We've found 2617 phrases for nt (0.178 seconds):

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush »    It is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than a mere potential of a greater one.

a cold day in Hell »    An event that will never happen.

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

a dime's worth »    An insignificant amount.

a dumb priest never got a parish »    (Irish) Those who fail to speak up fail to get what they want.

a gentleman and a scholar »    An admirable person.

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

a great deal »    Very much; to a great extent; a lot; lots.

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

a into g »    Ass into gear.

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 life of its own »    An independent existence with some characteristics of life.

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 penny saved is a penny earned »    A maxim for thrift that says that money not spent may be spent later, or may earn interest in the meantime

a picture is worth a thousand words »    Alternative form of a picture paints a thousand words.

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 question of »    The important question is; the necessary question is.

a scholar and a gentleman »    An admirable person.

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 stopped clock is right twice a day »    A normally unreliable person or instrument can occasionally provide correct information, even if only by accident.

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.

above one's bend »    Out of one's control or power.

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.

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 up one's sleeve »    A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

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

across the pond »    On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

act out »    To go through the process of a scene from a play, a charade or a pointless exercise.

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

add up »    To accumulate; to amount to.

add up »    To make sense; to be reasonable or consistent.

against all odds »    Despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability.

against the grain »    Contrary to what is expected; especially, of behavior different from what society expects.

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.

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.

all along »    The entire time; always.

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

all cats are gray at night »    Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.

all cats are gray in the dark »    Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.

all cats are grey at night »    Variant of all cats are grey in the dark.

all cats are grey in the dark »    In the dark, physical appearance is unimportant.

all ears »    Listening intently; fully focused.

all eyes »    Having prominent eyes.

all eyes »    Watching alertly or attentively.

all eyes and ears »    To be attentive.

all fired up »    Excited or energized; highly enthusiastic.

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

all important »    vital

all in a day's work »    A nonchalant dismissal of a significant accomplishment.

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

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

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

all roads lead to Rome »    different paths can take one to the same goal

all the time »    Always; constantly; for the complete duration.

all the time »    Very often; frequently.

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 very well »    All right, to a certain extent.

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

allow for »    To take into account when making plans.

almost doesn't count »    Near success (or correctness) is not deemed success (or correctness).

amateur hour »    A situation or activity in which the participants show a lack of skill, sound judgment, or professionalism.

an axe to grind »    A grievance, with implications of confrontation.

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

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 so forth »    Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.

and so on »    Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.

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

answer back »    To reply impertinently; to talk back.

answer for »    To guarantee.

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

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

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

arm and a leg »    A relatively high price for an item or service; an exorbitant price.

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 »    Distant, detached.

arm's length »    Independent, but related.

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

around the corner »    Imminent.

as is »    In its present state or condition, especially as a contractual condition of sale.

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

as yet »    Up to the present; thus far.

as you sow, so shall you reap »    The personal consequences of one's actions are in proportion to the good or bad intentions towards others.

ash wednesday »    first day of lent

ask around »    To enquire about something to different people.

ask for it »    To provoke an unwanted action.

ask in »    To invite someone to enter one's house.

ask round »    To enquire about something to different people.

asleep at the switch »    Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity.

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 »    Frantically.

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 a pinch »    By the skin of one’s teeth; only just; Deo volente; perhaps; if you’re lucky..

at a stand »    In a state of confusion or uncertainty; undecided what to do next.

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 cross purposes »    Against one another; contrary in direction or goals.

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

At ease with nudity »    ISM free identification with nude recreation

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 home »    In the home of one's parents.

at last »    After a long time; eventually.

at odds »    In disagreement; conflicting.

at sixes and sevens »    In a state of dispute or disagreement.

at that »    Now that it has been mentioned.

at the drop of a hat »    Without any hesitation; instantly.

at the moment »    As atm.

at the momont »    now

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

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

at the wheel »    In control of the situation; in charge.

at this point in time »    Right now.

autem cackler »    Dissenters of every denomination.

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.

babe in arms »    An infant.

babe in the woods »    A person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless.

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

back burner »    A state of low urgency; a state of low current importance.

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

back into »    To reverse a vehicle into a space.

back onto »    To reverse a vehicle onto something.

back onto »    To overlook something from the rear.

back up »    So as to stop the ball, and prevent overthrows.

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 »    Identical or similar and sequential.

bad money drives out good »    Debased coinage (with low levels of precious metals) replaces purer coinage (with higher levels of precious metals).(metaphorically) Mediocre talent drives away real talent.

bad news »    News of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events.

bad penny »    A counterfeit or damaged penny.

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.

badge bunny »    A woman who is romantically attracted to police officers and who seeks out their companionship.

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

baggage »    In a metaphorical sense, factors that restrict a person's freedom, often in an intellectual or psychological way: emotional baggage.

baggage »    Luggage; traveling equipment.

balance out »    To counteract one another so as to be balanced.

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

ball up »    To crush into a ball shape.

ballpoint pen »    writing implement

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

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

bang up »    Excellent.

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.

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

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

barge in »    To intrude; to enter or interrupt suddenly and without invitation.

barn burner »    Any successful or impressive event.

barnburner »    Liberal faction of the New York state United States Democratic Party in the mid 19th century.

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 »    A wave that breaks with a hollow compartment.

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.

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.

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

bash in »    To injure someone by hitting violently.

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

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

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 have a serious argument accompanied with shouting.

be all ears »    To listen carefully or eagerly; to anticipate.

be around »    To be alive, existent, or present.

be in a spot of bother »    To have a slight problem, to be in a predicament.

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

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

be on about »    Talk about; mean, intend.

be the way to go »    Represent the best of all possible options or courses of action; pre-eminate over all other choices or alternatives.

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

bear down »    To intensify one's efforts.

bear on »    To be relevant to.

bear with »    To be patient with.

beat a dead horse »    To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.

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

beat around the bush »    To treat a topic but omit its main points, often intentionally.

beat out »    To sound a rhythm on a percussion instrument such as a drum.

beauty is in the eye of the beholder »    Individuals have different inclinations on what is beautiful. Individuals have different beauty standards.

bed of roses »    A pleasant or easy situation.

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

bee's knees »    Something excellent, outstanding.

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

behind the eight ball »    At a disadvantage.

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

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

bent on »    Completely determined; obstinate.

bent on a splice »    About to be married.

beside the point »    Irrelevant, moot.

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

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

between the jigs and the reels »    Eventually, despite all the confusion.

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

big break »    A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.

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

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

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

big fish in a small pond »    One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.

big gun »    Someone who is powerful or influential most often in plural form.

big top »    circus tent

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

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

bite me »    An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party.

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.

bite the bullet »    To endure a punishment or consequence with dignity or stoicism.

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

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

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

black sheep »    A nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person.

black-on-black »    A reference to interactions between black people .

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.

blessed event »    An occurrence or occasion which is particularly noteworthy and enjoyable.

blessed event »    The birth of a baby.

blind »    Any device intended to conceal or hide; as, a duck blind.

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!

blow a kiss »    To kiss one's hand, then blow on the hand in a direction towards the recipient.

blow away »    Flabbergast; scintillate; impress greatly.

blow chunks »    To be very bad, inadequate, unpleasant, or miserable; to thoroughly suck.

blow hot and cold »    To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.

blow off »    To vent, usually, to reduce pressure in a container.

blow off steam »    To rant or shout in order to relieve stress; to vent.

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

blow this popsicle stand »    To leave an establishment speedily.

blue moon »    The moon tinted towards blue as it appears in the sky, caused by dust or smoke in the atmosphere.

blue moon »    The third full moon in a quarter that contains four rather than the usual three full moons.

blue note »    Notes added to the major scale for expressive quality in jazz and blues music, particularly the flatted third, fifth and seventh.

bluewash »    To tout a business or organization's commitment to social responsibility, and to use this perception for public relations and economic gain; to present a humanitarian front in this manner.

bluewash »    To use a blue paint or glaze.

board up »    To block doors or windows with boards, either to prevent access or as protection from storms, etc.

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.

boil down to »    to be equivalent to; to reduce to.

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

booby prize »    A prize or status, often unwelcome, awarded as a joke or disincentive to the loser of a contest or for poor performance.

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.

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.

borganism »    Some forms of government.

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.

born yesterday »    New, naive, innocent, inexperienced or easily deceived.

borne out »    Substantiated.

bottle up »    Put into bottles.

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

bottom line »    The summary or result; the most important information; the upshot; the net-net.

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 »    By extension, any last chance or final opportunity.

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

bow out »    To resign, or leave, with one's credibility still intact.

bowl over »    To overwhelm with astonishment or wonder; to flabbergast.

box on the ear »    Administered on the victim's ear, usually by an educator, to enforce attention.

box the compass »    To know, and be able to recite the 32 points and quarter points of the magnetic compass from North, both clockwise and anticlockwise.

brace of shakes »    The time taken for a sail to shake or shiver twice as a ship comes into the wind.

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

brain surgeon »    Someone very intelligent.

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

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

bread and butter »    That which is central or fundamental, as to one's business, survival, or income; a staple or cornerstone.

break a sweat »    To put effort into something.

break down »    To become unstable, mentally or otherwise.

break ground »    To initiate a new venture, or to advance beyond previous achievements.

break in »    To enter by force or illicit means.

break into »    To enter illegally or by force.

break into »    To open or begin to use.

break into »    To try to start in a profession or business.

break into »    To begin suddenly.

break new ground »    By extension, to initiate a new venture.

break off »    To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.

break out »    To escape, especially forcefully or defiantly.

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

break up »    To break or separate into pieces; to disintegrate or come apart.

break up »    To break or separate into pieces.

brickbat »    A criticism or uncomplimentary remark hurled at artwork or other recipient.

brickbat »    For example, it's quite common for magazines to have a section called Bouquets and Brickbats for compliments and criticisms.

bridge »    A device which connects two or more computer buses, typically in a transparent manner.

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 statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.

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 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 »    An unintended solder connection between two or more components or pins.

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 »    A clear distinction in the context of a legal or moral judgment.

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

bring down the house »    To garner enthusiastic or wild applause.

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

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

bring out »    To make a shy person more confident.

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 up »    To mention.

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

brown bag »    A short presentation or seminar on a given subject, especially one given at lunchtime.

brown noser »    One who sucks up; a bootlicker, ass-kisser, sycophant.

brown power »    The production of electricity made from conventional sources, such as coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power.

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

bug out »    Miss school, play truant, play hooky.

bugger off »    An expression of disagreement or disbelief.

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

bulletproof »    Reliable, infallible, sturdy or error-tolerant.

bum rap »    A false accusation, or an injustice, especially one that leads to imprisonment.

bum rush »    Storming into an establishment.

bum steer »    Bad advice, regardless of intention.

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 into »    To meet someone by chance.

bump up »    To give a more prominent place to; to advance position in queue.

bundle of energy »    One who is especially lively, continually active, or industrious.

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

bundle of nerves »    A lively, continually active person.

bunk off »    To play truant.

burn rubber »    To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.

burn the midnight oil »    To work studiously, especially late into the night.

burn up »    To catch fire and burn until destroyed.

burnt to a crisp »    Inedible.

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.

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.

busted flush »    A potential flush which ultimately was not filled.

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

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 then »    Then again, on the other hand; used to show that the opposite viewpoint is possible.

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

butter up »    To flatter, especially with the intent of personal gain.

butterfly upon a wheel »    An innocent person crushed by life's adversities.

button-down »    Conservative; conventional; unimaginative.

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

buy straw hats in winter »    Of stocks, to buy when both demand and price is low, sell when demand and price is high.

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 dint of »    By reason of; by means of.

by far »    To a considerably large extent, easily.

by oneself »    Alone; without assistance, accompaniment, or help from others.

by the book »    In a manner which adheres strictly to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.

by the by »    Used to introduce a new topic; incidentally.

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 way »    [...] I had counted on a life-lease of the profits, whereas I only received those of a few short years. But this is by the way.

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

call 'em as one sees 'em »    To candidly and honestly express an opinion or viewpoint.

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 on »    In a classroom, to select a student.

call on »    To correct; to point out an error or untruth.

call out »    To order into service; to summon into service.

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 »    Excrement, especially of a domestic animal.

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

can of worms »    A troublesome situation; an issue whose resolution is difficult or contentious, but not necessarily complex.

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

captain of industry »    A prominent business person who owns or is the highest-ranking executive of one or more major firms, especially one who has considerable wealth and influence.

carpe diem »    seize the day, make the most of today, enjoy the present

carrot and stick »    Simultaneous rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior.

carry away »    To break under sudden pressure of violent wind.

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

carry on »    To act or behave; especially to act or behave so as to attract attention.

carry on »    To continue or proceed as before.

carry on »    To have or maintain.

carry on »    To take baggage or luggage onto an airplane, rather than check it.

carry one's own weight »    A variant of carry one's weight.

carry one's weight »    To contribute or produce one's fair share, as of work, money, etc.

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

case in point »    An example that illustrates a point.

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.

cash in »    To profit from; to use an opportunity to maximum advantage, especially financially.

cast up one's accounts »    To vomit.

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.

catbird seat »    Expression used to describe an enviable position, often one of great advantage.

catch a tan »    To get a suntan.

catch someone's eye »    To capture someone's attention.

catch up »    To entangle.

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.

catch-as-catch-can »    Intermittent; only when possible or when the opportunity presents itself.

cattle call »    An audition which is open to the public and thus draws a large number of applicants, many of whom are inexperienced.

caucus race »    The competitive process in which a political party selects their candidate, esp. presidential; a primary election via caucus.

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

cause a stir »    To cause controversy, or raise a disturbance.

cave in »    The act of relenting.

center field »    A central role in some activity that requires speed.

center field »    The defensive position in the outfield in the middle, typically played by a player that can run fast.

center field »    The part of a baseball field which is beyond the infield and straight ahead left if you stand on home plate and face the pitcher.

