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!
|
across the pond »
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
|
admiral of the blue »
A landlord or publican wearing a blue apron, as was formerly the custom among men of that vocation.
|
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.
|
all ears »
Awaiting an explanation.
|
all in a day's work »
A nonchalant dismissal of a significant accomplishment.
|
allow for »
To take into account when making plans.
|
arse over tit »
Tumbling; falling; upside-down; unstable or unbalanced.
|
as the crow flies »
In a straight line distance between two locations, as opposed to the road distance or over land distance.
|
asphalt jungle »
A city or urban area, where the landscape is covered by pavement and the environment is alienating and unsafe.
|
at a glance »
Upon cursory examination; an abbreviated review.
|
at cross-purposes »
Mutually misunderstanding each other's plans, intentions or meanings.
|
back down »
To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously has or has planned to.
|
backfoot »
To put on the defensive; to put off balance.
|
bad joke »
A situation that is badly planned, or illogical.
|
balance out »
To counteract one another so as to be balanced.
|
balance the books »
To add up all the debits and credits.
|
balance the books »
To put or keep any closed or conservative system or its analysis in balance.
|
balancing act »
A performance that involves balancing things precariously and suspensefully.
|
balancing act »
An effort to manage many conflicting or competing items or interests.
|
beam up »
To be teleported over a long distance by means of a specific imaginary technology, specifically from the surface of a planet to an orbiting starship.
|
been to the rodeo »
N.d., Alan Neff, Precious Tribes, Vicious Lies, page 72.
|
below the belt »
Of a punch, landing illegally, below the opponent's waist.
|
best bet »
The best proposal or plan.
|
best laid plans »
A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.
|
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.
|
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!
|
bottle out »
To fail to perform a promised or planned action due to lack of courage.
|
bottom line »
The final balance; the amount of money or profit left after everything has been tallied.
|
bridge »
Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit.
|
bring forward »
To make something happen earlier than originally planned.
|
brown thumb »
Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.
|
carry on »
To take baggage or luggage onto an airplane, rather than check 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 whose appearance and behavior suggest guilt mixed with other qualities, such as satisfaction or feigned nonchalance.
|
change horses in midstream »
To change plans or approaches at an inopportune time, such as when an effort is already underway, generally considered an inadvisable thing to do.
|
crack down on »
To enforce laws or punish more vigilantly.
|
cut a wide swath »
To clear a broad track through a grassland, woodland, geographical region, or other area, either by natural means or by human action.
|
cut short »
Interrupt and curtail before the planned end time.
|
deadstick landing »
When a pilot lands a plane after the engine has died; a landing lacking any propulsion control.
|
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.
|
do something with mirrors »
To jokingly pretend that one did something using magic mirrors, that one is a magician; a joking explanation of the fantastic or the unexplained.
|
don't shit where you eat »
(idiomatic, vulgar) One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.1998 April 14, Nelson Navarro, "Ever faithful, ever true," Manila Standard (Philippines) (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):The guiding principle is Don't shit where you eat. Office romances are always destructive of morale and objectivity.2003 Oct. 8, Jonathan Valania, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Pussy," Philadelphia Weekly (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Limbaugh was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the NAB convention in, of all places, Philadelphia, thus violating the cardinal law of the animal kingdom: Don't shit where you eat.2006 Sept. 19, Michael Musto, "NY Mirror," Village Voice (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Mitchell refused to indulge in on-set romances with either gender. "You don't shit where you eat," he told me, plainly.
|
double Dutch »
A language game akin to pig Latin.
|
double Dutch »
Incomprehensible language.
|
draw a blank »
To be unable to produce a required piece of information.
|
dumb down »
To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.
|
dusty miller »
One of several species of plants with leaves of a dusty appearance: Centaurea cineraria, Senecio cineraria, and Lychnis coronaria.
|
end of the world »
End of the planet Earth.
|
even Homer nods »
Not even the most vigilant and expert are immune from erring.
