We've found 3628 phrases for ng (0.147 seconds):

a cat can look at a king »    Alternative form of a cat may look at a king.1982, A J Ayer,

a cat may look at a king »    Even a purported inferior has certain abilities, even in the presence of a purported superior

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link »    An organization (especially a process or a business) is only as strong or powerful as its weakest person. A group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member.

a closed mouth gathers no feet »    One who does not speak can be certain he won't say anything embarrassing.

a different ballpark »    Something totally unrelated or of a vastly different scale or scope.

a drop in the bucket »    An effort or action having very little overall influence, especially as compared to a huge problem.

a few sandwiches short of a picnic »    Exhibiting disquiet or unsoundness of mind; not sane; mad.

a golden key can open any door »    Sufficient money can accomplish anything.

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 house is not a home »    A home is not merely a building but requires inhabitants and a friendly atmosphere.

a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »    even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point

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 nod is as good as a wink »    The hint, suggestion etc can be understood without further explaining.

a picture paints a thousand words »    A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description.1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album:If a picture paints a thousand wordsThen why can't I paint you;The words will never showThe you I've come to know.1989, Alan Kay, quoted in K?o-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, ISBN 9971506645, p. 9:Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, ISBN 1904788734, p. 52:See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!

a pull of the hair for being unfair »    The general response to "A kick and a flick for being so quick", which is in turn a response in itself to "A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month".

a riddle wrapped up in an enigma »    Something very mysterious and hidden.

a rising tide lifts all boats »    Benefits provided to a few may lead to conditions that are beneficial to all.

a rolling stone gathers no moss »    A person who never settles in one place will never be successful.A person who does not keep active will grow mouldy.

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.

a watched pot never boils »    A process appears to go more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.

abide by »    To remain faithful to something or someone; to stand to; to adhere.

abound in »    To have something in great numbers or quantities; to possess in such abundance as to be characterized by.

abound with »    To have something in great numbers or quantities; to possess in such abundance as to be characterized by.

about to »    Indicates something that will happen very soon; indicates that something is imminent.

about turn »    A complete change of opinion, direction, etc.

about turn »    An about face; a military command to a formation of soldiers to reverse the direction in which they are facing.

above the salt »    Of high standing or honor.

absence makes the heart grow fonder »    When someone or something is faraway, you realise how much you love (or miss) them or it.

abstract nonsense »    Details which involve diagram chasing.

accident of birth »    Reference to the fact that various benefits or detriments to the life of a person arise from the circumstances into which that person was born, these being entirely beyond his control.

accident waiting to happen »    A thing or situation which is almost certain to eventually lead to an accident.

according to »    According to him, every person was to be bought. - Thomas Babington Macaulay.

according to »    According to the directions, the glue takes 24 hours to dry.

according to »    Based on what is said or stated.

according to »    In a manner conforming or corresponding to; in proportion.

according to »    Our zeal should be according to knowledge. - Thomas Sprat.

according to Hoyle »    In strict accordance with the rules, especially of card games; in the proper or expected manner.

account for »    To explain by relating circumstances; to show that some one, thing or members of a group are present or have been processed.

ace in the hole »    A hidden or secret strength, or unrevealed advantage.

ace of spades »    The playing card belonging to the spades suit and featuring one pip.

ache for »    To desire, or want something, or someone, very much.

acid test »    A rigorous test or appraisal of the quality or worth of something.

across the board »    A racing bet where one bets that the same competitor will place in first, second and third.

across the board »    Pertaining to all categories or things.

act out »    To express one's feelings through disruptive actions.

ad fontes »    Go to the sources: An expression emphasizing the importance of conducting fundamental research and of consulting primary sources.

admiral of the blue »    A landlord or publican wearing a blue apron, as was formerly the custom among men of that vocation.

after all »    In the end; anyway; referring to something that was believed to be the case, but has now been shown not to be.

after all »    in spite of everything

after one's own heart »    Of a person: having the same ideas, opinions or behaviour as oneself.

after the fact »    Too late; after something is finished or final.

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.

against the grain »    Unwillingly, reluctantly. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.

age before beauty »    A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones.

agree to disagree »    To tolerate each other's opinion and stop arguing; to acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.

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.

ahead of the game »    Having completed a task before it is due; ready, prepared, or anticipating.

albatross »    A long-term impediment, burden, or curse.

albatross »    Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.

all along »    The entire time; always.

all at once »    Unexpectedly; without warning; all of a sudden.

all bark and no bite »    Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.

all duck or no dinner »    All or nothing.

all ears »    Awaiting an explanation.

all ears »    Listening intently; fully focused.

all eyes »    Gazing at devotedly.

all eyes »    Having prominent eyes.

all eyes »    Watching alertly or attentively.

all good things come to an end »    Nothing lasts forever.

all hat and no cattle »    Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance; pretentious.

all holiday »    A saying signifying that it is all over with the business or person spoken of or alluded to/.

all hollow »    Common misspelling of all hallow.

all in all »    everything considered

all kidding aside »    Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.

all mouth and no trousers »    Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.

all mouth and trousers »    Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance.

all nations »    A composition of all the different spirits sold in a dram-shop, collected in a vessel into which the drainings of the bottles and quartern pots are emptied.

all one's eggs in one basket »    Devoting all of one’s resources to one thing.

all one's eggs in one basket »    Investing heavily in just one area.

all out »    The state of a side having no more men to bat, thus ending its innings.

all over but the shouting »    The substance of the contest is complete, leaving only the cheering.

all over the board »    Showing a wide range of values with no particular pattern.

all over the map »    Widely scattered or distributed; numerous and differing greatly.

all over the place »    Inconsistent; lacking a clear pattern.

all right, my lover »    An informal affectionate greeting.

all talk and no action »    Speaking, promising, or boasting much, but doing little

all that glitters is not gold »    Things that appear valuable or worthwhile might not actually be so, things that look nice might not be as good as they look.

all that jazz »    Everything else related to something; other similar things.

all the marbles »    Everything; all that is to be had.

all the tea in China »    Something priceless or invaluable.

all the way to Egery and back »    The long way; a roundabout route; a long distance to travel.

all things being equal »    Without considering or being affected by external factors.

all things come to those who wait »    (dated) A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.

all told »    With everything included, counted or summed.

all well and good »    Basically good, but with some shortcoming or limitation.

all's fair in love and war »    unpleasant behavior is acceptable during love and conflict.

all's well that ends well »    Problems do not matter if things turn out well in the end.

all-over oneself »    Feeling self-satisfied.

allow for »    To take into account when making plans.

almighty dollar »    The dollar, satirically characterized as a being a god.

along about »    Approximately; at around some time.

along the lines »    In a general direction or manner.

an apple a day »    Healthy eating and living using traditional temperate-zone fresh foods.

an Englishman's home is his castle »    (UK) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security

an offer one can't refuse »    An offer from one side in any transaction with the results of failing to accept so unattractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.

and change »    And some quantity, but less than the increment to the next round number.

and counting »    Used to show that the number previously mentioned is continuously changing, i.e. increasing or decreasing.

and how »    Used to strongly confirm preceding utterance.

and then some »    Used to confirm preceding utterance, while implying that what was said or asked is an understatement.

angel's advocate »    Someone who sees what's good about an idea and supports it.

angle for »    To try to obtain something by subtle indirect means. Political manoeuvres, suggestion, etc.

angle for farthings »    To beg out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.

any press is good press »    Being mentioned in the media is beneficial to the subject because it gets publicity.

anything goes »    There are no rules or restrictions.

Apa Sâmbetei »    "for nothing", "to no result", or that what you have done was destroyed or is rendered useless after you finish it.

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

apples and oranges »    Said of a comparison of items that are not comparable.

Après-ski »    A place "after skiing". Typically a bar or pub where people go after a day on the slopes to ease off and meet other people.

April showers bring May flowers »    April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.By extension, that a period of discomfort can provide the basis for a period of happiness.

apron string hold »    An estate held by a man during his wife's life.

are your ears burning »    Said of somebody who was not present but was the topic of discussion.

ark ruffian »    Rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, etc. A species of badger.

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.

arm's length »    Barely within reach.

arm's length »    Distant, detached.

arm's length »    Independent, but related.

around Robin Hood's barn »    The long way around; a roundabout or circuitous route.

around the clock »    All the time or seemingly all the time; constantly.

arse about face »    Something that is placed or arranged the opposite way to the way it should be.

arse over tit »    Tumbling; falling; upside-down; unstable or unbalanced.

arsy varsey »    Tumbling upside down; head over heels.

as a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly »    Foolish people repeatedly do foolish things.

as if »    As though; in a manner suggesting.

as long as »    Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; so long as.

as long as »    The same length as.

as long as »    While; for some period of time.

ask around »    To enquire about something to different people.

ask for »    To increase the likelihood of something by persisting in some action; to invite.

ask for the moon »    To claim or desire something that one cannot have.

ask my arse »    A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.

ask round »    To enquire about something to different people.

asphalt jungle »    A city or urban area, where the landscape is covered by pavement and the environment is alienating and unsafe.

ass into gear »    Get going; get moving; start producing.

ass over teakettle »    Tumbling upside down.

assault and battery »    . This legal distinction exists only in jurisdictions that distinguish assault as threatened violence rather than actual violence.

assume the mantle »    To take on a specific role or position, along with any associated responsibilites.

at a loss for words »    Having nothing to say; stunned to the point of speechlessness.

at a moment's notice »    Immediately; instantaneously; without need of warning.

at all »    Indicating degree, quantity or frequency greater than zero; to the slightest degree, in any way, somewhat, rather.

at all hours »    Late into the night or early morning; when people ought to be sleeping.

at arm's length »    At a distance, away from one's body.

at arm's length »    Avoiding a close relationship.

at cross-purposes »    Mutually misunderstanding each other's plans, intentions or meanings.

at death's door »    About to die; in a life-threatening state of health.

at hand »    Being at the moment the center of attention or the cause of trouble.

at hand »    Near; soon; approaching; imminent.

at heart »    In spirit; according to one's beliefs, views or feelings; deep down, really, fundamentally.

at large »    On the loose; roaming freely; not confined.

at last »    After a long time; eventually.

at loggerheads »    Unable to agree; opposing.

at odds »    In disagreement; conflicting.

at one's fingertips »    Readily available.

at peace with »    Not menacing or hostile toward.

at rest »    Not moving; stationary.

at stake »    In danger; hazarded; pledged; at risk.

at the end of the road »    No longer in the competition. Voted off. Eliminated.

at the end of the road »    No longer living. Dead.

at the high port »    At once; unhesitatingly; quickly and vigorously.

at the ready »    Ready; in a state of preparation or waiting; in position or anticipation.

at the top of one's lungs »    Possible.

at the wheel »    Driving; in control of a vehicle.

at work »    Working, in the process of doing work.

auction off »    To sell something at an auction.

avant la lettre »    An example of a term before the term was coined. Describing a term used anachronistically.

avoir du pois lay »    Stealing brass weights off the counters of shops.

away with the fairies »    Not with it, dreaming, not all there.

baby blues »    Period and feeling of depressiveness after giving birth; a less severe form of postnatal depression.

back at you »    Used to return a greeting.

back away »    Of your attention on the thing in front being avoided.

back into »    To back up or walk backwards and hit something.

back off »    To move backwards away from something.

back off »    To lower the setting of.

back onto »    To reverse a vehicle onto something.

back onto »    To overlook something from the rear.

back out »    To withdraw from something one has promised to do.

back to the drawing board »    Back to the beginning following an unsuccessful attempt.

back up »    For the non-striker to take a few steps down the pitch, in preparation to taking a run, just as the bowler bowls the ball.

back-burner »    Having low urgency; not currently important.

back-cloth star »    An actor who stands upstage, forcing the other actors to face him and turn their backs to the audience, in order to gain more attention to himself.

back-to-back »    With one's back facing somebody else's back.

backseat driver »    A passenger in a car who insists on giving the driver directions.

backseat driver »    By extension, anybody offering unsolicited or unwelcome advice.

bacon-faced »    Having a fat, sleek face.

bad blood »    Feelings of hostility or ill will.

bad news »    An irritating, troublesome, or harmful person, situation, or thing.

bad penny »    A person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one which repeatedly appears at inopportune times.

bad taste in one's mouth »    A feeling of disappointment and frustration.

bad taste in one's mouth »    A feeling of guilt, responsibility, or embarrassment as to cause nausea.

bad taste in one's mouth »    A feeling something is morally despicable as to cause nausea.

baggage »    Heavy baggage; women and children. Also a familiar epithet for a woman; as, cunning baggage, wanton baggage, &c.

baggage »    Luggage; traveling equipment.

bail out »    To secure the release of an arrested person by providing bail money.

bail out »    To remove water from a boat by scooping it out.

bail out on »    To abandon, or stop supporting someone or something.

balancing act »    A performance that involves balancing things precariously and suspensefully.

balancing act »    An effort to manage many conflicting or competing items or interests.

bale out »    Alternative spelling of bail out.

ball-breaker »    A person or task which is excessively demanding or punishing.

balloon goes up »    Something exciting or dangerous begins.

ballpoint pen »    writing implement

balls up »    Third-person singular simple present indicative form of ball up.

balls-up »    Something which becomes muddled or botched in some way.

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.

bang for the buck »    Efficiency; cost-effectiveness; value.

bang on »    Exactly at.

bang on about »    To keep talking endlessly about the same subject.

bang out »    To do something quickly, in a slipshod, or unprofessional manner.

bang straw »    A nick name for a thresher, but applied to all the servants of a farmer.

bang to rights »    Caught red-handed; in a guilty state.

bang up »    Excellent.

bang up »    He’s doing a bang up good job..

bang up cove »    A dashing fellow who spends his money freely.

bang up job »    Something done very well; something performed above average or better than expected.

banged up »    Physically injured or wounded.

banged up »    Spending time in prison or jail.

bank night »    An event where patrons are enticed to buy entry tickets into some venue, for example a movie theater, with the anticipation that they will be entered into a drawing to win an amount of money if their ticket is drawn and they are on-site at the time of the winning.

bank on »    To be sure of something. To depend on it.

bankers' hours »    Any easy job, especially one with a short working day.

baptism by fire »    A change in initial attitude or ideals through a traumatic situation.

baptism by fire »    A trying ordeal that was not experienced before.

bar fly »    A person who frequents bars or lounges to get drunk.

bar none »    Without exception; excluding nothing else of the same kind.

bar star »    A female who frequents bars or lounges, usually late at night.

bark up the wrong tree »    To attempt or pursue the wrong thing; to take the wrong approach; to follow a false lead.

barking dogs never bite »    Alternative form of barking dogs seldom bite.

barking dogs seldom bite »    People who make big threats never usually carry them out.

barrel »    A jar. 1 Kings xvii. 12.

barrel »    A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.

barrel »    The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies for different articles and also in different places for the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A barrel of wine is 31 1/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196 pounds; of beer 31 gallons; of ale 32 gallons; of crude oil 42 gallons.

barrel of laughs »    That which is enjoyable or entertaining.

barrel of laughs »    That which is immature, embarrassing, or disgraceful.

barrel of monkeys »    Something very funny or amusing.

barrow man »    A man under sentence of transportation; alluding to the convicts at Woolwich, who are principally employed in wheeling barrows full of brick or dirt.

base over apex »    Falling over in a jumbled heap.

bash about »    To physically damage something or assault someone.

bash in »    To break or dent badly by hitting violently.

bash in »    To injure someone by hitting violently.

bash out »    To write something very quickly, without much thought.

bash up »    To assault someone with the intention of causing physical injury.

bat around »    When at least nine batters bat in a half inning.

bat away »    To avoid by diverting the focus of a discussion.

batten down »    To close or make watertight, referring to hatches and cargo.

battle cry »    By extension, a strong motto or purpose statement, especially in regards to winning a goal in sports, games or work.

battle cry »    Something the troops yell out when going to war or battle.

bawdy basket »    The twenty-third rank of canters, who carry pins, tape, ballads, and obscene books to sell, but live mostly by stealing.

bawl out »    To deliver a loud, hard scolding or lecture; to reprimand.

bawl out »    To have a serious argument accompanied with shouting.

be along »    To arrive.

be at one's beck and call »    To be in the position of serving someone in any way they desire, usually unwillingly.

be in for »    To be able to expect or anticipate; to be about to suffer, generally said of something unpleasant.

be left holding the baby »    To be left with the responsibility of resolving a problem.

be off »    To be working against a present or former addiction to.

be still my heart »    Calm down, this situation is too exciting or overly distressing.

be up against »    To be challenged by someone or something stronger than oneself.

be-all and end-all »    Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.

beam up »    To be teleported over a long distance by means of a specific imaginary technology, specifically from the surface of a planet to an orbiting starship.

bear down »    When giving birth, to push.

bear hug »    wrestling hold

beat around the bush »    To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.

beat Banaghan »    An Irish saying of one who tells wonderful stories, or of something which is amazing and remarkable.

beat off »    To drive something away with blows.

beat out »    To extinguish.

beat somebody to the punch »    To do something before somebody else is able to.

beat up »    To give a severe beating to.

beat up »    To sail to windward using a series of alternate tacks across the wind.

beat up »    To cause by some other means, injuries comparable to the result of being beaten up.

beat up »    To feel badly guilty and accuse oneself over something. Usually followed by over.

beat up »    To get something done, derived from the idea of beating for game.

beauty mark »    Or artificially using cosmetics.

beauty sleep »    C. 1900, Ralph Connor, The Man From Glengarry, ch. 23.

beddy-bye »    Bedtime for a toddler, going to sleep, going to bed.

bee in one's bonnet »    Something of particular interest or concern; an obsession.

bee's knees »    Something excellent, outstanding.

beefed out »    Having been improved greatly or upgraded; beefed up.

beer and skittles »    Something pleasurable.

beg off »    To avoid, or cancel some event that one has previously arranged with someone.

beg to differ »    To differ strongly in opinion or interpretation.

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.

behind the bit »    An equestrian term, meaning that the horse is evading the bit.

behind the counter »    Of drugs, dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription or other form of compliance.

below par »    Having a price below its face value.

below the belt »    Of a punch, landing illegally, below the opponent's waist.

below the belt »    Unfair; dirty; not according to the generally accepted rules.

belt and suspenders »    Redundant systems, affording mutual backup in the event of one failing.

bench jockey »    A baseball term for a player, coach or manager who is annoying and distracts opposition players and umpires from his team's dugout bench with verbal repartee.

bend over backwards »    To make a great effort; to take extraordinary care; to go to great lengths.

bend somebody's ear »    To bore; to talk too long.

bend the truth »    To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.

best laid plans »    A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the outcome is uncertain.

best of both worlds »    A combination of two seemingly contradictory benefits.

best regards »    Used as a polite closing of a letter.

bet dollars to donuts »    To suggest that something is very likely to be true or that one has a strong hunch about something.

better an egg today than a hen tomorrow »    It is better to have a sure thing now than a possibility of more later.

better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all »    Having experience of love, even if it ended, is better than having no experience of love.Love is worthwhile despite the pain involved in separation.

better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness »    In the face of bad times or hopelessness, it is more worthwhile to do some good, however small, in response than to complain about the situation.

between a rock and a hard place »    Having the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary.

between Scylla and Charybdis »    Similar in meaning to between a rock and a hard place.

betwixt and between »    Neither one thing nor the other.

beyond the pale »    Describing behaviour that is considered to be outside the bounds of morality, good behaviour or judgement in civilised company.

big cheese »    A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.

big daddy »    Something or someone of importance.

big deal »    Something very important, difficult, or of concern.

big enchilada »    A very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.

big kahuna »    A boss, leader, chieftain, or top-ranking person in an organization.

big mouth »    The mouth of someone who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by inappropriately revealing information.

big wheel »    A person with a great deal of power or influence, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.

bigger fish to fry »    A much more pressing issue to attend to.

bill of goods »    A set of misleading or deceptive claims; misinformation.

birds and bees »    Informal sex education, especially describing the sexual activity of animals rather than that of people.

birds of a feather »    People having similar characters, backgrounds, interests, or beliefs.

birds of a feather flock together »    People of similar character, background, or taste tend to congregate or associate with one another.

birds of the feather flock together »    People who are alike physically tend to congregate and socialize together, despite government efforts at forced integration.

birthday suit »    Nakedness; a lack of clothing.

bit part »    small acting role

bit part »    small acting role

bit part »    small acting role

bite off more than one can chew »    To try to do too much; to take on or attempt more than one is capable of doing.

bite one's tongue »    An admonishment to someone who has said something unfeeling or harsh.

bite one's tongue »    To forcibly prevent oneself from uttering a word.

bite the bullet »    To accept a negative aspect of a situation in order to continue moving forward.

bits and bobs »    A random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and things.

bitter end »    That part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains onboard when a ship is riding at anchor.

bitter end »    The end of a long and difficult process.

bitter pill »    Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured.

black »    Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and colourless.

black »    Lacking cream, milk, and creamer.

black magic »    Magic derived from evil forces, as distinct from good or benign forces; or magic performed with the intention of doing harm.

black-on-black »    Something that is invisible or intentionally obfuscated, such as warnings or fine print.

blame Canada »    A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.

blanket term »    A word or phrase that is used to describe multiple groups of related things. The degree of relation may vary. Blanket terms often trade specificity for ease-of-use; in other words, a blanket term by itself gives little detail about the things that it describes or the relationships between them, but is easy to say and remember. Blanket terms often originate as slang, and eventually become integrated into the general vocabulary.

blaze a trail »    To set precedent or do something novel; to break new ground.

bleeding edge »    Something very current, or modern where there may actually be a hazard or risk in using it, such as with potentially unstable software. The term relates to a sword.

bleep out »    To censor inappropriate spoken words by obscuring them with the sound of a bleep.

blessing in disguise »    A misfortune that has an unexpected benefit.

blimp out »    To become fat or fatter, especially as a result of excessive eating.

blind »    A covering for a window to keep out light. The covering may be made of cloth or of narrow slats that can block light or allow it to pass.

blind »    An 1800s baseball term meaning no score.

blind as a bat »    Nearly totally blind, having a very poor sense of vision.

blind date »    A romantic meeting between two people who have never met before.

blood is thicker than water »    Family relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.1866, Anthony Trollope, The Belton Estate, ch. 30,Blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?circa 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, The Scotch Twins, ch. 5,The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!

blot out »    To make something undecipherable; to obliterate.

blow a gasket »    To become very angry or upset.

blow away »    To be dispersed as a result of being blown.

blow away »    To cause to go away by blowing.

blow it »    To fail at something; to mess up; to make a mistake.

blow off »    To shoot something with a gun, causing it to come disconnected.

blow one's top »    To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.

blow over »    To blow on something causing it to topple.

blow the whistle »    To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.

blow the whistle »    To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.

blow this pop stand »    To exit or remove oneself from a less than exciting location or environment.

blow up »    To explode something or somebody or destroy something or injure or kill somebody by explosion.

blow up »    To suddenly get very angry.

blow-by-blow »    Detailing every action or occurrence completely.

blue moon »    A long time.

blue moon »    Something absurd.

blue state »    A state of the United States voting Democratic in a given election, or tending to vote Democratic in general.

blue-eyed boy »    Someone's favourite, especially a young one.

blurt out »    To say suddenly, without thinking.

bo jook »    Bluffing.

bog standard »    Especially plain, ordinary, or unremarkable; having no special, excess or unusual features; plain vanilla.

boil down »    As an allusion to the cooking technique of reducing liquids by heat, one boils down a problem, argument, etc. to its most central elements.

bone of contention »    Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached.

boot camp »    A short, intensive, quasi-military program generally aimed at young offenders as an alternative to a jail term.

boot camp »    Any short, intensive course of training.

boot camp »    Indoctrination, physical fitness training and basic instruction in service-related subjects for recruits in the Navy and Marine Corps.

boot up »    To start a computer using its bootstrap procedure.

borganism »    An organization of autonomous organisms that exhibit collectivism: individual "units" that have merged to yield a unified construct. Such an amalgam may possess a collective consciousness, arguably an emergent phenomenon of social networking.

born in a barn »    Engaging in the annoying behavior of inappropriately, and usually neglectfully, leaving open a door or window.

born in a barn »    Lacking a sense of etiquette; ill-mannered.

born in a barn »    Of humble birth, especially when referring to Jesus Christ.

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.

boss about »    To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.

boss around »    To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.

bottom line »    The final balance; the amount of money or profit left after everything has been tallied.

bottom of the line »    The worst, the most lackluster, or lowest quality currently on the market, especially among selections in a product line.

bottom of the ninth »    In baseball, the second part of the ninth and final inning. The end of the game.

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.

bouncing off the walls »    Moving hyperactively.

bowl a googly »    Something unexpected, underhand or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

bowl out »    And thus end their innings.

boys will be boys »    It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.

bragging rights »    The prerogative to praise oneself for an accomplishment or for possession of a superior characteristic.

brain fart »    A lapse in the thought process; an inability to think or remember something clearly.

brain fart »    Something ill-considered and said or done impulsively.

brain surgery »    Something that is overly complex, detailed or confusing.

brain-dead »    Having an irreversible loss of brain function and cessation of brain activity.

brain-dead »    Having no useful thoughts; stupid; ditzy.

branch out »    To attempt something new or different, but related.

brass farthing »    Something worthless or of small value.

brass monkey »    A cocktail of vodka, rum and orange juice, sometimes with the addition of galliano.

brass ring »    Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.

break a leg »    A wish for a successful performance; primarily a valediction to an actor wishing him or her a successful theatrical stage performance.

break a sweat »    To put effort into something.

break a sweat »    To start sweating.

break ground »    To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.

break ground »    To lift off the sea bottom when being weighed.

break new ground »    To begin excavating and levelling earth for a new building, or, originally, for cultivation.

break off »    To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping.

break one's duck »    To do something for the first time.

break one's duck »    To score one's first run in an innings.

break out »    To bring out, use, or present.

break the ice »    To start to get to know people, by avoiding awkwardness.

break up »    To stop a fight; to separate people who are fighting.

break wind »    To flatulate; fart; to expel gases generated during digestion through the anus.

breath of fresh air »    Something relieving, refreshing, or new.

breathe down someone's neck »    To follow someone too closely, making it uncomfortable for them.

breathe easy »    To relax or feel secure about something.

brick by brick »    To create or build something in a steady, step-by-step fashion.

brick up »    To block by masonry, particularly using bricks.

brickbat »    A piece of brick used as a weapon, especially if thrown, or placed in something like a sock and used as a club.

bridge »    A particular form of one hand placed on the table to support the cue when making a shot in cue sports.

bridge »    A prosthesis replacing one or several adjacent teeth.

bridge »    A song contained within another song, often demarcated by meter, key, or melody.

bridge »    A valence bond, atom or chain of atoms that connects two different parts of a molecule; the atoms so connected being bridgeheads.

bridge »    An edge which, if removed, changes a connected graph to one that is not connected.

bridge »    An elevated platform above the upper deck of a mechanically propelled ship from which it is navigated and from which all activities on deck can be seen and controlled by the captain, etc; smaller ships have a wheelhouse, and sailing ships were controlled from a quarterdeck.

bridge »    Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit.

bridge »    The piece, on string instruments, that supports the strings from the sounding board.

bright-line rule »    A clearly defined rule or standard, comprised of objective factors, which leaves little or no room for varying interpretation.

bring about »    To cause to take place.

bring about »    To accomplish, achieve.

bring back »    To fetch something.

bring back »    To cause someone to remember something from the past.

bring back »    To reenact an old rule or law.

bring down »    To make a legitimate rulership lose their position of power.

bring down »    To reduce.