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

chalk up to »    To attribute or account for something.

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 one's mind »    To decide differently than one had decided before.

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

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 after »    To pursue someone with romantic intentions; to woo.

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.

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

cheese down »    To coil the tail of a rope on deck so as to present a neat appearance.

cherry pick »    To position oneself near the opponent's goal to attempt to receive an errant or intentional pass for an easy score, as in basketball or versions of soccer where offsides are not enforced.

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

chicken feed »    A very small or insignificant quantity, especially of money.

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

chip in »    To contribute.

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 in »    To put into the pot the amount of chips or money required to continue.

chip off the old block »    Someone who takes after their parent.

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

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

chrome horn »    The front bumper of a car when used to bump another vehicle, usually to inform the driver of the other vehicle, that the first car would like to pass.

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.

circle the wagons »    To draw a wagon train into a circle to allow the wagons to provide cover when under attack.

circuit slugger »    A talented baseball batter that hits home runs.

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 provide specific references from an authoritative book, as the Bible or a book of statutes or rules, to support a statement.

city slicker »    One accustomed to a city or urban lifestyle or unsuited to life in the country.

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

class clown »    A student who frequently makes jokes or pokes fun; a wiseacre.

clean house »    To clean the interior of a house.

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.

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

climb the walls »    To behave in a distressed or frantic manner; to feel very agitated.

climb up »    To make a gradual ascent or increase.

climbing the walls »    Present participle of climb the walls.

clock up »    To accumulate a large amount of time.

close down »    To surround someone, as to impede their movement.

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

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 the stable door after the horse has bolted »    To attempt to prevent a problem only to find it has already happened.

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 up »    Unintentionally; to screw up, mess up or f** up.

Cold hands, warm heart; Dirty feet, no sweetheart! »    A few old timer's "fun" way to compliment a lady & to find out if she could be courted.

cold turkey »    The sudden and complete withdrawal of a dependent substance, especially of a drug.

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 across »    To find, usually by accident.

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

come by »    To obtain; to get, now especially by chance or involuntarily.

come down to us »    To survive to the present day; to be extant in some form.

come down with »    To contract or get; to show symptoms of a minor illness.

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

come in »    To enter.

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 encounter, discover; to come upon.

come on »    An expression of encouragement.

come online »    To enter service or become active.

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

come out in the wash »    Of problems or difficulties, to work out, resolve, or become understood eventually and naturally.

come out of the woodwork »    To appear or emerge as though out of nowhere, frequently in large numbers or quantity.

come the acid »    To make oneself unpleasant, especially by sarcasm.

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 total; to amount to.

come to »    To devote attention to in due course; to come around to.

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

come to a head »    To suddenly reveal that which has lain latent for a time.

come to grips »    To confront or deal with directly.

come to terms »    To reach an agreement or settle a dispute.

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

come unstuck »    To get into trouble, to have an accident or mishap, to go off the rails.

come up »    To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly; to come to attention, present itself.

come up with »    To invent, create, or think of.

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 ground »    A characteristic or interest shared by multiple people or systems.

company »    A unit of firefighters and their equipment.

company »    As he had worked for the CIA for over 30 years, he would soon take retirement from the company.

company »    In legal context, an entity that manufactures or sells products , or provides services as a commercial venture. A corporation.

company »    In non-legal context, any business, without respect to incorporation.

company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

company »    The entire crew of a ship.

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.

consume mass quantities »    To eat or drink abundant amounts of food or beverage.

consume mass quantities »    To use large amounts of any resource.

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.

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

cool one's jets »    To become less excited, intense, or active.

cop out »    To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.

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

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

coug it »    To suddenly lose a contest through reversal of fortune, mistakes, or bad judgment. The phrase is analogous to "blow it", or "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory".

cough up »    To lose a competition by one's own mistakes, usually near the end of the contest.

count on »    To rely upon, trust, or expect.

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.

couple up »    To get into pairs.

covenant of salt »    A long-lasting agreement.

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 a crib »    To break into a house.

crack down »    To enforce more stringently or more thoroughly.

crack down on »    To enforce laws or punish more vigilantly.

crack of dawn »    The first moment of daylight; sunrise.

crack up »    To become insane; to suffer a mental breakdown.

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.

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

creature feature »    A horror film in which one or more monsters plays a prominent role.

creep into »    To enter something or somewhere by creeping.

creep into »    To enter surreptitiously.

cross someone's palm »    To give money to a person, especially as a bribe or as an inducement to perform a service.

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 aisle »    To vote, unite, or otherwise co-operate with members of another political party in order to achieve governmental or political action.

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 floor »    To vote against one's own political party in parliament.

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

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

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

cube out »    To reach the volume limit of a container.

cup of tea »    Whatever suits or interests one.

curry favor »    To seek to gain favor by flattery or attention.

curveball »    An unexpected turn of events initiated by an opponent or chance.

cut a rug »    To dance, especially in a vigorous manner and in one of the dance styles of the first half of the twentieth century.

cut a swath »    Variant form of cut a wide swath.

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

cut down »    To reduce the amount of something.

cut in »    To intrude or interrupt.

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

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

cut off »    To isolate or remove from contact.

cut off »    To interrupt.

cut short »    Interrupt and curtail before the planned end time.

cut somebody some slack »    To be patient or lenient with somebody; to relax standards or expectations.

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

cut up »    To cut into smaller pieces.

cut up »    To aggressively move in front of another vehicle.

cut-and-thrust »    A vehement argument.

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

damn with faint praise »    To provide praise that is so minimal or inconsequential as to actually amount to criticism.

darken somebody's doorstep »    To enter somebody else's home uninvited.

date with destiny »    An inevitable future event or encounter, especially one which is likely to be momentous.

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

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

daylight robbery »    An exorbitant charge for a product or service.

dead »    Without interest to one of the senses; dull; flat.

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 doorknob »    Entirely, unquestionably or certainly dead.

dead giveaway »    Obvious, easily apparent.

dead heat »    A close race or contest in which no winner is apparent.

dead to rights »    With sufficient evidence to establish responsibility definitively.

dead wood »    Personnel no longer contributing to an organization.

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

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

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 down »    Fundamentally; in essence; in reality; really.

deep thinker »    A person whose thoughts are profound; an intellectual.

deep-six »    To get rid of something unwanted.

deer in the headlights »    A mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety fear, panic, surpriseand/or confusion, or substance abuse. The behavioral signs are like a deer subjected to a car's headlights, such as widely opened eyes and a lack of motor reactions.

deliver the message to Garcia »    ...heaves in a deep breath, gathers himself as though he's crossed a continent to deliver the message to Garcia.

deliver the message to Garcia »    Programmers are consistently dehumanized because so many do indeed deliver the message to Garcia only to be at best ignored.

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.

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

developments »    Plural form of development.

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.

devil's advocate »    A canon lawyer appointed by the Church to argue against the canonization of the proposed candidate.

devil's advocate »    One who debates from a view which they may not actually hold, usually to determine its validity, or simply for the sake of argument.

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.

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

die »    Followed by from. General use, though somewhat more common in medical or scientific contexts.

die down »    To become less virulent.

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

diplomatic flu »    An illness feigned by one or more government officials or other public figures as an excuse for an absence really based on political reasons.

dirty laundry »    A clothes hamper or other container used to place unclean or soiled laundry.

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

disc jockey »    radio presenter

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

dive in »    To start a new endeavor enthusiastically and wholeheartedly.

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 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 best and live the rest »    First do your work with your 100% dont think about the result

do the nasty »    To engage in sexual intercourse.

do what%3F »    An intensified version of what or huh.

dog and pony show »    Any presentation or display that is overly contrived or intricate.

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

dog around »    To follow diligently.

dog my cats »    Used as a mild oath, or as an expression of astonishment.

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

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 hold your breath »    "Don't wait." Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned to is unlikely to happen soon or at all.

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.

done deal »    An agreement that has been finally resolved or decided.

donkey jacket »    thick garment

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

double Dutch »    A game of jump rope with two ropes and frequently two jumpers.

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 entendre »    Plural form of double entendre.

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

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

double-edged sword »    A benefit that is also a liability, or that carries some significant but non-obvious cost or risk.

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

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

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

down the tubes »    Into a state of collapse or failure.

doze off »    To fall asleep unintentionally.

drag »    To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.

drag one's feet »    To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.

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.

drama queen »    Who behaves and speaks in an overly dramatic manner so as to garner attention.

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

draw out »    To use means to entice or force to be more open or talkative.

dress up »    To present in a favorable light.

dribs and drabs »    A series of negligible amounts.

drink from a firehose »    To take a small amount from an enormous, hard-to-manage quantity.

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

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

drive home »    To push to or into a target.

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 hint »    To reveal a clue or hint about something.

drop in »    One who arrives unannounced or without an appointment.

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

drop the ball »    To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.

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

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

due course »    A. 1399, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales.

dumb down »    To become simpler in expression or content; to become unacceptably simplistic.

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.

dusty miller »    One of several species of plants with leaves of a dusty appearance: Centaurea cineraria, Senecio cineraria, and Lychnis coronaria.

dye in the wool »    To dye woolen fibers before they are spun into thread.

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

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.

each to his own »    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion or tastes.My housemate is a strict vegan. I personally could never not eat meat, but each to his own.

eager beaver »    Who is very excited or enthusiastic to begin a task.

ear tunnel »    A piece of jewelry that fits into a stretched earlobe hole and makes it seem like a peephole and makes it see-through.

east sussex »    english county

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

eat for two »    To be pregnant.

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

eat out »    To dine at a restaurant or such public place.

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.

edge out »    To win in a contest or a game by a narrow margin of victory.

elephant in the room »    A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.

eleventh hour »    Nearly too late; the last minute.

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

end of the line »    Final cessation or discontinuance of a process, institution, or person, especially one which has existed for a considerable period of time; death.

end of the line »    The termination point of a railway or similar transportation system.

end up »    To eventually do.

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

enough is as good as a feast »    Just the right amount is as good as more than enough: there is no value in excess.

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.

estate agent »    property seller

eureka moment »    The moment of a sudden unexpected discovery.

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.

even money »    By extension, an event that is somewhat likely to happen, but far from inevitable.

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 Jack has his Jill »    everybody will find someone to have a romantic relationship with at some point in their life

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.

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.

eye candy »    A very attractive person or persons, or the salient visible physical attributes of same.

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.

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** this »    The phrase emphatically diminishes the activity or event referred to and expresses that the speaker will have no more to do with it.

f** with »    To mess with; to interact with in a careless or inappropriate way.

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

face off »    Either an actual or a figurative face to face confrontation, especially a bitter one.

face the music »    To accept or confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.

face up to »    To confront a condition or situation, typically one that is unpleasant or uncomfortable.

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

face value »    The amount or value listed on a bill, note, stamp, etc.; the stated value or amount.

faceplant »    Death or defeat in popular multiplayer online games.

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

factor space »    A space obtained from another by identification of points that are equivalent to one another in some equivalence relation.

factotum »    A general servant.

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 weather friend »    Only when it is advantageous or easy.

faith will move mountains »    Belief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.

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

fall by the wayside »    To fail to be completed, particularly for lack of interest; to be left out.

fall for »    To be fooled; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick.

fall in »    Of a soldier, to get into position in a rank.

fall into »    To go into something by falling.

fall into »    Without having planned it.

fall into »    To be classified as; to fall under.

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 off the wagon »    To cease or fail at a regimen of self-improvement or reform; to lapse back into an old habit or addiction.

fall on deaf ears »    Of a request, complaint, etc, to be ignored.

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

fall on one's sword »    To voluntarily take the blame for a situation.

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

fall over »    Of an argument, to fail to be valid.

fall short »    To be less satisfactory than expected; to be inadequate or insufficient.

fall through the cracks »    To be missed; to escape the necessary notice or attention.

fall together »    To contract.

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

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

far cry »    Something very dissimilar or different.

farm out »    To subcontract some task to another; to outsource.

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

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

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

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

feather in one's cap »    An accomplishment; particularly one that is flaunted or boasted of.

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.

feed into »    To be a tributary of another river or waterway.

feel one's oats »    To feel important; to be empowered.

feel up to »    To be confident in being able 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.

fend and prove »    To engage in argument.

field day »    A school day for athletic events; a sports day.

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

fight fire with fire »    To respond to an attack with a similar or identical method.

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

fill in »    To fill; to replace material that is absent or has been removed.

fill the bill »    To satisfy a need; to serve a purpose; to fulfill specified requirements.

film out »    To transfer images or animation from videotape or digital files to a traditional celluloid film print.

fine print »    The details, restrictions, terms, or conditions, especially of a contract, often printed in very small type.

fire away »    To begin to talk or present information quickly.

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

firm up »    To make tentative plans more definite.

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 class »    excellent

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 for compliments »    To try to induce someone to make a compliment.

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

fit as a fiddle »    Perfectly fit; in excellent health.

fit into »    To be of the right size and shape to be placed in a location.

fit into »    To be of similar cultural or social status as the members of a group of people.

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

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

flag down »    Use a flag or some kind of signal to get the attention of someone.

flash in the pan »    A career notable for early success not followed by significant accomplishment.

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

flat out »    Bluntly, no holds barred.

flat-footed »    To firmly hold and maintain a decision; to stand one's ground.

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.

flower »    A plant that bears flowers.

flower »    An inflorescence that resembles a flower, but actually contains many small florets, such as a sunflower.

flower »    Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.

flower »    The best examples or representatives of a group.

flutter in the dovecote »    I further argued that the principal cause for the political deadlock that persisted for thirty years after the guns fell silent was Israeli intransigence rather than Arab intransigence. The appearance of the first wave of revisionist studies excited a great deal of interest and controversy in the media and more than a flutter in the academic dovecote. — Israel Confronts Its Past.

fly in the face of »    To act in a manner highly contrary to; to counteract or contradict.

fly in the ointment »    Something which ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.

fly the freak flag »    To behave in a unconventional or unrestrained manner; to exhibit the uninhibited side of one's personality.

fly-by-night »    One who departs or flees at night in order to avoid creditors, law enforcement etc. .

fold one's tent »    To withdraw, especially in a discreet manner; to disengage; to quit.

follow through »    To finish; to complete, especially, of a commitment.

