.

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

longpig »    Human flesh when cooked in cannabalistic rituals in certain Pacific Islands, due to the allegeded similarity to cooked pork.

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

look into »    To investigate, explore, or consider.

look out »    Be vigilant and aware.

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

look up »    To have a bright future.

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

make a leg »    To make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back.

make a pig's ear of »    To do badly; to make a mess of.

make amends »    To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.

make it big »    To become famous and successful.

make light of »    To regard without due seriousness; to joke or disregard inappropriately.

make out »    To designate as the recipient.

make someone's skin crawl »    To disturb or bother; to frighten or disgust.

make up »    To resolve, forgive or smooth over an argument or fight.

many hands make light work »    A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.

measure twice and cut once »    (literally, carpentry) One should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material.1872, "Dressmaking," Hall's Journal of Health, vol. 19, no. 12, p. 280:Look at Carpenters! . . . In old times it was a proverb "Measure twice, and cut once."(figuratively, by extension) Plan and prepare in a careful, thorough manner before taking action.2008, Hilary Johnson, "Mergers rattle bank relations," Financial Week, 9 Nov. (retrieved 9 Nov. 2008):Mr. Paz noted that since the onset of the credit crisis, eBay, like other companies, hasn

meat market »    Or night club.

might makes right »    The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.

mighty oaks from little acorns grow »    Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!

mind-numbing »    Excessively boring, tedious, or dull; repetitive; of an activity, etc., lacking any interest or variety that might serve as intellectual stimulation.

mix it up »    To compete vigorously, to quarrel, or to fight physically.

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

morning, noon and night »    Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.

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

muck about »    To be playful; full of fun and high spirits.

my way or the highway »    Will be excluded.

neck of the woods »    A local neighbourhood or region.

neither here nor there »    Not important; having no significance or influence on the question at hand; not related; not relevant; not germane; not pertinent.

night owl »    One who stays up late at night or goes to bed late.

night person »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.

nightcap »    A beverage drunk before bed that is usually alcoholic.

nightcap »    A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas. Nightcaps were common in northern Europe before central heating was available, when homes were cold at night.

nightcap »    The second game of a doubleheader.

nighthawk »    A New World nightjar.

nighthawk »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.

no biggie »    Not a big deal, not something to worry about.

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 strings attached »    Without conditions or obligations; without a catch.

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

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

not a pretty sight »    Something disappointing, disquieting, disreputable, or otherwise unworthy of admiration.

not a pretty sight »    Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.

not give a monkey's »    Not to have the slightest interest or concern.

not in Kansas anymore »    No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings; in the big city.

not on your tintype »    An answer indicating outright rejection or denial; no way; absolutely not.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Ambrose Bierce , The Fiend's Delight In conclusion, his respect for letter-writing ladies is so great that he would not touch one of them with a ten-foot pole.

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

nothing to it »    Easy; simple or straightforward.

odd and curious »    A way to designate special coins, namely coins that are both odd and imperfect or seriously damaged.

off one's own bat »    At one's own instigation.

off the bat »    From the start; immediately; right away.

off the chain »    Free from work or direct supervision. In reference to slave labor, where workers are chained, or to the figurative chain of workers of an assembly line.

off the top of one's head »    Without great thought or investigation; extemporaneous; natural; offhand.

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

oh, well »    An expression of disappointment or resignation; too bad; pity.

old college try »    A vigorous, committed attempt or effort.

on a shoestring »    On a very tight budget; with few resources or little money.

on end »    Upright; erect; endways.

on high »    "According to those on high there is no global warming".

on high »    "The Lord our God who dwelleth on high" Psalms 63:5.

on high »    In authority.

on high »    In the sky or the heavens.

on one's high horse »    Self-righteous; proceeding on the belief one is more correct or proper than others.

on sight »    I recognized him on sight.

on sight »    Immediately when sighted.

on the ladder »    Figuratively a property ladder, owning property.

on the level »    Honest, sincere, straightforward.

