We've found 1351 phrases for il (0.116 seconds):

a cat may look at a king »    Even a purported inferior has certain abilities, even in the presence of a purported superior

a cold day in Hell »    An event that will never happen.

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

a house is not a home »    A home is not merely a building but requires inhabitants and a friendly atmosphere.

a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »    even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point

a leopard cannot change its spots »    One cannot change one's own nature.1597, William Shakespeare, Richard II Act i, Scene 1 (First Folio):King. Lyons make Leopards tame.Mowbray. Yea but not change his ?pots.1611, King James Version of the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23:Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe Chapter 32:End now all unkindness. Let us put the Jew to ransom, since the leopard will not change his spots, and a Jew he will continue to be.1918, Johnston McCulley, Thubway Tham's Inthane Moment:The leopard cannot change his spots, old boy.

a lie has no legs »    You can't get away with a lie, the truth will always come out.

a man is known by the company he keeps »    People are similar in character to their friends.

a million times »    by a factor of a million

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

a new broom sweeps clean »    New management will often make radical changes.

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

a rolling stone gathers no moss »    A person who never settles in one place will never be successful.A person who does not keep active will grow mouldy.

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 watched kettle never boils »    Alternative form of a watched pot never boils.

a watched pot never boils »    A process appears to go more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.

able seaman »    ordinary sailor

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

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

abstract nonsense »    Details which involve diagram chasing.

across the board »    A racing bet where one bets that the same competitor will place in first, second and third.

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

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

against all odds »    Despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability.

against the grain »    Unwillingly, reluctantly. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.

agree to disagree »    To tolerate each other's opinion and stop arguing; to acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.

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

all hell breaks loose »    Vi A place or state of fury, turmoil, destruction, or chaos.

all one's eggs in one basket »    Investing heavily in just one area.

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

all that jazz »    Everything else related to something; other similar things.

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

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

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

an apple a day keeps the doctor away »    Apples are healthy and stave off illness.Eat healthy and you won't get sick.

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

and so forth »    Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.

and so on »    Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.

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

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

apple does not fall far from the 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

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

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

as luck would have it »    As it happened; how it turned out; by good fortune; fortunately or luckily.

ask my arse »    A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.

asleep at the switch »    Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity.

assume the mantle »    To take on a specific role or position, along with any associated responsibilites.

at full tilt »    At full speed; very quickly.

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

at one's fingertips »    Readily available.

at peace with »    Not menacing or hostile toward.

at sea »    Confused, lost, or adrift; bewildered.

at will »    At one's preference; as one sees fit.

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

babes in the wood »    Criminals in the stocks, or pillory.

back burner »    A section of a stove used to keep some pots warm while one focuses on others.

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

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

bad blood »    Feelings of hostility or ill will.

bad joke »    A situation that is badly planned, or illogical.

bad luck »    ill-fortune

bad taste in one's mouth »    A feeling of guilt, responsibility, or embarrassment as to cause nausea.

bad to the bone »    Completely bad and evil; pure evil.

bag of rations »    A fussy or overly zealous military superior.

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

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

bail out »    To remove water from a boat by scooping it out.

bail out »    To exit an aircraft while in flight.

bail out »    To rescue, especially financially.

bail out »    To leave or not attend.

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

bale out »    Alternative spelling of bail out.

bang about »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

bang around »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

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

banged up »    Spending time in prison or jail.

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.

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

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

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

be at one's beck and call »    To be in the position of serving someone in any way they desire, usually unwillingly.

be left holding the baby »    To be left with the responsibility of resolving a problem.

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

be taken ill »    Due to sudden illness.

be taken ill »    To become ill.

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

bear up »    To sail close to the wind.

beat one's head against a stone wall »    To waste effort on a futile project.

beat up »    To sail to windward using a series of alternate tacks across the wind.

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

beat up »    Repeatedly bomb a military target or targets.

beaver away »    To busily undertake a large task.

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

beer goggles »    The illusion that people are more attractive, brought on by alcohol consumption.

behind bars »    In jail or prison.

below the belt »    Of a punch, landing illegally, below the opponent's waist.

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

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

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

better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all »    Having experience of love, even if it ended, is better than having no experience of love.Love is worthwhile despite the pain involved in separation.

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

between Scylla and Charybdis »    Similar in meaning to between a rock and a hard place.

beyond one's pay grade »    Beyond one's capability.

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

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 gun »    A large-caliber artillery piece.

big picture »    The main film in a double feature.

bill of goods »    A collection of items purchased or offered for sale.

bill of goods »    A set of misleading or deceptive claims; misinformation.

birds of a feather »    People having similar characters, backgrounds, interests, or beliefs.

birds of a feather flock together »    People of similar character, background, or taste tend to congregate or associate with one another.

bite the dust »    To quit, or fail.

bitter pill »    Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.

black »    Bad; evil.

black »    Illegitimate, illegal or disgraced.

black »    Lacking cream, milk, and creamer.

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

black-on-black »    A description of the colors of an automobile .

blame Canada »    A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.

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

blaze a trail »    To set precedent or do something novel; to break new ground.

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

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

blow away »    Flabbergast; scintillate; impress greatly.

blow hot and cold »    To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.

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

blow smoke »    To speak with a lack of credibility, sense, purpose, or truth; to speak nonsense.

blow the whistle »    To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.

blow this popsicle stand »    To leave an establishment speedily.

blow up »    To explode something or somebody or destroy something or injure or kill somebody by explosion.

blow up »    To inflate or fill with air.

blow up »    To fail disastrously.

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

blow-by-blow »    Detailing every action or occurrence completely.

blue devils »    Low spirits; depression.

bluewash »    To tout a business or organization's commitment to social responsibility, and to use this perception for public relations and economic gain; to present a humanitarian front in this manner.

bog standard »    Especially plain, ordinary, or unremarkable; having no special, excess or unusual features; plain vanilla.

bogged down »    Stuck; mired, as in detail, difficulty; delayed or made slower.

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

boil down to »    to be equivalent to; to reduce to.

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

boot camp »    A short, intensive, quasi-military program generally aimed at young offenders as an alternative to a jail term.

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

born in a barn »    Lacking a sense of etiquette; ill-mannered.

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

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.

born yesterday »    New, naive, innocent, inexperienced or easily deceived.

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

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

boys and their toys »    Used to evoke the idea that adult men sometimes dote excessively on machines, automobiles, and gadgets in a childish manner.

boys will be boys »    It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.

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

brain fart »    A lapse in the thought process; an inability to think or remember something clearly.

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

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

brass monkey »    A cocktail of vodka, rum and orange juice, sometimes with the addition of galliano.

break a leg »    A wish for a successful performance; primarily a valediction to an actor wishing him or her a successful theatrical stage performance.

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

break a sweat »    January 2008, The Age - Walkovers blaze a trail for women's equal-pay theory.

break down »    To fail.

break down »    To give more detail.

break in »    To enter by force or illicit means.

break into »    To enter illegally or by force.

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

break off »    To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.

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

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

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

brickbat »    Reason Magazine: Daily Brickbat[1].

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

bring down the house »    To garner enthusiastic or wild applause.