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 intensive purposes »    Misconstruction of “for all intents and purposes”.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].

for all intents and purposes »    For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

for all one is worth »    Intensely, vigorously, with as much effort as one can supply.

for all the world »    Entirely, to all appearances.

for good »    Forever; permanently.

for good and all »    Permanently, forever.

for goodness' sake »    This interjection expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.

for goodness' sake »    This interjection expresses surprise or amazement.

for keeps »    Permanently.

for keeps »    With an agreement or intention to retain what one gains or receives.

for kicks »    In order to obtain pleasure or excitement; for fun.

for my money »    Used to mark a statement made by the speaker as an opinion or something not known with certainty.

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 sake of it »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

for the time being »    Temporarily; until later.

force of habit »    An act that has been repeated to the point where the performance of the act becomes automatic.

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.

forked tongue »    The characteristic of deceptiveness; duplicity; untruthfulness.

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-on-the-floor »    Characterised by a steady, uniformly accented beat with a 4/4 time signature.

four-on-the-floor »    Relating to a vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission mounted beside the driver on the floor of the vehicle.

fourth wall »    The imaginary invisible wall at the front of the stage in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play.

fox in the henhouse »    A relationships wherein a predator is granted free reign within the prey's home confinement, often used in the political sense.

freak flag »    Unconventional or unrestrained behavior; extreme, nonconformist views; the side of one's personality which harbors a tendency toward such behavior or such views.

free lunch »    Something obtained without any payment, obligation or effort.

free range »    not intensively farmed

free rein »    The absence of constraints; freedom to make decisions.

free-for-all »    Chaos; a chaotic situation lacking rules or control.

fresh legs »    Somebody who has yet to play in a match, and therefore has plenty of energy.

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 out of »    Of someone who has recently left one stage of life to begin another.

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 the Department of the Bleeding Obvious »    So obvious it was unnecessary to say.

from the ground up »    From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals.

front and center »    A command to come to the center of attention of an assemblage, as of military personnel or students.

front runner »    The most likely winners in a contest, election, etc.

fruit of one's loins »    One's child, children, or descendents.

full of beans »    Energetic and enthusiastic.

full of oneself »    Egotistical, believing oneself to be superior to others; preoccupied with one's own work, interests, point of view, etc.

full tilt boogie »    Intensely, fast paced.

full tilt boogie »    Out of control.

full whack »    The whole amount.

full-fledged »    Having full qualification, credentials or preparation; entire; real.

funny money »    Bills of any foreign currency or of counterfeit origin.

game face »    The expression of one who is prepared for or is facing a lot of difficult and/or undesirable work, especially when it is imminent.

garbage in, garbage out »    (computing, information technology) If input data is not complete, accurate, and timely, then the resulting output is unreliable and of no useful value.1963, Raymond Crowley, "Robot Tax Collector Seeks Indications of 'Fudging'," Times Daily (Alabama, USA), 1 April (retrieved 26 July 2010):Officials explained that the quality of the computer's work depends on the quality of the data fed into it. Neil Hoke, administrative assistant to Stewart, quoted an adage of computer men: "Garbage in, garbage out."2008, Roger K. Lewis, "'In Architectural Design, Brains and Talent Trump the Best Software," Washington Post, 19 July (retrieved 26 July 2010):The old caveat "GIGO"

gentleman of the back door »    A sodomite.

get a handle on »    To build or acquire a basic level of understanding or control.

get a leg up »    To gain some advantage; to get a head start.

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 at »    intend

get at »    mean, intend

get bent out of shape »    To take offense; to become angry, agitated or upset.

get by the balls »    To have complete control over someone, especially of a woman abusing a man's infatuation with her.

get cold feet »    To become nervous or anxious and reconsider a decision about an upcoming event.

get down to brass tacks »    Deal with the important details.

get high »    To intoxicate oneself with drugs or other substances.

get in »    To enter a place; to gain access.

get in »    To get into or inside something, literally or figuratively.

get in someone's hair »    To hinder someone or interfere with their actions.

get into one's stride »    To become familiar with something recently learnt.

get into someone's pants »    To have sex with.

get into trouble »    To become pregnant.

get into trouble »    To perform an action which is illegal, prohibited, forbidden or proscribed and to become subject to punishment for such action.

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 into one's head »    imagine

get it over with »    To do or finish, especially said of something unpleasant.

get off »    To stop touching or interfering with something or someone.

get off »    To stop using a piece of equipment.

get off lightly »    End up with a mild punishment.

get one's claws into »    Have a controlling influence over.

get one's foot in the door »    To initiate contact or a relationship; to gain access, especially to an entry-level job.

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 »    surmount

get over »    cross, surmount

get someone's back up »    To annoy a person either deliberately or inadvertently.

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 stuck in »    To dedicate a large amount of effort towards.

get stuck into »    Get busy with; become occupied with; become immersed in.

get the better of »    To overwhelm or overcome; to influence heavily; to tend to control or persuade.

get the boot »    To be dismissed from employment.

get the chop »    To be dismissed from employment.

gets down »    dismounts

giant panda »    chinese animal

give birth »    To invent a new idea.

give birth »    To produce new life into the world; to have a baby. Transitive when used with to.

give ear »    Dante Gabriel Rosetti, A Death-Parting, lines 5-6.

give ear »    To listen: to devote one's attention to an auditory event.

give heed »    Pay attention to.

give hostage to fortune »    To take an action or make a statement that is risky because it could cause you trouble later.

give in »    To relent or yield.

give notice »    To announce one's intent to leave a job; to inform an employer that one is leaving.

give or take »    Approximately; plus or minus some unknown amount.

give over »    To entrust something to another.

give somebody a piece of one's mind »    To express one's opinion strongly; to voice one's disagreement or dissatisfaction.

give somebody the cold shoulder »    To snub, resist or reject somebody; to regard somebody distantly.

give the devil his due »    To acknowledge the positive qualities of a person who is unpleasant or disliked.

give the elbow »    To terminate the employment of.

give the time of day »    To acknowledge somebody; to give somebody any respect or attention.

glimmer »    A faint light; a dim glow.

glimmer »    A faint or remote possibility.

glutton for punishment »    One persistent in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.

go against the grain »    To defy convention; to do something in a manner that is unusual or out of the ordinary.

go all the way »    To continue to the conclusion of a task or project.

go all the way »    To have sexual intercourse.

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 between »    an intermediary

go blue »    Of states and counties, to be carried by a Democratic candidate in a given U.S. election.

go by »    To pass, to go past, without much interaction.

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 commando »    To not wear underpants.

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 figure »    Expresses perplexity, confusion, surprise, or puzzlement.

go for it »    A cry of encouragement.

go from strength to strength »    To continue to get stronger[1].

go from zero to hero »    To change from negative outcome to positive outcome. To improve one's fortunes significantly.

go in for »    To enter a competition.

go in for »    To have an interest in or approve of something.

go in off »    To pot the cue ball accidentally after hitting the object ball.

go in one ear and out the other »    Failed to pay attention.

go it alone »    To do something alone or independently, especially something that is normally or better done in groups.

go mad »    Used to indicate that the second verb represents an action that is out of character.

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 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 »    To become of diminished intensity or urgency.

go off the boil »    To lose interest; to pall.

go on »    To continue; expand upon.

go on the rampage »    To behave violently or to riot.

go out the window »    To vanish or cease, especially due to lack of care, attention, etc.; to be discarded, disregarded, or ignored.

go out with »    Date, be involved in a romantic relationship with.

go red »    Of states or counties, to be carried by a Republican candidate in a given U.S. election.

go red »    To become sunburnt.

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 through with »    To proceed; to continue.

go to seed »    To deteriorate; to decline into an unkempt or debased condition.

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 the mat »    To continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.

go to the mattresses »    To go to war; to use ruthless tactics; to act without restraint.

go to town »    To proceed enthusiastically, vigorously, or expertly.

go without saying »    To be obvious, apparent or clear, or already established.

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.

gold mine »    A plentiful stockpile of something sought after.

gold mine »    A very profitable economic venture.

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 handshake »    A generous severance payment, especially as an inducement to leave employment.

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 rule »    A fundamental rule or principle.

golden rule »    The principle that one should treat other people in the manner in which one would want to be treated by them.

golf widow »    A woman who is deprived of her husband's time and attention due to his regular absence in order to play golf.

gone to the dogs »    To have fallen into disrepair or ruin; to have been stagnant or depreciated.

good drunk »    A person who is cheerful and companionable when intoxicated, retaining reasonable control of his or her mental and emotional faculties.

good luck with that »    An expression wishing someone success in an unlikely enterprise.

good old boy »    A male friend or chum, especially a schoolmate; a man with an established network of friends who assist one another in social and business situations; a decent, dependable fellow.

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.

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 bag »    A gift, purchase, etc. whose contents are concealed until after a selection is made.

grab bag »    Any random assortment, selection or possibility.

grand poobah »    A person who is important or high-ranking.

grand total »    The entire or final sum.

grasp all, lose all »    one who wants everything, may lose it all

grasp at straws »    To guess randomly at or pursue any apparent option, as due to lack of options or information.

grass roots »    People and society at the local level rather than at the national centre of political activity.

grass roots »    The essential foundation or source of something.

grate »    A horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.

gray area »    A part that is not clear or certain; something that is open to interpretation.

grease payment »    A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.

greasy spoon »    An inexpensive diner or other informal restaurant, especially one specializing in frying or grilling.

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 state »    A state that is, or is perceived as, environmentally friendly.

green with envy »    Consumed by envy; envious to the point where it is noticeable to others.

greenwash »    A false or misleading picture of environmental friendliness used to conceal or obscure damaging activities.

grey area »    An area intermediate between two mutually exclusive states or categories where the border between the two is fuzzy.

grow cold »    To wane; to lose interest or enthusiasm for something or someone; to become disenchanted or to fall out of love with someone.

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.

guinea pig »    A tailless rodent of the Cavia genus, with short ears and larger than a hamster; the species Cavia porcellus is often kept as a pet.

gussie up »    To make fancy or attractive, as by artificial or contrived means.

gut feeling »    An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.

gut reaction »    An instantaneous reaction made without thought.

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-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.

halfway decent »    Good - better than expected.

halfway decent »    No more than adequate.

hammer and tongs »    With tools indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.

hammer home »    Until or so that a person or group of people understands it.

hammer out »    To come to an agreement after much arguing.

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.

handwriting on the wall »    Alternative form of writing on the wall. A divine prediction or sentence to fate.

hang on »    To pay close attention.

happily ever after »    Living happily until death. Typically associated with fairy tales.

happy camper »    One who is thoroughly content or satisfied.

hard feelings »    Resentment, anger.

harden »    To become or make a thing resistant or less sensitive.

harden someone's heart »    To make someone more resistant to something.

has-been »    A formerly popular or influential person whose popularity or effectiveness has peaked and is now in decline. Typically said of professionals or celebrities whose primary success is behind them.

hatchet job »    A treatment which serves primarily to disparage its subject; a piece of criticism which aims to destroy a reputation.

hatchet man »    Someone who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing dead wood employees.

hate somebody's guts »    To despise; to hate intensely or passionately.

haul his ashes »    A euphemism for sexual intercourse.

have a ball »    To enjoy thoroughly; to have lots of fun or excitement.

have a bone to pick »    To have a complaint or grievance with somebody.

have a bun in the oven »    To be pregnant; to be expecting a baby.

have a flat »    To be the owner of an apartment.

have a handle on »    To be in control; to understand or grasp.

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 an eye for »    To have good taste; to have the ability to discriminate or identify quality.

have ants in one's pants »    To be agitated and constantly fidgeting.

have ants in one's pants »    To be sexually excited.

have bats in one's belfry »    To be crazy or eccentric.

have egg on one's face »    To suffer embarrassment or humiliation; to damage one's reputation.

have eyes in the back of one's head »    To be particularly, especially uncannily, observant; a perceived ability to see in all directions at once.

have in mind »    To consider, to contemplate, to intend.

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 head in the clouds »    To daydream; to think about matters other than the present reality.

have one's head in the clouds »    To have fantastic or impractical dreams; to think impractically.

have one's heart set on »    To want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality.

have other fish to fry »    To have more important things to do.

have someone by the short hairs »    To have someone in a difficult situation in which he or she is without alternatives and can be controlled.

have to do »    To relate; to be relevant.

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.

head over heels »    At top speed; frantically.

head scratcher »    A particularly puzzling or confusing event.

head to toe »    Entirely; completely; over one's full body.

head-on »    Direct, abrupt, blunt or unequivocal; not prevaricating.

head-on »    Of a collision, from the front or in the direction of motion.

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 out »    To listen to someone until that person has finished.

hear the grass grow »    To be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.

hear the grass grow »    To hear very well due to being in an exceptionally quiet environment.

hear, hear »    Let us hear and applaud the previous speaker; I endorse the previous statement; Expression of support, agreement, or enthusiasm for what has just been said.

heart of glass »    A very fragile romantic state.

hedge one's bets »    To place bets with a third party in order to offset potential losses.

hell on earth »    A very unpleasant situation; torment, particularly when widespread.

hem and haw »    To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.

herd cats »    To attempt to control those resistant to control.

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..

hereinabove »    Above this, in this document.

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.

high ground »    A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.

high on the hog »    Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly.

highway robbery »    Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.

hit a snag »    To encounter an unexpected problem or delay.

hit on »    To discover, pinpoint; to think up; to realize; to invent.

hit one out of the ballpark »    To produce a spectacular achievement.

hit the books »    To study, especially with particular intensity.

hit the bottle »    To continually drink alcohol to excess, particularly in response to a setback.

hit the ground running »    To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.

hit the headlines »    To appear prominently in the news, especially on the front page.