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 down the house »    To garner enthusiastic or wild applause.

bring forth »    To produce, bear as fruit.

bring forth »    To give birth.

bring forth »    To create, generate, bring into existence.

bring forth »    To display, produce, bring out for display.

bring forward »    To call up for consideration.

bring forward »    To make something happen earlier than originally planned.

bring home the bacon »    To have a job and earn money or to lead a successful career.

bring in »    To introduce a new rule, law, or system of organisation.

bring in »    To introduce a person or group of people to an organisation.

bring in »    To earn money for a company or for the family.

bring in »    To return a verdict in a court of law.

bring in »    To move something indoors.

bring it on »    Used to indicate one's willingness to accept a challenge, confront a threat, etc.

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 off »    To succeed in doing something considered to be very difficult.

bring out »    To elicit, evoke, or emphasize a particular quality.

bring out »    On the market; roll out.

bring out »    To make a shy person more confident.

bring out »    To cause a visible symptom such as spots or a rash.

bring owls to Athens »    Forgive me, then, for bringing owls to Athens as a thanks-offering. — Goethe, in a letter to Wilhelm von Humboldt.

bring owls to Athens »    Perhaps we have not been sufficiently aware that talking about access and its implications in Scandinavia is like bringing owls to Athens. — Herbert Burkert.

bring owls to Athens »    To undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical.

bring owls to Athens »    Who brings owls to Athens? — Euelpides, in Aristophanes' Birds.

bring round »    To bring something when coming.

bring round »    To resuscitate; to cause to regain consciousness.

bring to heel »    To be forced to obey.

bring to heel »    To force someone to obey.

bring to the table »    To provide a suggestion.

bring up »    To bring from a lower position to a higher position.

bring up »    To mention.

bring up »    To raise children.

bring up »    To turn on power or start, as of a machine.

bring upon »    To cause to befall.

broken-hearted »    Alternative spelling of brokenhearted. Feeling depressed, despondent, or hopeless, especially over losing a love.

bros before hos »    Alternative spelling of bros before hoes.

brown thumb »    Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.

browned off »    Annoyed, upset, angry, bored, fed up, disgusted.

brush up »    To review; to improve an existing but rusty or under-developed skill.

bug out »    To abandon someone without warning.

bugger all »    Nothing.

bugger up »    To break or spoil something, or make it inoperative, useless etc.

build a better mousetrap »    To invent the next great thing; to have a better idea.

build up »    To strengthen.

built like a brick shithouse »    Exceptionally well constructed; strong or tough.

bull session »    An informal meeting among men.

bulletproof »    Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.

bum rush »    Storming into an establishment.

bump and grind »    A combination of movements resembling such a dance, as in road racing, whitewater kayaking, or exercising; any activity involving prolonged jarring or shaking.

bump and grind »    A sexually suggestive dance involving exaggerated hip movements, especially a striptease dance.

bump into »    To collide with something.

bump up »    To increase something suddenly.

bumper crop »    A large yield; an excess of something.

bundle of energy »    The energy associated with being lively, continually active, or industrious.

bung up »    To close an opening with a cork, cork like object or other improvised obstruction.

bunny hop »    A dance from the big band era, a variation of the conga.

bunny hop »    A ground ball that hops along the field instead of rolling.

buried treasure »    Something, having been concealed for a long time, which later is found and is profitable.

burn down »    To burn to nothing.

burn down »    To completely burn, so that nothing remains.

burn one's fingers »    To harm oneself; to suffer consequences of one's actions.

burn out »    To extinguish due to lack of fuel.

burn up »    To destroy by burning.

burn up »    To anger; to annoy.

bury the hatchet »    To stop fighting or arguing; to reach an agreement, or at least a truce.

bury the lead »    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

bury the lede »    To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.

bush league »    A low-ranking or inferior level among groups, professions, organizations, etc.

bush telegraph »    A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds, word-of-mouth relay, or smoke signals.

business before pleasure »    An admonishment that discharging one's obligations must take precedence over devoting time to pursuits meant solely for one's own gratification.

business girl »    A young woman employed in business or office work.

busman's holiday »    A holiday or vacation during which you do the same thing that you do for your usual work.

busted flush »    Anything which ends up worthless despite great potential.

bustle with »    To teem with; abound with; to exhibit an energetic and active abundance of a thing; to be full of a certain activity or active beings.

busy beaver »    Someone who is very busy or hard-working.

busy work »    Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.

but seriously folks »    Directs attention to immediately preceding failed attempt at humor.

but who's counting »    Used as a retort or comeback, often to deprecate oneself or another for excessive concern or attention to.

butt heads »    To argue uncompromisingly with someone.

butter fingers »    A clumsy person who always drops things, a klutz.

button up »    To fasten all the buttons on a coat, or similar item of clothing, to keep warm.

buy out »    To purchase the entire stock or extent of something.

buy time »    Purposefully cause a delay to something, in order to achieve something else.

buy to let »    To purchase a property as in investment, and to let it out for rental instead of living in it.

buzz up »    To allow entrance into a building from a higher floor by triggering an electronic lock.

by a long shot »    By a wide margin; indicates a very big difference or disparity.

by heart »    Knowing completely; as having committed completely to memory.

by leaps and bounds »    Rapidly. Said of making progress.

by one's lights »    According to one's understanding.

by the numbers »    To do something exactly, precisely, or in a formulaic way.

by the same token »    For a similar reason; in a similar manner; similarly; likewise; along the same lines.

by the skin of one's teeth »    Barely; closely; by a narrow margin; with nothing to spare.

by the way »    His mother will be coming for dinner tomorrow, and, by the way, she volunteered to bring dessert.

by the way »    Incidentally; a parenthetical statement not timely, central, or crucial to the topic at hand; foregone, passed by, something that has already happened.

by-the-book »    Adhering strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.

cake crumbs »    Hardly anything.

call a spade a spade »    To speak the truth; to say things as they really are.

call in »    To withdraw something from sale or circulation.

call it a night »    To cease what one has been doing for the night.

call it even »    To declare debts resolved or favors or other exchange equitable.

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.

call off the dogs »    To ease up on after inflicting great punishment.

call out »    To arrange for a professional to call at your home for some purpose.

call out »    To challenge.

call someone's bluff »    To take action on the basis that another person is bluffing.

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.

calling card »    An attribute, object, or behavior which is distinctly characteristic of someone or something.

calling card »    Excrement, especially of a domestic animal.

camel through the eye of a needle »    Hyperbole to illustrate that something is almost impossible to do or to happen.

camel's nose »    A metaphor for a situation where the permitting of some small act will lead consequently to a larger undesirable act or circumstance.

can it »    To silence; to quit doing something; to put an end to something.

can of worms »    A complex, troublesome situation arising when a decision or action produces considerable subsequent problems.

can't wait »    To eagerly anticipate; to find it unbearable to wait for a forthcoming pleasurable event.

cancel out »    To neutralize the effect of something.

Cannon fodder »    Military personnel who are regarded as expendable when attacking the enemy.

cap it all off »    To finish or complete something.

cap it all off »    To surpass or outdo something.

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.

carry a torch for »    [2] To harbor feelings of love despite not being in a relationship; generally unrequited or after a relationship has ended, and sometimes implying secret feelings. There is the implication of keeping hope alive.

carry a tune »    To produce music, especially to sing, with accurate pitch.

carry coals to Newcastle »    To do something that is unneeded or redundant.

carry out »    To hold while moving something out.

carry someone's water »    To do someone's bidding; to serve someone's interests.

carry the can »    To take responsibility, especially in a challenging situation.

carry the message to Garcia »    To perform a requisite task without having been informed specifically by what method to do so.

carved in stone »    Unchangeable.

cash cow »    A product, service, or enterprise that generates ongoing, high net free cash flows.

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.

cast off »    To discard or reject something.

cast off »    To let go a cable or rope securing a vessel to a buoy, wharf etc so that she may proceed.

cast on »    To start the first row of knitting by putting stitches on a needle.

cast one's vote »    To vote for something.

cast pearls before swine »    To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.

cast the first stone »    To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing that one is blameless.

cat and mouse game »    Two individuals and/or groups repeatedly keeping check on each other in a suspicious or self-protective way, often with the goal of one or both parties trying to gain a malicious advantage over the other.

cat got someone's tongue »    Why are you not saying anything?.

cat in the meal-tub »    Something concealed; a hidden danger.

cat in the sack »    Something to be suspicious of.

cat that ate the canary »    A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, prohibited, or private.

cat's cradle »    A children's string game.

cat's meow »    A highly sought-after and fancy example of something.

cat's pyjamas »    A highly sought-after and fancy example of something, usually referring to inanimate objects.

catch fire »    Become engulfed with flames.

catch flies »    An ostensible product of awkwardly having one's mouth open wide.

catch out »    To put a batsman out by catching the batted ball before it touches the ground.

catch up »    To entangle.

catch up »    To be reaching something that had been ahead.

catch-as-catch-can »    A. 1681, John Fryer, Richard Chiswell, Robert Roberts, Robert White, A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters, Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672 and Finished 1681.

catmeat »    Catfood consisting of meat.

caucus race »    A political competition; the game of campaigning and one-upmanship to get votes and be elected.

caught between the devil and the deep blue sea »    Having a choice between two alternatives, both undesirable.

caught in the act »    To be found doing something that you weren't supposed to be doing, while you're doing it.

caught with one's hand in the cookie jar »    Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money.

caught with one's pants down »    Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.

cave in »    The act of something collapsing or caving in.

cave in »    The location where something has caved in.

cave in »    The act of relenting.

ceterum censeo »    A formulaic expression used to end a speech by reinforcing one, often unrelated, major view.

chain reaction »    A series of events, each one causing the next.

chalk up to »    To attribute or account for something.

chalkface »    A cliff or quarry exposing chalk, e.g. the White Cliffs of Dover.

chalkface »    A musical concept or genre in which music is completely improvised and never played twice. Most often mixing elements of hip-hop, metal, punk and avant-garde jazz.

chance'd be a fine thing »    Given to indicate that an aforementioned thing would be desirable but unlikely. Comparable to if I should be so lucky.

change hands »    To become the property of someone else; to be bought or sold.

change horses in midstream »    To change plans or approaches at an inopportune time, such as when an effort is already underway, generally considered an inadvisable thing to do.

change of heart »    A change of one's opinion, belief or decision.

change of life »    Menopause.

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.

change one's tune »    To change one's story.

change one's tune »    To reconsider; rethink; to reach a different conclusion.

charge up »    To recharge, to give electrical power to something.

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.

chase a rainbow »    To pursue something illusory, impractical, or impossible.

chase down »    To investigate the cause of something.

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.

che sera sera »    Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1604, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus:Why then belike we must sin, / And so consequently die. / Aye, we must die an everlasting death. / What doctrine call you this ? Che, sera, sera: / What will be*, shall be; Divinity adieu. / These Metaphysics of Magicians, / And necromantic books, are heavenly.

cheaper by the dozen »    Things are handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.

cheat sheet »    A sheet of paper containing notes used to assist on a test.

cheaters never prosper »    One does not gain from cheating.

check out »    Used to draw attention to something and stimulate excitement about it.

cheese it »    A minced oath used as a warning to stop, hide, or flee.

cheesed off »    Annoyed, upset, angry.

cherry pick »    To select only the best from a range of options.

cherry picking »    Selecting only the best from a group or other range of choices.

cherry-pick »    To pick out the best, or most desirable items from a list or group, especially to obtain some advantage or to present something in the best possible light.

chew the cud »    To meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate.

chew the fat »    To chat idly or generally waste time talking.

chew the scenery »    To display excessive emotion or to act in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant.

chicken out »    To shy away from a daring task; to decline, refuse, or avoid something due to fear or uncertainty.

chickens coming home to roost »    Consequences visited upon someone who originally had appeared to escape them.

child's play »    Something particularly simple or easy.

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.

chip on one's shoulder »    A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.

chip on one's shoulder »    A habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.

chopped liver »    A Jewish food made by frying liver and onions in schmaltz.

chopped liver »    A person or object which is not worthy of being noticed; someone or something insignificant.

chump change »    A sum of money considered to be insignificant.

chump change »    An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.

chump-change »    Of or pertaining to something of little monetary value.

circular firing squad »    A political party or other group experiencing considerable disarray because the members are engaging in internal disputes and mutual recrimination.

cite chapter and verse »    To speak authoritatively, providing detailed factual information.

claim to fame »    That for which one has bragging rights; one's reason for being well-known or famous.

clam up »    To become silent; to stop talking, to shut up.

clamp down on »    To take measures to stop something; to put an end to.

clean house »    To reform by removing undesirable personnel and procedures.

clean out »    To clean, especially to tidy by removing the contents.

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.

clear cut »    Having had all vegetation removed.

clear the decks »    To remove, or fasten, all loose material, or partitions prior to a naval engagement.

climb up »    To gradually ascend something.

climbing the walls »    Present participle of climb the walls.

close down »    To stop trading as a business.

close enough for government work »    It is not worth investing additional time on perfecting this thing.

close fisted »    stingy

close off »    To seal or block the entrance to a road, an area, or a building so that people cannot enter.

close shave »    A near accident or mishap; a dangerous or risky encounter or incident.

close to home »    Affecting people close to, or within, ones family circle.

close up »    To shut a building or a business for a period of time.

closed book »    A person or thing that cannot be easily understood; someone or something incomprehensible or puzzling.

clothes don't make the man »    An aphorism meaning that you cannot judge a person solely by his appearance. Usually pertains to men.

clout list »    A usually secret list containing the names of people who are to be given special access, benefits, or influence in a political or social situation, especially as a result of having personal, professional, or financial relationships with those in authority.

clue stick »    A metaphorical stick used to beat information or understanding into a slow learner.

coals to Newcastle »    A pointless venture, in the sense of sending something to a place where it's made, or where they already have an abundance.

cock a snook »    To spread one hand, place the thumb on the nose and wriggle some of the fingers as a gesture of disrespect.

cold comfort »    C. 1594, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, act 4, sc. 1.

cold fish »    A heartless individual; a person lacking empathy and emotion.

cold hands, warm heart »    Implies inner beauty; a caring person; warm-hearted

collect dust »    To remain untouched and unused for a long period of time.

collect one's thoughts »    To become mentally composed, especially after being distressed, surprised, or disoriented; to become calm or organized in one's emotional state or thinking, as in preparation for a conversation, speech, decision, etc.

come a cropper »    To fall headlong from a horse.

come about »    To tack; to change tack; to maneuver the bow of a sailing vessel across the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other; to position a boat with respect to the wind after tacking.

come along »    To accompany.

come along »    To progress; to make progress.

come around »    To change one's mind, especially to begin to agree or appreciate what one was reluctant to accept at first.

come down to »    To reach by moving down or reducing.

come full circle »    To complete a cycle of transition, returning to the point of origin.

come full circle »    To make a complete change or reform.

come in »    Of a broadcast, such as radio or television, to have a strong enough signal to be able to be received well.

come in »    To join or enter; to begin playing with a group.

come on »    A statement or sometimes action reflecting sexual or relational interest.

come on »    To get one's period, start menstruating.

come out »    To walk onto the field at the beginning of an innings.

come out with »    To say something unexpected.

come round »    To change one's opinion.

come round »    To cease anger or hostility.

come to »    To recover consciousness after fainting etc.

come to »    To stop a sailing vessel, especially by turning into the wind. See also come about.

come to »    To regard or specify, as narrowing a field of choices by category.

come to a head »    To rapidly come to a turning point.

come to terms »    To accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful.

come to think of it »    By the way; now that I think about it; indicates something brought to mind.

come unhinged »    To become angered or crazy; to lose control of one's senses or sanity.

come what may »    In spite of anything that might happen; whatever may occur.

comfort woman »    A woman forced, or supposedly recruited, into brothels by the Japanese occupation forces during World War II.

coming out of one's ears »    In great or excess quantity.

common or garden variety »    Ordinary, standard. Nothing special.

company »    A military unit, typically consisting of two or three platoons.

company »    Keep the house clean, I have company coming.

concrete jungle »    An urban or other populated area containing a high density of buildings constructed of concrete or similar materials, especially one which lacks greenery and which seems unattractive, harsh, or unsafe.

conk out »    To stop functioning.

controlled substance »    Except for very limited professional testing purposes.

conversation piece »    interesting object

cook the books »    To manipulate accounting information, esp. illegally, by a corporation.

cook up »    To prepare a heroin dose by heating.

cookie-cutter »    Of or pertaining to cookie cutters.

cookie-cutter »    Of or pertaining to identical looking things.

cooking with gas »    Now doing something in an effective way.

cool down »    To cause something temperature to lower.

coon's age »    A very long time.

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.

cop-out »    Avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty; the action of copping out.

copious free time »    A hypothetical time set aside for performing time-consuming tasks, however insinuating that the speaker really has no free time.

copper-bottomed »    Having lower parts made of or covered by copper.

cordon off »    To protect from intrusion by enclosing in a rope barrier.

corner the market »    To have exclusive possession; to possess something to a high or excessive degree.

corner the market »    To monopolize a resource or commodity, as with the intent of driving up prices.

correlation does not imply causation »    (statistics) The observed correlation between two parameters, say, the growth of a market and the growth of a neighbor's child may, in fact, have nothing to do with each other's causation.

cough up »    To expel from the lungs, throat, etc. by coughing.

count sheep »    To attempt to go to sleep by thinking of something boring, traditionally by counting imaginary sheep.

country mile »    A long way, a great distance.

covenant of salt »    A long-lasting agreement.

cowgirl position »    A sex position in which the man lies on his back, and the woman sits on top of him facing him.

cozy up »    With "to", to ingratiate oneself .

crab mentality »    A way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.

crack down »    To enforce more stringently or more thoroughly.

cradle robber »    A person who marries or becomes romantically involved with someone who is much younger or who employs or otherwise engages a young person for a purpose inappropriate for his or her age.

crane fly »    daddy longlegs

crank up »    To start something mechanical, an act that often used to involve cranking.

crank up »    To increase, as the volume, power or energy of something.

crash course »    A quick, intense course of learning, especially one which is informal or hurried.

crashpad »    Any place used for temporary lodging.

crashpad »    In the aviation industry, used for a place of temporary lodging for airline flight crews.

cream in one's jeans »    To ejaculate while wearing one's trousers.

cream of the crop »    The best or most desirable among some selection.

creep into »    To enter something or somewhere by creeping.

crème de la crème »    Best of the best; something that's superlative. The very best.

cross my heart »    A declaration that the speaker is telling the truth.

cross off »    To finish; to mark something as complete.

cross the aisle »    Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.

cross the floor »    Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.

cross the line »    To overstep a boundary, rule, or limit; to go too far or do something unacceptable.

crown jewels »    The jewelry that accompany the office of rulership in a monarchy. I.e., crown, scepter, signet ring, etc.

cruising for a bruising »    Following a course of action likely to result in injury or other trouble for oneself.

cry all the way to the bank »    To be happy due to the receipt of money, although expressing sorrow about the cause of such receipt.

cry for help »    Acting out as a means of displaying a subconscious desire for attention or help.

cry for help »    In her second year at the school Alexis stopped doing her homework and would often scribble on walls. Her teachers wondered whether this was a cry for help, or if she was simply misbehaving.

cry off »    To cancel something that one has previously arranged with someone.

cry one's eyes out »    To weep for an elongated time, or in an excessive manner.

cry out against »    To complain strongly, usually as a group.

cry out for »    To say that a situation needs a thing, or a solution urgently.

cry someone a river »    To try to obtain the sympathy of another person by complaining or sniveling.

cry the blues »    To sing in the style of blues music.

cry wolf »    To raise a false alarm; to constantly warn others about an imagined threat, thereby failing to get assistance when a real threat appears.

crying shame »    A situation that is considered to be a disgrace, or deplorable.

crying shame »    It's a crying shame that so much money has been wasted on this pointless political campaign.

cue up »    The act of taking aim on the cue ball with the cue in a game of snooker, or billiards, etc.

curate's egg »    A thing which has good and bad parts.

curiosity killed the cat »    One should not be curious about things that can be dangerous.

curveball »    A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and middle fingers down and resulting in motion down "curve".

cut a wide swath »    To behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.

cut corners »    To do a less than thorough or complete job; to do something poorly or take short cuts.

cut down »    To bring down by cutting.

cut down »    To reduce the amount of something.

cut in »    Especially, to dance with someone who is already dancing by replacing his or her partner.

cut in »    When painting, to paint edges, corners, or trim in preparation for rolling larger areas.

cut it close »    To judge or finish something close to its limit.

cut it fine »    To achieve something at the last possible moment, or with no margin for error.

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 off »    To remove via cutting.

cut off one's nose to spite one's face »    To harm oneself as a result of attempting to harm an adversary.

cut one's coat according to one's cloth »    Live according to your means.

cut short »    Make shorter by cutting.

cut to the chase »    To get to the point; to get on with it; to state something directly.

cutting edge »    The forefront, or position of greatest advancement in some field.

cutting edge »    The sharp edge of the blade of a knife.

damn by association »    Discredit or condemn a position, person, or thing by attacking those things with which he/she/it is associated.

damn the torpedoes »    Used to dismiss the risks of a dangerous action.

damp squib »    A firework that fails to go off, due to wetting.

damp squib »    Anything that doesn’t work properly, or fails to come up to expectations..

dark horse »    A candidate who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice.

darn tootin' »    Absolutely correct; speaking the truth.

dawn of a new day »    A new beginning; a fresh start; an important, promising turning point.

day and night »    All the time; round the clock; unceasingly.

day in, day out »    Every day; daily; constantly or continuously; especially, of something that has become routine or monotonous.

day one »    The very beginning.

day out »    An excursion, returning home on the same day.

dead »    Figuratively, not alive; lacking life.

dead »    No longer living.

dead »    No longer used or required.

dead air »    An unintended interruption in a radio broadcast during which there is no sound; a similar interruption of a television broadcast in which there is neither sound nor a video signal.

dead as a doornail »    Unquestionably dead. Used for both inanimate objects and once living beings.

dead duck »    One who is in serious danger or trouble.

dead last »    The standings, often by a considerable margin to the next-to-last-place finisher or after an exceptionally poor showing or season.

dead men tell no tales »    Once someone is dead, they can no longer communicate, hence killing someone is the best way to keep him/her quiet.

dead ringer »    Someone or something that very closely resembles another; someone or something easily mistaken for another.

dead set against »    Completely opposed, with no possibility of a change of mind.

dead weight »    That which is useless or excess; that which slows something down.

dead wood »    Dead limbs and branches still attached to a living tree.

dead wood »    Personnel no longer contributing to an organization.

deadbeat dad »    A man, especially one who is divorced or estranged from his partner, who fails to provide monetary child support when he is legally required to do so.

deadstick landing »    When a pilot lands a plane after the engine has died; a landing lacking any propulsion control.

deadweight »    A useless, usually encumbering factor.

deafening silence »    A silence, or a lack of any response, that signifies disapproval or lack of any enthusiasm.

death by spellcheck »    The problems caused by spellcheckers being incapable of correcting most homophone confusions.

death knell »    A sign or omen foretelling the death or destruction of something.

death knell »    The tolling of a bell announcing death.

deathblow »    Something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc.

debris field »    Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.

deep end »    The part of a swimming pool with relatively deep water.

deep pockets »    An ample supply of money, especially money which one is willing to spend; the possessor of such money.

deep six »    To discard, cancel, halt; to completely put an end to something.

deep water »    A difficult or embarrassing situation.

deep water »    Waters suitable for deep-draft ships, especially ocean-going.

deep-six »    To get rid of something unwanted.

deep-six »    To throw something overboard from a ship.

deliver the message to Garcia »    ...grasp the demands and exactions of business life. He learns that the main thing to do is to "deliver the message to Garcia"....

deliver the message to Garcia »    What we need is people who get the job done, no matter how. We don't want pickers who'll only learn if we use their preferred learning method. Have you read "A Message to Garcia" ? That's what we need today - young people who can deliver the message to Garcia.

depend on »    To be dependent on something or someone for support or help.

desktop publishing »    DTP

developments »    A group of building complexes or apartments. Often used for low income housing.

devil is in the details »    The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable.

diamonds are a girl's best friend »    A statement that suggests, while love is a luxury, material wealth (particularly jewellery) is more valuable in the long run.

dicky-bird »    A insignificant sound or thing.

dicky-bird »    Endearing term for a small bird, often used when talking with young children.

die »    Followed by for. Often expressing wider contextual motivations, though sometimes indicating direct causes.

die »    Followed by with. Now rare as indicating direct cause.

die »    To stop living; to become dead; to undergo death.

different as chalk and cheese »    Two things which are superficially alike but very different in substance.

dig in »    To begin eating.

dig up »    To discover something by digging; to unearth.

dig up »    To excavate something.

dig up dirt »    To examine in order to find negative information for public opinion, usually with the purpose of embarrassing or discrediting a person.

dimber damber upright man »    The chief of a gang of thieves or gypsies.

dirty laundry »    Unflattering facts or questionable activities that one wants to remain secret, but which some other may use to blackmail with.

discretion is the better part of valour »    It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave speech or action.1597

dish out »    On to a dish ready for eating.

dish out »    To distribute or deliver something.

dishpan hands »    Hands which are rough, reddish, and dry, as from irritation and chafing caused by immersion in hot water mixed with detergent.

divide and conquer »    A combination of political, military and economic strategies that aim to gain and maintain power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.(computing) Applied to various algorithms, such as quicksort, that solve a problem by splitting it recursively into smaller problems until all of the remaining problems are trivial.(as imperative, proverb) In order to rule securely, don't allow alliances of your enemies.

do a bunk »    To escape or flee under incriminating circumstances.

do a slow burn »    To experience a gradually increasing feeling of anger or frustration.

do one's thing »    To do what one habitually does.

do something with mirrors »    To insinuate one has performed a magic or optical trick with the use of hidden mirrors, insinuating trickery and sham.

do something with mirrors »    To jokingly pretend that one did something using magic mirrors, that one is a magician; a joking explanation of the fantastic or the unexplained.

do the nasty »    To engage in sexual intercourse.

do up »    To fasten a piece of clothing.

do without »    To manage despite the lack of something.

do-or-die »    Requiring a determined or desperate effort to avoid the consequences of failure.

does Macy's tell Gimbel's »    (US, dated, colloquial, rhetorical question) A rhetorical question with the implied answer being that competitors do not share business secrets with one another.

dog and pony show »    Originally, a small, traveling circus featuring animals as entertainment.

dog's breakfast »    An unappealing mixture; a disorderly situation; a mess.

dogs »    With the, a greyhound racing event.

