a bad workman always blames his tools »
It is not the tools we use which make us good, but rather how we employ them.
|
a good beginning makes a good ending »
Good beginnings promise a good end; start off on a good note to reap the benefits at the end.
|
a good man is hard to find »
Men who make good husbands or workers are rare.
|
a leopard cannot change its spots »
One cannot change one's own nature.1597, William Shakespeare, Richard II Act i, Scene 1 (First Folio):King. Lyons make Leopards tame.Mowbray. Yea but not change his ?pots.1611, King James Version of the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23:Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe Chapter 32:End now all unkindness. Let us put the Jew to ransom, since the leopard will not change his spots, and a Jew he will continue to be.1918, Johnston McCulley, Thubway Tham's Inthane Moment:The leopard cannot change his spots, old boy.
|
a new broom sweeps clean »
New management will often make radical changes.
|
a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »
An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.
|
absence makes the heart grow fonder »
When someone or something is faraway, you realise how much you love (or miss) them or it.
|
add fuel to fire »
To inflame a situation, to make a situation worse.
|
add up »
To make sense; to be reasonable or consistent.
|
all kidding aside »
Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.
|
all over the place »
Everywhere, especially chaotically or in such a way as to make a mess.
|
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.
|
allow for »
To take into account when making plans.
|
apple does not fall far from the tree »
A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, both in behavior and in physical characteristics.1842, E. A. Freidlaender (translator), Frederika Bremer (author), The Neighbours, ch. 10:It is impossible to look at Madam Rhen, without at once making the conclusion that she is pleasantness, hospitality, and loquacity itself; nor can one look upon her daughter Renetta without thinking, "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"1978, Dr. Isador Rosenfeld, "Doctor Asks Patient
|
ask for »
make a request
|
bang about »
To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.
|
bang around »
To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.
|
barking dogs seldom bite »
People who make big threats never usually carry them out.
|
batten down »
To close or make watertight, referring to hatches and cargo.
|
bend over backwards »
To make a great effort; to take extraordinary care; to go to great lengths.
|
best laid plans »
A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.
|
big mouth »
The mouth of someone who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by inappropriately revealing information.
|
bird in the bosom »
A secret pledge that one makes for another.
|
blind »
A player who is or was forced to make a bet.
|
blot out »
To make something undecipherable; to obliterate.
|
blow it »
To fail at something; to mess up; to make a mistake.
|
blow the whistle »
To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.
|
box the compass »
To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.
|
breathe down someone's neck »
To follow someone too closely, making it uncomfortable for them.
|
bridge »
A particular form of one hand placed on the table to support the cue when making a shot in cue sports.
|
bright-line rule »
A clear-cut, easy to make decision.
|
brighten up »
To make cheerful.
|
bring down »
To make a legitimate rulership lose their position of power.
|
bring down »
To make something flying fall to the ground. Usually by firing a weapon of some kind.
|
bring down »
To make someone feel bad emotionally.
|
bring forward »
To make something happen earlier than originally planned.
|
bring it weak »
To fail to accomplish an accomplishable task or to make an attempt at less than maximum effort; to "half-ass" or "fake the funk".
|
bring out »
To make a shy person more confident.
|
buck up »
Hurry up; make haste.
|
bugger up »
To break or spoil something, or make it inoperative, useless etc.
|
by leaps and bounds »
Rapidly. Said of making progress.
|
call the shots »
To make the decisions;to be in charge;to give orders.
|
calling card »
A prepaid card or credit card, usually electronically readable, used to pay the charges when making a telephone call.
|
calling card »
A small printed card which identifies the bearer, traditionally presented for introduction when making a social visit to a home or when attending a formal social event or business meeting.
|
carpe diem »
seize the day, make the most of today, enjoy the present
|
carpe diem cras »
seize the day tomorrow, make the most of tomorrow
|
cash cow »
Someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money; a moneymaker.
|
cast aspersions »
To make damaging or spiteful remarks.
|
catch air »
To make a jump.
|
catch big air »
Superlative of catch air; make a big jump high off the ground.
|
catch up »
To compensate for or make up a deficiency.
|
change one's mind »
To convince someone to make a decision differing from what a previous one.
|
charity mugger »
A person employed by a charity, or by an intermediary fundraising agency employed by the charity, who stands in the street and invites passersby to set up standing orders or direct debits to make regular donations to the charity.
|
cheer up »
To make someone happy.
|
chip in »
To interrupt a discussion for the purpose of making a comment.
