according to »
According to him, every person was to be bought. - Thomas Babington Macaulay.
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ace of spades »
The playing card belonging to the spades suit and featuring one pip.
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act out »
To go through the process of a scene from a play, a charade or a pointless exercise.
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all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy »
Too much focus on one's career is often viewed unfavorably.Too much hard work and not enough leisure time can be unhealthy.
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avoir du pois lay »
Stealing brass weights off the counters of shops.
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back gammon player »
A sodomite.
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beat around the bush »
To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.
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bench jockey »
A baseball term for a player, coach or manager who is annoying and distracts opposition players and umpires from his team's dugout bench with verbal repartee.
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blame Canada »
A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.
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blind »
A player who is or was forced to make a bet.
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bogged down »
Stuck; mired, as in detail, difficulty; delayed or made slower.
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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.
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bridge »
A system which connects two or more local area networks at layer 2.
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bright-eyed and bushy-tailed »
Alert and in an eager, frisky, or playful mood; full of life.
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bring forth »
To display, produce, bring out for display.
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bug out »
Miss school, play truant, play hooky.
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bunk off »
To play truant.
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bush telegraph »
A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds, word-of-mouth relay, or smoke signals.
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buy time »
Purposefully cause a delay to something, in order to achieve something else.
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center field »
The defensive position in the outfield in the middle, typically played by a player that can run fast.
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chalkface »
A musical concept or genre in which music is completely improvised and never played twice. Most often mixing elements of hip-hop, metal, punk and avant-garde jazz.
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champ at the bit »
To show impatience or frustration when delayed.
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chew the scenery »
To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.
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child's play »
Something particularly simple or easy.
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chomp at the bit »
To show impatience or frustration when delayed.
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clay »
A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.
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clay »
A tennis court surface.
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clay »
An earth material with ductile qualities.
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clay »
The material of the human body.
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come in »
To join or enter; to begin playing with a group.
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creature feature »
A horror film in which one or more monsters plays a prominent role.
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crocodile tear »
A tear shed insincerely, in a false display of sorrow or some other emotion.
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crocodile tears »
A display of tears that is forced or false.
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cry for help »
Acting out as a means of displaying a subconscious desire for attention or help.
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dead »
Not in play.
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dog and pony show »
Any presentation or display that is overly contrived or intricate.
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draw stumps »
To declare an end to the days play, and remove the bails and sometimes the stumps.
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drop back »
Of a quarterback or other player in the backfield, to take a number of steps back from the line of scrimmage immediately after the snap or hike of the ball, to avoid defenders.
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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,
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face off »
The starting point, in a match of ice hockey. Two players face each other, for snatching the puck.
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faceplant »
Death or defeat in popular multiplayer online games.
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feet of clay »
To say that someone, who appears strong or invincible, in fact has a hidden weak point which could cause their fall.
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follow suit »
To play a card of the same suit as the previous or leading card.
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fourth wall »
The imaginary invisible wall at the front of the stage in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play.
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fresh legs »
Somebody who has yet to play in a match, and therefore has plenty of energy.
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full speed ahead »
Maximum effort without reservations or delay.
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funny money »
Play money.
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get a room »
A jocular or sarcastic expression commanding a couple to stop displaying affection in public, and to rent a hotel or motel room to continue amorous activities in private.
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golf widow »
A woman who is deprived of her husband's time and attention due to his regular absence in order to play golf.
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gunboat diplomacy »
The pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of military power.
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heads or tails »
A game to bet upon a which side of a coin lays face up after it is thrown.
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hit a snag »
To encounter an unexpected problem or delay.
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hold back »
To delay, especially in school.
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hold off »
To delay someone or something temporarily; to keep at bay.
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hold off »
To delay commencing an action (until some specified time or event has passed).
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hold up »
To wait or delay.
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horse around »
To play or fiddle; to clown; to do nothing of importance or consequence.
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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.
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house of cards »
A structure made by laying cards perpendicularly on top of each other.
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in black and white »
Having it displayed using shades of gray/gray rather than colour/color .
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in layman's terms »
Explaining something in simple words.
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in laymen's terms »
In layman's terms.