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.

don't count your chickens before they're hatched »    You should not count on something before it happens.

don't cry over spilled milk »    Alternative spelling of don't cry over spilt milk.

don't cry over spilt milk »    It is no use worrying about unfortunate events which have already happened and which cannot be changed.

don't drive faster than your guardian angel can fly »    Driving (a vehicle) very fast is a dangerous act.

don't get me started »    About the subject currently being discussed.

don't give up your day job »    Implying that they could not earn a living from it without other regular employment.

don't go there »    Don't start talking about that.

don't look at me »    A response indicating that one is not willing or able to perform a task.

don't put all your eggs in one basket »    Don't dedicate all your resources into one thing.

don't shit where you eat »    (idiomatic, vulgar) One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which one regularly finds oneself.1998 April 14, Nelson Navarro, "Ever faithful, ever true," Manila Standard (Philippines) (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):The guiding principle is Don't shit where you eat. Office romances are always destructive of morale and objectivity.2003 Oct. 8, Jonathan Valania, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Pussy," Philadelphia Weekly (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Limbaugh was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the NAB convention in, of all places, Philadelphia, thus violating the cardinal law of the animal kingdom: Don't shit where you eat.2006 Sept. 19, Michael Musto, "NY Mirror," Village Voice (retrieved 12 Aug. 2011):Mitchell refused to indulge in on-set romances with either gender. "You don't shit where you eat," he told me, plainly.

don't shoot the messenger »    The bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news.

donkey work »    Hard, boring, routine work.

donkey's ears »    A long time.

donkey's years »    A long time.

double booked »    Of a single resource, reserved for two different users at the same time.

double Dutch »    A language game akin to pig Latin.

double Dutch »    Incomprehensible language.

double Dutch »    Sex using a condom and the contraceptive pill at the same time.

double entendre »    A phrase that has two meanings, especially where one is innocent and literal, the other risqué, bawdy, or ironic; an innuendo..

double talk »    Lying, especially in a formal political statement.

double talk »    Speaking in a mixture of real English and English-sounding gibberish, for humorous effect.

double up »    To double the quantity, amount or duration of something.

double-tongued »    Saying one thing to one person and something different to another; double talking; deceitful in speech.

down and out »    In trouble; in a bad time or situation or having very bad luck.

down for the count »    Decisively beaten; rendered irrelevant for the long term.

down in the dumps »    Sad; lacking engagement or enthusiasm.

down on one's luck »    Unlucky or undergoing a period of bad luck, especially with respect to financial matters.

down the road, not across the street »    Along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.

down to a fine art »    Having or showing exceptional proficiency.

down to the short strokes »    In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

down to the wire »    At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.

drag »    To move a mouse cursor while holding down a button on the mouse, often to move something on the screen.

drag »    To pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty.

drag out »    To extend or lengthen excessively.

drag out »    To haul or bring out forcefully or as though with force.

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.

draw a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

draw back »    To withdraw from an undertaking.

draw back »    To pull something back or apart.

draw on »    To advance, continue; to move or pass slowly or continuously, as under a pulling force.

draw on »    To approach, come nearer, as evening.

draw out »    To make something last for more time than is necessary; prolong; extend.

draw out »    To extract, bring out, as concealed information; elicit; educe.

draw out »    To improve a losing hand to a winning hand by receiving additional cards.

draw stumps »    To cease doing something, at least for the day.

draw the short straw »    To select the shortest straw or other object while drawing straws.

drawing near »    approaching

dressed to the nines »    Very fancily or formally dressed; wearing very showy or splendid clothing.

dressing-down »    A reprimand or rarely, a thrashing.

drink off »    To drink the entirety of in a short period; originally and especially, in a single gulp.

drip »    To have a superabundance of valuable things. Usually followed by "with".

drip »    To put a small amount of a liquid on something, drop by drop.

drive away »    To depart by driving a vehicle.

drive away »    To force someone or something to leave.

drive home »    With tangible or powerful demonstration.

drive one up the wall »    To make a person very angry or bored; to infuriate.

drive the porcelain bus »    To vomit, especially while drunk or hung over.

drive-by media »    Media professionals who "spray" a bunch of repetitive misstatements, mistaken and misinterpreted news reports to cause excitement and confusion. They then figuratively "drive off" leaving the cleanup of their mess and hysteria to others, to correct and properly explain and interpret.

drop a bomb »    To announce surprising or alarming information suddenly and without warning.

drop a dime »    To make a phone call, usually means calling the police to report another's activities.

drop a hint »    To reveal a clue or hint about something.

Drop out of warp »    Dis-engage the cruise control on the car

drop the gloves »    To remove a prior impediment to action; to prepare for or engage in a dispute.

drown out »    To cover, obscure, or hide by being louder than.

drug on the market »    Something which is overabundant at the moment and thus not in demand.

dry eye »    An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.

dry one's eyes »    To cease crying.

due course »    A. 1803, Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey.

duke it out »    To argue heavily or at length.

duly noted »    In a due, fit, or becoming manner; as it ought to be; properly.

dumb down »    To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.

dummy out »    From a video game in the process of localizing that game from a foreign country.

dummy up »    To make a mock-up or prototype version of something, without some or all off its intended functionality.

dust off »    To remove dust from something.

dust off »    To use something after a long time without it.

dusty miller »    A formulaic phrase for a miller, related to the dust generated in the milling process.

dyed-in-the-wool »    Dyed before being formed into cloth.

dyed-in-the-wool »    Firmly established in a person's beliefs or habits; deeply ingrained in the nature of a person or thing.

e pluribus unum »    A national motto of the United States of America, meaning "From many, one", or "out of many, one", referring to the integration of 13 independent colonies into one country, and that has taken an additional meaning, giving the pluralistic nature of American society from immigration.

ear splitting »    very loud

ear trumpet »    old hearing aid

early bath »    Being shown a red card in soccer.

earn one's keep »    To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.

ears are burning »    Being the topic of discussion in another place; or sensing that this is happening.

east sussex »    english county

easy as falling off a log »    Very easy.

easy does it »    Relax; do something gently, lightly or carefully; slow down; calm down.

easy street »    A carefree situation or lifestyle, especially as resulting from possession of wealth.

eat crow »    To recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.

eat humble pie »    To admit one's faults; to make a humiliating apology.

eat one's heart out »    To feel overwhelming sorrow, jealousy or longing, to grieve.

eat one's own dog food »    To use or consume the economic goods or services that oneself is producing; to be part of a closed household economy.

eat one's young »    To betray a constituent or charge out of self-serving interests or desperation; savaging.

eat out »    To perform cunnilingus.

eat pussy »    To perform cunnilingus.

eat someone's dust »    To get one to be on a losing end.

eat up »    To accept or believe entirely, immediately, and without questioning.

economical with the truth »    Not telling the whole truth, especially in order to present a false image of a situation; untruthful; lying. Often used with sarcasm or satire.

egg on »    To encourage or coax a person to do something, especially something foolhardy or reckless.

elbow grease »    Effort or hard work, especially physical work involving repeated motion of the forearm, such as scrubbing.

embarrassment of riches »    An abundance or overabundance of something; too much of a good thing.

emperor's new clothes »    Something obvious and embarrassing that is politely ignored or that goes unacknowledged.

empty promise »    A promise that is either not going to be carried out, worthless or meaningless.

end of the world »    Any change that seems catastrophic or devastating.

engine room »    A compartment on a ship in which the engine machinery is located.

engine room »    The source of power in a team or other group.

enough to make the angels weep »    Something so distressing that it causes one to lose hope and faith.

esprit de corps »    A shared spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group, for example of a military unit.

esthetically challenged »    Of a person, ugly.

even Homer nods »    Not even the most vigilant and expert are immune from erring.

even keel »    A state of having one's emotions under control and balanced.

even keel »    Of a business or other activity which is under control and running smoothly.

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,

every day is a school day »    You learn something new every day.

every king needs a queen »    Every man needs a woman to be with for the rest of his life.

every little helps »    Even the smallest things are helpful when towards a goal.

Every rose has it's thorns »    everything, even if it seems perfect, has faults

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.

every time »    Used to express a strong preference for something.

everything and the kitchen sink »    Alternative form of everything but the kitchen sink.

everything but the kitchen sink »    Almost everything, whether needed or not.

everything happens for a reason »    All events are purposeful.Everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as failure. Mary-Kate OlsenPeople like to say "everything happens for a reason." If you repeat that in your head long enough that starts to sound like "anything can happen with a razor." Laura KightlingerI believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think it's important to seek out that reason - that's how we learn. Drew Barrymore

evil twin »    A duplicate or counterpart of something or someone that acts in a contrary, nefarious, or insidious manner.

evil twin »    A rogue wireless access point installed near a legitimate one for purposes of eavesdropping or phishing.

execution style »    Resembling an execution; with the victim aware, but unable to defend himself or resist.

experience is the best teacher »    Lessons learned from experience are the most lasting.

eye for an eye »    Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.

eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth »    Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.

eye of the beholder »    The evaluation depending on perception of person who sees and considers.

eye up »    To examine closely something coveted.

f** all »    Nothing at all or very little.

f** someone over »    To exploit somebody in a way which result in an advantage to oneself, at the cost of the other party gaining a considerable disadvantage.

f**ing hell »    An exclamation of anger.

f**ing hell »    An exclamation of great surprise.

face off »    The starting point, in a match of ice hockey. Two players face each other, for snatching the puck.

face that would stop a clock »    A shockingly attractive face.

face that would stop a clock »    A shockingly unattractive face.

face value »    No more or less than what is stated; a literal or direct meaning or interpretation.

faceplant »    The act of landing face first, often associated with bailing during extreme sports.

factotum »    A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.

facts on the ground »    A euphemism, similar to fait accompli, used as an oblique way of saying that discussions over the possession of a given piece of territory has been rendered moot by the presence of military forces.

fail over »    To automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.

fair enough »    An expression used to concede a point; denotes that, upon consideration, something is correct or reasonable; an expression of acknowledgment or understanding.

fair game »    A game that is fair, that does not involve cheating etc.

fair to middling »    Only tolerably good.

fall apart »    To break into pieces through being in a dilapidated state.

fall between two stools »    To attempt two tasks and fail at both, when either one could have been accomplished singly.

fall into »    To go into something by falling.

fall into »    Without having planned it.

fall off a truck »    Of an item of merchandise, to come into a person's possession without having been paid for; to be acquired illegally.

fall off the back of a lorry »    Of an item of merchandise, to come into a perons's possession without having been paid for; to have been acquired illegally.

fall on one's sword »    To commit suicide by allowing one’s body to drop onto the point of one’s sword..

fall out »    To come out of something by falling.

fall over »    To fall from an upright or standing position to a horizontal or prone position.

fall through »    To be unsuccessful, abort, come to nothing/naught; to be cancelled; not to proceed.

falling out »    A disagreement; a major difference of opinion.

false friend »    A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.

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.

fancypants »    Alternative spelling of fancy pants. The condition of being overly showy; concerned more about one's reputation than anything else.

far be it »    A disclaimer stating that the person speaking will not do something.

far be it »    Pewtey in Marriage Guidance Counselor from And Now For Something Completely Different.

far cry »    Something very dissimilar or different.

farmer's tan »    The tan line left by clothing, especially, by a short-sleeved shirt.

fashion plate »    A picture, usually an advertisement, showing the latest fashion in clothing.

fast asleep »    Sleeping, in a deep sleep.

fat lip »    A swelling on the lip, especially one resulting from a punch or other blow.

fat of the land »    The greatest part of anything; the finest and most abundant share of resources; the cream of the crop.

fear »    A phobia, a sense of fear induced by something or someone.

fear »    A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.

fear »    Extreme veneration or awe, as toward a supreme being or deity.

feast for the eyes »    Visually pleasing sight.

feast or famine »    A situation in which something is always either extremely abundant or in extremely short supply.

feather one's nest »    To achieve benefits, especially financial ones, by taking advantage of the opportunities with which one is presented; to amass a comfortable amount of personal wealth.

feed a cold, starve a fever »    Eating more will cure the common cold, and eating less will cure a fever.1887, J. H. Whelan, "The Treatment of Colds.", The Practitioner, vol. 38, pg. 180:"Feed a cold, starve a fever." There is a deal of wisdom in the first part of this advice. A person with a catarrh should take an abundance of light nutritious food, and some light wine, but avoid spirits, and above all tobacco.1968, Katinka Loeser, The Archers at Home, publ. Atheneum, New York, pg. 60:I have a cold. 'Feed a cold, starve a fever.' You certainly know that.2009, Shelly Reuben, Tabula Rasa, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ISBN 015101079X, pg. 60:They say feed a cold, starve a fever, but they don't tell you what to do when you got both, so I figured scrambled eggs, tea, and toast.

feel up to »    To be confident in being able to do something.

feel up to »    To have an inclination to do something.

feet of clay »    To say that someone, who appears strong or invincible, in fact has a hidden weak point which could cause their fall.

fencepost problem »    In computer programming, a problem dealing with how to treat the initial or boundary values of a discrete problem.

fend and prove »    To engage in argument.

fend away »    To turn something away; to ward off.

field day »    Top-to-bottom all-hands cleaning.

fifth wheel »    A type of trailer hitch, which consists of a horseshoe-shaped plate on a multi-directional pivot, with a locking pin to couple with the kingpin of a truck trailer.

fifth wheel »    Anything superfluous or unnecessary.

fight a losing battle »    To continue to wage war when it is clear that one is not going to win.

fight a losing battle »    To try to do something so difficult that it will probably end in failure.

fight fires »    To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.

fight off »    To succeed in defeating a challenge, or an attack.

fight shy of »    To avoid something.

fill in »    To inform somebody, especially to supply someone missing or missed information.

fill in »    To substitute for somebody or something.

final curtain »    The end to something which has longed for a long time.

final cut »    A group, after a selection process getting rid of other candidates.

find out »    To discover, as by asking or exploring.

finders keepers »    The doctrine that whoever finds something is allowed to keep it

fine feathers make fine birds »    Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.

fine words butter no parsnips »    Talking about doing something does not get it done.

fire away »    To begin shooting at an enemy.

fire drill »    An organised practice to prepare occupants of an office, school or other public building for evacuation in the event of a fire.

fire-breathing »    Caustic, vitriolic or scathing.

fire-breathing »    That emits flame from the mouth or nostrils.

first among equals »    A person or position that if formally equivalent to others in a group, but is superior in some attribute.

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.

first loser »    The second place finisher in auto racing competition.

first of all »    Firstly; before anything else.

first things first »    Deal with matters of highest priority first; deal with matters in logical sequence.1922, H. G. Wells, The Secret Places of the Heart, ch.4,"First things first," said Sir Richmond. If we set about getting fuel sanely, if we do it as the deliberate, co-operative act of the whole species, then it follows that we shall look very closely into the use that is being made of it.1999, Frank Pellegrini, "House Republicans Quell Mutiny Over Tax Bounty," Time, 23 Jul.,Judging by the polls

fish or cut bait »    To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.

fishing expedition »    A non-specific search for information, especially incriminating information.

fishtail »    The tail of a fish, or an object resembling this.

fits and starts »    Activity which is intermittent, variable in intensity, and prolonged by interruptions.

five will get you ten »    I strongly believe.

five-finger discount »    Theft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.

flash in the pan »    A transient occurrence with no long-term effect.

flat-chested »    Having a flat chest; having small breasts.

flat-earther »    A person who believes or advocates an outlandish, discredited theory; a person who refuses to acknowledge the truth despite overwhelming evidence.

flat-footed »    Having feet which are flat.

flat-footed »    Having the specific physical condition of flat feet.

flea in one's ear »    A stinging rebuke or rebuff.

flick the bean »    To masturbate by stimulating the clitoris.

flight of fancy »    An idea, narrative, suggestion, etc. which is extremely imaginative and which appears to be entirely unrealistic, untrue, or impractical; thinking which is very speculative.

flip one's lid »    To be explosively angry.

flipside »    A necessary consequence or corollary of something; especially one seen as opposite, or as pro versus con.

flog a dead horse »    To attempt to get extra work out of a ship's crew during the dead horse period.

flog a dead horse »    To attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more.

flogging the land »    Damaging agricultural land through excessive grazing or clearing.

flower »    Typically including sepals, petals, stamens, and ovaries; often conspicuously colourful.

flower »    Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.

flower »    The best state of things; the prime.

flunk out »    Often requiring a retaking of the course or academic year.

fly in the ointment »    Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.

fly off the handle »    To become very angry or enraged; to throw a fit or go crazy.

fly on the wall »    A quiet, non-participating, or unseen observer; an eavesdropper or witness.

fly-by-night »    Traveling businessmen and tradesmen.

flying visit »    A very short visit.

fold one's tent »    To withdraw, especially in a discreet manner; to disengage; to quit.

fold up »    To make or become more compact by folding.

follow suit »    To play a card of the same suit as the previous or leading card.

food chain »    The feeding relationships between species in a biotic community.

fool's errand »    A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.

fool's errand »    Such an undertaking, assigned as a prank.

fools rush in where angels fear to tread »    A person who does not plan ahead and think matters through becomes involved in risky or unfavorable situations which prudent people avoid.

for all intensive purposes »    For all highly demanding purposes.[1].

for all intents and purposes »    For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

for crying out loud »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

for f**'s sake »    An expression of anger or frustration.

for keeps »    To compete seriously, with a strong resolve to win or succeed, as in sports or business.

for my money »    Used to mark a statement made by the speaker as an opinion or something not known with certainty.

for starters »    as a beginning

for the birds »    Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.

for the heck of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

for the hell of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

for the love of »    Used to form interjections expressing exasperation.

for the nonce »    For the time being, with the expectation that the situation may change.

for the record »    For the purpose of being recorded.

for the sake of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

for the time being »    Temporarily; until later.

for XYZ reasons »    For reasons unknown and not worth speculating on.

forbidden fruit »    Illicit pleasure; something that one should not take or get involved with, such as an another person's spouse.

forbidden fruit is the sweetest »    Forbidden things have more worthwhile short-term consequences.

force someone's hand »    Bring about a situation which necessitates an agent to act, often causing a plan to be executed prematurely.

forewarned is forearmed »    Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.1863, Charles Reade, Hard Cash, ch. 4:[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.1885, G. A. Henty, Saint George for England, ch. 4:Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.circa 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind":"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."

fork over »    I forked over half the allotment this morning.

fork over »    To turn over soil with a gardening fork.

forked tongue »    The characteristic of deceptiveness; duplicity; untruthfulness.

foul up »    To make a mistake, to go wrong.

fountain of youth »    Anything reputed to have the power to restore health and vitality or to restore a youthful appearance.

four score and seven years ago »    As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.

four-leaf clover »    A bringer of good luck.

four-leaf clover »    An uncommon variation of the clover, having four leaves instead of the usual three.

four-on-the-floor »    Relating to a vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission mounted beside the driver on the floor of the vehicle.

free lunch »    Something obtained without any payment, obligation or effort.

free range »    not intensively farmed

free-for-all »    Chaos; a chaotic situation lacking rules or control.

fresh off the boat »    Newly arrived from a foreign place, especially as an immigrant who is still unfamiliar with the customs and language of his or her new environment.

fresh start »    A new beginning, without prejudices.

friend with benefits »    A friendship with no reserves when it comes to the release of shared sexual tension thus leading to sexual fraternization.

frog in one's throat »    Any temporary physical difficulty in speaking.

from A to Z »    Covering a complete range; comprehensively.

from here to ya-ya »    A very long distance.

from my cold, dead hands »    A statement that something will not be taken away from you until the day you die.

from scratch »    From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.

from soup to nuts »    From beginning to end; throughout.

from the bottom of one's heart »    In earnest; sincerely; with one's full feeling.

from the Department of the Bleeding Obvious »    So obvious it was unnecessary to say.

from the get-go »    From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.

from the ground up »    From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals.

from the word go »    From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.

fruit of the poisonous tree »    And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.

fry up »    Full English breakfast.

frying pan »    cooking utensil

full as a goog »    Having eaten too much, or being drunk.

full English »    A cooked breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs, and other foods.

full of beans »    Incorrect; uninformed; exaggerating or expressing falsehood.

full of hot air »    Talking a lot, especially without saying anything of value or meaning.

full of it »    Speaking nonsense; lying, exaggerating, or boasting.

full of oneself »    Egotistical, believing oneself to be superior to others; preoccupied with one's own work, interests, point of view, etc.

full of shit »    Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.

full-fledged »    Having all its feathers; able to fly.

full-fledged »    Having full qualification, credentials or preparation; entire; real.

gagging for it »    Up for it, having a strong desire for sex.

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.

gang up »    To join together, as a gang.

gang up on »    To join together in a gang in order to overpower someone else.

gapers' block »    A traffic jam resulting from motorists slowing to look at a motor vehicle collision or other roadside distraction.

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 »    Offspring.

get a grip »    To relax; to calm down; to stop being angry; to come to one's senses or become more rational.

get a handle on »    To build or acquire a basic level of understanding or control.

get a jump on »    To start early, especially to start before something begins or before others begin.

get a load of »    To experience someone or something, especially by looking or listening.

get a move on »    To hurry up, to get moving.

get a room »    A jocular or sarcastic expression commanding a couple to stop displaying affection in public, and to rent a hotel or motel room to continue amorous activities in private.

get along »    To be together or coexist well, without arguments or trouble.

get along »    To survive; to do well enough.

get away with »    To do something which is prohibited, forbidden or generally not allowed, and not be punished for the action.

get away with murder »    To do something bad or illegal and not be punished.

get back at »    To retaliate; to take revenge.

get bent out of shape »    To take offense; to become angry, agitated or upset.

get busy »    Start working, usually in opposition to idleness.

get by the balls »    To have complete control over someone, especially of a woman abusing a man's infatuation with her.

get carried away »    To become excessively involved, to take something too far.

get cold feet »    To become nervous or anxious and reconsider a decision about an upcoming event.

get cracking »    To get started; to get busy.

get down to business »    To become involved with something work-related.

get even »    To get revenge.

get in »    To get into or inside something, literally or figuratively.

get into one's stride »    To become familiar with something recently learnt.

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 it »    To get, retrieve, or receive something.

get it over with »    To do or finish, especially said of something unpleasant.

get moving »    To start hurrying to undertake a task.

get off »    To move from being on top of to not being on top of it.

get off »    To move to not being on top of it.

get off »    To stop touching or interfering with something or someone.

get off »    To stop using a piece of equipment.

get off one's high horse »    To stop acting in an imperious, overbearing or bossy manner.

get one's back up »    To become angry, defensive, or irritable.

get one's claws into »    Have a controlling influence over.

get one's feet wet »    To begin gaining experience; To take a risk and try something new.

get one's finger out »    To free one's finger.

get one's finger out »    To proceed with the matter in hand.

get one's marching orders »    To be dismissed disgracefully.

get out of bed on the wrong side »    To start the day in a bad mood for no apparent reason.

get out of Dodge »    To leave; in particular to leave a difficult or dangerous environment with all possible haste.

get over »    To overcome something.

get over »    To recover from something.

get someone's nose out of joint »    To become angry; to take offense or take exception.

get someone's nose out of joint »    To make someone angry.

get something over with »    To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.

get something straight »    To understand; to clarify.

get the ball rolling »    To begin; to start some action; to set in motion.

getting even »    retaliating

gift of the gab »    The ability to talk readily, glibly, and convincingly.

gild the lily »    To embellish or improve something unnecessarily; to add superfluous attributes to something.

ginger beer »    soft drink

ginger snap »    biscuit

gird up one's loins »    To prepare oneself for something demanding.

give 'em enough rope »    Allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime »    It is more worthwhile to teach someone to do something, than to do something for them.

give a ring »    On the telephone.

give as good as one gets »    To behave toward others in a manner resembling or commensurate with their behavior towards oneself, especially in a situation where one is insulted or otherwise ill-treated.

give away the store »    To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.

give curry »    Angrily.

give ear »    Dante Gabriel Rosetti, A Death-Parting, lines 5-6.

give him enough rope and he'll hang himself »    If one gives someone enough freedom of action, they may destroy themselves by foolish actions.

give it the gun »    Literal meaning.

give me liberty or give me death »    A set-phrase indicating enormous displeasure at any over-authoritarian policy or law.

give notice »    To announce one's intent to leave a job; to inform an employer that one is leaving.

give over »    To entrust something to another.

give over »    Usually as an imperative. To tell someone to stop molesting, fooling around, or saying silly things. Or sometimes to stop saying flattering things.

give some skin »    To greet or congratulate someone by slapping his or her palm; see slap me five.

give somebody a piece of one's mind »    To express one's opinion strongly; to voice one's disagreement or dissatisfaction.

give somebody the creeps »    To give someone a feeling of uneasiness or mild fright.

give somebody the runaround »    Especially by providing useless information or directions .

give somebody what-for »    To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.

give the lie to »    To prove something to be false; to refute.

gloss over »    To treat something with less care than it deserves; to skimp.

go against the grain »    To defy convention; to do something in a manner that is unusual or out of the ordinary.

go all out »    To reserve nothing; to put forth all possible effort or resources.

go along for the ride »    To accompany someone passively, or to take a passive role in a project.

go along with »    To comply with something, even if reluctantly; to accept or tolerate.

go apeshit »    To behave in an extreme manner; to act without restraint, especially by becoming explosively angry.

go away »    Command asking someone to leave them alone.

go away »    Go away, stop annoying me!.

go back to the drawing board »    To start again; to scrap a previous idea or plan and try again from the beginning.

go ballistic »    To become very angry and irrational.

go by the board »    To be superseded, rejected, or obliterated; to pass by with little consequence; to amount to nothing.

go by the board »    To estimate the velocity of a boat or ship in knots by casting overboard the knotted line to whose end is attached the lead and thereafter counting the knots in the line as it goes aft along the side boards of the vessel.

go down »    To decrease; to change from a greater value to a lesser one.

go down »    To stop functioning, to go offline.

go down that road »    To settle a way of doing something; do decide to do something in a particular way.

go down the road »    A way of doing something; to do something in a particular way.

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 Dutch »    To pay for one's own food and bills, or split the cost, when eating at a restaurant or going out for entertainment.

go for »    To attack something.

go for »    To do something, especially for leisure.

go for »    To go somewhere in order to get something.

go for »    To try for something.

go for broke »    To try everything possible or do last thing possible in a final attempt.

go for broke »    To wager everything.

go from strength to strength »    To continue to get stronger[1].

go from zero to hero »    To become very popular after being unpopular.

go from zero to hero »    To change from negative outcome to positive outcome. To improve one's fortunes significantly.

go in for »    To have an interest in or approve of something.

go in for »    To engage or take part in something.

go in off »    To pot the cue ball accidentally after hitting the object ball.

go in the out door »    To engage in anal sex.

go it alone »    To do something alone or independently, especially something that is normally or better done in groups.

go large »    To have the wind at such an angle to the sail that the vessel gains its highest speed.

go native »    Of a contractor or consultant, to begin working directly as an employee for a company and cease to work through a contracting firm or agency.

go native »    To adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants, especially when dwelling in a colonial region; to become less refined under the influence of a less cultured, more primitive, or simpler social environment.

go off »    To explode metaphorically; to become very angry.

go off »    To begin clanging or making noise.

go off at score »    Of a horse, to break suddenly into a gallop; of a person, suddenly to say or do something impetuous.

go off the boil »    Cease to boil when heat is no longer applied.

go out »    To leave, especially a building.

go out »    To be turned off or extinguished.

go out on the town »    To party all night long.

go out with »    Often in hopes that the relationship will become more longterm as in definition 1.

go round in circles »    To repeatedly do the same thing; without making any progress.

go the distance »    To have the endurance to see a difficult sustained challenge to its natural end without faltering.

go the distance »    To participate in a boxing match for its maximum number of rounds.

go the way of the dinosaurs »    To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go off the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.

go the way of the dodo »    To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go out of the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.

go the whole hog »    To do something as entirely or completely as possible; to reserve or hold back nothing.

go through the mill »    To experience the suffering or discipline necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or to a certain mental state.

go to seed »    To pass from flowering or ripening to the formation of seeds.

go to sleep »    An expression used to dismiss an extremely foolish statement, or to dismiss somebody that one does not feel like talking to.

go to someone's head »    To strongly affect a person, especially to the detriment of their senses or mental faculties.

go to work »    To begin performing some task or work.

go to work »    To go to one's job, as by commuting.

go up against »    To challenge someone.

go with the flow »    To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.

go without saying »    To be obvious, apparent or clear, or already established.

god fearing »    pious

God helps those who help themselves »    Fortune comes to those who make a genuine effort to accomplish things.