|
chip in »
To make a contribution; help in a small way; especially, to pay for a part of something.
|
class clown »
A student who frequently makes jokes or pokes fun; a wiseacre.
|
clean up »
To make a large profit; to win by a large margin, or to win a large amount, especially in gambling. Also clean house.
|
clean up »
To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy.
|
climb up »
To make a gradual ascent or increase.
|
clothes don't make the man »
An aphorism meaning that you cannot judge a person solely by his appearance. Usually pertains to men.
|
come along »
To progress; to make progress.
|
come full circle »
To make a complete change or reform.
|
come out »
To make a formal debut in society.
|
come round »
To make a regular circuit.
|
come the acid »
To make oneself unpleasant, especially by sarcasm.
|
come to a head »
To suddenly make mature or perfected that which was inchoate or imperfectly formed.
|
cover one's ass »
To make preparations or take precautions to ensure that one is not blamed or punished for one's conduct.
|
creature comfort »
Any small item or detail that makes a person comfortable and at home.
|
cross the Rubicon »
To make an irreversible decision or to take an action with consequences.
|
cut of one's jib »
Someone’s general appearance or the implications thereof, especially in relation to making an impression or one’s style..
|
cut short »
Make shorter by cutting.
|
dig in »
To make a burst of hard work.
|
do away with »
To destroy, eliminate, or make an end of.
|
do one's damnedest »
To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.
|
do one's darnedest »
To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.
|
drag one's feet »
To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.
|
draw on »
To appeal to, make a demand of, rely on; to utilize or make use of, as a source.
|
draw out »
To make something last for more time than is necessary; prolong; extend.
|
drive one up the wall »
To make a person very angry or bored; to infuriate.
|
drop a bollock »
To make a mistake.
|
drop a dime »
To make a phone call, usually means calling the police to report another's activities.
|
drop the ball »
To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.
|
dummy up »
To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.
|
ear tunnel »
A piece of jewelry that fits into a stretched earlobe hole and makes it seem like a peephole and makes it see-through.
|
early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise »
platitude from Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym Poor Richard.
|
eat humble pie »
To admit one's faults; to make a humiliating apology.
|
empty vessels make the most sound »
noisy, opinionated people are often stupid.
|
enough to make the angels weep »
Something so distressing that it causes one to lose hope and faith.
|
even up »
To make even; to make level
|
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.
|
fill up »
To make full.
|
fine feathers make fine birds »
Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.
|
firm up »
To make muscles more toned through physical exercise.
|
firm up »
To make tentative plans more definite.
|
fish for compliments »
To try to induce someone to make a compliment.
|
fluff up »
To make a gaffe or blunder.
|
fold up »
To make or become more compact by folding.
|
foul up »
To botch; to make a mess of.
|
foul up »
To make a mistake, to go wrong.
|
free rein »
The absence of constraints; freedom to make decisions.
|
gallows humor »
Comedy that makes light of death or other very serious matters.
|
get away »
make an escape
|
get one's wires crossed »
To get confused or mixed up; to make a mistake.
|
get someone's nose out of joint »
To make someone angry.
|
get stuck »
To be unable to make progress.
|
give 110%25 »
Make the maximum possible effort.
|
give hostage to fortune »
To take an action or make a statement that is risky because it could cause you trouble later.
|
give it one's best shot »
To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.
|
go down the wrong way »
To swallow food or drink so that it goes down the wrong tube in one's throat and makes one cough or for a short period lose one's breath or choke.
|
go off »
To begin clanging or making noise.
|
go on »
To make a decision based on.
|
go out of one's way »
To make an extra effort.
|
go places »
To make progress or achieve success.
|
go public »
Make public, announce publicly or to the press.
|
go round in circles »
To repeatedly do the same thing; without making any progress.
|
go the extra mile »
To make an extra effort; to do a particularly good job.
|
go to the wall »
To make an all-out effort.
|
God helps those who help themselves »
Fortune comes to those who make a genuine effort to accomplish things.
|
good fences make good neighbors »
It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.
|
grind to a halt »
Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.
|
gussie up »
To make fancy or attractive, as by artificial or contrived means.
|
hang a Louie »
Make a left turn while driving a vehicle.
|
hang a Ralph »
Make a right turn while driving a vehicle.
|
harden »
To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.
|
harden someone's heart »
To make someone more resistant to something.
|
harsh one's mellow »
To make someone feel bad emotionally.
|
haste makes waste »
One makes mistakes when being too hasty.