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 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 rocks »    To be at a low point in one's pursuits.

hit upon »    To think of; to invent; to realize.

hog heaven »    A state of contented bliss.

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 all the aces »    To be in a strong position when one is competing with someone else, having all the advantages.

hold back »    To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power.

hold back »    To contain; stop.

hold down »    To continue, to hold and to manage well.

hold off »    To delay commencing an action (until some specified time or event has passed).

hold one's breath »    To inhale and then intentionally close the epiglottis so that one's breath is not exhaled.

hold one's horses »    To be patient; to wait.

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 water »    To be patient; to control one's impulses.

hold someone's feet to the fire »    To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce him or her to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for his or her actions.

hold that thought »    To pause in a conversation for an interruption.

hold that thought »    Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.

hold the fort »    To maintain a secure position.

hold up »    To fulfil / fulfill or complete one's part of an agreement.

hold up »    To rob at gunpoint.

hold with the hare and run with the hounds »    To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.

hole in one »    Any rare, wonderful, or remarkable accomplishment.

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.

home run »    Sexual Intercourse.

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.

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.

hoover up »    Into a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.

hoover up »    Quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from the plate rather than using cutlery.

hopped up »    Drugged; intoxicated.

hopping mad »    Extremely angry; furious to the point of outburst.

horizontal dancing »    Sexual intercourse.

horizontal mambo »    Sexual intercourse.

horse of a different color »    An unrelated or only incidentally related matter with distinctly different significance.

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 jerk; an unpleasant, unlikable person; an asshole.

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.

hot and cold »    Ambivalent; having conflicting emotions.

hot and heavy »    Enthusiastic.

hot button »    A central issue, concern or characteristic, especially one that motivates people to make a choice.

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 off the presses »    Freshly printed, minted, written, or created.

hot on »    Enthusiastic for.

hot potato »    An awkward or delicate problem with which nobody wants to be associated.

hot spot »    dangerous place; accident place

hothouse »    An environment in which growth or development is encouraged; a hotbed.

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 or argument built on a shaky foundation.

house warming »    Presented as a way of welcoming someone to a home into which he or she recently moved.

how do I get to Carnegie Hall »    A set phrase, spoken as a rhetorical question, which is answered "Practice, practice, practice!" or sometimes with the humorous literal directions to Seventh Avenue between 56th and 57th.

how's the weather »    Indicating a change of subject to unimportant topics.

how's tricks »    Informal greeting roughly equivalent to How are you?.

hunker down »    To take shelter; to prepare oneself for some eventuality; to focus on a task.

hustle and bustle »    A large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding.

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 my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle »    (colloquial, vulgar, humorous) It is fruitless to speculate about counterfactual situations."We would have won the match if we'd had a decent goalkeeper.""And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle!"

if pigs had wings they would fly »    (colloquial) Expresses speakers skepticism toward a hypothetical argument by another.

if the mountain won't come to Muhammad »    "If one cannot get one's own way, one must bow to the inevitable.".

if you lie with dogs you will get fleas »    It is important whom to choose as one's closest acquanitances.

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 canter »    Without much effort; easily.

in a league of one's own »    Far excelling even the closest contender; not having any worthy competition.

in a pinch »    In an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.

in broad daylight »    In a blatant and publicly visible manner.

in case »    In the event; should there be a need.

in clover »    Happy and contented.

in evidence »    Visibly present; noticeable.

in front of one's nose »    Plain; clearly apparent; obvious.

in hand »    under control

in heaven's name »    An intensifier used with questions.

in high dudgeon »    Resentfully or furiously.

in one's element »    In a situation which is entirely appropriate or familiar.

in other words »    Stated or interpreted another way; introduces an explanation.

in person »    actually present

in spades »    To excess, a lot, considerably; without restraint.

in the driver's seat »    Having the most important role in a storyline or recognition. Of primary importance.

in the face of »    Despite, against, contrary to.

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 hospital »    Admitted as a patient in a hospital.

in the hot seat »    Under pressure to perform; under scrutiny; at the center of attention.

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 limelight »    In the focus of attention, especially from the media.

in the long run »    After a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.

in the loop »    Informed; up to date; current; part of the discussion.

in the making »    In development; in the process of being made.

in the nick of time »    At the last possible moment; at the last minute.

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 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 wind »    Impending or in the offing; imminent.

in this day and age »    In the current time period of years.

in touch »    In contact, or in communication.

in your face »    An exclamation of derision or contempt.

ins and outs »    The details or fine points of something.

inside baseball »    Matters of interest only to insiders.

inside baseball »    Technical matters concerning baseball not apparent to spectators.

inside job »    A crime or other illicit action committed by or with the help of someone either employed by the victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs and premises.

inside joke »    A joke that is understood or meant to be understood only by certain people who are in the know about the details.

inside track »    Any advantage.

inside track »    The lane or track nearest to the interior.

installed base »    The number of units of a system or product that are currently in use.

into detail »    Thoroughly; including every detail.

into thin air »    Immediately and inexplicably out of sight.

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 never rains but it pours »    Unfortunate events occur in quantity.

it takes all kinds to make a world »    Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds.

it's 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 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 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

jack in »    To insert an electronic coupling into a receptacle; to connect to something, whether involving a physical medium or not.

jack of all trades »    One competent in many endeavors, especially one who excels in none of them.

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.

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 attack suddenly and violently.

jump »    To propel oneself rapidly upward such that momentum causes the body to become airborne.

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 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 the queue »    To desire preferential treatment, undue influence; impatient.

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 the shark »    To undergo a storyline development which is so ridiculous that previous quality is considered to have been lost.

jump to conclusions »    Make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.

just deserts »    A punishment or reward that is considered to be what the recipient deserved.

just for fun »    For no particular reason, just because it is fun, entertaining; for to relieve boredom.

just in case »    In the event; should there be a need.

keel over »    To collapse in a faint; to black out; to die.

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 weather eye open »    To be alert; to concentrate on a matter in hand.

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 on »    To watch and pay attention to.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for a possibly dangerous situation.

keep an eye open »    To maintain vigilance for someone or something.

keep an eye peeled »    To look out attentively.

keep down »    To restrain or control.

keep from »    To prevent or restrain ; refrain or cause refrain.

keep it real »    To be authentic, true to oneself; to be cool.

keep it up »    To maintain one's erection.

keep it up »    To maintain or continue a positive streak.

keep mum »    Do not talk; especially keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

keep on »    Persist or continue.

keep on truckin' »    To continue or persist, regardless of circumstances or setbacks; to keep trying or striving.

keep one on one's toes »    To keep one attentive, active, busy or alert.

keep one's eye on the ball »    To maintain one's concentration fixed on one important theme.

keep oneself to oneself »    To be introverted; to stay away from others.

keep out »    To refrain from entering a place or condition.

keep out »    To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

keep out of »    To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

keep quiet »    Remain silent.

keep shtum »    Don't tell anyone; especially, keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

keep up »    To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating.

keep your shirt on »    An admonition to be more patient or to calm down.

kept up »    maintained

kernel of truth »    A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.

kettle of fish »    A situation which is recognized as different from or as an alternative to some other situation, and which is not necessarily unfavorable.

kettle of fish »    An awkward situation; a predicament.

key off »    To take as a controlling input datum.

kick butt »    To be impressive; to be decisively good or pleasant.

kick in »    To contribute, especially to a collection of money.

kick up »    Into the air while running or walking or driving.

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.

kill off »    To represent or portray as being dead.

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 »    Mild, gentle, forgiving.

king »    A powerful or influential person.

kiss up »    To pay false flattery to another, particularly a superior at work, in order to get special attention.

kit and caboodle »    Everything entirely, the whole 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.

knacker's yard »    A place to send a person or object that is spent beyond all reasonable use.

kneel before »    To kneel in front of someone or something, especially in order to worship or supplicate.

knock around »    To hit someone, or behave violently towards them.

knock down »    To hit or knock (something), intentionally or accidentally, so that it falls.

knock on wood »    To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted my a presumptuous statement.

knock up »    To exhaust; wear out; weary; beat; tire out; to fatigue until unable to do more.

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 »    A secondary, often unintended effect.

knock-on effect »    The continued running of an engine after the ignition has been turned off; dieseling.

knocked up »    "pregnant", typically outside of marriage.

know like the back of one's hand »    To be intimately knowledgeable about something, especially a place.

knowledge is power »    With knowledge and/or education, one's potential or ability to succeed in the pursuit of his objectives will certainly increase.

labor of love »    A task performed voluntarily without expectation of reimbursement; an altruistic work or undertaking.

ladies and gentlemen »    Used to address an audience.

ladies first »    A phrase encouraging polite gentlemanliness, allowing the ladies to go before the men.

lady or tiger »    A pure gamble with highly divergent outcomes.

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.

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 minute »    Point in time, too close to a deadline to reasonably begin a critical task.

last resort »    The only remaining, unwanted, option or choice.

last trump »    The moment of God's final judgement on Earth.

last word »    The final statement uttered by a person before death.

last word »    The finest, highest, or ultimate representative of some class of objects.

latch onto »    To obtain, acquire or get and keep hold of something.

late model »    Recently designed or fabricated; new.

laundry list »    Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered.

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 down the law »    To present the law that applies to a given case.

lay off »    From employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance package.

lay off »    made redundant

lay open »    In Japan and South Korea, to publish a patent for initial public review, prior to the formal application for registration.

lay rubber »    To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.

lay the groundwork »    To create a foundation; to provide the basics or fundamentals.

lead »    A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.

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.

leader of the free world »    The President of the United States.

lean and mean »    Efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective.

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 somebody high and dry »    To abandon somebody; to stop providing assistance at a crucial moment.

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 and right »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

left, right and center »    All over the place; indiscriminately; frequently or excessively.

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.

legwork »    Work, especially research or preparation, that involves significant walking, travel, or similar effort.

lend a hand »    To help or assist, especially voluntarily.

let down »    To disappoint; to betray or fail somebody.

let go »    To dismiss from employment.

let in »    allow to enter

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 slip »    To divulge a secret, as by accident or mistake.

let somebody down »    To fail somebody; to disappoint or to fail to uphold a commitment.

let the cat out of the bag »    To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.

let-down »    A disappointment or anticlimax.

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.

licence to print money »    A means of generating a large income with little effort.

licence to print money »    The authority to print money, usually given to a central bank exclusively as the issuer of currency.

lick one's chops »    To anticipate something eagerly.

lie back and think of England »    Used to preface any unpleasant but inevitable experience.

lie through one's teeth »    To tell a gross or egregious untruth.

life of Riley »    An ideal life of carefree prosperity and contentment.

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 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.

light into »    Attack.

like crazy »    To a great or excessive degree; with great speed, output, enthusiasm, etc.

like it's going out of style »    Enthusiastically, to an excessive degree.

line in the sand »    A defining moment, a cutoff point.

lion »    A stylized representation of a large cat, used on a coat of arms.

lion »    A large cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly to much of Europe. The term may apply to the species as a whole, to individuals, or to male individuals. It also applies to related species like mountain lions.

lion »    The arms of the University of the West Indies are Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished Or on a Chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. Crest: A Pelican proper. . See talk page.

lip service »    Empty talk; words absent of action or intention.

listen up »    To listen closely; to pay attention. Often used in the imperative.

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).

live by the sword, die by the sword »    One who uses violence can expect a violent response. It is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible.(figuratively) One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey poetic justice.

live large »    To have a lavish or overly-extravagant lifestyle.

live one »    A person, thing, or situation which is particularly interesting, noteworthy, or urgent.

live one »    Someone who is eccentric, nonconformist, or otherwise peculiar.

live wire »    An electrical wire through which there is a flow of electrical current.

loaded for bear »    Mentally prepared for a daunting situation or confrontation.

loaded for bear »    Thoroughly equipped, as for a demanding task or confrontation.

lock horns »    To come into conflict.

log out »    To exit an account in a computer system so that it doesn't recognize you until you log in again.

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 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 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 shot »    A master shot, the primary wide shot of a scene into which the closeups will be edited later.

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 ways, long lies »    Someone who comes back from a far-off country can tell lies without fear of being contradicted.

look before you leap »    Don't jump into something too precipitously; be at least a bit foresightful or circumspect.

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 into »    To investigate, explore, or consider.

look off »    To mislead by directing one's apparent attention away from one's true object of intent.

look out »    Be vigilant and aware.

look out for number one »    To act in one's own interests; to act in a manner advantageous primarily to oneself.

look through rose-tinted glasses »    Alternative spelling of wear rose-colored glasses.

look what the cat's dragged in »    Used as an ironic acknowledgement of someone's arrival, especially to imply that they are unwelcome or disagreeable in some way.

look-in »    A quick short pass to a receiver running diagonally toward the center of the field.

loom large »    be prominent

Loose cannon »    An uncontrolled or unpredictable person who causes damage to his own friends, faction, political party, etc.

lose it »    To lose control of a situation.

lose out »    To be at a disadvantage.

lose touch »    To cease to be familiar with someone or something or to cease to communicate or have contact.

louse up »    Mess up; confuse; put into a state of disorder.

love nest »    A room, especially a bedroom or boudoir, used for sexual intercourse.

low blow »    An unfair or illegal blow that lands below the opponent’s waist; a groin attack..

lubrication payment »    A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.

lucky break »    A stroke of luck; a fortunate event, particularly of the sort that propels one to success, fame, etc.

lucky dip »    A game in which prizes are covered up and mixed together in a container, so that contestants can dip their hand into the container and randomly pull out a prize.