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

bring it on »    Used to indicate one's willingness to accept a challenge, confront a threat, etc.

bring it weak »    To fail to accomplish an accomplishable task or to make an attempt at less than maximum effort; to "half-ass" or "fake the funk".

bring owls to Athens »    Forgive me, then, for bringing owls to Athens as a thanks-offering. — Goethe, in a letter to Wilhelm von Humboldt.

bring up »    To raise children.

broad church »    A wide scope of philosophies and ideas.

broad shoulders »    The ability to take criticism, or accept responsibility.

brown power »    The production of electricity made from conventional sources, such as coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power.

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

brush up »    To review; to improve an existing but rusty or under-developed skill.

bucket down »    To rain heavily.

bug out »    Hastily.

bugger up »    To break or spoil something, or make it inoperative, useless etc.

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

build up »    To accumulate, to pile up.

build up »    To strengthen.

built like a brick shithouse »    Exceptionally well constructed; strong or tough.

built like a brick shithouse »    Of a person, with an exceptionally well-developed chest.

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

built like a tank »    Sturdy; exceptionally well constructed.

bump off »    To kill, especially to murder.

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

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

burn up »    To catch fire and burn until destroyed.

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

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

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

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

busted flush »    A potential flush which ultimately was not filled.

busy work »    Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.

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

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

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

by far »    To a considerably large extent, easily.

by the same token »    For a similar reason; in a similar manner; similarly; likewise; along the same lines.

by the way »    His mother will be coming for dinner tomorrow, and, by the way, she volunteered to bring dessert.

call out »    To specify, especially in detail.

call up »    An order to report for military service.

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

camel's nose »    A metaphor for a situation where the permitting of some small act will lead consequently to a larger undesirable act or circumstance.

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

can of worms »    A troublesome situation; an issue whose resolution is difficult or contentious, but not necessarily complex.

Cannon fodder »    Military personnel who are regarded as expendable when attacking the enemy.

cap over the windmill »    In a crazed manner.

carry off »    Knowledge, confidence, or familiarity.

carry on »    To have an illicit sexual liaison.

carry out »    To hold while moving something out.

carry out »    To fulfill.

carry the can »    To take responsibility, especially in a challenging situation.

case in point »    An example that illustrates a point.

cast pearls before swine »    To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.

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

cat that ate the canary »    A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, prohibited, or private.

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 cradle »    A children's string game.

caught between the devil and the deep blue sea »    Having a choice between two alternatives, both undesirable.

caught in the act »    To be found doing something that you weren't supposed to be doing, while you're doing it.

caught with one's hand in the cookie jar »    Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money.

charge up »    To motivate, to instill someone with determination.

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

chase tail »    Partner.

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

che sera sera »    Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1604, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus:Why then belike we must sin, / And so consequently die. / Aye, we must die an everlasting death. / What doctrine call you this ? Che, sera, sera: / What will be*, shall be; Divinity adieu. / These Metaphysics of Magicians, / And necromantic books, are heavenly.

check is in the mail »    A common excuse used by debtors to put off creditors.

check out »    To pay the bill, and record one's departure, as from a hotel.

cheese down »    To coil the tail of a rope on deck so as to present a neat appearance.

chew the scenery »    To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.

child's play »    Something particularly simple or easy.

children should be seen and not heard »    Children should behave well and be quiet, especially in the presence of adults.

chill out »    Relax, take it easy.

chuck it down »    To rain heavily.

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

clam up »    To become silent; to stop talking, to shut up.

clay »    A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.

clay »    An earth material with ductile qualities.

clean code »    Software code that is formatted correctly and in an organized manner so that another coder can easily read or modify it.

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

close off »    To seal or block the entrance to a road, an area, or a building so that people cannot enter.

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

close up »    To shut a building or a business for a period of time.

closed book »    A person or thing that cannot be easily understood; someone or something incomprehensible or puzzling.

clutter up »    To fill with rubbish.

cold comfort »    C. 1594, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, act 4, sc. 1.

colt over the fence »    An illegitimate child.

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

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

come by »    To obtain; to get, now especially by chance or involuntarily.

come down with »    To contract or get; to show symptoms of a minor illness.

come round »    To cease anger or hostility.

come short »    Fail to meet (expectations or standards)

come to »    To stop a sailing vessel, especially by turning into the wind. See also come about.

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

company »    A military unit, typically consisting of two or three platoons.

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.

cook the books »    To manipulate accounting information, esp. illegally, by a corporation.

cop a feel »    To stealthily fondle someone in a sexual manner.

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

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.

country mile »    A long way, a great distance.

court martial »    military trial

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

crack up »    To laugh heartily.

crack up »    To cause to laugh heartily.

crash and burn »    To fail utterly.

cream in one's jeans »    To ejaculate while wearing one's trousers.

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

creature comfort »    Any small item or detail that makes a person comfortable and at home.

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

crocodile tear »    A tear shed insincerely, in a false display of sorrow or some other emotion.

crocodile tears »    A display of tears that is forced or false.

crocodile tears »    Plural form of crocodile tear.

crown jewels »    A part of a company sought by another in a hostile takeover.

cry wolf »    To raise a false alarm; to constantly warn others about an imagined threat, thereby failing to get assistance when a real threat appears.

cue up »    The act of taking aim on the cue ball with the cue in a game of snooker, or billiards, etc.

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

cut short »    Interrupt and curtail before the planned end time.

daily grind »    The difficult, routine, or monotonous tasks of daily work.

damned if one does and damned if one doesn't »    A dilemma where either choice results in a negative outcome.

damp squib »    A firework that fails to go off, due to wetting.

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

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

dead air »    An unintended interruption in a radio broadcast during which there is no sound; a similar interruption of a television broadcast in which there is neither sound nor a video signal.

dead as a doornail »    Unquestionably dead. Used for both inanimate objects and once living beings.

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

dead giveaway »    Obvious, easily apparent.

dead men tell no tales »    Once someone is dead, they can no longer communicate, hence killing someone is the best way to keep him/her quiet.

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

dead set against »    Completely opposed, with no possibility of a change of mind.

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

dead wood »    Dead limbs and branches still attached to a living tree.

deadbeat dad »    A man, especially one who is divorced or estranged from his partner, who fails to provide monetary child support when he is legally required to do so.

deadstick landing »    When a pilot lands a plane after the engine has died; a landing lacking any propulsion control.

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

deal breaker »    To fail.

debris field »    Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.

deep pockets »    An ample supply of money, especially money which one is willing to spend; the possessor of such money.

developments »    A group of building complexes or apartments. Often used for low income housing.

devil is in the details »    The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable.

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

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

diamonds are a girl's best friend »    A statement that suggests, while love is a luxury, material wealth (particularly jewellery) is more valuable in the long run.

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

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.

dirty laundry »    A clothes hamper or other container used to place unclean or soiled laundry.

dirty laundry »    Laundry that is unclean or soiled.

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

dirty money »    Money that is illegally gained, illegally transferred or illegally utilized. Especially money gained through forgery, bribery, or thievery.

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

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

do a number on »    To damage; to treat harshly; to produce ill effects.

do drugs »    To abuse an illegal drug or drugs, especially as a result of chemical addiction.

do in »    To kill or end.