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in touch »
The ball, or a player, is in touch when it, or he, is outside the playing area or touching the touchlines of the playing area.
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in two shakes »
Very quickly; without delay.
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it's better to ask forgiveness than permission »
The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than value of delaying to get permission.
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jungle telegraph »
A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds or a relay of runners.
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keep the wolf from the door »
To delay sexual ejaculation.
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kid around »
To engage in playful fun.
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kill the goose that lays the golden eggs »
To seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit.
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king »
A playing card with the image of a king on it.
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knock up »
To gently hit the ball back and forth before a tennis match, as practice or warm-up, and to gauge the state of the playing surface, lighting, etc. See knock-up.
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lay a finger on »
If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.
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lay a finger on »
To merely touch.
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lay about »
To strike blows in all directions.
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lay about »
To set about, with infinitive or gerund.
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lay an egg »
To produce a failure or flop; to do something which is unsuccessful.
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lay an egg »
To produce an egg.
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lay down »
To give up, surrender, or yield , usually by placing it on the ground.
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lay down »
To specify, institute, enact, assert firmly, state authoritatively, establish or formulate .
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lay down »
To stock, store for the future. See also lay by.
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lay down »
To sacrifice, especially in the phrase "to lay down one's life.".
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lay down »
To lie down; to place oneself in a reclined or horizontal position, on a bed or similar, for the purpose of resting.
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lay down the law »
To authoritatively or dogmatically assert what is permitted or not permitted.
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lay down the law »
To present the law that applies to a given case.
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lay down the law »
To promulgate law.
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lay hands on »
To find, obtain or procure.
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lay it on the line »
To state something, for example an ultimatum, strongly and clearly.
|
lay low »
To remain hidden or to hide oneself.
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lay low »
To knock out; to cause to fall.
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lay off »
From employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance package.
|
lay off »
To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.
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lay off »
Alone.
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lay off »
made redundant
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lay on »
provide;
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lay open »
In Japan and South Korea, to publish a patent for initial public review, prior to the formal application for registration.
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lay open »
to disclose
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lay open »
reveal
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lay out »
To arrange in a certain way.
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lay out »
expend money
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lay rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
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lay the groundwork »
To create a foundation; to provide the basics or fundamentals.
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lay to rest »
To bury one who has died.
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lay up »
To store; to put by.
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lay up »
To disable.
|
lay up »
To take out of active service.
|
lay up »
To go out of active service.
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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.
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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.
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mark up »
To add coding to text so that it will display properly on a computer.
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mess around »
To joke, kid, or play.
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muck about »
To be playful; full of fun and high spirits.
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music to one's ear »
Some unexpected good news; a favorable outcome after some initial confusion or delay.
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nest egg »
A natural or artificial egg placed in a bird's nest, to encourage the bird to lay its own eggs there.
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no comment »
An "official" refusal to relay any further information, as a response to a newspaper reporter's question.
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off one's game »
Playing or competing below one's usual level of performance.
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on hold »
Delayed; postponed.
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on the clock »
Displayed numerically on the mileage or kilometric gauge.
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on the clock »
Of a taxicab, engaged for hire; displayed numerically as time or fare on the meter of a taxicab.
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one-man band »
A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.
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pay one's dues »
To outlay money which is owed as a membership fee or price of admission.
|
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.
|
pickin' and grinnin' »
Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.
|
pinch-hit »
To bat in place of another player.
|
play along »
To take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.
|
play around »
To behave in a silly, or childish, or irresponsible way.
|
play around »
To work with in a non-serious manner.
|
play around »
To engage in sexual practices outside of marriage.
|
play ball »
An expression used at the beginning of a game of baseball.
|
play ball »
To start anything tumultuous.
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play ball »
To work together; to cooperate.
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play down »
To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
|
play dumb »
To pretend to be mute.
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play dumb »
To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.
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play fast and loose »
To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.
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play fast and loose »
To ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits ones purpose.
|
play for love »
To play a game of cards without stakes.
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play games »
To deceive, to lie about one's intentions.
|
play hardball »
To act rough and ruthless, especially in politics or business.
|
play hardball »
To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.
|
play hookey »
To be absent without permission, especially from school.