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.

mad as a March hare »    Crazy, demented.

mad money »    A sum of money kept in reserve or to insulate oneself financially in the event of the sudden breakdown of a relationship in which one is economically dependent.

mad money »    A sum of money, often relatively small in amount, kept in reserve to use for impulsive, frivolous purposes.

make a killing »    To win or earn a large amount of money.

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 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 argue or promote an idea.

make a point »    To take care in doing something of something; to pay attention or ensure that something is done.

make a splash »    To do something that attracts attention.

make a stink »    To complain; to demand attention or remedy for a problem.

make a virtue of necessity »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 4, sc.1.

make amends »    To repair a relationship; to make up; to resolve an argument or fight; to make reparations or redress.

make an example of »    He made an example of the drunken sailor with twenty lashes, to show that he must have a sober crew.

make book »    To be very confident.

make hay »    To cut grass to turn into hay for animal feed.

make hay »    To take advantage of an opportunity.

make it up as one goes along »    To improvise continuously.

make out »    To designate as the recipient.

make over »    To renovate or to convert to a different use.

make over »    To transfer ownership, especially by means of a legal document.

make sense »    To be coherent or reasonable.

make up »    To resolve, forgive or smooth over an argument or fight.

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.

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.

mandare a monte »    To mess up, to ruin.

many a mickle makes a muckle »    (UK) a lot of small amounts together, become a large amount.

march to the beat of a different drum »    To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and expectations.

mark my words »    Listen to me; used before a statement one wishes to emphasize.

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.

me three »    Used to express agreement, after someone has already said "me too".

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

meatball surgery »    A nickname for surgery that is meant to be performed rapidly to stabilize the patient as quickly as possible.

meaty »    Of, relating to, or containing meat.

meaty »    Substantial.

meet one's maker »    To die or to pass into the afterlife.

meet up »    To meet somebody, by arrangement.

melt into »    To become a liquid by melting.

melt into »    To disappear into.

mend fences »    To repair damage to a friendship or relationship after a disagreement or other mishap.

mercury »    A silvery-colored metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.

mess up »    To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.

mess up »    To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.

mess up »    To make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.

mess up »    To discombobulate, utterly confuse, or confound psychologically; to throw into a state of mental disarray.

mess with »    To interfere.

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.

mince words »    To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms.

mind one's own business »    To concern oneself only with what is of interest to oneself and not interfere in the affairs of others.

mind the store »    To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.

mind you »    Used to draw attention to adjacent words.

mind-numbing »    Excessively boring, tedious, or dull; repetitive; of an activity, etc., lacking any interest or variety that might serve as intellectual stimulation.

mint condition »    Used, but still like new, as if freshly minted.

mint sauce »    serve this with lamb

miss the boat »    To fail to take advantage of an opportunity; to overlook or be too late to pursue an option or course of action.

miss the mark »    To fail to reach the result that was intended.

miss the point »    To fail to grasp the meaning of an utterance.

mix apples and oranges »    To mix two totally different things.

mixed bag »    Any bag containing a mixture of something.

mixed bag »    By extension, a group of entities with few characteristics in common; an assortment.

mixed bag »    Something tending to have both good and bad results or characteristics; something having a mixture of advantages and disadvantages.

mixed message »    Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.

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.

monkey on one's back »    A state of persistent distress or worry or the cause of such a state.

monkey wrench »    A wrench with a smooth adjustable jaw to grip different sizes of nuts.

month of Sundays »    A very long time; too long.

moral high ground »    A position or point of view which is ethically superior or more reputable, in comparison to others which are under consideration.

morning, noon and night »    Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.

motor mouth »    One who talks incessantly; a chatty or loquacious person.

mouse potato »    A person who spends excessive amounts of time using a computer.

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.

muck about »    To do somethings with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works.

muck out »    To clean the excrement and other rubbish from the area where an animal is kept, such as a horse stable or a dog kennel.

mug up »    To study intensely.

murder will out »    Secrets or hidden crimes will eventually be exposed or discovered.

muscle in »    To interfere, or intrude forcibly.

muscle in on »    To interfere with, or intrude on something forcibly.

mutual admiration society »    A group of two or more people, in a workplace or other social environment, who routinely express considerable esteem and support for one another, sometimes to the point of exaggeration or pretense.

naked as a jaybird »    Stark naked; nude; especially, naked in a public setting and without embarrassment.

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.

near miss »    narrowly avoided accident

necessity is the mother of innovation »    Alternative form of necessity is the mother of invention.

necessity is the mother of invention »    A person who is in great need of something will find a way to get it.

neck and neck »    Very close in progress, as in a race or contest.

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.

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.

never in a month of Sundays »    At no time whatsoever.

never in a month of Sundays »    Never in a month of Sundays would I have imagined that you'd be this tall in real life!.

never mind »    I withdraw my previous statement.

never mind »    It is not important; do not fret.

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.

nice guy »    An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.

nickel and dime »    Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.

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.

nine day wonder »    Something that generates interest for a limited time and is then abandoned.

nip and tuck »    So evenly matched that the advantage shifts from one to the other, and the outcome is uncertain.

nip in the bud »    To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.

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 comment »    A refusal to say the obvious impolite retort.

no comment »    An "official" refusal to relay any further information, as a response to a newspaper reporter's question.

no holds barred »    Without restrictions on holds or what opponents may do.

no man is an island »    All people are connected to other people and dependent on other people.1623, John Donne,

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 score »    In a sporting event, a score of zero to zero.

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 smoke without fire »    Indicative of the fact that gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact.

no time like the present »    A shortened form of there's no time like the present

noarch »    Short for "no architecture". It is a term used mainly in package management systems to mark packages which are architecture independent. Such packages usually contain graphics, documentation or similar data that can be used on any architecture.

nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat »    The idea/proposed action is inconsequential to the current situation.

non-starter »    An idea or argument that cannot be sensibly debated.

none of someone's business »    A matter that someone is not entitled to be involved in or informed about.

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-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 sausage »    John: Do you know how I get to the town center from here?.

not a zack »    No amount of money; no money at all.

not at all »    Used similarly to you're welcome, as a conventional reply to an expression of gratitude.

not give a monkey's »    Not to have the slightest interest or concern.

not half bad »    Pretty good; okay; decent.

not have a leg to stand on »    To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation.

not have the faintest »    To not know; to have no idea.

not on your tintype »    An answer indicating outright rejection or denial; no way; absolutely not.

not the end of the world »    It's of minor importance, at least not as important as it first seemed.

not to put too fine a point on it »    Used to apologise for a possibly impolite statement one is making.

nothing flat »    Amount of time; no time at all.

nothing to sneeze at »    Not bad; decent; acceptable; worthwhile.

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.

nugget of truth »    A small amount of truth in a generally untrue statement.

nugget of truth »    January 2008, Chicago Tribune - Clinton's Hispanic edge over Obama.

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 punishment intended as a deterrent to others.

odd one out »    Something or someone in a group that is different or exceptional, that does not fit.

of course »    Indicates enthusiastic agreement.

of late »    In the recent past; recently; lately.

of sorts »    Resembling; similar to; in a way; partial or not entire; somewhat.

off and on »    Intermittently.

off the beaten path »    In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.

off the radar »    Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.

off the rails »    Off the intended path.

off the rails »    Out of control.

off the wagon »    No longer maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from an undesirable habit, especially drinking alcohol.

off-the-wall »    Wildly unconventional; bizarre; absurd.

oh, well »    An expression of disappointment or resignation; too bad; pity.

oil burner »    A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.

oil colour »    painting

oil painting »    works of art

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 masters »    great painters

old money »    The imperial system of measurement, as opposed to the metric system.

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 testament »    part of the bible

on a regular basis »    Regularly, occurring in regular time intervals or patterns.

on accident »    Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.

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 board »    It's a good idea, but let's see if we can get a few more of the management team on board.

on end »    Remarkably long; continuously.

on its merits »    Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.

on one's toes »    Attentive, active, busy or alert.

on opposite sides of the barricades »    Of starkly different, opposite views on an issue.

on pins and needles »    Feeling sharp anticipation or anxiety; in a state of suspense.

on purpose »    Purposefully; with intention; deliberately.

on tenterhooks »    In a state of suspense or apprehension.

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 brink »    Very nearly; imminent; close.

on the bubble »    Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.

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 »    Working at one's job; occupied in some manner during one's hours of remunerated employment.

on the cuff »    On credit, with payment to be made later.

on the dot »    Exactly; precisely, especially of a numerical quantity.

on the face of it »    Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.

on the fly »    Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.

on the house »    Free, complimentary.

on the line »    In a contest or enterprise.

on the loose »    Not incarcerated or in captivity; not under control.

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 other hand »    From another point of view.

on the pill »    Using oral contraceptives.

on the point »    Very nearly; imminent; close.

on the prowl »    Hunting or seeking.

on the pull »    Seeking the intimate company of a member of the opposite sex.

on the ropes »    Showing signs of imminent failure or collapse.

on the run »    Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.

on the spot »    At that very moment; right away.

on the spur of the moment »    On very short notice; spontaneously.

on the wagon »    By extension, maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from some other undesirable habit.

on the whole »    For the most part; apart from some insignificant details.

on top »    In a dominant position.

on top of »    Fully informed about, and in control of something; up to speed with.

on track »    Proceeding as planned, as expected, or in a manner consistent with an established pattern.

on-the-spot »    In the right place at this very moment.

once and for all »    Finally, permanently, conclusively.

once in a blue moon »    Very rarely; very infrequently.

one and the same »    The same person or thing. Used to emphasize the identity or equivalence of two things.

one brick short of a full load »    Not mentally sound; insane.

one card shy of a full deck »    Mentally deranged; demented; insane.

one fell swoop »    One stroke; one action or event with many results.

one in the eye for »    An event or achievement which is unpleasant for someone, especially for those who considered it impossible or unwelcome; an annoyance.

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »    A cliché used to exaggerate an accomplishment or milestone..

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 forward, two steps back »    A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

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 who hesitates is lost »    A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.

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 person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.

one-man band »    A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.

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-trick pony »    A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.

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 one's big mouth »    To speak about things, when it would be better to stay silent.

opposite number »    A person who holds a position in an organization that corresponds to that held by another person in an other organization; a counterpart.

opposites attract »    people who are completely different make ideal partners.

orange up »    To make more prominent by making orange or adding orange colour.

orphan drug »    But which is not manufactured or marketed because the demand is insufficient to cover the costs of supply.

other days, other ways »    People of the past thought and acted differently.

out loud »    Using the voice; not silently; aloud.

out of bounds »    Prohibited to enter.

out of character »    Inconsistent with one's personality, disposition, or usual expected behaviour.

out of date »    Not current, outmoded, out of style, or too old to be used.

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 it »    Disoriented; not thinking clearly.

out of one's league »    In a situation in which one is mismatched with one or more others, whose accomplishments, preparedness, or other characteristics are on a significantly higher or lower level than one's own.

out of place »    Not in the proper situation or arrangement, or inappropriate for the circumstances.

out of sight »    Superb, excellent.

out of the box »    Immediately, without intervention from the customer.

out of the frying pan, into the fire »    From an already bad situation to a worse one.

out of the loop »    Not informed up to date; current; not kept part of the discussion.

out of the question »    Impossible to even contemplate.

out of thin air »    From non-existent resources.

out of touch »    No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.

out of touch »    No longer maintaining contact or communications.

out of wedlock »    Of parents not legally married.

out of whack »    Not in proper alignment.

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 to lunch »    Clueless, inattentive or careless.

outshout »    To merit the most attention or praise.

outside the box »    Beyond the bounds of convention.

outside world »    The rest of the world outside of some closed, restricted, or remote environment.

outsider »    A competitor or contestant who has little chance of winning; a long shot; a dark horse.

over a barrel »    In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.

pachyderm »    A member of the obsolete taxonomic group Pachydermata, grouping of thick-skinned, hoofed animals such as the rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephant, pig and horse.

pachyderm »    Someone with thick skin. It is used for animals such as an elephant or a hippopotamus.

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.

paint the town red »    To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.

paint with a broad brush »    To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.

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.

palm off »    To attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.

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 »    A written document, generally shorter than a book , in particular one written for the Government.

parcel out »    To divide into portions or chunks; to ration.

park the car in Harvard Yard »    A sentence used to illustrate that the Boston accent is non-rhotic; typically pronounced "pahk the cah in Hahvad Yahd".

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.

pass off »    To misrepresent something.

pass out »    To faint; fall asleep.

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 the hat »    To ask for money, especially from a group of people; to solicit donations or contributions.

patience is a virtue »    it is better to be patient than impatient

patience of Job »    An great amount of patience.

pave the way »    To make future development easier.

pay attention »    To be attentive; to focus one's attention.

pay for »    To be punished or held accountable for.

pay the fiddler »    To contribute in order to participate.

pay the piper »    To pay a monetary debt or experience unfavorable consequences, especially when the payment or consequences are inevitable in spite of attempts to avoid them.

pay through the nose »    To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.

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.

pea patch »    A small piece of land planted with peas.

peace and quiet »    Tranquility; freedom from stress or interruptions.

peanut gallery »    Any source of heckling, unwelcome commentary or criticism, especially from a know-it-all or of an inexpert nature.

pee off »    Euphemistic variant of piss off.

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 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 »    Insubstantial; weak.

pencilneck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

penny for your thoughts »    Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted.

penny wise and pound foolish »    Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful and profligate with large amounts.

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.

phase in »    To introduce something little by little.

physical break »    A short break in a meeting or in a classroom setting, intended to improve attention.

pi%C3%A8ce de r%C3%A9sistance »    A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..

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 point out (a person's behaviour, habits or actions),in a critical manner.

pick up »    To meet and seduce somebody for romantic purposes, especially in a social situation, sometimes used with "on".

