a few sandwiches short of a picnic »
Exhibiting disquiet or unsoundness of mind; not sane; mad.
|
abominable snowman »
yeti
|
about to »
Indicates something that will happen very soon; indicates that something is imminent.
|
according to »
In a manner conforming or corresponding to; in proportion.
|
against all odds »
Despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability.
|
against the grain »
To sand or plane a piece of wood parallel or nearly parallel to the fibers such that splinters forming ahead of the tool originate below the cutting surface.
|
ahead of one's time »
Showing characteristics of changes yet to be; present in one's work before later advances in the field; coming earlier than could be generally accepted.
|
all eyes »
Having prominent eyes.
|
all well and good »
Basically good, but with some shortcoming or limitation.
|
arm candy »
An attractive, seemingly romantic companion who accompanies a person in public simply so that one or both of the individuals can gain attention, enhance social status, or create an impression of sexual appeal.
|
around the clock »
All the time or seemingly all the time; constantly.
|
around the corner »
Imminent.
|
as long as »
Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; so long as.
|
ask my arse »
A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.
|
at a glance »
Upon cursory examination; an abbreviated review.
|
at hand »
Near; soon; approaching; imminent.
|
at large »
On the loose; roaming freely; not confined.
|
at the end of the road »
No longer in the competition. Voted off. Eliminated.
|
autem cackler »
Dissenters of every denomination.
|
away with the fairies »
Not with it, dreaming, not all there.
|
babes in the wood »
Criminals in the stocks, or pillory.
|
be had up »
To be accused of, or arrested for a criminal act.
|
be of two minds »
To be undecided or unsure; to equivocate; to have multiple opinions.
|
be the way to go »
Represent the best of all possible options or courses of action; pre-eminate over all other choices or alternatives.
|
bear down on »
To approach someone in a very determined way.
|
bear in mind »
Remember; consider; note.
|
beddable »
[...] feminine, great body great legs great taste, trained and beddable, Jesus, how beddable.
|
behind its time »
Showing characteristics of the past; present in one's work after later advances in the field; coming later than could be generally accepted.
|
bent on »
Completely determined; obstinate.
|
best of both worlds »
A combination of two seemingly contradictory benefits.
|
blow someone's mind »
To astonish someone, to flabbergast someone.
|
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »
Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.
|
bottoming the house »
The process by where someone cleans their house 'from top to bottom'. It is a very thorough clean indeed, even more so than 'spring cleaning'.
|
bounce back »
To recover from a negative without seemingly any damage.
|
box on the ear »
Administered on the victim's ear, usually by an educator, to enforce attention.
|
bring round »
To bring something when coming.
|
brown bag »
A short presentation or seminar on a given subject, especially one given at lunchtime.
|
bum rush »
Storming into an establishment.
|
bump up »
To give a more prominent place to; to advance position in queue.
|
burn one's candle at both ends »
To work extremely or excessively hard; to work too hard for good health or peace of mind.
|
bush league »
A professional sports association at the lower levels of minor league organization.
|
by the way »
His mother will be coming for dinner tomorrow, and, by the way, she volunteered to bring dessert.
|
call off the dogs »
During a one-sided sports contest, to remove the first-string unit of a team from the game after dominating the opponent.
|
can't wait »
To eagerly anticipate; to find it unbearable to wait for a forthcoming pleasurable event.
|
captain of industry »
A prominent business person who owns or is the highest-ranking executive of one or more major firms, especially one who has considerable wealth and influence.
|
change one's mind »
To convince someone to make a decision differing from what a previous one.
|
change one's mind »
To decide differently than one had decided before.
|
charge up »
To motivate, to instill someone with determination.
|
chat up »
In a friendly, open, or casual manner, sometimes also in a charming or affected manner, usually to curry favor, and sometimes flirtatiously with the intention of establishing a romantic or sexual encounter or relationship with that person.
|
cheat sheet »
Any summary or quick reference used as a shortcut or reminder, a crib sheet.
|
check out »
To examine or inspect; to espy.
|
cheese it »
A minced oath used as a warning to stop, hide, or flee.
|
chew the cud »
To meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate.
|
chew the scenery »
To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.