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...

going rate »    The current standard or usual price, rate, or salary for something.

going to the dogs »    In such a poor state that it should be left to the dogs.

gold mine »    A plentiful stockpile of something sought after.

gold standard »    A monetary system where the value of circulating money is linked to the value of gold.

golden duck »    The score of zero runs after getting out on the first ball faced.

golden handcuffs »    Any arrangement or agreement designed to provide extremely favorable benefits or pay, so as to discourage participant from wanting to leave, especially to retain a choice employee.

golden hello »    A payment offered to an employee as an inducement to join, especially if currently working for a competitor.

golden opportunity »    Ideal moment to do something.

golden ticket »    A qualification, person or thing that can provide lucrative opportunities.

gongoozle »    To leisurely watch the passage of boats, from the bank of a canal, lock or bridge.

gongoozle »    To observe things idly.

good drunk »    A person who is cheerful and companionable when intoxicated, retaining reasonable control of his or her mental and emotional faculties.

good evening »    greeting

good job »    Well done; congratulations!.

good luck with that »    An expression wishing someone success in an unlikely enterprise.

good on you »    An exclamation of encouragement or congratulation; well done.

good things come to those who wait »    A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.

goodbye cruel world »    A call said before taking a stiff drink, especially a shot of vodka.

goodbye cruel world »    An exclamation made before commiting suicide, or in a suicide note.

goof off »    To dawdle; to engage in idle activity or inactivity.

goon squad »    A group of individuals serving as enforcers, bodyguards, and the like, especially persons hired for such a purpose and using violent, thuggish methods.

grab and go »    To get something quickly.

grace period »    A length of time during which rules or penalties do not take effect or are withheld.

granary »    A fertile, grain-growing region.

grand poobah »    A person who is important or high-ranking.

grasp all, lose all »    one who wants everything, may lose it all

grass roots »    The essential foundation or source of something.

gravy train »    A gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill.

gravy train »    An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.

gray area »    A part that is not clear or certain; something that is open to interpretation.

greasy spoon »    An inexpensive diner or other informal restaurant, especially one specializing in frying or grilling.

great minds think alike »    Used to emphasize a coincidence, or two people reaching the same conclusion in any manner at the same time.

great unwashed »    A contemptuous term for the populace, particularly the working class.

greatest thing since sliced bread »    A relatively recent invention likely to significantly improve people's lives.

green about the gills »    Having the appearance of being ill.

green fingers »    A seemingly natural gardening ability.

green thumb »    A natural skill for gardening.

greenwash »    A false or misleading picture of environmental friendliness used to conceal or obscure damaging activities.

grey area »    A topic that is not clearly one thing or the other.

grind to a halt »    Coming to a standstill, or ceasing to be productive or make progress, due to an obstacle.

groaning »    That groans.

groaning »    That is heavily laden.

ground rules »    The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.

grow cold »    To wane; to lose interest or enthusiasm for something or someone; to become disenchanted or to fall out of love with someone.

grow out of »    To become too physically large for something, especially clothes.

grow out of »    To become too mature for something.

grunt work »    That is considered undesirable and therefore delegated to underlings.

guilt trip »    A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.

guilt trip »    Remarks intended to produce such a feeling.

gulp down »    To eat very quickly without chewing the food properly.

gunshy »    Being afraid to use a gun.

gunshy »    Fearing the consequences of repeating an act, especially after being reprimanded.

gut factor »    Feelings about what feels right or wrong, good or bad. An inner persuasion that one may feel convinced is the appropriate decision.

gut feeling »    An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.

hack into »    To reduce something to by hacking with a cutting instrument.

hack into »    To gain unauthorized entry to, particularly by exploiting little-known weaknesses.

hair of the dog »    An alcoholic drink taken the morning after to cure a hangover or withdrawal symptoms.

hair-splitting »    The act of finding exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.

hair-splittingly »    With exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.

halcyon days »    Period of calm during the winter, when storms do not occur.

half nelson »    wrestling hold

half-baked »    Partially cooked by heating in an oven.

hammer and tongs »    With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.

hammer out »    To come to an agreement after much arguing.

hand in »    To give something to a responsible person.

hand in hand »    Holding or clasping hands.

hand in hand »    Naturally, ordinarily or predictably together; commonly having a correlation or relationship.

hand off »    To pass or transfer something to someone.

hand over »    To relinquish control or possession of something to someone.

hand over fist »    Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.

hand waving »    Discussion or argumentation involving approximation, vagueness, educated guessing, or the attempt to explain or excuse vagaries.

handle with kid gloves »    To treat something very delicately or carefully.

handwriting on the wall »    Alternative form of writing on the wall. A divine prediction or sentence to fate.

hang a Louie »    Make a left turn while driving a vehicle.

hang a Ralph »    Make a right turn while driving a vehicle.

hang about »    To stay, linger or loiter.

hang an arse »    To hang back, to be afraid to advance.

hang around »    To stay, linger or loiter.

hang by a thread »    To be in danger, calling for precise caution. To be in a precarious situation.

hang in the balance »    To be in a precarious situation, unsure of the future.

hang on »    To hold, grasp, or grip.

hang on »    To keep; to store something for someone.

hang on »    To pay close attention.

hang on »    wait

hang out »    To spend time doing nothing in particular.

hang out one's shingle »    To open an office or business, especially in a profession.

hang out to dry »    To abandon someone who is in need or in danger.

hang out to dry »    To attach washing to a clothesline to dry.

hang out with »    To spend time with friends, doing nothing in particular.

hang paper »    To write a bad check.

hang up »    To put up to hang.

hang up »    To terminate a phone call.

hang up »    ring off

hang up one's boots »    Retire, call it a day.

hanging offence »    A crime so serious that it is punishable by means of death by hanging.

happily ever after »    Living happily until death. Typically associated with fairy tales.

hard cheese »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard feelings »    Resentment, anger.

hard hitting »    uncompromising

hard lines »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard of hearing »    Having difficulty hearing; somewhat deaf.

hard pressed »    Having or likely to have difficulty or to find a task almost impossible.

hard shoulder »    mortorway shopping area

hard-hearted »    unfeeling

harden »    To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.

harden someone's heart »    To make someone more resistant to something.

hardwired »    Not changeable.

harsh one's mellow »    Disturbing someone otherwise in a state of calm.

hash out »    To work through the details of something; especially to work through difficulties.

haste makes waste »    One makes mistakes when being too hasty.

hat in hand »    With humility; in an apologetic or self-effacing fashion.

hatchet man »    Someone who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.

haul somebody over the coals »    To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.

have a bun in the oven »    To be pregnant; to be expecting a baby.

have a cow »    To get angry; have a fit.

have a green thumb »    A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.

have a screw loose »    A phrase meaning that the subject is insane or irrational.

have a way with »    To be skilled, adept, or graceful in something.

have an axe to grind »    To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something.

have ants in one's pants »    To be agitated and constantly fidgeting.

have at »    To attack; to engage in combat with.

have had it up to here »    To have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or forbearance.

have it coming »    To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions.

have it in for »    To be very angry at; to have a grudge against.

have it large »    To engage intensely in pleasure-seeking activities.

have it off »    To engage in sexual intercourse.

have it your way »    Do something the way you want to, but be prepared for the consequences.

have one's back to the wall »    To have no other options remaining.

have other fish to fry »    To have more important things to do.

have second thoughts »    To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.

have something to eat »    To eat anything.

have the run of »    To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will.

have to do with the price of tea in China »    To have any relation or bearing whatsoever on the topic at hand, usually used to emphasize the lack of relationship of a non sequitur.

have truck with »    To have dealings with.

he who laughs last laughs best »    success is better after having previously endured ridicule.

he who smelt it dealt it »    (colloquial, originally) A person who calls attention to or complains about a fart is likely trying to pretend it wasn't his or her own.(colloquial, by extension) Used to suggest that a person calling attention to or complaining about a given problem may in fact be the source of the problem.

he-man »    A strong, virile or sexually active man.

head and shoulders »    To a considerable degree; better; outstanding.

head honcho »    The person in charge; the highest-ranking person in an organization.

head over heels »    Tumbling upside down.

head scratcher »    A particularly puzzling or confusing event.

head start »    For example, prior to the beginning of a race.

head-in-the-sand »    Exhibiting disregard or denial of a problem or threat.

head-on »    Direct, abrupt, blunt or unequivocal; not prevaricating.

heads up »    Used as an informal warning, caution, or call for attention; pay attention!.

heads-up »    A warning or call to pay attention; an advisory notice.

hear the grass grow »    To be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.

hear the grass grow »    To have an extremely sensitive sense of hearing.

hear the grass grow »    To hear very well due to being in an exceptionally quiet environment.

heart of gold »    A kind, compassionate, or caring attitude; kindheartedness.

heart-breaking »    That causes extreme sorrow or grief.

heaven helps those who help themselves »    A maxim encouraging people to get involved in their own problems.

hedge one's bets »    To reduce the risk of making a mistake, by keeping one's options open.

heebie-jeebies »    A general feeling of anxiety, fear, uneasiness, or nausea.

helping hand »    Any assistance, help or aid.

hem and haw »    To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.

hen's teeth »    Anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen’s teeth.

hen's tooth »    Anything not naturally occuring.

here goes nothing »    Indicates a lack of confidence or certainty about the activity about to be tried.

here you are »    Said when you hand something over to someone or do a favour to them, usually to draw the recipient's attention to the exchange; Equivalent to “thank you” when receiving something..

here's to »    Denoting proposed salutation while drinking alcohol, toast.

hide one's light under a bushel »    For a person to keep some talent or skill hidden from other people. The tone is that a person having a talent which they can be proud of ought not hide it.

hiding to nothing »    A situation in which victory has little or no value, but defeat has a huge cost.

high cotton »    The best of times; a time of well being.

high ground »    A location which is at a relatively high elevation, especially in comparison to the immediate surrounding area.

high on the hog »    Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly.

hill of beans »    Something of no importance.

hindsight is 20/20 »    (idiomatic) In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time of the choice.

his back is up »    He is offended or angry; an expression or idea taken from a cat; that animal, when angry, always raising its back. An allusion also sometimes used to jeer a crooked man.

historical figure »    A person who lived long ago, usually of some historical note or importance.

history repeats itself »    Things that have happened in the past will happen again.

hit home »    To be especially memorable or meaningful; to be fully understood, believed or appreciated.

hit home »    To do something particularly great.

hit on »    To flirt with; to approach and speak to (someone), seeking romance, love, sex, etc.

hit one's stride »    To reach a full level of efficiency, competence, comfort, etc.; to get going.

hit one's stride »    When walking or running, to reach a full or comfortable pace.

hit someone for six »    Be affected in a devastating way by some unexpected news.

hit the bricks »    To participate in a workplace strike or other job action; to participate in a public protest, especially one involving picketing.

hit the ceiling »    To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.

hit the ground running »    To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.

hit the nail on the head »    To identify something exactly; to arrive at exactly the right answer.

hit the pavement »    Literal meaning.

hit the pavement »    To get moving in an automobile or other road vehicle.

hit the road »    To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.

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.

hit the roof »    To be explosively angry.

hit the spot »    To be particularly pleasing or appropriate; to be just right.

hoist by one's own petard »    To be hurt, or destroyed by one's own plot or device, of one's own doing which one intended for another; to be "blown up by one's own bomb".

hold a grudge »    Far longer than is reasonable.

hold all the aces »    To be in a strong position when one is competing with someone else, having all the advantages.

hold forth »    Talk at great length; expatiate; harangue.

hold off »    To delay someone or something temporarily; to keep at bay.

hold off »    To delay commencing an action (until some specified time or event has passed).

hold on »    To keep; to store something for someone.

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 one's tongue »    To keep quiet; especially, to leave something unsaid.

hold out »    To hold something out; to extend forward.

hold out »    To set something aside or save it for later.

hold over »    Something left from an earlier time.

hold that thought »    Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.

hold up one's end »    I'm holding up my end and you had better hold up yours.

hold with the hare and run with the hounds »    To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.

hold with the hare and run with the hounds »    To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.

hold your fire »    Do not discharge your weapon. Used originally for weapons needing a spark or lighting of a fuse to ignite gunpowder, now sometimes used to mean any weapon launching a projectile.

holding pattern »    A path taken by an aircraft waiting to land.

holding pattern »    Any failure to advance; useless or unproductive activity.

hole in one »    A round that is completed by sinking the ball in a single shot or attempt, with one hit.

home in on »    To focus or narrow down to something; to find or draw closer, as by trial and error or a gradual seeking process.

home is where you hang your hat »    Rather than feeling nostalgic or sentimental, one should simply accept any place where one happens to reside as one's home.1948, Ruth L. Yorck, "D.P.

homeless dumping »    The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the streets instead of placing them into the custody of a relative or shelter or retaining them in a hospital where they may require expensive medical care.

honest injun »    A phrase used to emphasize the truth of something.

honesty is the best policy »    Honesty is the most honorable and fulfilling way to live one's life.

honey trap »    The use of a seductive woman to entice a man into revealing secret information.

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.

hook, line and sinker »    Naively or unquestioningly.

hoover up »    Quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from the plate rather than using cutlery.

hopping mad »    Extremely angry; furious to the point of outburst.

horizontal dancing »    Sexual intercourse.

horse around »    To play or fiddle; to clown; to do nothing of importance or consequence.

horse opera »    A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.

horse sense »    Common sense, especially with a connotation of folk wisdom independent from, and trumping, formal education.

horse's ass »    A thing or person which is visually unappealing.

horse's mouth »    Source; someone who directly experienced or witnessed something.

horses for courses »    The practice of choosing the best person for a particular job.

hospital pass »    A poorly executed pass to a team-mate causing the receiver to present an easy target for a defender, and thus be tackled hard.

hospital pass »    A throw that stays in the air long enough that it allows too many people to get underneath it, increasing the risk of injury and a trip to the hospital. Thus, a hospital pass.

hospital pass »    Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.

hot and cold »    Ambivalent; having conflicting emotions.

hot desking »    The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.

hot lunch »    A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.

hot mess »    Refers to a person, thing, or situation in such a state of disarray or disapproval by peers, often in reference to physical appearance, perceived to be disastrously embarrassing, pitiful, or beyond repair.

hot on somebody's heels »    Close behind; pursuing or following closely.

hot potato »    A child's game in which players pass a ball or other item between them, with the object of avoiding being left holding the item when time expires.

hot spot »    dangerous place; accident place

hot to trot »    Eager to begin; anxious to get going.

hotheaded »    Easily excited or angered.

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 of cards »    A structure made by laying cards perpendicularly on top of each other.

house warming »    Presented as a way of welcoming someone to a home into which he or she recently moved.

how are you »    An informal greeting, not requiring a literal response. Typical responses include.

how do you like them apples »    Directed jestingly or mockingly at someone who has received surprising information, ridiculing the situation.

how's the weather »    Indicating a change of subject to unimportant topics.

how's tricks »    Informal greeting roughly equivalent to How are you?.

huckleberry above a persimmon »    Something better than something else.

hum and haw »    Procrastinate and take a long time before doing something or taking a decision.

humble pie »    Humility, being humble.

hung the moon »    To view or be viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.

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.

hunger is the best spice »    When one is hungry, anything will taste good.

hurt someone's feelings »    To offend or hurt someone.

hustle and bustle »    A large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding.

idiot light »    Any warning light or indicator on the dashboard of a car, designed to alert the driver of problems, such as the parking brake being on or the oil being low.

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 ain't broke, don't fix it »    Leave something alone; avoid correcting, fixing, or improving what is already sufficient, as it could end up being detrimental

if looks could kill »    A phrase said upon catching sight of someone's giving you a particularly nasty look of discontent or disapproval.

if pigs had wings »    Never.

if pigs had wings »    Shortened form of if pigs had wings they would fly.

if pigs had wings they would fly »    (colloquial) Expresses speakers skepticism toward a hypothetical argument by another.

if the shoe fits »    If it has all of the characteristics of a thing, it probably is that thing.

if you can't beat them, join them »    If your adversaries are stronger than yourself, it is better to join the adversaries.

if you love somebody, set them free »    One should be willing to let go of someone they love if they truly love them.

if you want a thing done well, do it yourself »    It is better to do something oneself, than rely on others to do it well.

ignorance is bliss »    Lack of knowledge results in happinessSometime you are more comfortable if you dont know something.

in a bake »    Very angry.

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 a league of one's own »    Far excelling even the closest contender; not having any worthy competition.

in Abraham's bosom »    No longer living. Dead.

in bed »    Lying on a bed, especially under some bedsheets.

in bed with »    Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.

in bed with »    Sharing one's bed with.

in black and white »    Explicitly, in writing, clearly and without doubt or misunderstanding, without any grey areas.

in black and white »    Having it displayed using shades of gray/gray rather than colour/color .

in black and white »    Using shades of grey/gray rather than colour/color.

in broad daylight »    In ample natural illumination, during the daytime.

in business »    Engaged in business activity.

in character »    Acting as the character, not as oneself.

in cold blood »    In a ruthless and unfeeling manner; premeditated and deliberate.

in detail »    Thoroughly; including every detail.

in Dutch »    Written or spoken in the dutch language.

in effigy »    Symbolizing, usually as an effigy.

in fact »    Resulting from the actions of parties.

in for a dime, in for a dollar »    Americanised form of in for a penny, in for a pound.1983, Allen Drury, Decision, p. 356:In for a dime, in for a dollar, he thought crazily, and said what he had to say in a voice he forced to stay level and calm.1998, Ellen Miller, Like Being Killed, p. 47:In for a dime, in for a dollar. I whispered to Gerry,

in for a penny, in for a pound »    Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof; accepting that one must

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 full swing »    Proceeding fully, quickly, or completely; thoroughly begun and in progress.

in hot water »    In trouble; in the position of arousing somebody's anger or displeasure.

in layman's terms »    Explaining something in simple words.

in light of »    Given, considering.

in line »    On a queue; waiting one's turn for something.

in line »    Suitable or appropriate; keeping with expectations, norms, ideals, or rules.

in one's right mind »    Sane, sensible, reasonable; thinking clearly.

in one's stockinged feet »    Wearing socks, stockings or other hosiery on one's feet but no shoes.

in order »    In accordance with the procedural rules governing formal meetings of a deliberative body.

in spite of »    Despite, irrespective of, notwithstanding.

in stride »    Without disturbing one's course of activities.

in the act »    In the process of doing something; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.

in the black »    Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.

in the clear »    Not guilty or not suspected of wrongdoing.

in the doghouse »    In trouble; the subject of somebody's anger or disapproval.

in the driver's seat »    Having the most important role in a storyline or recognition. Of primary importance.

in the fast lane »    In a lifestyle, employment position, or other set of circumstances where the rapid pace is exciting, frantic, or risky.

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »    Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.

in the long run »    After a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.

in the making »    In development; in the process of being made.

in the offing »    Nearby, soon to come, in the near future.

in the red »    Having net losses; in debt.

in the running »    Of a candidate, potential or likely; worthy of consideration.

in the same boat »    In the same situation or predicament; having the same problems.

in the short run »    Lasting only a short time, shortsightedly.

in the swim »    Actively participating in the flow of events; very involved.

in the twinkling of an eye »    Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".

in the twinkling of an eye »    Immediately; instantaneously.

in the wake of »    Following.

in the way »    Obstructing, blocking, or hindering.

in the wind »    Impending or in the offing; imminent.

in the works »    Being planned or worked upon.

in touch »    The ball, or a player, is in touch when it, or he, is outside the playing area or touching the touchlines of the playing area.

in unity there is strength »    More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.

in vain »    In a disrespectful manner, especially when concerning religion.

in vain »    Without success; ending in failure.

in view of »    Considering.

in with a chance »    Having a chance.

index finger »    digit

ins and outs »    The details or fine points of something.

inside baseball »    Technical matters concerning baseball not apparent to spectators.

into detail »    Thoroughly; including every detail.

is the Pope Catholic »    The answer to the question is, obviously, resoundingly affirmative.

it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings »    There are more developments yet to come.

it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God »    The rich can afford more immoral behavior than the poor.

it is what it is »    This thing has its own distinct nature; this thing is itself.

it takes two to tango »    Some things need the active cooperation of two parties; blame is to be laid on both parties in a conflict.

it's a long road that has no turning »    encouragement when things are not going well. Just as a long road eventually has a turning, problems also eventually have a solution, even though one might have to wait.

it's about time »    Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.

it's all Greek to me »    I tried reading the instructions, but it’s all Greek to me..

it's all grist to the mill »    Everything referred to in the present context has some sort of use.1999, Simon Blackburn, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press paperback, ISBN 0199690871), ch. 7 section 6: "Kant

it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good »    There is usually something of benefit to someone, no matter how bad the situation.

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.

it's not the whistle that pulls the train »    Boasting and loud talk should not be mistaken for the work that produces real achievements; bravado is no proof of action.1956, James Reston, "Washington: It's Not the Whistle that Pulls the Train," New York Times, 1 July, p. E8:

it's not what you know but who you know »    For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know

it's one's funeral »    One's decisions or actions will bring undesirable consequences only on oneself.

itchy trigger finger »    A tendency to act in haste or without consideration.

ivory tower »    A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.

jack in »    To stop doing a regular activity. Often a job or studies.

jack in »    To insert an electronic coupling into a receptacle; to connect to something, whether involving a physical medium or not.

jack it in »    An imperative to stop doing something that the speaker finds annoying.

jack of all trades, master of none »    A master of integration, who knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring their disciplines together in a practical manner; a polymath; a renaissance man.

jack of all trades, master of none »    A person who has a competent grasp of many skills but who is not outstanding in any one.

jack up »    To raise, hoist, or lift a thing using a jack, or similar means.

jack-tar »    Alternative spelling of jacktar.

jet setting »    The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.

jet-setting »    The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.

jive turkey »    Someone who is jiving, as in behaving in a glib and disingenuous fashion.

jive turkey »    Someone who is jiving, as in dancing. Often applied to people being funny or showy.

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.

joe job »    An uninteresting, low-level, low-paying job.

jolly someone along »    To make someone happy or compliant, as by encouragement or flattery.

jumble sale »    fundraising event

jump »    By jerking the body violently.

jump »    To employ a move in certain board games where one game piece is moved from one legal position to another passing over the position of another piece.

jump about »    To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.

jump about »    To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.

jump around »    To move erratically by jumping. Usually as a result of being excited.

jump around »    To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.

jump at »    To accept something enthusiastically. Usually an opportunity, or chance, or job etc.

jump in »    To enter something quickly. Usually a mode of transport.

jump off »    To participate in the final round of an equestrian showjumping event.

jump on »    To attack someone verbally, or criticise them over strongly for small errors.

jump rope »    A single jump in this game or activity, counted as a measure of achievement.

jump rope »    The activity, game or exercise in which a person must jump, bounce or skip repeatedly while a length of rope is swung over and under, both ends held in the hands of the jumper, or alternately, held by two other participants. Often used for athletic training and among schoolchildren. Variations involve speed, chants, varied rope and jumper movement patterns, multiple jumpers and/or multiple ropes.

jump rope »    The length of rope, sometimes with handles, casing or other additions, used in that activity.

jump ship »    To depart a project without warning.

jump the gun »    To begin a race too soon, before the starting gun goes off.

jump the queue »    To move into a queue ahead of others who have been waiting longer or that have a higher priority; push in.

jump to conclusions »    Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.

jumped-up »    We're doomed if this wee jumped-up monkey gets Gordon Smith's blessing.

jungle telegraph »    A gossip network; an informal communication system within a group or organization.

jungle telegraph »    A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds or a relay of runners.

just another pretty face »    Someone who is attractive, but not too distinguished.

just for fun »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

just like that »    Unexpectedly, without warning.

kangaroo court »    A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.

keep a close watch on »    To pay careful attention to a situation or a thing, so that you can deal with any changes or problems.

keep a lid on »    To keep something secret.

keep a weather eye open »    To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for someone or something.

keep down »    To lie low. To stay concealed by not standing up.

keep it real »    In the imperative, an exhortation used as a departing salutation.

keep mum »    Do not talk; especially keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

keep on »    To remain in an existing position.

keep on truckin' »    To continue or persist, regardless of circumstances or setbacks; to keep trying or striving.

keep one's cards close to one's chest »    To avoid revealing one's thoughts, circumstances, or plans.

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.

keep one's mouth shut »    To keep a secret; to refrain from speaking indiscreetly or carelessly.

keep one's pecker up »    Remain cheerful; keep smiling.

keep out »    To refrain from entering a place or condition.

keep out »    After being warned, he kept out.

keep out »    To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

keep out »    The warning kept him out.

keep out of »    To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

keep quiet »    To refrain from talking about something; to keep a secret.

keep shtum »    Don't tell anyone; especially, keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

keep somebody in stitches »    To keep somebody laughing hard or amused.

keep straight »    To avoid confusing or mixing up something; to keep something clear or organized.

keep the wolf from the door »    To ward off poverty or hunger.

keep up »    To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating.

keep up »    To ensure that one remains well-informed about something.

keep up appearances »    To pretend to be all right or that everything is going well.

keep up with »    To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.

keep up with the Joneses »    To do or buy things for status, show, or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends or neighbors.

keep your friends close, and your enemies closer »    One should be on their toes and alert of their surroundings if malicious people are around, to ensure such people can't wreak havoc in one's life.

key off »    To take as a controlling input datum.

kick around »    To wander loose; to float around; to hang around.

kick ass »    To beat someone at something.

kick down »    To break or demolish something by physical bodily force.

kick off »    To force the weaning of a bovine cow's calf by restricting the calf's access to its mother's udders. Used figuratively or literally.

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.

kick the habit »    To recover from or quit an addiction or habit. For example, to quit smoking, drinking, burping, or drug addiction.

kick up »    Into the air while running or walking or driving.

kick up a fuss »    To show annoyance, or to complain loudly about something, often when it is of little importance in reality.

kick up the arse »    A severe reprimand, especially one to motivate someone into doing something.

kick with the other foot »    To belong to a different religion.

kicking and screaming »    With extreme reluctance.

kid around »    To engage in playful fun.

kill off »    To represent or portray as being dead.

kill the fatted calf »    To begin a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return.