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play hooky »
To miss school, work, or other duties without permission or an excuse.
|
play it by ear »
To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.
|
play it by ear »
To play a song according to how it sounds, rather than from a written score.
|
play it safe »
To take a cautious, risk-free approach.
|
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..
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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 one against another »
To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.
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play one's cards right »
To act sensibly; to make the right moves.
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play possum »
To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.
|
play possum »
To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.
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play possum »
To feign sleep, illness, etc.
|
play second fiddle »
To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.
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play silly buggers »
To act in a stupid or reckless manner.
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play someone like a fiddle »
Skilfully.
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play the field »
To date more than one person at the same time.
|
play the fool »
To behave in a foolish or comical manner.
|
play the ponies »
To bet on horse racing.
|
play the race card »
Donald A. Carson, Love in Hard Places p.94.
|
play the race card »
Mark Fuhrman, Murder in Brentwood p.153.
|
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.
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play the same tape »
To repeat exactly what one previously said or did.
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play to the gallery »
To appeal to the least sophisticated parts of an audience in order to obtain maximum approval.
|
play up »
To misbehave.
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play up »
To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.
|
play with fire »
To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially.
|
plays down »
minimises
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potter's clay »
A nation or kingdom.
|
potter's clay »
A person or people created and shaped by God.
|
potter's clay »
I am the potter’s clay.
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potter's clay »
The clay used by a potter.
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potter's clay »
We are but potter’s clay.
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pull my finger »
A phrase used when playing a prank regarding flatulence, in which a mark is asked to pull the finger of the person playing the prank, who simultaneously flatulates so as to suggest a causal relationship between the pulling of the finger and the resulting expulsion of gas.
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put on »
To play recorded music.
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put out »
The statistic of the number of outs a defensive player directly caused.
|
ride roughshod over »
To act in a bullying or inconsiderate manner; to display disregard towards someone or something.
|
road to Damascus »
That was my Road to Damascus moment. They played one hit after another and this is the song I remember most clearly.
|
run for the roses »
A college football game or series of games played with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the championship Rose Bowl game.
|
sabre-rattling »
A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.
|
second banana »
A comedian who plays a secondary or supporting role, especially as straight man and traditionally in vaudeville or burlesque theatre.
|
second fiddle »
The person playing second fiddle.
|
second string »
In sports, a unit of players that plays behind the first string.
|
see red »
To receive a red card, and be dismissed from the playing field.
|
set back »
To delay or obstruct.
|
sexual congress »
Loose translation of the title of Aristophanes' play Ecclesiazousae, more literally translated as Assemblywomen.
|
shoot 'em up »
A short story, novel, television show, film, computer game, or other narrative which depicts considerable gunplay.
|
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.
|
shoot the moon »
To achieve the lowest score possible, such that the player is usually rewarded with bonus points.
|
shotgun »
A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.
|
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.
|
show the flag »
To display the flag of one's country, especially as an expression of patriotic pride.
|
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.
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soccer player »
footballer
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stop press »
The event or news article important enough to delay or interrupt the print, or require a reprint, of a publication, particularly of a newspaper edition.
|
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.
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strike up »
To start something, usually playing live music.
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take the field »
To go out onto the playing field.
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third string »
A unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.
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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
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throw up »
To display a gang sign using the hands.
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tickle the ivories »
To play the piano.
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tie up »
To occupy, detain, keep busy, or delay.
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time and tide wait for no man »
action is necessary without delay
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tip one's hand »
In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand.
|
toy with »
Play, esp. with or as with a toy.
|
turn up »
To belay or make fast a line on a cleat or pin.
|
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.
|
under the gun »
The first player to act on the first round of betting in Texas hold 'em.
|
upper crust »
The topmost layer of a bread, pastry dish, or other item with a hardened coating.
|
wear out »
Of apparel, displayed in public.
|
when the cat's away the mice will play »
In the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.
|
window dressing »
The decorative display of retail merchandise in store windows.
|
window dressing »
The goods and trimmings used in such display.
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with no further ado »
Without any other formalities; with no further delay.
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