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.
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a life of its own »
An independent existence with some characteristics of life.
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a man is known by the company he keeps »
People are similar in character to their friends.
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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.
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after all »
In the end; anyway; referring to something that was believed to be the case, but has now been shown not to be.
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after one's own heart »
Of a person: having the same ideas, opinions or behaviour as oneself.
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angle for farthings »
To beg out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.
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another nail in one's coffin »
One in a series of factors which lead, or purport to lead, to downfall.
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arse over tit »
Tumbling; falling; upside-down; unstable or unbalanced.
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arsy varsey »
Tumbling upside down; head over heels.
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ass over teakettle »
Tumbling upside down.
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at heart »
In spirit; according to one's beliefs, views or feelings; deep down, really, fundamentally.
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back down »
To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously has or has planned to.
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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.
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batten down »
To close or make watertight, referring to hatches and cargo.
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batten down the hatches »
Prepare for trouble.
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be still my heart »
Calm down, this situation is too exciting or overly distressing.
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bear down »
To approach another vessel from windward.
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bear down »
To press down on someone.
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bear down »
To intensify one's efforts.
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bear down »
When giving birth, to push.
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bear down on »
To approach someone in a very determined way.
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beat down »
To strike with great force.
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beat down »
To haggle someone to sell at a lower price.
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beat down »
To severely beat someone up.
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bed down »
To lie down to sleep for the night, usually of livestock or machinery.
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bed down »
To put an animal to rest for the night.
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big break »
A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.
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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.
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bird of one's own brain »
One's own idea or conception.
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blot one's copy book »
To damage one's own reputation through bad behavior.
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blow away »
To be dispersed as a result of being blown.
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blow over »
To pass naturally; to go away; to settle or calm down.
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bogged down »
Stuck, as if in a bog.
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bogged down »
Stuck; mired, as in detail, difficulty; delayed or made slower.
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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.
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boil down to »
to be equivalent to; to reduce to.
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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.
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break down »
To fail.
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break down »
To become unstable, mentally or otherwise.
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break down »
To decay.
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break down »
To give more detail.
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breathe down someone's neck »
To follow someone too closely, making it uncomfortable for them.
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brickbat »
A piece of brick used as a weapon, especially if thrown, or placed in something like a sock and used as a club.
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bring down »
To make a legitimate rulership lose their position of power.
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bring down »
To reduce.
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bring down »
To make something flying fall to the ground. Usually by firing a weapon of some kind.
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bring down »
To make someone feel bad emotionally.
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bring down the house »
To garner enthusiastic or wild applause.
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brown bag »
A short presentation or seminar on a given subject, especially one given at lunchtime.
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brown bread »
Bread with a brown colour as distinct from white bread, wholemeal, granary or other specific types of bread.
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brown noser »
One who sucks up; a bootlicker, ass-kisser, sycophant.
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brown power »
The production of electricity made from conventional sources, such as coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power.
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brown thumb »
Lack of skill at growing plants; something possessed by a poor gardener.
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browned off »
Annoyed, upset, angry, bored, fed up, disgusted.
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bucket down »
To rain heavily.
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buckle down »
To put forth the needed effort; to focus; become serious; apply oneself.
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burn down »
To burn to nothing.
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burn down »
To completely burn, so that nothing remains.
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burst someone's bubble »
To disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown comfortable.
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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.
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button-down »
Conservative; conventional; unimaginative.
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button-down »
Of a collar, able to be buttoned down to the shirt, as over a necktie.
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button-down »
Serious; staid; businesslike.
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buttoned-down »
Alternative form of button-down.
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buy out »
To purchase the ownership of a company.
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by one's own hand »
As a result of one's own actions, especially with reference to death by suicide.
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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.
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carry one's own weight »
A variant of carry one's weight.
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caught with one's pants down »
Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.
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chase down »
To pursue and apprehend someone.
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chase down »
To investigate the cause of something.
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cheese down »
To coil the tail of a rope on deck so as to present a neat appearance.
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chip on one's shoulder »
A form of challenge in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.
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chow down »
To eat, especially to eat vigorously.
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chuck it down »
To rain heavily.
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claim to fame »
That for which one has bragging rights; one's reason for being well-known or famous.
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clamp down on »
To take measures to stop something; to put an end to.
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class clown »
A student who frequently makes jokes or pokes fun; a wiseacre.
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close down »
To stop trading as a business.
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close down »
To surround someone, as to impede their movement.
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close up shop »
To shut down a shop; to end a business activity.
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come down »
To descend.
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come down »
To recover from drug-induced euphoria.
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come down to »
To reach by moving down or reducing.
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come down to »
To depend upon, basically, ultimately or in essence.
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come down to us »
To survive to the present day; to be extant in some form.
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come down with »
To contract or get; to show symptoms of a minor illness.
