We've found 4668 phrases for on (0.131 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 bit much »    More than is reasonable.

a camel is a horse designed by a committee »    An expression critical of committees

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

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

a day late and a dollar short »    Action that was taken too late and too feeble to be of any use.

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

a fool and his money are soon parted »    It is easy to get money from foolish people, especially rich ones.

a friend in need is a friend indeed »    A true friend is one who helps you when you are in need.

a gentleman and a scholar »    An admirable person.

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

a good beginning makes a good ending »    Good beginnings promise a good end; start off on a good note to reap the benefits at the end.

a good voice to beg bacon »    Said in ridicule of a bad voice.

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 little bird told me »    Of information which was gathered from a source not to be overtly exposed.

a man's home is his castle »    (US) a proverbial expression of personal privacy and security

a million times »    by a factor of a million

a miss is as good as a mile »    A failure remains a failure, regardless of how close to success one has actually come.

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

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

a 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.

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

abide by »    To accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it; to conform to; to acquiesce; as, to abide by an award.

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

abide with »    To remain or live with someone.

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

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

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

above and beyond »    More than is expected or required.

above board »    Honestly, reputably.

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

above the law »    Exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else.

above the salt »    Of high standing or honor.

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

abstract nonsense »    Details which involve diagram chasing.

abut on »    To border on.

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

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

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

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

according to »    Based on what is said or stated.

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

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

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.

acknowledge the corn »    To cop a plea; to admit to a small error but not a larger one.

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

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

act like a bull in a china shop »    To act rudely or clumsily in a delicate situation.

act on »    To act decisively on the basis of information received or deduced.

act one's age »    To be mature and not childish.

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

actions speak louder than words »    It is more effective to act directly than to speak of action.

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

add fuel to fire »    To inflame a situation, to make a situation worse.

add fuel to the fire »    To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.

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

Adds up »    To enhance. " on.com">Law of attraction adds up to the success in life."

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

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

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

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

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

ahead of one's time »    Showing characteristics of changes yet to be; present in one's work before later advances in the field; coming earlier than could be generally accepted.

air rage »    Disruptive behaviour on an aircraft.

albatross »    A double eagle, or three under par on any one hole.

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

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

all along »    The entire time; always.

all and sundry »    All, everyone.

all and sundry »    Each one.

all at once »    All at the same time; all together.

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

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

all clear »    permission to proceed

all ears »    Awaiting an explanation.

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

all hell breaks loose »    Vi A place or state of fury, turmoil, destruction, or chaos.

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

all hollow »    As a foregone conclusion.

all hollow »    Common misspelling of all hallow.

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

all in all »    everything considered

all it's cracked up to be »    As good as claims or reputation would suggest.

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

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

all over »    Done; finished; complete.

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 right, my lover »    An informal affectionate greeting.

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

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

all the rage »    Very fashionable and popular, like a craze.

all the same »    Anyway; nevertheless; nonetheless.

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

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

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

all walks of life »    All professions, lifestyles or social classes.

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

all wet »    Utterly incorrect; erroneous; uninformed.

all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy »    Too much focus on one's career is often viewed unfavorably.Too much hard work and not enough leisure time can be unhealthy.

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

all-over oneself »    Feeling self-satisfied.

along about »    Approximately; at around some time.

along the lines »    In a general direction or manner.

am I right or am I right »    Rhetorical question from somebody who has stated what they consider to be an unassailable truth.

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

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

an apple a day keeps the doctor away »    Apples are healthy and stave off illness.Eat healthy and you won't get sick.

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

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

an offer one can't refuse »    An offer from one side in any transaction with 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 counting »    Used to show that the number previously mentioned is continuously changing, i.e. increasing or decreasing.

and how »    Used to strongly confirm preceding utterance.

and 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.

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

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

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

another nail in one's coffin »    One in a series of factors which lead, or purport to lead, to downfall.

answer back »    To reply to a question at a later time.

answer back »    To issue echo characters, protocol responses, reflexive connection requests, etc.

answer for »    To be held responsible for.

answer on a postcard »    To give a brief answer or opinion.

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

any way one slices it »    From any perspective; in every case.

anything goes »    There are no rules or restrictions.

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

apple does not fall far from the tree »    A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, both in behavior and in physical characteristics.1842, E. A. Freidlaender (translator), Frederika Bremer (author), The Neighbours, ch. 10:It is impossible to look at Madam Rhen, without at once making the conclusion that she is pleasantness, hospitality, and loquacity itself; nor can one look upon her daughter Renetta without thinking, "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"1978, Dr. Isador Rosenfeld, "Doctor Asks Patient

apple of somebody's eye »    A favourite, a particular preference, or a loved one; the object of somebody's affections.

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

apply oneself »    To put forth a concerted effort; to try; to focus.

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

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

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

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

argue out »    To discuss to reach an agreed conclusion, or decision.

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

arm candy »    An attractive, seemingly romantic companion who accompanies a person in public simply so that one or both of the individuals can gain attention, enhance social status, or create an impression of sexual appeal.

arm to the teeth »    To equip thoroughly with weapons.

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

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

as best one can »    In the best possible way, given the circumstances.

as far as one knows »    To the best of one's knowledge.

as good as one's word »    Faithful to a promise one has made.

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 long as »    The same length as.

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

as of »    From, on or at a specified time.

as the crow flies »    In a straight line distance between two locations, as opposed to the road distance or over land distance.

as well »    In addition; also.

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.

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

ask for it »    To provoke an unwanted action.

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

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

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

ask out »    To invite somebody, especially on a date.

ask round »    To invite someone to your house.

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.

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

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

at a glance »    Upon cursory examination; an abbreviated review.

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

at arm's length »    Avoiding a close relationship.

at best »    In the most favorable of conditions; at the most.

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 one's place of residence.

at home »    In the home of one's parents.

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

at last »    After a long time; eventually.

at loose ends »    In an uncertain position or situation.

at odds »    In disagreement; conflicting.

at odds »    on bad terms

at once »    At the same time; simultaneously; together.

at once »    Immediately; now; right away.

at one with »    United with; in tune with.

at one's beck and call »    In servitude to; at one’s command.

at one's fingertips »    Readily available.

at rest »    Not moving; stationary.

at sea »    Confused, lost, or adrift; bewildered.

at sea »    On the ocean or sea, typically of a ship or person aboard a ship.

at sixes and sevens »    In a state of confusion.

at that »    In addition to what has been said; furthermore; moreover.

at that »    Now that it has been mentioned.

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

at the end of one's tether »    At the limit of one’s patience; frustrated or annoyed..

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

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

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

at the momont »    now

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

at the top of one's lungs »    Possible.

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

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

at will »    At one's preference; as one sees fit.

at work »    At one's workplace.

atom bomb »    nuclear weapon

auction off »    To sell something at an auction.

autem bawler »    A parson.

autem cackler »    Dissenters of every denomination.

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

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

babe magnet »    A person, especially a man, to whom women are attracted.

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

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

back burner »    A section of a stove used to keep some pots warm while one focuses on others.

back down »    To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously has or has planned to.

back gammon player »    A sodomite.

back in the day »    In the past; at one time, especially a time which is fondly remembered.

back of beyond »    A very remote place.

back off »    To become less aggressive, particularly when one had appeared committed to act.

back onto »    To reverse a vehicle onto something.

back onto »    To overlook something from the rear.

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

back out »    To reverse a vehicle from a confined space.

back to our muttons »    To get back to the business at hand.

back to square one »    Located back at the start, as after a dead-end or failure.

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

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

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

backfoot »    To put on the defensive; to put off balance.

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

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

bacon fed »    Fat, greasy.

bacon-faced »    Having a fat, sleek face.

bad apple »    A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy, especially one who has an adverse influence on others.

bad egg »    Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.

bad iron »    Bad luck.

bad joke »    A situation that is badly planned, or illogical.

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

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

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

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

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

bad to the bone »    Completely bad and evil; pure evil.

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

bag and baggage »    All one's possessions.

bag of bones »    A skinny, malnourished person.

bag of rations »    A fussy or overly zealous military superior.

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.

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

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

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

balance the books »    To put or keep any closed or conservative system or its analysis in balance.

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

ball up »    To hunch over and pull in one's arms and legs.

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

balloon goes up »    Something exciting or dangerous begins.

ballpark estimate »    A ballpark figure, a very rough approximation.

ballpark figure »    An educated guess or estimation within acceptable bounds.

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

bang on »    Exactly at.

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

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

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

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

banged up »    Spending time in prison or jail.

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

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

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

banyan day »    In British naval tradition, this originally referred to a day of the week when galley kitchens served no meat on board ship.

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

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

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

bare one's teeth »    Of an animal, to show one's teeth as a sign of aggression.

bare one's teeth »    To show one's aggression.

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

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

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 »    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 »    The ribs and belly of a horse or pony.

barrel of monkeys »    Something very funny or amusing.

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

bash about »    To physically damage something or assault someone.

bash in »    To injure someone by hitting violently.

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

basket case »    One made powerless or ineffective, as by nerves, panic or stress.

bastardly gullion »    A bastard's bastard.

bat a thousand »    To achieve perfection.

bat a thousand »    To reach first base on every at-bat.

bat an eyelash »    To react in any slight way; to respond.

bat an eyelid »    To react in any slight way; to respond.

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

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

be along »    To arrive.

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

be glad to see the back of »    To be glad to get rid of someone; to be glad someone has left.

be in on »    To be a party to a secret shared by a small group of people.

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

be of two minds »    To be undecided or unsure; to equivocate; to have multiple opinions.

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

be on about »    Talk about; mean, intend.

be on the edge of one's seat »    To be in suspense; to wait eagerly or anxiously for some resolution.

be on to »    To figure out; to realize the truth.

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

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 there for »    To be available to provide comfort and support for someone, especially in a period of difficulty.

be there or be square »    Used to encourage someone to go somewhere.

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

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

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

beam up »    To teleport another person or object in the same manner.

bear down »    To press down on someone.

bear down »    To intensify one's efforts.

bear down on »    To approach someone in a very determined way.

bear in mind »    Remember; consider; note.

bear on »    To influence, have an effect on.

bear on »    To be relevant to.

bear out »    To corroborate, prove, or confirm; to demonstrate; to provide evidence for.

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

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

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

beat down »    To haggle someone to sell at a lower price.

beat down »    To severely beat someone up.

beat one's head against a stone wall »    To waste effort on a futile project.

beat one's meat »    To masturbate.

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

beat someone's brains out »    To beat someone very severely.

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

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

beats me »    I don't know; I have no idea.

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

beauty is only skin deep »    What matters is a person's character, rather than his/her appearance.

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

beauty sleep »    Sleep before midnight, on the belief that early sleep hours conduce to health and beauty.[1].

because you touch yourself at night »    Used to humourously deflect a request for a reason.

bed of roses »    A comfortable or luxurious position.

bed of roses »    A pleasant or easy situation.

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

been there, done that »    An assertion that the speaker has personal experience or knowledge of a particular place or topic and is now bored.

been there, done that, bought the T-shirt »    Expresses the speaker's complete familiarity with a situation, with overtones of cynicism or exhaustion.

been there, done that, got the T-shirt »    Same as been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.

been to the rodeo »    Exposed to conmen and hucksters; experienced.

beer goggles »    The illusion that people are more attractive, brought on by alcohol consumption.

before you can say Jack Robinson »    Very quickly. Quicker than you expect.

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.

beggars can't be choosers »    (proverb) When resources are limited, one must accept even substandard gifts.

behind bars »    In jail or prison.

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.

bells and whistles »    Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.

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.

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

bend one's elbow »    To drink alcoholic beverages, especially at a public house or bar.

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

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

bent on »    Completely determined; obstinate.

bent on a splice »    About to be married.

beside oneself »    Overcome; consumed by an emotion.

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

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

best of the bunch »    The best or most preferred person or item within a group.

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

better safe than sorry »    It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to suffer afterwards.

better than sex »    Superlative; wonderful.

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

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

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

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

betwixt and between »    Neither one thing nor the other.

beyond one's pay grade »    Beyond one's capability.

beyond one's pay grade »    Beyond one's level of authority.

beyond the black stump »    Extremely remote, outside the populated area.

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

big boy »    A large object or person.

big bucks »    Lots of money.

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

big daddy »    Something or someone of importance.

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

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

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

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

big picture »    The totality of a situation.

big shot »    A person with a reputation of importance or power.

big up »    To increase one's muscle mass through exercise.

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

bigwig »    A person of importance to a group or organization.

bill of goods »    A collection of items purchased or offered for sale.

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

bird in the bosom »    A secret pledge that one makes for another.

bird of one's own brain »    One's own idea or conception.

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

birds of a feather »    C1710, Jonathan Swift, "A Conference," lines 11-12.

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

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

bit on the side »    Secondary lover, mistress.

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

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

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

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

bite someone's head off »    To severely berate someone.

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.

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

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

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

black babies »    Third world charities, the missions.

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 disliked person; one who is disfavored.

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

black-on-black »    A description of the colors of an automobile .

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.

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

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

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

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

blot one's copy book »    To damage one's own reputation through bad behavior.

blow a fuse »    To lose one's temper; to become enraged.

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

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

blow one's chances »    To forfeit opportunities to achieve some goal.

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

blow out of proportion »    To overreact to or overstate; to treat too seriously or be overly concerned with.

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

blow smoke »    To speak with a lack of credibility, sense, purpose, or truth; to speak nonsense.

blow someone out of the water »    To trounce; to defeat someone thoroughly, at a game or in battle.

blow someone's mind »    To astonish someone, to flabbergast someone.

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

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

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

blow up »    To explode or be destroyed by explosion.

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

blow up in one's face »    To fail disastrously.

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

blue devils »    Low spirits; depression.

blue moon »    A long time.

blue moon »    Something absurd.

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

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

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.

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.

bone dry »    Completely dry; without any trace of moisture.

bone idle »    lazy

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

bone up »    To study or cram, especially in order to refresh one's knowledge of a topic.

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

booze can »    A nightclub or bar, especially one which operates illegally or is otherwise disreputable.

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

born on the Fourth of July »    Demonstratively patriotic.

born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »    Born rich or in a wealthy family.

born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »    Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.

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

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

bottle out »    To fail to perform a promised or planned action due to lack of courage.

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.

bottoming the house »    The process by where someone cleans their house 'from top to bottom'. It is a very thorough clean indeed, even more so than 'spring cleaning'.

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

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

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

bowled over »    to be astonished; overwhelmed; surprised; shocked

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

box the compass »    To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.

box-office bomb »    A motion picture that generates relatively low revenue at the box office, especially that which is less than the budget for the motion picture.

boys and their toys »    Used to evoke the idea that adult men sometimes dote excessively on machines, automobiles, and gadgets in a childish manner.

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

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

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

brain surgeon »    Someone very intelligent.

brain surgeon »    Someone who does brain surgery.

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

brain surgery »    Surgery on any part of the nervous system, especially the brain; neurosurgery.

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

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

brass monkey »    A kind of inexpensive liqueur.

brass monkey »    An Australian beer.

brass monkey »    Said of the weather when it is very cold.

brass monkeys »    Very cold.

brass neck »    A person with gall.

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

break a leg »    To perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.

break a sweat »    ' , Karon Karter - The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Pilates Method page 119.

break even »    To neither gain nor lose money.

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

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

break in »    New function more naturally through use or wear.

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

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

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

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

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

break out »    To begin suddenly; to emerge in a certain condition.

break someone's heart »    To cause a person to feel grief or sadness.

break the bank »    To exhaust one's financial resources.

break the bank »    To win more money than is available to be paid.

break the buck »    Fall below the value of one dollar per share.[1].

break up »    To end a relationship.

break up »    Of a telephone conversation, to cease to be understandable because of a bad connection.

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

breakfast of champions »    An ironic appellation for beer, junk food, or other foods implied to be unhealthy.

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

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

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

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

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

brickbat »    Reason Magazine: Daily Brickbat[1].

bridge »    A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.

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

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

bridge »    A prosthesis replacing one or several adjacent teeth.

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

bridge »    A system which connects two or more local area networks at layer 2.

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

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

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

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

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

bridge »    The upper bony ridge of the human nose.

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

bright-line rule »    A clear-cut, easy to make decision.

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

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

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

bring down »    To make something flying fall to the ground. Usually by firing a weapon of some kind.

bring down »    To make someone feel bad emotionally.

bring forward »    To call up for consideration.

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

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

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

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

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

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

bring out »    On the market; roll out.

bring out »    To make a shy person more confident.

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

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

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

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

bring to heel »    To force someone to obey.

bring to the table »    To provide a suggestion.

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

bring up »    To mention.

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

bring upon »    To cause to befall.

broad across the beam »    Without fat on the hips and the bottom.

broad in the beam »    Without fat on the hips and the bottom.

broad shoulders »    The ability to take criticism, or accept responsibility.

broken vessel »    A person who is destroyed or forgotten, or who feels flawed or broken.

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.

buckle down »    To put forth the needed effort; to focus; become serious; apply oneself.

buckle up »    To fasten one's seat belt or safety belt.

bug off »    Used to tell somebody to leave them alone.

bug out »    To abandon someone without warning.

bugger off »    An expression of disagreement or disbelief.

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

built like a brick shithouse »    Of a person, with an exceptionally well-developed chest.

built like a tank »    Sturdy; exceptionally well constructed.

bull session »    An informal meeting among men.

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

bum rap »    An undeservedly unfavorable portrayal or reputation.

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 into »    To meet someone by chance.

bump up »    To promote a person to a higher grade.

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.

bundle of nerves »    A person with an especially nervous, excitable, or fearful disposition.

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

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

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

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

burn a hole in one's pocket »    To cause someone to be tempted to spend money.

burn one's bridges »    To destroy one's path, connections, reputation, opportunities, etc.

burn one's candle at both ends »    To work extremely or excessively hard; to work too hard for good health or peace of mind.

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

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

burst someone's bubble »    To disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown comfortable.

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

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

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

bush league »    A professional sports association at the lower levels of minor league organization.

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

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

business end »    The part of a tool or other similar item, that is physically used for its operation, rather than the part which is held.

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

bust a cap in someone's ass »    Alternative form of pop a cap in someone's ass.

bust chops »    To nag; to berate or hound in an effort to elicit action.

bust one's butt »    To work exceptionally hard.

bust one's chops »    To exert oneself.

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

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

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

but 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.

butt heads »    To argue uncompromisingly with someone.

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

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

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

button up »    To fasten with a button or buttons.

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

button-down »    Conservative; conventional; unimaginative.

button-down »    Of a collar, able to be buttoned down to the shirt, as over a necktie.

button-down »    Serious; staid; businesslike.

buttoned-down »    Alternative form of button-down.

buzz off »    Used to tell someone to go away.

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

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

by and large »    Mostly, generally; with few exceptions.

by dint of »    By reason of; by means of.

by far »    To a considerably large extent, easily.

by hand »    Manually; without the use of automation or machines.

by hook or by crook »    By any means possible; one way or another.

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

by one's own hand »    As a result of one's own actions, especially with reference to death by suicide.

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

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

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

by the way »    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 trade »    As a profession; professionally.

by virtue of »    Because of; on the grounds of; by reason of; due to; based on.

by-the-numbers »    Done in a predictable manner; formulaic.

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

call in »    To communicate with a base etc, by telephone.

call in »    To summon someone, especially for help or advice.

call in »    To withdraw something from sale or circulation.

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

call it quits »    To conclude; to quit or stop an activity.

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 »    To visit somebody; to pay a call.

call on »    In a classroom, to select a student.

call on »    To request or ask of somebody; to select for a task.

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

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

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

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

call the shots »    To make the decisions;to be in charge;to give orders.

calling card »    A prepaid card or credit card, usually electronically readable, used to pay the charges when making a telephone call.

calling card »    A small printed card which identifies the bearer, traditionally presented for introduction when making a social visit to a home or when attending a formal social event or business meeting.

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

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.

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

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.

carbon copy »    duplicate

carried away »    Made excessively emotional or excited.

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

carry off »    Knowledge, confidence, or familiarity.

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 an illicit sexual liaison.

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.

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

carved in stone »    Unchangeable.

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

cash cow »    Someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money; a moneymaker.

cast aspersions »    To make damaging or spiteful remarks.

cast away »    To abandon or maroon.

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

cast one's vote »    To vote for something.

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

cast up one's accounts »    To vomit.

castle in the air »    A visionary project or scheme; a day-dream; an idle fancy; a pipe dream; any plan, desire, or idea that is unlikely to be ever realized; a near impossibility.

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

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

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

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

cat that ate the canary »    A person whose appearance and behavior suggest guilt mixed with other qualities, such as satisfaction or feigned nonchalance.

cat's meow »    A self-satisfied person.

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

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

catch on »    To begin to understand; to realize or detect.

catch on »    To become popular; to become commonplace; to become the standard.

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

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

catmeat »    Catfood consisting of meat.

catmeat »    Someone who has been badly beaten.

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

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

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

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

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

cave in »    The location where something has caved in.

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.

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

chain reaction »    A nuclear reaction in which particles produced by the fission of one atom trigger fissions of other atoms.

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

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.

champ at the bit »    To show impatience or frustration when delayed.

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

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

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

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

change one's mind »    To convince someone to make a decision differing from what a previous one.

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

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

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

charge up »    To motivate, to instill someone with determination.

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 chase someone.

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

chase down »    To pursue and apprehend someone.

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 sara sara »    Used to express a personal philosophy of fatalism1892 March 17, Cigarette,

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.

cheat on »    To be unfaithful to.

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

cheaters never prosper »    One does not gain from cheating.

check in »    To announce or record one's arrival at a hotel, airport etc.

check is in the mail »    A common excuse used by debtors to put off creditors.

check out »    To pay the bill, and record one's departure, as from a hotel.

check out »    To have one's purchases recorded and bagged at a supermarket, and pay for it.

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

cheer on »    To cheer and support a team, to barrack, to root for.

cheer up »    To make someone happy.

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 select only the best from a range of options.

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

chew somebody out »    To berate; to shout at someone.

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

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

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

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

chime in »    To talk; to join in conversation or discussion.

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.

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

chip on one's shoulder »    A tendency to take offence quickly.

chomp at the bit »    To show impatience or frustration when delayed.

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

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

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.

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

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

circle the wagons »    To prepare to defend against an attack.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

clean out »    To empty completely; to remove all money or possessions from.

clean someone's clock »    To defeat decisively, in a physical fight or other competition or negotiation.

clean up »    To become clean, handsome, smart in appearance, e.g. for a special occasion, especially when it is out of character to be seen as such.

clean up one's act »    To reform; to improve one's habits.

clear cut »    Having had all vegetation removed.

clear the decks »    To prepare for action.

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

clear up »    To clarify, to correct a misconception.

clogs to clogs in three generations »    (UK) Wealth earned in one generation seldom lasts through the third (grandchild

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 in on »    To enclose around; to tighten or shrink; to collapse.

close in on »    To catch up with in a chase; to near the end of a pursuit.

close in on »    To near a goal or completion.

close one's eyes »    To ignore.

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

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

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

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

cloud nine »    A state of happiness, elation or bliss; often used in the phrase on cloud nine.

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.

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

cock of the walk »    A proud or conceited person.

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

cold comfort »    Much less reassurance, consolation, aid, or pleasure than one needs or desires.

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

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

cold one »    A beer.

cold snap »    A period of exceptionally cold weather.

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

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

come a cropper »    To fall headlong from a horse.

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

come across »    To give an appearance or impression; to project a certain image.

come along »    To accompany.

come along »    To progress; to make progress.

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

come clean »    To confess; admit.

come down to »    To depend upon, basically, ultimately or in essence.

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

come of age »    To reach a specific age where one is legally considered to be an adult.

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

come on »    To progress, to develop.

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

come on »    To encounter, discover; to come upon.

come on »    An expression of encouragement.

come on »    An expression of disbelief.

come online »    To enter service or become active.

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

come out of one's shell »    To become a naturist. To convert to naturism.

come out of one's shell »    To reveal one's true self.

come round »    To change one's opinion.

come round »    To recover consciousness.

come short »    Fail to meet (expectations or standards)

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

come through »    Not to let somebody down, keep one's promise.

come to »    To recover consciousness after fainting etc.

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

come to »    To befall; to affect; to happen to; to come upon.

come to grips »    To confront or deal with directly.

come to mind »    To appear in one's thoughts.

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

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

come up »    To come to a higher position.

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

come up »    To begin to feel the effects of a recreational drug.

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.

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

common-and-garden »    Ordinary, standard.

common-or-garden »    Ordinary, standard.

company »    A group of individuals with a common purpose, as in a company of actors.

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

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

company »    Companionship.

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.

con man »    swindler

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

conk out »    To fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly.

conk out »    To stop functioning.

conk out »    To die.

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 »    A solution to a problem that can be applied in many situations without modification.