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

dog around »    To follow diligently.

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

dog my cats »    Used as a mild oath, or as an expression of astonishment.

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 cry over spilled milk »    Alternative spelling of don't cry over spilt milk.

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

don't look at me »    A response indicating that one is not willing or able to perform a task.

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.

dot the i's and cross the t's »    To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or thorough.

double Dutch »    A date where both man and woman pay for their portion of the bill.

double Dutch »    Sex using a condom and the contraceptive pill at the same time.

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

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

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

draw a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

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

draw on »    To appeal to, make a demand of, rely on; to utilize or make use of, as a source.

draw stumps »    To declare an end to the days play, and remove the bails and sometimes the stumps.

draw the line »    To set a boundary, rule, or limit, especially on what one will tolerate.

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

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

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.

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

drop the ball »    To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.

duke it out »    To argue heavily or at length.

dusty miller »    A formulaic phrase for a miller, related to the dust generated in the milling process.

dusty miller »    One of several species of plants with leaves of a dusty appearance: Centaurea cineraria, Senecio cineraria, and Lychnis coronaria.

e mail »    electronic message

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

eat crow »    To recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.

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

eat out »    To perform cunnilingus.

eat out of somebody's hand »    To behave in a docile, submissive way towards somebody.

eat pussy »    To perform cunnilingus.

eat someone out of house and home »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act II Scene I.

end of the line »    The termination point of a railway or similar transportation system.

end of the world »    End of habitability for life on Earth.

esprit de corps »    A shared spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group, for example of a military unit.

even 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 Jack has his Jill »    everybody will find someone to have a romantic relationship with at some point in their life

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

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

evil twin »    A rogue wireless access point installed near a legitimate one for purposes of eavesdropping or phishing.

f** this »    The phrase emphatically diminishes the activity or event referred to and expresses that the speaker will have no more to do with it.

face value »    The amount or value listed on a bill, note, stamp, etc.; the stated value or amount.

faceplant »    The act of landing face first, often associated with bailing during extreme sports.

factotum »    A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.

facts on the ground »    A euphemism, similar to fait accompli, used as an oblique way of saying that discussions over the possession of a given piece of territory has been rendered moot by the presence of military forces.

fail over »    To automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.

faith will move mountains »    Belief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.

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

fall between two stools »    To attempt two tasks and fail at both, when either one could have been accomplished singly.

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

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

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

fall off the wagon »    To cease or fail at a regimen of self-improvement or reform; to lapse back into an old habit or addiction.

fall on one's face »    To fail, especially in a dramatic or particularly decisive manner.

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

fall on one's sword »    To voluntarily take the blame for a situation.

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

familiarity breeds contempt »    The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.

family jewels »    Testicles.

far be it »    A disclaimer stating that the person speaking will not do something.

far cry »    Something very dissimilar or different.

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

fifth wheel »    A type of trailer hitch, which consists of a horseshoe-shaped plate on a multi-directional pivot, with a locking pin to couple with the kingpin of a truck trailer.

fifth wheel »    A very large trailer that is towed with a pickup truck.

fifth wheel »    A very large truck trailer; an 18-wheeler.

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

file away »    To store in a file.

fill in »    To fill; to replace material that is absent or has been removed.

fill in »    To inform somebody, especially to supply someone missing or missed information.

fill in »    To substitute for somebody or something.

fill in »    To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information.

fill somebody's shoes »    To do somebody's job; to perform or assume somebody's role.

fill the bill »    To satisfy a need; to serve a purpose; to fulfill specified requirements.

fill up »    To make full.

fill up »    To become full.

film critic »    movie reviewer

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

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

filter down »    Of information, or resources; to move slowly down to lower levels of an organisation, or population.

final cut »    In the movie industry, the final released version of the film.

fine print »    The details, restrictions, terms, or conditions, especially of a contract, often printed in very small type.

finish off »    To kill.

fire drill »    An organised practice to prepare occupants of an office, school or other public building for evacuation in the event of a fire.

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

first come, first served »    People will be dealt with in the order they arrive.

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

fit into »    To be of similar cultural or social status as the members of a group of people.

five will get you ten »    I strongly believe.

five-finger discount »    Theft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.

flat chat »    At maximum capability or speed.

flesh out »    To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.

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 ointment »    Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.

fly the coop »    To depart hastily or unannounced; to escape or flee.

fly the coop »    To escape from a pen or similar enclosure.

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

fool's paradise »    A state of happiness due to illusion or false hope.

footloose and fancy free »    Able to do as one pleases, unconstrained by social ties or responsibilities.

for the time being »    Temporarily; until later.

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

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

fork over »    To turn over soil with a gardening fork.

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.

from my cold, dead hands »    A statement that something will not be taken away from you until the day you die.

from pillar to post »    To another; hither and thither, to and fro.

from time to time »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 3, sc. 3.

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

front and center »    A command to come to the center of attention of an assemblage, as of military personnel or students.

fruit of one's loins »    One's child, children, or descendents.

fruit of the union »    A child, especially from a marriage or similar union.

frying pan »    cooking utensil

full speed ahead »    A command, especially on military vessels, to move forward at maximum speed.

full tilt »    As quickly as possible; very rapidly.

full tilt boogie »    At the most extreme level.

full tilt boogie »    In an extremely focused manner.

full tilt boogie »    Intensely, fast paced.

full tilt boogie »    Out of control.

full to the gills »    Completely or overly full.

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

funny stuff »    Irregular, often illegal, activities.

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

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 handle on »    To build or acquire a basic level of understanding or control.

get away with murder »    To do something bad or illegal and not be punished.

get better »    To recover from an illness.

get down to brass tacks »    Deal with the important details.

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

get into trouble »    To perform an action which is illegal, prohibited, forbidden or proscribed and to become subject to punishment for such action.

get off lightly »    End up with a mild punishment.

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

get one's knickers in a twist »    To become overwrought or unnecessarily upset over a trivial matter.

get something over with »    To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.

get the better of »    To overwhelm or overcome; to influence heavily; to tend to control or persuade.

gift of the gab »    The ability to talk readily, glibly, and convincingly.

gild the lily »    To embellish or improve something unnecessarily; to add superfluous attributes to something.

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime »    It is more worthwhile to teach someone to do something, than to do something for them.

give as good as one gets »    To behave toward others in a manner resembling or commensurate with their behavior towards oneself, especially in a situation where one is insulted or otherwise ill-treated.

give curry »    Angrily.

give over »    Usually as an imperative. To tell someone to stop molesting, fooling around, or saying silly things. Or sometimes to stop saying flattering things.

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

give somebody what-for »    To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.

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

glimmer »    A faint or remote possibility.

go back on »    To fail to keep; to renege on; as, to go back on one's promises.

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

go down the pan »    To fail or degenerate rapidly.

go down the toilet »    To fail.

go down the tubes »    To fail or degenerate rapidly.

go downhill »    To worsen or degenerate.

go Dutch »    To pay for one's own food and bills, or split the cost, when eating at a restaurant or going out for entertainment.

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

go jump in the lake »    Used to tell a person that to go away, or that their request will not be met.