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

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

on the spot »    At that very moment; right away.

on the straight and narrow »    Honest; proceeding according to rules and plans.

on the town »    Casually enjoying the nightlife of a town or city.

on the up-and-up »    Legitimate; honest; upright.

on the whole »    For the most part; apart from some insignificant details.

on top of the world »    Delighted; ecstatic; exceptionally pleased, happy, or satisfied.

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

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

one candle short of a box »    not bright; stupid

one swallow does not a summer make »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one swallow does not make a summer »    A sign is not proof

one swallow doesn't make a summer »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

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

one's jig is up »    Alternative form of the jig is up. [for one].

one-night stand »    A single sexual encounter between two individuals, where at least one of the parties has no immediate intention or expectation of establishing a longer-term sexual or romantic relationship. As the phrase implies, the relationship lasts for only one night.

one-night stand »    An occasion when a performer or team of them expects to perform at a theater for a single evening.

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

ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »    (biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.

open one's big mouth »    To speak about things, when it would be better to stay silent.

or else »    Go now, or else you'll have to stay all night.

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

out of one's league »    In a situation in which one is mismatched with one or more others, whose accomplishments, preparedness, or other characteristics are on a significantly higher or lower level than one's own.

out of sight »    How was the party? Out of sight, man!.

out of sight »    In hiding.

out of sight »    Not accessible to view.

out of sight »    Superb, excellent.

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

out of sight »    You better stay out of sight for a few days.

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

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

out of whack »    Not in proper alignment.

out on the tiles »    Out for a night on the town.

over and out »    Used to signal the end of a conversation, especially one conducted by CB radio or the like.

over the moon »    Delighted, thrilled.

overleap »    To ignore.

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

pachyderm »    A member of the obsolete taxonomic group Pachydermata, grouping of thick-skinned, hoofed animals such as the rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephant, pig and horse.

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

pay off »    To bribe, especially to deter oversight.

pay one's dues »    To acquire status or to earn the right to enjoy certain benefits, especially through lengthy experience, hardship, or service to an organization.

pay the freight »    To bear the cost.

pay the freight »    To pay for the cost of transport.

pay through the nose »    To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.

peachy keen »    Extremely good, exactly right; all right. Often used in the negative or with an ironic or sarcastic connotation to mean the opposite.

pearl of wisdom »    A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.

penny wise and pound foolish »    Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful and profligate with large amounts.

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

piece of ass »    An act of intercourse, especially a one night stand.

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

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

pig out »    To eat voraciously or ravenously; to gorge oneself.

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

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

pitched battle »    A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.

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

play fast and loose »    To ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits ones purpose.

play Old Harry »    Blenkiron and I have been moving in the best circles as skilled American engineers who are going to play Old Harry with the British on the Tigris. — John Buchan, "Greenmantle", 1916..

play one's cards right »    To act sensibly; to make the right moves.

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

play possum »    To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.

play possum »    To feign sleep, illness, etc.

play the race card »    To assert that race or racism is responsible for a course of events, especially when race is not of particular significance to the issue in question; to attempt to inspire a particular reaction by raising the issue of race.

play up »    To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.

play with fire »    To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially.

point of no return »    The point in an aircraft's flight when there is insufficient fuel to reverse direction and return to the place of origin.

possession is nine-tenths of the law »    One who has possession of a thing has some right to it; a popular statement of the doctrine of adverse possession.

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

power chord »    A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power chords make extensive use of intervals such as open fourths and fifths.

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

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

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

prize fighter »    boxer

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 run in pairs »    Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work."1863, Sir Richard Burton, Abeokuta and the Camaroons Mountains, vol. 1, Tinsley (London), p. 309:Moreover, all the world over, proverbs run in pairs, and pull both ways: for the most part one neutralizes, by contradiction, the other.

puff out »    To blow briefly and lightly.

pull an all-nighter »    Work diligently throughout the night.

pull one's head in »    To withdraw as a turtle might; to discontinue support of a particular argument.

pull one's own weight »    To do the work that one is obligated to.

pull one's weight »    To do the work that one is obligated to.