|
chickens coming home to roost »
Consequences visited upon someone who originally had appeared to escape them.
|
circular firing squad »
A political party or other group experiencing considerable disarray because the members are engaging in internal disputes and mutual recrimination.
|
clay »
A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.
|
cold comfort »
C. 1594, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, act 4, sc. 1.
|
come around »
To change one's mind, especially to begin to agree or appreciate what one was reluctant to accept at first.
|
come down with »
To contract or get; to show symptoms of a minor illness.
|
come out of the closet »
To tell others about homosexuality, bisexuality or any minority or disapproved-of belief, preference, etc., where previously this had been kept secret.
|
come to mind »
To appear in one's thoughts.
|
come to think of it »
By the way; now that I think about it; indicates something brought to mind.
|
coming out of one's ears »
In great or excess quantity.
|
company »
Keep the house clean, I have company coming.
|
cop out »
To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.
|
cop-out »
An excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty; a reason offered when someone cops out.
|
copious free time »
A hypothetical time set aside for performing time-consuming tasks, however insinuating that the speaker really has no free time.
|
creature feature »
A horror film in which one or more monsters plays a prominent role.
|
damn with faint praise »
To provide praise that is so minimal or inconsequential as to actually amount to criticism.
|
dark horse »
A candidate who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice.
|
dead set against »
Completely opposed, with no possibility of a change of mind.
|
deadweight »
The largest weight of cargo a ship is able to carry; i.e, the weight of a ship when fully loaded minus its weight when empty.
|
deep end »
The part of a swimming pool with relatively deep water.
|
desk jockey »
One who spends his or her time seated at a desk; especially one who is more concerned with procedure, paperwork, or administration than with its ultimate goal or practical consequence.
|
devil's advocate »
One who debates from a view which they may not actually hold, usually to determine its validity, or simply for the sake of argument.
|
dig up dirt »
To examine in order to find negative information for public opinion, usually with the purpose of embarrassing or discrediting a person.
|
discretion is the better part of valour »
It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave speech or action.1597
|
do a bunk »
To escape or flee under incriminating circumstances.
|
do away with »
To destroy, eliminate, or make an end of.
|
do-or-die »
Requiring a determined or desperate effort to avoid the consequences of failure.
|
don't be penny wise and pound foolish »
Don't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.
|
dot the i's and cross the t's »
To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or thorough.
|
drain the swamp when up to one's neck in alligators »
(idiomatic) When performing a long and complex task, and when you've gotten utterly immersed in secondary and tertiary unexpected tangential subtasks, it's easy to lose sight of the initial objective. This sort of distraction can be particularly problematic if the all-consuming subtask or sub-subtask is not, after all, particularly vital to the original, primary goal, but ends up sucking up time and resources (out of all proportion to its actual importance) only because it seems so urgent.
|
drill down »
To examine information at another level or in greater detail; especially in a database, to navigate to a more detailed level or record.
|
drop a bomb »
To announce surprising or alarming information suddenly and without warning.
|
duly noted »
In a due, fit, or becoming manner; as it ought to be; properly.
|
early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise »
platitude from Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym Poor Richard.
|
eat one's heart out »
To feel overwhelming sorrow, jealousy or longing, to grieve.
|
eleventh hour »
Nearly too late; the last minute.
|
end of the line »
The termination point of a railway or similar transportation system.
|
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,
|
eye up »
To examine closely something coveted.
|
f** this »
The phrase emphatically diminishes the activity or event referred to and expresses that the speaker will have no more to do with it.
|
fall off »
To diminish in size or value.
|
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.
|
feast or famine »
A situation in which something is always either extremely abundant or in extremely short supply.
|
fencepost problem »
In computer programming, a problem dealing with how to treat the initial or boundary values of a discrete problem.
|
fifteen minutes of fame »
A very short time in the spotlight or brief flurry with fame, after which the person or subject involved is quickly forgotten.
|
fifteen minutes of fame »
Alternate form of 15 minutes of fame.
|
fight fires »
To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.
|
first among equals »
In the British and other parliamentary systems, a term used to describe the relationship of the prime minister to the other members of the cabinet.
