a dime's worth »
An insignificant amount.
|
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »
even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point
|
a miss is as good as a mile »
A failure remains a failure, regardless of how close to success one has actually come.
|
a stopped clock is right twice a day »
A normally unreliable person or instrument can occasionally provide correct information, even if only by accident.
|
add insult to injury »
To further a loss with mockery or indignity.
|
against all odds »
Despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability.
|
against the clock »
In a time-restricted manner, to meet a deadline, hurriedly, timed.
|
against the collar »
In a tight spot.
|
against the grain »
Contrary to what is expected; especially, of behavior different from what society expects.
|
against the grain »
To sand or plane a piece of wood parallel or nearly parallel to the fibers such that splinters forming ahead of the tool originate below the cutting surface.
|
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.
|
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.
|
around the bend »
Crazy, insane.
|
ask my arse »
A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.
|
at a moment's notice »
Immediately; instantaneously; without need of warning.
|
at cross purposes »
Against one another; contrary in direction or goals.
|
at the drop of a hat »
Without any hesitation; instantly.
|
at the mercy of »
In the power of; defenceless/defenseless against.
|
backseat driver »
A passenger in a car who insists on giving the driver directions.
|
balloon goes up »
Something exciting or dangerous begins.
|
bawdy basket »
The twenty-third rank of canters, who carry pins, tape, ballads, and obscene books to sell, but live mostly by stealing.
|
be off »
To be working against a present or former addiction to.
|
be up against »
To be challenged by someone or something stronger than oneself.
|
beat one's head against a stone wall »
To waste effort on a futile project.
|
beat out »
To sound a rhythm on a percussion instrument such as a drum.
|
beat someone's brains out »
To beat someone very severely.
|
before you can say Jack Robinson »
Very quickly. Quicker than you expect.
|
bitter end »
That part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains onboard when a ship is riding at anchor.
|
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!
|
blue moon »
The third full moon in a quarter that contains four rather than the usual three full moons.
|
boot camp »
Indoctrination, physical fitness training and basic instruction in service-related subjects for recruits in the Navy and Marine Corps.
|
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.
|
bridge »
An unintended solder connection between two or more components or pins.
|
bridge »
The piece, on string instruments, that supports the strings from the sounding board.
|
bunny hop »
A ground ball that hops along the field instead of rolling.
|
buoy up »
To uplift, hearten, inspire or raise the spirits.
|
burn down »
To completely burn, so that nothing remains.
|
buy to let »
To purchase a property as in investment, and to let it out for rental instead of living in it.
|
call forth »
To induce, inspire.
|
catch out »
To discover or expose as fake or insincere.
|
charge up »
To motivate, to instill someone with determination.
|
check out »
To examine or inspect; to espy.
|
chicken feed »
A very small or insignificant quantity, especially of money.
|
chopped liver »
A person or object which is not worthy of being noticed; someone or something insignificant.
|
chump change »
A sum of money considered to be insignificant.
|
chump change »
An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.
|
circle the wagons »
To prepare to defend against an attack.
|
clothes don't make the man »
An aphorism meaning that you cannot judge a person solely by his appearance. Usually pertains to men.
|
clue in »
To inform, instruct, or tell.
|
cop out »
To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.
|
copious free time »
A hypothetical time set aside for performing time-consuming tasks, however insinuating that the speaker really has no free time.
|
crack up »
To become insane; to suffer a mental breakdown.
|
crocodile tear »
A tear shed insincerely, in a false display of sorrow or some other emotion.
|
cross the floor »
To vote against one's own political party in parliament.
|
cry out against »
To complain strongly, usually as a group.
|
cut down »
To insult, to belittle.
|
dead set against »
Completely opposed, with no possibility of a change of mind.
|
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.
|
devil's advocate »
A canon lawyer appointed by the Church to argue against the canonization of the proposed candidate.
|
dicky-bird »
A insignificant sound or thing.
|
do as I say and not as I do »
Don't imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.
|
do something with mirrors »
To insinuate one has performed a magic or optical trick with the use of hidden mirrors, insinuating trickery and sham.
|
end of the line »
Final cessation or discontinuance of a process, institution, or person, especially one which has existed for a considerable period of time; death.
|
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.
|
faith will move mountains »
Belief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.