|
have a go »
To make an attempt; to try.
|
hedge one's bets »
To reduce the risk of making a mistake, by keeping one's options open.
|
hell hath no fury like a woman scorned »
A woman will make someone suffer if they reject her.
|
hit the rock »
To make a gesture to show celebration, friendship, or to be part of a secret handshake by one person raising their fist so the fist is pointing at the person and the other person lightly punches the fist.
|
honorable mention »
An award or recognition given to something that does not make it to a higher standing but is worth mentioning in an honorable way.
|
hot button »
A central issue, concern or characteristic, especially one that motivates people to make a choice.
|
hot button »
The principal desire that a salesman needs to "hit" in order to make a sale.
|
hunger is a good sauce »
(dated) Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.1854, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Shirley Brooks, Francis Cowley Burnand, Owen Seaman, Punch, Vol. XXVI, Punch Publications Ltd., page 74:His bread and cheese were somewhat dry, to be sure; his ale had become flat, and considerably warmer than was desirable; but hunger is a good sauce, and thirst is not particular.
|
hunger is the best sauce »
Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.
|
if it's all the same »
If it makes no difference; if nobody minds; if it doesn't bother anyone.
|
in a bind »
In a difficult situation, usually of one's own making; having a dilemma; faced with a problem or a set of problems for which there is no easy solution.
|
in the black »
Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.
|
in the making »
In development; in the process of being made.
|
it takes all kinds to make a world »
Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds.
|
it's all Greek to me »
I don’t understand any of it; it makes no sense..
|
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.
|
jolly someone along »
To make someone happy or compliant, as by encouragement or flattery.
|
jump to conclusions »
Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.
|
keep one's eye on the ball »
My ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.
|
kick off »
To make the first kick in a game or part of a game.
|
kick oneself »
To reproach oneself for making a mistake or missing an opportunity.
|
kick someone when they are down »
To make it worse for someone who is going through a difficult time.
|
kill off »
To eliminate, or make extinct.
|
kiss and make up »
To settle one's differences and forgive.
|
la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »
The drop of water that makes the vase overflow.
|
lash out »
To make a sudden blow.
|
lash out »
To make a fierce verbal attack.
|
last word »
A final decision, or the right to make such a decision.
|
lay off »
To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.
|
leather working »
The technology of making products from leather.
|
lift a finger »
To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.
|
make a decision »
To decide.
|
make a fool of oneself »
To appear foolish to others.
|
make a go of it »
To attempt; especially, to attempt to make a living.
|
make a killing »
To win or earn a large amount of money.
|
make a leg »
To make a deep bow with the right leg drawn back.
|
make a living »
To earn enough income to support oneself and, if applicable, one's family.
|
make a meal of »
That is the eleventh edit that you have made to that word, you are really making a meal of it.
|
make a meal of »
To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated.
|
make a monkey out of »
To cause a person, organization, or action to appear foolish or inferior; to subject someone or something to ridicule..
|
make a mountain out of a molehill »
To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.
|
make a name for oneself »
To gain fame.
|
make a pig's ear of »
To do badly; to make a mess of.
|
make a point »
To argue or promote an idea.
|
make a point »
To take care in doing something of something; to pay attention or ensure that something is done.
|
make a pug face »
To put on a sorry face, as a pug would look.
|
make a pug-face »
Putting on a sorry face, as a pug would look.
|
make a splash »
To do something that attracts attention.
|
make a stink »
To complain; to demand attention or remedy for a problem.
|
make a virtue of necessity »
C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 4, sc.1.
|
make a virtue of necessity »
To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.
|
make amends »
To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.
|
make an example of »
He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.
|
make an example of »
To punish someone so as to be a warning to others.
|
make an exhibition of oneself »
She had far too much to drink and made an exhibition of herself by flirting with everyone.
|
make an exhibition of oneself »
To embarrass oneself or others in public.
|
make an honest woman »
Especially if she is having a sexual relationship.
|
make believe »
To pretend or imagine.
|
make book »
To be very confident.
|
make book »
To gamble, either by placing or taking bets.
|
make do with »
To get along with whatever is available.
|
make for »
To move towards.
|
make for »
????, translator unknown, author Galileo Galilei, Two Chief World Systems.
|
make for »
To tend to produce or result in.
|
make for »
head towards
|
make fun of »
To tease, ridicule or make jokes about.
|
make game of »
To ridicule; to jest.