|
fishing expedition »
A non-specific search for information, especially incriminating information.
|
flat-earther »
A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.
|
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."
|
game face »
The expression of one who is prepared for or is facing a lot of difficult and/or undesirable work, especially when it is imminent.
|
garbage in, garbage out »
(computing, information technology) If input data is not complete, accurate, and timely, then the resulting output is unreliable and of no useful value.1963, Raymond Crowley, "Robot Tax Collector Seeks Indications of 'Fudging'," Times Daily (Alabama, USA), 1 April (retrieved 26 July 2010):Officials explained that the quality of the computer's work depends on the quality of the data fed into it. Neil Hoke, administrative assistant to Stewart, quoted an adage of computer men: "Garbage in, garbage out."2008, Roger K. Lewis, "'In Architectural Design, Brains and Talent Trump the Best Software," Washington Post, 19 July (retrieved 26 July 2010):The old caveat "GIGO"
|
get by »
To subsist; to succeed, survive, or manage, at least at a minimum level.
|
get cold feet »
To become nervous or anxious and reconsider a decision about an upcoming event.
|
get it »
To "get what's coming to him/her"; to feel one's wrath; to receive punishment; to receive a retaliation; to receive a beating.
|
get the axe »
To be fired, axed, terminated.
|
get the chop »
To be eliminated from a competition in a reality television program.
|
give or take »
Approximately; plus or minus some unknown amount.
|
give somebody a piece of one's mind »
To express one's opinion strongly; to voice one's disagreement or dissatisfaction.
|
give the elbow »
To terminate the employment of.
|
go apeshit »
To behave in an extreme manner; to act without restraint, especially by becoming explosively angry.
|
go off the boil »
To become of diminished intensity or urgency.
|
go to work »
To begin performing some task or work.
|
go with the flow »
To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.
|
God works in mysterious ways »
Expressing confidence that a conundrum has a solution despite it not being apparent.Expressing that a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run.Person A: It seems that I'm about to be fired from my job.Person B: Well, God works in mysterious ways - maybe it'll be the kick you need to apply to university...
|
gold mine »
A mine for gold ore or metal.
|
gold mine »
A plentiful stockpile of something sought after.
|
gold mine »
A very profitable economic venture.
|
good fences make good neighbors »
It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.
|
great minds think alike »
Used to emphasize a coincidence, or two people reaching the same conclusion in any manner at the same time.
|
green fingers »
A seemingly natural gardening ability.
|
grind to a halt »
Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.
|
half a mind »
A moderate inclination.
|
hang up »
To terminate a phone call.
|
hardwired »
In humans and animals, genetically determined, instinctive behavior, as opposed to learned behavior.
|
have an eye for »
To have good taste; to have the ability to discriminate or identify quality.
|
have in mind »
To consider, to contemplate, to intend.
|
have it coming »
To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions.
|
head scratcher »
December 2007, W:Daily News Tribune - Golden Globes nominations a head-scratcher.
|
hit the headlines »
To appear prominently in the news, especially on the front page.
|
hold one's liquor »
To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming a significant amount of alcohol.
|
hold sway »
Dominate.
|
hot off the presses »
Freshly printed, minted, written, or created.
|
house cooling party »
A party to celebrate when a person decides to leave a house or flat, and sometimes to help prepare the space for the incoming residents.
|
house warming »
Presented as a way of welcoming someone to a home into which he or she recently moved.
|
idiot mittens »
Mittens connected by yarn or string running through one sleeve, along the back and out the other sleeve of a coat, to prevent the mittens becoming lost. Generally worn by small children.
|
if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »
With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.
|
if it's all the same »
If it makes no difference; if nobody minds; if it doesn't bother anyone.
|
in broad daylight »
In ample natural illumination, during the daytime.
|
in for an inch, in for a mile »
Given that one is partly involved in or committed to a project, action, position, etc., there is no reason to refrain from becoming fully involved or fully committed.
|
in one's right mind »
Sane, sensible, reasonable; thinking clearly.
|
in the light of »
In the illumination from.
|
in the nick of time »
At the last possible moment; at the last minute.
|
in the wind »
Impending or in the offing; imminent.