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

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

go off the boil »    Cease to boil when heat is no longer applied.

go off the boil »    To become less successful.

go off the boil »    To become of diminished intensity or urgency.

go off the boil »    To lose interest; to pall.

go out »    To leave, especially a building.

go out with »    Often in hopes that the relationship will become more longterm as in definition 1.

go the extra mile »    To make an extra effort; to do a particularly good job.

go through hell »    Winston Churchill.

go through the mill »    To experience the suffering or discipline necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or to a certain mental state.

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

gold mine »    A plentiful stockpile of something sought after.

golden ticket »    A philosophy that a quick fix can be achieved.

Gone to the bad »    soured, spoiled, turned rotten

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

goose is cooked »    All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success.

grab bag »    A gift, purchase, etc. whose contents are concealed until after a selection is made.

grab bag »    Any random assortment, selection or possibility.

granary »    A fertile, grain-growing region.

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

grass snake »    reptile

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

gravy train »    A gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill.

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

grease monkey »    A mechanic, often with the specific connotation of an automobile mechanic.

greasy spoon »    An inexpensive diner or other informal restaurant, especially one specializing in frying or grilling.

green about the gills »    Having the appearance of being ill.

green fingers »    A seemingly natural gardening ability.

green thumb »    A natural skill for gardening.

green thumb »    A person with this skill.

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

grind to a halt »    Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.

groaning »    That is heavily laden.

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

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

guilt trip »    Remarks intended to produce such a feeling.

guilty as sin »    Unquestionably guilty.

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.

gunk up »    To soil or dirty; to mess up; to clog.

hammer and tongs »    With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.

hammer home »    Until or so that a person or group of people understands it.

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

hands down »    Without much effort; easily.

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

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

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

hard as nails »    Very hard; tough.

hash out »    To work through the details of something; especially to work through difficulties.

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

hatchet job »    A treatment which serves primarily to disparage its subject; a piece of criticism which aims to destroy a reputation.

hatchet man »    A professional killer.

have a fit »    To experience an epileptic seizure.

have a go »    Shout at or tell off unnecessarily or excessively.

have a green thumb »    A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.

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

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

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

have eyes in the back of one's head »    To be particularly, especially uncannily, observant; a perceived ability to see in all directions at once.

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

he-man »    A strong, virile or sexually active man.

head for the hills »    To go to a safe place; to seek refuge; to flee.

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

head girl »    senior female pupil

head scratcher »    December 2007, W:Daily News Tribune - Golden Globes nominations a head-scratcher.

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

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

heads will roll »    Some people will be fired for incompetence.

hear out »    To listen to someone until that person has finished.

hear the grass grow »    To be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.

heart of glass »    A very fragile romantic state.

hell hath no fury like a woman scorned »    A woman will make someone suffer if they reject her.

hell raiser »    wild pleasure seeker

here's to »    Denoting proposed salutation while drinking alcohol, toast.

hide and seek »    children's game

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.

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

hill of beans »    Something of no importance.

history repeats itself »    Things that have happened in the past will happen again.

hit man »    hired killer

hit the ceiling »    To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.

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

hit the pavement »    To get moving in an automobile or other road vehicle.

hit the road »    To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.

hit the trail »    To leave or depart.

hold a candle »    To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.

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

hold off »    To delay commencing an action (until some specified time or event has passed).

hold on »    Wait a short while.

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

hold the fort »    To assume responsibility, especially in another’s absence..

hold up »    To fulfil / fulfill or complete one's part of an agreement.

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.

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

honesty is the best policy »    Honesty is the most honorable and fulfilling way to live one's life.

horror film »    scary movie

horse opera »    A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.

hot lunch »    A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.

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

hot on »    Skilled at.

hot potato »    A child's game in which players pass a ball or other item between them, with the object of avoiding being left holding the item when time expires.

hotheaded »    Easily excited or angered.

house of cards »    A structure or argument built on a shaky foundation.

humble pie »    Humility, being humble.

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

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

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

if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »    With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.

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

if you lie with dogs you will get fleas »    It is important whom to choose as one's closest acquanitances.

if you love somebody, set them free »    One should be willing to let go of someone they love if they truly love them.

ill advisedly »    unwisely

ill fated »    doomed

ill health »    A state of illness, or bad health.

ill use »    maltreat

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

in a canter »    Without much effort; easily.

in a pinch »    In an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.

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

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

in detail »    Thoroughly; including every detail.

in for a dime, in for a dollar »    Americanised form of in for a penny, in for a pound.1983, Allen Drury, Decision, p. 356:In for a dime, in for a dollar, he thought crazily, and said what he had to say in a voice he forced to stay level and calm.1998, Ellen Miller, Like Being Killed, p. 47:In for a dime, in for a dollar. I whispered to Gerry,

in for an inch, in for a mile »    Given that one is partly involved in or committed to a project, action, position, etc., there is no reason to refrain from becoming fully involved or fully committed.

in its infancy »    Still in an early stage.

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

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

in order »    Appropriate, worthwhile.

in shape »    In a good state of physical fitness or bodily appearance.

in the clear »    Not guilty or not suspected of wrongdoing.

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

in the light of »    In the illumination from.

in the toilet »    Finished; to an end.

in the twinkling of an eye »    Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".

in vain »    Without success; ending in failure.

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

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

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

into detail »    Thoroughly; including every detail.

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

it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog »    (rare or obsolete, proverb) If a person is determined to punish someone, they will find a way to do so.1596

it's all grist to the mill »    Everything referred to in the present context has some sort of use.1999, Simon Blackburn, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press paperback, ISBN 0199690871), ch. 7 section 6: "Kant

it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good »    There is usually something of benefit to someone, no matter how bad the situation.

it's not 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

it's one's funeral »    One's decisions or actions will bring undesirable consequences only on oneself.

jack of all trades, master of none »    A master of integration, who knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring their disciplines together in a practical manner; a polymath; a renaissance man.

jack of all trades, master of none »    A person who has a competent grasp of many skills but who is not outstanding in any one.

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

jacktar »    Nickname for a sailor in the Royal Navy.

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

jump rope »    The activity, game or exercise in which a person must jump, bounce or skip repeatedly while a length of rope is swung over and under, both ends held in the hands of the jumper, or alternately, held by two other participants. Often used for athletic training and among schoolchildren. Variations involve speed, chants, varied rope and jumper movement patterns, multiple jumpers and/or multiple ropes.

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

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

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

keep one's options open »    To not commit to a decision, to keep various options available.

keep one's pecker up »    Remain cheerful; keep smiling.

keep quiet »    Remain silent.

keep shtum »    Don't tell anyone; especially, keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

kettle of fish »    A situation which is recognized as different from or as an alternative to some other situation, and which is not necessarily unfavorable.

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

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

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

kill off »    To eliminate, or make extinct.

kill off »    To represent or portray as being dead.

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

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs »    To seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit.

kill the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

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

kill two birds with one stone »    To solve two problems at once.

kind »    Mild, gentle, forgiving.

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

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

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

knock up »    To become exhausted or worn out; to fail of strength; to become wearied, as with labor; to give out.