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.

pick up the tab »    To accept a charge and pay for it, especially at a bar or restaurant.

pickin' and grinnin' »    Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.

pickle »    A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown.

piece de resistance »    A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..

piece of ass »    An act of intercourse, especially a one night stand.

pile-up »    A traffic accident or collision involving multiple vehicles.

pin tuck »    narrow ornamental fold

pinch and a punch for the first of the month »    Said the first day of a new month, accompanied by a pinch and a punch to the victim.

pink slip »    Notice of the termination of employment.

piss and vinegar »    Exuberance or enthusiasm, especially to an excessive degree; bravado; youthful energy.

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.

pitch a tent »    To have an erection that shows through the trousers.

pitch in »    To help out; lend assistance; contribute; to do one's part.

pitched battle »    A hostile engagement involving sustained, full-scale fighting between opposing forces in close combat.

pitched battle »    An intense, rancorous argument or confrontation.

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 fast and loose »    To ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits ones purpose.

play games »    To deceive, to lie about one's intentions.

play hookey »    To be absent without permission, especially from school.

play it by ear »    To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.

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 feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.

play the race card »    Mark Fuhrman, Murder in Brentwood p.153.

play the race card »    To assert that race or racism is responsible for a course of events, especially when race is not of particular significance to the issue in question; to attempt to inspire a particular reaction by raising the issue of race.

play up »    To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.

plead the fifth »    To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.

pleased as Punch »    Pleased with one's actions or achievements.

plug away »    To persist or continue, as with an effort.

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 an aircraft's flight when there is insufficient fuel to reverse direction and return to the place of origin.

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 out »    To tell, remind, indicate to someone.

point the finger »    To accuse; to direct or imply blame.

point the finger at »    To accuse or blame.

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.

poison tree bears poison fruit »    Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.

polo shirt »    garment

pore over »    To examine something carefully and attentively.

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.

Postpone »    to cancel until a future a time

pot calling the kettle black »    A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.

potter »    One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.

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.

pound the pavement »    To campaign diligently; to seek something, such as business, employment, or answers.

pound the pavement »    To travel on foot; to walk or run.

pour out »    To serve a drink into a cup or glass.

power chord »    A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power chords make extensive use of intervals such as open fourths and fifths.

power point »    electrical socket

practice makes perfect »    If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.

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.

present day »    current

pretty penny »    A considerable amount of money; a high price or a high income.

pretty pictures »    Image supplements in a presentation: graphs, charts, etc.

prevention is better than cure »    it is better to prevent the creation of a bad thing, than to destroy it.

price out of the market »    To charge an exorbitant price for a service or product so that no one will purchase it.

prick up one's ears »    To listen attentively.

pride comes before a fall »    A person who is extremely proud of his or her abilities will often suffer a setback or failure, because he or she tends to be overconfident and to make errors of judgment.

problem child »    A child who is particularly difficult to raise or educate, especially due to a lack of self-control and disruptive and antisocial behavior.

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.

pronunciamiento »    A pronouncement or "declaration".

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.

proverbs hunt in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.

proverbs run in pairs »    Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work."1863, Sir Richard Burton, Abeokuta and the Camaroons Mountains, vol. 1, Tinsley (London), p. 309:Moreover, all the world over, proverbs run in pairs, and pull both ways: for the most part one neutralizes, by contradiction, the other.

pulcher »    Noble, honorable, excellent.

pull an all-nighter »    Work diligently throughout the night.

pull one's finger out »    To stop wasting time in preliminaries, and concentrate on the important task.

pull one's head in »    To withdraw as a turtle might; to discontinue support of a particular argument.

pull oneself together »    To become mentally focused after a period of being unfocused.

pull oneself up by one's bootstraps »    To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only on one's own effort or abilities.

pull out »    To use coitus interruptus as a method of birth control.

pull out »    To remove something from a container.

pull out »    To maneuver a vehicle from the side of a road onto the lane.

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 the other one, it's got bells on »    Monty Python's Holy Grail.

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 the boat out »    To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.

put aside »    To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.

put back »    To postpone an arranged event or appointment.

put by »    To perform an action without attracting attention.

put by »    To run a ship aground intentionally to avoid a collision.

put down »    To pay an initial amount of money on a large purchase.

put down for »    To record that someone has offered to help, or contribute something.

put into practice »    To take a theory and make it a practical reality.

put on »    To don clothing or equipment.

put on »    To record, to add to a record or document.

put on the dog »    To dress up; to put on airs; to make a show of wealth and/or importance; to be pretentious.

put one foot in front of the other »    To move forward, progress steadily.

put one foot in front of the other »    To walk, decomposed to stress the fundamentality of the task.

put one's back into »    To make a strenuous effort to do something.

put oneself in someone's shoes »    To try to look at a situation from a different point of view; as if one were the other person. To empathise.

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 boot in »    To kick a fallen opponent.

put the pedal to the metal »    To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent.

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 present, especially in "put up a fight".

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.

quantum mechanics »    The branch of physics which studies matter and energy at the level of atoms and other elementary particles, and substitutes probabilistic mechanisms for classical Newtonian ones.

quarter of »    "I need twenty minutes to get to the shop." "You'll be late. It's already a quarter of.".

queer fish »    An odd or eccentric person.

question mark »    Doubt or uncertainty.

question mark »    The punctuation mark “?”, used at the end of a sentence to indicate a question..

quick on the uptake »    Able to readily understand things; intelligent.

quiet down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

quieten down »    To reduce intensity of an activity.

quite a bit »    A considerable amount.

rabble rouser »    Someone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.

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.

rags to riches »    In a biographical context, from poverty to exceptional wealth.

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.

rain cheque »    Any postponement, especially of an offer.

rain on someone's parade »    To disappoint or discourage someone.

raise a hand »    To volunteer.

raise a stink »    To complain; to demand attention or remedy for a problem.

raise one's hand »    To volunteer.

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 »    A lot, plenty.

rake »    The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.

rake »    The sloped edge of a roof at or adjacent to the first or last rafter.

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 run »    A small road that people venture down when they want to sneak off the motorway and take a short cut.

rat running »    Present participle of rat run.

rattle someone's cage »    To demand attention; to nag, nudge, or remind.

reach an early grave »    To be sentenced to death before the age of 18.

real deal »    A thing or person which is genuine, authentic, or worthy of serious regard.

real job »    A job that can't be replaced advantageously by a machine or a procedure.

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.

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.

reckon for »    To answer for; to pay the account for.

reckon on »    To count on or depend on.

reckon upon »    To count upon or depend upon.

reckon with »    To settle accounts with or to settle claims with.

reckon with »    To take into account.

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 herring »    A clue that is misleading or that has been falsified, intended to divert attention.

red mist »    Anger sufficient to cloud judgement, to stop clear thinking.

red mist »    Uncontrollable rage.

rediscover fire »    To relearn fundamental concepts, principles or practices that had been previously well known and widely practiced at a prior time in human society.

redolent »    Fragrant or aromatic; having a sweet scent.

redolent »    Having the smell of.

redolent »    Suggestive or reminiscent.

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.

rely on »    To be confident in.

rely on »    To be dependent upon.

rest his soul »    Used parenthetically to mark the referent as being deceased.

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 shotgun »    To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

right back »    Used in several informal constructions to indicate return -- especially imminent return to a point of origin.

right on »    An expression of enthusiasm or encouragement.

ring off the hook »    Of a telephone, to ring constantly or excessively.

ring out »    To make a phone call from an internal phone system to a general telephone network number.

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 charge an exorbitant or unfair rate.

rip up »    tear into pieces

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.

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 »    A person who carries a mobile device such as a laptop or PDA and uses wireless internet connections to work.

rob the cradle »    To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.

robber baron »    Especially in the 19th-century and early 20th-century, a business tycoon who had great wealth and influence but whose methods were morally questionable.

robber baron »    In Europe, an aristocrat who charged exorbitant fees or otherwise exacted money from people who journeyed across land or waterways which he controlled.

rock the boat »    To disturb the status quo or go against rules or conventions, as in an effort to get attention.

rock up »    To work one's way vertically up a chimney or cleft using a rocking movement.

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 shit »    A metaphor for something exceedingly rare or, more likely, nonexistent.

roll out the red carpet »    To extend the utmost hospitality; to treat someone as an honored guest; to welcome or host, especially in a showy or extravagant manner.

root cause »    An initiating cause of a chain of events which leads to an outcome or effect of interest.

rose-colored glasses »    Glasses that are tinted in a pink or rose shade.

rough around the edges »    In need of refinement; unsophisticated.

round down »    To the greatest integer that is not greater than it, or to some other lower value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.

round off »    To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.

round up »    To the smallest integer that is not less than it, or to some other greater value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.

rub in »    To irritatingly make a point.

rub off on »    To adapt to a way of behaving after constant exposure to it.

rub up against »    Of pets. To touch a person's body in a friendly manner, seeking attention.

rubber-chicken dinner »    A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.

ruffle some feathers »    To disturb; to arouse resentment, anger, or concern.

rule with an iron fist »    To rule with absolute authority or to the detriment of the people. To rule tyrannically.

rum go »    An odd affair; a surprising event; a confusing experience; a queer thing.

rumor mill »    A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.

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 afoul of »    To become entangled in; to run aground on.

run afoul of »    To contravene.

run around »    To be very busy doing many different things.

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 by »    To inform someone briefly of the main points of an idea.

run for the roses »    Nickname for the Kentucky Derby horse race.

run hot and cold »    To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure.

run in »    argument

run into »    To enter by running.

run into »    To collide with.

run into »    To cause to collide with.

run into »    To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.

run into »    To cause to blend into.

run into »    To reach a large figure.

run into the ground »    To discuss ad nauseam.

run into the ground »    To mismanage to the point of ruin.

run into the ground »    To wear out, especially through excessive use.

run off »    To make photocopies, or print.

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 without interruption.

run on »    To continue talking for a long time.

run oneself ragged »    To work or exert oneself to the point of exhaustion.

run rampant »    To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.

run roughshod over »    To treat roughly or without care, respect, or moderation; to act without control; to damage.

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 to »    To reach a particular maximum amount, size, value, etc.

run up against »    Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.

running on empty »    Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.

sabre-rattling »    A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.

sainted »    Simple past tense and past participle of saint.

salad years »    The inexperienced, youthful prime of an individual, group, organization or entity.

same difference »    It makes no difference; it amounts to the same thing.

save face »    To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.

scare out of one's wits »    To frighten someone to such an extent that they behave irrationally.

scare the pants off of »    To scare or startle thoroughly.

scissorbill »    And railroad term for someone who refused to join the union or who openly colluded with management to thwart the union.

scissorbill »    Someone considered contemptible or foolish.

scissorbill »    The black skimmer bird native to the Atlantic states, USA.

scrape together »    To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.

scratch that »    To disregard, omit, or ignore the previous statement.

scream »    An entertaingly outrageous person.

scream »    Used as an intensifier.

screw it »    "I don't care enough to continue"; whatever.

screw this »    "I don't care enough to continue"; "This is too stressful for me"; whatever.

scrounge up »    To seek or find despite a lack of apparent resources or availability.

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.

seagull manager »    A manager who comes into the workplace or office only on occasion, especially when a problem arises or to criticize or critique employees.

seat-of-the-pants »    Done by feel, guess, or trial and error rather than by careful planning, thought or technique.

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 childhood »    The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.

secret agent »    spy

see a man »    To take one's leave for some urgent purpose, especially to go to the bathroom.

see someone's point »    To comprehend the meaning that someone is trying to convey.

see something through »    To fulfill a commitment.

see you next Tuesday »    A euphemism for cunt.

seize the day »    To enjoy the present and not worry about the future; to live for the moment.

seize the day »    To make the most of today by achieving fulfillment in a philosophical or spiritual sense.

sell »    To pretend that an opponent's blows or maneuvers are causing legitimate injury; to act.

sell »    To promote a particular viewpoint; to manipulate towards a desired end.

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 out »    To abandon one's supporters or principles to seek profit or other personal advantage.

send to Coventry »    To ostracize, or systematically ignore someone.

senior note »    A bond that takes priority over other debt securities sold by the issuer. In the event the issuer goes bankrupt, senior debt must be repaid before other creditors receive any payment.

sent to Coventry »    Ostracised, ignored.

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 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 in stone »    Permanent; certain; firm.

set of pipes »    A wind instrument incorporating multiple pipes, such as a panpipe or bagpipe.

set off »    To count an addition in one thing against a reduction in something else.

settle for »    To accept or allow something, especially something not entirely desirable.

sexual congress »    Intercourse.

sexual enjoyment »    Sexual intercourse that produces physical and psychological pleasure.

shake the pagoda tree »    To find a source of easy enrichment; to become absurdly rich in a short time.

shape up »    To take shape; to transform into or become.

sharp as a tack »    Very intelligent.

sharp cookie »    One who is intelligent, bright, or sharp; especially, one who can identify attempts to deceive or mislead.

shell out »    To use a program's "shell escape" function to execute an unrelated command or to invoke a subsidiary, interactive shell.

shit one's pants »    To be extremely frightened.

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.

shitstorm »    A violent situation.

shoo-in »    A candidate or contestant generally agreed upon as the presumptive winner; somebody who is well-liked or widely agreed upon.

shoot down »    To the point of preclusion.

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 off at the mouth »    Don't let [presidential press secretary Ron] Ziegler shoot off at the mouth without our knowledge.

shoot one's mouth off »    To make reckless or exaggerated statements.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To act against one's own interests, e.g., by saying what one is really thinking.

shoot the boots »    To kick swiftly and violently, especially in the groin.

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 achieve the lowest score possible, such that the player is usually rewarded with bonus points.

shoot the moon »    To attain great heights, a high value, or a numerically high measurement.

short of »    Except; without resorting to; up to the point of.

short of »    Insufficiently equipped with.

short strokes »    Bare essentials.

