all ears »
Listening intently; fully focused.
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as you sow, so shall you reap »
The personal consequences of one's actions are in proportion to the good or bad intentions towards others.
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at cross-purposes »
Mutually misunderstanding each other's plans, intentions or meanings.
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bash up »
To assault someone with the intention of causing physical injury.
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beat around the bush »
To treat a topic but omit its main points, often intentionally.
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black magic »
Magic derived from evil forces, as distinct from good or benign forces; or magic performed with the intention of doing harm.
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black-on-black »
Something that is invisible or intentionally obfuscated, such as warnings or fine print.
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bum steer »
Bad advice, regardless of intention.
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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.
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butter up »
To flatter, especially with the intent of personal gain.
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chase after »
To pursue someone with romantic intentions; to woo.
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chat up »
In a friendly, open, or casual manner, sometimes also in a charming or affected manner, usually to curry favor, and sometimes flirtatiously with the intention of establishing a romantic or sexual encounter or relationship with that person.
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cherry pick »
To position oneself near the opponent's goal to attempt to receive an errant or intentional pass for an easy score, as in basketball or versions of soccer where offsides are not enforced.
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cock up »
Unintentionally; to screw up, mess up or f** up.
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corner the market »
To monopolize a resource or commodity, as with the intent of driving up prices.
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doze off »
To fall asleep unintentionally.
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for all intensive purposes »
Misconstruction of “for all intents and purposes”.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].
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for all intents and purposes »
For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.
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for keeps »
With an agreement or intention to retain what one gains or receives.
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give notice »
To announce one's intent to leave a job; to inform an employer that one is leaving.
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hammer and tongs »
With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.
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hold one's breath »
To inhale and then intentionally close the epiglottis so that one's breath is not exhaled.
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knock down »
To hit or knock (something), intentionally or accidentally, so that it falls.
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lip service »
Empty talk; words absent of action or intention.
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look off »
To mislead by directing one's apparent attention away from one's true object of intent.
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mixed message »
Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.
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on accident »
Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.
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on purpose »
Purposefully; with intention; deliberately.
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one-night stand »
A single sexual encounter between two individuals, where at least one of the parties has no immediate intention or expectation of establishing a longer-term sexual or romantic relationship. As the phrase implies, the relationship lasts for only one night.
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perp walk »
The intentional public display before news cameras of someone in police custody, especially someone famous or notorious, for the purpose of satisfying public interest, demonstrating the authorities' effectiveness, or shaming the person.
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play games »
To deceive, to lie about one's intentions.
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poison pen »
A usually intentionally rude, spiteful, and/or condescending piece of writing directed at a person, group, lifestyle, way of thought, or other target.
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poison tree bears poison fruit »
Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.
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put aside »
To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.
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put by »
To run a ship aground intentionally to avoid a collision.
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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.
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run off with »
To leave with someone with the intention of living with them or marrying them. Usually in secret because other people think it is wrong.
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shoot first and ask questions later »
To take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.
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skirt chaser »
A man with amorous intentions who habitually seeks out female companionship.
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smallpox blanket »
An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.
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take a dive »
To feign a knockout in order to lose intentionally.
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take a dive »
To lose or fail intentionally.
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the road to hell is paved with good intentions »
well-intended acts can lead to disaster
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the world is one's lobster »
(UK, humorous) intentional misrendering of the proverb "the world is one's oyster"
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throw down »
To fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand.
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to all intents and purposes »
For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.
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window-shopping »
The browsing of shop windows without any intention of buying.
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