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

labor of love »    A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.

landing strip »    A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.

lap of luxury »    A position or situation in which one is spoiled and indulged.

last post »    military bugle call

late bloomer »    A person who lives a child's life comparatively later than their peers.

laughing stock »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.

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

lay down »    To lie down; to place oneself in a reclined or horizontal position, on a bed or similar, for the purpose of resting.

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

lead »    Used in pencils.

leave somebody holding the bag »    To abandon somebody, leaving the responsibility or blame.

legal beagle »    A skillful and adroit attorney.

legal eagle »    A skillful and adroit attorney.

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 drop »    boiled sweet

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

lend a hand »    To help or assist, especially voluntarily.

less is more »    That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated; simplicity is preferable to complexity; brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity.1855, Robert Browning, "Men and Women":Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged.1954, "'Less Is More'," Time, 14 Jun.:The essence of Mies's architectural philosophy is in his famous and sometimes derided phrase, "Less is more." This means, he says, having "the greatest effect with the least means."2007, Gia Kourlas, "Dance Review: An Ordered World Defined With Soothing Spareness," New York Times, 3 Mar. (retrieved 22 Oct. 2008):The program, which features two premieres

let down »    To disappoint; to betray or fail somebody.

let go and let God »    To consciously surrender one's free will to the will of God.

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

let somebody in on »    To disclose; to tell somebody a secret or share privileged information.

let someone have it »    To verbally assail someone.

letters after one's name »    A list of abbreviations, separated by commas, representing the academic qualifications and civil or military honours achieved by a person.

level up »    To progress to the next level of player character stats and abilities. Often used in role-playing games when the character has aquired enough experience points.

lick one's wounds »    To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat.

lick out »    To perform cunnilingus on.

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

life and limb »    Existence together with bodily faculties.

life is like a box of chocolates »    Life is full of surprises, you never know what will happen next.

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

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

like a million bucks »    Extremely good or well.

like a million dollars »    Extremely good or well.

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

lily-livered »    Cowardly, lacking bravery.

line one's pockets »    To accumulate personal wealth, especially in an illegal or morally objectionable manner.

little pitcher »    A child.

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

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

live up »    To fulfil the expectations placed upon.

log out »    To exit an account in a computer system so that it doesn't recognize you until you log in again.

lone gunman »    An individual person who acts on his or her own initiative, without partners, especially one who has sole responsibility for doing something questionable, confidential, or iniquitous.

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

long goodbye »    Nickname for Alzheimer's disease, especially for the final phase of the disease, during which the patient suffers a progressive decline of cognitive and motor skills and gradually loses the ability to recognize and to communicate with family and friends.[1]; nickname for the relationship between a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease and that person's family or friends.

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

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

look like »    To be similar in appearance to; resemble.

look out »    Be vigilant and aware.

look out for number one »    To act in one's own interests; to act in a manner advantageous primarily to oneself.

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

loose ends »    unresolved details

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

lose one's touch »    To lose one's special mastery of or knack for a particular skill or activity.

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

lost cause »    A cause, attempt, or effort that is hopeless or futile.

lost errand »    A mission likely to fail.

low blow »    An unfair or illegal blow that lands below the opponent’s waist; a groin attack..

low-hanging fruit »    Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.

make a killing »    To win or earn a large amount of money.

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

make a mountain out of a molehill »    To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.

make a virtue of necessity »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 4, sc.1.

make an example of »    He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.

make do with »    To get along with whatever is available.

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

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

make head or tail of »    To determine to be good or bad.

make head or tail of »    To understand even minimally.

make quick work of »    To accomplish a specified task easily and quickly.

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

make up »    To compensate, fill in or catch up.

man up »    To "be a man about it"; to do the things a good man is traditionally expected to do, such as: taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; displaying bravery or toughness in the face of adversity; providing for one's family, etc.

man up »    To staff adequately; to staff up; to successfully fill all needed labor positions.

managerial inbreeding »    Bad management, caused by managers making poor selection choices in recruitment, rewards, and promotions of the staff that report to them, leading to another generation of managers who lack the necessary skill sets to reward and promote the most effective staff.

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

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

mark up »    To add coding to text so that it will display properly on a computer.

marry in haste, repent at leisure »    Getting married too soon will lead to a bad marriage.

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

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

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

memory lane »    A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.

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

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

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

mess up »    To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.

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

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

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

mind over matter »    Willpower alone can overcome a physical problem.

mind the store »    To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.

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

mint condition »    Used, but still like new, as if freshly minted.

miss the boat »    To fail to take advantage of an opportunity; to overlook or be too late to pursue an option or course of action.

miss the mark »    To fail to hit the target.

miss the mark »    To fail to reach the result that was intended.

miss the point »    To fail to grasp the meaning of an utterance.

moment of truth »    A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.

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

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

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

mop the floor with somebody »    To trounce or defeat thoroughly or in a humiliating manner.

mop up »    To clean with a mop; especially to clean up a spill or mess.

more equal »    Ostensibly equal, but in reality more privileged.

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

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

movie star »    famous film actor

murder will out »    A murderer will always be discovered.

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

my way or the highway »    Will be excluded.

naff off »    A mild version of f** off.

nail biter »    A nervous or uncomfortable situation.

nail biter »    An engaging or exciting cliffhanger.

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

nail down »    To attach with nails.

nail down »    Firm or certain.

ne'er cast a clout til May be out »    Advice not to change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.

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

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

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

never in a million years »    Absolutely not.

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

nine lives »    Durability; near immunity to damage.

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

no glove, no love »    Without a condom, there will be no sex.

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 matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney »    Regardless of how many clever points or fine distinctions one makes, what one is saying is still false or is still nonsense.

no pain, no gain »    One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.

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

noarch »    Short for "no architecture". It is a term used mainly in package management systems to mark packages which are architecture independent. Such packages usually contain graphics, documentation or similar data that can be used on any architecture.

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

nose-picking »    To insert a finger into one's nostril, especially to remove mucus.

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

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

not at all »    Used similarly to you're welcome, as a conventional reply to an expression of gratitude.

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

nothing special »    Ordinary, run-of-the-mill.

nothing to sneeze at »    Not bad; decent; acceptable; worthwhile.

nothing ventured, nothing gained »    If one takes no risks, one will not gain any benefits.

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

of sorts »    Resembling; similar to; in a way; partial or not entire; somewhat.

off balance »    Not physical balanced; not having physical equilibrium.

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

off the chain »    Crazy and exciting; delirious and wild. By analogy to a frenetic dog when unleashed.

off the hook »    Performing extraordinarily well.

off the hook »    Relieved of a duty, burden, responsibility, or pressure.

off the rails »    In an abnormal manner, especially in a manner that causes damage or malfunctioning.

off the rails »    Insane.

off the rails »    Off the intended path.

off the rails »    Out of control.

off-the-shelf »    As purchased or as commonly available, without modification or customization.

off-the-wall »    Wildly unconventional; bizarre; absurd.

oil burner »    A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.

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

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

oil colour »    painting

oil painting »    works of art

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

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

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

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

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

on hand »    Available; ready; in stock.

on one's feet »    Being well again after a bout of illness.

on one's hands »    Being one's liability or responsibility; with which one is lumbered.

on one's watch »    During the period of time when one is in a position of authority or responsibility.

on spec »    I'm writing an article on spec. I hope some magazine will buy it.

on sufferance »    Unwillingly agreed to or barely tolerated.