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 shack »    A house with no internal barrier between the front and back doors.

shotgun wedding »    A wedding in which the bride is already pregnant.

show off »    To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.

show the flag »    Of a naval vessel or military force, to identify itself by displaying the flag of its country of origin, especially in order to establish an authoritative presence and to exert diplomatic or political influence.

show the flag »    To display the flag of one's country, especially as an expression of patriotic pride.

show the flag »    To represent one's country or some other group in a manner intended to suggest the authority or importance of that country or group.

show up »    To outperform or one-up, often in an arrogant manner.

showstopper »    A performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive reaction strong enough to pause the production.

showstopper »    Any impediment that prevents all further progress.

shrinking violet »    A very shy person, who avoids contact with others if avoidable.

shroud »    That which clothes, covers, conceals, or protects; a garment.

shrug off »    To ignore or disregard; to be indifferent.

shuffle »    To get lost in the shuffle: to lack attention when you deserve it.

shut the hell up »    Shut up intensified by "the hell".

shy bairns get nowt »    If you're too shy, or don't ask, you will not get what you want.A' forgot te ask hor for me money back!Wye, shy bairns get nowt

sign in »    In order to get into the office after hours, you'll have to sign in at the security desk.

sign in »    To sign one's name on a list when entering somewhere.

sign on the dotted line »    To formalize an agreement.

silver screen »    The cinema screen onto which movies are projected.

silver surfer »    An elderly person who regularly uses the Internet.

silver-tongued »    Eloquent and articulate.

simmer down »    To decrease in intensity of anger, agitation, or excitement.

since when »    Used to indicate doubt as to the veracity of a statement.

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.

singing from the same hymnbook »    Present participle of sing from the same hymnbook.

sink one's teeth into »    To become involved in; particularly in an enthusiastic manner.

sit out »    To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.

sit out »    To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.

sit through »    To unwillingly stay seated until the end of an event.

sit tight »    To wait patiently.

sitting pretty »    In a favorable situation, especially a situation in which one possesses an advantage.

six of one, half a dozen of the other »    The two alternatives are equivalent or indifferent; it doesn't matter which one we choose.

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.

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.

skirt chaser »    A man with amorous intentions who habitually seeks out female companionship.

slam dunk »    A task expected to present no difficulty.

slanging match »    A row; an argument in which names are called.

slap on the wrist »    A mild or too-mild punishment; a reprimand.

sleep on it »    To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.

sleep together »    To be intimate with another person in the same bed.

sleep with »    To have sexual intercourse with.

sleeping at the switch »    Variant form of asleep at the switch.

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 through the cracks »    To escape notice or lack sufficient attention.

slippery slope »    A chain of events that, once initiated, cannot be halted; especially one in which the final outcome is undesirable or precarious.

slippery slope »    A logical argument that follows a chain of events or causes and effects to some conclusion.

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.

small change »    A minor or insignificant amount of money.

smallpox blanket »    An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.

smart arse »    One who is particularly flippant or insolent or tends to make snide remarks or jokes.

smart chance »    A substantial quantity of something.

smear campaign »    An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.

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 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 like a chimney »    To smoke tobacco frequently.

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.

smooth operator »    A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc.

snake oil »    A fraudulent, ineffective potion or nostrum; panacea.

snake oil »    A type of 19th century patent medicine sold in the United States that claimed to contain snake fat, supposedly a Native American remedy for various ailments.

snake oil »    Snake oil is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat joint pain.

snipe hunt »    A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.

snot-nosed »    Young and arrogant or conceited.

snow on the mountaintop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

so far »    Until now; previously; yet.

so far so good »    Up to this point, all is OK.Well, you've packed your bags for the holiday, bought your tickets, reserved the hotel and put the dog in kennels. So far so good, now let's get to Minorca without any troubles.

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

so on and so forth »    Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner.

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 there »    A defiant expression used to finish a poorly-made argument.

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.

socialized medicine »    A politically charged term used to contrast such systems with free market alternatives and emphasize the perceived link to socialism.

socialized medicine »    An umbrella term for any system of government-run health care.

soft mick »    An extravagant person.

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 spot »    A fontanelle.

soft spot »    A point of vulnerability in a defence.

soft spot »    A sentimental fondness or affection.

soldier on »    To continue or persist, despite adversity or difficulty.

something awful »    Intensely or extremely; badly; in the worst way.

somewhere along the line »    At some unspecified time; eventually or once; at some point.

sort out »    To clarify by reviewing mentally.

sort out »    To organise or separate into groups, as a collection of items, so as to make tidy.

sound as a bell »    In excellent condition.

sound asleep »    Sleeping still and silently.

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.

space out »    To stupefy, intoxicate, disorient, or lose attention or focus, especially by the use of drugs.

space out »    To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.

spanner »    A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.

spare tire »    An extra wheel or tire carried as a replacement in case of a flat.

speak for oneself »    Expressing disagreement with an opinion expressed by another.

speak of the devil »    An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

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.

spell out »    From its component letters.

spice up »    To make more exotic, fun or extravagant.

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.

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.

sprain one's ankle »    To be pregnant.

spring in one's step »    Enthusiasm, energy or a positive outlook or cheerful attitude.

spruce up »    To dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and neatly.

spur of the moment »    Impluse; short notice; a lack of planning.

squeaky wheel gets the grease »    The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.

squint like a bag of nails »    To squint very much, as though one's eyes were directed as many ways as the points of a bag of nails.

stage of the game »    A point in the progress of an ongoing dispute or process.

stamp duty »    tax on documents

stand back »    To maintain a safe distance from a hazard.

stand by »    To wait in expectation of some event; to make ready.

stand for »    To mean; to symbolize; to represent.

stand in someone's shoes »    To see from another's point of view; to feel what another feels.

stand off »    To prevent any would-be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture.

stand on its own »    To be independent of others.

stand on one's own two feet »    To be independent. To survive without any help.

stand one's ground »    To maintain or stick by an opinion or position; to remain resolute in the face of opposition.

stand out »    To be obvious or conspicuous, in contrast to one's surroundings.

stand stock still »    Paul Travers' Adventures, by Sam T. Clover.

stand up »    To bring something up and set it into a standing position.

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.

stave off »    To prevent something from happening; to obviate or avert.

stay the course »    To persist or continue.

steal somebody's thunder »    To detract from somebody's accomplishments or glory; to undermine.

step in front of a moving train »    To sacrifice one's own life for a noble and loyal cause.

step out »    To date, to be in a romantic relationship.

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 it out »    To persist or continue.

stick it to the man »    To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government.

stick one's nose in »    To be nosy; to meddle or interfere in the affairs of another.

stick out »    To be prominent, noticeable, or obtrusive.

stick up »    To rob at gunpoint.

stick with »    To continue or persist; to stick to.

stickhandle »    To deal capably and swiftly with a situation, especially in a manner which deflects potential problems.

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 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.

stiff upper lip »    The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, associated with stereotypical British people.

still life »    type of painting

still water runs deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect

still waters run deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect.

stir-crazy »    By extension, restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity.

stir-crazy »    Of a prisoner, mentally unbalanced due to prolonged incarceration.

stock phrase »    A phrase frequently or habitually used by a person or group, and thus associated with them.

stone's throw »    A short distance, roughly equivalent to how far a person can throw a stone.

stop press »    The event or news article important enough to delay or interrupt the print, or require a reprint, of a publication, particularly of a newspaper edition.

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 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.

storm in a tea-kettle »    A big fuss made in a small context.

straight from the shoulder »    Done in a direct manner; blunt.

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.

streak of good luck »    A series of lucky events.

stretch the truth »    To exaggerate, often to the point where the truth is obscured or lost.

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.

strip down »    To remove inessentials from.

strip off »    To remove anything by stripping, e.g. items of clothing or paint from the side of a ship.

strut one's stuff »    To behave, or to perform in a showy or ostentatious manner, especially in a way to impress others; to show off.

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.

stupid is as stupid does »    A person's intelligence may be judged by the wisdom of his or her actions.

such as »    Like, of the kind mentioned.

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 off »    To fellate a man until he ejaculates.

suffer fools gladly »    To be tolerant of stupidity or incompetence in other people.

sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof »    No need to worry about the future; the present provides enough to worry about.

summer and winter »    Endured.

summer and winter »    To spend extended periods of time with; to test.

sure of oneself »    Self-confident.

surprise surprise »    An indication that the unsurprising happened, especially contrary to someone's hopes or assertions.

swan song »    A final performance or accomplishment, especially one before retirement.

sweep someone off their feet »    To seduce someone romantically.

sweetheart deal »    A transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.

switch off »    To lose interest, and start thinking about something else.

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..

tail between one's legs »    A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.

take a back seat »    To be second to someone or something; to be less important or have a lower priority.

take a bath »    To lose a large amount of money in an investment.

take a bullet »    To purposely receive a gunshot that was intended for another.

take a dive »    To feign a knockout in order to lose intentionally.

take a dive »    To lose or fail intentionally.

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 stand »    To assert an opinion or viewpoint; to defend one's point of view or beliefs.

take apart »    To dismantle something into it's component pieces.

take away »    To remove something and put it in a different place.

take away »    To make someone leave a place and go somewhere else. Usually not with the person's consent.

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 retract an earlier statement.

take back »    To cause to remember some past event or time.

take for granted »    To assume something to be true without verification or proof.

take for granted »    To give little attention to or to underestimate the value of, to fail to appreciate.

take in »    To receive into your home for the purpose of processing for a fee.

take into account »    Or pay attention to; to notice.

take liberties »    To behave disrespectfully, especially to make unwanted sexual advances.

take lying down »    To endure without complaint or protest.

take off »    To leave the ground and begin flight; to ascend into the air.

take off »    To quantify.

take off »    To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.

take on »    To acquire, bring in, or introduce.

take one's eye off the ball »    To lose one's concentration on what is most important.

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 sides »    To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.

take someone's point »    To agree with what a person says; to understand a person's argument and be persuaded by it.

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 the bull by the horns »    To confront a difficulty, rather than avoiding it.

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 lead »    To become the leader, to advance into first place.

take the wheel »    To assume control of a situation.

take the wheel »    To be in control of the steering wheel of a vehicle or a vessel.

take the wind out of someone's sails »    To discourage someone greatly; to cause someone to lose hope or the will to continue.

take things as they come »    To accept and deal with events as they occur, with a composed state of mind.

take to »    To enter; to go into or move towards.

take to task »    To lecture, berate, admonish, or hold somebody accountable for his or her actions.

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 the gauntlet »    To accept a challenge.

take up with »    To be contented to receive; to receive without opposition; to put up with.

take with a pinch of salt »    Not take entirely seriously.

taking upon oneself »    venturing

talk a blue streak »    To talk for a long time, at great length, or to the point of tedium.

talk back »    To reply impertinently; to answer in a cheeky manner.

talk is cheap »    It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.

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 somebody under the table »    With excessive talk or numerous arguments.

talk someone's ear off »    To talk excessively or far more than is wanted or appreciated.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

tall tale »    A greatly exaggerated, fantastic story.

tank top »    garment

teacher's pet »    A student who is perceived to be favored by the teacher.

team up »    To join into a team, or into teams.

team up with »    To associate with another in a joint enterprise.

tear away »    To remove oneself reluctantly; often expressed in the negative.

tear up »    To tear into pieces.

teething troubles »    Small problems such as are to be expected with some any new and untried system or product.

tell you the truth »    Used to positively assert the frank honesty of an associated statement of set of statements; equivalent to "to you tell the truth".

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.

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's just me »    Indicates the expression of a personal opinion, but often used ironically as an understatement.

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.

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree »    A child grows up to be very similar to its parents in the way they act and in their physical abilities.

the beast with two backs »    Two people engaged in sexual intercourse.

the bee's knees »    Most excellent; surpassingly wonderful; cool.

the company »    Nickname for an intelligence service.

the Devil »    Used to add emphasis to a question or statement.

the die is cast »    The future is determined; there are no more options; events will proceed in an irreversible manner.

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 hell out of »    Used as an intensifier.

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 other day »    Recently; lately; a few days ago.

the pits »    Something miserable or unpleasant.

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 rabbit died »    A statement spoken to indicate one's own pregnancy, or that someone has found out they are pregnant.

the road to hell is paved with good intentions »    well-intended acts can lead to disaster

the shoe is on the other foot »    The roles of people in a situation have been reversed, such the advantage has shifted to a party which was previously disadvantaged.

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 upper hand »    An advantage or lead.

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"

them's the facts »    That's the truth, that's how it is; frequently used in reference to an unfortunate truth.

then again »    From another point of view; on the other hand; on second thought.

there are plenty more fish in the sea »    There are many more potential opportunities available.

there are plenty of fish in the sea »    There are many more potential opportunities available.

there are two sides to every question »    One should not make a judgement until one hears the other side.

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 you have it »    Used to introduce a speaker's interpretation of what has just transpired or been described.

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 point crying over spilt milk »    You should not be upset over something that cannot be undone.

there's no time like the present »    Now (i.e., the present time) is an appropriate time to take a particular action.

they're only after one thing »    Men are only interested in sex.

thick as thieves »    Intimate, close-knit.

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.

think one's shit doesn't stink »    To be arrogant or snobbish; to feel superior to others.

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.

think twice »    To reconsider, use judgement; to proceed with caution or thought.

think up »    To create in one’s mind; to invent..

third degree »    Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession.

third time's a charm »    One is sure to succeed at a task or event on the third try.

thorn in someone's side »    A persistent annoyance.

thorn in the flesh »    A persistent difficulty or something very annoying that will not go away.

those who will not when they may, when they will they shall have nay »    (archaic) One should take immediate advantage of an opportunity that may not be available later.

three skips of a louse »    Said about some trifling or insignificant matter.

three-on-the-tree »    On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.

through and through »    Completely; entirely; fundamentally.

throw a wobbly »    To burst out into a verbal uproar.

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 fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand.