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

coon's age »    A very long time.

coop up »    To confine in a restricted place or situation.

cop a feel »    To stealthily fondle someone in a sexual manner.

cop on »    Grow up.

cop-out »    A person who cops out.

cop-out »    An excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty; a reason offered when someone cops out.

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

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

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

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

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

corporation pop »    Water.

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

cotton on »    To realize; come to understand.

cotton to »    To like; approve of, accept, or tolerate.

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 pay money.

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

couldn't happen to a nicer »    Sarcastically asserts that those in question thoroughly deserve their fate.

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.

covenant of salt »    A long-lasting agreement.

cover one's ass »    To make preparations or take precautions to ensure that one is not blamed or punished for one's conduct.

cover one's bases »    To be thorough; to prepare thoroughly or completely.

cover up »    To conceal or disguise.

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

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

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

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

crack on »    Task.

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.

cramp someone's style »    To restrict someone's free actions, or to give the impression of such.

crane fly »    daddy longlegs

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

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

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

cream in one's jeans »    To experience an orgasm while clothed; to be thoroughly excited or delighted.

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

creature comfort »    Any small item or detail that makes a person comfortable and at home.

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

crocodile tear »    A tear shed insincerely, in a false display of sorrow or some other emotion.

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

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

cross someone's path »    To meet by chance.

cross that bridge when one comes to it »    To deal with a problem or situation only when it arises.

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.

cross the Rubicon »    To make an irreversible decision or to take an action with consequences.

crown jewels »    A prized possession or asset.

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

crowned heads »    monarchs

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

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

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

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

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

cry one's eyes out »    To moan.

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

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

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

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

cry someone a river »    To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.

cry the blues »    To complain, especially in order to obtain sympathy for one's own purportedly sad situation.

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

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

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

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

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

cup of tea »    Whatever suits or interests one.

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

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

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

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 wide swath »    To clear a broad track through a grassland, woodland, geographical region, or other area, either by natural means or by human action.

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

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

cut of one's jib »    Someone’s general appearance or the implications thereof, especially in relation to making an impression or one’s style..

cut off »    To isolate or remove from contact.

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

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

cut one's teeth »    To begin; to gain early experience.

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 aggressively move in front of another vehicle.

cutie pie »    A cute person.

cutie pie »    A small hand-held radiation meter.

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

daily grind »    The difficult, routine, or monotonous tasks of daily work.

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

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

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

damned if one does and damned if one doesn't »    A dilemma where either choice results in a negative outcome.

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

damson jam »    fruit preserve

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

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

dawn on »    To occur to somebody; to be realized.

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

day one »    The very beginning.

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

dead »    No longer living.

dead »    No longer used or required.

dead »    Stationary; static.

dead »    Without emotion.

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 dodo »    Undoubtedly and unquestionably dead.

dead as a doorknob »    Entirely, unquestionably or certainly dead.

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

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

dead end »    A path or strategy that goes nowhere or is blocked on one end.

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

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

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

dead on »    Exactly at.

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

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

dead tree edition »    Paper version of a publication that can be found online.

dead wood »    Personnel no longer contributing to an organization.

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

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

deaf as a doorpost »    Stone deaf.

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

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

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

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

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

deep end »    A situation where expertise or experience is required.

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

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

deep water »    A difficult or embarrassing situation.

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 goods »    To keep one's promises.

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

deliver the message to Garcia »    ...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.

desk jockey »    One who spends his or her time seated at a desk; especially one who is more concerned with procedure, paperwork, or administration than with its ultimate goal or practical consequence.

desperate times call for desperate measures »    In adverse circumstances actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice.

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.

diamond in the rough »    A person whose goodness or other positive qualities are hidden by a harsh or unremarkable surface appearance.

diamond in the rough »    An uncut diamond.

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.

dictated but not read »    Dictated, as to a secretary or stenographer, but not proofread by the person who dictated the text so annotated.

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.

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

dim bulb »    A person who is slow-witted.

dime a dozen »    So common as to be practically worthless.

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.

dirty money »    Money that is illegally gained, illegally transferred or illegally utilized. Especially money gained through forgery, bribery, or thievery.

dirty word »    A word that is considered vulgar, not necessarily sexual in nature.

dirty word »    The name of a topic that a person does not like to hear or discuss.

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

dish out »    On to a dish ready for eating.

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

dismal science »    Nickname for economics or for the field of political economy.

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

do a number on »    To damage; to treat harshly; to produce ill effects.

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

do as I say and not as I do »    Don't imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.

do drugs »    To abuse an illegal drug or drugs, especially as a result of chemical addiction.

do one »    To depart from a place, often with a sense of urgency.

do one's damnedest »    To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.

do one's darnedest »    To do one's utmost; to make every effort or to try every possible approach or way.

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

do someone proud »    To cause someone to feel pride, admiration, or satisfaction.

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

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

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

do the honors »    Act as a host to guests.

do the honors »    Perform a duty.

do the honours »    Act as a host to guests.

do the honours »    Perform a duty.

do the math »    You can do the calculation yourself, with the implication that you don't have to trust someone else's assertions.

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

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

does a bear shit in the woods »    Rhetorical question in response to a question where the answer is an emphatic yes.

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

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

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

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

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

don't be penny wise and pound foolish »    Don't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much larger amounts.Don't focus on minutiae and lose sight of the big picture; don't obsess over tiny inconsequential efficiencies while glaring inefficiencies are going on elsewhere.

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

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

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

don't dip your pen in company ink »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

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

don't drop the soap »    (idiomatic) Used as a mockery to someone who is about to be or should be confined in prison.

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

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

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

don't 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 let the bedbugs bite »    Used to wish a person a good night's sleep.

don't look a gift horse in the mouth »    Do not unappreciatively question a gift or handout too closely.

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

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

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

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

don't take any wooden nickels »    Do not permit yourself be cheated or duped; do not be naive.

don't try to teach grandma how to suck eggs »    Don't presume to give advice to those who are more experienced.

done a bunk »    Simple past tense and past participle of do a bunk.

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

donkey jacket »    thick garment

donkey work »    Hard, boring, routine work.

donkey's ears »    A long time.

donkey's years »    A long time.

doss down »    To sleep on someone's sofa or floor because there is no bed spare.

dot the i's and cross the t's »    To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or thorough.

double back »    To retrace one's steps; to go back where one has already gone.

double Dutch »    A date where both man and woman pay for their portion of the bill.

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

double up »    To have a secondary use.

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

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

down in the mouth »    Sad or discouraged, especially as indicated by one's facial appearance.

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

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

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

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

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

down-and-outer »    Someone who is down and out.

doze off »    To fall asleep unintentionally.

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

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

drag 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 »    Any exaggeratedly dramatic person.

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

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

draw a blank »    To be unable to produce a required piece of information.

draw back »    To retreat from a position.

draw on »    To sketch or mark with pencil, crayon, etc., on a given surface.

draw on »    To appeal to, make a demand of, rely on; to utilize or make use of, as a source.

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

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

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

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

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

draw the line »    To set a boundary, rule, or limit, especially on what one will tolerate.

dress up »    To wear smart clothes for an occasion.

drill down »    To examine information at another level or in greater detail; especially in a database, to navigate to a more detailed level or record.

drink up »    Finish one's drink.

drip »    To fall one drop at a time.

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

drive away »    To force someone or something to leave.

drive home »    With tangible or powerful demonstration.

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

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

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

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

drop a line »    On the telephone.

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.

drop the writ »    To call a federal or provincial election.

drug of choice »    The best-choice medication to treat a particular medical problem.

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

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

dry eye »    Keratoconjunctivitis sicca , an eye disease caused by decreased tear production.

dry one's eyes »    To cease crying.

due course »    A. 1735, Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels.

dumb bunny »    A stupid person.

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

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

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

dummy up »    To not answer questions.

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

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

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

e mail »    electronic message

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.

early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise »    platitude from Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym Poor Richard.

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

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

easy come, easy go »    Easily won and easily lost; usually said when resigned to a loss.

easy on the eyes »    Attractive; beautiful.

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

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

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

eat one's hat »    Used in a result clause to express disbelief in the conditional clause proposition.

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

eat one's own dog food »    To test the beta programs that are in the test phase on one's own computers; to dogfood.

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

eat one's words »    To regret or retract what one has said.

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

eat someone out of house and home »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act II Scene I.

eat someone out of house and home »    To consume such a portion of one's store of food that little is left for the owner.

eat someone's dust »    To be outrun.

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

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

eat up »    To consume completely.

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.

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

egg somebody on »    To tease, provoke or encourage.

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

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

empty vessels make the most sound »    noisy, opinionated people are often stupid.

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 of the world »    End of habitability for life on Earth.

end up »    To conclude, turn out, sometimes unexpectedly.

end up »    To arrive at a destination, sometimes unexpectedly.

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

enough is enough »    One should be satisfied, there should be no more

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

enquire after »    To ask about the health of someone.

err on the side of »    To behave in a manner which favours or which is biassed toward.

err on the side of caution »    To act in the least risky manner in a situation where one is uncertain about the consequences.

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

esthetically challenged »    Of a person, ugly.

even keel »    A situation in which the boat is level and balanced for a smooth ride.

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 »    A bet which offers odds of 1 to 1.

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 dog has its day »    Everyone has a time of success and satisfaction.

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

every last »    Every; without exception; used for emphasis.

every man has a price »    Everyone can be bribed or corrupted for a certain price.

every man Jack »    All the members of a group with no exceptions.

every rule has an exception »    Alternative form of there is an exception to every rule.

every silver lining has a cloud »    Every good situation has the potential to turn bad.2007, Diab A. Shetayh, Actuality : The Reality RequiemA great partnership isn't a self-maintaining entity. Perseverance and persistence make it thrive. For every silver lining has a cloud. Ignorance of this reality is not an option.

every time »    At each occasion that.

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

every which way »    All over; in every direction.

every which where »    A more emphatic version of everywhere.

everyone and their brother »    A large number of people; most people.

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

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

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

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

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

expose oneself »    To appear nude in public.

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

eye candy »    Any object or sight with considerable visual appeal.

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

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

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

f** it »    An expression of frustration.

f** it »    An expression of great indifference or nonchalance.

f** knows »    I don't know; nobody knows; it is unclear.

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

f**ing hell »    An exclamation of anger.

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

face off »    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 to face »    In person; directly; in the physical presence of somebody.

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.

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

factotum »    A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.

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

facts on the ground »    Some aspects of the situation in a particular location.

fade out »    A type of transition used in movies usually at the end of a scene, in which the transition fades to black from the cut.

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

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

fair game »    Actions permissible by the rules.

fair to middling »    Only tolerably good.

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 be emotionally in crisis.

fall away »    To cease to support a person or cause.

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

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 in line »    C. 2004, Career Soldiers, "Won't Waste My Life".

fall in line »    To submit to the rules of a higher authority; obey; conform.

fall in with »    To accept a set of generally agreed rules, or a suggestion.

fall off »    A hip hop term; to completely lose the plot in terms of artistic direction.

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 turnip truck »    To be naive, uninformed, or unsophisticated, in the manner of a rustic person.

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 »    To experience; to suffer; to fall upon.

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

fall on one's face »    To fail, especially in a dramatic or particularly decisive manner.

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 resign from a job or other position of responsibility, especially when pressured to do so.

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

fall together »    To contract.

fall upon »    To fall on; to experience; to suffer.

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

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

false step »    An erroneous action or decision.

familiarity breeds contempt »    The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.

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

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

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

fashion plate »    A person who dresses in especially stylish fashions.

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

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

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

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

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

feast 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 the dragon »    To buy or sell products labeled as "Made in China.".

feed the dragon »    To the People's Republic of China.

feel free »    Don't be ashamed, be my guest.

feel one's oats »    To feel energetic or frisky; to behave in a vigorous or bold manner.

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

feel up »    To grope someone in a sexual manner.

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

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

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

fiddle faddle »    nonsense

fifteen minutes of fame »    A very short time in the spotlight or brief flurry with fame, after which the person or subject involved is quickly forgotten.

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

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.

fight off »    To resist, particularly an infection or an emotion.

fight tooth and nail »    To use every means possible to overcome a difficult opposition.

figure out »    To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.

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

fill in »    To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information.

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

filter down »    Of information, or resources; to move slowly down to lower levels of an organisation, or population.

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

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

final cut »    In the movie industry, the final released version of the film.

find one's feet »    To grow in confidence in a new situation as one gains experience.

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

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

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

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.

fire off »    To ask an unexpected question rapidly.

fire on all cylinders »    To operate as effectively as possible.

firm up »    To make muscles more toned through physical exercise.

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

first among equals »    In the British and other parliamentary systems, a term used to describe the relationship of the prime minister to the other members of the cabinet.

first loser »    Second place.

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

first rate »    Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.

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.

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

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

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

five will get you ten »    I strongly believe.

fix someone's wagon »    To punish someone; to cause injury, distress, or inconvenience for someone.

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

flap one's gums »    To speak idly; to talk without effect.

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

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

flat-earther »    A person who believes or advocates the theory that the earth is flat.

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

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

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

flesh out »    To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.

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

flip one's lid »    To be explosively angry.

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

flipside »    The B-side of a phonograph record.

flower »    Typically including sepals, petals, stamens, and ovaries; often conspicuously colourful.

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

flutter in the dovecote »    A disturbance, usually one caused within a prescribed group of people.

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 on the wall »    A quiet, non-participating, or unseen observer; an eavesdropper or witness.

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

fly-by-night »    Businesses that appear and disappear rapidly, or that give an impression of transience.

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 in someone's footsteps »    To follow the same path as someone.

food chain »    The feeding relationships between species in a biotic community.

fool's errand »    A foolish undertaking, especially one that is purposeless, fruitless, nonsensical, or certain to fail.

fool's paradise »    A state of happiness due to illusion or false hope.

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.

footloose and fancy free »    Able to do as one pleases, unconstrained by social ties or responsibilities.

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 crying out loud »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

for f**'s sake »    An expression of anger or frustration.

for good measure »    As a precaution; just in case; added as an extra.

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

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

for heaven's sake »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

for keeps »    To compete seriously, with a strong resolve to win or succeed, as in sports or business.

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

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

for Pete's sake »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.

for that matter »    As far as that is concerned.

for the birds »    Worthless; pointless; not deserving serious consideration.

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

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

for the love of »    Used to form interjections expressing exasperation.

for the nonce »    For the time being, with the expectation that the situation may change.

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

for XYZ reasons »    For reasons unknown and not worth speculating on.

forbidden fruit »    Illicit pleasure; something that one should not take or get involved with, such as an another person's spouse.

forbidden fruit is the sweetest »    Forbidden things have more worthwhile short-term consequences.

force someone's hand »    Bring about a situation which necessitates an agent to act, often causing a plan to be executed prematurely.

forewarned is forearmed »    Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.1863, Charles Reade, Hard Cash, ch. 4:[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.1885, G. A. Henty, Saint George for England, ch. 4:Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.circa 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind":"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."

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

fortune favors the bold »    Luck is usually on the side of those who take chances and risks.

foul up »    To make a mistake, to go wrong.

four score and seven years ago »    As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.

four-eyes »    A person who wears spectacles.

four-leaf clover »    An uncommon variation of the clover, having four leaves instead of the usual three.

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 estate »    Journalism or journalists considered as a group; the Press.

fourth estate »    Which governed legislation.

fourth wall »    The boundary between the fiction and the audience.

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

free ride »    An opportunity or benefit which has no cost, especially one enjoyed or undertaken at the expense of others.

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

french letter »    A condom.

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.

friend with benefits »    A friend with whom one has such a relationship.

friend with benefits »    A friendship with no reserves when it comes to the release of shared sexual tension thus leading to sexual fraternization.

frig it »    An expression of frustration similar to, but not as coarse as f** it.

frog in one's throat »    Any temporary physical difficulty in speaking.

frog in one's throat »    Hoarseness or the need to cough.

from here to ya-ya »    A very long distance.

from scratch »    From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.

from the bottom of one's heart »    In earnest; sincerely; with one's full feeling.

from the get-go »    From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.

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

from the word go »    From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.

from time to time »    Occasionally; sometimes; once in a while.

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 »    C. 1950, Kay Boyle, "Adam's Death" in Fifty Stories , ISBN 9780811212069, p. 541.

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

fruit of the poisonous tree »    And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.

fruit of the union »    A child, especially from a marriage or similar union.

fudge the issue »    Adopt a solution to a specific problem which does not address the larger, more general problem of which the specific problem is an instance.

full English »    A cooked breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs, and other foods.

full marks »    To exclaim complete satisfaction with someone's efforts.

full of it »    Speaking nonsense; lying, exaggerating, or boasting.

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

full of shit »    Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.

full speed ahead »    A command, especially on military vessels, to move forward at maximum speed.

full speed ahead »    Maximum effort without reservations or delay.

full tilt boogie »    Out of control.

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

funny money »    A highly inflated currency.

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

funny money »    Money gained in a devious or sneaky manner.

funny money »    Play money.

gagging for it »    Up for it, having a strong desire for sex.

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

gang up on »    To join together in a gang in order to overpower someone else.

gapers' block »    A traffic jam resulting from motorists slowing to look at a motor vehicle collision or other roadside distraction.

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

garden variety »    Ordinary, common, or unexceptional.

get a grip »    To relax; to calm down; to stop being angry; to come to one's senses or become more rational.

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

get a jump on »    To start early, especially to start before something begins or before others begin.

get a load of »    To experience someone or something, especially by looking or listening.

get a move on »    To hurry up, to get moving.

get a rise out of »    To obtain a reaction from someone, especially one of annoyance.

get a room »    A jocular or sarcastic expression commanding a couple to stop displaying affection in public, and to rent a hotel or motel room to continue amorous activities in private.

get along »    To be together or coexist well, without arguments or trouble.

get along »    To survive; to do well enough.

get away with »    To do something which is prohibited, forbidden or generally not allowed, and not be punished for the action.

get busy »    Start working, usually in opposition to idleness.

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

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

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

get in someone's hair »    To annoy someone.

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 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 »    To possess a preferred outlook on a given issue or issues.

get it into one's head »    imagine

get it on »    To have sex.

get off »    Consequences.

get off »    To disembark from mass transportation, such as a bus or train.

get off »    To move from being on top of to not being on top of it.

get off »    To move to not being on top of it.

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

get off one's high horse »    To stop acting in an imperious, overbearing or bossy manner.

get off with »    To befriend someone and snog them, especially in a public place.

get on somebody's case »    To lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.

get on somebody's nerves »    To annoy or irritate; to bother.

get on someone's wick »    To annoy or upset someone, usually by repeated disagreeable actions.

get one's act together »    To become serious, organized, worthwhile, etc.

get one's back up »    To become angry, defensive, or irritable.

get one's butt somewhere »    Go somewhere, especially quickly.

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

get one's end away »    To have sex.

get one's feet wet »    To begin gaining experience; To take a risk and try something new.

get one's finger out »    To free one's finger.

get one's finger out »    To proceed with the matter in hand.

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

get one's hands on »    To get; to obtain; to secure.

get one's knickers in a twist »    To become overwrought or unnecessarily upset over a trivial matter.

get one's marching orders »    To be dismissed disgracefully.

get one's wires crossed »    To get confused or mixed up; to make a mistake.

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 out of here! »    An exclamation of disbelief.

get over »    To forget, and move on.

get ready »    prepare oneself

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 the bacon bad »    To be morbidly obese.

get the ball rolling »    To begin; to start some action; to set in motion.

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

get the boot »    To be voted off a competition in a reality television show.

get the chop »    To be eliminated from a competition in a reality television program.

ghost train »    fairground attraction

gift of the gab »    The ability to talk readily, glibly, and convincingly.

gin and tonic »    alcoholic drink

gird up one's loins »    To prepare oneself for something demanding.

give 'em enough rope »    Allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime »    It is more worthwhile to teach someone to do something, than to do something for them.

give a ring »    On the telephone.

give a sneck posset »    To give someone a cold reception; to close the door on someone; to reject them.

give and take »    A process of compromise or accommodation.

give as good as one gets »    To behave toward others in a manner resembling or commensurate with their behavior towards oneself, especially in a situation where one is insulted or otherwise ill-treated.

give away the store »    To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.

give chase »    To chase or pursue a person.

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

give face »    To honor; to pay respect.

give head »    To perform oral sex on another person.

give heed »    Pay attention to.

give him enough rope and he'll hang himself »    If one gives someone enough freedom of action, they may destroy themselves by foolish actions.

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

give it one's best shot »    To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.

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

give of oneself »    To devote oneself unselfishly to a task, especially to give time and energy.

give over »    To devote oneself to a particular activity.

give over »    Usually as an imperative. To tell someone to stop molesting, fooling around, or saying silly things. Or sometimes to stop saying flattering things.

give some skin »    To greet or congratulate someone by slapping his or her palm; see slap me five.

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

give somebody an earful »    To shout very loudly at someone.

give somebody pause »    To give somebody cause for concern.

give somebody the brush-off »    To rebuff, snub or curtly reject someone.

give somebody the creeps »    To give someone a feeling of uneasiness or mild fright.

give somebody the heave-ho »    To fire, expel or break up with someone.

give somebody the runaround »    Especially by providing useless information or directions .

give somebody what-for »    To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.

give someone the chair »    To execute a person by means of the electric chair.

give someone the eye »    To show flirtatious signs with the eye.

give someone what for »    To punish; to rebuke.

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

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

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 along for the ride »    To accompany someone passively, or to take a passive role in a project.

go along with »    To comply with something, even if reluctantly; to accept or tolerate.

go away »    Command asking someone to leave them alone.

go back on »    To be treacherous or faithless to; betray; as, to go back on friends.

go back on »    To fail to keep; to renege on; as, to go back on one's promises.

go ballistic »    To become very angry and irrational.

go batshit »    To become completely irrational; to react in an irrationally extreme manner.

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 down »    To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.

go down »    To decrease; to change from a greater value to a lesser one.

go down »    To stop functioning, to go offline.

go down the wrong way »    To swallow food or drink so that it goes down the wrong tube in one's throat and makes one cough or for a short period lose one's breath or choke.

go Dutch »    To pay for one's own food and bills, or split the cost, when eating at a restaurant or going out for entertainment.

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

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 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 jump in the lake »    Used to tell a person that to go away, or that their request will not be met.

go large »    To enjoy oneself to the maximum.

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 half-cocked »    To take a premature or ill-considered action.

go off the boil »    Cease to boil when heat is no longer applied.

go on »    To continue; expand upon.

go on »    To happen.

go on »    To make a decision based on.

go on »    To travel on; go by.

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

go out »    To leave one's abode to go to public places.

go out of one's way »    To make an extra effort.

go out on a limb »    To hazard a guess.

go out on a limb »    To take a risk.

go out on the town »    To party all night long.

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 »    Often in hopes that the relationship will become more longterm as in definition 1.

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

go over »    To create a response or impression.

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

go the way of the dinosaurs »    To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go off the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.

go the way of the dodo »    To go extinct or become obsolete; to fall out of common use or practice; to go out of the firsthand market; to become a thing of the past.

go through hell »    Winston Churchill.

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 seed »    To pass from flowering or ripening to the formation of seeds.

go to sleep »    An expression used to dismiss an extremely foolish statement, or to dismiss somebody that one does not feel like talking to.

go to someone's head »    To strongly affect a person, especially to the detriment of their senses or mental faculties.

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

go to work »    To go to one's job, as by commuting.

go up against »    To challenge someone.

go with the flow »    To act as others are acting, conforming to common behavior patterns with an attitude of calm acceptance.

god forbid »    Don't let it be.

God works in mysterious ways »    Expressing confidence that a conundrum has a solution despite it not being apparent.Expressing that a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run.Person A: It seems that I'm about to be fired from my job.Person B: Well, God works in mysterious ways - maybe it'll be the kick you need to apply to university...

gold mine »    A very profitable economic venture.

gold standard »    A monetary system where the value of circulating money is linked to the value of gold.

gold standard »    A test or measure of comparison that is considered ultimate or ideal.

golden duck »    The score of zero runs after getting out on the first ball faced.

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

golden ticket »    A qualification, person or thing that can provide lucrative opportunities.

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 bad »    soured, spoiled, turned rotten

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

gongoozle »    To leisurely watch the passage of boats, from the bank of a canal, lock or bridge.

gongoozle »    To observe things idly.

good and »    Very; exceptionally; utterly.

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

good egg »    A good person, someone to be trusted; a friend.

good fences make good neighbors »    It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.

good for you »    well done

good job »    Well done; congratulations!.

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 to go »    Ready for some specific task or ready for normal activity, especially after preparation or recovery.

good to go »    Ready for use or ready for normal operation, especially after repair or renewal.

goodbye cruel world »    An exclamation made before commiting suicide, or in a suicide note.

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.

goose is cooked »    All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success.

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

grab bag »    Any random assortment, selection or possibility.

grain of salt »    A bit of common sense and skepticism. Generally used in some form of to take with a grain of salt.

granary »    A fertile, grain-growing region.