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

pull the trigger »    To commit to a course of action.

pull the trigger »    To fire a gun.

pump iron »    To lift weights; to engage in weight or strength training.

pump up »    To cause one's muscles to swell by means of focussed weightlifting.

punch up »    to fight

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

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

put off »    To offend, repulse, or frighten.

put out feelers »    To explore or watch for; ask around; investigate.

put the cat among the pigeons »    If you set the cat among the pigeons, you will cause a flutter in the dovecote.

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

put the cat among the pigeons »    To cause alarm.

put the wind up »    To frighten or disturb.

put two and two together »    To figure out; to deduce or discern.

put up »    To place in a high location.

put up »    To present, especially in "put up a fight".

put up one's dukes »    Prepare to fight; literally, to raise your fists.

quake in one's boots »    To be frightened, scared, or nervous.

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

quicumque vult »    A forward girl, ready to oblige every man that shall ask her.

Rabbit »    Caught like a rabbit in the headlights.

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

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

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

raise the stakes »    To increase in significance or risk.

reach an early grave »    To resign near the start for good.

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

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

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

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

red light »    A sign of a brothel.

red light »    A warning light, especially as a traffic signal indicating ‘stop’..

red light »    Denial to proceed. Ruling out of any possibility.

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.

right as rain »    Correct; factually accurate.

right as rain »    Very good; healthy.

right away »    Very soon; quickly; immediately.

right back »    Used in several informal constructions to indicate return -- especially imminent return to a point of origin.

right on »    An expression of enthusiasm or encouragement.

right on the money »    Exact; precise; exactly right.

rocket science »    The science or study of rockets and their design.

rocket scientist »    One specializing in the science or study of rockets and their design.

root up »    To dig or pull up by the roots; to deracinate.

round off »    To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.

rule out »    To cross an item out by drawing a straight line through it, as with a ruler.

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.

rumor mill »    A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.

run into »    To reach a large figure.

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

sabre-rattling »    A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.

scare out of one's wits »    To frighten someone to such an extent that they behave irrationally.

scared to death »    Extremely frightened.

scope out »    To examine; to scout; to investigate; to check out.

scratch that »    To disregard, omit, or ignore the previous statement.

screen out »    Figuratively, to exclude.

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

second banana »    A comedian who plays a secondary or supporting role, especially as straight man and traditionally in vaudeville or burlesque theatre.

second sight »    clairvoyance

second-guess »    Presumably from trying to guess with second sight.

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

see the forest for the trees »    To discern an overall pattern from a mass of detail; to see the bigger picture, or the broader, more general situation. Generally used in the negative.

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

see the light »    To undergo a spiritual conversion.

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".

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

send to Coventry »    To ostracize, or systematically ignore someone.

sent to Coventry »    Ostracised, ignored.

serve somebody right »    To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.

set straight »    To correct; to make right or true.

sharp as a tack »    Very intelligent.

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

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

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

shit one's pants »    To be extremely frightened.

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

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

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

short sighted »    myopic

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

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.

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.

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

shrug off »    To ignore or disregard; to be indifferent.

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

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

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

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

sight unseen »    Not having seen the object beforehand.

sign in »    In order to get into the office after hours, you'll have to sign in at the security desk.

sign in »    To sign one's name on a list when entering somewhere.

sign in »    To take some action to access a secured program or web page on a computer; to log in.

sign of the times »    A symbol of an era; a zeitgeist.

sign off »    Term used to describe the closing of a radio or television station's studios and cessation of a broadcasting signal, usually during the overnight hours.

sign on »    The time of day when a radio or television station begins broadcasting, usually after being off the air for several hours.

sign on »    register as unemployed

sign on the dotted line »    To formalize an agreement.

signet ring »    jewellery item

silver bullet »    Any straightforward solution perceived to have great effectiveness or bring miraculous results.