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs »    To seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit.

kill the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

kind »    Affectionate, showing benevolence.

kind »    Mild, gentle, forgiving.

kindred soul »    Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself; kindred spirit.

kindred spirit »    Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself.

king »    A male monarch; member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.

king »    A playing card with the image of a king on it.

king »    A powerful or influential person.

king of hearts »    picture card

kiss of death »    Something that may seem good and favourable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.

kit and caboodle »    Everything entirely, the whole lot.

kit and kaboodle »    Everything; the lot.

kitchen table software »    Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.

knee high to a grasshopper »    Short; especially relating to when the subject was a small child.

kneel before »    To kneel in front of someone or something, especially in order to worship or supplicate.

knight in shining armor »    A person who will rescue a dangerous situation; a hero.

knock around »    To do a relaxing activity.

knock down »    To hit or knock (something), intentionally or accidentally, so that it falls.

knock it off »    Stop doing something; desist.

knock out »    To strike or bump someone or something out.

knock out of the box »    To cause a pitcher to be replaced by heavy hitting.

knock out of the box »    To cause something to be replaced by something else.

knock over »    To bump or strike something in such a way as to tip it.

knock the living daylights out of »    To knock out; to hit and cause to be unconscious.

knock together »    To assemble something quickly; to knock up.

knock up »    In the morning as by knocking at the door; rouse; call; summon; also, to go door-to-door on election day to persuade a candidate's supporters to go to the polling station and vote. See also knocker up.

knock up »    To become exhausted or worn out; to fail of strength; to become wearied, as with labor; to give out.

knock up »    To gently hit the ball back and forth before a tennis match, as practice or warm-up, and to gauge the state of the playing surface, lighting, etc. See knock-up.

knock-on effect »    The continued running of an engine after the ignition has been turned off; dieseling.

knocking on heaven's door »    Dying, close to death.

know like the back of one's hand »    To be intimately knowledgeable about something, especially a place.

know something inside and out »    To know something very thoroughly.

knuckle dragger »    A large, strong, and rather dimwitted person.

l'esprit de l'escalier »    The experience of thinking of a devastating rejoinder only after leaving the scene of the debate.

la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »    The final thing that is too much and forces a reaction; the straw that broke the camel's back.

labor of love »    A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.

ladies first »    A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.

ladies man »    Alternative spelling of lady's man.

ladies' man »    Alternative spelling of lady's man.

lame joke »    An attempt at humor which is perceived to have been used previously to the point of being cliche, or was never funny to begin with.

landing strip »    A cultivated pubic hair pattern in which much of the pubic hair is removed, leaving only a central vertical line or rectangle.

landing strip »    A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.

lap up »    To consume by lapping.

lapsed academic »    A person formerly employed as a professor or researcher in a university or other institution of higher education, especially one who no longer attempts to remain current in his or her former academic field.

larger-than-life »    Very imposing, renowned, or impressively influential.

last burst of fire »    A final effort or warning.

last burst of fire »    A state of exertion where one gives one's all; expending all of one's remaining energy in a final effort to achieve one's goal.

last resort »    The only remaining, unwanted, option or choice.

latch onto »    To obtain, acquire or get and keep hold of something.

laughing stock »    An object of ridicule, someone who is publicly ridiculed; a butt of sport.

laughing stock »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.

laundry list »    Hence, a long list of items, especially an exhaustive one.

laundry list »    Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered.

law of the jungle »    The survival of the fittest, strongest or most cunning.

lay a finger on »    If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.

lay a finger on »    To merely touch.

lay an egg »    To produce a failure or flop; to do something which is unsuccessful.

lay down »    To give up, surrender, or yield , usually by placing it on the ground.

lay down »    To lie down; to place oneself in a reclined or horizontal position, on a bed or similar, for the purpose of resting.

lay it on the line »    To state something, for example an ultimatum, strongly and clearly.

lay out »    To arrange in a certain way.

lead »    A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.

lead »    Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.

lead »    Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.

lead a charmed life »    To always be lucky and safe from danger.

lead nowhere »    To have no purpose, to result in nothing.

lead time »    The amount of time between the initiation of some process and its completion, e.g. the time required to manufacture or procure a product; the time required before something can be provided or delivered.

leading lady »    starring actress

leaf through »    Rapidly reading short sections at random.

lean and mean »    Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.

leather working »    The technology of making products from leather.

leave no stone unturned »    To do a task very carefully and thoroughly, not missing any step.

leave no stone unturned »    To search thoroughly for something, looking in every conceivable place.

leave nothing to the imagination »    He stripped down to a pair of see-through briefs that left nothing to the imagination.

leave nothing to the imagination »    To cover or hide very little or nothing.

leave somebody high and dry »    To abandon somebody; to stop providing assistance at a crucial moment.

leave somebody holding the bag »    To abandon somebody, leaving the responsibility or blame.

leave well enough alone »    To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient.

leave well enough alone »    To leave something alone; to avoid attempts to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient

left-handed compliment »    A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.

legal duty »    A duty prescribed by the law, to act or forbear from acting.

legwork »    Work, especially research or preparation, that involves significant walking, travel, or similar effort.

lemon law »    A law dealing with defective items, especially automobiles, and consumers' rights.

lemonize »    To damage something and then deny or be aloof from the damage.

less is more »    That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated; simplicity is preferable to complexity; brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity.1855, Robert Browning, "Men and Women":Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged.1954, "'Less Is More'," Time, 14 Jun.:The essence of Mies's architectural philosophy is in his famous and sometimes derided phrase, "Less is more." This means, he says, having "the greatest effect with the least means."2007, Gia Kourlas, "Dance Review: An Ordered World Defined With Soothing Spareness," New York Times, 3 Mar. (retrieved 22 Oct. 2008):The program, which features two premieres

let alone »    Much less; to say nothing of.

let go »    To no longer hold on.

let it be »    To leave something to follow its natural course.

let rip »    To get angry.

let sleeping dogs lie »    To leave things as they are; especially, to avoid restarting or rekindling an old argument; to leave disagreements in the past.

let the good times roll »    To have fun or live fully; may imply letting things that are going well proceed.

letters after one's name »    A list of abbreviations, separated by commas, representing the academic qualifications and civil or military honours achieved by a person.

level up »    To progress to the next level of player character stats and abilities. Often used in role-playing games when the character has aquired enough experience points.

level-headed »    Sensible; rational; possessing sound judgment.

lex dubia non obligat »    (law) A doubtful law is not binding.

licence to print money »    A means of generating a large income with little effort.

lick one's chops »    To anticipate something eagerly.

lick one's chops »    To look forward avidly to eating something.

lick one's chops »    To use one's tongue to remove moistness from the sides of one's mouth, as when salivating or at the conclusion of a meal.

lick one's wounds »    He's just off licking his wounds. He'll be back to try again.

lick one's wounds »    To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat.

lick out »    To perform cunnilingus on.

lie back and think of England »    . "think of England" refers to the importance of children.

lie back and think of England »    Used to preface any unpleasant but inevitable experience.

life of the party »    A person who participates in entertainment events in a very enthusiastic manner and who has a leading role in inspiring others to join in the spirit of festivity.

life's a bitch »    An expression of acceptance of misfortune.1950, Joy Davidman, Weeping Bay, page 184:She'd have been willing enough to use them, poor dead little bitch. Life's a bitch. Life's a bad joke.

life's not all skittles and beer »    Skittles and Beer refers to the carefree, indulgent bar life; skittles being a British pub game. Thus, life's not all skittles and beer means that not everything is about pleasure.

lift a finger »    To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.

light bucket »    Nickname for a reflecting telescope, especially one with a relatively large aperture and suitable for observing deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies.

light up »    To bring light to something, to brighten.

like father, like son »    A son will have traits similar to his father upon reaching adulthood.

like gangbusters »    Vigorously, rapidly, zealously, or forcibly; in a manner which has considerable impact.

like it's going out of style »    Enthusiastically, to an excessive degree.

like water off a duck's back »    Without immediate or lasting effects.

lily-livered »    Cowardly, lacking bravery.

line in the sand »    A defining moment, a cutoff point.

link whore »    Someone who goes to great lengths to get other people to link to his/her website or blog.

link whoring »    The practice of going out of one's way to place links to one's website on someone else's webpage.

lion »    An individual who shows strength and courage, attributes associated with the lion.

lion's den »    Any dangerous or frightening place.

liquid courage »    Alcohol drunk to induce a feeling of courage in the drinker.

listen in »    To listen without participating.

little pitchers have big ears »    Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).

little pitchers have long ears »    Alternative form of little pitchers have big ears.

live down »    To get used to something shameful.

live in sin »    To cohabit as if man and wife without being married.

live on »    To survive solely by consuming a certain thing.

live one »    A person, thing, or situation which is particularly interesting, noteworthy, or urgent.

live paycheck to paycheck »    To spend all that one earns without saving anything.

Living high on the hog »    Living richly, often above one's means

loaded for bear »    Mentally prepared for a daunting situation or confrontation.

loaded for bear »    Thoroughly equipped, as for a demanding task or confrontation.

loaded word »    Any word, set phrase or idiom that has strong positive or negative connotations beyond their ordinary definition.

lock lips »    To kiss on the lips; to engage in a French kiss.

lock up »    To invest in something long term.

lock up »    To cease responding, to freeze.

lone gunman »    An individual person who acts on his or her own initiative, without partners, especially one who has sole responsibility for doing something questionable, confidential, or iniquitous.

long absent, soon forgotten »    Love fades away when people are distant and don't keep close physical contact.

long arm »    A pole tool used for handling things too far away to reach.

long arm »    Influence, far-reaching power.

long drink »    Any drink containing more than 5 ounces of liquid and less than 9 ounces. Typically, a long drink will have lots of ice and mixer.

long finger »    A state of postponement or procrastination.

long finger »    Middle finger.

long finger »    [hire purchase]] or credit.

long goodbye »    Nickname for Alzheimer's disease, especially for the final phase of the disease, during which the patient suffers a progressive decline of cognitive and motor skills and gradually loses the ability to recognize and to communicate with family and friends.[1]; nickname for the relationship between a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease and that person's family or friends.

long haul »    Travelling a long distance.

long in the tooth »    Old.

long pork »    Human flesh.

long row to hoe »    A difficult or arduous task.

long run »    An extended period of time.

long shot »    A master shot, the primary wide shot of a scene into which the closeups will be edited later.

long shot »    Something unlikely; something that has little chance of happening or working. The term arose from the accuracy of early ship guns, which were effective only at close range and unlikely to hit the mark at any great distance.

long since »    Past.

long story short »    Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story.

long time »    Used as part of greeting of two people who have not been in contact for a long time.

long time no hear »    I haven't heard from you for a long time.

long time no see »    I haven't seen you for a long time.

long ways, long lies »    Someone who comes back from a far-off country can tell lies without fear of being contradicted.

longpig »    Human flesh when cooked in cannabalistic rituals in certain Pacific Islands, due to the allegeded similarity to cooked pork.

look before you leap »    Don't jump into something too precipitously; be at least a bit foresightful or circumspect.

look daggers »    To stare sharply at someone to indicate disapproval without actually speaking.

look forward »    To anticipate or expect; especially, to expect something to be pleasant.

look forward to »    To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure.

look off »    To mislead by directing one's apparent attention away from one's true object of intent.

look out »    warning

look the other way »    To ignore something wrong. Similar to connive.

look through rose-tinted glasses »    Alternative spelling of wear rose-colored glasses.

look up »    To obtain information about something from a text source.

look-in »    A quick short pass to a receiver running diagonally toward the center of the field.

looking glass »    mirror

Loose cannon »    A cannon that breaks loose during battle or a storm and causes serious damage to the ship and its crew.

lord of the flies »    A ruler over a worthless kingdom; leader of a meaningless microcosm.

lose it »    To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.

lose one's temper »    To be explosively angry. To get very cross.

lose the plot »    To cease to be behaving in a predictable and/or rational manner.

lose touch »    To cease to be familiar with someone or something or to cease to communicate or have contact.

loved up »    Alternative spelling of loved-up.

low road »    A course of action which is undignified, wrongful, or otherwise unseemly.

low-hanging fruit »    Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.

lower the boom »    To use one's superior physical strength; clobber.

lower the boom on »    To terminate or abolish something.

lump in one's throat »    A feeling of emotional sadness. On the point of crying.

lump to one's throat »    A feeling of emotional sadness. On the point of crying.

lump together »    To put different items or groups together and treat them, or think of them as one single group.

made in the shade »    In a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living, or general well-being.

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 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 point »    To take care in doing something of something; to pay attention or ensure that something is done.

make a pug-face »    Putting on a sorry face, as a pug would look.

make a splash »    To do something that attracts attention.

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 honest woman »    Especially if she is having a sexual relationship.

make book »    To gamble, either by placing or taking bets.

make do with »    To get along with whatever is available.

make it »    To survive, to live through something.

make it up as one goes along »    To improvise continuously.

make off with »    To steal something and run.

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.

mama's boy »    A male person, especially a young man or boy, who is overly attached to or influenced by his mother; a sissy.

man of parts »    A man that is talented in multiple areas of life. This includes but is not limited to the area of seduction. He puts very little emphasis on memorized scripts or "peacocking" and instead relies on individualized ways to charm a woman.

man proposes, God disposes »    Things don't always work out as they were planned.

man up »    To "be a man about it"; to do the things a good man is traditionally expected to do, such as: taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; displaying bravery or toughness in the face of adversity; providing for one's family, etc.

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 hands make light work »    A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.

many happy returns »    A greeting, usually for birthdays, in reference to the passing year; Happy birthday!.

march to the beat of a different drum »    To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and expectations.

mark time »    Marching in place; not going anywhere.

mark up »    To increase the price of something between its wholesale and retail phase.

mark up »    To add coding to text so that it will display properly on a computer.

marry in haste, repent at leisure »    Getting married too soon will lead to a bad marriage.

marry in haste, repent at leisure »    Two things together too soon will lead to problems.

match made in heaven »    A very successful combination of two people or things.

match made in hell »    A very unsuccessful or conflicting combination of two people or things.

matter of fact »    Something completely true.

meal ticket »    A ticket or voucher that can be exchanged for food.

meal ticket »    Someone or something that provides income or livelihood, especially as an exploited source.

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

meat rack »    A place where people can meet looking for sexual partners.

meat rack »    A rack used for storing meat.

meaty »    Of, relating to, or containing meat.

meaty »    Resembling meat in flavour, etc.

meet up »    To meet somebody, by arrangement.

melt into »    To become a liquid by melting.

melting pot »    Come together and are homogenized.

member for Barkshire »    Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.

memory lane »    A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.

mend one's ways »    To recognise one's failings and attempt to remedy them.

mess of pottage »    Something of trivial value, especially of immediate value.

mess up »    To botch, bungle; to perform poorly on.

mess up »    To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.

mete out »    To distribute something in portions; to apportion or dole out.

middle of nowhere »    Nowhere; any place lacking population, interesting things, or defining characteristics.

middle of the road »    Having a centrist attitude or philosophy; not extreme, especially politically.

might makes right »    The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.

mighty oaks from little acorns grow »    Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!

mince words »    To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms.

mind one's P's and Q's »    Alternative spelling of mind one's p's and q's.

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.

misfortunes never come singly »    bad things or situations always come in groups, they never come in a single way.

miss the point »    To fail to grasp the meaning of an utterance.

mix apples and oranges »    To mix two totally different things.

mix up »    misunderstanding

mixed bag »    Any bag containing a mixture of something.

mixed bag »    Something tending to have both good and bad results or characteristics; something having a mixture of advantages and disadvantages.

mixed blessing »    Something that has both good and bad features.

mocking is catching »    An admonishment to be careful of criticising others, lest the same happen to you.Mocking is Catching was the title of a 1726 song by Henry Carey.

moment of truth »    A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.

money can't buy happiness »    Money can buy external things, but true happiness comes from inside.

money for old rope »    Money exchanged for goods of low value.

money maker »    Something profitable.

money talks »    It is easier to accomplish goals using money instead of just talk.

monkey business »    An activity that is considered silly, or stupid, or time-wasting.

monkey business »    Wasting time, or effort, on some foolish project.

monkey wrench »    A problem, obstacle or dilemma; something unexpected or troublesome.

month of Sundays »    A very long time; too long.

mop the floor with somebody »    To trounce or defeat thoroughly or in a humiliating manner.

more haste, less speed »    When we are in a hurry, we often end up completing our task slower.

morning person »    A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.

morning, noon and night »    Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.

mother hen »    An outspoken and overprotective woman dealing with others' affairs.

mouse potato »    A person who spends excessive amounts of time using a computer.

mouth of a sailor »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

mouthful of marbles »    An indistinct, muffled or garbled manner of speaking.

move heaven and earth »    To do whatever is necessary, including extreme or unusual actions; to go to extremes.

move house »    To change one's place of residence.

move on »    To start dealing with something else.

move the goal posts »    To unilaterally change the rules, or terms of an agreement, especially in an unfair or underhand way.

move the goalposts »    To alter the agreed basis, scope, standards or target of a procedure or task during its course, especially to do so to someone's advantage.

much of a muchness »    Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them.

muck about »    To do somethings with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works.

muck in »    To join in attaining a common aim.

mug's game »    A foolish, profitless, or hopeless undertaking.

mull over »    To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.

mum's the word »    The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged.

muscle in on »    To interfere with, or intrude on something forcibly.

mutton dressed as lamb »    A mature woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if a deliberate attempt to appear young.

my eye »    Cheech and Chong.

nail biter »    An engaging or exciting cliffhanger.

nail biter »    One who bites or chews his or her fingernails.

naked ape »    A human being.

naked as a jaybird »    Stark naked; nude; especially, naked in a public setting and without embarrassment.

name and shame »    So as to single them out for individual blame and censure.

ñapa »    the little something extra

ne'er cast a clout til May be out »    Advice not to change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.

necessity is the mother of invention »    A person who is in great need of something will find a way to get it.

necker's knob »    A knob attached to the steering wheel of an automobile, especially before the widespread availability of power steering, helping the driver steer with one arm and leaving the other arm free to provide romantic attention to a companion.

necktie party »    An execution by hanging, especially a lynching.

needle in a haystack »    Something that is difficult or impossible to locate; something impossibly complex or intractable.

neither fish nor fowl »    Said of something not easily categorized or not fitting neatly into any established group.

neither here nor there »    Not important; having no significance or influence on the question at hand; not related; not relevant; not germane; not pertinent.

nest egg »    A savings; a reserve of money.

never change a running system »    Don't change something that is working

new school »    A style, way of thinking, or method for accomplishing a task that is typical of the current era, as opposed to former eras.

nickel and dime »    Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.

nickel-and-dime »    Alternative spelling of nickel and dime.

night person »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.

nightcap »    A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas. Nightcaps were common in northern Europe before central heating was available, when homes were cold at night.

nighthawk »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.

nine day wonder »    Something that generates interest for a limited time and is then abandoned.

nip in the bud »    To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.

nip in the bud »    To stop something at an early stage.

no biggie »    Not a big deal, not something to worry about.

no brainer »    Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.

no frills »    Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.

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.

no news is good news »    A lack of information about a situation suggests that nothing bad has happened.

no pain, no gain »    One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.

no prize for guessing »    Used to form expressions emphasizing the unsurprising nature of what follows.

no score »    In a sporting event, a score of zero to zero.

no screaming hell »    Something that is not particularly effective or impressive; something that is below expectations.

no slave to fashion »    A person whose style of clothing and appearance are unconventional, informal, or slovenly; a person who takes little interest in how he or she is dressed.

no spring chicken »    Said of a person who is no longer particularly young.

no strings attached »    Without conditions or obligations; without a catch.

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

non-starter »    Someone or something who was listed to start in a race, but did not start in the race.

non-starter »    Something that is not going to happen.

nose test »    An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

nose test »    An inspection of an object using the sense of smell, as for freshness of food.

nose test »    An inspection of the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.

nose-picking »    To insert a finger into one's nostril, especially to remove mucus.

not a pretty sight »    Something disappointing, disquieting, disreputable, or otherwise unworthy of admiration.

not a pretty sight »    Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.

not a sausage »    Absolutely nothing, none of something.

not a sausage »    Jill: Not a sausage I'm afraid, I'm just visiting.

not all it's cracked up to be »    Not as good as claimed; falling short of expectations.

not be able to get a word in edgeways »    To be unable to say a single word because of someone else's talkativeness.

not be caught dead »    To refuse completely to do something.

not in Kansas anymore »    No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings; in the big city.

not leave one's thoughts »    Said when one keeps thinking about something.

not long for this world »    Unlikely to remain for much time.

not much of anything »    Very little; not a lot.

not on your tintype »    An answer indicating outright rejection or denial; no way; absolutely not.

not to put too fine a point on it »    Used to apologise for a possibly impolite statement one is making.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Ambrose Bierce , The Fiend's Delight In conclusion, his respect for letter-writing ladies is so great that he would not touch one of them with a ten-foot pole.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Ambrose Bierce, The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Vol. 8.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Francis Lynde, The Quickening.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To approach something or someone.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong aversion.

not win for losing »    To repeatedly fail in one's gambles or efforts.

not worth a brass farthing »    Worth nothing or next to nothing.

not worth a dime »    Worthless, lacking in value.

not worth a plug nickel »    Having no or almost no value; worthless.

notch up »    To achieve something.

nothing flat »    Amount of time; no time at all.

nothing special »    Ordinary, run-of-the-mill.

nothing to it »    Easy; simple or straightforward.

nothing to sneeze at »    Not bad; decent; acceptable; worthwhile.

nothing to write home about »    Not exceptional; not noteworthy or especially good.

nothing ventured, nothing gained »    If one takes no risks, one will not gain any benefits.

now you mention it »    The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling.

now you're cooking »    A phrase, often given in response, meaning that the subject has switched to a more suitable or more efficient approach.

now you're talking »    A phrase indicating agreement with a previously stated suggestion to change a course of action.

nudge nudge wink wink »    A phrase added at the end of the sentence to hint that the speaker is referring to something else, euphemistically.

nut-cutting time »    Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.

nut-cutting time »    Time to gather nuts before they are taken by other animals or buried in snow.

nuts and bolts »    The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.

nutty as a fruitcake »    Behaving in an eccentric, foolish, or kooky manner; very nutty.

object lesson »    A lesson taught using a familiar or unusual object as a focus.

object lesson »    Anything used an example or lesson which serves to warn others as to the outcomes that result from a particular action or behavior, as exemplified by the fates of those who followed that course.

odd one out »    Something or someone in a group that is different or exceptional, that does not fit.

odds and ends »    Miscellaneous things.

of an »    Belonging to the same.

of an »    Indicates a more or less habitual activity during the given part of the day.

of sorts »    Resembling; similar to; in a way; partial or not entire; somewhat.

off balance »    Not physical balanced; not having physical equilibrium.

off board »    Not participating.

off chance »    A condition of not being likely or probable.

off one's game »    Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.

off one's game »    Playing or competing below one's usual level of performance.

off the chain »    Crazy and exciting; delirious and wild. By analogy to a frenetic dog when unleashed.

off the hook »    Of a telephone, having an open connection; not hung up.

off the hook »    Performing extraordinarily well.

off the radar »    Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.

off the rails »    In an abnormal manner, especially in a manner that causes damage or malfunctioning.

off the reservation »    Violating rules.

off the wagon »    No longer maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from an undesirable habit, especially drinking alcohol.

offer affordances »    To give elbow room or leeway for something to happen.

oh dark hundred »    Some unspecified hour in the early morning.

oh dark thirty »    Some unspecified hour in the early morning.

oil burner »    A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.

oil burner »    A heating device which burns fuel oil; an oil furnace.

oil colour »    painting

oil painting »    works of art

old habits die hard »    Existing habits are hard to change.

old hat »    Something uninteresting, hackneyed, or passé due to overuse or long-standing familiarity..

old hat »    Something widely or long practiced, known, or accepted; something conventional.

old hat »    Something with which one is very familiar, or in which one is experienced or skilled.

old money »    The monetary system used in the United Kingdom before decimalisation and consisting of pounds, shillings, and pence.

old saw »    A cliché, saying, or overused expression; especially a proverb or maxim.

old school »    Characteristic of a style, outlook, or method employed in a former era, remembered either as inferior to the current style, or alternately, remembered nostalgically as superior or preferable to the new style, the older denoting something that would be considered out of date or out of fashion to some, but as such, is considered by others as cool and hip.

old time used to be »    Ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend. Often used in songs.

on a full stomach »    Directly after eating, after a meal.

on a regular basis »    Regularly, occurring in regular time intervals or patterns.

on a roll »    Having a streak of good luck or good progress or success.

on a shoestring »    On a very tight budget; with few resources or little money.

on a whim »    Done without thinking seriously about the consequences.

on about »    Speaking about, talking of.

on all fours »    Similar in nature or effect to something else; consistent.

on an irregular basis »    Irregularly, occurring in irregular time intervals or patterns.

on at »    nagging

on board »    Agreeing or supporting.

on board »    Joining in or participating.

on course »    Proceeding smoothly as planned.

on end »    Remarkably long; continuously.

on good terms with »    Friendly towards; having good relations with.

on high »    "According to those on high there is no global warming".

on hold »    On reserve; being held for someone.

on hold »    Waiting on a telephone call.

on ice »    Not being used, or not to be used e.g.

on its merits »    Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.

on one's feet »    Being stable or capable, especially in a financial or emotional sense.

on one's feet »    Being standing up.

on one's feet »    Being well again after a bout of illness.

on one's hands »    Being one's liability or responsibility; with which one is lumbered.

on one's high horse »    Self-righteous; proceeding on the belief one is more correct or proper than others.

on one's soapbox »    Stating or professing one's opinion; attempting to persuade others of something.

on one's watch »    During the period of time when one is in a position of authority or responsibility.

on pins and needles »    Feeling sharp anticipation or anxiety; in a state of suspense.

on second thought »    After reconsidering; on further consideration.

on spec »    I'm writing an article on spec. I hope some magazine will buy it.

on spec »    Short form of "on speculation": Creating a work with the hope of selling it, as opposed to creating a work "on commission" for hire.

on steroids »    To a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.

on sufferance »    Unwillingly agreed to or barely tolerated.

on the anvil »    Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.

on the back burner »    Not immediate; inactive; receiving less than full or regular attention.

on the ball »    Alert, active, or attentive; on top of things.

on the ball »    Being in control of the ball.

on the blink »    Functioning erratically, malfunctioning; not working or not working well. Usually refers to a mechanical or electronic device.

on the bubble »    Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.

on the bubble »    Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position.

on the clock »    In the official time expired in a game or other sporting event.

on the clock »    In the official time remaining in a game or other sporting event.

on the clock »    Of a taxicab, engaged for hire; displayed numerically as time or fare on the meter of a taxicab.

on the clock »    Working at one's job; occupied in some manner during one's hours of remunerated employment.

on the face of »    Notwithstanding.

on the fence »    Undecided; wavering in one's opinion.

on the fly »    Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.

on the game »    Working as a prostitute.

on the go »    Actively traveling; busy; moving often.

on the ladder »    Figuratively a property ladder, owning property.

on the line »    On a level with the eye of the spectator; said of a picture, as hung in an exhibition of pictures.

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.

on the mend »    Healing or recovering, as from an injury or illness.

on the mend »    Improving or undergoing restoration to a previous, more favorable condition.

on the outs »    On unfriendly terms; estranged.

on the pill »    Using oral contraceptives.

on the prowl »    Hunting or seeking.

on the pull »    Seeking the intimate company of a member of the opposite sex.

on the rag »    Menstruating.

on the right track »    Using the correct general approach to a particular task or problem; pursuing something in a promising way.

on the ropes »    Leaning against the ropes of the boxing ring, as when exhausted and nearing defeat or collapse.

on the ropes »    Showing signs of imminent failure or collapse.

on the run »    Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.

on the run »    Fleeing.

on the same wavelength »    In rapport or complete accord.

on the skids »    In decline; going downhill; in trouble.

on the spot »    Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.

on the square »    A discrete, unassuming reference to freemasonry.

on the straight and narrow »    Honest; proceeding according to rules and plans.

on the tip of one's tongue »    Known but not quite remembered.

on the town »    Casually enjoying the nightlife of a town or city.

on the uptake »    In understanding or in the ability to absorb new information; especially in the phrases "quick on the uptake" and "slow on the uptake".

on the wagon »    By extension, maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from some other undesirable habit.

on the way »    Coming, approaching.

on thin ice »    In a dangerous, hazardous, or delicate situation; at risk.

on tiptoe »    Moving carefully, quietly, warily or stealthily.

on top of »    Fully informed about, and in control of something; up to speed with.

on top of »    In addition to something else.

on track »    Proceeding as planned, as expected, or in a manner consistent with an established pattern.

on wheels »    Having wheels affixed to the bottom, and so transportable.

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 and the same »    The same person or thing. Used to emphasize the identity or equivalence of two things.

one another »    Used of a reciprocal relationship among a group of more than two people or things; compare each other.

one can run but one can't hide »    There is nothing someone can do to evade something.You can run but you can't hide.

one card shy of a full deck »    Mentally deranged; demented; insane.

one of his majesty's bad bargains »    A worthless soldier, a malingeror.

one side »    You should move to one side and allow me to go through the passageway you are blocking.