|
even keel »
A situation in which the boat is level and balanced for a smooth ride.
|
even keel »
A state of having one's emotions under control and balanced.
|
f** it »
An expression of great indifference or nonchalance.
|
faceplant »
Death or defeat in popular multiplayer online games.
|
faceplant »
The act of landing face first, often associated with bailing during extreme sports.
|
fall into »
Without having planned it.
|
false friend »
A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.
|
fat of the land »
The greatest part of anything; the finest and most abundant share of resources; the cream of the crop.
|
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.
|
firm up »
To make tentative plans more definite.
|
flat-earther »
A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.
|
flogging the land »
Damaging agricultural land through excessive grazing or clearing.
|
flower »
A plant that bears flowers.
|
flower »
Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.
|
fools rush in where angels fear to tread »
A person who does not plan ahead and think matters through becomes involved in risky or unfavorable situations which prudent people avoid.
|
force someone's hand »
Bring about a situation which necessitates an agent to act, often causing a plan to be executed prematurely.
|
forewarned is forearmed »
Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.1863, Charles Reade, Hard Cash, ch. 4:[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.1885, G. A. Henty, Saint George for England, ch. 4:Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.circa 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind":"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."
|
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.
|
game plan »
Any strategy devised to reach a given objective.
|
go back to the drawing board »
To start again; to scrap a previous idea or plan and try again from the beginning.
|
go off »
To begin clanging or making noise.
|
hang in the balance »
To be in a precarious situation, unsure of the future.
|
happy medium »
A balanced position between two opposite extremes.
|
heavy-hearted »
Sad, melancholy.
|
hit one out of the ballpark »
To hit a fair ball so well that the ball flies over all of the spectators' seats and lands outside the stadium.
|
holding pattern »
A path taken by an aircraft waiting to land.
|
in Dutch »
Written or spoken in the dutch language.
|
in other words »
Stated or interpreted another way; introduces an explanation.
|
in the fast lane »
In a lifestyle, employment position, or other set of circumstances where the rapid pace is exciting, frantic, or risky.
|
in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »
Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.
|
in the works »
Being planned or worked upon.
|
inside track »
The lane or track nearest to the interior.
|
jug ears »
Ears whose plane is markedly not parallel to the plane of the head.
|
keep an eye open »
To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.
|
keep an eye open »
To maintain vigilance for someone or something.
|
keep one's cards close to one's chest »
To avoid revealing one's thoughts, circumstances, or plans.
|
kiss of death »
Something that may seem good and favourable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.
|
land of opportunity »
A nickname for the United States.
|
land on one's feet »
To be lucky, or successful, often in difficult situations.
|
landing strip »
A cultivated pubic hair pattern in which much of the pubic hair is removed, leaving only a central vertical line or rectangle.
|
landing strip »
A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.
|
lie back and think of England »
. "think of England" refers to the importance of children.
|
lie back and think of England »
Used to preface any unpleasant but inevitable experience.
|
longpig »
Human flesh when cooked in cannabalistic rituals in certain Pacific Islands, due to the allegeded similarity to cooked pork.
|
look out »
Be vigilant and aware.
|
look-in »
A quick glance.
|
low blow »
An unfair or illegal blow that lands below the opponent’s waist; a groin attack..
|
man proposes, God disposes »
Things don't always work out as they were planned.
|
map out »
To organise the basic plan for a project.
|
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
|
memory lane »
A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.
|
mouth of a sailor »
The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.
|
muck about »
To do random unplanned work or spend time idly.
|
nip in the bud »
To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.
|
no man is an island »
All people are connected to other people and dependent on other people.1623, John Donne,
|
odds and ends »
Miscellaneous things.
|
off balance »
Not physical balanced; not having physical equilibrium.
|
off balance »
Surprised; perplexed.
|
on board »
Even when I am on board the plane, I can never feel secure that my luggage is, too.