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

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

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.

gratuitous violence »    The artificial depiction of excessive violence.

gravy train »    A gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill.

gravy train »    An occupation or any lucrative endeavor that generates considerable income whilst requiring little effort and carrying little risk.

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

grease monkey »    A mechanic, often with the specific connotation of an automobile mechanic.

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.

grease someone's palm »    To bribe a person.

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

great minds think alike »    Used to emphasize a coincidence, or two people reaching the same conclusion in any manner at the same time.

great unwashed »    A contemptuous term for the populace, particularly the working class.

greatest thing since sliced bread »    A relatively recent invention likely to significantly improve people's lives.

green light »    Approval, or permission to proceed.

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

green thumb »    A person with this skill.

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

greener pastures »    Any place or condition that is more favorable or beneficial.

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

grey area »    A topic that is not clearly one thing or the other.

grind one's gears »    To annoy or irritate.

ground rules »    The basic rules or standards; whatever someone must know before proceeding.

grow a pair »    To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation in which one has so far failed to do so.

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

grow on »    To become more likeable to someone.

grunt work »    That is considered undesirable and therefore delegated to underlings.

guilty as sin »    Unquestionably guilty.

gunboat diplomacy »    The pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of military power.

gunshy »    Fearing the consequences of repeating an act, especially after being reprimanded.

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

gut factor »    Feelings about what feels right or wrong, good or bad. An inner persuasion that one may feel convinced is the appropriate decision.

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

gut reaction »    An instantaneous reaction made without thought.

halcyon days »    A period of calm, often nostalgic: “halcyon days of yore”, “halcyon days of youth”..

halcyon days »    Period of calm during the winter, when storms do not occur.

half a mind »    A moderate inclination.

half nelson »    wrestling hold

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.

hand down »    To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor.

hand in »    To give something to a responsible person.

hand in glove »    In very close cooperation.

hand in hand »    Naturally, ordinarily or predictably together; commonly having a correlation or relationship.

hand off »    To pass or transfer something to someone.

hand over »    To relinquish control or possession of something to someone.

hand over fist »    Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.

hand waving »    Discussion or argumentation involving approximation, vagueness, educated guessing, or the attempt to explain or excuse vagaries.

hands down »    Without question[2].

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

hang by a thread »    To be in danger, calling for precise caution. To be in a precarious situation.

hang in the balance »    To be in a precarious situation, unsure of the future.

hang on »    To hold, grasp, or grip.

hang on »    To keep; to store something for someone.

hang on »    To pay close attention.

hang on »    wait

hang out one's shingle »    To open an office or business, especially in a profession.

hang out to dry »    To abandon someone who is in need or in danger.

hang up »    To terminate a phone call.

hang up one's boots »    Retire, call it a day.

happy camper »    One who is thoroughly content or satisfied.

happy medium »    A balanced position between two opposite extremes.

hard cheese »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard done by »    Used, cheated, dejected.

hard lines »    Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.

hard-nosed »    Guided by practical experience and observation rather than by theory.

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

harsh one's mellow »    Disturbing someone otherwise in a state of calm.

harsh one's mellow »    To annoy or irritate; to bother.

harsh one's mellow »    To get on one's nerves.

harsh one's mellow »    To make someone feel bad emotionally.

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.

haste makes waste »    One makes mistakes when being too hasty.

hat in hand »    With humility; in an apologetic or self-effacing fashion.

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

hatchet man »    A professional killer.

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 somebody over the coals »    To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.

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

have a frog in one's throat »    To feel the need to cough; to have a tickle in one's throat; to have a scratchy or uneven voice.

have a good time »    To enjoy oneself.

have a green thumb »    A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.

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

have a screw loose »    A phrase meaning that the subject is insane or irrational.

have a whale of a time »    To enjoy oneself greatly.

have an axe to grind »    To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something.

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

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

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

have been around »    To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive.

have butterflies in one's stomach »    To be nervous, uncertain, or anxious.

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

have eyes bigger than one's belly »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

have eyes bigger than one's stomach »    To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.

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 had it up to here »    To have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or forbearance.

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

have it coming »    To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions.

have it your way »    Do something the way you want to, but be prepared for the consequences.

have one's back to the wall »    To have no other options remaining.

have one's ducks in a row »    To be organized; to have one's affairs in order; specifically, to have a multi-person effort coordinated towards the exact same goal.

have one's ears lowered »    To get a haircut.

have one's hands full »    To be busy or thoroughly preoccupied.

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 one's name on it »    To be reserved for someone.

have one's number on it »    Te be destined for someone.

have one's wits about one »    To remain calm, composed, or aware.

have one's work cut out for one »    To face a large task or project.

have other fish to fry »    C. 1710, Jonathan Swift, The Journal to Stella, ch. 2, Letter 15.

have second thoughts »    To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.

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 someone's guts for garters »    To reprimand severely.

have someone's hide »    To punish or subdue someone.

have the floor »    To have permission or time to speak, especially in a formal situation.

have the run of »    To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will.

have the time of one's life »    To enjoy oneself immensely.

have the time of one's life »    To enjoy oneself more than ever before.

have tickets on oneself »    To be conceited.

have to do with the price of tea in China »    To have any relation or bearing whatsoever on the topic at hand, usually used to emphasize the lack of relationship of a non sequitur.

he who smelt it dealt it »    (colloquial, originally) A person who calls attention to or complains about a fart is likely trying to pretend it wasn't his or her own.(colloquial, by extension) Used to suggest that a person calling attention to or complaining about a given problem may in fact be the source of the problem.

he-man »    A strong, virile or sexually active man.

head and shoulders »    To a considerable degree; better; outstanding.

head for the hills »    To travel to a higher elevation, especially to a rural region on vacation.

head honcho »    The person in charge; the highest-ranking person in an organization.

head scratcher »    A particularly puzzling or confusing event.

head scratcher »    December 2007, W:Daily News Tribune - Golden Globes nominations a head-scratcher.

head start »    A factor conducive to superiority and success.

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 or tails »    A game to bet upon a which side of a coin lays face up after it is thrown.

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 on the grapevine »    To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.

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 gold »    A kind, compassionate, or caring attitude; kindheartedness.

heart to heart »    A sincere, serious, or personal conversation.

heat wave »    A period of exceptionally hot weather.

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

hedge one's bets »    To reduce the risk of making a mistake, by keeping one's options open.

hell and half of Georgia »    A very large region; everywhere.

hell hath no fury like a woman scorned »    A woman will make someone suffer if they reject her.

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

help oneself »    Take freely.

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

hem in »    enclose, confine

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

here and there »    In one place and another.

here goes nothing »    Indicates a lack of confidence or certainty about the activity about to be tried.

here you are »    Said when you hand something over to someone or do a favour to them, usually to draw the recipient's attention to the exchange; Equivalent to “thank you” when receiving something..

here's to »    Denoting proposed salutation while drinking alcohol, toast.

hide nor hair »    A trace, indication, or evidence, especially of a person.

hide one's light under a bushel »    For a person to keep some talent or skill hidden from other people. The tone is that a person having a talent which they can be proud of ought not hide it.

hiding to nothing »    A situation in which victory has little or no value, but defeat has a huge cost.

high cotton »    The best of times; a time of well being.

high ground »    A location which is at a relatively high elevation, especially in comparison to the immediate surrounding area.

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

high noon »    Exactly noon; midday; the middle of the day.

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

high road »    A course of action which is honorable, dignified, or respectable.

hindsight is 20/20 »    (idiomatic) In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time of the choice.

his back is up »    He is offended or angry; an expression or idea taken from a cat; that animal, when angry, always raising its back. An allusion also sometimes used to jeer a crooked man.

historical figure »    A fictional or fabricated person who was was given historical importance in legends and myth.

historical figure »    A person who lived long ago, usually of some historical note or importance.

hit on »    To flirt with; to approach and speak to (someone), seeking romance, love, sex, etc.

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

hit one out of the ballpark »    To hit a fair ball so well that the ball flies over all of the spectators' seats and lands outside the stadium.

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

hit one's stride »    To reach a full level of efficiency, competence, comfort, etc.; to get going.

hit one's stride »    When walking or running, to reach a full or comfortable pace.

hit someone for six »    Be affected in a devastating way by some unexpected news.

hit someone for six »    To hit another person very hard.

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

hit the bricks »    To participate in a workplace strike or other job action; to participate in a public protest, especially one involving picketing.

hit the bricks »    To travel about, especially on foot.

hit the ceiling »    To be explosively angry. To lose one's temper.

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 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 address.

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 a grudge »    Far longer than is reasonable.

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

hold 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 someone or something temporarily; to keep at bay.

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

hold on »    Wait a short while.

hold on »    To hold, grasp, or grip.

hold on »    To keep; to store something for someone.

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

hold one's breath »    To wait, as if breathlessly.

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 own »    To stand up to; to give a respectable performance; to provide worthy competition.

hold one's tongue »    To keep quiet; especially, to leave something unsaid.

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

hold one's water »    To hold one's urine.

hold somebody's hand »    To grasp or hold a person's hand.

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 assume responsibility, especially in another’s absence..

hold the fort »    To maintain a secure position.

hold the phone »    Stop; wait; woah. What's this? Look at this!.

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

hold up one's end »    I'm holding up my end and you had better hold up yours.

hold up one's end »    To hold up one's end of the bargain; to fulfill one's promise or obligation.

hold with the hare and run with the hounds »    To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.

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

hold your fire »    Do not discharge your weapon. Used originally for weapons needing a spark or lighting of a fuse to ignite gunpowder, now sometimes used to mean any weapon launching a projectile.

hold your fire »    Wait, don't retaliate, calm down, be quiet.

hole in one »    A round that is completed by sinking the ball in a single shot or attempt, with one hit.

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

holy mackerel »    An expression of surprise.

home away from home »    A place in which one is as comfortable as one's actual home.

home in on »    To focus or narrow down to something; to find or draw closer, as by trial and error or a gradual seeking process.

home is where the heart is »    One's true home is where one feels happiest.

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 »    The portion of a journey that ends at home.

homeless dumping »    The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the streets instead of placing them into the custody of a relative or shelter or retaining them in a hospital where they may require expensive medical care.

honest injun »    A phrase used to emphasize the truth of something.

honest-to-goodness »    Real; genuine.

honesty is the best policy »    Honesty is the most honorable and fulfilling way to live one's life.

honey trap »    The use of a seductive woman to entice a man into revealing secret information.

honorable mention »    An award or recognition given to something that does not make it to a higher standing but is worth mentioning in an honorable way.

hook, line and sinker »    Naively or unquestioningly.

horizontal dancing »    Sexual intercourse.

horizontal mambo »    Sexual intercourse.

horse around »    To play or fiddle; to clown; to do nothing of importance or consequence.

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 pucky »    Nonsense; feces.

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.

horse's ass »    A thing or person which is visually unappealing.

horse's mouth »    Source; someone who directly experienced or witnessed something.

Horsefeathers »    Absolute nonsense; poppycock

horses for courses »    A person suited for one job may not be suited for another job, regardless of their expertise in the former job.

horses for courses »    The practice of choosing the best person for a particular job.

hospital pass »    A throw that stays in the air long enough that it allows too many people to get underneath it, increasing the risk of injury and a trip to the hospital. Thus, a hospital pass.

hospital pass »    Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.

hot and cold »    Ambivalent; having conflicting emotions.

hot and heavy »    Passionate.

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

hot button »    The principal desire that a salesman needs to "hit" in order to make a sale.

hot desking »    The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of saving space and resources.

hot lunch »    A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.

hot mess »    Refers to a person, thing, or situation in such a state of disarray or disapproval by peers, often in reference to physical appearance, perceived to be disastrously embarrassing, pitiful, or beyond repair.

hot on »    Enthusiastic for.

hot on »    Knowledgeable about.

hot on »    Skilled at.

hot on somebody's heels »    Close behind; pursuing or following closely.

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 made by laying cards perpendicularly on top of each other.

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.

household name »    A genericized trademark or anepronym.

how are you »    An informal greeting, not requiring a literal response. Typical responses include.

how come »    Why; why is it; for what reason or purpose?.

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 do you like them apples »    Directed jestingly or mockingly at someone who has received surprising information, ridiculing the situation.

huckleberry above a persimmon »    Something better than something else.

hum and haw »    Procrastinate and take a long time before doing something or taking a decision.

hung the moon »    To view or be viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.

hunger is a good sauce »    (dated) Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.1854, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Shirley Brooks, Francis Cowley Burnand, Owen Seaman, Punch, Vol. XXVI, Punch Publications Ltd., page 74:His bread and cheese were somewhat dry, to be sure; his ale had become flat, and considerably warmer than was desirable; but hunger is a good sauce, and thirst is not particular.

hunger is the best sauce »    Being hungry makes one less concerned about the taste of one's food.

hunger is the best spice »    When one is hungry, anything will taste good.

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

hunker down »    To stubbornly hold to a position.

hurt someone's feelings »    To offend or hurt someone.

idiot box »    Television.

idiot light »    Any warning light or indicator on the dashboard of a car, designed to alert the driver of problems, such as the parking brake being on or the oil being low.

idiot mittens »    Mittens connected by yarn or string running through one sleeve, along the back and out the other sleeve of a coat, to prevent the mittens becoming lost. Generally worn by small children.

if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail »    With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminatelyIf a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything.

if it ain't broke, don't fix it »    Leave something alone; avoid correcting, fixing, or improving what is already sufficient, as it could end up being detrimental

if it's all the same »    If it makes no difference; if nobody minds; if it doesn't bother anyone.

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 only »    I wish that; signifies a wish or desire.

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

if you can't beat them, join them »    If your adversaries are stronger than yourself, it is better to join the adversaries.

if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen »    If you cannot handle the pressure, you should not be in a position where you have to deal with it.

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

if you love somebody, set them free »    One should be willing to let go of someone they love if they truly love them.

if you want a thing done well, do it yourself »    It is better to do something oneself, than rely on others to do it well.

ignorance is bliss »    Lack of knowledge results in happinessSometime you are more comfortable if you dont know something.

in a bind »    In a difficult situation, usually of one's own making; having a dilemma; faced with a problem or a set of problems for which there is no easy solution.

in a bit »    Soon.

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 Abraham's bosom »    No longer living. Dead.

in addition »    Also; as well; besides.

in addition »    also

in aid to this fact »    In addition to; and futhermore.

in all one's glory »    Completely naked.

in bed »    Lying on a bed, especially under some bedsheets.

in bed with »    Engaging in a close mutually beneficial relationship, especially secretly and illicitly.

in bed with »    Sharing one's bed with.

in broad daylight »    In ample natural illumination, during the daytime.

in character »    Acting as the character, not as oneself.

in clover »    Happy and contented.

in clover »    In a condition of prosperity.

in fact »    Resulting from the actions of parties.

in for a dime, in for a dollar »    Americanised form of in for a penny, in for a pound.1983, Allen Drury, Decision, p. 356:In for a dime, in for a dollar, he thought crazily, and said what he had to say in a voice he forced to stay level and calm.1998, Ellen Miller, Like Being Killed, p. 47:In for a dime, in for a dollar. I whispered to Gerry,

in for a penny, in for a pound »    Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof; accepting that one must

in for an inch, in for a mile »    Given that one is partly involved in or committed to a project, action, position, etc., there is no reason to refrain from becoming fully involved or fully committed.

in 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 hot water »    In trouble; in the position of arousing somebody's anger or displeasure.

in kind »    In the form of goods and service rather than money.

in light of »    Given, considering.

in line »    On a queue; waiting one's turn for something.

in line »    Positioned in a straight line.

in line »    Suitable or appropriate; keeping with expectations, norms, ideals, or rules.

in line »    To assume a position in the future.

in no time »    Very soon.

in on »    privy to

in one hell of a hurry »    In a very great hurry; very fast or hastily.

in one's cups »    Drunk.

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

in one's pocket »    Subject to one's whims because of bribery.

in one's right mind »    Sane, sensible, reasonable; thinking clearly.

in one's stockinged feet »    Wearing socks, stockings or other hosiery on one's feet but no shoes.

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

in person »    actually present

in process of time »    In the course of time; as time goes on; gradually; in due course.

in shape »    I hope to get in shape for summer swimsuit season.

in shape »    In good condition, repair; in a good state.

in spades »    Beyond doubt.

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

in stride »    Without disturbing one's course of activities.

in stride »    Without emotional upset.

in the clear »    Not guilty or not suspected of wrongdoing.

in the dark »    Without information.

in the dock »    Under scrutiny; subject to critical inspection.

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 face of »    On the face of.

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 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 light of »    In the illumination from.

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 offing »    Nearby, soon to come, in the near future.

in the running »    Of a candidate, potential or likely; worthy of consideration.

in the same boat »    In the same situation or predicament; having the same problems.

in the short run »    Lasting only a short time, shortsightedly.

in the thick of it »    In a precarious situation.

in the woods »    In critical condition; near death's door.

in the works »    Being planned or worked upon.

in thunderation »    In any set of circumstances whatsoever.

in too deep »    In a situation where one can't cope.

in touch »    In contact, or in communication.

in unity there is strength »    More can be accomplished by a team with a common goal, than individuals.

in vain »    In a disrespectful manner, especially when concerning religion.

in view of »    Considering.

in vino veritas »    drunken folks speak truth, one tells the truth under the influence of alcohol

in your face »    An exclamation of derision or contempt.

inner circle »    The closest of friends of a person.

inquire after »    To ask about the health of someone.

inquire of »    To ask someone.

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.

iron out »    To remove with an iron.

iron out »    To resolve (a dispute); to solve (a problem).

is the Pope Catholic »    The answer to the question is, obviously, resoundingly affirmative.

it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog »    (rare or obsolete, proverb) If a person is determined to punish someone, they will find a way to do so.1596

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 takes two to tango »    Some things need the active cooperation of two parties; blame is to be laid on both parties in a conflict.

it's a long road that has no turning »    encouragement when things are not going well. Just as a long road eventually has a turning, problems also eventually have a solution, even though one might have to wait.

it's about time »    Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.

it's all good »    Used to express unconcern.

it's all Greek to me »    I don’t understand any of it; it makes no sense..

it's all Greek to me »    I tried reading the instructions, but it’s all Greek to me..

it's all grist to the mill »    Everything referred to in the present context has some sort of use.1999, Simon Blackburn, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press paperback, ISBN 0199690871), ch. 7 section 6: "Kant

it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good »    There is usually something of benefit to someone, no matter how bad the situation.

it's better to ask forgiveness than permission »    The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than value of delaying to get permission.

it's not the whistle that pulls the train »    Boasting and loud talk should not be mistaken for the work that produces real achievements; bravado is no proof of action.1956, James Reston, "Washington: It's Not the Whistle that Pulls the Train," New York Times, 1 July, p. E8:

it's not what you know but who you know »    For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.1951, G. P. Bush and L. H. Hattery, "Federal Recruitment of Junior Engineers," Science, vol. 114, no. 2966, p. 456:Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know

it's one's funeral »    One's decisions or actions will bring undesirable consequences only on oneself.

itchy trigger finger »    A tendency to act in haste or without consideration.

ivory tower »    A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.

jack in »    To 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.

jack up »    To ruin; wreck; mess up; screw up; sometimes as a bowdlerized substitution for f** up.

jet setting »    The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.

jet-setter »    A member of the jet set, a rich person who travels for pleasure.

jet-setting »    The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.

jive turkey »    Someone who is jiving, as in behaving in a glib and disingenuous fashion.

jive turkey »    Someone who is jiving, as in dancing. Often applied to people being funny or showy.

joe job »    An act of e-mail spamming where the sender's identity and address are those of an innocent third party, intended either to tarnish that person's reputation or to flood that person's e-mail with bounces.

join the club »    An expression of sympathy for a shared experience.

jolly someone along »    To make someone happy or compliant, as by encouragement or flattery.

jump »    To cause oneself to leave an elevated location and fall downward.

jump »    To employ a move in certain board games where one game piece is moved from one legal position to another passing over the position of another piece.

jump »    To employ a parachute to leave an aircraft or elevated location.

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

jump down »    To leave an elevated position to a lower position by one jump.

jump for joy »    Exalt, [rejoice]], feel elation.

jump off »    To move from an elevated place by one jump.

jump on »    To board a public transport vehicle.

jump on »    To attack someone verbally, or criticise them over strongly for small errors.

jump on the bandwagon »    To profit from a craze; to join a trend.

jump rope »    The activity, game or exercise in which a person must jump, bounce or skip repeatedly while a length of rope is swung over and under, both ends held in the hands of the jumper, or alternately, held by two other participants. Often used for athletic training and among schoolchildren. Variations involve speed, chants, varied rope and jumper movement patterns, multiple jumpers and/or multiple ropes.

jump rope »    The length of rope, sometimes with handles, casing or other additions, used in that activity.

jump someone's bones »    To have sex.

jump the gun »    To act or begin too soon or without due caution.

jump the gun »    To begin a race too soon, before the starting gun goes off.

jump the gun »    To trade securities based on information that is not yet public; to trade on inside information.

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 through hoops »    To put forth effort for the sake of appearance or demonstration.

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

jump up »    To move from one position to a higher position by one jump.

jumped-up »    Describes a person who thinks he is superior in some way that the speaker disagrees with. For instance, of a higher class, or has more authority than they have in reality.

jumped-up »    We're doomed if this wee jumped-up monkey gets Gordon Smith's blessing.

jungle telegraph »    A gossip network; an informal communication system within a group or organization.

jungle telegraph »    A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds or a relay of runners.

just another pretty face »    Someone who is attractive, but not too distinguished.

just 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 »    If and only if.

just what the doctor ordered »    Exactly what is necessary or useful in a given situation.

kangaroo court »    A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.

keel over »    Of a vessel: to roll so far on its side that it cannot recover; to capsize.

keep a close watch on »    To pay careful attention to a situation or a thing, so that you can deal with any changes or problems.

keep a lid on »    To keep something secret.

keep a weather eye open »    To 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 buggin on »    Never quit; go on

keep down »    To restrain or control.

keep down »    To lie low. To stay concealed by not standing up.

keep it real »    In the imperative, an exhortation used as a departing salutation.

keep 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 on »    Persist or continue.

keep on »    To remain in an existing position.

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

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

keep one's cards close to one's chest »    To avoid revealing one's thoughts, circumstances, or plans.

keep one's cool »    To remain composed, calm, and even-tempered, especially in a provocative situation.

keep one's eye on the ball »    My ethos has always been to be very straight with people, tell it as it is. It doesn't often make people happy but I found that over a period of time it's better to be that way. So being straight, also being very focused on your objectives, keep your eye on the ball and not get deflected away from it.

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

keep one's eyes peeled »    To watch closely; to look for.

keep one's lips sealed »    To keep quiet; to keep a secret; to not tell.

keep one's mouth shut »    To keep a secret; to refrain from speaking indiscreetly or carelessly.

keep one's options open »    To not commit to a decision, to keep various options available.

keep one's pecker up »    Remain cheerful; keep smiling.

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 stay away from a place or condition.

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

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

keep straight »    To avoid confusing or mixing up something; to keep something clear or organized.

keep tabs on »    To monitor; to keep track of; to watch.

keep the wolf from the door »    To delay sexual ejaculation.

keep up »    To ensure that one remains well-informed about something.

keep up with »    To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.

keep up with the Joneses »    To do or buy things for status, show, or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends or neighbors.

keep your friends close, and your enemies closer »    One should be on their toes and alert of their surroundings if malicious people are around, to ensure such people can't wreak havoc in one's life.

keep your hair on »    An admonition to stay calm.

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

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 ass »    To beat someone at something.

kick ass »    To beat someone in a fight.

kick in »    To start or connect suddenly.

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

kick off the team »    In sports, to dismiss an athlete from a team, usually for misconduct, poor academic performance or other offenses.

kick oneself »    To reproach oneself for making a mistake or missing an opportunity.

kick out »    To stop, stall, or disconnect suddenly.

kick someone when they are down »    To make it worse for someone who is going through a difficult time.

kick the habit »    To recover from or quit an addiction or habit. For example, to quit smoking, drinking, burping, or drug addiction.

kick up »    To function improperly.

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 the fatted calf »    To begin a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return.

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs »    To seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit.

kill the messenger »    To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable a problem because he/she brought attention to it.

kill the rabbit »    To get a positive test result from an old-fashioned pregnancy test.

kill two birds with one stone »    To solve two problems at once.

kind »    Affectionate, showing benevolence.

kindred soul »    Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself; kindred spirit.

kindred spirit »    Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself.

king »    A male monarch; member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.

king »    A playing card with the image of a king on it.

king »    A powerful or influential person.

kiss and make up »    To settle one's differences and forgive.

kiss of death »    A kiss on the cheek that signifies the death of the receiver, as delivered by a mob boss or one with such influence.

kiss of life »    Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

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

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.

knacker's yard »    That area of a slaughterhouse where carcasses unfit for human consumption are rendered down to produce useful materials such as glue.