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »    Words spoken by Neil Armstrong when taking the first steps on the moon.

one step at a time »    Slowly and carefully, ensuring that each action has been completed successfully before taking the next.

one swallow does not a summer make »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one swallow doesn't make a summer »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

one thousand »    Used in a common chronometric counting scheme, in which each iteration is sequentially numbered and supposed to be approximately one second in length.

one up »    To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.

one who hesitates is lost »    A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.

one's bark is worse than one's bite »    The individual acts threatening but is relatively harmless.

one's days are numbered »    Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.

one-hit wonder »    A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.

one-hit wonder »    A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.

one-night stand »    A single sexual encounter between two individuals, where at least one of the parties has no immediate intention or expectation of establishing a longer-term sexual or romantic relationship. As the phrase implies, the relationship lasts for only one night.

one-night stand »    An occasion when a performer or team of them expects to perform at a theater for a single evening.

one-note »    Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.

one-off »    Occurring once; one-time.

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.

one-trick pony »    A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.

one-up »    To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.

one-upmanship »    A succession of instances of outdoing a competitor.

one-upmanship »    The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.

only fools and horses work »    Philosophy of life that people who do not look for an easy way of earning a living are foolish.

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.

open fire »    To begin firing at something or someone.

open one's big mouth »    To speak about things, when it would be better to stay silent.

opening time »    hour at which a pub can start serving

opt in »    To choose to participate in something.

opt out »    To choose not to participate in something.

or what »    Or something else; allows for the existence of an unexpressed alternative to what was said.

orange up »    To make more orange.

orange up »    To make more prominent by making orange or adding orange colour.

orange up »    To become more orange.

out loud »    Using the voice; not silently; aloud.

out of character »    Not acting; not "on"; behaving within one's natural personality rather than that of a character in a performance piece.

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 fix »    Wrong, broken, nonfunctional.

out of gas »    Lacking fuel.

out of gas »    Tired; lacking energy or motivation.

out of house and home »    Cassandra Chrones Moore, Haunted Housing: How Toxic Scare Stories Are Spooking the Public Out of House and Home.

out of house and home »    Gail White, Partying with the Intelligentsia.

out of house and home »    Helping Your Dog Adjust to a New Home, The Progressive Animal Welfare Society.

out of house and home »    In a manner that deprives one of dwelling or some aspect thereof.

out of it »    Disoriented; not thinking clearly.

out of it »    Not participating in some trend or group.

out of kilter »    Disturbed; out of order; not working or adjusted properly.

out of line »    Inappropriate or unsuitable, especially by reason of being unmannerly or indelicate.

out of luck »    Experiencing a temporary misfortune.

out of order »    Not functioning properly.

out of place »    Amongst all those horsey people I felt quite out of place.

out of place »    Not in the proper situation or arrangement, or inappropriate for the circumstances.

out of pocket »    Lacking funds, or suffering a loss.

out of proportion »    Not in a proper or pleasing relation to other things, especially in terms of size.

out of sight »    In hiding.

out of sight, out of mind »    When something is not nearby, it is forgotten about.

out of the blue »    Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.

out of the frying pan, into the fire »    From an already bad situation to a worse one.

out of the running »    No longer in competition.

out of the way »    Not obstructing or hindering; not in the way.

out of the woods »    Out of peril; likely to recover or prevail over trouble; finished with the worst or most threatening part of a problem or illness.

out of touch »    No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.

out of touch »    No longer maintaining contact or communications.

out of whack »    Not working or operating properly.

out of whack »    Wrong, broken; specifically.

out of work »    Unemployed, or having nothing to do.

out on one's ear »    Fired, dismissed or thrown out, especially for some wrongdoing or otherwise with disgrace.

out on the tiles »    I've had a pint of bitter and now I'm feeling better and I'm out on the tiles." Led Zeppelin in their song "Out on the tiles", 1970.

out the window »    Made obsolete; altered drastically as a result of situational change.

out to lunch »    Away eating lunch or for a midday break; especially, away from work or a job.

outshout »    To shout louder or for longer than another.

outsider »    A competitor or contestant who has little chance of winning; a long shot; a dark horse.

over one's head »    More complex or confusing than one can understand; beyond one’s comprehension..

over one's head »    Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.

overleap »    To leap over, to jump over, to cross by jumping.

owing to »    because of

ox is in the ditch »    This is a big problem; there is unavoidable or demanding work ahead.

pachyderm »    A member of the obsolete taxonomic group Pachydermata, grouping of thick-skinned, hoofed animals such as the rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephant, pig and horse.

pack away »    To store away, place out of the way, or stash, especially for the longer term.

pack up »    To prepare for shipping, as a gift.

packing heat »    Carrying one or more firearms on one's person, especially in a concealed manner.

pain in the ass »    Something that causes discomfort or is otherwise troublesome.

pain in the neck »    Someone or something which is annoying, irritating or inconvenient.

paint oneself into a corner »    To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.

painting rocks »    Pointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment but in fact merely disguising the unemployment level.

palace politics »    The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers within a government, especially as involving internal rivalry and intrigue.

pan out »    By swirling dirt or crushed rock in a pan of water, in the manner of a traditional prospector seeking gold.

pan out »    To succeed; to proceed according to plan; to result or end up.

paper »    A newspaper or anything used as such .

paper »    A sheet material used for writing on or printing on , usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.

paper »    A written document that reports scientific or academic research and is usually subjected to peer review before publication in a scientific journal or in the proceedings of a scientific or academic meeting .

paper »    Wrapping paper.

parade of horribles »    A parade featuring a progression of people wearing comic and grotesque costumes.

parade of horribles »    A rhetorical device employing a series of progressively more terrible results following from an act.

pardon my French »    Please excuse my swearing or bad language.

pare down »    To reduce by paring or a similar gradual process.

parking lot »    A major thruway blocked by stop and go traffic.

parking lot »    An open area, generally paved, where automobiles may be left when not in use.

part and parcel »    An integral or essential piece; that which must be done or accepted as part of something else.

parting shot »    An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an end.

party animal »    A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.

party crasher »    Someone who attempts and often gains entry to a party or club to which they were not invited, often using social engineering techniques. The party crasher usually tries to blend into the party so as not to be kicked out.

party to »    Privy to; having knowledge of.

pass by »    To proceed past something.

pass off »    To misrepresent something.

pass out »    To graduate, usually marked by the ceremony at the end of their training.

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.

pass through »    To transit something.

pass through »    To make something move through something else.

pay for »    To exchange for, especially money for goods or services.

pay one's dues »    To acquire status or to earn the right to enjoy certain benefits, especially through lengthy experience, hardship, or service to an organization.

pay out »    To slacken a rope by lengthening it; to allow a rope to run out.

pay out »    To repay, take revenge.

pay up »    To pay for something in total, after a certain amount of time after receiving a purchase.

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.

payback's a bitch »    Usually a complete sentence: I will get revenge when you least expect it.

peaches-and-cream »    Of facial complexion, smooth, with attractive yellow-pink coloring.

peanut gallery »    Any source of heckling, unwelcome commentary or criticism, especially from a know-it-all or of an inexpert nature.

pearl of wisdom »    A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.

peashooter »    A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.

peel grapes »    To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.

peel out »    To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.

pelt of the dog »    An immoderate, excessive quantity of alcohol drunk the morning after whilst suffering withdrawal symptoms or a hangover, which goes beyond alleviating the complaint to causing drunkenness; cf. hair of the dog.

pencil skirt »    clothing item

pencil whip »    To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.

pencil-neck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

pencil-necked »    Having a very thin neck.

pencilneck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

pendre la cr%C3%A9maill%C3%A8re »    To have a housewarming party.

penguin suit »    A tuxedo.

penny for your thoughts »    Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted.

people person »    Someone who is happier or more skilled at dealing with people rather than things or concepts.

pep up »    To make stronger or more interesting.

perfect storm »    A situation where a calamity is caused by the convergence and amplifying interaction of a number of factors.

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.

phase in »    To introduce something little by little.

phase out »    To remove or relinquish the use of something little by little.

physical break »    A short break in a meeting or in a classroom setting, intended to improve attention.

pick one's nose »    The act of picking one's nose, insertion of a finger or other object into one's nostril.

pick up »    To collect an object, especially in passing.

pick up »    To collect a passenger.

pick up stitches »    Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.

pickin' and grinnin' »    Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.

pickle »    The brine used for preserving food.

pig in a poke »    Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.

pile-up »    A traffic accident or collision involving multiple vehicles.

pinch-hit »    To do something in the place of another person who is not able to perform or is less skilled; to substitute or stand in for somebody.

pipe down »    To be quiet; to refrain from being noisy.

piping hot »    Very hot.

piss off »    To annoy, anger.

piss up a rope »    To engage in futile or impossible activity.

pissed off »    Annoyed, upset, angry.

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.

pissing contest »    An immature dispute over some trivial matter.

pitched battle »    A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.

play along »    To take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.

play around »    To engage in sexual practices outside of marriage.

play ball »    An expression used at the beginning of a game of baseball.

play ball »    To start anything tumultuous.

play down »    To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.

play dumb »    To pretend to be slow-witted or lacking in specific knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or to gain some advantage.

play fast and loose »    To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.

play hardball »    To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.

play it by ear »    To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.

play it by ear »    To play a song according to how it sounds, rather than from a written score.

play Old Harry »    Blenkiron and I have been moving in the best circles as skilled American engineers who are going to play Old Harry with the British on the Tigris. — John Buchan, "Greenmantle", 1916..

play on words »    A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.

play one against another »    To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.

play possum »    To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.

play second fiddle »    To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.

play the ponies »    To bet on horse racing.

play the race card »    To assert that race or racism is responsible for a course of events, especially when race is not of particular significance to the issue in question; to attempt to inspire a particular reaction by raising the issue of race.

play up »    To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.

play with fire »    To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially.

plead the fifth »    To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.

plump up »    To shake or arrange so as to be fatter or more evenly distributed.

plus  »    (literally) The more it changes, the more it's the same thing (sometimes loosely translated as the more things change, the more they stay the same).Although the outward appearance may change, fundamentals are constant.

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 of no return »    The point in any journey, process, or sequence of events when it is no longer possible to reverse course or stop the process.

point out »    To identify with a bodily gesture, notably by pointing a finger or implement.

point the finger »    To accuse; to direct or imply blame.

point the finger at »    To accuse or blame.

poison »    A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism.

poison »    Something that harms a person or thing.

poison pen »    A usually intentionally rude, spiteful, and/or condescending piece of writing directed at a person, group, lifestyle, way of thought, or other target.

polish off »    To remove by polishing .

pony in the barn »    An exciting and real prospect, something to be legitimately excited about.

pop out »    To leave a room or building with the expectation of returning soon.

pop up »    To appear without warning.

pore over »    To examine something carefully and attentively.

pork sausages »    bangers

possession is nine-tenths of the law »    One who has possession of a thing has some right to it; a popular statement of the doctrine of adverse possession.

poster child »    One who is a prototypical or quintessential example of something.

pot calling the kettle black »    A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.

potter about »    To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.

potter around »    To potter, to be gently active doing various things in an almost aimless manner.

potter's clay »    A nation or kingdom.

potter's field »    A public place where strangers, paupers, and criminals are buried.

potty mouth »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

pound of flesh »    Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.

pound sand »    To engage in a futile activity.

pound the pavement »    To campaign diligently; to seek something, such as business, employment, or answers.

pour oil on troubled waters »    To calm something or someone who is tenacious or misbehaving.

pour out »    To talk volubly and deeply. Usually implies telling the truth.

power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely »    The corrupting influence of power is total when one's power is total.Lord Acton see: Wikiquote

powers that be »    The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially as seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.

prawn cocktail offensive »    A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.

pre-war »    Describing the most recent or significant war in a culture's history.

pre-war »    Describing the period before a war.

pre-war »    Describing the period before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

preach to the choir »    Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.

preprogram »    To program something in advance.

press the flesh »    To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.

pretzel »    Anything that is knotted, twisted, or tangled.

prevention is better than cure »    it is better to prevent the creation of a bad thing, than to destroy it.

price is right »    The cost of a thing is reasonable and of good value.

price on one's head »    A compensation for capturing or killing a person, especially someone guilty of a crime.

private branch exchange »    Telephone lines.

problem child »    Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or annoyance.

pronunciamiento »    A military uprising or coup in Spain or the Spanish American republics, particularly in the 19th century. They received this designation because coups were usually accompanied by a statement declaring the existing government null and void.

prop up the bar »    To spend time drinking alcohol at the bar in a pub.

proverbs come in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.

puddle jumper »    A small passenger airplane, typically used for shorter connecting trips to smaller airports.

pull apart »    To open something by pulling on various parts of it.

pull my finger »    A phrase used when playing a prank regarding flatulence, in which a mark is asked to pull the finger of the person playing the prank, who simultaneously flatulates so as to suggest a causal relationship between the pulling of the finger and the resulting expulsion of gas.

pull off »    To remove by pulling.

pull off »    To achieve; to succeed at something difficult.

pull one's finger out »    To stop wasting time in preliminaries, and concentrate on the important task.

pull one's socks up »    To start making an effort; to renew or redouble one's efforts.

pull oneself together »    To become mentally focused after a period of being unfocused.

pull out »    To remove something from a container.

pull out all the stops »    To reserve or hold back nothing.

pull somebody's leg »    To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting. It usually implies teasing or goading by jokingly lying.

pull strings »    To manipulate, especially by asking favours of.

pull teeth »    To do something that is especially difficult or effortful.

pull up »    Drive close to something, especially a curb.

pull up stumps »    To cease doing something, at least for the day.

pump iron »    To lift weights; to engage in weight or strength training.

pump up »    To inflate with a pumping action.

pump up »    To cause one's muscles to swell by means of focussed weightlifting.

punch bowl waterfall »    A plunging waterfall descending from a narrow stream into a pool.

punch in »    To enter a workplace by punching a time card.

purple prose »    Extravagant or flowery writing, especially in a literary work.

push one's luck »    To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.

push the boat out »    To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.

pushing up daisies »    Dead.

put a damper on »    To stop people from enjoying an activity.

put a foot wrong »    To make a mistake.

put a lid on it »    To be quiet; shut up; to stop talking about something or making noise.

put a sock in it »    To be quiet; to shut one's mouth; to stop talking.

put a stop to »    To terminate or abolish something.

put about »    To change direction.

put across »    To explain or state something clearly and understandably.

put all one's eggs in one basket »    Rather than diversifying.

put an end to »    To terminate or abolish something.

put aside »    To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.

put back »    To return something to it's original place.

put back »    To postpone an arranged event or appointment.

put back »    To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time.

put by »    To preserve food by canning, freezing, drying, etc.

put by »    To perform an action without attracting attention.

put down »    To set down, stop carrying, or place in a low location.

put down »    To write something.

put down »    To replace the telephone receiver and terminate a call. To hang up.

put down for »    To record that someone has offered to help, or contribute something.

put down roots »    To do things which show that one wishes to stay put.

put down roots »    To feel that one belong in a place.

put forward »    To change the time in a time zone to a later time.

put hair on somebody's chest »    To make a person stronger or more masculine.

put on »    To don clothing or equipment.

put one past somebody »    To deceive, trick, or fool, especially by concealing something.

put one's back into »    To make a strenuous effort to do something.

put one's foot in it »    To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.

put one's foot in one's mouth »    To misspeak; to say something embarrassing or wrong.

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.

put paid to »    To stop something once and for all.

put somebody in his place »    To bring somebody down; to humble or insult.

put someone in mind of »    To remind someone of; to inspire a mental image or awareness of; to cause thoughts concerning.

put something into perspective »    To compare with something similar to give a clearer, more accurate idea.

put the cart before the horse »    To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities.

put the cat among the pigeons »    If you set the cat among the pigeons, you will cause a flutter in the dovecote.

put the cat among the pigeons »    Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way. — The Times, 19 September 1994.

put the cat among the pigeons »    To cause alarm.

put the clock back »    To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time.

put the clock forward »    To change the time in a time zone to a later time.

put through its paces »    To test completely; to exercise the full range of abilities or functions.

put through the wringer »    To interrogate or scrutinize closely; to subject to some trial or ordeal.

put to the test »    To test something or someone; to evaluate, scrutinize or explore by testing or experimentation.

put up »    To hang or mount.

put up »    To cajole or dare to do something.

put up or shut up »    Desist from saying something unless one is able to prove it.

put up with »    To tolerate, suffer through, or allow, esp. something annoying.

put words in somebody's mouth »    To attribute to somebody something he or she did not say; to claim inaccurately that somebody said or intended something.

quantum mechanics »    Something overly complicated or detailed.

quick on the uptake »    Able to readily understand things; intelligent.

quick-and-dirty »    Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.

quick-and-dirty »    Of or pertaining to the creation or repair of software or hardware in a manner which permits operation within a brief period of time, although with compromised functionality or reliability.

quiet down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

quieten down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

quote unquote »    Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.

rabble rouser »    Someone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.

rack one's brain »    To struggle to think of or remember something.

rag bagger »    A sailboat, usually a cruising sailboats which tend to carry and store lots of supplies along the deck, or any sailboat that looks like a neglected vessel, or messy vessel.

rag bagger »    A sailor who tends to sail on messy cruising vessels.

rag the puck »    To retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.

rag-chewing »    A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.

rain check »    In social interactions, a polite way to turn down an invitation, with the implication one is simply postponing it and that another time would be acceptable.

rainy day »    A difficult period of need, when things do not go right.

raise somebody's hackles »    Make someone angry.

raise the bar »    To raise standards or expectations, especially by creating something to a higher standard.

raise the spectre »    To cause concern that something unfortunate might happen.

rake »    A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.

rake »    The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.

ramp up »    To be in the process of learning a new ability.

rank and file »    Those lacking any particular title or status; those having no station.

raring to go »    Extremely eager or anxious to begin.

rat race »    An activity or situation which is congested with participants and which is hectic or tedious, especially in the context of a busy, modern urban lifestyle.

rat running »    Present participle of rat run.

reach an early grave »    To die young. To die before the age of 80.

read between the lines »    To infer a meaning that is not stated explicitly.

read out »    To read something and say the words to inform other people.

read out »    To read some data and inform the person using the device.

read somebody's lips »    To discern what somebody is saying by watching the shape of the mouth rather than by hearing the sounds of the words.

real deal »    A thing or person which is genuine, authentic, or worthy of serious regard.

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.

real Macoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real McCoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real McKoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

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.

reality check »    A check or review to make sure something is consistent, reasonable, etc.

rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic »    To do something pointless or insignificant that will soon be overtaken by events, or that contributes nothing to the solution of a current problem.

rebound relationship »    A relationship proceeding a longterm relationship, usually short in duration and used to help mend the "broken heart".

red face test »    A hypothetical test of a person's embarrassment, that is either passed or failed. Saying one passes the red face test means one would not blush and thus would not be embarrassed by disclosing something to others or doing something, and saying one fails the red face test means a situation would cause them discernible embarrassment.

red flag »    A cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong.

red herring »    A clue that is misleading or that has been falsified, intended to divert attention.

red herring »    A smoke-cured herring.

red light »    A warning light, especially as a traffic signal indicating ‘stop’..

red light »    Denial to proceed. Ruling out of any possibility.

red mist »    Anger sufficient to cloud judgement, to stop clear thinking.

red state »    A state of the United States voting Republican in a given election, or tending to vote Republican in general.

red tape »    A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.

red-handed »    In the act of wrongdoing.

redolent »    Fragrant or aromatic; having a sweet scent.

redolent »    Having the smell of.

reflect on »    To think carefully about something, and give it due consideration.

reflect on »    At run-time using reflection.

rein in »    To stop or slow a horse by pulling the reins.

rein in »    To stop or slow something, by exercising control.

reinvent the wheel »    To redo work unnecessarily when it has already been done satisfactorily; to rethink an already working system, technique, etc. in a pointless attempt to improve it.

rest his soul »    Used parenthetically to mark the referent as being deceased.

rest on one's laurels »    To rely on a past success instead of trying to improve oneself further.

rev up »    To increase the speed of an engine, especially that of a stationary motor car.

revenge is a dish best served cold »    An expression that emotional detachment is ideal when taking revenge, as one is righting the wrongs that have been done to the doer.

ride roughshod over »    To act in a bullying or inconsiderate manner; to display disregard towards someone or something.

ride shotgun »    To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

ride tall in the saddle »    To act or conduct oneself in a manner that is imposing, impressive, resolute, or manly.

ride tall in the saddle »    To ride a horse in an erect, imposing manner.

ride the short bus »    To have a need for a special education program, as because learning disabled.

ride the short bus »    To participate in a special education program, such as for those with learning disabilities.

rim job »    Anilingus; act where one person licks the other's anus.

ring a bell »    To seem at least vaguely familiar.

ring around »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

ring back »    To return a phone call.

ring back »    To make another phone call to the same person.

ring false »    To seem to be incorrect, or implausible.

ring hollow »    To seem to be false or implausible; to be unconvincing.

ring in »    To make a phone call to one's usual place of work.

ring off »    To finish a telephone conversation and disconnect.

ring off the hook »    Of a telephone, to ring constantly or excessively.

ring out »    To sound very loudly.

ring out »    To make a phone call from an internal phone system to a general telephone network number.

ring round »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

ring up »    To telephone, to call on the telephone.

ring up »    To enter a payment into a cash register, or till in a shop.

ringside seat »    A seat in the front row of a boxing or wrestling match.

ringside seat »    Any vantage point providing an excellent view.

rip off »    To pull off by ripping.

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.

rivet counter »    A person who has an obsession with the minutae of their particular interest. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.

roach coach »    Whimsically, a catering or food truck.

road movie »    A film in which much of the action takes place during a journey, especially one involving overland travel.

road to Damascus »    A road to Damascus moment, or change, is an important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal, of ideas or beliefs occurs.

road to Damascus »    That was my Road to Damascus moment. They played one hit after another and this is the song I remember most clearly.

roadwarrior »    Alternative spelling of road warrior.

rob the cradle »    To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.

rob the cradle »    To use a young person for a purpose inappropriate to his or her age.

rock up »    To work one's way vertically up a chimney or cleft using a rocking movement.

rock up »    To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.

rocket science »    Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing.

rocket scientist »    One specializing in the science or study of rockets and their design.

rocket scientist »    Someone qualified to understand or handle that which is overly complex, detailed or confusing; a genius.

rocking horse »    toy

rocking horse shit »    A metaphor for something exceedingly rare or, more likely, nonexistent.

rocking-horse shit »    Alternative form of rocking horse shit.

roll down the windows »    To flail one's arms in a circular motion when off-balance, as to mimic the act of rolling down a car window.

rolling pin »    kitchen utensil

rolling stone »    A person who moves around a lot and never settles down.

Rome wasn't built in a day »    It takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive.

root cause »    An initiating cause of a chain of events which leads to an outcome or effect of interest.

ropable »    Alternative spelling of ropeable. Able to be roped.

rose-colored glasses »    An optimistic perception of something; a positive opinion; seeing something in a positive way, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.

rose-coloured »    Having a pink colour.

rough sledding »    A difficult period of time.

round of applause »    An outburst of clapping among a group or audience. Often asked for by the Master of Ceremonies at a concert or other performance.

round off »    To change the shape of an object to make it more circular.

round off »    To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.

round off »    To complete or finish something.

round out »    To make more complete by adding details.

rub in »    To apply by rubbing.

rub in »    To irritatingly make a point.

rub it in »    To add insult to injury; to emphasize one's strengths or another's weaknesses in a manner that degrades another.

rub off on »    To adapt to a way of behaving after constant exposure to it.

rub out »    By rubbing.

rub somebody the wrong way »    To bother, disturb, irritate, or annoy.

rub up against »    To touch something with one's body.

rub up against »    To touch another person with one's body in a sexually stimulating manner.

rub up against »    Of pets. To touch a person's body in a friendly manner, seeking attention.

ruffle some feathers »    To disturb; to arouse resentment, anger, or concern.

rule of thumb »    A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.

rule out »    To cross an item out by drawing a straight line through it, as with a ruler.

rule out »    To make something impossible.

rum go »    An odd affair; a surprising event; a confusing experience; a queer thing.

rumor campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

run a bath »    To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath.

run a mile »    To escape, flee or leave a situation or relationship, usually as a result of a shocking or sudden announcement or revelation.

run about »    To be very busy doing many different things.

run across »    To cross by running.

run afoul of »    To become entangled in; to run aground on.

run along »    To leave.

run around »    To be very busy doing many different things.

run around after »    To spend a lot of time doing things for another person or group of people. Often used when that person could reasonably do the things for themselves.

run away »    To flee by running.

run away with »    To leave secretly with another person. Usually with the intention of getting married or of living together against the wishes of the family.

run away with »    To be misled by imagining that one's desires can come true.

run down »    To find something or someone after searching for a long time.

run for »    To try to obtain political position through the democratic voting process.

run for one's money »    A difficult challenge for the person indicated, especially one involving a competitive situation.

run for the roses »    A college football game or series of games played with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the championship Rose Bowl game.

run for the roses »    A hard-fought competition or demanding challenge of any kind.

run in »    Alternative spelling of run-in.

run into »    To enter by running.

run into »    To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.

run off »    To write something quickly.

run off with »    To leave with someone with the intention of living with them or marrying them. Usually in secret because other people think it is wrong.

run on »    To continue talking for a long time.

run out »    Alternative spelling of runout.

run out on »    To leave a partner suddenly and without prior warning.

run out the clock »    To preserve a lead in a game by retaining possession, to waste time.

run over »    To cross by running.

run over »    To drive over, causing injury or death.

run scared »    To try everything to avoid defeat.

run something by »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run something past »    To bring an idea or proposal to the attention of someone in order to obtain their opinion.

run something up the flagpole »    To float an idea that one suspects might be controversial.

run the gamut »    To encompass the full range or variety possible.

run through »    To go through by running.

run through »    To repeat something.

run up »    Of a bowler, to run, or walk up to the bowling crease in order to bowl a ball.

run up »    To bring a flag to the top of it's flag pole.

run up »    To make something, usually an item of clothing, very quickly.

run up against »    Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.

running on empty »    Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.

rush hour »    The times of the day when traffic jams are commonplace, due mainly to people commuting to or from work.

rustle up »    To quickly prepare something.

sabre-rattling »    A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.

sabre-rattling »    Any threat, such as one company threatening another with a lawsuit.

sacred cow »    Something which cannot be tampered with, or criticized, for fear of public outcry.

safe and sound »    Having come to no harm, especially after being exposed to danger.

same difference »    It makes no difference; it amounts to the same thing.

same old story »    What usually happens, a happening which is not surprising.

say goodbye »    To wish someone farewell upon their leaving.

say grace »    To recite a prayer of invocation or thanksgiving at meal time.

scarf down »    To eat something quickly.

school of hard knocks »    An education consisting of real-world experiences, especially harsh experiences.

scrape off »    To remove something by a scraping action.

scrape the bottom of the barrel »    To use the least desirable parts of something.

scratch one's head »    To puzzle, ponder, or wonder about something.

scream »    A form of singing associated with the metal and screamo styles of music. It is a loud, rough, distorted version of the voice; rather than the normal voice of the singer.

scream »    An entertaingly outrageous person.

scream bloody murder »    To protest loudly or angrily.

screw back »    To cue the cue ball in such a way as to impart backspin. On impact, the ball will follow a reverse trajectory according to the spin.

scrimp and save »    To scrimp greatly; to economize; to live very frugally, particularly when saving for something.

scrounge up »    To seek or find despite a lack of apparent resources or availability.

sea change »    A profound transformation.

sea legs »    Ability to travel by ship without becoming seasick.

sea legs »    The ability, when walking aboard ship, to anticipate the motion of the deck so as to walk steadily without losing balance.

seagull approach »    The occurence of casual, ill-informed and hasty decisions or comments made by outside authorities who lack an understanding of the local issues or a real understanding of the facts of a particular situ.

seat-of-the-pants »    Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.

second banana »    A comedian who plays a secondary or supporting role, especially as straight man and traditionally in vaudeville or burlesque theatre.

second banana »    A person who serves in a supporting, secondary, or subsidiary capacity; an assistant.

second childhood »    A childlike state in any adult, resulting from mental illness, trauma, or other conditions.

second fiddle »    The person playing second fiddle.