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 for a loop »    To confuse or disorient; to throw off; to mix up.

throw in at the deep end »    To introduce a person to a new situation without adequately preparing him or her.

throw off »    To introduce errors or inaccuracies; to skew.

throw one's hat in the ring »    To announce one's candidacy in a contest.

throw one's toys out of the pram »    To lose one's temper; to throw a tantrum.

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 smoke »    To consistently pitch fastballs that are difficult to hit.

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 the book at »    To apply the harshest possible punishment to.

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.

thumbs up »    A gesture signifying approval or okay; a thumb pointing up out of a fist.

tickle someone's fancy »    To amuse, entertain, or appeal to someone; to stimulate someone's imagination in a favorable manner.

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.

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 heals all wounds »    Negative feelings eventually erode away

time of the month »    The time when a woman is menstruating.

time out of mind »    The distant past beyond anyone's memory.

timeserver »    A device, node or program that distributes the correct time to clients in a network.

timeserver »    A person who conforms to current opinions, especially for reasons of personal advantage; an opportunist.

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.

tin god »    An individual that abuses or exceeds his authority over others, frequently in petty ways; for example a low-level manager in situational comedies and other entertainment.

tip of the hat »    A gesture of acknowledgement; often, an expression of gratitude.

tip one's hand »    In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand.

tip one's hand »    To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage.

tit for tat »    Equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.

to a fare-thee-well »    To the greatest extent or to completion; to a state of refinement or perfection.

to a T »    Precisely; exactly; perfectly; with great attention to detail.

to all intents and purposes »    For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

to beat the band »    Very vigorously; at a frantic pace; to a high degree; in large quantities.

to date »    Until now; until the present time.

to die for »    Very good; exquisite; excellent; particularly desirable.

to each his own »    Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.

to give a person line »    To allow a person more or less liberty until it is convenient to stop or check him/her, like a hooked fish that swims away with the line.

to go »    Served in a package or takeout container so as to be taken away from a restaurant rather than eaten on the premises.

to one's heart's content »    Until satisfied; as much as is wished.

to say the least »    Used to suggest that what was previously stated was an understatement.

to tell the truth »    An attestation to the truthfulness and frankness of an associated statement.

to that end »    For that reason, with that goal, intending to produce that result.

to the gills »    Entirely or extremely; to the greatest degree possible.

to the max »    To a great degree or extent; very.

to the max »    To the maximum possible degree or extent.

to the moon »    To a very distant or unreachable place.

to the moon »    Used as an intensifier.

to the point »    Relevant or pertinent; succinct; specific.

to the tune of »    Roughly; about; as much as; to the sum of, to the extent of.

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.

toe the line »    To abide by the rules or conventions.

tomato tomato »    Uses insignificant pronunciation difference to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard.

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

tongue-in-cheek »    Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.

too big for one's britches »    Disturbingly confident, unacceptably cocky.

too big for one's britches »    Too large to fit into one's pants.

top dollar »    The maximum amount of money that an item, service, or worker is worth; a very high price.

top shelf »    Books, magazines, or movies that have adult content, or soft-core porn.

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 up »    To make slight corrections or adjustments; to fill in or perfect.

touch with a barge pole »    Get romantically involved with.

touch%C3%A9 »    An acknowledgement of a hit.

touch%C3%A9 »    An acknowledgement of the success, appropriateness or superiority of an argument, sometimes used sarcastically to mock one's opponent's absurd logic.

touch%C3%A9 »    Used in a conversation or debate to concede a point as true, often in response to a successful counter of one's own logic.

touched in the head »    Demented, slightly mentally deficient.

touchy-feely »    Driven by intuition or emotion, with a connotation of de-emphasis of rational thought or logic.

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.

track down »    To hunt for or locate; to search for; to find.

track record »    An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

trash out »    To criticize the person spoken to in a rant.

travel junkie »    Who are using their time and money to seek out adventure holidays and travel.

treat them mean, keep them keen »    A woman will be more interested in a man if he is not kind to her.

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.

trigger-happy »    Inclined to react excessively or violently at the slightest provocation.

trip to the woodshed »    An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered.

truth will out »    A mystery will always be solved, or a truth will always be discoveredTruth will eventually and inevitably be discovered.

tuck in »    To push the fabric at the bottom of a shirt under the pants.

tuck into »    To eat, especially with gusto.

tuits »    Virtual tokens for an amount of time or attention that a particular issue would need to resolve.

tune in »    To pay attention.

tune in, turn on, drop out »    Pay attention to the new way of living; take drugs; abandon the established ways.

tune out »    To fail to pay attention to; to ignore.

tune up »    To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.

turf war »    A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn back »    No turn a dial anticlockwise or adjust a clock or other meter to an earlier time or reading.

turn back »    To refuse to allow someone to pass a border or enter a place.

turn down »    To reduce the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn heads »    To garner a considerable amount of attention.

turn into »    To transform into; become.

turn into a pumpkin »    Used to indicate a curfew, or the time by which one must depart.

turn on »    To enter a road.

turn one on »    To increase interest.

turn over a new leaf »    To engage in self-improvement; to begin a good habit or shed a bad habit.

turn the corner »    To pass a critical point.

turn the other cheek »    To accept a punishment or an injury and not act out revenge or retaliate.

turn the page »    To move on to new involvements or activities; to make a fresh start.

turn the tables »    To reverse a situation, such that the advantage has shifted to the party which was previously disadvantaged.

turn to stone »    To metamorphosise into stone.

turn up »    To increase the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn up for the book »    A very unexpected, usually pleasant, surprise.

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.

twist of fate »    An unfortunate turn of events.

two bob »    A small amount of value.

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 cents »    One's opinion or thoughts.

two-bit »    Costing 25 cents.

two-bit »    Insignificant or worthless.

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.

uncle sam »    the us government

under erasure »    Of a bit of text, written and strickenthrough; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.

under one's hat »    Concealed; confidential; secret.

under one's nose »    Directly in front of one; clearly visible.

under one's nose »    Obvious or apparent.

under one's thumb »    Completely controlled by someone; at someone’s command..

under the influence »    Drunk; intoxicated; affected by alcohol.

under the table »    Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.

under the weather »    Somewhat intoxicated or suffering from a hangover.

untar »    To extract a tar archive.

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 »    In contact with, abutting.

up for »    Willing to participate in; interested in.

up front »    Open, honest; tending to disclose information; truthful.

up in the air »    Literal: up in or into the sky or air.

up one's alley »    Matching a person's interests or abilities well.

up the ante »    To make something more desirable.

up the ante »    To raise the stakes of a hand of poker.

up to scratch »    Sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality.

up to snuff »    Mentally alert, shrewd, savvy.

up to speed »    Fully informed; current.

up-and-coming »    Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.

up-to-date »    Current; recent; the latest.

up-to-date »    Informed about the latest news or developments.

ups and downs »    Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.

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 »    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.

variety is the spice of life »    Variety is what makes life interesting

venus flytrap »    insect-eating plant

vice squad »    police department

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 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.

wade in »    To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.

wail on »    To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To defer action or decision until another matter is finished or resolved.

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 in the snow »    An occasion when a momentous career decision is made, especially a decision to resign or retire.

walk into »    To collide with.

walk into »    To fall into .

walk into »    meet with unwittingly

walk it off »    To deal with an negative emotional event without complaint; to take it like a man.

walk the line »    To behave in an authorized or socially accepted manner, especially as prescribed by law or morality; to exercise self-control.

walk the line »    To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc..

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.

walk the walk »    Act competently, like an expert.

walls have ears »    There is a risk of being heard, so pay attention to what you say.

ward off »    To avert or prevent.

warm down »    Gentle excercise at the end of a training session before cooling off.

warm the cockles of someone's heart »    To provide happiness, to bring a deeply-felt contentment.

warm up »    To make an audience enthusiastic or animated before a show.

warm up »    To prepare for executing an already-learned activity by a limited amount of additional practice.

waste breath »    To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.

waste not, want not »    If one is not wasteful then one will not be needy.

watch one's head »    To look out for things one's head might bump into.

watch this space »    An indication that a development will follow.

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 back when »    A time in the distant past.

way out »    excellent, amazing

way to go »    An expression of congratulations, encouragement, or approval.

wear down »    To cause physical or mental fatigue.

wear one's heart on one's sleeve »    To be extremely transparent, open, or forthright about one's emotions.

wear out »    To cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use, especially hard, heavy, or careless use.

wear out »    To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.

wear out »    To exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness, as by continued strain or exertion.

wear out »    To become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary, as by continued strain or exertion.

wear out »    Of a shirt, not tucked into the pants; worn in a casual manner.

wee small hours »    He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.

weed out »    To remove unwanted elements from a group.

weekend warrior »    A person who indulges in a sport or pastime on an infrequent basis, usually on weekends when work commitments are not present.

well ain't that the catfish in the trap »    A sentence commonly spoken in the Southern United States. It can often be used in place of "well, I'll be damned". Used to express surprise.

wet boy »    A contractor assassin or hit man.

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 strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

what do I know »    Implies that a statement is based on a guess or assumption rather than on knowledge or evidence.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

what for »    An unspecified punishment or rebuke.

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 of it »    So what? Who cares? Expresses disinterest, disregard or lack of concern.

what you see is what you get »    The screen image resembles the printed output.

what's the good of »    What is the purpose or advantage of.

when it rains, it pours »    If a person encounters bad luck, more bad luck will follow.

when push comes to shove »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is critical or urgent; when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult.

when the cat's away »    People are likely to take advantage of the absence of authority or enforcement of compliance.

when the cat's away the mice will play »    In the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.

when the chips are down »    When the pressure is on; when the situation is urgent or critical.

when you're up to your neck in alligators, it's easy to forget that the initial objective was to drain the swamp »    Only because it seems so urgent.

when, as, and if »    Used to indicate the timing and contingency of some obligation in contracts, especially financial.

where there's muck there's brass »    (UK, Irish) There is money to be made in unpleasant dirty jobs.

where there's smoke, there's fire »    If there is telltale evidence of some event, the event is probably occurring.

where's the beef »    Where is the content? So what?.

whistle Dixie »    To engage in a pointless or unproductive activity; to do something without resolve, seriousness or commitment.

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 coat hypertension »    Elevated blood pressure measured by a medical practitioner and deemed to result from the patient's emotional response to the medical environment.

white elephant »    An albino elephant.

white elephant »    An ornament etc that is unwanted or is a financial burden; an unprofitable investment.

white hole »    A theoretically possible but physically highly unlikely singularity which would emit matter and energy; the antithesis of a black hole.

white lie »    A deliberate, untrue statement which does no harm or is intended to produce a favorable result.

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.

whole shebang »    Everything; the entire thing.

wild horses »    A force not subject to human control and normally stronger than a man.

will on »    To wish intensely that someone succeeds in what they are doing. Often implies a silent, or almost inaudible wish.

window-shopping »    The browsing of shop windows without any intention of buying.

wine merchant »    vintner

winkle out »    Tom managed to winkle the truth out of John eventually.

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 the slate clean »    To forget about previous differences and disagreements, and make a fresh start.

with a vengeance »    Intensely motivated; resolute; forceful.

with bated breath »    Eagerly; with great anticipation.

with open arms »    With enthusiasm, as if embracing.

within an ace of »    Very near; on the point of.

wits' end »    Limit of one's sanity or mental capacity; point of desperation.

wolf in sheep's clothing »    Something harmful or problematic disguised as something peaceful or pleasant.

word on the wire »    The rumour or news going around on the Internet, in business, on the street, or in social circles.

work at »    To make a physical or mental effort to progress some specified task.

work one's arse off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

work one's tail off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

work out »    To habitually exercise rigorously, especially by lifting weights, in order to increase strength or muscle mass or maintain fitness.

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.

world »    A great amount.

worlds apart »    Vastly different.

worth one's salt »    Competent or adept.

worth one's while »    Good and important enough for one to spend time, effort, or money on.

worth the risk »    The benefit of the success is more valuable than the problems caused by the potential loss.

wrap it before you tap it »    wear a condom before sexual intercourse.

wrestling with a pig »    To engage in a pointless task that leaves one worse off for having made an honest attempt.

write down »    To make a downward adjustment in the value of an asset.

write one's own ticket »    To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.

write up »    To document the faults of.

yak shaving »    Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.

yell silently »    To think very strong thoughts, that one wishes to yell out loud but does not.

you bet »    Expresses support, agreement, certainty or emphasis.

you can't always get what you want »    It is not always possible to get what is wanted.

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 polish a turd »    (vulgar) Something inherently bad cannot be improved.

you can't run with the hare and hunt with the hounds »    You can't have it both ways.

you don't dip your pen in company ink »    One should avoid romantic relationships in the workplace.

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 get what you pay for »    In commercial transactions, the quality of goods and services increases as the prices increase, i.e., the more one pays, the better the merchandise.2003, Michael Blumenthal, "For Whom the School Bell Tolls," Time, 7 Dec.:Though it may sound unapologetically capitalistic to say so

you know it »    Indicates agreement, approval, encouragement.

you know what »    A phrase used to get someone's attention before announcing something.

you knows it »    Indicates agreement, approval, encouragement.

you knows it »    You're right; I wholeheartedly agree with your statement.

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 never know what you've got till it's gone »    Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.

you snooze you lose »    If you are not alert and attentive, you will not be successful.

you what%3F »    An intensified version of what or huh.

your mileage may vary »    It may work differently in your situation, or be different in your experience.

your mileage may vary »    To express a possible difference in taste, "this is just my opinion, your opinion may be different".

yours sincerely »    A polite formula to end a letter, especially when the recipient’s name is known to the sender.

zero in »    To focus one's aim; to zoom in and center on something.

zero in on »    To concentrate or focus one's attention on at task.

zip up »    To convert a computer file into a smaller package.

zone out »    To stop paying attention and think about something else, or to think about nothing.

zonk out »    To fall suddenly into a very deep sleep.

zoom out »    To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a smaller image, or a more distant view.

BTW, Why won't you become an editor?