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

knight in shining armor »    A person who will rescue a dangerous situation; a hero.

knock around »    To spend time with someone as a friend.

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 for a loop »    To astonish; to surprise very much.

knock off »    An imitation, especially one of poorer quality.

knock on wood »    A self-directive to undertake the customary action to ward off bad luck.

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

knock out »    To strike or bump someone or something out.

knock out »    To render someone unconscious, as by a blow to the head.

knock out »    To put someone to sleep.

knock out »    To exhaust a personal or animal.

knock the living daylights out of »    To knock out; to hit and cause to be unconscious.

knock up »    To put together, fabricate, or assemble, particularly if done hastily or temporarily. See also knock together.

knock up »    In the morning as by knocking at the door; rouse; call; summon; also, to go door-to-door on election day to persuade a candidate's supporters to go to the polling station and vote. See also knocker up.

knock-on effect »    A secondary, often unintended effect.

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

knocking on heaven's door »    Dying, close to death.

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

know the score »    Be aware of a situation, especially of the consequences of misconduct.

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

knuckle down »    To get to work; to focus on a task.

knuckle dragger »    A large, strong, and rather dimwitted person.

l'esprit de l'escalier »    The experience of thinking of a devastating rejoinder only after leaving the scene of the debate.

la goutte d'eau qui fait d%C3%A9border le vase »    The final thing that is too much and forces a reaction; the straw that broke the camel's back.

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

land on one's feet »    To be lucky, or successful, often in difficult situations.

landing strip »    A cultivated pubic hair pattern in which much of the pubic hair is removed, leaving only a central vertical line or rectangle.

landing strip »    A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.

lap of luxury »    A position or situation in which one is spoiled and indulged.

lap up »    To consume by lapping.

lapsed academic »    A person formerly employed as a professor or researcher in a university or other institution of higher education, especially one who no longer attempts to remain current in his or her former academic field.

last burst of fire »    A state of exertion where one gives one's all; expending all of one's remaining energy in a final effort to achieve one's goal.

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

last of the big spenders »    Someone who doesn't spend much money.

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

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

last word »    A final decision, or the right to make such a decision.

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

last-ditch »    Final, as a last resort; done in desperation.

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

late bloomer »    A person who lives a child's life comparatively later than their peers.

late bloomer »    A person who reaches puberty comparatively later than their peers.

laugh all the way to the bank »    To be happy due to the receipt of money.

laughing stock »    An object of ridicule, someone who is publicly ridiculed; a butt of sport.

laundry list »    Hence, a long list of items, especially an exhaustive one.

law of the jungle »    The survival of the fittest, strongest or most cunning.

lay a finger on »    If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.

lay a finger on »    To merely touch.

lay about »    To strike blows in all directions.

lay down »    To give up, surrender, or yield , usually by placing it on the ground.

lay down »    To sacrifice, especially in the phrase "to lay down one's life.".

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 hands on »    To find, obtain or procure.

lay it on the line »    To state something, for example an ultimatum, strongly and clearly.

lay low »    To remain hidden or to hide oneself.

lay off »    Alone.

lay on »    provide;

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

lay out »    expend money

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.

lay to rest »    To bury one who has died.

lead »    I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top. — Bacon.

lead someone down the garden path »    To deceive, hoodwink.

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.

leaf through »    Rapidly reading short sections at random.

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

lean on »    To apply pressure on.

lean on »    To depend upon for support.

lean towards »    To favor in a decision.

leave behind »    To abandon.

leave no stone unturned »    To do a task very carefully and thoroughly, not missing any step.

leave no stone unturned »    To search thoroughly for something, looking in every conceivable place.

leave nothing to the imagination »    He stripped down to a pair of see-through briefs that left nothing to the imagination.

leave nothing to the imagination »    To cover or hide very little or nothing.

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

leave somebody holding the bag »    To abandon somebody, leaving the responsibility or blame.

leave somebody in the lurch »    To abandon somebody; especially, to abandon somebody and leave him or her in a difficult situation.

leave to one's own devices »    To leave alone, unsupervised, without assistance.

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 field »    The defensive position in the outfield to the left.

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

legal duty »    I've done my legal duty.

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

lemon drop »    boiled sweet

lemon law »    A law dealing with defective items, especially automobiles, and consumers' rights.

lemon sole »    fish

lemonize »    To add lemon.

lemonize »    To damage something and then deny or be aloof from the damage.

less is more »    That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated; simplicity is preferable to complexity; brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity.1855, Robert Browning, "Men and Women":Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged.1954, "'Less Is More'," Time, 14 Jun.:The essence of Mies's architectural philosophy is in his famous and sometimes derided phrase, "Less is more." This means, he says, having "the greatest effect with the least means."2007, Gia Kourlas, "Dance Review: An Ordered World Defined With Soothing Spareness," New York Times, 3 Mar. (retrieved 22 Oct. 2008):The program, which features two premieres

let alone »    Much less; to say nothing of.

let alone »    Or even.

let go »    To no longer hold on.

let go and let God »    To consciously surrender one's free will to the will of God.

let in on »    To tell someone a secret.

let on »    To reveal, disclose, or divulge.

let one's hair down »    To relax and enjoy oneself.

let somebody in on »    To disclose; to tell somebody a secret or share privileged information.

let someone have it »    To attack someone with great force.

let someone have it »    To verbally assail someone.

let's roll »    Used to suggest that an action should begin.

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 best »    The very best that one can do.

level-headed »    Sensible; rational; possessing sound judgment.

lex dubia non obligat »    (law) A doubtful law is not binding.

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

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.

lick one's chops »    To look forward avidly to eating something.

lick one's chops »    To use one's tongue to remove moistness from the sides of one's mouth, as when salivating or at the conclusion of a meal.

lick one's wounds »    He's just off licking his wounds. He'll be back to try again.

lick one's wounds »    To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat.

lick out »    To perform cunnilingus on.

lie 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 a bitch »    An expression of acceptance of misfortune.1950, Joy Davidman, Weeping Bay, page 184:She'd have been willing enough to use them, poor dead little bitch. Life's a bitch. Life's a bad joke.

lift up »    To elevate to a higher position.

lift up »    To lighten the mood of someone.

light a fire under »    To start sooner or move faster.

light bucket »    Nickname for a reflecting telescope, especially one with a relatively large aperture and suitable for observing deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies.

like a cat on a hot tin roof »    Jumpy, nervous.

like a million bucks »    Extremely good or well.

like a million dollars »    Extremely good or well.

like father, like son »    A son will have traits similar to his father upon reaching adulthood.

like gangbusters »    Vigorously, rapidly, zealously, or forcibly; in a manner which has considerable impact.

like hot cakes »    Quickly, especially by purchase or consumption.

like it or lump it »    To accept a situation whether one agrees with it or not.

line one's pockets »    To accumulate personal wealth, especially in an illegal or morally objectionable manner.

link whore »    Someone who goes to great lengths to get other people to link to his/her website or blog.

link whoring »    The practice of going out of one's way to place links to one's website on someone else's webpage.

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

lion »    A Chinese foo dog.

lion »    A famous person.

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 »    An individual who shows strength and courage, attributes associated with the lion.

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.

lion's den »    Any dangerous or frightening place.

lion's den »    The lair of a lion.

lion's share »    The majority; a large or generous portion.

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).

little pitchers have long ears »    Alternative form of little pitchers have big ears.

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 it up »    To have a wonderful life; to live fully and have fun.

live on »    To survive solely by consuming a certain thing.

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

live one »    Someone who is easily fooled, victimized, or ridiculed.

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

live paycheck to paycheck »    To spend all that one earns without saving anything.

live up »    To fulfil the expectations placed upon.

live wire »    An especially energetic, alert, or vivacious person.

Living high on the hog »    Living richly, often above one's means

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

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

loaded word »    Any word, set phrase or idiom that has strong positive or negative connotations beyond their ordinary definition.

lock horns »    To come into conflict.

lock lips »    To kiss on the lips; to engage in a French kiss.

lock up »    To imprison or incarcerate someone.

lock up »    To invest in something long term.

lock up »    To cease responding, to freeze.

log off »    To depart from conversation; to say goodbye.

lone gunman »    An individual person who acts on his or her own initiative, without partners, especially one who has sole responsibility for doing something questionable, confidential, or iniquitous.

long absent, soon forgotten »    Love fades away when people are distant and don't keep close physical contact.

long arm »    A pole tool used for handling things too far away to reach.

long arm »    Influence, far-reaching power.

long drink »    Any drink containing more than 5 ounces of liquid and less than 9 ounces. Typically, a long drink will have lots of ice and mixer.

long finger »    A state of postponement or procrastination.

long finger »    Middle finger.

long finger »    [hire purchase]] or credit.

long goodbye »    Nickname for Alzheimer's disease, especially for the final phase of the disease, during which the patient suffers a progressive decline of cognitive and motor skills and gradually loses the ability to recognize and to communicate with family and friends.[1]; nickname for the relationship between a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease and that person's family or friends.

long haul »    Travelling a long distance.

long in the tooth »    Old.

long pork »    Human flesh.

long row to hoe »    A difficult or arduous task.

long run »    An extended period of time.

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

long shot »    Something unlikely; something that has little chance of happening or working. The term arose from the accuracy of early ship guns, which were effective only at close range and unlikely to hit the mark at any great distance.

long since »    Past.

long story short »    Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story.

long time »    Used as part of greeting of two people who have not been in contact for a long time.

long time no hear »    I haven't heard from you for a long time.

long time no see »    I haven't seen you for a long time.

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

longpig »    Human flesh when cooked in cannabalistic rituals in certain Pacific Islands, due to the allegeded similarity to cooked pork.

look back »    To look behind oneself.

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

look daggers »    To stare sharply at someone to indicate disapproval without actually speaking.

look 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 off »    To put off by one's facial expression.

look on »    To watch; to observe.

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

look the other way »    To ignore something wrong. Similar to connive.

look to »    To seek inspiration or advice from someone.

look up »    To obtain information about something from a text source.

look up to »    To show respect or admiration for.

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.

looks up »    calls on

Loose cannon »    A cannon that breaks loose during battle or a storm and causes serious damage to the ship and its crew.

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

loose end »    A small job that needs to be done, or minor problem that needs to be resolved, before a task can be considered complete.

lose it »    To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.

lose it »    To lose control of a situation.

lose one's cool »    To become upset or disconcerted; to lose one's temper.

lose one's head »    To go crazy.

lose one's marbles »    To go crazy.

lose one's mind »    To become mad, insane.

lose one's shirt »    To lose all of one's money; to go broke; to undergo financial ruin or disaster.

lose one's shit »    To lose one's temper.

lose one's temper »    To be explosively angry. To get very cross.

lose one's touch »    To lose one's special mastery of or knack for a particular skill or activity.

lose the number of one's mess »    To die, to perish.

lose the plot »    To cease to be behaving in a predictable and/or rational manner.

lose the plot »    To have one's results decline severely in quality or suddenly fall below an acceptable standard, especially when compared to past excellence.

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

lost errand »    A mission likely to fail.

lot lizard »    A customer or salesperson at a used car lot.

lot lizard »    A low or stupid person.

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

love is blind »    A person who is in love can see no faults or imperfections in the person who is loved.

low blow »    A rhetorical attack that is considered unfair or unscrupulous.

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

low road »    A course of action which is undignified, wrongful, or otherwise unseemly.

lower the boom »    To suddenly overpower, with "on".

lower the boom »    To use one's superior physical strength; clobber.

lower the boom on »    To punish someone.

lower the boom on »    To terminate or abolish something.

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.

lucky dip »    A selection solely at random.

lump in one's throat »    A feeling of emotional sadness. On the point of crying.

lump it »    To endure, accept, put up with a situation one does not like.

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 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.

made in the shade »    In a condition characterized by comfort, success, easy living, or general well-being.

make a decision »    To decide.

make a fool of oneself »    To appear foolish to others.

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

make a living »    To earn enough income to support oneself and, if applicable, one's family.

make a meal of »    To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated.

make a monkey out of »    To cause a person, organization, or action to appear foolish or inferior; to subject someone or something to ridicule..

make a mountain out of a molehill »    To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.

make a name for oneself »    To gain fame.

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

make a pug face »    To put on a sorry face, as a pug would look.

make a pug-face »    Putting on a sorry face, as a pug would look.

make a splash »    To do something that attracts attention.

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

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

make a virtue of necessity »    To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.

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

make an example of »    To punish someone so as to be a warning to others.

make an exhibition of oneself »    She had far too much to drink and made an exhibition of herself by flirting with everyone.

make an exhibition of oneself »    To embarrass oneself or others in public.

make an honest woman »    Especially if she is having a sexual relationship.

make book »    To be very confident.

make do with »    To get along with whatever is available.

make hay while the sun shines »    To act while an opportunity exists; to take action while a situation is favorable.

make it do or do without »    If you don't have a lot of money, extend the life of what you have.

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

make no bones about »    To see no difficulty in, have no objection to.

make oneself scarce »    To leave or depart, or to avoid or stay away.

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

make sense »    To be coherent or reasonable.

make someone's day »    To make someone happy or to be a source of satisfaction.

make someone's skin crawl »    To disturb or bother; to frighten or disgust.

make someone's teeth itch »    To bother or unsettle a person; to put someone on edge.

make sure »    To verify; to recheck; to use extra care or caution.

make the welkin ring »    By extension of.

make the welkin ring »    By extension of , to celebrate or revel.

make up »    To constitute; to compose; to form.

make up one's mind »    To decide; to reach a conclusion.

mama's boy »    A male person, especially a young man or boy, who is overly attached to or influenced by his mother; a sissy.

man of few words »    A man who doesn't speak much, or speaks only for a short period of time.

man of parts »    A man that is talented in multiple areas of life. This includes but is not limited to the area of seduction. He puts very little emphasis on memorized scripts or "peacocking" and instead relies on individualized ways to charm a woman.

man proposes, God disposes »    Things don't always work out as they were planned.

man up »    His station, prepared for departure of an aircraft, ship, etc.

man up »    To "be a man about it"; to do the things a good man is traditionally expected to do, such as: taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions; displaying bravery or toughness in the face of adversity; providing for one's family, etc.

man up »    To staff adequately; to staff up; to successfully fill all needed labor positions.

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.

manoeuvre the apostles »    To rob Peter to pay Paul; that is, to borrow money of one man to pay another.

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.

mark up »    To add coding to text so that it will display properly on a computer.

marry in haste, repent at leisure »    Getting married too soon will lead to a bad marriage.

marry in haste, repent at leisure »    Two things together too soon will lead to problems.

match made in heaven »    A very successful combination of two people or things.

match made in hell »    A very unsuccessful or conflicting combination of two people or things.

matter of fact »    A more factual correction.

may the Force be with you »    Used to wish someone luck with a difficult endeavor.

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

meal ticket »    Someone or something that provides income or livelihood, especially as an exploited source.

meals on wheels »    Food delivered to the homes of those unable to cook for themselves.

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

measure twice, cut once »    Alternative form of measure twice and cut once.

measure up »    To meet expectations; to be as good as.

meaty »    Of a person or a body part, large and solid.

meaty »    Of, relating to, or containing meat.

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

melon head »    A dimwit, a fool.

melon head »    A melon-headed whale.

member for Barkshire »    Said of one troubled with a cough, vulgarly styled barking.

memory lane »    A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.

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

mend one's ways »    To recognise one's failings and attempt to remedy them.

mess around »    To have a non-committal sexual relationship.

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

mess up »    To botch, bungle; to perform poorly on.

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.

mete out »    To distribute something in portions; to apportion or dole out.

middle ground »    A compromise position between extremes.

middle of nowhere »    Nowhere; any place lacking population, interesting things, or defining characteristics.

might makes right »    The stronger and more powerful rule others, control the situation or determine right and wrong.

mighty oaks from little acorns grow »    Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!

mike up »    To fit a microphone and transmitter to a person. Usually for television performers, or for police informers.

mill around »    To move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area.

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

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

mind one's P's and Q's »    Alternative spelling of mind one's p's and q's.

mind one's p's and q's »    To be very careful to behave correctly.

mind over matter »    Willpower alone can overcome a physical problem.

mind the store »    To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.

mind you »    Used to draw attention to adjacent words.

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

mine arse on a bandbox »    An answer to the offer of any thing inadequate to the purpose for which it is proffered, like offering a bandbox for a seat.

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

misery loves company »    Misery is easier to bear when one is not the only one miserable.1995, Chris Abbott,

misfortunes never come singly »    bad things or situations always come in groups, they never come in a single way.

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.

mix up »    To confuse or reverse.

mix up »    confused situation

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

mock up »    To create a model or demonstration; to create a preliminary version or sample.

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.

money can't buy happiness »    Money can buy external things, but true happiness comes from inside.

money doesn't grow on trees »    You must work in order to have money.

money for old rope »    Money exchanged for goods of low value.

money maker »    A woman's buttocks.

money maker »    Something profitable.

money talks »    It is easier to accomplish goals using money instead of just talk.

monkey around »    To act foolishly.

monkey business »    An activity that is considered silly, or stupid, or time-wasting.

monkey business »    An activity that may be considered illegal, questionable, or a vice, but not felonious.

monkey business »    Do your homework and forget about all this monkey business.

monkey business »    Wasting time, or effort, on some foolish project.

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

monkey on one's back »    An addiction, especially to narcotic drugs.

monkey wrench »    A pipe wrench.

monkey wrench »    A problem, obstacle or dilemma; something unexpected or troublesome.

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 person »    A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.

morning, noon and night »    Constantly; ceaselessly; without stopping.

motor mouth »    One who talks incessantly; a chatty or loquacious person.

mouse potato »    A person who spends excessive amounts of time using a computer.

mouth breather »    A person who is boorish, stupid, or otherwise unattractive.

mouth breather »    A person who routinely inhales and exhales through the mouth, instead of through the nose.

mouth of a sailor »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

mouth organ »    harmonica

move heaven and earth »    To do whatever is necessary, including extreme or unusual actions; to go to extremes.

move house »    To change one's place of residence.

move on »    To leave somewhere for another place.

move on »    To start dealing with something else.

move one's body »    To dance.

move out »    To vacate one's place of residence.

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.

mover and shaker »    Someone who has power and influence in some field or activity.

muck in »    To join in attaining a common aim.

muckety muck »    A person in a position of power, authority, or status.

mull over »    To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.

muscle in on »    To interfere with, or intrude on something forcibly.

music to one's ear »    Some unexpected good news; a favorable outcome after some initial confusion or delay.

mutton dressed as lamb »    A mature woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if a deliberate attempt to appear young.

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.

my eye »    Cheech and Chong.

my eye »    Expression of disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust or disbelief.

my lips are sealed »    See keep one's lips sealed.

naff off »    A mild version of f** off.

nail biter »    A nervous or uncomfortable situation.

nail biter »    One who bites or chews his or her fingernails.

nary a »    Not one; none.

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.

neck of the woods »    A local neighbourhood or region.

necker's knob »    A knob attached to the steering wheel of an automobile, especially before the widespread availability of power steering, helping the driver steer with one arm and leaving the other arm free to provide romantic attention to a companion.

necktie party »    An execution by hanging, especially a lynching.

neither here nor there »    Not important; having no significance or influence on the question at hand; not related; not relevant; not germane; not pertinent.

nervous hit »    A production which receives generally favorably notice, but is not assured of success.

nest egg »    A savings; a reserve of money.

never change a running system »    Don't change something that is working

never in a million years »    Absolutely not.

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 look a gift horse in the mouth »    Alternative form of don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

never mind »    Do not be concerned.

never you mind »    Do not concern yourself with it; it is none of your business.

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.

night owl »    One who stays up late at night or goes to bed late.

night person »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.

nightcap »    A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas. Nightcaps were common in northern Europe before central heating was available, when homes were cold at night.

nightcap »    The second game of a doubleheader.

nighthawk »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.

nine day wonder »    Something that generates interest for a limited time and is then abandoned.

nip and tuck »    So evenly matched that the advantage shifts from one to the other, and the outcome is uncertain.

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 »    An "official" refusal to relay any further information, as a response to a newspaper reporter's question.

no frills »    Basic or simple; providing only what is necessary, without anything extra or fancy.

no glove, no love »    Without a condom, there will be no sex.

no good deed ever goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

no good deed goes unpunished »    Used to express the idea that beneficial actions often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility.

no great shakes »    Unexceptional; not special or noteworthy; not very effective.

no holds barred »    Without restrictions on holds or what opponents may do.

no ifs, ands, or buts »    Period; exactly so; without modification, limitation, or addendum.

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 news is good news »    A lack of information about a situation suggests that nothing bad has happened.

no pain, no gain »    One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.

no pressure »    The situation at hand is rife with emotional pressure.

no prize for guessing »    Used to form expressions emphasizing the unsurprising nature of what follows.

no screaming hell »    Something that is not particularly effective or impressive; something that is below expectations.

no skin off one's back »    No harm to one.

no skin off one's nose »    No harm to one.

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 spring chicken »    Said of a person who is no longer particularly young.

no strings attached »    Without conditions or obligations; without a catch.

no two ways about it »    No other possible action, choice or option.

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.

nobody's perfect »    Used when someone's mistakes or flaws are acknowledged, to remind that everyone else makes mistakes and has flaws1995, New York Magazine Vol. 28, No. 5, 30 January 1995, The de-moralization of society (Book Review)Hypocrisy, particularly in sexual matters, is excused on the grounds that hey, nobody's perfect, and at least folks back then felt bad enough to lie.2000, Madonna, Nobody's PerfectI feel so sad. What I did wasn't right. I feel so bad and I must say to you: Sorry, but nobody's perfect. Nobody's perfect. What did you expect? I'm doing my best

nod off »    To fall asleep, especially while in a seated position or in inappropriate circumstances.

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.

non-starter »    Someone or something who was listed to start in a race, but did not start in the race.

non-starter »    Something that is not going to happen.

none of someone's business »    A matter that someone is not entitled to be involved in or informed about.

none too »    Not very

nose test »    An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

nose test »    An inspection of an object using the sense of smell, as for freshness of food.

nose test »    An inspection of the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.

nose to the grindstone »    Hard at work.

nose-picker »    One who picks their nose.

nose-picking »    To insert a finger into one's nostril, especially to remove mucus.

nosebleed seat »    A seat high in the back of bleachers, stands, or the balcony at a theater.

not a pretty sight »    Something disappointing, disquieting, disreputable, or otherwise unworthy of admiration.

not a sausage »    Absolutely nothing, none of something.

not a zack »    No amount of money; no money at all.

not all it's cracked up to be »    Not as good as claimed; falling short of expectations.

not at all »    Used similarly to you're welcome, as a conventional reply to an expression of gratitude.

not bad »    Reasonably good.

not be able to get a word in edgeways »    To be unable to say a single word because of someone else's talkativeness.

not give a monkey's »    Not to have the slightest interest or concern.

not have a leg to stand on »    To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation.

not in Kansas anymore »    No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings; in the big city.

not leave one's thoughts »    Said when one keeps thinking about something.

not long for this world »    Unlikely to remain for much time.

not on your life »    Absolutely not; under no circumstances.

not on your nelly »    Not on your life, an emphatic form of no.

not on your tintype »    An answer indicating outright rejection or denial; no way; absolutely not.

not to put too fine a point on it »    Used to apologise for a possibly impolite statement one is making.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    Ambrose Bierce , The Fiend's Delight In conclusion, his respect for letter-writing ladies is so great that he would not touch one of them with a ten-foot pole.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To approach something or someone.

not touch something with a ten foot pole »    To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong aversion.

not win for losing »    To repeatedly fail in one's gambles or efforts.

nothing to write home about »    Not exceptional; not noteworthy or especially good.

nothing ventured, nothing gained »    If one takes no risks, one will not gain any benefits.

now and then »    Sometimes; occasionally.