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.

second string »    In sports, a unit of players that plays behind the first string.

second string »    Not as good; of a lower quality or condition.

second-guess »    Presumably from trying to guess with second sight.

second-guess »    Presumably from trying to improve with a second stab.

see a man about a horse »    A message signaling one needs to go missing for a short while, for any reason, without giving a real explanation.

see eye to eye »    To agree with someone; to concur; to get along.

see red »    To be angry or irritated.

see red »    To receive a red card, and be dismissed from the playing field.

see someone's point »    To comprehend the meaning that someone is trying to convey.

see something through »    To fulfill a commitment.

see the light »    To gain an understanding of something previously not understood, especially in a sudden insight.

see you later »    A phrase used at parting, and not necessarily implying that the person being addressed will be seen later by the speaker.

seeing is believing »    You need to see something to believe it; visible facts cannot be denied.

seek and ye shall find »    something can be found if it is looked for.

seize the day »    To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.

sell »    To agree to transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.

sell »    To pretend that an opponent's blows or maneuvers are causing legitimate injury; to act.

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".

sell ice to Eskimos »    To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

sell-by date »    Used to indicate that something, or someone, is old and out of date.

seller's market »    An excess of demand over supply, leading to abnormally high prices; a market condition favoring the seller.

send away »    To send to a particular place for a long time, as a family member, an employee, etc.

send away for »    To write to a business or other organisation, requesting a thing.

send somebody packing »    To expel or eject somebody; to chase off or force out.

send up »    To imitate someone or something for the purpose of satirical humour.

serpentine »    Having the shape or form of a snake.

serpentine »    Of, or having attributes associated with, the mythological serpent, such as craftiness or deceitfulness.

serpentine »    Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of snakes.

serpentine »    Sinuous; curving in alternate directions.

set aside »    To declare something invalid or null and void.

set aside »    To disagree with something and reject or overturn it.

set aside »    To separate and reserve something for a specific purpose.

set down »    Simple sum of parts set + down, to place, especially on the ground or a surface; to cease carrying.

set for life »    Possessing sufficient resources, especially financial, to last a lifetime.

set in one's ways »    Driven by habit; inclined or determined to continue according to one's custom or established preferences.

set of pipes »    A wind instrument incorporating multiple pipes, such as a panpipe or bagpipe.

set of pipes »    Voice for singing.

set off »    To count an addition in one thing against a reduction in something else.

set one's cap at »    . Or, more generally, to choose something as a goal.

set the Thames on fire »    To achieve something amazing; to do something which brings great public acclaim.

set to work »    To begin working at.

set to work »    To begin working.

set to work »    To cause to begin working.

set up shop »    To physically arrange a shop or workplace.

settle for »    To accept or allow something, especially something not entirely desirable.

settle upon »    To decide something over other options.

sexual congress »    Intercourse.

sexual congress »    Loose translation of the title of Aristophanes' play Ecclesiazousae, more literally translated as Assemblywomen.

sexual tension »    Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.

shake a leg »    To get busy; to get going; to be productive.

shanks' mare »    One's own legs used for walking; to "travel by shanks' mare" or "ride on shanks' mare" is to walk to your destination.

shanks' nag »    Transportation by foot. To "take a shanks' nag" means using one's own legs to walk.

sharp tongue »    The practice or characteristic of speaking to others in a harsh, critical, or insulting manner.

she'll be apples »    Everything will be all right.

she'll be right »    OK, no problem, everything will be all right.

shift gears »    To change pace or mode of operation.

shift gears »    To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.

shirtless »    Not wearing a shirt. Having a bare torso.

shit a brick »    To react strongly or excessively, especially in anger or fear.

shit happens »    Bad things happen, and there is nothing we can do about it.

shit one's pants »    To involuntarily defecate into one's pants or other clothing.

shit or get off the pot »    To choose between taking action now, or foregoing the opportunity until a later date.

shit-eating grin »    A broad smile indicating self-awareness that may suggest self-satisfaction, smugness, discomfort, or embarrassment.

Shittin in high cotton »    Living well, often above one's means

shoot first and ask questions later »    To take action with serious consequences without delay, preserving the benefit of surprise by not providing indication of one's intent.

shoot one's bolt »    To use up one's resources, especially a singular one or one not readily restored.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To act against one's own interests, e.g., by saying what one is really thinking.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.

shoot the breeze »    To chat idly or generally waste time talking.

shoot the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

shoot the moon »    To take a risk which may result in great rewards; to succeed after taking such a risk.

shooting iron »    A firearm, especially a handgun.

shore up »    To strengthen, reinforce, or consolidate.

short fuse »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

short leash »    Forcing one to function within a strict set of rules, or under great scrutiny or oversight.

short of »    Except; without resorting to; up to the point of.

short of a length »    Of a ball that pitches short of a good length; a ball that bounces closer to the bowler than the area of the pitch regarded as the best for dismissing or restricting the scoring of the batsman.

short strokes »    The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

short temper »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

shotgun »    A gun which fires loads consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.

shotgun »    A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Mostly heard in the southern United States.

shotgun »    A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.

shotgun »    The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver.

shotgun approach »    An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.

shotgun wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is already pregnant.

shoulder to cry on »    Someone offering emotional support to another in distress.

show somebody the door »    To escort someone to the exit of the premises; to expel someone from a room, gathering, etc.

show the flag »    Of a naval vessel or military force, to identify itself by displaying the flag of its country of origin, especially in order to establish an authoritative presence and to exert diplomatic or political influence.

showstopper »    A performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive reaction strong enough to pause the production.

shrinking violet »    A very shy person, who avoids contact with others if avoidable.

shroud »    A rope or cable serving to support the mast sideways.

shroud »    Especially, the dress for the dead; a winding sheet.

shroud »    The branching top of a tree; foliage.

shrouded »    Wearing, or provided with a shroud.

shuffle »    A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.

shuffle »    An instance of walking without lifting one's feet.

shuffle »    The act of shuffling cards.

shut one's face »    To stop talking; to be quiet.

shut one's mouth »    To stop talking; to be quiet.

shut the hell up »    Indicating disbelief.

shy bairns get noot »    (Geordie) Alternative spelling of shy bairns get nowt.

sick joke »    A joke which is in poor taste, especially one which depicts as amusing a situation which the listener considers to be tragic or disgusting.

sigh of relief »    A reassurance or support, something that reduces stress from an arduous activity.

sigh of relief »    A release of stress through breathing motions.

sight for sore eyes »    A pleasing sight, something that is beautiful to look at.

sight unseen »    Not having seen the object beforehand.

sign in »    To sign one's name on a list when entering somewhere.

sign off »    Term used to describe the closing of a radio or television station's studios and cessation of a broadcasting signal, usually during the overnight hours.

sign on »    The time of day when a radio or television station begins broadcasting, usually after being off the air for several hours.

signet ring »    jewellery item

silence is golden »    Peace and quiet have immense value.Often the best choice is to say nothing.

silver bullet »    Any straightforward solution perceived to have great effectiveness or bring miraculous results.

silver-tongue »    The trait of being clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.

silver-tongued »    Eloquent and articulate.

simmer down »    To decrease in intensity of anger, agitation, or excitement.

sing along »    A gathering or event where participants are encouraged to add their voices in song.

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.

sing song »    us prison

sing soprano »    To perform vocal music in a higher pitch than alto.

sing soprano »    To suffer castration or an injury to the testicles.

sing the praises of »    To commend someone's attributes to others.

singing from the same hymnbook »    Present participle of sing from the same hymnbook.

singing soprano »    Castrated or injured in the testicles.

sit in »    To attend something for one time, as a visitor.

sit out »    To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.

sit through »    To unwillingly stay seated until the end of an event.

sitting duck »    An obvious or unconcealed target.

sitting pretty »    Having a comfortable or certain supply of money or resources.

sitting pretty »    In a favorable situation, especially a situation in which one possesses an advantage.

size up »    To evaluate; to estimate or anticipate the magnitude, difficulty, or strength of something.

skate on thin ice »    In a risky, potentially dangerous or delicate situation.

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.

skin in the game »    A stake; something at risk.

skip out »    To shirk; to avoid attending or to leave early, especially without permission.

skip rope »    To jump over a rope, both of whose ends are held by the jumper or by two others, while the rope is moved under the jumper's feet in a continual rhythm; to play the game of jump rope or exercise by jumping rope.

slag off »    To talk insultingly to or about someone or something.

slam dunk »    Tacking on top of the wind of the following yacht in close quarters.

slanging match »    A row; an argument in which names are called.

sleep in »    To sleep late; to go on sleeping past one's customary or planned hour.

sleep on »    To consider after a period of sleep, implying a decision will be made the next day.

sleep on it »    To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.

sleeping at the switch »    Variant form of asleep at the switch.

sleeping policeman »    A speed bump.

sleeves from one's vest »    Something non-existent; something of no value or cost.

slip into something a little more comfortable »    To wear something suitable to be stripped off by a lover.

slip of the pen »    A mistake in handwriting.

slip of the tongue »    A mistake in speech.

slippery as an eel »    So crafty, or cunning that they cannot be caught by the police, although it is known that they are acting illegally.

slop bowl »    One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.

slow burn »    A gradually increasing feeling of anger or frustration.

smack of »    To seem like; to appear or give an impression or feeling of; to arouse suspicion of.

small arms »    Firearms designed to be carried and fired by a single person; often held in the hand.

small change »    A minor or insignificant amount of money.

small fry »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

small potatoes »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

smallpox blanket »    An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.

smart chance »    A substantial quantity of something.

smash hit »    Something that is tremendously popular or successful.

smear campaign »    An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.

smell a rat »    To sense something suspicious.

smell like a rose »    To be regarded as appealing, virtuous, or respectable; to be untainted or unharmed.

smell test »    An assessment of a subject's ability to detect and distinguish odors.

smell test »    An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

smell test »    An inspection of an object using the sense of smell, as for freshness of food.

smell the barn »    To experience heightened anticipation or to act with renewed speed or energy as one approaches a destination, goal, or other desired outcome, like a livestock animal at day's end returning to its barn.

smoke and mirrors »    A deceptive, fraudulent, or unconvincing explanation or description.

smoke signal »    A method of long-distance communication sometimes used in ancient and undeveloped societies, consisting of messages conveyed by means of columns or intermittent puffs of smoke.

smoke signal »    An indirect message or indication, especially concerning a future event.

smoking gun »    Evidence, particularly of a crime, that is difficult or impossible to dispute.

snake eyes »    Two ones, after rolling two dice.

snake oil »    Any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.

snazz up »    To improve appearance or appeal by increasing stylishness or functionality, or by adding other attractive features.

sneak off »    To leave a place, or a meeting, without being seen or heard.

sneak up »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

sneak up on »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

sneck posset »    A cold reception, closing the door on a visitor.

sniff out »    To find something using the sense of smell.

sniff out »    To find, especially to find something that cannot be seen.

sniff test »    An informal reality check of an idea or proposal, using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

snot-nosed »    Young and arrogant or conceited.

snow job »    An attempt to persuade a person using flattery or deception.

snow on the mountaintop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

snow on the rooftop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

so long as »    Depending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; as long as.

so much as »    Even; suggests a minimum, especially regarding what might be expected.

so much for »    An expression of disregard, or resignation; something said upon giving up, quitting, or disposing of something.

so quiet one can hear a pin drop »    Said during a lull in a normally bustling place or scene, or as the result of a sudden dramatic or tense moment.

so-and-so »    Anything generic.

so-called »    So named; called by such a name, with a very strong connotation that the item is not worthy of that name.

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.

soapbox »    Especially when only tangentially relevant to an ongoing discussion.

social death »    The alienation of certain people from society to the point of being forgotten, excluded, or ignored in society.

sod all »    Nothing.

soft sawder »    "If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!" —Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" — first usage.

soft sawder »    Cajoling or flattery.

soft shoe »    A kind of tap dancing performed in soft-soled shoes, popular in vaudeville.

soft touch »    A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.

soft touch »    A person or group which is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one which loans or readily gives money to another.

some people »    Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.

something awful »    Intensely or extremely; badly; in the worst way.

somewhere along the line »    At some unspecified time; eventually or once; at some point.

son of the morning »    A traveler.

song and dance »    An excessively complex set of instructions.

song and dance »    An excessively elaborate story or excuse used to justify something.

sort out »    To clarify by reviewing mentally.

sound asleep »    Sleeping still and silently.

sound off »    To hold forth about something in an opinionated manner.

soup-to-nuts »    Comprehensive; complete; covering all of something.

sour grapes »    A putting down or expression of disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.

sow one's wild oats »    To indulge in a period of irresponsible behavior, particularly sexually; Often used in reference to young adults or to the recently divorced.

sow one's wild oats »    To spread one's genes around by impregnating many females.

space out »    To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.

spaghetti western »    Nickname for a motion picture produced by an Italian-based company and filmed in Europe, depicting a tale of cowboys and desperadoes set in the American Old West.

spanner »    A hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts.

spanner »    A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.

spanner »    A problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome.

spanner »    A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.

spark off »    To initiate something by providing the necessary conditions.

speak for oneself »    Expressing disagreement with an opinion expressed by another.

speak to »    To give evidence regarding something; to attest for.

speak with a forked tongue »    To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.

spectator sport »    A sporting activity which has a relatively high ratio of watchers to direct participants.

spectator sport »    An activity which consists of watching or observing.

spectator sport »    Something, especially a process or activity, which is a popular object of observation; an activity which a person prefers to watch rather than to participate in.

spice up »    To enhance the flavor of something by adding spice to it.

spill one's guts »    To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.

spill over »    To enter into another zone by way of accident or overcrowding; to overflow.

spin a yarn »    To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.

spin one's wheels »    To make no progress despite making an effort; to get nowhere.

spine-tingling »    Nervy or scary.

spit it out »    To overcome reluctance to say something particular or to speak in general.

spit the dummy »    To a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner.

spit-and-polish »    Paying much attention to outward appearance.

spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar »    To have something important fail for want of a small amount of money or effort.

spot check »    A cursory inspection or examination or the inspection or examination of a sample of something.

spring fever »    A feeling of invigoration and restlessness associated with the arrival of the warm weather and renewal of nature in the spring season.

spring fever »    A feeling of laziness or listlessness associated with the arrival of the warm, comfortable weather of the spring season.

spring for »    To pay for; to offer money.

spring in one's step »    Enthusiasm, energy or a positive outlook or cheerful attitude.

spring onion »    scallion

spring to mind »    To appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.

spruce up »    To dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and neatly.

spruce up »    To refresh, revamp; to freshen or improve something, especially its appearance.

spur of the moment »    Impluse; short notice; a lack of planning.

square meal »    A satisfying meal, especially suitable for one performing physical labor.

square off »    To get in the fighting position.

square up »    To get in the fighting position.

squaring the circle »    A hopeless or impossible task.

squaring the circle »    The historical problem of how to construct, using compass and ruler, a square having the same area as a given circle.

squirrel away »    To stash or hide; to hoard, collect, save, or accumulate; to create a reserve, stash, or hoard of some supply, so as to recall a squirrel's burying of nuts.

stage of the game »    A point in the progress of an ongoing dispute or process.

staircase wit »    Thinking of an idea or course of action too late to use it effectively, or the tendency to do so.

stand back »    To stand a long way behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a fast bowler.

stand by »    To do nothing. To be inactive in a situation.

stand corrected »    Said to acknowledge someone who corrects something that one says or writes that was not correct.

stand down »    To wait; to stop pursuing or fighting.

stand from under »    To escape something falling or being thrown from above.

stand off »    To stand some distance apart form something or someone.

stand off »    To prevent any would-be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture.

stand out »    To be obvious or conspicuous, in contrast to one's surroundings.

stand the test of time »    To remain useful or valued over a long period of time; to last a long time.

stand up »    To rise from a lying or sitting position.

stand up »    To bring something up and set it into a standing position.

stand up against »    To defy or challenge someone.

standard fare »    Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.

standard fare »    Something which is normal, routine, or unexceptional; something which is commonly provided or encountered.

stars in one's eyes »    The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.

start off on the wrong foot »    To begin badly; especially, to begin a relationship badly.

start over »    To begin again; to return to the beginning.

stave off »    To prevent something from happening; to obviate or avert.

steal a march on »    To get ahead of someone or something by starting earlier.

step down »    To gradually reduce something, a little at a time, as an electronic step down transformer.

step in front of a moving train »    To sacrifice one's own life for a noble and loyal cause.

step on a rake »    To step on the tines of a garden rake, causing the handle of the rake to rise from the ground rapidly, invariably striking the person walking in the face.

stepping razor »    A dangerous person, who is not to be messed with.

stepping stone »    A stone that can be stepped on in crossing something, especially a marsh or creek.

stepping stone »    Something used as a way to progress to something or somewhere else.

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.

stick around »    To stay; to linger; to remain.

stick in someone's craw »    To cause lasting annoyance, irritation, or hard feelings.

stick in the mud »    A person unwilling to participate in activities, often because he or she believes the activity is not wholly kosher; a party pooper.

stick one's neck out »    To take a risk, putting oneself in a vulnerable position.

stick up »    To put up by sticking.

stick-in-the-mud »    Alternative spelling of stick in the mud.

sticker shock »    Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.

stickhandle »    To maintain individual possession of the puck or ball by controlling it with movements of one's stick, especially to do so in a skillful manner.

sticking at nothing »    Being ruthless

sticking point »    A disputed issue or state of affairs that causes an interruption or outright impasse in progress towards some goal or resolution, especially in negotiation or argumentation.

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.

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.

sticks and stones »    Evocative of the saying "sticks and stones may (or will) break my bones, but words (or names) will never hurt (or harm) me".1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped

sticky fingers »    A petty thief or petty thieves.

sticky fingers »    An inclination to steal.

stiff upper lip »    The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, associated with stereotypical British people.

still life »    type of painting

stir-crazy »    Of a prisoner, mentally unbalanced due to prolonged incarceration.

stitch up »    To close by sewing.

stone cold »    Very cold; lacking any semblance of warmth.

stop someone in his tracks »    To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.

stop the lights »    An interjection expressing exasperation or incredulity. or to illustrate the humour in a situation.

stop the presses »    An imperative form used to introduce especially new, important, surprising, or recent developments.

stop up »    To fill a hole or cavity, or block an opening or passage, as with a plug.

stop up »    To increase the aperture of a photographic lens, moving from an f/stop represented by a higher number to an f/stop represented by a lower number and causing more light to pass into the camera.

straight face »    A face that is expressionless, especially not laughing.

straight man »    A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.

straight out of the chute »    Something done immediately, or "from the beginning". Taken from rodeo routine: the bucking bronco, or bull, or the calf for the calf-roping contest is kept in a narrow pen, a chute, until it is released and dashes out to its fate.

straighten out »    To eliminate confusion from or concerning.

straighten out »    To correct; to stop doing something wrong.

strange bedfellows »    An unusual combination or political alliance.

stretch limo »    long car

stretch one's legs »    To walk about, especially after prolonged time sitting or lying down.

strike through »    Partly obliterate text by drawing a continuous line through the centre thereof, usually to indicate the deletion of an error or obsolete information.

strike up »    To start something with somebody else. Usually a conversation or relationship.

strike up »    To start something, usually playing live music.

strike while the iron is hot »    To act on an opportunity promptly; to avoid waiting.

string up »    To die by hanging.

string up »    To kill by hanging, especially to lynch.

string up »    To suspend by means of rope, cord or similar material.

strip away »    To remove something bit by bit.

strip down »    To remove all of one's clothing.

strip off »    To remove anything by stripping, e.g. items of clothing or paint from the side of a ship.

strip off »    To be removed by stripping.

stuck up »    Snobbish, conceited; believing oneself to be better than others; haughty.

stuffed like a turkey »    Engorged from overeating.

stumbing-block »    A hindrance, obstacle or impediment.

stumble across »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble on »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble upon »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumbling block »    A hindrance, obstacle or impediment.

stump up »    To pay for something. Often indicating reluctance to pay.

such-and-such »    A placeholder or generic thing.

suck face »    To kiss, especially deeply and for a prolonged time.

suck hind tit »    To be the youngest or most neglected child.

suck in »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck into »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck it up »    To put up with something; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.

sugarcoated »    Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.

surprise surprise »    An indication that the unsurprising happened, especially contrary to someone's hopes or assertions.

swallow one's pride »    To set aside one's feelings of pride and adopt a more humble or appropriate stance.

swan song »    A final performance or accomplishment, especially one before retirement.

sweat »    Fluid that exits the body through pores in the skin usually due to physical stress and/or high temperature for the purpose of regulating body temperature and removing certain compounds from the circulation.

sweet dreams »    Phrase said to someone before they fall asleep, wishing them a good sleep.

sweet tooth »    A liking for foods that are sweet; a weakness for sweets.

sweeten the pot »    To make something more desirable.

swim with sharks »    To operate among dangerous people.

swing for the fences »    To act in a way that might generate a very good result, but which also has a large chance of failing.

swing for the fences »    To swing at the ball as hard as possible, with the aim of getting a home run, increasing the chance of missing the ball.

swing state »    A state which may vote Democratic or Republican, in a given election or generally; a purple state.

swing the lead »    To pretend to be unwell so that you do not have to work.

swings and roundabouts »    Offsetting gains and losses.

switch off »    To lose interest, and start thinking about something else.

switch on »    To change one's expression or appearance as if by turning a switch.

sword and sandal »    Of or pertaining to a genre of books or films relating fantasy-adventure tales involving heroic exploits in ancient or biblical times.

sword and sorcery »    Of or pertaining to a genre of narratives—including short stories, novels, television shows, films, and computer games—which combines wizardry and other fantastical supernatural elements with violent combat using medieval weaponry..

tack up »    To prepare a horse for riding by equipping it with tack.

tag along »    To accompany, join, or follow; to go with.

tag team »    Two or more people or groups acting alternately to accomplish some task.

take a back seat »    To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.

take a bead on »    To aim a gun at something.

take a bow »    To accept applause at the end of a performance in a theatre. Often this includes actually bowing to the audience.

take a chance »    To risk; to try something risky.

take a gamble »    To risk; to try something risky.

take a hike »    To go hiking.

take a licking »    To suffer a defeat or a beating.

take a powder »    To leave in a hurry; run away; scram; depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with a connotation of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.

take a risk »    To do something risky.

take a shot in the dark »    To try on something without having any knowledge about the subject.

take a spin »    To go for a ride; especially, to try riding or driving something.

take a tumble »    To fall off something, or down something.

take against »    To stop liking someone. Become unfriendly.

take apart »    To dismantle something into it's component pieces.

take apart »    To move someone away from others to be able to talk to, or give them something in private.

take away »    To remove something and put it in a different place.

take away »    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.

take away »    To subtract or diminish something.

take away »    To prevent, or limit, someone from being somewhere, or from doing something.

take away from »    To make something seem not so good or interesting.

take back »    To regain possession of something.

take back »    To return something.

take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »    If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,

take down »    To remove something from a wall or similar vertical surface to which it is fixed.

take down »    To remove something from a hanging position.

take down »    To write a note. Usually to record something that is said.

take down »    To remove a temporary structure such as scaffolding.

take down »    To lower an item of clothing without removing it.

take five »    To break something up.

take for granted »    To assume something to be true without verification or proof.

take in »    To receive into your home for the purpose of processing for a fee.

take it easy »    An informal greeting for parting or closing.

take it or leave it »    It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.

take it out on »    To unleash one's anger on [a person or thing other than the one that caused it].

take it to the bank »    Said to emphasize that something is known for sure.

take leave of one's senses »    To go crazy; to stop behaving rationally.

take lying down »    To endure without complaint or protest.

take on »    To acquire, bring in, or introduce.

take one's time »    To go about something slowly and carefully.

take one's time »    To take more time to do something than is considered acceptable.

take out »    Alternative spelling of takeout.

take out of context »    To interpret something in a manner in which it was not intended to be understood, often deliberately.

take over »    To assume control of something, especially by force; to usurp.

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take over »    To become more successful than someone or something else.

take sitting down »    To tolerate, accept, or acquiesce; to take no action.

take someone's point »    To grasp the essential meaning of what a person is saying.

take something in one's stride »    Not to allow oneself to be set back, daunted, upset or embarrassed by unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.

take something in stride »    To cope with something without much effort; to accept or manage something well.

take the bull by the horns »    To confront a difficulty, rather than avoiding it.

take the cake »    To be especially good or outstanding.

take the field »    To go out onto the playing field.

take the fifth »    To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.

take the heat »    To take the blame; to be the focus of anger or scrutiny; to take the consequences.

take the offensive »    To attack instead of defending; to be bold and proactive.

take the plunge »    To get engaged.

take the rap »    To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the actions of another.

take the wheel »    To be in control of the steering wheel of a vehicle or a vessel.

take things as they come »    To accept and deal with events as they occur, with a composed state of mind.

take to the cleaners »    To take a significant quantity of a person's money or valuables, through gambling, unfavorable investing, fraud, litigation, etc.

take up »    That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.

take up the gauntlet »    To accept a challenge.

taking to ones heels »    running away

taking upon oneself »    venturing

talk a blue streak »    To talk for a long time, at great length, or to the point of tedium.

talk dirty »    To use profane language, especially sexual vulgarities for the purpose of arousal.

talk down »    To speak condescendingly or as though the listener is inferior.

talk like an apothecary »    To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.

talk the talk »    Speak like an expert, claim to be knowledgeable about something.

talk through one's hat »    To assert something as true or valid; to bluff.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

talk up »    In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.

talking head »    A pundit who discusses issues of the day, especially one on TV.

tall in the saddle »    Imposing, impressive; resolute; manly.

tall order »    A big job; a difficult challenge.

tar with the same brush »    To characterize using the same undesirable attribute, especially unjustly.

task force »    A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.

teed off »    Annoyed, upset, angry.

teething troubles »    Small problems such as are to be expected with some any new and untried system or product.

tell all »    To reveal everything, particularly information that is normally withheld.

tell apart »    To be able to know the difference between things; to distinguish.

tell off »    To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.

tell tales »    To be lying, to be making false claims.

telling off »    A reprimand, reproach, or lecture.

tempus fugit »    time flies (used as an alternative to this phrase)."Meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes", expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment.

ten foot pole »    See not touch something with a ten foot pole.

test bed »    Any venue, setup, etc. used for experimentation, testing, proving a concept, etc.

test the waters »    To explore or probe, as before making a commitment.

thanks for nothing »    Expression of displeasure towards a person who has not provided what was wanted.

