a miss is as good as a mile »
A failure remains a failure, regardless of how close to success one has actually come.
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abide by »
To remain faithful to something or someone; to stand to; to adhere.
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abide with »
To remain or live with someone.
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beat around the bush »
To treat a topic but omit its main points, often intentionally.
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big picture »
The main film in a double feature.
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bits and bobs »
A random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and things.
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bitter end »
That part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains onboard when a ship is riding at anchor.
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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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burn down »
To completely burn, so that nothing remains.
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carry on »
To have or maintain.
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collect dust »
To remain untouched and unused for a long period of time.
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deliver the message to Garcia »
...grasp the demands and exactions of business life. He learns that the main thing to do is to "deliver the message to Garcia"....
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dirty laundry »
Unflattering facts or questionable activities that one wants to remain secret, but which some other may use to blackmail with.
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divide and conquer »
A combination of political, military and economic strategies that aim to gain and maintain power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.(computing) Applied to various algorithms, such as quicksort, that solve a problem by splitting it recursively into smaller problems until all of the remaining problems are trivial.(as imperative, proverb) In order to rule securely, don't allow alliances of your enemies.
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every silver lining has a cloud »
Every good situation has the potential to turn bad.2007, Diab A. Shetayh, Actuality : The Reality RequiemA great partnership isn't a self-maintaining entity. Perseverance and persistence make it thrive. For every silver lining has a cloud. Ignorance of this reality is not an option.
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familiarity breeds contempt »
The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.
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flat-footed »
To firmly hold and maintain a decision; to stand one's ground.
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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."
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have one's back to the wall »
To have no other options remaining.
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have one's wits about one »
To remain calm, composed, or aware.
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head scratcher »
July 2002, Fox News - Attorney: Williams' Kids Near Compromise About Father's Remains.
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high road »
A main road or highway.
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hold someone's feet to the fire »
To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce him or her to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for his or her actions.
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hold the fort »
To maintain a secure position.
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hold with the hare and run with the hounds »
To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.
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keep a weather eye open »
To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.
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keep an eye open »
To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.
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keep an eye open »
To maintain vigilance for someone or something.
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keep it up »
To maintain one's erection.
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keep it up »
To maintain or continue a positive streak.
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keep on »
To remain in an existing position.
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keep one's cool »
To remain composed, calm, and even-tempered, especially in a provocative situation.
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keep one's eye on the ball »
To maintain one's concentration fixed on one important theme.
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keep one's pecker up »
Remain cheerful; keep smiling.
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keep quiet »
Remain silent.
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keep up »
To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating.
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keep up »
To ensure that one remains well-informed about something.
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keep up with »
To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.
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kept up »
maintained
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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.
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last burst of fire »
A state of exertion where one gives one's all; expending all of one's remaining energy in a final effort to achieve one's goal.
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last resort »
The only remaining, unwanted, option or choice.
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lay low »
To remain hidden or to hide oneself.
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main verte »
Green thumb.
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mind the store »
To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.
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night person »
A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.
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nighthawk »
A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.
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noarch »
Short for "no architecture". It is a term used mainly in package management systems to mark packages which are architecture independent. Such packages usually contain graphics, documentation or similar data that can be used on any architecture.
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not long for this world »
Unlikely to remain for much time.
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off the wagon »
No longer maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from an undesirable habit, especially drinking alcohol.
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on the clock »
In the official time remaining in a game or other sporting event.
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on the wagon »
By extension, maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from some other undesirable habit.
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ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »
(biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.
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out of touch »
No longer maintaining contact or communications.
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pencil pusher »
One who does routine office work; someone involved mainly in paperwork.
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play possum »
To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.
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remains to be seen »
Is not yet known.
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rip to shreds »
To rip up, so that only shreds remain.
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run by »
To inform someone briefly of the main points of an idea.
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rush hour »
The times of the day when traffic jams are commonplace, due mainly to people commuting to or from work.
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sit on the fence »
To remain neutral on a certain topic, to not have a stance or opinion.
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sit still »
To remain motionless.
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skeleton crew »
The minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency or shut down, and at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.
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sort out »
To separate from the remainder of a group; often construed with from.
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splice the mainbrace »
To have a drink.
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stand back »
To maintain a safe distance from a hazard.
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stand by »
To remain loyal or faithful.
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stand one's ground »
To maintain or stick by an opinion or position; to remain resolute in the face of opposition.
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stand the test of time »
To remain useful or valued over a long period of time; to last a long time.
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stay put »
To remain in one fixed place.
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stay up »
To remain awake, to not go to bed.
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stick around »
To stay; to linger; to remain.
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stick with »
To remain close by.
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stickhandle »
To maintain individual possession of the puck or ball by controlling it with movements of one's stick, especially to do so in a skillful manner.
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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.
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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.
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two-second rule »
A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.
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walk the line »
To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc..
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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.
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window dressing »
These latest modifications are mere window dressing, the same problems remain.
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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.
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work out »
To habitually exercise rigorously, especially by lifting weights, in order to increase strength or muscle mass or maintain fitness.
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