|
make haste »
hurry
|
make hay »
To cut grass to turn into hay for animal feed.
|
make hay »
To take advantage of an opportunity.
|
make hay while the sun shines »
To act while an opportunity exists; to take action while a situation is favorable.
|
make head or tail of »
To determine to be good or bad.
|
make head or tail of »
To understand even minimally.
|
make headway »
To progress; to move forward.
|
make it »
To become famous and successful.
|
make it »
To have sex.
|
make it »
To reach a place.
|
make it »
To survive, to live through something.
|
make it big »
To become famous and successful.
|
make it do or do without »
If you don't have a lot of money, extend the life of what you have.
|
make it snappy »
Do it quickly; be quick about it.
|
make it up as one goes along »
To improvise continuously.
|
make light of »
To regard without due seriousness; to joke or disregard inappropriately.
|
make no bones about »
To see no difficulty in, have no objection to.
|
make off »
To run away; to exit.
|
make off with »
To steal something and run.
|
make oneself scarce »
To leave or depart, or to avoid or stay away.
|
make out »
To discern.
|
make out »
To designate as the recipient.
|
make out »
To characterize as; often with to be.
|
make out »
To kiss or to make love.
|
make out »
To succeed; to turn out or end up.
|
make out »
To fabricate a story.
|
make out like a bandit »
To profit greatly; to get an excessively good deal.
|
make over »
To renovate or to convert to a different use.
|
make over »
To transfer ownership, especially by means of a legal document.
|
make quick work of »
To accomplish a specified task easily and quickly.
|
make sense »
To be coherent or reasonable.
|
make sense »
To decipher or understand.
|
make short work of »
To make a task quicker or easier.
|
make someone's day »
To make someone happy or to be a source of satisfaction.
|
make someone's skin crawl »
To disturb or bother; to frighten or disgust.
|
make someone's teeth itch »
To bother or unsettle a person; to put someone on edge.
|
make sure »
To verify; to recheck; to use extra care or caution.
|
make the cut »
To succeed; to be chosen out of a field of candidates or possibilities.
|
make the grade »
To prove satisfactory; to be successful or worthy of merit.
|
make the most of »
To profit as much as possible from.
|
make the welkin ring »
By extension of.
|
make the welkin ring »
By extension of , to celebrate or revel.
|
make the welkin ring »
To make a loud noise.
|
make tracks »
To leave in a hurry.
|
make tracks »
To leave or depart; to go away.
|
make up »
To constitute; to compose; to form.
|
make up »
To compensate, fill in or catch up.
|
make up »
To assemble, or mix.
|
make up »
To apply cosmetics or makeup.
|
make up »
To resolve, forgive or smooth over an argument or fight.
|
make up one's mind »
To decide; to reach a conclusion.
|
make waves »
To cause a disturbance.
|
make waves »
To upset the status quo.
|
managerial inbreeding »
Bad management, caused by managers making poor selection choices in recruitment, rewards, and promotions of the staff that report to them, leading to another generation of managers who lack the necessary skill sets to reward and promote the most effective staff.
|
many a mickle makes a muckle »
(UK) a lot of small amounts together, become a large amount.
|
many hands make light work »
A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.
|
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
|
meet one's maker »
To die or to pass into the afterlife.
|
mess up »
To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.
|
mess up »
To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.
|
mess up »
To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.
|
mess up »
To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.
|
might makes right »
The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.
|
moment of truth »
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
|
money maker »
A woman's buttocks.
|
money maker »
Something profitable.
|
narrow down »
Make more specific.
|
no matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney »
Regardless of how many clever points or fine distinctions one makes, what one is saying is still false or is still nonsense.
|
nobody's perfect »
Used when someone's mistakes or flaws are acknowledged, to remind that everyone else makes mistakes and has flaws1995, New York Magazine Vol. 28, No. 5, 30 January 1995, The de-moralization of society (Book Review)Hypocrisy, particularly in sexual matters, is excused on the grounds that hey, nobody's perfect, and at least folks back then felt bad enough to lie.2000, Madonna, Nobody's PerfectI feel so sad. What I did wasn't right. I feel so bad and I must say to you: Sorry, but nobody's perfect. Nobody's perfect. What did you expect? I'm doing my best
|
not to put too fine a point on it »
Used to apologise for a possibly impolite statement one is making.
|
nuts and bolts »
The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.
|
on the anvil »
Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.
|
on the make »
Actively seeking a romantic encounter or relationship.