|
fall short »
To be less satisfactory than expected; to be inadequate or insufficient.
|
fend off »
Away; to turn away; to defend against; to repel with force or effort.
|
find one's feet »
To grow in confidence in a new situation as one gains experience.
|
flower »
An inflorescence that resembles a flower, but actually contains many small florets, such as a sunflower.
|
fly in the ointment »
Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.
|
for keeps »
With an agreement or intention to retain what one gains or receives.
|
four-leaf clover »
An uncommon variation of the clover, having four leaves instead of the usual three.
|
fruit of one's loins »
C. 1950, Kay Boyle, "Adam's Death" in Fifty Stories , ISBN 9780811212069, p. 541.
|
fruit of one's loins »
One's child, children, or descendents.
|
fudge the issue »
Adopt a solution to a specific problem which does not address the larger, more general problem of which the specific problem is an instance.
|
funny farm »
An insane asylum.
|
garbage in, garbage out »
(computing, information technology) If input data is not complete, accurate, and timely, then the resulting output is unreliable and of no useful value.1963, Raymond Crowley, "Robot Tax Collector Seeks Indications of 'Fudging'," Times Daily (Alabama, USA), 1 April (retrieved 26 July 2010):Officials explained that the quality of the computer's work depends on the quality of the data fed into it. Neil Hoke, administrative assistant to Stewart, quoted an adage of computer men: "Garbage in, garbage out."2008, Roger K. Lewis, "'In Architectural Design, Brains and Talent Trump the Best Software," Washington Post, 19 July (retrieved 26 July 2010):The old caveat "GIGO"
|
get a jump on »
To start early, especially to start before something begins or before others begin.
|
get in »
To get into or inside something, literally or figuratively.
|
gird up one's loins »
To prepare oneself for something demanding.
|
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.
|
go against the grain »
To defy convention; to do something in a manner that is unusual or out of the ordinary.
|
go large »
To have the wind at such an angle to the sail that the vessel gains its highest speed.
|
go mad »
To become insane.
|
go through hell »
Winston Churchill.
|
go up against »
To challenge someone.
|
gut feeling »
An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.
|
gut reaction »
An instantaneous reaction made without thought.
|
hack into »
To reduce something to by hacking with a cutting instrument.
|
hardwired »
In humans and animals, genetically determined, instinctive behavior, as opposed to learned behavior.
|
have a screw loose »
A phrase meaning that the subject is insane or irrational.
|
have it in for »
To be very angry at; to have a grudge against.
|
he who smelt it dealt it »
(colloquial, originally) A person who calls attention to or complains about a fart is likely trying to pretend it wasn't his or her own.(colloquial, by extension) Used to suggest that a person calling attention to or complaining about a given problem may in fact be the source of the problem.
|
head scratcher »
July 2002, Fox News - Attorney: Williams' Kids Near Compromise About Father's Remains.
|
homeless dumping »
The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the streets instead of placing them into the custody of a relative or shelter or retaining them in a hospital where they may require expensive medical care.
|
hospital pass »
Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.
|
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.
|
in the dock »
Under scrutiny; subject to critical inspection.
|
in the face of »
Despite, against, contrary to.
|
in the twinkling of an eye »
Immediately; instantaneously.
|
ins and outs »
The details or fine points of something.
|
inside baseball »
Matters of interest only to insiders.
|
inside baseball »
Technical matters concerning baseball not apparent to spectators.
|
inside job »
A crime or other illicit action committed by or with the help of someone either employed by the victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs and premises.
|
inside joke »
A joke that is understood or meant to be understood only by certain people who are in the know about the details.
|
inside track »
Any advantage.
|
inside track »
The lane or track nearest to the interior.
|
installed base »
The number of units of a system or product that are currently in use.
|
instance in »
To cite an instance; to adduce an example.
|
it never rains but it pours »
Unfortunate events occur in quantity.
|
it's all Greek to me »
I tried reading the instructions, but it’s all Greek to me..
|
jack in »
To insert an electronic coupling into a receptacle; to connect to something, whether involving a physical medium or not.
|
jump the gun »
To trade securities based on information that is not yet public; to trade on inside information.
|
jumped-up »
Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.
|
keep up »
To ensure that one remains well-informed about something.
|
kernel of truth »
A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.