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

sit tight »    To wait patiently.

small arms »    Firearms designed to be carried and fired by a single person; often held in the hand.

small change »    A minor or insignificant amount of money.

smear campaign »    An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.

smell the barn »    To experience heightened anticipation or to act with renewed speed or energy as one approaches a destination, goal, or other desired outcome, like a livestock animal at day's end returning to its barn.

smoke signal »    A method of long-distance communication sometimes used in ancient and undeveloped societies, consisting of messages conveyed by means of columns or intermittent puffs of smoke.

smoke signal »    A type of flare or combustion device sometimes used as a distress signal.

smoke signal »    An indirect message or indication, especially concerning a future event.

so much as »    Even; suggests a minimum, especially regarding what might be expected.

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

social death »    The alienation of certain people from society to the point of being forgotten, excluded, or ignored in society.

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

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

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

spring fever »    A feeling of invigoration and restlessness associated with the arrival of the warm weather and renewal of nature in the spring season.

square off »    To get ready for a fight.

square off »    To get in the fighting position.

square up »    To get ready for a fight.

square up »    To get in the fighting position.

stand down »    To wait; to stop pursuing or fighting.

step down »    To resign from office.

stepped down »    resigned

stick it to the man »    To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government.

sticker shock »    Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.

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

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

stop the lights »    An interjection expressing exasperation or incredulity. or to illustrate the humour in a situation.

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

storm in a tea-kettle »    A big fuss made in a small context.

straight away »    Very soon; quickly; immediately.

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

straight from the horse's mouth »    Directly from the source; firsthand.

straight from the shoulder »    Done in a direct manner; blunt.

straight man »    A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.

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

straighten out »    To make straight.

straighten out »    To correct or rectify.

straighten out »    To eliminate confusion from or concerning.

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

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

stroke of work »    With "do not do a", to do none of the assigned task at all.

stuff up »    To make a big mistake.

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

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.

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

take a bite »    To eat a quick, light snack.

take a dive »    To feign a knockout in order to lose intentionally.

take a number »    Recognize that many others are in the same situation; recognize that one's concerns are not of high priority; be prepared to wait.

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

take flight »    To flee.

take no notice of »    To ignore.

take off »    To leave the ground and begin flight; to ascend into the air.

take on »    To attempt to fight or compete.

take the fifth »    To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.

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

take up »    That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.

take upon »    To take charge of an item of business, or an obligation, as a personal initiative.

tall order »    A big job; a difficult challenge.

task force »    A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.

tear a strip off somebody »    To scold vigorously.

that's the ticket »    That's just right; that's just what is needed.

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

the company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

the end justifies the means »    Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.

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

the jig is up »    An expression used to mean "We have been caught out and have no defence", or if spoken to a person who's just been found out as the perpetrator of an offense, it means "You've been discovered.".

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 pen is mightier than the sword »    More influence and power can be usurped by writing than by fighting.

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

there and back »    One or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.

thief in the night »    Something stealthy or that occurs without warning.

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

throw a sickie »    To take a day off from work, supposedly because of ill health. The illness could be either real or feigned.

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

throw down »    To fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand.

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 weight around »    To exercise influence or authority especially to an excessive degree or in an objectionable manner.

throw up »    To display a gang sign using the hands.

thumb a ride »    To flag or signal a passing vehicle in hopes of securing passage.

thumb one's nose »    To place a thumb upon the tip of the nose, usually while simultaneous wiggling one's fingers, in a gesture of disrespect.

thumbs up »    A gesture signifying approval or okay; a thumb pointing up out of a fist.

tick off »    Sign with a tick.

tickle pink »    To thoroughly delight or amuse; to elate.

tiger team »    A specialized group tasked with testing the effectiveness of an organization's ability to protect assets by attempting to circumvent, defeat or otherwise thwart that organization's internal and external security.