|
in two minds »
undecided
|
it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog »
(rare or obsolete, proverb) If a person is determined to punish someone, they will find a way to do so.1596
|
itsy bitsy »
Minuscule.
|
joe job »
An act of e-mail spamming where the sender's identity and address are those of an innocent third party, intended either to tarnish that person's reputation or to flood that person's e-mail with bounces.
|
kicking and screaming »
With extreme reluctance.
|
kill off »
To eliminate, or make extinct.
|
last minute »
Point in time, too close to a deadline to reasonably begin a critical task.
|
lean and mean »
Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.
|
left and right »
All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.
|
left, right and center »
All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.
|
lift a finger »
To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.
|
lion »
The arms of the University of the West Indies are Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished Or on a Chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. Crest: A Pelican proper. . See talk page.
|
live on »
To survive solely by consuming a certain thing.
|
look back »
To reminisce about a past time.
|
loom large »
be prominent
|
loose end »
A small job that needs to be done, or minor problem that needs to be resolved, before a task can be considered complete.
|
lose one's mind »
To become mad, insane.
|
lower the boom on »
To terminate or abolish something.
|
make head or tail of »
To determine to be good or bad.
|
make head or tail of »
To understand even minimally.
|
make up one's mind »
To decide; to reach a conclusion.
|
might makes right »
The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.
|
mince words »
To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms.
|
mind one's own business »
To concern oneself only with what is of interest to oneself and not interfere in the affairs of others.
|
mind one's P's and Q's »
Alternative spelling of mind one's p's and q's.
|
mind one's p's and q's »
To be very careful to behave correctly.
|
mind over matter »
Willpower alone can overcome a physical problem.
|
mind the store »
To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.
|
mind the store »
To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.
|
mind you »
Mind that you; be careful that you.
|
mind you »
Used to draw attention to adjacent words.
|
mind-numbing »
Excessively boring, tedious, or dull; repetitive; of an activity, etc., lacking any interest or variety that might serve as intellectual stimulation.
|
mine arse on a bandbox »
An answer to the offer of any thing inadequate to the purpose for which it is proffered, like offering a bandbox for a seat.
|
miner's canary »
A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.
|
miner's canary »
Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.
|
miners' canary »
A caged bird kept caged in mines because its demise provided a warning of dangerous levels of toxic gases.
|
miners' canary »
Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.
|
mint condition »
Used, but still like new, as if freshly minted.
|
mint sauce »
serve this with lamb
|
mock up »
To create a model or demonstration; to create a preliminary version or sample.
|
moment of truth »
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
|
mull over »
To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.
|
never mind »
Do not be concerned.
|
never mind »
I withdraw my previous statement.
|
never mind »
It is not important; do not fret.
|
never you mind »
Do not concern yourself with it; it is none of your business.
|
nip in the bud »
To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.
|
no nevermind »
No difference.
|
no screaming hell »
Something that is not particularly effective or impressive; something that is below expectations.
|
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
|
nose test »
An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.
|
not the end of the world »
It's of minor importance, at least not as important as it first seemed.
|
nut-cutting time »
Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.
|
off one's game »
Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.
|
off the hook »
Performing extraordinarily well.
|
on high »
"According to those on high there is no global warming".
|
on the brain »
Obsessively in mind.
|
on the brink »
Very nearly; imminent; close.
|
on the bubble »
Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.
|
on the face of it »
Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.
|
on the point »
Very nearly; imminent; close.
|
on the ropes »
Showing signs of imminent failure or collapse.
|
on the square »
A discrete, unassuming reference to freemasonry.
|
on the way »
Coming, approaching.
|
on top »
In a dominant position.
|
once you go black, you never go back »
An expression assuming that once a person of another race gets in a sexual relationship with a black person they won't return to their own race.
|
one's days are numbered »
Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.
|
one-track mind »
That said to be possessed by someone who is obsessed with something or only able to think of one thing.
|
one-trick pony »
A performing animal that knows only one trick.
|
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.
|
orange up »
To make more prominent by making orange or adding orange colour.
|
out of character »
Not in character; not successfully performing within the mindset of a given character in a theatrical performance. See also break character, drop character.
|
out of sight, out of mind »
When something is not nearby, it is forgotten about.