|
know something inside and out »
To know something very thoroughly.
|
lapsed academic »
A person formerly employed as a professor or researcher in a university or other institution of higher education, especially one who no longer attempts to remain current in his or her former academic field.
|
lay down »
To specify, institute, enact, assert firmly, state authoritatively, establish or formulate .
|
life of the party »
A person who participates in entertainment events in a very enthusiastic manner and who has a leading role in inspiring others to join in the spirit of festivity.
|
look to »
To seek inspiration or advice from someone.
|
lose one's mind »
To become mad, insane.
|
low-hanging fruit »
Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.
|
mad money »
A sum of money kept in reserve or to insulate oneself financially in the event of the sudden breakdown of a relationship in which one is economically dependent.
|
man of parts »
A man that is talented in multiple areas of life. This includes but is not limited to the area of seduction. He puts very little emphasis on memorized scripts or "peacocking" and instead relies on individualized ways to charm a woman.
|
moment of truth »
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
|
money can't buy happiness »
Money can buy external things, but true happiness comes from inside.
|
money talks »
It is easier to accomplish goals using money instead of just talk.
|
mouth breather »
A person who routinely inhales and exhales through the mouth, instead of through the nose.
|
no brainer »
Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.
|
nose test »
An inspection of an object using the sense of smell, as for freshness of food.
|
nose test »
An inspection of the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.
|
nose-picking »
To insert a finger into one's nostril, especially to remove mucus.
|
nutfarm »
An insane asylum.
|
odd and curious »
A way to designate special coins, namely coins that are both odd and imperfect or seriously damaged.
|
off one's own bat »
At one's own instigation.
|
off one's rocker »
Crazy; insane.
|
off the rails »
Insane.
|
on its merits »
Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.
|
on pins and needles »
Feeling sharp anticipation or anxiety; in a state of suspense.
|
on the defensive »
Prepared to defend or protect against criticism, attack or aggression.
|
on the ropes »
Leaning against the ropes of the boxing ring, as when exhausted and nearing defeat or collapse.
|
on the whole »
For the most part; apart from some insignificant details.
|
one brick short of a full load »
Not mentally sound; insane.
|
one card shy of a full deck »
Mentally deranged; demented; insane.
|
one of his majesty's bad bargains »
A worthless soldier, a malingeror.
|
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-man band »
A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.
|
one-upmanship »
A succession of instances of outdoing a competitor.
|
open prison »
penal institution
|
orphan drug »
But which is not manufactured or marketed because the demand is insufficient to cover the costs of supply.
|
pachyderm »
Someone who is insensitive.
|
parting shot »
An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.
|
party crasher »
Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.
|
pass muster »
To adequately pass a formal or informal inspection.
|
pearl of wisdom »
A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.
|
pencil-neck »
An insubstantial person; a weakling.
|
pencil-necked »
Insubstantial; weak.
|
pencilneck »
An insubstantial person; a weakling.
|
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.
|
pin down »
To attach or secure with pins.
|
pink slip »
An automobile roadworthiness inspection certificate.
|
pissing contest »
An argument which is instigated, or exacerbated while consuming alcohol.
|
pit against »
To set someone in opposition to someone else.
|
play one against another »
To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.
|
play the race card »
To assert that race or racism is responsible for a course of events, especially when race is not of particular significance to the issue in question; to attempt to inspire a particular reaction by raising the issue of race.
|
poacher turned gamekeeper »
A person who now works against the same people they once supported.
|
point of no return »
The point in an aircraft's flight when there is insufficient fuel to reverse direction and return to the place of origin.
|
potter »
One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.
|
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.
|
put down »
To insult, belittle, or demean.
|
put in »
To place inside.
|
put one's foot down »
To insist, demand, or refuse.
|
put somebody in his place »
To bring somebody down; to humble or insult.
|
put someone in mind of »
To remind someone of; to inspire a mental image or awareness of; to cause thoughts concerning.
|
rabble rouser »
Someone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.
|
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.
|
rein in »
To stop or slow a horse by pulling the reins.
|
remains to be seen »
Is not yet known.
|
rest on one's laurels »
To rely on a past success instead of trying to improve oneself further.
|
rock the boat »
To disturb the status quo or go against rules or conventions, as in an effort to get attention.