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

on the bubble »    Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position.

on the clock »    Displayed numerically on the mileage or kilometric gauge.

on the mend »    Healing or recovering, as from an injury or illness.

on the pill »    Using oral contraceptives.

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

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

on the sly »    Slyly, in an inconspicuous manner, so as not to be seen; secretly; stealthily.

on the uptake »    In understanding or in the ability to absorb new information; especially in the phrases "quick on the uptake" and "slow on the uptake".

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

on tiptoe »    Moving carefully, quietly, warily or stealthily.

on tiptoe »    We crept out on tiptoe so as not to wake the children.

on wheels »    Mobile; able to be moved.

once in a while »    Occasionally; sometimes.

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »    A cliché used to exaggerate an accomplishment or milestone..

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »    Words spoken by Neil Armstrong when taking the first steps on the moon.

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

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

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

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

only fools and horses work »    Philosophy of life that people who do not look for an easy way of earning a living are foolish.

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

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

out loud »    Using the voice; not silently; aloud.

out of bounds »    Beyond the bounds of civility or morality; extremely unreasonable.

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

out of kilter »    Disturbed; out of order; not working or adjusted properly.

out of stock »    Temporarily unavailable for sale.

out of the mouths of babes »    The greatest wisdom comes from children, who are not afraid or weary of the world and its pressures.

out of the woods »    Out of peril; likely to recover or prevail over trouble; finished with the worst or most threatening part of a problem or illness.

out on the tiles »    I've had a pint of bitter and now I'm feeling better and I'm out on the tiles." Led Zeppelin in their song "Out on the tiles", 1970.

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

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

over the moon »    Delighted, thrilled.

overkill »    A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.

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

own up »    To acknowledge, confess, or admit guilt. Often used with to.

paint the town red »    To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.

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

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

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

paper trail »    The records left by a person or organization in the course of activities.

pare down »    To reduce by paring or a similar gradual process.

park the car in Harvard Yard »    A sentence used to illustrate that the Boston accent is non-rhotic; typically pronounced "pahk the cah in Hahvad Yahd".

parking lot »    An open area, generally paved, where automobiles may be left when not in use.

party pooper »    Someone who unnecessarily dampens fun.

pass the buck »    To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.

pass through »    To infiltrate.

pay off »    To become worthwhile after a lapse.

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

payback's a bitch »    Usually a complete sentence: I will get revenge when you least expect it.

peace and quiet »    Tranquility; freedom from stress or interruptions.

pelt of the dog »    An immoderate, excessive quantity of alcohol drunk the morning after whilst suffering withdrawal symptoms or a hangover, which goes beyond alleviating the complaint to causing drunkenness; cf. hair of the dog.

pencil pusher »    One who does routine office work; someone involved mainly in paperwork.

pencil skirt »    clothing item

pencil whip »    To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.

pencil-neck »    A person with a very thin neck.

pencil-neck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

pencil-necked »    Having a very thin neck.

pencil-necked »    Insubstantial; weak.

pencilneck »    A person with a very thin neck.

pencilneck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

pendre la cr%C3%A9maill%C3%A8re »    To have a housewarming party.

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

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

pick one's nose »    The act of picking one's nose, insertion of a finger or other object into one's nostril.

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

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

pickle »    A difficult situation, peril.

pile up »    To form a pile, stack, or heap.

pile up »    To collect or accumulate, as a backlog.

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

pinch-hit »    To do something in the place of another person who is not able to perform or is less skilled; to substitute or stand in for somebody.

pink slip »    An automobile roadworthiness inspection certificate.

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

piss up a rope »    To engage in futile or impossible activity.

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

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

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

play on words »    A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.

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

play someone like a fiddle »    Skilfully.

pocket money »    child's allowance

point blank »    The distance between a gun and a target such that it requires minimal effort in aiming it. In particular no allowance needs to be made for the effects of gravity, target movement or wind in aiming the projectile.

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

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

poor power »    Limited ability.

pop off »    To kill someone.

pop out »    To leave a room or building with the expectation of returning soon.

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

poster boy »    See poster child.

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

poster girl »    See poster child.

Postpone »    to cancel until a future a time

pound of flesh »    Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.

pound sand »    To engage in a futile activity.

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

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

practice makes perfect »    If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.

prawn cocktail offensive »    A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.

prevail upon »    To convince; to persuade.

price on one's head »    A compensation for capturing or killing a person, especially someone guilty of a crime.

price out of the market »    To charge an exorbitant price for a service or product so that no one will purchase it.

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

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

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

pronunciamiento »    A military uprising or coup in Spain or the Spanish American republics, particularly in the 19th century. They received this designation because coups were usually accompanied by a statement declaring the existing government null and void.

prove out »    To demonstrate the feasibility of.

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 up »    To swell due to injury or illness.

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

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

pull out »    To withdraw; especially of military forces; to retreat.

pull the other one, it's got bells on »    The implication is that one leg has been pulled, and the joker will have more fun with the other one due to the bells.

pull the other one, it's got bells on »    Monty Python's Holy Grail.

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

put down »    To administer euthanasia to, as an animal too old or ill to cure.

put one foot in front of the other »    To move forward, progress steadily.

put one's shoulder to the wheel »    To work or exert oneself heavily or with full effort.

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

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

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

put through its paces »    To test completely; to exercise the full range of abilities or functions.

put together »    To assemble, construct, or build.

put up »    to build

quantum mechanics »    Something overly complicated or detailed.

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

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

quick-and-dirty »    Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.

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

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

rag bagger »    A sailor who tends to sail on messy cruising vessels.

rag the puck »    To retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.

rain cats and dogs »    To rain very heavily.

rain dogs and cats »    To rain very heavily.

rain pitchforks »    To rain heavily.

rake »    A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.

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

ramp up »    To be in the process of learning a new ability.

rank and file »    Those lacking any particular title or status; those having no station.

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

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

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

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

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

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

rim job »    Anilingus; act where one person licks the other's anus.

ring a bell »    To seem at least vaguely familiar.

ring up »    To enter a payment into a cash register, or till in a shop.

rip off »    To copy, especially illegally.

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

roadwarrior »    A person who carries a mobile device such as a laptop or PDA and uses wireless internet connections to work.

rocket science »    Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing.

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

roll down the windows »    To flail one's arms in a circular motion when off-balance, as to mimic the act of rolling down a car window.

rolling pin »    kitchen utensil

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

rough and ready »    Crude or unpolished, but still fit for use; good enough.

round out »    To make more complete by adding details.

rub out »    To kill.

rule out »    To reject an option from a list of possibilities.

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 a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

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

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

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

run back »    To rewind a film or cassette.

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

run for the hills »    Flee.

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

run off »    To pour or spill off or over.

run rampant »    To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.

run to »    To reach the limit of one's abilities or tastes.

run-of-the-mill »    Ordinary; not special.

running on empty »    Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.