|
outside world »
The world external to the human mind.
|
over one's head »
Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.
|
pass the buck »
To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.
|
payback's a bitch »
Usually a complete sentence as an interjection: I am amused that someone got their revenge on you...but you certainly had it coming.
|
peel grapes »
To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.
|
pendre la cr%C3%A9maill%C3%A8re »
To have a housewarming party.
|
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.
|
peter out »
To dwindle; to trail off; to diminish to nothing.
|
pink slip »
Notice of the termination of employment.
|
pissing contest »
A boys' prankish competition to determine who can urinate the furthest up a wall.
|
pissing contest »
An argument which is instigated, or exacerbated while consuming alcohol.
|
plays down »
minimises
|
plead the fifth »
To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.
|
point blank »
The distance between a gun and a target such that it requires minimal effort in aiming it. In particular no allowance needs to be made for the effects of gravity, target movement or wind in aiming the projectile.
|
point out »
To tell, remind, indicate to someone.
|
pore over »
To examine something carefully and attentively.
|
potter's field »
A public place where strangers, paupers, and criminals are buried.
|
pull one's finger out »
To stop wasting time in preliminaries, and concentrate on the important task.
|
put a stop to »
To terminate or abolish something.
|
put an end to »
To terminate or abolish something.
|
put down »
To halt, eliminate, stop, or squelch, often by force.
|
put down »
To administer euthanasia to, as an animal too old or ill to cure.
|
put down »
To replace the telephone receiver and terminate a call. To hang up.
|
put one's mind to it »
To apply oneself; to exert a directed effort.
|
put someone in mind of »
To remind someone of; to inspire a mental image or awareness of; to cause thoughts concerning.
|
quarter of »
"I need twenty minutes to get to the shop." "You'll be late. It's already a quarter of.".
|
quarter of »
Fifteen minutes before the next hour.
|
quarter past »
Fifteen minutes past any hour.
|
rag-chewing »
A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.
|
raise the flag and see who salutes »
It generates, usually as a preliminary step.
|
rattle someone's cage »
To demand attention; to nag, nudge, or remind.
|
real job »
A job which requires the employee to, work regular hours for a consistent wage that often exceeds the provisions of applicable minimum wage legislation. A job that produces a living wage.
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real men don't eat quiche »
(aphorism, humorous) The stereotypical man does not do things that are considered effeminate, as to do so would imply they are effeminate.
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reality check »
A wake-up call, reminder.
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rebrousser chemin »
To retrace one's steps, to turn back.
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red tape »
A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.
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redolent »
Suggestive or reminiscent.
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right back »
Used in several informal constructions to indicate return -- especially imminent return to a point of origin.
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rivet counter »
A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.
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run after »
To make a determined effort to win someone's affections.
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scope out »
To examine; to scout; to investigate; to check out.
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screw the pooch »
To screw up; to fail in dramatic and ignominious fashion.
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sea legs »
Ability to travel by ship without becoming seasick.
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second nature »
A mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.
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sell a bargain »
A species of wit, much in vogue about the latter end of the reign of Queen Anne, and frequently alluded to by Dean Swift, who says the maids of honour often amused themselves with it. It consisted in the seller naming his or her hinder parts, in answer to the question, What? which the buyer was artfully led to ask. As a specimen, take the following instance: A lady would come into a room full of company, apparently frightened, crying out "It is white, and follows me!" As soon as someone responded "What?" she sold him the bargain, by saying "Mine arse".
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set in one's ways »
Driven by habit; inclined or determined to continue according to one's custom or established preferences.
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shotgun approach »
An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.
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shut down »
To close, terminate, or end.
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sink in »
Become clear in one's mind.
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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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slip someone's mind »
To be forgotten; to escape one's memory.
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slip-up »
A mistake or error; a minor misstep.
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small change »
A minor or insignificant amount of money.
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smell test »
An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.
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so far so good »
Up to this point, all is OK.Well, you've packed your bags for the holiday, bought your tickets, reserved the hotel and put the dog in kennels. So far so good, now let's get to Minorca without any troubles.
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so long as »
Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; as long as.
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so much as »
Even; suggests a minimum, especially regarding what might be expected.