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

tight lipped »    taciturn

tight lips »    Of a person, silence or reticence.

tight ship »    A well-organized and highly disciplined organization.

tight spot »    A difficult position.

tight-lipped »    Having the lips pressed together.

tight-lipped »    Unwilling to divulge information.

tip of the iceberg »    Only the beginning; just a small indication of a larger possibility; a problem is much bigger than it seems.

to beat the band »    Very vigorously; at a frantic pace; to a high degree; in large quantities.

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

tomato tomato »    Uses insignificant pronunciation difference to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard.

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

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

too big for one's britches »    Too large to fit into one's pants.

too many cooks spoil the broth »    If too many people try to take charge at a task, the end product might be ruined.

top dollar »    The maximum amount of money that an item, service, or worker is worth; a very high price.

top drawer »    Of the highest quality.

top notch »    Very good; of the highest quality.

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

top shelf »    Best, or high quality.

touch up »    To make slight corrections or adjustments; to fill in or perfect.

touched in the head »    Demented, slightly mentally deficient.

tout de suite »    Immediately, right away.

tower block »    high-rise building

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

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

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

trigger-happy »    Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to react excessively or violently at the slightest provocation.

true believer »    A strict follower of a religious doctrine.

truth be told »    Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.

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

tune up »    To make preparations for vigorous exercise; to warm up.

turf war »    A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn down »    To reduce the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn one's back »    To forsake, to abandon; to ignore.

turn out »    To extinguish a light or other device.

turn up »    To increase the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

twenty-twenty hindsight »    Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.

two wrongs don't make a right »    (ethics) A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.1915, William MacLeod Raine, The Highgrader, ch. 15:"But when it comes to taking what belongs to another

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

two-bit »    Insignificant or worthless.

under erasure »    Of a bit of text, written and strickenthrough; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.

underwater basket weaving »    An easy and useless college or high school class.

up in arms »    Angry; preparing for a fight.

ups and downs »    Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.

valley of death »    Lord Alfred Tennyson, The Charge of the Light Brigade.

wage war »    A figurative allusion to pay discrepancies.

wail on »    To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

walk a tightrope »    To undertake a precarious course of action.

walk in the snow »    An occasion when a momentous career decision is made, especially a decision to resign or retire.

walk the plank »    To be forced to resign from a position in an organization.

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

wash away »    To eliminate, in a figurative sense.

washed out »    Of clothes. When they lose some of their original colour from being washed so often.

watch one's head »    To look out for things one's head might bump into.

wear down »    To cause physical or mental fatigue.

wear one's heart on one's sleeve »    To be extremely transparent, open, or forthright about one's emotions.

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

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

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

weigh down »    To act as a ballast for.

weigh down »    To be too much for someone to cope with.

weigh in »    To bring in one's weight, metaphorically speaking, to bear on an issue.

weigh in »    To undergo a weigh-in.

weigh up »    To assess a person or situation.

whale on »    To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

what goes around comes around »    The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle.A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person.

when pigs fly »    Never.

when you're up to your neck in alligators, it's easy to forget that the initial objective was to drain the swamp »    Only because it seems so urgent.

when, as, and if »    Used to indicate the timing and contingency of some obligation in contracts, especially financial.

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

whistle past the graveyard »    To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.

whistle-stop train tour »    A tour in a political campaign that makes many brief stops in small communities.

white hole »    A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.

whitewash »    A lime and water mixture for painting walls and fences bright white.

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.

wind back the clock »    Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.

wing it »    To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work out »    To habitually exercise rigorously, especially by lifting weights, in order to increase strength or muscle mass or maintain fitness.

worth its weight in gold »    Highly valuable.

wrestling with a pig »    To engage in a pointless task that leaves one worse off for having made an honest attempt.

write off »    Figuratively, to assign a low value to something.

you can't fight city hall »    (chiefly US) Nothing can be done to change the situation, because it is a governmental decision.I see they're going to build the airport after all. I suppose you can't fight city hall.

you knows it »    You're right; I wholeheartedly agree with your statement.

zig when one should zag »    To misstep or err.

New:  We also know Zip Codes FYI!