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

that'll be the day »    Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.

that's that »    There is nothing more to say or to do concerning the matter.

that's the way life is »    That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.

that's the way the ball bounces »    That is the way things happen

that's the way the cookie crumbles »    That is the way things happen; that's life.

that's the way the mop flops »    That is the way things happen.

the ball is in your court »    It is your turn to do something; often making a decision.

the beast with two backs »    Two people engaged in sexual intercourse.

the bee's knees »    Most excellent; surpassingly wonderful; cool.

the bigger they are, the harder they fall »    The larger something is, the more disastrous and spectacular its downfall

the end all-be all »    Something ultimate; the best part of something; the thing which solves all problems associated with something.

the end justifies the means »    Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.

the end of one's rope »    At the limit of one’s patience, when one is so frustrated or annoyed that one can no longer take it..

the finger »    An obscene gesture, typically consisting of extending the middle finger at somebody.

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get »    (vulgar) The sexual satisfactions that one receives from a spouse or romantic partner are not sufficient to compensate for the significant periods of bad faith and unpleasant treatment which such relationships routinely involve.1971, Allen Churchill, The Literary Decade, ISBN 9780135375228:Years later she expressed her disillusionment with sex by saying, "The fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."1999, Ben Sonnenberg, Lost Property: Memoirs and Confessions of a Bad Boy, ISBN 9781582430454, p. 93:Maitland got drunk at his parties and threw his arm around you and pulled you over to his wife and made you look down her dress, saying, "The trouble with marriage is that the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."2008, Joseph Heywood, Blue Wolf In Green Fire, ISBN 9781599213590, p. 63:"I can't believe a little pussy got me into dis mess." "Shit happens," Service said. "Sometimes the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you take »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you're going to get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the icing on the cake »    Something wonderful at the end of something good.

the long and short of it »    The gist; the essence or substance; the most important or salient features; said of a summary or digest.

the long arm of the law »    The body of law enforcement officers.

the man »    The oppressive powers that be, including the government and corporations; the system, as coordinated outside of one’s control..

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.

the nose knows »    Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.

the pen is mightier than the sword »    More influence and power can be usurped by writing than by fighting.

the pits »    Something miserable or unpleasant.

the plot thickens »    Used, often ironically, to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation.

the proof is in the pudding »    Alternative form of the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

the proof of the pudding is in the eating »    The only real test of something is as what it is intended to be used for.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you take »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the screwing you get isn't worth the screwing you're going to get »    Alternative form of the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get.

the sky is the limit »    Nothing is impossible or out of reach

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.

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.

the terrorists will have won »    Phrase used following a description of an activity to indicate that if that activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, an which is an unacceptable result.

the thing of it »    The important point to consider.

the way to a man's heart is through his stomach »    Cooking for a man is a good way to win his affections.

the whole nine yards »    All the way; with everything done completely or thoroughly.

the whole nine yards »    And everything. Often used, like etc., to finish out a list.

the whole shooting match »    Everything; the entire collection, endeavor, or activity.

the world is one's lobster »    (UK, humorous) intentional misrendering of the proverb "the world is one's oyster"

the world is one's oyster »    In order to achieve something in this world, one has to grab the opportunity.

them's the breaks »    (idiomatic) That is the way things happen; that's life.

there but for the grace of God go I »    A recognition that others' misfortune could be one's own, if it weren't for the blessing/kindness/luck bestowed by fate or the Divine.Man's fate is in God's hands.More generally, our fate is not entirely in our own hands.

there is nothing new under the sun »    There is nothing truly novel in existence. Every new idea has some sort of precedent or echo from the past.

there ya go »    Expressing exasperation.

there you go »    Expressing exasperation.

there you go »    You have done it, or are doing it, correctly.

there you have it »    That is it; that is the situation or state of things.

there's many a slip twixt cup and lip »    In any situation, however well planned, something can always go wrong.

there's no accounting for taste »    When it comes to subjective matters of taste, people have wildly different opinions.Disagreements about matters of taste can't be objectively resolved.

there's no fool like an old fool »    Age does not bring wisdom.

there's no point crying over spilt milk »    You should not be upset over something that cannot be undone.

there's no such thing as a free lunch »    Nothing is free; everything has a price.

there's nowt so queer as folk »    Nothing is as strange as people can be.

there, there »    Conveys comfort; used to calm somebody urge somebody to relax, especially when the person is crying.

they're only after one thing »    Men are only interested in sex.

thief in the night »    Something stealthy or that occurs without warning.

thin edge of the wedge »    Beginning; opening; precedent.

thin end of the wedge »    Something that if allowed or accepted to a small degree would lead to systematic encroachment.

thin-skinned »    Having a thin skin.

think better of it »    To change one's mind; especially to decide against.

think of England »    To tolerate or endure bad sex. Used in conjunction with "I just lie on my back and.." "I just go through the motions and..." etc.

think tank »    A group of which performs research and develops reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporations, interest groups, or government.

third hand »    Not new, having more than one previous owner.

third string »    A unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.

third string »    Of a decidedly lower quality or condition.

third wheel »    A person or thing that serves no useful purpose.

thorn in the flesh »    A persistent difficulty or something very annoying that will not go away.

thrash out »    To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.

three Rs »    The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.

three Rs »    The basic education received in primary schools. Literally; reading, writing and arithmetic.

three skips of a louse »    Said about some trifling or insignificant matter.

three-martini lunch »    A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.

three-on-the-tree »    On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.

through the roof »    Rapidly increasing.

throw a fit »    To become angry, enraged, or upset; to act or react with an outburst, as by shouting, swearing, etc.

throw a spanner in the works »    To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.

throw away »    To discard or dispose of something.

throw caution to the wind »    Do something despite the risks.

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

throw down »    To cause something one is holding to drop, often forcefully.

throw down »    To accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to "represent".

throw down the gauntlet »    To issue a challenge.

throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.

throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn

throw in at the deep end »    To introduce a person to a new situation without adequately preparing him or her.

throw one's hat in the ring »    To announce one's candidacy in a contest.

throw out »    To discard; to dispense with something; to throw away.

throw out »    To dismiss or expel someone from any longer performing duty or attending somewhere.

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.

throw somebody a curve »    To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

throw the baby out with the bathwater »    To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.

throw to the dogs »    To give up on something valuable.

throw to the dogs »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as into the streets.

throw to the wolves »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as onto the streets, especially towards predators.

throw up »    To display a gang sign using the hands.

throwing money away »    The act of spending money foolishly; wasting money without regard of the consequences.

thumb a ride »    To flag or signal a passing vehicle in hopes of securing passage.

thumb a ride »    To secure a ride by flagging down a vehicle.

thumb one's nose »    To act disrespectfully, especially by flouting the object of disrespect.

thumb one's nose »    To place a thumb upon the tip of the nose, usually while simultaneous wiggling one's fingers, in a gesture of disrespect.

thumbs up »    A gesture signifying approval or okay; a thumb pointing up out of a fist.

thus and so »    A generic thing; a placeholder name.

thus and such »    A placeholder or generic name for something.

tickle the ivories »    I don't have as much time as I'd like, but I still enjoy tickling the ivories from time to time.

tie up »    To secure with rope, string, etc.

tiger team »    A specialized group tasked with testing the effectiveness of an organization's ability to protect assets by attempting to circumvent, defeat or otherwise thwart that organization's internal and external security.

tiger team »    An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.

tight-lipped »    Having the lips pressed together.

tight-lipped »    Unwilling to divulge information.

tilt at windmills »    To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

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.

time flies »    Time seems to pass quickly. Time flies when you're having fun.

time flies when you're having fun »    Time seems to pass quicker when one is enjoying oneself.

time heals all wounds »    Negative feelings eventually erode away

time of the month »    The time when a woman is menstruating.

time out of mind »    A lengthy duration of time, longer than is readily remembered.

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.

tin ear »    Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.

tip of the iceberg »    Only the beginning; just a small indication of a larger possibility; a problem is much bigger than it seems.

tip one's hand »    In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand.

tip one's hat »    To briefly remove or tap one's hat as a gesture of greeting, deference, or respect.

tipping it down »    Raining heavily.

tit for tat »    Equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.

to all intents and purposes »    For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

to go »    Belonging to the subgroup that have not passed or have not been finished or have not been addressed yet.

to that end »    For that reason, with that goal, intending to produce that result.

today we are all »    An expression indicating that the speaker empathizes with members of an identifiable group that was the subject of a disaster, and projects that others empathize as well.

today we are all »    August 12, 2008:, Robert Barnes, "McCain to Georgian President: "Today, We Are All Georgians"", Washington Post.

tomorrow is another day »    Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and a fresh start for one's endeavors.1600, author unknown, "Phillidaes Love-call to her Coridon, and his replying" (song), in England's Helicon, printed at London by I.R. for John Flasket:Phil. Yonder comes my Mother, Coridon,whether shall I flie?Cor. Under yonder Beech my lovely one,while she passeth by.Say to her thy true-Love was not heere,remember, remember,to morrow is another day:1896, Amelia E. Barr, A Knight of the Nets, ch. 8:"Well, well, my dear lass, to-night we cannot work, but we may sleep. . . . Keep a still heart tonight, and tomorrow is another day."1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, ch. 63:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day."2005, Fran Schumer, "JERSEY: In Princeton, Taking On Harvard's Fuss About Women," New York Times, 19 June (retrieved 18 Aug. 2009):"Half of me is depressed

tone down »    To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.

tone up »    To strengthen and make the muscles of the body firmer by regular excercise.

tongue-in-cheek »    Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.

tongue-tied »    Unable to speak; at a loss for words.

too big for one's britches »    Disturbingly confident, unacceptably cocky.

tooth and nail »    Viciously; with all one’s strength or power; without holding back..

top it all off »    To emphasize or underscore; to make something even better or worse.

top of the line »    The best, fanciest, or highest quality, especially among selections in a product line.

top of the morning »    A generic greeting said to someone in the morning.

top off »    To fill completely; to fill or refill the final portion of something not empty.

top up »    To fill something.

top up »    To extend the credit of something.

torque off »    To annoy, distress, or anger.

torqued off »    Annoyed, upset, angry.

toss-upness »    The quality of being a toss-up, usually used in reference to a toss-up state in American presidential elections.

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.

touch cloth »    To be on the point of soiling oneself.

touch-and-go »    Precarious, delicate, dangerous, risky, sensitive or of uncertain outcome.

touchy-feely »    Having a fondness for physical contact with other people, especially to an excessive degree.

tough call »    A choice or judgment which is difficult to make, especially one involving only two alternatives.

tough cookie »    A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person.

tough love »    The compassionate use of stringent disciplinary measures, to attempt to improve someone's behavior.

tower block »    high-rise building

toy with »    Handling something in a careless or frivolous manner.

track record »    An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

travel junkie »    Who are using their time and money to seek out adventure holidays and travel.

tread lightly »    To proceed carefully; especially, to seek to avoid causing offense.

trench mouth »    Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.

trick of the trade »    A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.

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.

trigger-happy »    Having a tendency or desire to shoot a firearm irresponsibly before adequately identifying the target.

trip balls »    Experiencing severe drug-induced hallucinatory trip.

truth be told »    Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.

try on »    By wearing it.

try out »    To test something in order to see if it works.

try out »    To undergo a test before being selected for a team etc.

tumble to »    To discover, or suddenly understand something.

tune in, turn on, drop out »    Pay attention to the new way of living; take drugs; abandon the established ways.

tune out »    To change the channel or frequency away from.

tune up »    To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.

turf war »    A dispute over territory between rival gangs.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn a phrase »    To create a particular linguistic expression which is strikingly clear, appropriate, and memorable.

turn against »    To rebel or oppose something formerly supported.

turn against »    To rotate against or in opposition to something.

turn around »    An upset; a suprising comeback.

turn away »    To rotate the body or head so as not to face someone or something.

turn away »    To avert or deflect something.

turn back »    To fold something back; to fold down.

turn back »    No turn a dial anticlockwise or adjust a clock or other meter to an earlier time or reading.

turn down »    To reduce the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn down »    To reposition by turning, flipping, etc. in a downward direction.

turn in »    To submit something; to give.

turn in one's grave »    To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.

turn of phrase »    An artful phrasing of words.

turn off »    To power down; to stop a device by switching it off.

turn on »    To power up; to start a device by switching it on.

turn on »    To rebel; to go against something formerly supported.

turn on its head »    To completely change.

turn out »    To extinguish a light or other device.

turn out »    To turn or rotate outwards or out of something.

turn over a new leaf »    To engage in self-improvement; to begin a good habit or shed a bad habit.

turn the air blue »    To speak a stream of bad language; to curse and swear.

turn the other cheek »    To accept a punishment or an injury and not act out revenge or retaliate.

turn to stone »    To become completely still, not moving.

turn to stone »    To cause something to become stone.

turn tricks »    To work as a prostitute, providing sexual services for money.

turn up »    To increase the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn up »    To reposition by rotating, flipping, etc. upwards.

turn-on »    Something that attracts, gives pleasure, or encourages, especially sexually.

turnabout is fair play »    It is allowable to retaliate against an enemy's dirty tricks by using the same ones against him.

twelve-ounce curls »    Drinking beer.

twenty-twenty hindsight »    Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To wait or dawdle; to accomplish nothing useful or lack a useful occupation.

twist in the wind »    To wait for an uncomfortably long period of time.

two birds with one stone »    Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.

two bob »    Two shillings.

two cents »    A nearly worthless amount, alluding to placing a copper penny on each of the eyelids of a pauper's or slave's body before burial.

two for two »    In baseball, meeting two out of two attempts at-bat. Specifically, it means the batter has reached base safely two out of two times.

two heads are better than one »    Some problems may be solved more easily by two (or more) people working together than by one working alone.

two left feet »    Exhibiting particular clumsiness, especially at dancing or at soccer.

two thumbs up »    A hand gesture indicating strong approval.

two thumbs up »    The strong approval itself.

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

two wrongs make a right »    A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another

two-bit »    Costing 25 cents.

two-fisted drinker »    Either someone who can handle their liquor well, or an alcoholic clutching a drink in each hand.

two-second rule »    A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.

under fire »    Criticized or held responsible for something.

under one's wing »    Under one's protection, sponsorship, or tutelage.

under pressure »    Being subjected to physical pressure.

under the gun »    The first player to act on the first round of betting in Texas hold 'em.

under the impression »    Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.

under the knife »    Undergoing a surgical procedure.

under the radar »    Without attracting notice; in an undetected or secretive manner.

under the table »    Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.

under the weather »    Experiencing adversity.

under the weather »    Somewhat intoxicated or suffering from a hangover.

underwater basket weaving »    "Sure, somewhere out there, college slackers were taking broom ball and underwater basket weaving." — The Columbus Dispatch, September 15, 2005.

underwater basket weaving »    An easy and useless college or high school class.

unring a bell »    To perform the impossible.

unring a bell »    To reverse the irreversible.

unring a bell »    To reverse the ringing of a bell.

until hell freezes over »    Forever; One will never in their life get the results that they want, no matter what they're doing involving the situation.

until one is blue in the face »    Forever; for a hopelessly long time.

until the cows come home »    For a very long time.

up against »    Facing; challenging, or opposing.

up against »    In contact with, abutting.

up for »    Willing to participate in; interested in.

up front »    Open, honest; tending to disclose information; truthful.

up in arms »    Angry; preparing for a fight.

up one's alley »    Matching a person's interests or abilities well.

up the ante »    To make something more desirable.

up the creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation with no means of rectifying it.

up the ying yang »    Far more than one needs.

up to »    Able; willing.

up to »    Considering all members of an equivalence class the same.

up to »    Doing; involved in.

up to no good »    Misbehaving, being mischievous.

up to snuff »    Adequate; of acceptable or quality; satisfying an appropriate standard.

up to something »    Doing something mischievous or scheming.

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.

up-and-coming »    Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.

uphill battle »    A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.

upper crust »    The topmost layer of a bread, pastry dish, or other item with a hardened coating.

upset the applecart »    To spoil carefully laid plans or arrangements; to spoil something.

urban fabric »    The physical aspect of urbanism, emphasizing building types, thoroughfares, open space, frontages, and streetscapes; while excluding without prejudice to this useful term, environmental, functional, economic and sociocultural aspects.

valley of death »    Death; or a place or period where death is impending.

valley of death »    The phase of a startup business beginning with the entrepreneur's fulltime commitment to it and ending when the business has achieved sustainable cash flow.

variable tandem repeat locus »    Any DNA sequence that exists in multiple copies strung together in various tandem lengths.

variety is the spice of life »    Variety is what makes life interesting

venus flytrap »    insect-eating plant

verge on »    To approach or come close to something; to border or be on the edge of something.

vertically challenged »    Of a person, short.

victory at sea »    Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.

vote in »    To collectively approve a nominee into an office or position as a result of voting.

vote out »    To expel the holder of an office or other position through an act of voting.

vote with one's feet »    To show a lack of support for something by departing or otherwise absenting oneself.

vote with one's feet »    To show support for something by going to or otherwise being present somewhere.

wack out »    To become deranged.

wade in »    To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.

wade through »    To do a boring, repetitive research task.

wail on »    To beat heavily on anything.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.

wait up »    To stay awake waiting for somebody to return.

wake up and smell the coffee »    To face reality and stop deluding oneself.

wake up on the wrong side of bed »    To feel grumpy, irritable; to be easily annoyed.

walk and chew gum at the same time »    To do something very easy.

walk in on »    To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.

walk in the park »    Something easy or pleasant, especially by comparison to something.

walk into »    meet with unwittingly

walk on eggshells »    To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.

walk on eggshells »    To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.

walk the line »    To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc..

walk the line »    To mark or secure a boundary by walking along it.

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.

walking on air »    very happy

wall in »    To enclose by surrounding with walls.

wall to wall carpets »    floor coverings

walls have ears »    There is a risk of being heard, so pay attention to what you say.

waltz Matilda »    To travel with a swag; that is, with one's belongings wrapped in a cloth.

warm down »    Gentle excercise at the end of a training session before cooling off.

warm fuzzy »    A good impression; a feeling of comfort or trust.

warm the cockles of someone's heart »    To provide happiness, to bring a deeply-felt contentment.

warm up »    To prepare for executing an already-learned activity by a limited amount of additional practice.

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.

wash away »    To eliminate, or destroy by fast moving water, such as in a flood, or a high sea.

wash down »    To help to swallow by drinking a liquid, after eating something, or taking a pill.

wash down »    To wash something completely from top to bottom.

wash out »    To remove something by washing.

wash out »    To lose traction while going around a turn, especially in cycling, motorsports and skiing/snowboarding.

wash over »    Of open water. To surge over the banks, or other retaining structure.

wash up »    To clean the utensils, dishes etc. used in preparing and eating a meal.

washed out »    Of clothes. When they lose some of their original colour from being washed so often.

washed out »    To be very tired and lacking energy.

washed up »    Finished; having no future in a particular role.

watch one's head »    To look out for things one's head might bump into.

watch one's mouth »    In the imperative form, used as a warning to avoid or stop using inappropriate language, especially profanity, or disrespectful utterances.

watch one's mouth »    To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.

water over the dam »    An event or set of events which has already happened and cannot be changed.

water under the bridge »    Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.

watered-down »    Diluted; containing extra water.

wax lyrical »    To talk about something with much interest or excitement.

way out »    excellent, amazing

way to go »    An expression of congratulations, encouragement, or approval.

weak sister »    A person or thing which is the least robust or least dependable member of a group.

wear down »    To have one's long hair styled in a free, low-hanging, unencumbered style; i.e., not in an up-do or ponytail.

wear off »    To disappear because of being abraded, over-polished, or abused.

wear out »    To punish by spanking.

wear rose-colored glasses »    To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.

wedding ring »    jewellery item

wee small hours »    He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.

wee small hours »    The very early morning, just after midnight, when most people are asleep.

weigh in »    To bring in one's weight, metaphorically speaking, to bear on an issue.

well begun is half done »    Much depends on the beginning of an endeavor.

wet behind the ears »    Inexperienced; not seasoned; new; just beginning.

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.

whale on »    To beat heavily on anything.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

what goes around comes around »    The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle.A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person.

what in God's name »    Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.

what on Earth »    Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.

what the Devil »    Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.

what the dickens »    Euphemism for what the Devil, used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning a question.

what with »    Owing to; because of; as a result of.

what's cooking »    What's happening?; what's going on?; how are you?.

what's eating somebody »    ? Inquired of somebody who is upset, worried, angry, etc.

what's eating you »    What is annoying or bothering you?.

what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander »    If something is acceptable for one person, it is acceptable for another.

what's the matter »    What's wrong? What's the problem?.

what's up »    A casual greeting with usage similar to "How are you?" or "Nice to meet you".

what's up »    What are you doing?.

whatever it takes »    Anything that may be required to achieve an objective.

whatsamatta »    What is the matter? What is wrong?.

wheel around »    To transport someone or something to various locations by pushing a wheeled transporter such as a wheelchair or a wheelbarrow or trolley.

when it's at home »    Plainly; in plain English; when it comes down to it; at it's most basic level.

when the cat's away the mice will play »    In the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.

when the going gets tough, the tough get going »    in difficult times, it is the strong-willed who take action.

when the shit hits the fan »    A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.

when, as, and if »    Used to indicate the timing and contingency of some obligation in contracts, especially financial.

where there's smoke, there's fire »    If there is telltale evidence of some event, the event is probably occurring.

whip up »    To produce something quickly, especially of a meal.

whipped cream »    dessert topping

whisper campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

whistle Dixie »    To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.

whistle in the dark »    To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.

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.

whistle past the graveyard »    To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.

whistle walk »    The path slaves took to deliver food from the kitchen building of a plantation to the main dining room. Slaves were expected to whistle during this walk in order to assure their masters that they were not eating the food.

white goods »    fridges, washing machines, etc

white hole »    A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.

white wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is still a virgin.

white-knuckle »    Causing fear, excitement, apprehension, suspense, or nervousness.

whitewash »    A lime and water mixture for painting walls and fences bright white.

who pays the piper calls the tune »    One who pays for something controls it.

who shot John »    A long and involved explanation; a thing of which an explanation would be long and involved.

who's 'she', the cat's mother%3F »    A rebuke especially directed towards children for having referred to their mother, or any other woman in the third person, instead of using a properly respectful title or their name when appropriate.

whole enchilada »    All of something or a group of related things taken in totality.

whole shebang »    A building or house and everything in it.

whole shebang »    Everything; the entire thing.

whomp on »    To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.

why in God's name »    Used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning question.

why on Earth »    Used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.

why the dickens »    Euphemism for why the Devil, used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.

wide of the mark »    Missing the target.

wild horses »    A force not subject to human control and normally stronger than a man.

wild-goose chase »    A futile search, a fruitless errand; a useless and often lengthy pursuit.

will on »    To wish intensely that someone succeeds in what they are doing. Often implies a silent, or almost inaudible wish.

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.

willy nilly »    Seemingly at random, haphazardly.

win over »    To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.

wind back »    To wind a tape, cassette, or film, etc towards the beginning; to rewind.

wind down »    Lower by winding something.

window dressing »    A means of creating a deceptively favourable impression of something or someone; something for appearance only.

window dressing »    The decorative display of retail merchandise in store windows.

window dressing »    The goods and trimmings used in such display.

window dressing »    These latest modifications are mere window dressing, the same problems remain.

window-shopping »    The browsing of shop windows without any intention of buying.

wing it »    To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.

winkle out »    To acquire something or someone with difficulty.

winter rat »    An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.

wipe away »    To remove or erase with a wiping motion.

wipe out »    To physically erase something written.

wishful thinking »    Decision-making based on self-delusion.

wishful thinking »    The illusion that what one would like is actually true.

with a vengeance »    Intensely motivated; resolute; forceful.

with bated breath »    "holding one's breath".

with flying colors »    Extremely well; in an exceptional, noteworthy, or extraordinary manner.

with open arms »    With enthusiasm, as if embracing.

wolf in sheep's clothing »    Something harmful or problematic disguised as something peaceful or pleasant.

woo back »    To gain somebody back by wooing him or her.

wooden spoon »    An ironic prize for finishing last in a competition.

word of mouth »    Verbal means of passing of information.

word on the street »    The rumour or news going around on the street.

word on the wire »    The rumour or news going around on the Internet, in business, on the street, or in social circles.

work against the clock »    To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work one's fingers to the bone »    Work especially hard, usually for an extended period.

work out »    To habitually exercise rigorously, especially by lifting weights, in order to increase strength or muscle mass or maintain fitness.

work spouse »    A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.

work the room »    To interact enthusiastically with the attendees at an event, by moving among them, greeting them, and engaging them in conversation.

work the room »    To interact with one's audience, taking queues from its reactions and adapting one's performance or words to elicit the audience's attention and enthusiasm.

working girl »    A prostitute.

working girl »    A young woman who works.

world »    An individual or group perspective or social setting.

world-beater »    Someone or something superior to all others of its sort.

worse for wear »    In poor physical condition due to long or heavy use.

wouldn't say boo to a goose »    Describing a quiet, exceptionally shy person.

wrap around one's fingers »    To make one susceptible to desire, in that their behavior or actions are influenced.

wrap up »    To fold and secure something to be the cover or protection for something.

wrap up »    To form a cylinder by rolling a sheet of something.

wrestling with a pig »    To engage in a pointless task that leaves one worse off for having made an honest attempt.

wring out »    To squeeze a wet material, either by twisting with one's hands, or by passing it through a wringer, to remove the water.

wring out »    To force someone to give something, usually truth, or money.

write down »    Down in writing; to record something.

write down »    In a simple or condescending style.

write off »    Figuratively, to assign a low value to something.

write one's own ticket »    To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.

write out »    To write in full length or expanded form.

write up »    To produce by writing.

wrong side of the tracks »    . May refer to area where the working class, poor or extremely poor live.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

yank off »    To remove something, like a piece of cloth or bread, by tearing it with one quick strong pull.

yank out »    To remove something like a nail, or a tooth with one quick strong pull.

year dot »    A very long time ago, from the beginning or as far back as one can remember.

year in, year out »    During every year; always.

yell at »    To scold, to rebuke - often by yelling.

yell silently »    To think very strong thoughts, that one wishes to yell out loud but does not.

yellow card »    booking

yellow-bellied »    Pertaining to an animal or reptile that has a yellow belly.

yes-man »    A person of unquestioning obedience.

yield up »    To give something against one's will.

yield up »    To disclose something hidden.

you can hang your hat on that »    It's something to put faith in, to rely upon or trust (when used in a positive connotation).

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.

you can't fight city hall »    (chiefly US) Nothing can be done to change the situation, because it is a governmental decision.I see they're going to build the airport after all. I suppose you can't fight city hall.

you can't get a quart into a pint pot »    What is being discussed is not possible.They've asked me to get to New York by five o'clock, but you can't get a quart into a pint pot!

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.

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.

you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs »    In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that something should be destroyed.

you can't polish a turd »    (vulgar) Something inherently bad cannot be improved.

you can't teach an old dog new tricks »    It is impossible, or almost impossible, to change people's habits or traits or mindset.

you can't unring a bell »    Some things can't be undone.

you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone »    It is advantageous not to rely solely on being nice.

you know what »    A phrase used to get someone's attention before announcing something.

you made your bed, now sleep in it »    A moralizing rejection said to someone looking for an easy out, especially of a situation they put themselves into.

you name it »    Used after a short list to show that further examples are unnecessary; all kinds of things.

you shouldn't have »    Used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity, especially when receiving a gift.

you're never too old to learn »    It is possible to learn new things, at any age; (implying) follow your desires and dreams

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.

yours truly »    A closing in a note or letter.

zero in »    To focus one's aim; to zoom in and center on something.

zero in on »    To converge on something.

zip one's lip »    To stop talking; to be quiet.

zone out »    To stop paying attention and think about something else, or to think about nothing.

zoom along »    To proceed quickly a long distance.

zoom down »    To move quickly along a particular route, list, etc.

BTW, Why won't you become an editor?