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.

nugget of truth »    January 2008, Chicago Tribune - Clinton's Hispanic edge over Obama.

number one »    First; foremost; best.

number one with a bullet »    Superlative; impossible to beat.

nut-cutting time »    Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.

nuts and bolts »    The basic, inner workings of something; the fundamentals or basics; that which makes something operate, on a basic level.

object lesson »    A lesson taught using a familiar or unusual object as a focus.

object lesson »    A punishment intended as a deterrent to others.

object lesson »    An example that typifies a principle.

object lesson »    Anything used an example or lesson which serves to warn others as to the outcomes that result from a particular action or behavior, as exemplified by the fates of those who followed that course.

odd and curious »    On the Isle of Man, the common or general man.

odd one out »    A visual puzzle where the guesser has to choose which word/picture/symbol etc. does not fit with the others.

odd one out »    Something or someone in a group that is different or exceptional, that does not fit.

of an »    Belonging to the same.

off and on »    Intermittently.

off board »    Not on or in a means of transportation.

off chance »    A condition of not being likely or probable.

off one's dot »    Off one's rocker; bananas; mad.

off one's game »    C. 1910, Ralph Henry Barbour, "The Dub" in The New Boy at Hilltop and Other Stories.

off one's game »    Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.

off one's game »    Playing or competing below one's usual level of performance.

off one's own bat »    At one's own instigation.

off one's rocker »    Crazy; insane.

off the back foot »    From a defensive position.

off the beaten path »    In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.

off the beaten track »    In a place or places not commonly visited.

off the chain »    Free from work or direct supervision. In reference to slave labor, where workers are chained, or to the figurative chain of workers of an assembly line.

off the deep end »    Crazy, erratic, or irrational.

off the hook »    Of a telephone, having an open connection; not hung up.

off the hook »    Relieved of a duty, burden, responsibility, or pressure.

off the radar »    Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.

off the rails »    In an abnormal manner, especially in a manner that causes damage or malfunctioning.

off the rails »    Out of control.

off the reservation »    Violating rules.

off the table »    Beyond consideration.

off the top of one's head »    Without great thought or investigation; extemporaneous; natural; offhand.

off the wagon »    No longer maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from an undesirable habit, especially drinking alcohol.

off-color »    Considered dirty, vulgar or obscene.

off-the-cuff »    Extemporaneous; without prior preparation; impromptu.

off-the-shelf »    As purchased or as commonly available, without modification or customization.

off-the-wall »    Wildly unconventional; bizarre; absurd.

offer one's condolences »    To offer sympathy to someone.

oh, well »    An expression of disappointment or resignation; too bad; pity.

oil burner »    A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.

Old Fart »    An elderly person who holds views that are considered old-fashioned.

old fogey »    Old person.

old hand »    A person who is experienced at a certain activity.

old hat »    Something uninteresting, hackneyed, or passé due to overuse or long-standing familiarity..

old hat »    Something widely or long practiced, known, or accepted; something conventional.

old hat »    Something with which one is very familiar, or in which one is experienced or skilled.

old money »    Families that have been wealthy for generations or members of such families.

old money »    The imperial system of measurement, as opposed to the metric system.

old money »    The monetary system used in the United Kingdom before decimalisation and consisting of pounds, shillings, and pence.

old saw »    A cliché, saying, or overused expression; especially a proverb or maxim.

old school »    Characteristic of a style, outlook, or method employed in a former era, remembered either as inferior to the current style, or alternately, remembered nostalgically as superior or preferable to the new style, the older denoting something that would be considered out of date or out of fashion to some, but as such, is considered by others as cool and hip.

old time used to be »    Ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend. Often used in songs.

on a full stomach »    Directly after eating, after a meal.

on a regular basis »    Regularly, occurring in regular time intervals or patterns.

on a roll »    Having a streak of good luck or good progress or success.

on a shoestring »    On a very tight budget; with few resources or little money.

on a whim »    Done without thinking seriously about the consequences.

on about »    Speaking about, talking of.

on accident »    Accidentally; not intentionally; because of error, misfortune, or lack of caution.

on acid »    Exaggerated, bizarre or unpredictable.

on air »    broadcast

on all fours »    On one's hands and knees.

on all fours »    Similar in nature or effect to something else; consistent.

on an irregular basis »    Irregularly, occurring in irregular time intervals or patterns.

on at »    to pester; to irritate; to annoy

on at »    nagging

on average »    Usually, typically; as a rule; as often as not.

on board »    Agreeing or supporting.

on board »    Even when I am on board the plane, I can never feel secure that my luggage is, too.

on board »    Is that new teammate properly on board yet?.

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 board »    Joining in or participating.

on board »    On or in a means of transportation.

on cloud nine »    Very happy, blissful.

on course »    Proceeding smoothly as planned.

on demand »    When needed or required.

on edge »    Tense, nervous or irritable.

on end »    Remarkably long; continuously.

on end »    Upright; erect; endways.

on good terms with »    Friendly towards; having good relations with.

on hand »    Available; ready; in stock.

on hand »    close by; ready to help

on high »    "According to those on high there is no global warming".

on high »    "The Lord our God who dwelleth on high" Psalms 63:5.

on high »    In authority.

on high »    In the sky or the heavens.

on hold »    Delayed; postponed.

on hold »    On reserve; being held for someone.

on hold »    Waiting on a telephone call.

on ice »    Not being used, or not to be used e.g.

on ice »    Performed by ice skaters as an ice show.

on its merits »    Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.

on one's deathbed »    Close to death.

on one's feet »    Being stable or capable, especially in a financial or emotional sense.

on one's feet »    Being standing up.

on one's feet »    Being well again after a bout of illness.

on one's hands »    Being one's liability or responsibility; with which one is lumbered.

on one's high horse »    Self-righteous; proceeding on the belief one is more correct or proper than others.

on one's own »    Alone; by oneself; without the companionship or assistance of others.

on one's soapbox »    Stating or professing one's opinion; attempting to persuade others of something.

on one's toes »    Attentive, active, busy or alert.

on one's watch »    During the period of time when one is in a position of authority or responsibility.

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 second thought »    After reconsidering; on further consideration.

on sight »    I recognized him on sight.

on sight »    Immediately when sighted.

on spec »    I'm writing an article on spec. I hope some magazine will buy it.

on spec »    Short form of "on speculation": Creating a work with the hope of selling it, as opposed to creating a work "on commission" for hire.

on steroids »    To a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.

on sufferance »    Unwillingly agreed to or barely tolerated.

on tenterhooks »    In a state of suspense or apprehension.

on the anvil »    Refers to anything in the making, being created, or in production, especially in the metalworking field.

on the back burner »    Not immediate; inactive; receiving less than full or regular attention.

on the back foot »    In a defensive posture; off-balance.

on the ball »    Alert, active, or attentive; on top of things.

on the ball »    Being in control of the ball.

on the blink »    Functioning erratically, malfunctioning; not working or not working well. Usually refers to a mechanical or electronic device.

on the bounce »    Consecutively, in succession.

on the brain »    Obsessively in mind.

on the brink »    Very nearly; imminent; close.

on the bubble »    Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.

on the bubble »    Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position.

on the bubble »    Uncertain of success.

on the button »    Exactly, precisely.

on the cheap »    Economically, especially if too economically.

on the clock »    Displayed numerically on the mileage or kilometric gauge.

on the clock »    In the official time expired in a game or other sporting event.

on the clock »    In the official time remaining in a game or other sporting event.

on the clock »    Of a taxicab, engaged for hire; displayed numerically as time or fare on the meter of a taxicab.

on the clock »    Remunerated per unit of time.

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 defensive »    Prepared to defend or protect against criticism, attack or aggression.

on the dot »    Exactly; precisely, especially of a numerical quantity.

on the double »    Rapidly or immediately.

on the face of »    Notwithstanding.

on the face of it »    Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.

on the fence »    Undecided; wavering in one's opinion.

on the fly »    Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.

on the game »    Working as a prostitute.

on the go »    Actively traveling; busy; moving often.

on the go »    To have started.

on the horn »    On the telephone.

on the house »    Free, complimentary.

on the ladder »    Figuratively a property ladder, owning property.

on the level »    A discreet reference to freemasonry.

on the level »    Honest, sincere, straightforward.

on the line »    In a contest or enterprise.

on the line »    On a level with the eye of the spectator; said of a picture, as hung in an exhibition of pictures.

on the 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 mend »    Healing or recovering, as from an injury or illness.

on the mend »    Improving or undergoing restoration to a previous, more favorable condition.

on the nose »    Exactly; precisely.

on the nose »    Smelly, malodorous.

on the other hand »    From another point of view.

on the outs »    On unfriendly terms; estranged.

on the pill »    Using oral contraceptives.

on the plus side »    Positively; from a favorable view or perspective.

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 rag »    Menstruating.

on the right track »    Using the correct general approach to a particular task or problem; pursuing something in a promising way.

on the ropes »    Leaning against the ropes of the boxing ring, as when exhausted and nearing defeat or collapse.

on the ropes »    Showing signs of imminent failure or collapse.

on the run »    Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.

on the run »    Fleeing.

on the same wavelength »    In rapport or complete accord.

on the skids »    In decline; going downhill; in trouble.

on the sly »    Slyly, in an inconspicuous manner, so as not to be seen; secretly; stealthily.

on the spot »    At that very moment; right away.

on the spot »    Having to answer or decide without warning or preparation.

on the spot »    In a particular place.

on the spur of the moment »    On very short notice; spontaneously.

on the square »    "Are you on the square?".

on the square »    A discrete, unassuming reference to freemasonry.

on the square »    Honest and open.

on the straight and narrow »    Honest; proceeding according to rules and plans.

on the tip of one's tongue »    Known but not quite remembered.

on the town »    Casually enjoying the nightlife of a town or city.

on the up-and-up »    Legitimate; honest; upright.

on the uptake »    In understanding or in the ability to absorb new information; especially in the phrases "quick on the uptake" and "slow on the uptake".

on the verge »    Very near or close.

on the wagon »    By extension, maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from some other undesirable habit.

on the wane »    In a period of decrease or decline.

on the wane »    The moon was on the wane.

on the way »    Coming, approaching.

on the whole »    For the most part; apart from some insignificant details.

on thin ice »    In a dangerous, hazardous, or delicate situation; at risk.

on tiptoe »    Moving carefully, quietly, warily or stealthily.

on tiptoe »    We crept out on tiptoe so as not to wake the children.

on top »    In a dominant position.

on top of »    Fully informed about, and in control of something; up to speed with.

on top of »    In addition to something else.

on top of the world »    Delighted; ecstatic; exceptionally pleased, happy, or satisfied.

on track »    On a well-defined promotion path in an organisation, usually tenure.

on track »    Proceeding as planned, as expected, or in a manner consistent with an established pattern.

on wheels »    Having wheels affixed to the bottom, and so transportable.

on wheels »    Mobile; able to be moved.

on wheels »    To a large degree, excessive.

on-the-spot »    In the right place at this very moment.

once again »    Again.

once and for all »    Finally, permanently, conclusively.

once bitten, twice shy »    One is cautious in the future if one has been hurt in the past.

once in a blue moon »    Never.

once in a blue moon »    Very rarely; very infrequently.

once in a while »    Occasionally; sometimes.

once or twice »    A small, indefinite number of times.

once you go black, you never go back »    An expression assuming that once a person of another race gets in a sexual relationship with a black person they won't return to their own race.

one and all »    All, everyone.

one and all »    Each one.

one and the same »    The same person or thing. Used to emphasize the identity or equivalence of two things.

one another »    Used of a reciprocal relationship among a group of more than two people or things; compare each other.

one another »    each other

one at a time »    Individually, as opposed to collectively; slowly or methodically, figuratively.

one brick short of a full load »    Not mentally sound; insane.

one brick short of a full load »    Stupid.

one by one »    Individually in succession; one at a time.

one can run but one can't hide »    There is nothing someone can do to evade something.You can run but you can't hide.

one can't hold two watermelons in one hand »    do not attempt to take on more than you can handle

one candle short of a box »    not bright; stupid

one card shy of a full deck »    Mentally deranged; demented; insane.

one fell swoop »    One stroke; one action or event with many results.

one good turn deserves another »    One act of kindness should be paid back by another act of kindness.

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 of his majesty's bad bargains »    A worthless soldier, a malingeror.

one of those days »    A bad day.

one or two »    a few

one side »    You should move to one side and allow me to go through the passageway you are blocking.

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind »    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 at a time »    Slowly and carefully, ensuring that each action has been completed successfully before taking the next.

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 does not make a summer »    A sign is not proof

one swallow doesn't make a summer »    One sighting or instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend.

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 two »    wall pass

one up »    To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.

one who hesitates is lost »    A person who spends too much time contemplating what to do may miss a valuable but fleeting opportunity.

one's bark is worse than one's bite »    The individual acts threatening but is relatively harmless.

one's days are numbered »    Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.

one's jig is up »    Alternative form of the jig is up. [for one].

one-hit wonder »    A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.

one-hit wonder »    A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.

one-horse town »    A very small town.

one-man band »    A musician who plays several musical instruments at once.

one-man band »    An organisation or business that is effectively run by only one person.

one-night stand »    A single sexual encounter between two individuals, where at least one of the parties has no immediate intention or expectation of establishing a longer-term sexual or romantic relationship. As the phrase implies, the relationship lasts for only one night.

one-night stand »    An occasion when a performer or team of them expects to perform at a theater for a single evening.

one-note »    Having only one opinion, outlook, tone, etc., especially as expressed repetitively; without variety or range.

one-off »    Occurring once; one-time.

one-track mind »    That said to be possessed by someone who is obsessed with something or only able to think of one thing.

one-trick pony »    A performing animal that knows only one trick.

one-trick pony »    A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.

one-up »    To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.

one-upmanship »    A succession of instances of outdoing a competitor.

one-upmanship »    The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.

onesie-twosie »    Individually or in very small groups, rather in larger batches.

only fools and horses work »    Philosophy of life that people who do not look for an easy way of earning a living are foolish.

ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »    (biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.

open a can of whoop ass »    I'm gonna open up a can of whoop-ass on ya.

open fire »    To begin firing at something or someone.

open one's big mouth »    To speak about things, when it would be better to stay silent.

open prison »    penal institution

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.

out of bounds »    Beyond the bounds of civility or morality; extremely unreasonable.

out of character »    Inconsistent with one's personality, disposition, or usual expected behaviour.

out of character »    Not acting; not "on"; behaving within one's natural personality rather than that of a character in a performance piece.

out of fix »    Wrong, broken, nonfunctional.

out of gas »    Tired; lacking energy or motivation.

out of house and home »    Cassandra Chrones Moore, Haunted Housing: How Toxic Scare Stories Are Spooking the Public Out of House and Home.

out of house and home »    In a manner that deprives one of dwelling or some aspect thereof.

out of line »    Inappropriate or unsuitable, especially by reason of being unmannerly or indelicate.

out of one's depth »    To be in a situation which one is poorly prepared or unprepared to handle.

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 order »    Not functioning properly.

out of place »    Amongst all those horsey people I felt quite out of place.

out of place »    Not in the proper situation or arrangement, or inappropriate for the circumstances.

out of proportion »    Not in a proper or pleasing relation to other things, especially in terms of size.

out of the blue »    Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.

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 the running »    No longer in competition.

out of thin air »    From non-existent resources.

out of this world »    Exceptionally high quality; wonderful; marvellous.

out of touch »    No longer conversant with facts; not aware or realistic.

out of touch »    No longer maintaining contact or communications.

out of whack »    Wrong, broken; specifically.

out on a limb »    in a precarious position

out on one's ear »    Fired, dismissed or thrown out, especially for some wrongdoing or otherwise with disgrace.

out on the tiles »    I've had a pint of bitter and now I'm feeling better and I'm out on the tiles." Led Zeppelin in their song "Out on the tiles", 1970.

out on the tiles »    Out for a night on the town.

out the window »    Made obsolete; altered drastically as a result of situational change.

outshout »    To merit the most attention or praise.

outshout »    To shout louder or for longer than another.

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.

outsider »    A newcomer with little or no experience in an organization or community.

outsider »    One who is not part of a community or organization.

over a barrel »    In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, in which one may be controlled or victimized.

over and out »    Used to signal the end of a conversation, especially one conducted by CB radio or the like.

over one's head »    More complex or confusing than one can understand; beyond one’s comprehension..

over one's head »    Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.

over the moon »    Delighted, thrilled.

over the top »    Bold; beyond normal, expected, or reasonable limits; excessive; outrageous.

over the transom »    Said of an unsolicited work submitted for publication.

overkill »    A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.

own up »    To acknowledge, confess, or admit guilt. Often used with to.

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 who is insensitive.

pachyderm »    Someone with thick skin. It is used for animals such as an elephant or a hippopotamus.

pack away »    To store away, place out of the way, or stash, especially for the longer term.

pack up »    To move one's residence.

packing heat »    Carrying one or more firearms on one's person, especially in a concealed manner.

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 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.

palace politics »    The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers within a government, especially as involving internal rivalry and intrigue.

pan out »    By swirling dirt or crushed rock in a pan of water, in the manner of a traditional prospector seeking gold.

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.

paper »    Money.

paper trail »    A written record, history, or collection of evidence.

paper trail »    The records left by a person or organization in the course of activities.

par for the course »    To be expected; normal; common; usual.

parade of horribles »    A parade featuring a progression of people wearing comic and grotesque costumes.

parcel out »    To divide into portions or chunks; to ration.

pardon me »    Polite expression to get someone to repeat.

pardon me »    Sorry; said as an apology.

pardon my French »    Please excuse my swearing or bad language.

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.

party pooper »    Someone who unnecessarily dampens fun.

pass muster »    To adequately pass a formal or informal inspection.

pass on »    To convey or communicate.

pass on »    To die.

pass on »    To skip or decline.

pass out »    To graduate, usually marked by the ceremony at the end of their training.

pass the buck »    To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.

pass the hat »    To ask for money, especially from a group of people; to solicit donations or contributions.

pay attention »    To be attentive; to focus one's attention.

pay for »    To exchange for, especially money for goods or services.

pay for it »    To suffer the consequences of one's actions.

pay one's dues »    To acquire status or to earn the right to enjoy certain benefits, especially through lengthy experience, hardship, or service to an organization.

pay one's dues »    To outlay money which is owed as a membership fee or price of admission.

pay out »    To distribute money; to disburse.

pay the bills »    To provide enough income to sustain one's lifestyle.

pay the fiddler »    To contribute in order to participate.

pay the fiddler »    To face the consequences of one’s actions..

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.

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.

peace and quiet »    Tranquility; freedom from stress or interruptions.

peaches-and-cream »    Of facial complexion, smooth, with attractive yellow-pink coloring.

peachy keen »    Extremely good, exactly right; all right. Often used in the negative or with an ironic or sarcastic connotation to mean the opposite.

peashooter »    A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.

peel grapes »    To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.

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.

penalty box »    That is assessed after an infraction.

pencil pusher »    One who does routine office work; someone involved mainly in paperwork.

pencil-neck »    A person with a very thin neck.

pencil-neck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

pencilneck »    A person with a very thin neck.

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 pincher »    One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.

penny wise and pound foolish »    Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful and profligate with large amounts.

people person »    Someone who is happier or more skilled at dealing with people rather than things or concepts.

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones »    Do not criticize others if you have weaknesses yourself.

pep up »    To make stronger or more interesting.

perfect storm »    A powerful hurricane or other major weather disturbance, especially as produced by a combination of meteorological conditions.

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.

personal computers »    PCs

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 of the litter »    The best person or item in a group.

pick on »    To bully or make fun of a victim; to bother or harass.

pick one's nose »    The act of picking one's nose, insertion of a finger or other object into one's nostril.

pick somebody's brain »    To seek information from someone knowledgeable; to ask questions of someone.

pick up »    To notice, detect or discern, often used with "on".

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 »    To answer a telephone. See pick up the phone.

pick up stitches »    Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.

pickin' and grinnin' »    Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.

pickle »    Any vegetable preserved in vinegar and consumed as relish.

pickle »    A cucumber preserved in a solution, usually a brine or a vinegar syrup.

pickle »    A difficult situation, peril.

pickle »    An affectionate term for a loved one.

piece de resistance »    A masterpiece; the most memorable accomplishment of one’s career or lifetime..

piece of ass »    A very attractive woman, when considered as a sex object.

piece of ass »    An act of intercourse, especially a one night stand.

piece of cake »    One slice of cake.

piffy on a rock bun »    A person ignored or sidelined from an activity.

pig in a poke »    Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.

pig out »    To eat voraciously or ravenously; to gorge oneself.

pig out »    They watched the game and pigged out on chips and pizza.

pile-up »    A traffic accident or collision involving multiple vehicles.

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.

pinch-hit »    To do something in the place of another person who is not able to perform or is less skilled; to substitute or stand in for somebody.

pinchpenny »    One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.

pink slip »    An automobile roadworthiness inspection certificate.

pink slip »    Notice of the termination of employment.

piss money up the wall »    To waste money, normally through ineptness in business.

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.

pit against »    To set someone in opposition to someone else.

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 »    An intense, rancorous argument or confrontation.

plan on »    To expect; to prepare future actions based on.

play along »    To take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.

play around »    To behave in a silly, or childish, or irresponsible way.

play around »    To work with in a non-serious manner.

play ball »    An expression used at the beginning of a game of baseball.

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 hooky »    To miss school, work, or other duties without permission or an excuse.

play it by ear »    To do something by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur.

play it by ear »    To play a song according to how it sounds, rather than from a written score.

play Old Harry »    Blenkiron and I have been moving in the best circles as skilled American engineers who are going to play Old Harry with the British on the Tigris. — John Buchan, "Greenmantle", 1916..

play on words »    A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.

play one against another »    To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.

play one's cards right »    To act sensibly; to make the right moves.

play possum »    To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.

play possum »    To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.

play second fiddle »    To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.

play someone like a fiddle »    Skilfully.

play the field »    To date more than one person at the same time.

play the ponies »    To bet on horse racing.

play the race card »    Donald A. Carson, Love in Hard Places p.94.

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 the same tape »    To repeat exactly what one previously said or did.

play with fire »    To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially.

plead the fifth »    To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.

plead the fifth »    To refuse to answer a question, or refuse to speak, especially when the response would reflect badly on the speaker.

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.

poacher turned gamekeeper »    A person who now works against the same people they once supported.

pocket money »    child's allowance

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 tell, remind, indicate to someone.

poison »    A drink; liquor.

poison »    A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism.

poison »    Something that harms a person or thing.

poison pen »    A usually intentionally rude, spiteful, and/or condescending piece of writing directed at a person, group, lifestyle, way of thought, or other target.

poison tree bears poison fruit »    Unethical actions in the service of good intentions will have immoral or unethical consequences.

pony in the barn »    An exciting and real prospect, something to be legitimately excited about.

pop a cap in someone's ass »    To shoot someone with a gun.

pop off »    To kill someone.

pop off »    To release flatulence, in most cases, in short rapid succession.

pop one's clogs »    To die.

pop out »    To leave a room or building with the expectation of returning soon.

pop someone's cherry »    To deflower someone.

pop the cherry »    To break the hymen; to lose one's virginity.

pop the question »    To propose marriage.

popped the question »    proposed

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 makes pots and other ceramic wares.

potter »    One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.

potter's clay »    A nation or kingdom.

potter's clay »    A person or people created and shaped by God.

potty mouth »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

pound of flesh »    Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.

pound the pavement »    To travel on foot; to walk or run.

pour oil on troubled waters »    To calm something or someone who is tenacious or misbehaving.

power behind the throne »    Someone who appears to be without special status, but who has great covert influence on a person in authority.

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 corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely »    The corrupting influence of power is total when one's power is total.Lord Acton see: Wikiquote

power up »    To turn the electrical power on to a device as a precondition to make it operational.

power up »    To become ready for operation as a result of the provision of electrical power.

powers that be »    The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially as seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.

practice makes perfect »    If one practices an activity enough, one will eventually master it.

preach to the choir »    Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.

pretty penny »    A considerable amount of money; a high price or a high income.

pretty pictures »    Image supplements in a presentation: graphs, charts, etc.

prevail upon »    To convince; to persuade.

prevention is better than cure »    it is better to prevent the creation of a bad thing, than to destroy it.

price is right »    The cost of a thing is reasonable and of good value.

price on one's head »    A compensation for capturing or killing a person, especially someone guilty of a crime.

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.

prima donna »    diva

prime of life »    The period of one's mature life when one is at a peak of health and performance.

private branch exchange »    Telephone lines.

private eye »    A private personal detective, employed to gather information about someone.

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.

prone out »    In order to be propelled shorewards by a broken wave.

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".

prove out »    To demonstrate the feasibility of.

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 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.

puddle jumper »    A small passenger airplane, typically used for shorter connecting trips to smaller airports.

pulcher »    Noble, honorable, excellent.

pull a face »    To make an abnormal facial expression.

pull a fast one »    To deceive or trick.

pull apart »    To open something by pulling on various parts of it.

pull my finger »    A phrase used when playing a prank regarding flatulence, in which a mark is asked to pull the finger of the person playing the prank, who simultaneously flatulates so as to suggest a causal relationship between the pulling of the finger and the resulting expulsion of gas.

pull 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 one's own weight »    To do the work that one is obligated to.

pull one's socks up »    To start making an effort; to renew or redouble one's efforts.

pull one's weight »    To do the work that one is obligated to.

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 rank »    To assert one's authority over a subordinate who disagrees.