|
on the make »
Actively seeking an opportunity for self-advancement; eager to ingratiate oneself to others in order to secure some advantage.
|
one swallow does not a summer make »
One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.
|
one swallow does not make a summer »
A sign is not proof
|
one swallow doesn't make a summer »
One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.
|
opposites attract »
people who are completely different make ideal partners.
|
orange up »
To make more orange.
|
orange up »
To make more prominent by making orange or adding orange colour.
|
pass through »
To make something move through something else.
|
pave the way »
To make future development easier.
|
pep up »
To make stronger or more interesting.
|
pick on »
To bully or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.
|
pitch woo »
To make love.
|
play down »
To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
|
play Old Harry »
To play the devil; to make mischief.
|
play one's cards right »
To act sensibly; to make the right moves.
|
play up »
To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.
|
potter »
One who makes pots and other ceramic wares.
|
power chord »
A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power chords make extensive use of intervals such as open fourths and fifths.
|
power up »
To turn the electrical power on to a device as a precondition to make it operational.
|
practice makes perfect »
If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.
|
pride comes before a fall »
A person who is extremely proud of his or her abilities will often suffer a setback or failure, because he or she tends to be overconfident and to make errors of judgment.
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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.
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pull a face »
To make an abnormal facial expression.
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pull one's socks up »
To start making an effort; to renew or redouble one's efforts.
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put a foot wrong »
To make a mistake.
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put a lid on it »
To be quiet; shut up; to stop talking about something or making noise.
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put down »
To make prices, or taxes, lower.
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put forth »
To give or supply; to make or create.
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put hair on somebody's chest »
To make a person stronger or more masculine.
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put into practice »
To take a theory and make it a practical reality.
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put on the dog »
To dress up; to put on airs; to make a show of wealth and/or importance; to be pretentious.
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put one's back into »
To make a strenuous effort to do something.
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put one's best foot forward »
To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.
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put one's foot down »
To make a car go faster, accelerate.
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put one's foot in it »
To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.
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put one's money where one's mouth is »
More generally, to take an obvious stake in the truth of a claim that one is making.
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put one's money where one's mouth is »
To make or take a bet.
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queer one's pitch »
To make a task more difficult for the speaker.
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quiet down »
To make someone or something become quieter.
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quieten down »
To make someone or something become quieter.
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raise somebody's hackles »
Make someone angry.
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reality check »
A check or review to make sure something is consistent, reasonable, etc.
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ring back »
To make another phone call to the same person.
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ring in »
To make a phone call to one's usual place of work.
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ring out »
To make a phone call from an internal phone system to a general telephone network number.
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rise from the ashes »
To make a comeback after a long hiatus. To come back into common use or practice. To come back into popularity. To come back to being a thing of today.
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rob Peter to pay Paul »
To solve a problem in a way that makes another problem worse.
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rough up »
To make rough, to roughen.
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round off »
To change the shape of an object to make it more circular.
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round out »
To make more complete by adding details.
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rub in »
To irritatingly make a point.
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rub salt in the wound »
To make an injury feel worse.
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rule out »
To make something impossible.
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run after »
To make a determined effort to win someone's affections.
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run away »
To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile.
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run off »
To make photocopies, or print.
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run up »
To make something, usually an item of clothing, very quickly.
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same difference »
It makes no difference; it amounts to the same thing.
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save face »
To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.
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seize the day »
To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.
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sell wolf tickets »
To make empty threats or promises; to bluff.
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send up »
To make prices or temperatures etc. rise.
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set straight »
To correct; to make right or true.
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settle on »
To make a decision or selection; to decide.
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sex up »
To make more palatable or acceptable to the general public; to improve the image or perception.
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sex up »
To make more sexually attractive.
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shoot one's mouth off »
To make reckless or exaggerated statements.
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show up »
To make visible; to expose.
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sing from the same hymnbook »
To make the same or similar statements, especially to express the same opinions in public as a result of a prior agreement.
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sleep on it »
To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.
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slip up »
To err, falter; to make a mistake.
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smart arse »
One who is particularly flippant or insolent or tends to make snide remarks or jokes.
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sob story »
A sad story told to make others feel sympathy for the teller.
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sort out »
To organise or separate into groups, as a collection of items, so as to make tidy.
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spanner »
A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.
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speak out »
To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known.
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speak up »
To make oneself or one's opinions known; to advocate or assert oneself.
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spice up »
To make more exotic, fun or extravagant.
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spin one's wheels »
To make no progress despite making an effort; to get nowhere.