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

scissorbill »    And railroad term for someone who refused to join the union or who openly colluded with management to thwart the union.

scissorbill »    Someone considered contemptible or foolish.

scissorbill »    The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.

scream bloody murder »    To protest loudly or angrily.

screen out »    To use a screen, grate, sieve or similar means to separate large from small objects or particles.

screw back »    To cue the cue ball in such a way as to impart backspin. On impact, the ball will follow a reverse trajectory according to the spin.

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

scrounge up »    To seek or find despite a lack of apparent resources or availability.

sea dog »    old sailor

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

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

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

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

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

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

second nature »    A mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.

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

see something through »    To fulfill a commitment.

see the 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 you later »    A phrase used at parting, and not necessarily implying that the person being addressed will be seen later by the speaker.

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

sell someone a bill of goods »    To deceive or cheat someone.

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

serial killer »    murderer

serve time »    To be in prison or a similar institute.

set sail »    depart

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 involuntarily defecate into one's pants or other clothing.

shit oneself »    To soil oneself.

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

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

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

shoot one's bolt »    To use up one's resources, especially a singular one or one not readily restored.

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

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.

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

shy bairns get nowt »    If you're too shy, or don't ask, you will not get what you want.A' forgot te ask hor for me money back!Wye, shy bairns get nowt

shy bladder »    An inability to urinate in the presence of others.

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

silly money »    Sum of money.

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

silver bullet »    A cocktail somewhat like a martini.

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

silver screen »    By extension, the movies or that related to movies or cinema.

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

silver spoon »    Wealth passed down or inherited.

silver surfer »    An elderly person who regularly uses the Internet.

silver-tongue »    The trait of being clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.

silver-tongued »    Eloquent and articulate.

sing from the same hymnbook »    To make the same or similar statements, especially to express the same opinions in public as a result of a prior agreement.

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

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

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

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

sit still »    To accept, tolerate, or acquiesce.

sit still »    To remain motionless.

sit through »    To unwillingly stay seated until the end of an event.

sixth former »    senior pupil

skinny as a rail »    Especially of a person, very skinny.

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

slap on the wrist »    A mild or too-mild punishment; a reprimand.

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

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

sleep with the fishes »    To be killed and have one's body disposed off in the sea or other body of water.

slippery as an eel »    So crafty, or cunning that they cannot be caught by the police, although it is known that they are acting illegally.

slop bowl »    One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.

small fry »    One or more children.

smallpox blanket »    An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.

smell test »    An assessment of a subject's ability to detect and distinguish odors.

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

smooth operator »    A skillful, manipulative person, con artist, or clever scoundrel.

snail's pace »    A very slow pace.

snake oil »    A fraudulent, ineffective potion or nostrum; panacea.

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

snake oil »    Any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.

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

so far »    Until now; previously; yet.

so far »    as yet; up till now

so on and so forth »    Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.

soft as a grape »    someone who is limited in their ability

soft sawder »    "If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!" —Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" — first usage.

soft shoe »    A kind of tap dancing performed in soft-soled shoes, popular in vaudeville.

soft shoe »    A speech, explanation, sales pitch, or other set of remarks delivered in a restrained or conciliatory manner in order to persuade, distract, or otherwise influence someone.

soft spot »    A point of vulnerability in a defence.

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

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

sound asleep »    Sleeping still and silently.

sow one's wild oats »    To indulge in a period of irresponsible behavior, particularly sexually; Often used in reference to young adults or to the recently divorced.

sow one's wild oats »    To spread one's genes around by impregnating many females.

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

spaghetti western »    Nickname for a motion picture produced by an Italian-based company and filmed in Europe, depicting a tale of cowboys and desperadoes set in the American Old West.

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

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

speak of the devil »    An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

speak of the devil and he appears »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

spend a penny »    To use the toilet.

spill one's guts »    To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.

spill one's seed »    To masturbate or to ejaculate when the penis has been withdrawn from one's partner.

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

spill the beans »    To reveal a secret; to disclose.

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

split hairs »    Tedious details; minutiae.

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

spy on »    To secretly watch; to surveil.

squint like a bag of nails »    To squint very much, as though one's eyes were directed as many ways as the points of a bag of nails.

stand stock still »    Paul Travers' Adventures, by Sam T. Clover.

stand stock still »    To stand completely motionless.

stand up »    To jilt or shirk.

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

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

step up to the plate »    To initiate action; to assume a responsibility.

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

stick in the mud »    A person unwilling to participate in activities, often because he or she believes the activity is not wholly kosher; a party pooper.

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

sticks and stones »    Evocative of the saying "sticks and stones may (or will) break my bones, but words (or names) will never hurt (or harm) me".1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped

still life »    type of painting

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

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

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

stop up »    To fill a hole or cavity, or block an opening or passage, as with a plug.

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.

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

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

string up »    To kill by hanging, especially to lynch.

string up »    To suspend by means of rope, cord or similar material.

stuffed shirt »    One who is overly official or officious; somebody in charge but not necessarily in power or effective.

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

suck hind tit »    To be the youngest or most neglected child.

suck off »    To fellate a man until he ejaculates.

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

sweet william »    flower

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

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

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

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

take a dive »    To lose or fail intentionally.

take a powder »    To leave in a hurry; run away; scram; depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with a connotation of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.

take a spill »    To trip or fall.

take aback »    Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly.

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

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

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

take ill »    To become ill.

take in »    To foster or adopt a child informally.

take off »    To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.

take on »    To assume responsibility for.

take over »    To adopt a further responsibility or duty.

take over »    To relieve someone temporarily.

take the red pill »    To understand the world in its previously unknown reality.

take the shadow for the substance »    To be easily deceived, credulous, superficial.

take the wind out of someone's sails »    To discourage someone greatly; to cause someone to lose hope or the will to continue.

take to the hills »    To flee or vanish; to run away.

talk a mile a minute »    To speak quickly or excessively.

talk of the devil »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

teacher's pet »    favourite pupil

tell off »    To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.

tempus fugit »    time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.

thanks a bunch »    A mildly sarcastic thank you.

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

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

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

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

the Devil »    Used to add emphasis to a question or statement.

the die is cast »    The future is determined; there are no more options; events will proceed in an irreversible manner.

the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on »    Life goes on, even if some will try to stop or talk against progress.

the early bird gets the worm »    Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are only available to the first competitors.

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 shoemaker's children go barefoot »    One often neglects those closest to oneself.

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »    (proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.

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

the terrorists will have won »    Phrase used following a description of an activity to indicate that if that activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, an which is an unacceptable result.

there are plenty more fish in the sea »    There are many more potential opportunities available.

there are plenty of fish in the sea »    There are many more potential opportunities available.

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

there may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnace »    Even if a person is in his or her senior years, with gray hair, he or she can still have ambition and energy, especially sexual energy.

there's no accounting for taste »    When it comes to subjective matters of taste, people have wildly different opinions.Disagreements about matters of taste can't be objectively resolved.

there's no point crying over spilt milk »    You should not be upset over something that cannot be undone.

thieve out »    To walk out of a place stealthily.

thorn in the flesh »    A persistent difficulty or something very annoying that will not go away.

those who will not when they may, when they will they shall have nay »    (archaic) One should take immediate advantage of an opportunity that may not be available later.

three Rs »    The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.

three-on-the-tree »    On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.