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 someone down a peg »    To lower someone's high self-opinion.

pull the other one, it's got bells on »    The implication is that one leg has been pulled, and the joker will have more fun with the other one due to the bells.

pull the other one, it's got bells on »    Monty Python's Holy Grail.

pull the plug »    To cease from production or publication.

pull the trigger »    To commit to a course of action.

pull together »    To unite for a common objective.

pump iron »    To lift weights; to engage in weight or strength training.

pump up »    To inflate with a pumping action.

pump up »    To excite a person or group to a frenzy.

pump up »    To cause one's muscles to swell by means of focussed weightlifting.

push one's luck »    To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.

push the boat out »    To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.

push the envelope »    To go beyond established limits; to pioneer.

put a damper on »    To stop people from enjoying an activity.

put a foot wrong »    To make a mistake.

put a lid on it »    To be quiet; shut up; to stop talking about something or making noise.

put a sock in it »    To be quiet; to shut one's mouth; to stop talking.

put about »    To change direction.

put across »    To perform a theatrical production.

put all one's eggs in one basket »    Rather than diversifying.

put aside »    To save money.

put aside »    To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.

put away »    To send someone to prison.

put back »    To postpone an arranged event or appointment.

put back »    To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time.

put by »    To perform an action without attracting attention.

put by »    To save money.

put by »    To run a ship aground intentionally to avoid a collision.

put down »    To set down, stop carrying, or place in a low location.

put down »    To pay an initial amount of money on a large purchase.

put down »    To replace the telephone receiver and terminate a call. To hang up.

put down »    To drop someone off, or let them out of a vehicle.

put down for »    To record that someone has offered to help, or contribute something.

put down roots »    To do things which show that one wishes to stay put.

put down roots »    To feel that one belong in a place.

put down to »    To state the cause of a situation.

put forward »    To propose for consideration.

put forward »    To change the time in a time zone to a later time.

put hair on somebody's chest »    To make a person stronger or more masculine.

put off »    postpone

put on »    To place upon or atop.

put on »    To don clothing or equipment.

put on »    To play recorded music.

put on »    To cook or warm.

put on »    To record, to add to a record or document.

put on »    clothe oneself in

put on airs »    To become haughty, to assume a haughty manner.

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 over »    To fool, trick or deceive.

put one past somebody »    To deceive, trick, or fool, especially by concealing something.

put one's back into »    To make a strenuous effort to do something.

put one's best foot forward »    To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.

put one's feet up »    To relax.

put one's foot down »    To insist, demand, or refuse.

put one's foot down »    To make a car go faster, accelerate.

put one's foot in it »    To make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing, or offensive.

put one's foot in one's mouth »    To misspeak; to say something embarrassing or wrong.

put one's hands together »    To clap; to applaud.

put one's mind to it »    To apply oneself; to exert a directed effort.

put one's money where one's mouth is »    More generally, to take an obvious stake in the truth of a claim that one is making.

put one's money where one's mouth is »    To make or take a bet.

put one's shoulder to the wheel »    To work or exert oneself heavily or with full effort.

put oneself across »    To explain one's ideas and opinions clearly so that another person can understand them and get a picture of your personality.

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 paid to »    To stop something once and for all.

put someone down as »    To assume someone has a particular character from very little information.

put someone in mind of »    To remind someone of; to inspire a mental image or awareness of; to cause thoughts concerning.

put someone's back up »    To annoy someone deliberately.

put the bee on »    To beg; to borrow money from.

put the bee on »    To finish off, to beat.

put the boot in »    To kick a fallen opponent.

put the boot in »    To kick someone when they are down.

put the cart before the horse »    To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities.

put the cat among the pigeons »    If you set the cat among the pigeons, you will cause a flutter in the dovecote.

put the cat among the pigeons »    Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way. — The Times, 19 September 1994.

put the cat among the pigeons »    To cause alarm.

put the clock back »    To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time.

put the clock forward »    To change the time in a time zone to a later time.

put the feedbag on »    To dine; to eat.

put the hammer down »    To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.

put the kibosh on »    To halt, stop, or squelch.

put through its paces »    To test completely; to exercise the full range of abilities or functions.

put to the test »    To test something or someone; to evaluate, scrutinize or explore by testing or experimentation.

put together »    To assemble, construct, or build.

put up »    To place in a high location.

put up one's dukes »    Prepare to fight; literally, to raise your fists.

put up or shut up »    Desist from saying something unless one is able to prove it.

quake in one's boots »    To be frightened, scared, or nervous.

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.

queer fish »    An odd or eccentric person.

queer one's pitch »    To make a task more difficult for the speaker.

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.

quick-and-dirty »    Done or constructed in a hasty, approximate, temporarily adequate manner, but not exact, fully formed, or reliable for a long period of time.

quick-and-dirty »    Of or pertaining to the creation or repair of software or hardware in a manner which permits operation within a brief period of time, although with compromised functionality or reliability.

quiet down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

quieten down »    To make someone or something become quieter.

quite a bit »    A considerable amount.

quote unquote »    Emphasizes the following word or phrase for irony, as used almost exclusively in spoken language.

rabble rouser »    Someone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.

rack one's brain »    To struggle to think of or remember something.

rag bagger »    A sailboat, usually a cruising sailboats which tend to carry and store lots of supplies along the deck, or any sailboat that looks like a neglected vessel, or messy vessel.

rag bagger »    A sailor who tends to sail on messy cruising vessels.

rag the puck »    To retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.

rag-chewing »    A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.

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 raise one's arm and hand.

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

raise one's hand »    To dare to question.

raise one's hand »    To volunteer.

raise somebody's hackles »    Make someone angry.

raise the bar »    To raise standards or expectations, especially by creating something to a higher standard.

raise the spectre »    To cause concern that something unfortunate might happen.

rake »    A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.

rake »    A set of coupled rail vehicles, normally coaches or wagons.

rake »    The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.

ramp up »    Of a project or operation, to start up.

rank and file »    Those lacking any particular title or status; those having no station.

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.

rattle someone's cage »    To demand attention; to nag, nudge, or remind.

read out »    To read some data and inform the person using the device.

real deal »    A thing or person which is genuine, authentic, or worthy of serious regard.

real job »    A hobby that takes all of a person's free time.

real job »    A job which requires the employee to, work regular hours for a consistent wage that often exceeds the provisions of applicable minimum wage legislation. A job that produces a living wage.

real Macoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real McCoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real McKoy »    The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation.

real men don't eat quiche »    (aphorism, humorous) The stereotypical man does not do things that are considered effeminate, as to do so would imply they are effeminate.

reality check »    A check or review to make sure something is consistent, reasonable, etc.

reap what one sows »    To receive as a reward or harvest in the same measure as one's exertions, in a good or a bad sense. To receive justice.

rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic »    To do something pointless or insignificant that will soon be overtaken by events, or that contributes nothing to the solution of a current problem.

rebound relationship »    A relationship proceeding a longterm relationship, usually short in duration and used to help mend the "broken heart".

rebrousser chemin »    To retrace one's steps, to turn back.

reckon for »    To answer for; to pay the account for.

reckon on »    To count on or depend on.

reckon on »    To plan on; to expect.

reckon upon »    To count upon or depend upon.

reckon upon »    To plan upon; to expect.

reckon with »    To settle accounts with or to settle claims with.

reckon with »    To deal with.

reckon with »    To take into account.

reckon without »    To ignore that which cannot readily be ignored.

red face test »    A hypothetical test of a person's embarrassment, that is either passed or failed. Saying one passes the red face test means one would not blush and thus would not be embarrassed by disclosing something to others or doing something, and saying one fails the red face test means a situation would cause them discernible embarrassment.

red flag »    A cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong.

red herring »    A clue that is misleading or that has been falsified, intended to divert attention.

red mist »    Uncontrollable rage.

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

red tape »    A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.

red-handed »    In the act of wrongdoing.

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.

reflect on »    To think carefully about something, and give it due consideration.

reflect on »    At run-time using reflection.

reflect on »    To give an impression of .

reflect upon »    To reflect on.

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 on one's laurels »    To rely on a past success instead of trying to improve oneself further.

rev up »    To increase the speed of an engine, especially that of a stationary motor car.

revenge is a dish best served cold »    An expression that emotional detachment is ideal when taking revenge, as one is righting the wrongs that have been done to the doer.

rex-pat »    A repeat expatriate, one who becomes ex-patriated a second time.

rhyme or reason »    Logic. Common sense.

ride herd on »    To supervise a group of people, such as workers, and/or their actions, i.e. their work.

ride one's luck »    To avoid failure only by good fortune.

ride roughshod over »    To act in a bullying or inconsiderate manner; to display disregard towards someone or something.

ride shotgun »    To ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

ride tall in the saddle »    To act or conduct oneself in a manner that is imposing, impressive, resolute, or manly.

ride the short bus »    To have a need for a special education program, as because learning disabled.

ride the short bus »    To participate in a special education program, such as for those with learning disabilities.

right away »    Very soon; quickly; immediately.

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.

right on the money »    Exact; precise; exactly right.

rim job »    Anilingus; act where one person licks the other's anus.

ring around »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

ring back »    To return a phone call.

ring back »    To make another phone call to the same person.

ring hollow »    To seem to be false or implausible; to be unconvincing.

ring in »    To make a phone call to one's usual place of work.

ring off »    To finish a telephone conversation and disconnect.

ring off the hook »    Of a telephone, to ring constantly or excessively.

ring out »    To make a phone call from an internal phone system to a general telephone network number.

ring round »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

ring up »    To telephone, to call on the telephone.

ringside seat »    A seat in the front row of a boxing or wrestling match.

rip to shreds »    To rip up, so that only shreds remain.

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 apple »    Horse manure, especially when deposited on a road.

road movie »    A film in which much of the action takes place during a journey, especially one involving overland travel.

road to Damascus »    A road to Damascus moment, or change, is an important point in someone's life where a great change, or reversal, of ideas or beliefs occurs.

road to Damascus »    That was my Road to Damascus moment. They played one hit after another and this is the song I remember most clearly.

roadwarrior »    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.

rob the cradle »    To use a young person for a purpose inappropriate to his or her age.

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 salmon »    huss

rock the boat »    To disturb the status quo or go against rules or conventions, as in an effort to get attention.

rock the house »    To jam at a concert, get down.

rock up »    To work one's way vertically up a chimney or cleft using a rocking movement.

rock up »    To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.

rocket science »    Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing.

rocket scientist »    One specializing in the science or study of rockets and their design.

rocket scientist »    Someone qualified to understand or handle that which is overly complex, detailed or confusing; a genius.

rocking horse shit »    A metaphor for something exceedingly rare or, more likely, nonexistent.

roll down the windows »    To flail one's arms in a circular motion when off-balance, as to mimic the act of rolling down a car window.

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.

roll up one's sleeves »    To prepare to work.

rolling stone »    A person who moves around a lot and never settles down.

Rome wasn't built in a day »    It takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive.

rose-colored glasses »    An optimistic perception of something; a positive opinion; seeing something in a positive way, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.

round of applause »    An outburst of clapping among a group or audience. Often asked for by the Master of Ceremonies at a concert or other performance.

round off »    To change a number into an approximation having fewer significant digits.

round the clock »    Nonstop, 24 hours per day.

rub it in »    To add insult to injury; to emphasize one's strengths or another's weaknesses in a manner that degrades another.

rub off on »    To adapt to a way of behaving after constant exposure to it.

rub somebody the wrong way »    To bother, disturb, irritate, or annoy.

rub up against »    To touch something with one's body.

rub up against »    To touch another person with one's body in a sexually stimulating manner.

rub up against »    Of pets. To touch a person's body in a friendly manner, seeking attention.

ruffle some feathers »    To disturb; to arouse resentment, anger, or concern.

rule of thumb »    A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.

rule out »    To reject an option from a list of possibilities.

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 campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

rumor mill »    A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.

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

run a mile »    To escape, flee or leave a situation or relationship, usually as a result of a shocking or sudden announcement or revelation.

run afoul of »    To become entangled in; to run aground on.

run afoul of »    To contravene.

run after »    To make a determined effort to win someone's affections.

run along »    To leave.

run around after »    To spend a lot of time doing things for another person or group of people. Often used when that person could reasonably do the things for themselves.

run around with »    To spend a lot of time with a person or group of people. Often used to talk about a person's group of friends that one does not like much.

run away »    To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile.

run away with »    To leave secretly with another person. Usually with the intention of getting married or of living together against the wishes of the family.

run away with »    To be misled by imagining that one's desires can come true.

run back »    To take someone home by car. Give someone a lift to their house.

run by »    To inform someone briefly of the main points of an idea.

run by »    To repeat some information.

run down »    To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.

run down »    To criticize someone or an organisation, often unfairly.

run down »    To find something or someone after searching for a long time.

run for »    To try to obtain political position through the democratic voting process.

run for one's money »    A difficult challenge for the person indicated, especially one involving a competitive situation.

run for one's money »    A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation.

run for the roses »    A college football game or series of games played with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the championship Rose Bowl game.

run for the roses »    A hard-fought competition or demanding challenge of any kind.

run off »    To leave someone without prior advice.

run off »    To chase someone away.

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 off with »    To steal or abscond.

run on »    To continue without interruption.

run on »    To continue talking for a long time.

run on »    To operate with a particular energy source.

run on fumes »    By extension, to operate with few resources or little money.

run on fumes »    To operate a vehicle that is low on fuel.

run oneself ragged »    To work or exert oneself to the point of exhaustion.

run out of steam »    To run out of energy; to run out of motivation.

run out on »    To leave a partner suddenly and without prior warning.

run out the clock »    To preserve a lead in a game by retaining possession, to waste time.

run 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 through »    To use completely, in a short space of time. Usually money.

run through »    To pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a group, organisation, or system.

run through »    To impale a person with a blade, usually a sword.

run to »    To reach the limit of one's abilities or tastes.

run up against »    Begin to encounter problems with someone or something.

runner up »    second-placed competitor

running on empty »    Losing enthusiasm or willingness, lacking energy.

rush hour »    The times of the day when traffic jams are commonplace, due mainly to people commuting to or from work.

sabre-rattling »    Any threat, such as one company threatening another with a lawsuit.

sack out »    To fall asleep, usually from implied exhaustion.

sacked out »    Sound asleep, usually from a healthy exhaustion.

said and done »    Agreed to and accomplished or finished.

salad years »    The inexperienced, youthful prime of an individual, group, organization or entity.

save face »    To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.

save someone's bacon »    To save someone's life.

save the day »    To rescue the situation.

say goodbye »    To separate from someone.

say goodbye »    To wish someone farewell upon their leaving.

say grace »    To recite a prayer of invocation or thanksgiving at meal time.

say so »    power of decision

scare out of one's wits »    To frighten someone to such an extent that they behave irrationally.

school of hard knocks »    An education consisting of real-world experiences, especially harsh experiences.

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.

scrape off »    To remove something by a scraping action.

scratch one's head »    To puzzle, ponder, or wonder about something.

scratch the surface »    To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.

scream »    A form of singing associated with the metal and screamo styles of music. It is a loud, rough, distorted version of the voice; rather than the normal voice of the singer.

scream »    An entertaingly outrageous person.

screen test »    movie audition

screw back »    To cue the cue ball in such a way as to impart backspin. On impact, the ball will follow a reverse trajectory according to the spin.

screw it »    "I don't care enough to continue"; whatever.

screw the pooch »    To screw up; to fail in dramatic and ignominious fashion.

screw this »    "I don't care enough to continue"; "This is too stressful for me"; whatever.

scrimp and save »    To scrimp greatly; to economize; to live very frugally, particularly when saving for something.

sea change »    A profound transformation.

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 comedian who plays a secondary or supporting role, especially as straight man and traditionally in vaudeville or burlesque theatre.

second banana »    A person who serves in a supporting, secondary, or subsidiary capacity; an assistant.

second childhood »    A childlike state in any adult, resulting from mental illness, trauma, or other conditions.

second childhood »    The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.

second fiddle »    A fiddle part in harmony to the first fiddle.

second fiddle »    A sidekick or subordinate, or the role of such a person.

second fiddle »    The person playing second fiddle.

second hand »    used

second nature »    A mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.

second sight »    clairvoyance

second string »    In sports, a unit of players that plays behind the first string.

second string »    Not as good; of a lower quality or condition.

second-guess »    Presumably from trying to guess with second sight.

second-guess »    Presumably from trying to improve with a second stab.

see a man »    A bland euphemism to conceal one's true purpose.

see a man »    To go have a drink or to meet one's bootlegger.

see a man »    To take one's leave for some urgent purpose, especially to go to the bathroom.

see a man about a horse »    A message signaling one needs to go missing for a short while, for any reason, without giving a real explanation.

see eye to eye »    To agree with someone; to concur; to get along.

see someone through »    To constitute ample supply for one for.

see someone through »    To suffice for a time.

see someone's point »    To comprehend the meaning that someone is trying to convey.

see the forest for the trees »    To discern an overall pattern from a mass of detail; to see the bigger picture, or the broader, more general situation. Generally used in the negative.

see the light »    To undergo a spiritual conversion.

see through »    To be able to predict or read someone.

see you later »    A phrase used at parting, and not necessarily implying that the person being addressed will be seen later by the speaker.

sell »    To agree to transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.

sell »    To pretend that an opponent's blows or maneuvers are causing legitimate injury; to act.

sell »    To trick, or cheat someone.

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 down the river »    To betray, especially in a manner which causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed.

sell out »    To abandon one's supporters or principles to seek profit or other personal advantage.

sell someone a bill of goods »    To deceive or cheat someone.

sell-by date »    The final date on which a perishable product can be legally sold to the public.

sell-by date »    Used to indicate that something, or someone, is old and out of date.

seller's market »    An excess of demand over supply, leading to abnormally high prices; a market condition favoring the seller.

send away »    To dismiss from one's presence.

send away »    To send to a particular place for a long time, as a family member, an employee, etc.

send away for »    To write to a business or other organisation, requesting a thing.

send to Coventry »    To ostracize, or systematically ignore someone.

send up »    To be put in prison.

send up »    To imitate someone or something for the purpose of satirical humour.

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.

separate the wheat from the chaff »    To select only that which is of value.

serpentine »    Sinuous; curving in alternate directions.

serve somebody right »    To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.

serve time »    To be in prison or a similar institute.

set back »    To cost money, as.

set down »    Simple sum of parts set + down, to place, especially on the ground or a surface; to cease carrying.

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 off »    To count an addition in one thing against a reduction in something else.

set one's cap at »    . Or, more generally, to choose something as a goal.

set the stage »    To prepare; to establish the basis or required conditions.

set the Thames on fire »    To achieve something amazing; to do something which brings great public acclaim.

settle on »    To make a decision or selection; to decide.

settle someone's hash »    To physically or verbally subdue someone.

settle upon »    To decide something over other options.

sex machine »    Someone with considerable sexual prowess.

sex up »    To enhance in terms of fashionable appeal.

sex up »    To make more palatable or acceptable to the general public; to improve the image or perception.

sexual congress »    Intercourse.

sexual congress »    Loose translation of the title of Aristophanes' play Ecclesiazousae, more literally translated as Assemblywomen.

sexual relation »    Behaviour of a sexual nature between one or more individuals.

sexual tension »    Physically induced libidinal unrest arising between two individuals when aware of each other's presence.

shake on it »    To agree; to close a deal.

shank-nag »    To travel on foot.

shanks' mare »    One's own legs used for walking; to "travel by shanks' mare" or "ride on shanks' mare" is to walk to your destination.

shanks' nag »    Transportation by foot. To "take a shanks' nag" means using one's own legs to walk.

shanks' pony »    Transportation by foot.

shape up »    To improve; to correct one's bad habits or behavior.

shape up or ship out »    To either improve one's behavior or else be required to leave; to either improve one's performance in an activity or else withdraw from that activity completely.

sharp cookie »    One who is intelligent, bright, or sharp; especially, one who can identify attempts to deceive or mislead.

sharp tongue »    The practice or characteristic of speaking to others in a harsh, critical, or insulting manner.

shell out »    To pay money; especially, to pay a great deal of money.

shell out »    To use a program's "shell escape" function to execute an unrelated command or to invoke a subsidiary, interactive shell.

shift gears »    To change pace or mode of operation.

shift gears »    To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.

shit a brick »    To react strongly or excessively, especially in anger or fear.

shit one's pants »    To be extremely frightened.

shit one's pants »    To involuntarily defecate into one's pants or other clothing.

shit oneself »    To soil oneself.

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.

shitstorm »    Considerable backlash from the public.

Shittin in high cotton »    Living well, often above one's means

shoo-in »    A candidate or contestant generally agreed upon as the presumptive winner; somebody who is well-liked or widely agreed upon.

shoot 'em up »    A short story, novel, television show, film, computer game, or other narrative which depicts considerable gunplay.

shoot down »    To shoot , so that the one shot goes down.

shoot down »    To the point of preclusion.

shoot first and ask questions later »    To act boldly.

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 off at the mouth »    To disclose some information that was supposed to be secret.

shoot one's bolt »    To use up one's resources, especially a singular one or one not readily restored.

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 oneself in the foot »    To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.

shoot the 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.

shoot the moon »    To hit the moon, with a rocket or by other means.

shoot the moon »    To take a risk which may result in great rewards; to succeed after taking such a risk.

shoot through like a Bondi tram »    To leave in haste.

shooting iron »    A firearm, especially a handgun.

shore up »    To strengthen, reinforce, or consolidate.

short fuse »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

short leash »    Forcing one to function within a strict set of rules, or under great scrutiny or oversight.

short on looks »    Plain, unattractive.

short strokes »    The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

short temper »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

shot in the arm »    A shot of drug in the arm, to get on a high.

shotgun »    A gun which fires loads consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.

shotgun »    A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Mostly heard in the southern United States.

shotgun »    A play formation in which the quarterback is a few feet behind the snapper when the ball is hiked, ideally allowing for an easier pass play.

shotgun »    The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver.

shotgun shack »    A house with no internal barrier between the front and back doors.

shoulder to cry on »    Someone offering emotional support to another in distress.

show off »    To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.

show one's true colors »    To reveal how one really is, as opposed to how one has been portrayed.

show somebody the door »    To dismiss or reject; to exclude someone who was formerly included.

show somebody the door »    To escort someone to the exit of the premises; to expel someone from a room, gathering, etc.

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.

shrinking violet »    A very shy person, who avoids contact with others if avoidable.

shroud »    One of the two annular plates at the periphery of a water wheel, which form the sides of the buckets; a shroud plate.

shroud »    See also Wikipedia article on Shroud.

shroud »    That which clothes, covers, conceals, or protects; a garment.

shrouded »    Concealed or hidden from sight, as if by a shroud.

shuffle »    A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.

shuffle »    An instance of walking without lifting one's feet.

shuffle »    To get lost in the shuffle: to lack attention when you deserve it.

shuffle off this mortal coil »    To die; to divest oneself of one's mortal body.

shut one's face »    To stop talking; to be quiet.

shut one's mouth »    To stop talking; to be quiet.

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

sick joke »    A joke which is in poor taste, especially one which depicts as amusing a situation which the listener considers to be tragic or disgusting.

side issue »    An issue or topic which is not of direct significance to a primary concern.

sigh of relief »    A release of stress through breathing motions.

sign in »    To sign one's name on a list when entering somewhere.

sign in »    To take some action to access a secured program or web page on a computer; to log in.

sign off »    Term used to describe the closing of a radio or television station's studios and cessation of a broadcasting signal, usually during the overnight hours.

sign on »    The time of day when a radio or television station begins broadcasting, usually after being off the air for several hours.

sign on »    register as unemployed

sign on the dotted line »    To formalize an agreement.

silly money »    Sum of money.

silver bullet »    A bullet made of silver, usually with reference to the folkloric belief that such bullets are the only weapons which can kill a werewolf.

silver bullet »    Any straightforward solution perceived to have great effectiveness or bring miraculous results.

silver screen »    By extension, the movies or that related to movies or cinema.

silver screen »    The cinema screen onto which movies are projected.

silver spoon »    Wealth passed down or inherited.

silver surfer »    An elderly person who regularly uses the Internet.

silver-tongue »    The trait of being clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.

silver-tongued »    Eloquent and articulate.

simmer down »    To decrease in intensity of anger, agitation, or excitement.

sing along »    A gathering or event where participants are encouraged to add their voices in song.

sing from the same hymnbook »    To make the same or similar statements, especially to express the same opinions in public as a result of a prior agreement.

sing song »    us prison

sing soprano »    To suffer castration or an injury to the testicles.

sing the praises of »    To commend someone's attributes to others.

sink in »    Become clear in one's mind.

sink one's teeth into »    To become involved in; particularly in an enthusiastic manner.

sit back »    To recline while still in a seated position, with one's back on the frame of the seat.

sit back »    To relax, to not exert oneself.

sit in »    To attend something for one time, as a visitor.

sit on »    To block, suppress, restrain.

sit on it »    To wait or hesitate.

sit on one's hands »    Or situation.

sit on the fence »    To remain neutral on a certain topic, to not have a stance or opinion.