|
on course »
Proceeding smoothly as planned.
|
on the back foot »
In a defensive posture; off-balance.
|
on the straight and narrow »
Honest; proceeding according to rules and plans.
|
on track »
Proceeding as planned, as expected, or in a manner consistent with an established pattern.
|
out of whack »
Not in proper balance; unbalanced.
|
pan out »
To succeed; to proceed according to plan; to result or end up.
|
pardon my French »
Please excuse my swearing or bad language.
|
pea patch »
A small piece of land planted with peas.
|
pipe dream »
A plan, desire, or idea that will not likely work; a near impossibility.
|
plan on »
To expect; to prepare future actions based on.
|
play on words »
A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.
|
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.
|
potter »
One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.
|
potty mouth »
The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.
|
proverbs come in pairs »
Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.
|
puddle jumper »
A small passenger airplane, typically used for shorter connecting trips to smaller airports.
|
pull out »
To maneuver a vehicle from the side of a road onto the lane.
|
put down »
To land an aircraft.
|
quote unquote »
Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.
|
rake »
The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.
|
reckon on »
To plan on; to expect.
|
reckon upon »
To plan upon; to expect.
|
road movie »
A film in which much of the action takes place during a journey, especially one involving overland travel.
|
robber baron »
In Europe, an aristocrat who charged exorbitant fees or otherwise exacted money from people who journeyed across land or waterways which he controlled.
|
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.
|
scissorbill »
The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.
|
sea legs »
The ability, when walking aboard ship, to anticipate the motion of the deck so as to walk steadily without losing balance.
|
seat-of-the-pants »
Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.
|
see a man »
A bland euphemism to conceal one's true purpose.
|
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.
|
shotgun approach »
An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.
|
sit out »
To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.
|
slanging match »
A row; an argument in which names are called.
|
sleep in »
To sleep late; to go on sleeping past one's customary or planned hour.
|
smallpox blanket »
An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.
|
smoke and mirrors »
A deceptive, fraudulent, or unconvincing explanation or description.
|
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.
|
space out »
To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.
|
spanner »
A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.
|
spur of the moment »
Impluse; short notice; a lack of planning.
|
stir-crazy »
Of a prisoner, mentally unbalanced due to prolonged incarceration.
|
stone cold »
Very cold; lacking any semblance of warmth.
|
talk dirty »
To use profane language, especially sexual vulgarities for the purpose of arousal.
|
talk like an apothecary »
To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.
|
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."
|
there's many a slip twixt cup and lip »
In any situation, however well planned, something can always go wrong.
|
think of England »
To tolerate or endure bad sex. Used in conjunction with "I just lie on my back and.." "I just go through the motions and..." etc.
|
think tank »
A group of which performs research and develops reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporations, interest groups, or government.
|
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 off balance »
To unsettle, to catch by surprise.
|
tin ear »
Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.
|
tip the scales »
To turn to one side a balanced situation.
|
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
|
top heavy »
unbalanced
|
touch down »
To land an aircraft.
|
turn the air blue »
To speak a stream of bad language; to curse and swear.
|
up for »
Planned; next in line.
|
upset the applecart »
To spoil carefully laid plans or arrangements; to spoil something.
|
venus flytrap »
insect-eating plant
|
virgin territory »
Land that has never been explored or developed.
|
walk around »
To walk with no real planned destination, but to just walk, to meander "around".
|
walk the plank »
To be forced to resign from a position in an organization.
|
wash up »
To be carried on to land by water.
|
watch one's mouth »
In the imperative form, used as a warning to avoid or stop using inappropriate language, especially profanity, or disrespectful utterances.
|
watch one's mouth »
To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.
|
wet blanket »
A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.
|
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.
|
who shot John »
A long and involved explanation; a thing of which an explanation would be long and involved.
|
world »
A planet,especially one which is inhabited or inhabitable.
|
| Search from any page on the Web with Abbreviations.com AutoSearch. It's free! |
[