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

throw a spanner in the works »    To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.

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

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

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

throw one's cap over the windmill »    To act in a crazed manner.

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.

tickle the ivories »    I don't have as much time as I'd like, but I still enjoy tickling the ivories from time to time.

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.

tight lips »    Of a person, silence or reticence.

tight-lipped »    Unwilling to divulge information.

tilt at windmills »    To attack imaginary enemies.

tilt at windmills »    To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

time out of mind »    A lengthy duration of time, longer than is readily remembered.

tin ear »    Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.

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

tipping it down »    Raining heavily.

to a T »    Precisely; exactly; perfectly; with great attention to detail.

to date »    Until now; until the present time.

to give a person line »    To allow a person more or less liberty until it is convenient to stop or check him/her, like a hooked fish that swims away with the line.

to one's heart's content »    Until satisfied; as much as is wished.

to the gills »    Entirely or extremely; to the greatest degree possible.

to the victor go the spoils »    The winner of a conflict wins additional benefits, beyond just the subject of the conflict.

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

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

tone down »    To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.

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

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

tooth and nail »    Viciously; with all one’s strength or power; without holding back..

top banana »    The principal comedian in a vaudeville or burlesque show.

top off »    To fill completely; to fill or refill the final portion of something not empty.

top up »    To fill something.

top up »    refill

top up »    refill

touch cloth »    To be on the point of soiling oneself.

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

tough cookie »    A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person.

tower block »    high-rise building

trailer park trash »    Lower-class people who live in trailer parks.

trailer trash »    Deleted from the movie trailer. Not included in theatrical run.

trailer trash »    Trailer park trash.

treat them mean, keep them keen »    A woman will be more interested in a man if he is not kind to her.

trick out »    To trick out; to mod or customize an object, typically for the purpose of both personalization as well as enhancing the object's performance capabilities and more particularly for the purpose of performing stunts with that object.

trump up »    Heavily publicise, promote or market a product.

truth will out »    A mystery will always be solved, or a truth will always be discoveredTruth will eventually and inevitably be discovered.

try one's hand »    To attempt a skill, craft, or trade.

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

turn tail »    To flee; to run away; to leave.

turn to stone »    To become completely still, not moving.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored.

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

two bob »    Two shillings.

two heads are better than one »    Some problems may be solved more easily by two (or more) people working together than by one working alone.

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

under sail »    With sails unfurled; powered by the wind.

under the weather »    Somewhat ill or gloomy.

until hell freezes over »    Forever; One will never in their life get the results that they want, no matter what they're doing involving the situation.

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

until the cows come home »    For a very long time.

up for »    Willing to participate in; interested in.

up for grabs »    Available for anyone to obtain, claim or win.

up hill and down dale »    Here and there; everywhere.

up one's alley »    Matching a person's interests or abilities well.

up to »    Able; willing.

uphill battle »    A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.

uphill battle »    difficult struggle

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

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

vouch for »    To affirm the truth or reliability of.

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

wail on »    To beat heavily on anything.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To defer action or decision until another matter is finished or resolved.

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

walk in on »    To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.

walk on eggshells »    To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.

waltz Matilda »    To travel with a swag; that is, with one's belongings wrapped in a cloth.

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

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

wash one's hands of »    To absolve oneself of responsibility or future blame for.

wash out »    To lose traction while going around a turn, especially in cycling, motorsports and skiing/snowboarding.

wash up »    To clean the utensils, dishes etc. used in preparing and eating a meal.

waste breath »    To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.

waste not, want not »    If one is not wasteful then one will not be needy.

watch this space »    An indication that a development will follow.

water down »    To dilute; to add water.

water to my mill »    What energizes you; what stimulates you.

watered-down »    Diluted; containing extra water.

wear down »    To have one's long hair styled in a free, low-hanging, unencumbered style; i.e., not in an up-do or ponytail.

wear rose-colored glasses »    To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.

whack-a-mole »    The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.

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

whale on »    To beat heavily on anything.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

what 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.

what the Devil »    Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.

what the dickens »    Euphemism for what the Devil, used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning a question.

what's up »    A casual greeting with usage similar to "How are you?" or "Nice to meet you".

whatever creams your twinkie »    Do what you will, whatever makes you happy.

when it rains, it pours »    If a person encounters bad luck, more bad luck will follow.

when the cat's away the mice will play »    In the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.

when the going gets tough, the tough get going »    in difficult times, it is the strong-willed who take action.

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 walk »    The path slaves took to deliver food from the kitchen building of a plantation to the main dining room. Slaves were expected to whistle during this walk in order to assure their masters that they were not eating the food.

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

who's 'she', the cat's mother%3F »    A rebuke especially directed towards children for having referred to their mother, or any other woman in the third person, instead of using a properly respectful title or their name when appropriate.

whole enchilada »    All of something or a group of related things taken in totality.

whole shebang »    A building or house and everything in it.

whomp on »    To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.

whoop it up »    To have a great time; to party or revel excessively or noisily.

why the dickens »    Euphemism for why the Devil, used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.

wild horses »    A force not subject to human control and normally stronger than a man.

wild horses »    Plural form of wild horse.

wild-goose chase »    A futile search, a fruitless errand; a useless and often lengthy pursuit.

wild-goose chase »    A task whose execution is inordinately complex relative to the value of the outcome.

will on »    To wish intensely that someone succeeds in what they are doing. Often implies a silent, or almost inaudible wish.

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.

willies »    Plural form of willy.

willy nilly »    Seemingly at random, haphazardly.

willy nilly »    Whether desired or not.

willy nilly »    Without regard for consequences or the will of those affected.

wind back »    To wind a tape, cassette, or film, etc towards the beginning; to rewind.

window dressing »    The decorative display of retail merchandise in store windows.

winter rat »    An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.

wipe somebody's eye »    To defeat; to humiliate.

wishful thinking »    The illusion that what one would like is actually true.

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

work one's tail off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

work spouse »    A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.

worry wart »    One who worries excessively or unnecessarily.

worth every penny »    Completely worthwhile.

worth one's while »    Good and important enough for one to spend time, effort, or money on.

yank out »    To remove something like a nail, or a tooth with one quick strong pull.

yell silently »    To think very strong thoughts, that one wishes to yell out loud but does not.

yellow-bellied »    Pertaining to an animal or reptile that has a yellow belly.

yield up »    To give something against one's will.

you are what you eat »    If you eat well, you will be well; but if you eat badly you will feel bad

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

you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear »    It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.

you can't take it with you »    It is not possible to take one's material wealth to whatever world may await one after death.1900, E. Phillips Oppenheim, A Millionaire of Yesterday, ch. 6:"The clause which

you never know what you've got till it's gone »    Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.

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

you snooze you lose »    If you are not alert and attentive, you will not be successful.

your mileage may vary »    It may work differently in your situation, or be different in your experience.

your mileage may vary »    To express a possible difference in taste, "this is just my opinion, your opinion may be different".

zip up »    To convert a computer file into a smaller package.

zoom in »    So as to make it larger and possibly more detailed.

zoom out »    So as to make it smaller and possibly less detailed.

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