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 still »    To remain motionless.

sitting duck »    An obvious or unconcealed target.

sitting pretty »    Having a comfortable or certain supply of money or resources.

sitting pretty »    In a favorable situation, especially a situation in which one possesses an advantage.

six of one, half a dozen of the other »    The two alternatives are equivalent or indifferent; it doesn't matter which one we choose.

skate on thin ice »    In a risky, potentially dangerous or delicate situation.

skeleton crew »    The minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency or shut down, and at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.

skin and bones »    Said of one who is emaciated; very skinny, as from lack of nutrition.

skinny as a rail »    Especially of a person, very skinny.

skip out »    To shirk; to avoid attending or to leave early, especially without permission.

skip rope »    To jump over a rope, both of whose ends are held by the jumper or by two others, while the rope is moved under the jumper's feet in a continual rhythm; to play the game of jump rope or exercise by jumping rope.

skirt chaser »    A man with amorous intentions who habitually seeks out female companionship.

slag off »    To talk insultingly to or about someone or something.

slam dunk »    Tacking on top of the wind of the following yacht in close quarters.

slap on the wrist »    A mild or too-mild punishment; a reprimand.

sleep in »    To sleep late; to go on sleeping past one's customary or planned hour.

sleep on »    To consider after a period of sleep, implying a decision will be made the next day.

sleep on it »    To postpone a decision until the following day to avoid making a hasty choice.

sleep together »    To be intimate with another person in the same bed.

sleep with the fishes »    To be killed and have one's body disposed off in the sea or other body of water.

sleepy head »    A very tired person.

sleeves from one's vest »    Something non-existent; something of no value or cost.

slip of the tongue »    A mistake in speech.

slip on »    shoe type; to try out

slip someone's mind »    To be forgotten; to escape one's memory.

slip through the cracks »    To escape notice or lack sufficient attention.

slippery as an eel »    So slippery that it is almost impossible to hold with one's hands.

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.

slob »    A lazy and slovenly person.

slob »    A term used to insult a lazy, obese person.

slop bowl »    One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.

slow burn »    A gradually increasing feeling of anger or frustration.

smack of »    To seem like; to appear or give an impression or feeling of; to arouse suspicion of.

small arms »    Firearms designed to be carried and fired by a single person; often held in the hand.

small change »    A minor or insignificant amount of money.

small fry »    One or more children.

small fry »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

small fry »    One or more small or immature fish.

small potatoes »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

smart arse »    One who is particularly flippant or insolent or tends to make snide remarks or jokes.

smear campaign »    An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.

smell test »    An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

smell test »    An inspection of an object using the sense of smell, as for freshness of food.

smell the barn »    To experience heightened anticipation or to act with renewed speed or energy as one approaches a destination, goal, or other desired outcome, like a livestock animal at day's end returning to its barn.

smoke and mirrors »    A deceptive, fraudulent, or unconvincing explanation or description.

smoke signal »    A method of long-distance communication sometimes used in ancient and undeveloped societies, consisting of messages conveyed by means of columns or intermittent puffs of smoke.

smoke signal »    A type of flare or combustion device sometimes used as a distress signal.

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.

smooth operator »    A skillful, manipulative person, con artist, or clever scoundrel.

snake eyes »    Two ones, after rolling two dice.

snake in the grass »    A treacherous person.

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 »    Any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.

snake oil »    Snake oil is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat joint pain.

snap someone's head off »    To suddenly and sharply rebuke or insult a person, especially in response to a harmless remark.

snazz up »    To improve appearance or appeal by increasing stylishness or functionality, or by adding other attractive features.

sneak up »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

sneak up on »    To approach a person or animal without being seen or heard.

sneck posset »    A cold reception, closing the door on a visitor.

sniff test »    An informal reality check of an idea or proposal, using one's common sense or sense of propriety.

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 job »    An attempt to persuade a person using flattery or deception.

snow on the mountaintop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

snow on the rooftop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

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

so much for »    An expression of disregard, or resignation; something said upon giving up, quitting, or disposing of something.

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.

so-called »    Same as above, without the negative connotation.

so-called »    So named; called by such a name, with a very strong connotation that the item is not worthy of that name.

soapbox »    A crate for packing soap, or, by extension, any inexpensive crude platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it, especially when used for speeches.

soapbox »    Especially when only tangentially relevant to an ongoing discussion.

social death »    The alienation of certain people from society to the point of being forgotten, excluded, or ignored in society.

socialized medicine »    A politically charged term used to contrast such systems with free market alternatives and emphasize the perceived link to socialism.

soft as a grape »    someone who is limited in their ability

soft hearted »    Be kind; Fall for someone

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 shoe »    A speech, explanation, sales pitch, or other set of remarks delivered in a restrained or conciliatory manner in order to persuade, distract, or otherwise influence someone.

soft spot »    A fontanelle.

soft spot »    A sentimental fondness or affection.

soft touch »    A comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.

soft touch »    A person or group which is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one which loans or readily gives money to another.

softroader »    . This involves increased ground clearance with tyre, wheel, and suspension tweaks, skid plates and refers to mini SUV or wagons.

soldier on »    To continue or persist, despite adversity or difficulty.

some days you get the bear, other days the bear gets you »    One cannot always overcome a powerful adversary.

some people »    Expresses disgust at the actions of a person; a response to a person doing something silly, bizarre, nonsensical or ill-mannered.

somewhere along the line »    At some unspecified time; eventually or once; at some point.

son of the morning »    A traveler.

song and dance »    An excessively complex set of instructions.

song and dance »    An excessively elaborate story or excuse used to justify something.

sort oneself out »    To calm down emotionally.

sort oneself out »    To organize or solve one's personal problems.

sort out »    To organise or separate into groups, as a collection of items, so as to make tidy.

sort out »    To separate from the remainder of a group; often construed with from.

sound as a bell »    In excellent condition.

sound off »    To hold forth about something in an opinionated manner.

sour grapes »    A putting down or expression of disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.

sow one's wild oats »    To indulge in a period of irresponsible behavior, particularly sexually; Often used in reference to young adults or to the recently divorced.

sow one's wild oats »    To spread one's genes around by impregnating many females.

sow the wind, reap the whirlwind »    Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to him.

space out »    To stupefy, intoxicate, disorient, or lose attention or focus, especially by the use of drugs.

spaghetti western »    Nickname for a motion picture produced by an Italian-based company and filmed in Europe, depicting a tale of cowboys and desperadoes set in the American Old West.

spanner »    A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.

spanner »    A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.

spare the rod and spoil the child »    If one does not discipline a child, he or she will never learn obedience and good manners.

spare tyre »    An extra tyre carried in case one of the vehicle's tyres is damaged or deflated.

spark off »    To initiate something by providing the necessary conditions.

speak for »    To speak on somebody's behalf.

speak for oneself »    Expressing disagreement with an opinion expressed by another.

speak for oneself »    To provide an opinion only on one's own behalf.

speak of the devil »    An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

speak one's mind »    To state one's thoughts or opinions honestly or frankly.

speak out »    To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known.

speak to »    To resonate with, to strike a chord in.

speak up »    To make oneself or one's opinions known; to advocate or assert oneself.

speak with a forked tongue »    To speak deceptively; to be duplicitous or untruthful.

special needs »    Needs for special care, services or accommodations.

spectator sport »    An activity which consists of watching or observing.

spectator sport »    Something, especially a process or activity, which is a popular object of observation; an activity which a person prefers to watch rather than to participate in.

spell out »    From its component letters.

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 one's seed »    To masturbate or to ejaculate when the penis has been withdrawn from one's partner.

spill over »    To enter into another zone by way of accident or overcrowding; to overflow.

spin a yarn »    To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.

spin one's wheels »    To make no progress despite making an effort; to get nowhere.

spit the dummy »    To a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner.

spit-and-polish »    Paying much attention to outward appearance.

spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar »    To have something important fail for want of a small amount of money or effort.

spot check »    A cursory inspection or examination or the inspection or examination of a sample of something.

spot on »    Exact or correct.

sprain one's ankle »    To be pregnant.

spring fever »    A feeling of invigoration and restlessness associated with the arrival of the warm weather and renewal of nature in the spring season.

spring fever »    A feeling of laziness or listlessness associated with the arrival of the warm, comfortable weather of the spring season.

spring for »    To pay for; to offer money.

spring in one's step »    Enthusiasm, energy or a positive outlook or cheerful attitude.

spring onion »    scallion

spring to mind »    To appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.

spy on »    To secretly watch; to surveil.

square meal »    A satisfying meal, especially suitable for one performing physical labor.

square off »    To get in the fighting position.

square one »    The place where one begins; a lack of progress.

square up »    To get in the fighting position.

square up »    To pay back money that is owed.

squaring the circle »    The historical problem of how to construct, using compass and ruler, a square having the same area as a given circle.

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.

staircase wit »    Thinking of an idea or course of action too late to use it effectively, or the tendency to do so.

stamp duty »    tax on documents

stand back »    To abstain from participation.

stand back »    To stand a long way behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a fast bowler.

stand by »    To wait in expectation of some event; to make ready.

stand by »    To do nothing. To be inactive in a situation.

stand corrected »    Said to acknowledge someone who corrects something that one says or writes that was not correct.

stand in someone's shoes »    To see from another's point of view; to feel what another feels.

stand off »    To stand some distance apart form something or someone.

stand on end »    To stand erect, bristle, especially from fear.

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 attempt to hold a position in battle.

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 »    To stand completely motionless.

stand the test of time »    To remain useful or valued over a long period of time; to last a long time.

stand to reason »    To make sense; to seem logical, reasonable, or rational.

stand up »    To rise from a lying or sitting position.

stand up »    To bring something up and set it into a standing position.

stand up against »    To defy or challenge someone.

standard fare »    Menu items or dining options which are regularly available in a restaurant or other place where food is served.

standard fare »    Something which is normal, routine, or unexceptional; something which is commonly provided or encountered.

stare someone in the face »    To be extremely visible and obvious.

stars in one's eyes »    The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.

start off on the wrong foot »    To begin badly; especially, to begin a relationship badly.

state of affairs »    A specific situation; a set of circumstances.

stately home »    mansion

stay put »    To remain in one fixed place.

stay the course »    To persist or continue.

steal a march on »    To get ahead of someone or something by starting earlier.

step down »    To gradually reduce something, a little at a time, as an electronic step down transformer.

step in front of a moving train »    To sacrifice one's own life for a noble and loyal cause.

step on a rake »    To fall victim to a hazard.

step on a rake »    To step on the tines of a garden rake, causing the handle of the rake to rise from the ground rapidly, invariably striking the person walking in the face.

step on it »    To act quickly.

step on it »    To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.

step out »    To date, to be in a romantic relationship.

step out »    To exit a place on foot, often for a short time.

step up to the plate »    To initiate action; to assume a responsibility.

stepping razor »    A dangerous person, who is not to be messed with.

stepping stone »    A stone that can be stepped on in crossing something, especially a marsh or creek.

stepping stone »    Something used as a way to progress to something or somewhere else.

stew in one's juices »    To be alone and self-absorbed in an uncomfortable state of mind, especially while experiencing the unpleasant effects of one's own actions.

stick in someone's craw »    To cause lasting annoyance, irritation, or hard feelings.

stick in the mud »    A person unwilling to participate in activities, often because he or she believes the activity is not wholly kosher; a party pooper.

stick in the mud »    More generally, one who is slow, old-fashioned, or unprogressive; an old fogey.

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 neck out »    To take a risk, putting oneself in a vulnerable position.

stick one's nose in »    To be nosy; to meddle or interfere in the affairs of another.

stick out »    To protrude; to extend beyond.

stick up »    To protect one's status.

stick with »    To continue or persist; to stick to.

sticker shock »    Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.

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.

sticks and stones »    Evocative of the saying "sticks and stones may (or will) break my bones, but words (or names) will never hurt (or harm) me".1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped

sticky fingers »    An inclination to steal.

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 up »    set in motion

stir-crazy »    By extension, restless, uncomfortable, or impatient due to inactivity.

stir-crazy »    Of a prisoner, mentally unbalanced due to prolonged incarceration.

stitch up »    To maliciously or dishonestly incriminate someone.

stock phrase »    A phrase frequently or habitually used by a person or group, and thus associated with them.

stone cold »    Very cold; lacking any semblance of warmth.

stone dead »    Utterly dead.

stone deaf »    Utterly deaf.

stone's throw »    A short distance, roughly equivalent to how far a person can throw a stone.

stop on a dime »    To stop dead; stop suddenly.

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.

storm in a tea-kettle »    A big fuss made in a small context.

straight away »    Very soon; quickly; immediately.

straight face »    A face that is expressionless, especially not laughing.

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.

straighten out »    To eliminate confusion from or concerning.

straighten out »    To correct; to stop doing something wrong.

strange bedfellows »    An unusual combination or political alliance.

strap on a pair »    To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation where one has so far failed to do so.

straw poll »    A survey of opinion which is unofficial, casual, or ad hoc.

stretch limo »    long car

stretch one's legs »    To walk about, especially after prolonged time sitting or lying down.

strike through »    Partly obliterate text by drawing a continuous line through the centre thereof, usually to indicate the deletion of an error or obsolete information.

strike up »    To start something with somebody else. Usually a conversation or relationship.

strike while the iron is hot »    To act on an opportunity promptly; to avoid waiting.

strip down »    To remove all of one's clothing.

stroke of work »    With "do not do a", to do none of the assigned task at all.

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.

stuck up »    Snobbish, conceited; believing oneself to be better than others; haughty.

stuffed shirt »    One who is overly official or officious; somebody in charge but not necessarily in power or effective.

stumble on »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble on »    To meet somebody by chance.

stumble upon »    To discover or find something by accident.

stumble upon »    To meet somebody by chance.

stupid is as stupid does »    A person's intelligence may be judged by the wisdom of his or her actions.

success has many fathers, failure is an orphan »    Many will seek credit for success, few will accept responsibility for failure.

such as »    Like, of the kind mentioned.

suck donkey balls »    To be terrible, of extremely poor quality.

suck face »    To kiss, especially deeply and for a prolonged time.

suck in »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck into »    To cause someone to become slowly more and more involved in a business or situation that is often not to that person's liking.

suck up »    To adulate or flatter somebody excessively, generally to obtain some personal benefit or favour.

sure enough »    Just like one would expect.

sure of oneself »    Self-confident.

surprise surprise »    An indication that the unsurprising happened, especially contrary to someone's hopes or assertions.

swallow one's pride »    To set aside one's feelings of pride and adopt a more humble or appropriate stance.

swan song »    A final performance or accomplishment, especially one before retirement.

swear on a stack of Bibles »    To make a promise or give one's assurance with great conviction.

sweat »    Fluid that exits the body through pores in the skin usually due to physical stress and/or high temperature for the purpose of regulating body temperature and removing certain compounds from the circulation.

sweep someone off their feet »    To seduce someone romantically.

sweet dreams »    Phrase said to someone before they fall asleep, wishing them a good sleep.

sweetheart deal »    A transaction, contract, or other agreement in which one party provides particularly favorable terms to the other, especially in suspicious circumstances.

swim with sharks »    To operate among dangerous people.

swing state »    A state which may vote Democratic or Republican, in a given election or generally; a purple state.

switch off »    To turn a switch to the "off" position in order to stop or disable a device.

switch on »    To turn a switch to the "on" position in order to start or enable a device.

switch on »    To change one's expression or appearance as if by turning a switch.

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..

swot up on »    To study particularly hard to learn a subject quickly.

tag along »    To accompany, join, or follow; to go with.

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 bead on »    To aim a gun at something.

take a dive »    To feign a knockout in order to lose intentionally.

take a dive »    To lose or fail intentionally.

take a joke »    To accept a joke at one's expense.

take a leaf out of someone's book »    To adopt an idea or practice of another person.

take a number »    Recognize that many others are in the same situation; recognize that one's concerns are not of high priority; be prepared to wait.

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 shot in the dark »    To try on something without having any knowledge about the subject.

take a stand »    To assert an opinion or viewpoint; to defend one's point of view or beliefs.

take after »    To follow someone's example.

take against »    To stop liking someone. Become unfriendly.

take apart »    To dismantle something into it's component pieces.

take apart »    To soundly defeat someone, or a team.

take apart »    To criticise someone.

take apart »    To move someone away from others to be able to talk to, or give them something in private.

take away »    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.

take away »    To leave a memory or impression in one's mind that you think about later.

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 back »    To resume a relationship.

take back »    To regain possession of something.

take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves »    If you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500:Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ?used to say?Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.1912, G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion ii. 132:Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii.:Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.1999,

take down »    To remove something from a hanging position.

take exception »    To take offense; to object or protest.

take exception to »    Express offense at; to.

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 heart »    Be courageous; regain one's courage.

take into account »    Or pay attention to; to notice.

take it or leave it »    It is said when a situation has to be accepted without change.

take it out on »    To unleash one's anger on [a person or thing other than the one that caused it].

take its toll »    To affect, especially negatively; to damage or degrade; to cause destruction.

take kindly »    To accept or condone.

take leave of one's senses »    To go crazy; to stop behaving rationally.

take off »    To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.

take on »    To acquire, bring in, or introduce.

take on »    To begin to have or exhibit.

take on »    To assume responsibility for.

take on »    To attempt to fight or compete.

take one's eye off the ball »    To lose one's concentration on what is most important.

take one's hat off to »    To publicly praise or thank.

take one's leave »    Say goodbye.

take one's lumps »    To endure through criticism or other adversity.

take one's lumps »    To receive physical abuse and to survive.

take one's time »    To go about something slowly and carefully.

take one's time »    To take more time to do something than is considered acceptable.

take out of context »    To interpret something in a manner in which it was not intended to be understood, often deliberately.

take over »    To assume control of something, especially by force; to usurp.

take over »    To adopt a further responsibility or duty.

take over »    To relieve someone temporarily.

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take over »    To annex a territory by conquest or invasion.

take over »    To become more successful than someone or something else.

take sides »    To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.

take sitting down »    To tolerate, accept, or acquiesce; to take no action.

take somebody's word for it »    To believe what somebody tells one.

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 biscuit »    To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.

take the bull by the horns »    To confront a difficulty, rather than avoiding it.

take the cake »    To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.

take the fall »    To assume blame for oneself.

take the field »    To go out onto the playing field.

take the fifth »    To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.

take the heat »    To take the blame; to be the focus of anger or scrutiny; to take the consequences.

take the liberty »    To act on one's own authority.

take the Michael »    Alternative form of take the mickey, usually considered more polite.

take the piss »    Everyone takes the piss out of the bankers these days.

take the rap »    To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the actions of another.

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 to one's heels »    To leave; especially, to flee or run away.

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 cudgel for »    To make a defense for in lieu of another person.

take up with »    To form a close relationship with someone.

take up with »    To be contented to receive; to receive without opposition; to put up with.

take upon »    To take charge of an item of business, or an obligation, as a personal initiative.

taking to ones heels »    running away

taking upon oneself »    venturing

talk a blue streak »    To talk for a long time, at great length, or to the point of tedium.

talk down »    To speak condescendingly or as though the listener is inferior.

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 out of turn »    To make a remark or provide information when it is inappropriate or indiscreet to do so, or when one does not have permission or the authority to do so.

talk out one's ass »    To speak authoritatively on a subject which one actually knows little about; to exaggerate.

talk over »    To persuade someone; to talk around.

talk someone's ear off »    To talk excessively or far more than is wanted or appreciated.

talk through one's hat »    To assert something as true or valid; to bluff.

talk through one's hat »    To speak lacking expertise, authority, or knowledge; to invent or fabricate facts.

talk up »    In such a way as to make the thing or person sound better than it actually is.

talking head »    A pundit who discusses issues of the day, especially one on TV.

tan someone's hide »    To beat or spank someone.

tape off »    To cordon.

tear away »    To remove oneself reluctantly; often expressed in the negative.

tear one's hair out »    To react with extreme agitation.

tear up the pea patch »    To put on a notable performance, especially in sports; to go on a rampage.

tell all »    To reveal everything, particularly information that is normally withheld.

tell all »    To tell everyone.

tell off »    To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.

tell off »    To rebuke, to reprimand, or to admonish.

tell on »    To inform on.

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.

ten a penny »    So common as to be practically worthless.

tenon saw »    hand tool

test bed »    Any venue, setup, etc. used for experimentation, testing, proving a concept, etc.

thanks for nothing »    Expression of displeasure towards a person who has not provided what was wanted.

that does it »    Expression of annoyance or frustration; indicates that one has reached the limit of one's patience or temper.

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

that'll be the day »    Said in reply to something that one believes will never happen.

that's just me »    Indicates the expression of a personal opinion, but often used ironically as an understatement.

that's that »    There is nothing more to say or to do concerning the matter.

that's the way life is »    That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.

that's what's up »    Used to express acquiescence or concurrence.

the ball is in your court »    It is your turn to do something; often making a decision.

the bee's knees »    Most excellent; surpassingly wonderful; cool.

the bends »    decompression sickness

the bronx »    new york borough

the course of true love never did run smooth »    There will always be problems in a relationship.

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 dogs bark, but the caravan goes on »    Life goes on, even if some will try to stop or talk against progress.

the early bird gets the worm »    Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are only available to the first competitors.

the end justifies the means »    Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome.

the end of one's rope »    At the limit of one’s patience, when one is so frustrated or annoyed that one can no longer take it..

the finger »    An obscene gesture, typically consisting of extending the middle finger at somebody.

the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get »    (vulgar) The sexual satisfactions that one receives from a spouse or romantic partner are not sufficient to compensate for the significant periods of bad faith and unpleasant treatment which such relationships routinely involve.1971, Allen Churchill, The Literary Decade, ISBN 9780135375228:Years later she expressed her disillusionment with sex by saying, "The fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."1999, Ben Sonnenberg, Lost Property: Memoirs and Confessions of a Bad Boy, ISBN 9781582430454, p. 93:Maitland got drunk at his parties and threw his arm around you and pulled you over to his wife and made you look down her dress, saying, "The trouble with marriage is that the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."2008, Joseph Heywood, Blue Wolf In Green Fire, ISBN 9781599213590, p. 63:"I can't believe a little pussy got me into dis mess." "Shit happens," Service said. "Sometimes the fucking you get isn't worth the fucking you get."

the grass is always greener on the other side »    Other circumstances seem more desirable than one's own but in reality are often not

the icing on the cake »    Something wonderful at the end of something good.

the jig is up »    An expression used to mean "We have been caught out and have no defence", or if spoken to a person who's just been found out as the perpetrator of an offense, it means "You've been discovered.".

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 man in the street »    average person

the map is not the territory »    Our models of the world, and our sensations of the world, are not the true world.

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 pick of the litter »    The absolute best one has to offer.

the plot thickens »    Used, often ironically, to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation.

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 salt of the earth »    wonderful

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 shoemaker's children go barefoot »    One often neglects those closest to oneself.

the sky is the moon »    A new modern combination of "the sky is the limit" and "shoot for the moon".

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak »    (proverbs) For much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible.

the straw that broke the camel's back »    A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.

the terrorists will have won »    Phrase used following a description of an activity to indicate that if that activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, an which is an unacceptable result.

the thing of it »    The important point to consider.

the way to a man's heart is through his stomach »    Cooking for a man is a good way to win his affections.

the whole nine yards »    All the way; with everything done completely or thoroughly.

the whole shooting match »    Everything; the entire collection, endeavor, or activity.

the world is one's lobster »    (UK, humorous) intentional misrendering of the proverb "the world is one's oyster"

the world is one's oyster »    All opportunities are open to someone, the world is theirs.

the world is one's oyster »    In order to achieve something in this world, one has to grab the opportunity.

then again »    From another point of view; on the other hand; on second thought.

there and back »    One or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.

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 an exception to every rule »    Usually said in a situation when the rule is incorrect and unusable.

there may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnace »    Even if a person is in his or her senior years, with gray hair, he or she can still have ambition and energy, especially sexual energy.

there ya go »    Expressing exasperation.

there ya go »    You have done it precisely correctly.

there you go »    Expressing exasperation.

there you go »    You have done it, or are doing it, correctly.

there you have it »    That is it; that is the situation or state of things.

there you have it »    Used to introduce a speaker's interpretation of what has just transpired or been described.

there's many a slip twixt cup and lip »    In any situation, however well planned, something can always go wrong.

there's more than one way to skin a cat »    A problem generally has more than one solution.

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 I in team »    A team game is focused on the team, not on the individual.

there's no place like home »    one feels the most comfortable at home

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.

there, there »    Conveys comfort; used to calm somebody urge somebody to relax, especially when the person is crying.

they're only after one thing »    Men are only interested in sex.

think about »    To ponder.

think better of it »    To change one's mind; especially to decide against.

think of England »    To tolerate or endure bad sex. Used in conjunction with "I just lie on my back and.." "I just go through the motions and..." etc.

think one's shit doesn't stink »    To be arrogant or snobbish; to feel superior to others.

think over »    To ponder or reflect on a subject.