|
round the bend »
Crazy, mad or insane.
|
rub it in »
To add insult to injury; to emphasize one's strengths or another's weaknesses in a manner that degrades another.
|
rub up against »
To touch something with one's body.
|
rub up against »
To touch another person with one's body in a sexually stimulating manner.
|
rub up against »
Of pets. To touch a person's body in a friendly manner, seeking attention.
|
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 up against »
Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.
|
see the light »
To gain an understanding of something previously not understood, especially in a sudden insight.
|
sell a bargain »
A species of wit, much in vogue about the latter end of the reign of Queen Anne, and frequently alluded to by Dean Swift, who says the maids of honour often amused themselves with it. It consisted in the seller naming his or her hinder parts, in answer to the question, What? which the buyer was artfully led to ask. As a specimen, take the following instance: A lady would come into a room full of company, apparently frightened, crying out "It is white, and follows me!" As soon as someone responded "What?" she sold him the bargain, by saying "Mine arse".
|
sell ice to Eskimos »
To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.
|
serve time »
To be in prison or a similar institute.
|
set of pipes »
A wind instrument incorporating multiple pipes, such as a panpipe or bagpipe.
|
set off »
To count an addition in one thing against a reduction in something else.
|
sharp tongue »
The practice or characteristic of speaking to others in a harsh, critical, or insulting manner.
|
shoot oneself in the foot »
To act against one's own interests, e.g., by saying what one is really thinking.
|
shoot oneself in the foot »
To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.
|
short of »
Insufficiently equipped with.
|
shuffle »
An instance of walking without lifting one's feet.
|
sign on »
The time of day when a radio or television station begins broadcasting, usually after being off the air for several hours.
|
slag off »
To talk insultingly to or about someone or something.
|
slob »
A term used to insult a lazy, obese person.
|
small change »
A minor or insignificant amount of money.
|
smart arse »
One who is particularly flippant or insolent or tends to make snide remarks or jokes.
|
smell test »
An inspection of an object using the sense of smell, as for freshness of food.
|
snap someone's head off »
To suddenly and sharply rebuke or insult a person, especially in response to a harmless remark.
|
song and dance »
An excessively complex set of instructions.
|
spot check »
A cursory inspection or examination or the inspection or examination of a sample of something.
|
square one »
The place where one begins; a lack of progress.
|
squeaky wheel gets the grease »
The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.
|
stand up against »
To defy or challenge someone.
|
sticking point »
The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking-place.
|
sticking-place »
The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking point.
|
swings and roundabouts »
Offsetting gains and losses.
|
take against »
To stop liking someone. Become unfriendly.
|
take against »
He took against me when I was promoted over him.
|
take the offensive »
To attack instead of defending; to be bold and proactive.
|
take the reins »
To assume charge over.
|
tear up »
Or against.
|
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.
|
that's the way life is »
That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.
|
the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on »
Life goes on, even if some will try to stop or talk against progress.
|
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.
|
think better of it »
To change one's mind; especially to decide against.
|
three skips of a louse »
Said about some trifling or insignificant matter.
|
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.
|
tin ear »
Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.
|
to the victor go the spoils »
The winner of a conflict wins additional benefits, beyond just the subject of the conflict.
|
tomato tomato »
Uses insignificant pronunciation difference to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard.
|
turn against »
To rebel or oppose something formerly supported.
|
turn against »
To rotate against or in opposition to something.
|
turn on »
To rebel; to go against something formerly supported.
|
turnabout is fair play »
It is allowable to retaliate against an enemy's dirty tricks by using the same ones against him.
|
two can play that game »
The tactics and/or strategies of an enemy can be used against him.
|
two-bit »
Insignificant or worthless.
|
under a cloud »
Under suspicion; subject to critical inspection.
|
university of life »
The real world as a source of instruction, as opposed to a formal education.
|
up against »
Facing; challenging, or opposing.
|
up against »
In contact with, abutting.
|
up to »
Against; next to; near; towards.
|
uphill battle »
A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.
|
venus flytrap »
insect-eating plant
|
when it rains, it pours »
If a person encounters bad luck, more bad luck will follow.
|
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.
|
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.
|
work against the clock »
To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.
|
yield up »
To give something against one's will.
|
| New: We also know Zip Codes FYI! |
[