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soapbox »
A crate for packing soap, or, by extension, any inexpensive crude platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it, especially when used for speeches.
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softroader »
. This involves increased ground clearance with tyre, wheel, and suspension tweaks, skid plates and refers to mini SUV or wagons.
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speak one's mind »
To state one's thoughts or opinions honestly or frankly.
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split hairs »
Tedious details; minutiae.
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spot check »
A cursory inspection or examination or the inspection or examination of a sample of something.
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spring to mind »
To appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.
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square meal »
A satisfying meal, especially suitable for one performing physical labor.
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stand off »
To prevent any would-be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture.
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steal somebody's thunder »
To detract from somebody's accomplishments or glory; to undermine.
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stew in one's juices »
To be alone and self-absorbed in an uncomfortable state of mind, especially while experiencing the unpleasant effects of one's own actions.
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stick out »
To be prominent, noticeable, or obtrusive.
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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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stitch up »
To maliciously or dishonestly incriminate someone.
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straighten out »
To eliminate confusion from or concerning.
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take a gander »
To take a look; to check or examine.
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take a look »
To examine or observe.
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take away »
To subtract or diminish something.
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take away »
To leave a memory or impression in one's mind that you think about later.
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take five »
To take a five-minute break from some activity, take a short break from some activity.
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take the fifth »
To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.
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take things as they come »
To accept and deal with events as they occur, with a composed state of mind.
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talk a mile a minute »
To speak quickly or excessively.
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taper off »
To diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
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teeny weeny »
minute
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the die is cast »
The future is determined; there are no more options; events will proceed in an irreversible manner.
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the straw that broke the camel's back »
A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.
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there's a sucker born every minute »
There are a great number of fools in the world, and there always be.
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think better of it »
To change one's mind; especially to decide against.
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think up »
To create in one’s mind; to invent..
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throw dirt enough, and some will stick »
If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say
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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 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 money away »
To spend money foolishly or indiscriminately; to waste money without regard of the consequences.
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throw out »
To dismiss or expel someone from any longer performing duty or attending somewhere.
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tie up loose ends »
To deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.
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time and material »
A form of contractual compensation involving payment for materials used and at agreed rates for the those involved in performing the services.
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time out of mind »
A lengthy duration of time, longer than is readily remembered.
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time out of mind »
The distant past beyond anyone's memory.
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timing is everything »
Consideration of other events can greatly influence some desired outcome (such as an audience laughing to a comedian's joke).Telling the old joke about a butt-crack was not a good idea, just as the plumber arrived, Bob.You know what they say: "timing is everything." I'm sure we can find another plumber before the house floods.
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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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trick out »
To trick out; to mod or customize an object, typically for the purpose of both personalization as well as enhancing the object's performance capabilities and more particularly for the purpose of performing stunts with that object.
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trip out »
To have as an image in one's mind.
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trip to the woodshed »
An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered.
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turn upside down »
To thoroughly examine.
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under the microscope »
Under close scrutiny or examination.
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under the wire »
At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.
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up to something »
Doing something mischievous or scheming.
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up-and-comer »
Someone who is up-and-coming, who has begun to be successful in some field and is likely to become even more successful in the future.
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up-and-coming »
Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.
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vote in »
To collectively approve a nominee into an office or position as a result of voting.
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wait for the other shoe to drop »
To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.
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warts and all »
Of or pertaining to a description or other depiction which reveals the full range of characteristics of a person or thing, including the shortcomings and imperfections.
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wash away »
To eliminate, or destroy by fast moving water, such as in a flood, or a high sea.
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wash away »
To eliminate, in a figurative sense.
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way out of a paper bag »
A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.
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wear off »
To diminish in effect.
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whack-a-mole »
The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.
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when the shit hits the fan »
A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.
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when, as, and if »
Used to indicate the timing and contingency of some obligation in contracts, especially financial.
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whistle past the graveyard »
To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.
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whomp on »
To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.
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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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willy nilly »
Seemingly at random, haphazardly.
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window dressing »
The goods and trimmings used in such display.
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you can't teach an old dog new tricks »
It is impossible, or almost impossible, to change people's habits or traits or mindset.
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