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 the world of »    To have a good opinion; to esteem; to admire.

think through »    To fully consider an action, and understand all its consequences.

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 hand »    Not new, having more than one previous owner.

third string »    A unit of players that plays behind the first and second strings; a junior varsity team.

third string »    Of a decidedly lower quality or condition.

third time's a charm »    One is sure to succeed at a task or event on the third try.

third wheel »    A person or thing that serves no useful purpose.

thorn in someone's side »    A persistent annoyance.

thorn in the flesh »    Ivar Specto. The Soviet Union and the Muslim World, 1917-1958.

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.

thrash out »    To discuss something so fully as to resolve a problem or conflict; to hammer out.

three Rs »    The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.

three Rs »    The basic education received in primary schools. Literally; reading, writing and arithmetic.

three-on-the-tree »    On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.

throw away »    To place a son or daughter for adoption.

throw caution to the wind »    Do something despite the risks.

throw cold water on »    To belittle or dismiss; to cast doubt upon; to debunk.

throw dirt enough, and some will stick »    If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say

throw down »    To cause something one is holding to drop, often forcefully.

throw 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 money away »    To spend money foolishly or indiscriminately; to waste money without regard of the consequences.

throw off »    To confuse; especially, to lose a pursuer.

throw one's cap over the windmill »    To act in a crazed manner.

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 one's weight around »    To exercise influence or authority especially to an excessive degree or in an objectionable manner.

throw out »    To dismiss or expel someone from any longer performing duty or attending somewhere.

throw shapes »    To act tough or put up a front. For example, to threaten a person by making "karate chops" at them, without actually doing harm or knowing karate.

throw 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 to the dogs »    To give up on something valuable.

throw to the dogs »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as into the streets.

throw to the wolves »    To remove or cast out someone or something out of one's protection, such as onto the streets, especially towards predators.

throw to the wolves »    To sacrifice someone, especially in an attempt to save oneself.

throwing money away »    The act of spending money foolishly; wasting money without regard of the consequences.

thumb one's nose »    To act disrespectfully, especially by flouting the object of disrespect.

thumb one's nose »    To place a thumb upon the tip of the nose, usually while simultaneous wiggling one's fingers, in a gesture of disrespect.

tickle somebody's funny bone »    To amuse; to strike somebody as funny.

tickle someone's fancy »    To amuse, entertain, or appeal to someone; to stimulate someone's imagination in a favorable manner.

tickle the ivories »    I don't have as much time as I'd like, but I still enjoy tickling the ivories from time to time.

tide over »    To support or sustain someone, especially financially, for a limited period.

tie someone's hands »    To render one powerless to act, to thwart someone.

tie up »    link, connection

tie up loose ends »    To deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.

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.

tight lips »    Of a person, silence or reticence.

tight ship »    A well-organized and highly disciplined organization.

tight spot »    A difficult position.

tight-lipped »    Unwilling to divulge information.

tilt at windmills »    To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

time and material »    A form of contractual compensation involving payment for materials used and at agreed rates for the those involved in performing the services.

time and tide wait for no man »    action is necessary without delay

time flies when you're having fun »    Time seems to pass quicker when one is enjoying oneself.

time is money »    When a person's time is not used productively; time is valuable and should not be wasted.

time of the month »    The time when a woman is menstruating.

time off »    A period of time where one is not required to work.

time out »    To call for a suspension of activity or conversation.

time out of mind »    A lengthy duration of time, longer than is readily remembered.

time out of mind »    The distant past beyond anyone's memory.

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 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 of the iceberg »    Only the beginning; just a small indication of a larger possibility; a problem is much bigger than it seems.

tip off »    To alert or inform someone.

tip off »    information

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.

tip one's hat »    To acknowledge or show respect; to honor.

tip one's hat »    To briefly remove or tap one's hat as a gesture of greeting, deference, or respect.

tip the scales »    To turn to one side a balanced situation.

tip-off »    An obvious clue or indication.

tire out »    To make someone tired; to exhaust.

tired and emotional »    Drunk.

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 be honest »    Frankly, honestly.

to boot »    Moreover, on top of that, besides, also.

to do »    commotion

to each his own »    Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.

to err is human »    Everyone makes mistakes.

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 »    Belonging to the subgroup that have not passed or have not been finished or have not been addressed yet.

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 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 moon »    To a very distant or unreachable place.

to the moon »    Used as an intensifier.

to the victor go the spoils »    The winner of a conflict wins additional benefits, beyond just the subject of the conflict.

to thine own self be true »    The easiest person to deceive is oneself."This above all:to thine own self be true,and it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man." -William Shakespeare

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.

today we are all »    September 12, 2001: Jean-Marie Colombani, "Today, We Are All Americans", Le Monde.

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

tone down »    To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.

tone down »    To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.

tone up »    To strengthen and make the muscles of the body firmer by regular excercise.

tongue-in-cheek »    Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.

tongue-tied »    Unable to speak; at a loss for words.

tonic water »    mixer

too big for one's boots »    Far less capable than one's claims to be.

too big for one's britches »    Disturbingly confident, unacceptably cocky.

too big for one's britches »    Too large to fit into one's pants.

toot one's own horn »    To promote oneself; to boast or brag; to tout.

tooth and nail »    Viciously; with all one’s strength or power; without holding back..

top dog »    In a competition, the one expected to win.

top dollar »    The maximum amount of money that an item, service, or worker is worth; a very high price.

top of the line »    The best, fanciest, or highest quality, especially among selections in a product line.

top of the morning »    A generic greeting said to someone in the morning.

top off »    To fill completely; to fill or refill the final portion of something not empty.

top oneself »    To commit suicide.

top oneself »    To outdo oneself or do more than one's previous best.

top shelf »    Books, magazines, or movies that have adult content, or soft-core porn.

toss-up »    A decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter.

toss-upness »    The quality of being a toss-up, usually used in reference to a toss-up state in American presidential elections.

totus porcus »    Completely; unreservedly: swallowed the official version totus porcus.

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 base »    To consult, visit, or communicate with.

touch cloth »    To be on the point of soiling oneself.

touch off »    To start; to cause, especially used for unstable situations that may magnify if disturbed.

touch oneself »    To masturbate.

touch up »    To make slight corrections or adjustments; to fill in or perfect.

touch up »    To touch or to grope someone in flirtatious or sleazy way.

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.

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 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 iron »    holiday accessory

travel junkie »    Who are using their time and money to seek out adventure holidays and travel.

trench mouth »    Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.

trick of the trade »    A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.

trick out »    To trick out; to mod or customize an object, typically for the purpose of both personalization as well as enhancing the object's performance capabilities and more particularly for the purpose of performing stunts with that object.

tried and true »    Well-established and tested; known to work or succeed based on extensive experience.

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 out »    To have as an image in one's mind.

trip to the woodshed »    An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered.

truth be told »    Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.

try on »    By wearing it.

try one's hand »    To attempt a skill, craft, or trade.

try out one's own chops »    To produce one's own records with one's own vocals.

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 »    To select a channel, station, etc., as on television or radio.

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 preparations for vigorous exercise; to warm up.

tuppence worth »    One's opinion or thoughts.

turf war »    A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.

turn a phrase »    To create a particular linguistic expression which is strikingly clear, appropriate, and memorable.

turn against »    To rotate against or in opposition to something.

turn away »    To rotate the body or head so as not to face someone or something.

turn away »    To refuse to admit someone.

turn back »    To reverse one's direction and retrace one's steps.

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 down »    To reposition by turning, flipping, etc. in a downward direction.

turn heads »    To garner a considerable amount of attention.

turn in one's grave »    To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.

turn into a pumpkin »    Used to indicate a curfew, or the time by which one must depart.

turn on »    To power up; to start a device by switching it on.

turn on »    To rebel; to go against something formerly supported.

turn on »    To enter a road.

turn on »    To attract, give pleasure, or encourage.

turn on its head »    To completely change.

turn one on »    To increase interest.

turn one's back »    To forsake, to abandon; to ignore.

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 become completely still, not moving.

turn to stone »    To cause something to become stone.

turn to stone »    To metamorphosise into stone.

turn tricks »    To work as a prostitute, providing sexual services for money.

turn up »    To increase the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.

turn up »    To reposition by rotating, flipping, etc. upwards.

turn up »    To belay or make fast a line on a cleat or pin.

turn up one's nose »    To refuse, especially as due to pride or status.

turn up one's nose »    To sneer.

turn-on »    Something that attracts, gives pleasure, or encourages, especially sexually.

turnabout is fair play »    It is allowable to retaliate against an enemy's dirty tricks by using the same ones against him.

twenty-twenty hindsight »    Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored.

twiddle one's thumbs »    To wait or dawdle; to accomplish nothing useful or lack a useful occupation.

twist in the wind »    To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.

twist in the wind »    To wait for an uncomfortably long period of time.

twist someone's arm »    To coerce, force, or cajole.

two a penny »    Very common; cheap.

two birds with one stone »    Any two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.

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 heads are better than one »    Some problems may be solved more easily by two (or more) people working together than by one working alone.

two penn%E2%80%99orth »    One's opinion or thoughts.

two pennies' worth »    One's opinion or thoughts.

two thumbs up »    A hand gesture indicating strong approval.

two thumbs up »    The strong approval itself.

two wrongs don't make a right »    (ethics) A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.1915, William MacLeod Raine, The Highgrader, ch. 15:"But when it comes to taking what belongs to another

two wrongs make a right »    A logical fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another

two's company, three's a crowd »    One companion is better than two.

two-fisted drinker »    Either someone who can handle their liquor well, or an alcoholic clutching a drink in each hand.

two-second rule »    A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.

under a cloud »    Under suspicion; subject to critical inspection.

under fire »    Criticized or held responsible for something.

under lock and key »    Imprisoned with little or no chance of escape.

under one's belt »    Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

under one's breath »    Softly, so as not to be heard.

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 one's wing »    Under one's protection, sponsorship, or tutelage.

under the gun »    The first player to act on the first round of betting in Texas hold 'em.

under the impression »    Thinking or making assumptions, often incorrectly.

under the microscope »    Under close scrutiny or examination.

under the wire »    At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.

under the yoke »    Under subjugation.

under way »    In operation, in progress, commenced.

university of life »    The real world as a source of instruction, as opposed to a formal education.

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.

unwashed masses »    Of people who are considered by someone to be somehow uneducated, uninformed, godless, or in some other way unqualified for inclusion in the speaker's elite circles.

up a creek »    In trouble; in a difficult situation.

up a creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation, without any help. Superlative form of up a creek: most up a creek.

up against »    In contact with, abutting.

up for grabs »    Available for anyone to obtain, claim or win.

up front »    Open, honest; tending to disclose information; truthful.

up on »    Well-informed about.

up one's alley »    Matching a person's interests or abilities well.

up one's sleeve »    Hidden, in reserve.

up the creek without a paddle »    In a difficult situation with no means of rectifying it.

up the river »    To prison.

up the ying yang »    Far more than one needs.

up to »    Considering all members of an equivalence class the same.

up to »    The option or decision of.

up to eleven »    Beyond the maximum possible threshold.

up-and-comer »    Someone who is up-and-coming, who has begun to be successful in some field and is likely to become even more successful in the future.

up-and-coming »    Emerging; aspiring; improving; beginning to attract attention or critical acclaim.

uphill battle »    A challenge with the odds of success stacked strongly against.

ups and downs »    Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.

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 »    Lord Alfred Tennyson, The Charge of the Light Brigade.

valley of the shadow of death »    Valleys on earth one must walk through, that is, part of the human experience.

verge on »    To approach or come close to something; to border or be on the edge of something.

vertically challenged »    Of a person, short.

victory at sea »    Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.

virgin territory »    By extension, ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.

vote in »    To collectively approve a nominee into an office or position as a result of voting.

vote out »    To expel the holder of an office or other position through an act of voting.

vote with one's feet »    To show a lack of support for something by departing or otherwise absenting oneself.

vote with one's feet »    To show support for something by going to or otherwise being present somewhere.

wade in »    To interrupt someone, or a situation, by doing or saying something abruptly, or forcefully, and usually without thinking about the consequences.

wage war »    A figurative allusion to pay discrepancies.

wail on »    To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

wail on »    To beat heavily on anything.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To defer action or decision until another matter is finished or resolved.

wake up and smell the coffee »    To face reality and stop deluding oneself.

wake up on the wrong side of bed »    To feel grumpy, irritable; to be easily annoyed.

walk a tightrope »    To undertake a precarious course of action.

walk around »    To walk with no real planned destination, but to just walk, to meander "around".

walk away from »    To abandon or leave; to shun.

walk in on »    To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.

walk in the park »    A recreational walk in a park.

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 it off »    To deal with an negative emotional event without complaint; to take it like a man.

walk on eggshells »    To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.

walk on eggshells »    To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.

walk out on »    To abandon or desert someone, especially a spouse.

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 line »    To mark or secure a boundary by walking along it.

walk the line »    To participate in the procession at a graduation ceremony; to graduate.

walk the plank »    To be forced to resign from a position in an organization.

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.

walked out on »    To abandoned; to desert

walked out on »    To abandoned; to desert

walked out on »    To abandoned; to desert

walking on air »    very happy

walls have ears »    There is a risk of being heard, so pay attention to what you say.

waltz Matilda »    To travel with a swag; that is, with one's belongings wrapped in a cloth.

war bride »    A woman who marries a man who is on active duty military in wartime.

warm down »    Gentle excercise at the end of a training session before cooling off.

warm fuzzy »    A good impression; a feeling of comfort or trust.

warm the cockles of someone's heart »    To provide happiness, to bring a deeply-felt contentment.

warm up »    To prepare for executing an already-learned activity by a limited amount of additional practice.

warts and all »    Of or pertaining to a description or other depiction which reveals the full range of characteristics of a person or thing, including the shortcomings and imperfections.

wash one's hands of »    To absolve oneself of responsibility or future blame for.

wash out »    To lose traction while going around a turn, especially in cycling, motorsports and skiing/snowboarding.

wash over »    To pass unnoticed so that one is unaffected by it.

wash over »    Said of the way an emotion affects one suddenly.

wash up »    To wash one's hands and/or face, often around mealtimes.

wash up »    To be carried on to land by water.

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 one's mouth »    In the imperative form, used as a warning to avoid or stop using inappropriate language, especially profanity, or disrespectful utterances.

watch one's mouth »    To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.

watch one's step »    To be cautious.

watch one's step »    To move cautiously.

watch out »    To be aware or conscious; to look closely or carefully; to use caution. Often used in the imperative.

watch this space »    An indication that a development will follow.

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.

way out of a paper bag »    A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.

way to go »    An expression of congratulations, encouragement, or approval.

weak sister »    A person or thing which is the least robust or least dependable member of a group.

weak sister »    A person who is cowardly or indecisive.

wear down »    To have one's long hair styled in a free, low-hanging, unencumbered style; i.e., not in an up-do or ponytail.

wear 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.

weather the storm »    To reach the end of a very difficult situation without too much harm or damage.

weekend warrior »    A person who indulges in a sport or pastime on an infrequent basis, usually on weekends when work commitments are not present.

weigh down »    To be too much for someone to cope with.

weigh in »    To bring in one's weight, metaphorically speaking, to bear on an issue.

weigh up »    To assess a person or situation.

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.

well begun is half done »    Much depends on the beginning of an endeavor.

well, I never »    An exclamation of great surprise.

wet behind the ears »    Inexperienced; not seasoned; new; just beginning.

wet blanket »    A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

wet boy »    A contractor assassin or hit man.

wet one's whistle »    To have a drink; to quench one's thirst.

whale on »    To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

whale on »    To beat heavily on anything.

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 »    For what reason; why.

what goes around comes around »    The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle.A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person.

what in God's name »    Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.

what is more »    Furthermore, or in addition, moreover.

what it says on the tin »    Exactly what is described or what one would expect from the name.

what of it »    So what? Who cares? Expresses disinterest, disregard or lack of concern.

what on Earth »    Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.

what the Devil »    Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning question.

what the dickens »    Euphemism for what the Devil, used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning a question.

what you see is what you get »    The image corresponds to the reality.

what's cooking »    What's happening?; what's going on?; how are you?.

what's in it for me »    To me, personally?.

what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander »    If something is acceptable for one person, it is acceptable for another.

what's the matter »    What's wrong? What's the problem?.

whatsamatta »    What is the matter? What is wrong?.

wheel around »    To transport someone or something to various locations by pushing a wheeled transporter such as a wheelchair or a wheelbarrow or trolley.

when all is said and done »    In the end; ultimately.

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 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 the going gets tough, the tough get going »    in difficult times, it is the strong-willed who take action.

when the shit hits the fan »    A reference to the messy consequences of a secret or private situation becoming public.

when 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 the sun don't shine »    Up or in the anus.

where there's muck there's brass »    (UK, Irish) There is money to be made in unpleasant dirty jobs.

where's the beef »    Where is the content? So what?.

whisper campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

whistle past the graveyard »    To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; To proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.

whistle past the graveyard »    To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.

whistle walk »    The path slaves took to deliver food from the kitchen building of a plantation to the main dining room. Slaves were expected to whistle during this walk in order to assure their masters that they were not eating the food.

whistle-blower »    One who reports a problem or violation to the authorities; especially, an employee or former employee who reports a violation by an employer.

whistle-stop »    A small train station.

whistle-stop train tour »    Any travel that's quick and with only brief pauses.

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 marriage »    An unconsummated marriage.

white on rice »    A descriptive analogy of closeness. See like white on rice.

white trash »    A poorly educated white person with low moral and social standards and low social status.

white-knuckle »    Causing fear, excitement, apprehension, suspense, or nervousness.

who pays the piper calls the tune »    One who pays for something controls it.

who shot John »    A long and involved explanation; a thing of which an explanation would be long and involved.

who's 'she', the cat's mother%3F »    A rebuke especially directed towards children for having referred to their mother, or any other woman in the third person, instead of using a properly respectful title or their name when appropriate.

whomp on »    To assail with overwhelming force; to defeat decisively.

why in God's name »    Used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning question.

why on Earth »    Used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.

why the dickens »    Euphemism for why the Devil, used to add emphasis to "why" when beginning a question.

wild horses »    A force not subject to human control and normally stronger than a man.

wild-goose chase »    A task whose execution is inordinately complex relative to the value of the outcome.

will on »    To wish intensely that someone succeeds in what they are doing. Often implies a silent, or almost inaudible wish.

willful ignorance »    A bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt. It may also be shown as for a person to have no clue in a decision but still goes ahead in their decision.

willy nilly »    Without regard for consequences or the will of those affected.

win over »    To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.

wind up one's bottoms »    To finish a job.

window dressing »    A means of creating a deceptively favourable impression of something or someone; something for appearance only.

window dressing »    These latest modifications are mere window dressing, the same problems remain.

window-shopping »    The browsing of shop windows without any intention of buying.

wine tosser »    A person who buys wine, but does not drink it.

wine tosser »    A person who talks a great deal about wine but actually knows very little.

wing it »    To improvise; to make things up or figure things out as one goes; or to perform with little or no preparation.

winkle out »    To acquire something or someone with difficulty.

winter rat »    An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.

wipe away »    To remove or erase with a wiping motion.

wishful thinking »    Decision-making based on self-delusion.

wishful thinking »    The illusion that what one would like is actually true.

with bated breath »    "holding one's breath".

with bated breath »    Eagerly; with great anticipation.

with flying colors »    Extremely well; in an exceptional, noteworthy, or extraordinary manner.

within an ace of »    Very near; on the point of.

wits' end »    A. 1911, John Muir, in John Muir and Michael P. Branch, John Muir's Last Journey: South to the Amazon and East to Africa, 2002, page 138.

wits' end »    Limit of one's sanity or mental capacity; point of desperation.

wooden spoon »    A spoon made from wood.

wooden spoon »    An ironic prize for finishing last in a competition.

word of mouth »    Verbal means of passing of information.

word on the street »    The rumour or news going around on the street.

word on the wire »    The rumour or news going around on the Internet, in business, on the street, or in social circles.

work against the clock »    To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.

work one's arse off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

work one's butt off »    To work very hard or to excess.

work one's fingers to the bone »    Work especially hard, usually for an extended period.

work one's tail off »    Work excessively or to the point of exhaustion.

work out »    To conclude with the correct solution.

work over »    To physically attack someone to cause them injury.

work spouse »    A man or woman in the workplace with whom one shares a special relationship having bonds similar to those of a marriage: special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and unusual degree of honesty or openness.

work the room »    To interact enthusiastically with the attendees at an event, by moving among them, greeting them, and engaging them in conversation.

work the room »    To interact with one's audience, taking queues from its reactions and adapting one's performance or words to elicit the audience's attention and enthusiasm.

worked up »    Excessively emotional, excited or aroused.

world »    A planet,especially one which is inhabited or inhabitable.

world-beater »    Someone or something superior to all others of its sort.

worry wart »    One who worries excessively or unnecessarily.

worse for wear »    In poor physical condition due to long or heavy use.

worth one's salt »    Competent or adept.

worth one's while »    Good and important enough for one to spend time, effort, or money on.

wouldn't say boo to a goose »    Describing a quiet, exceptionally shy person.

wrap around one's fingers »    To make one susceptible to desire, in that their behavior or actions are influenced.

wrap in the flag »    To claim one's cause deserves support for patriotic reasons or that one's own motives are patriotic.

wrap it before you tap it »    wear a condom before sexual intercourse.

wrap up »    To fold and secure something to be the cover or protection for something.

wrap up »    To wear more clothes as protection from the weather; to bundle up.

wreak havoc »    To cause damage, disruption, or destruction.

wreck havoc »    cause destruction

wrestling with a pig »    To engage in a pointless task that leaves one worse off for having made an honest attempt.

wring out »    To squeeze a wet material, either by twisting with one's hands, or by passing it through a wringer, to remove the water.

wring out »    To force someone to give something, usually truth, or money.

write down »    In a simple or condescending style.

write off »    To record an notional expense such as amortization or depreciation.

write one's own ticket »    To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.

written all over someone's face »    Very obvious, from someone's facial expression.

wrong side of the tracks »    . May refer to area where the working class, poor or extremely poor live.

yank off »    To remove something, like a piece of cloth or bread, by tearing it with one quick strong pull.

yank out »    To remove something like a nail, or a tooth with one quick strong pull.

year dot »    A very long time ago, from the beginning or as far back as one can remember.

yell silently »    To think very strong thoughts, that one wishes to yell out loud but does not.

yellow journalism »    Material published in a broadcast or periodical, such as a tabloid newspaper or magazine, which is sensationalistic and of questionable accuracy and taste.

yellow press »    Newspapers which publish sensationalist articles rather than well researched and sober journalism.

yellowbelly »    Someone from Lincolnshire.

yes man »    A person who always agrees with his employer or superior.

yes to death »    To agree with someone, often sarcastically.

yes-man »    A person of unquestioning obedience.

yield up »    To give something against one's will.

you and whose army%3F »    You can't do all that on your own.

you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar »    It's easier to persuade others with polite requests and a positive attitude than with rude demands and negativity.

you can hang your hat on that »    It's something to put faith in, to rely upon or trust (when used in a positive connotation).

you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink »    You can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it.

you can't fight city hall »    (chiefly US) Nothing can be done to change the situation, because it is a governmental decision.I see they're going to build the airport after all. I suppose you can't fight city hall.

you can't 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 say fairer than that »    That is good, reasonable, or fair; one cannot hope for a better decision or outcome.

you can't take it with you »    It is not possible to take one's material wealth to whatever world may await one after death.1900, E. Phillips Oppenheim, A Millionaire of Yesterday, ch. 6:"The clause which

you can't unring a bell »    Some things can't be undone.

you don't dip your pen in company ink »    One should avoid romantic relationships in the workplace.

you don't dip your pen in the company's ink »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

you don't dip your pen in the inkwell »    Alternative form of you don't dip your pen in company ink.

you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows »    You don't need an expert to tell you what you already know.

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 what »    A phrase used to get someone's attention before announcing something.

you made your bed, now sleep in it »    A moralizing rejection said to someone looking for an easy out, especially of a situation they put themselves into.

you make the bed you lie in »    A person's circumstances are normally the result of his or her own actions.

you never know what you've got till it's gone »    Good friends and acquaintances shouldn't be taken for granted.

you only get what you give »    There is a positive correlation between the effort one puts in and the benefits one receives.

you pays your money and you takes your choice »    Each person should make their own decisions.

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".

zero in »    To focus one's aim; to zoom in and center on something.

zero in on »    To aim precisely at a target.

zero in on »    To successfully narrow down a search.

zero in on »    To concentrate or focus one's attention on at task.

zero in on »    To converge on something.

zig when one should zag »    To misstep or err.

zip it »    Be quiet; the same as zip one's lip.

zip one's lip »    To stop talking; to be quiet.

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 along »    To proceed quickly a long distance.

zoom down »    To move quickly along a particular route, list, etc.

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