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stand by »
To wait in expectation of some event; to make ready.
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stand to reason »
To make sense; to seem logical, reasonable, or rational.
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straighten out »
To make straight.
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stuff up »
To make a big mistake.
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swear on a stack of Bibles »
To make a promise or give one's assurance with great conviction.
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sweeten the pot »
To make something more desirable.
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take away »
To make someone leave a place and go somewhere else. Usually not with the person's consent.
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take away from »
To make something seem not so good or interesting.
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take in »
To shorten or make it smaller.
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take liberties »
To behave disrespectfully, especially to make unwanted sexual advances.
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take up the cudgel for »
To make a defense for in lieu of another person.
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talk is cheap »
It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.
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talk out of turn »
To make a remark or provide information when it is inappropriate or indiscreet to do so, or when one does not have permission or the authority to do so.
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talk up »
In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.
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tart up »
To modify or repackage a product, service, or idea to make it more attractive or easier to sell.
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tell tales »
To be lying, to be making false claims.
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test the waters »
To explore or probe, as before making a commitment.
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that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »
Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.
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the ball is in your court »
It is your turn to do something; often making a decision.
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the more things change, the more they stay the same »
A proverb making the observation that turbulent changes do not affect reality on a deeper level other than to cement the status quo.
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the shoemaker's children go barefoot »
One often neglects those closest to oneself.
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the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »
(proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.
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there are two sides to every question »
One should not make a judgement until one hears the other side.
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thin out »
To make or become sparse.
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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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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.
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throw shapes »
To act tough or put up a front. For example, to threaten a person by making "karate chops" at them, without actually doing harm or knowing karate.
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tire out »
To make someone tired; to exhaust.
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to err is human »
Everyone makes mistakes.
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tone down »
To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.
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tone down »
To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.
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tone up »
To strengthen and make the muscles of the body firmer by regular excercise.
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top it all off »
To emphasize or underscore; to make something even better or worse.
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touch a nerve »
To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.
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touch up »
To make slight corrections or adjustments; to fill in or perfect.
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tough call »
A choice or judgment which is difficult to make, especially one involving only two alternatives.
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track record »
An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.
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tune up »
To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.
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tune up »
To make preparations for vigorous exercise; to warm up.
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turn out »
To produce; make.
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turn the page »
To move on to new involvements or activities; to make a fresh start.
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turn up »
To belay or make fast a line on a cleat or pin.
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two wrongs don't make a right »
(ethics) A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.1915, William MacLeod Raine, The Highgrader, ch. 15:"But when it comes to taking what belongs to another
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two wrongs make a right »
A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another
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under the impression »
Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.
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under way »
A vessel is said to be underway when she is not anchored, moored, aground, or beached[1]. Compare with make way.
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up the ante »
To make something more desirable.
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variety is the spice of life »
Variety is what makes life interesting
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walk the talk »
To do what one said one could do, or would do, not just making empty promises. To walk one's talk is to be innocent of hypocrisy.
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warm up »
To make an audience enthusiastic or animated before a show.
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waste breath »
To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.
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water down »
To make weaker.
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water down »
To simplify or oversimplify; to make easier; to make less difficult.
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what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »
Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.
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whatever creams your twinkie »
Do what you will, whatever makes you happy.
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whatever floats your boat »
What makes you happy; what stimulates you.
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whistle-stop train tour »
A tour in a political campaign that makes many brief stops in small communities.
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willful ignorance »
A bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt. It may also be shown as for a person to have no clue in a decision but still goes ahead in their decision.
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win over »
To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.
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wing it »
To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.
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wipe the slate clean »
To forget about previous differences and disagreements, and make a fresh start.
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wishful thinking »
Decision-making based on self-delusion.
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work at »
To make a physical or mental effort to progress some specified task.
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work out »
To make sense of.
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wrap around one's fingers »
To make one susceptible to desire, in that their behavior or actions are influenced.
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write down »
To make a downward adjustment in the value of an asset.
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you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink »
You can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it.
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you can't judge a book by its cover »
It is not possible to make reliable judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.
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you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear »
It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.
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you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »
In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.
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you make the bed you lie in »
A person's circumstances are normally the result of his or her own actions.
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you pays your money and you takes your choice »
Each person should make their own decisions.
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you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette »
In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.
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zoom in »
So as to make it larger and possibly more detailed.
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zoom out »
So as to make it smaller and possibly less detailed.
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| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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