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come through »
Not to let somebody down, keep one's promise.
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come up »
To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly; to come to attention, present itself.
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cool down »
To become cooler, to be reduced in temperature.
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cool down »
To cause something temperature to lower.
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cool down »
To become less agitated.
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cool down »
To cause to become less agitated.
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cool it »
Calm down, relax, take a time out.
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cough up »
To lose a competition by one's own mistakes, usually near the end of the contest.
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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.
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crack down »
To enforce more stringently or more thoroughly.
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crack down on »
To enforce laws or punish more vigilantly.
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crack up »
To become insane; to suffer a mental breakdown.
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crap out »
To break down.
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cross the floor »
To vote against one's own political party in parliament.
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crown jewels »
A part of a company sought by another in a hostile takeover.
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crown jewels »
A prized possession or asset.
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crown jewels »
The jewelry that accompany the office of rulership in a monarchy. I.e., crown, scepter, signet ring, etc.
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crown jewels »
The male genitalia.
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crowned heads »
monarchs
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cry the blues »
To complain, especially in order to obtain sympathy for one's own purportedly sad situation.
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curveball »
A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and middle fingers down and resulting in motion down "curve".
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cut down »
To bring down by cutting.
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cut down »
To insult, to belittle.
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cut down »
To reduce the amount of something.
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cut up »
To behave like a clown.
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dead weight »
That which is useless or excess; that which slows something down.
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deep down »
Fundamentally; in essence; in reality; really.
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die down »
To become less virulent.
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doss down »
To sleep on someone's sofa or floor because there is no bed spare.
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down and out »
In trouble; in a bad time or situation or having very bad luck.
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down for the count »
Decisively beaten; rendered irrelevant for the long term.
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down in the dumps »
Sad; lacking engagement or enthusiasm.
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down in the mouth »
Sad or discouraged, especially as indicated by one's facial appearance.
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down on one's luck »
Unlucky or undergoing a period of bad luck, especially with respect to financial matters.
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down pat »
Thoroughly practiced, rehearsed, or understood.
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down the drain »
Wasted, squandered; irretrievable.
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down the road, not across the street »
Along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.
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down the tubes »
Into a state of collapse or failure.
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down to a fine art »
Having or showing exceptional proficiency.
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down to the short strokes »
In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.
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down to the wire »
At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.
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down under »
In Australia.
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down with his apple-cart »
Knock or throw him down.
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down-and-outer »
Someone who is down and out.
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down-to-earth »
Practical; realistic; pragmatic.
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drag »
To move a mouse cursor while holding down a button on the mouse, often to move something on the screen.
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dress down »
To scold.
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dress down »
To wear casual or informal clothes.
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dressing-down »
A reprimand or rarely, a thrashing.
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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.
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drown out »
To cover, obscure, or hide by being louder than.
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dumb down »
To become simpler in expression or content; to become unacceptably simplistic.
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dumb down »
To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.
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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.
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early bath »
Being shown a red card in soccer.
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easy does it »
Relax; do something gently, lightly or carefully; slow down; calm down.
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eat crow »
To recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.
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eat one's own dog food »
To test the beta programs that are in the test phase on one's own computers; to dogfood.
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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.
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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.
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fall down »
To fall to the ground.
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fall down »
To collapse.
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false friend »
A word in a foreign language bearing a deceptive resemblance to a word in one's own language.
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filter down »
Of a liquid; to move slowly down to lower substrate levels.
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filter down »
Of information, or resources; to move slowly down to lower levels of an organisation, or population.
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flag down »
Use a flag or some kind of signal to get the attention of someone.
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for my money »
Used to mark a statement made by the speaker as an opinion or something not known with certainty.
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for the record »
Already publicly known.
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for XYZ reasons »
For reasons unknown and not worth speculating on.
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full of oneself »
Egotistical, believing oneself to be superior to others; preoccupied with one's own work, interests, point of view, etc.
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get a grip »
To relax; to calm down; to stop being angry; to come to one's senses or become more rational.
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get down to brass tacks »
Deal with the important details.
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get down to business »
To become involved with something work-related.
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gets down »
dismounts
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give or take »
Approximately; plus or minus some unknown amount.
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go belly-up »
To fail or fold; especially, to close or shut down a business; to go out of business.
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go down »
To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.
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go down »
To decrease; to change from a greater value to a lesser one.
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go down »
Fall to the floor.
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go down »
To stop functioning, to go offline.
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go down »
To be received or accepted.
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go down »
To perform oral sex.
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go down »
To take place, happen.
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go down that road »
To settle a way of doing something; do decide to do something in a particular way.
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go down the pan »
To fail or degenerate rapidly.
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go down the road »
A way of doing something; to do something in a particular way.
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go down the toilet »
To fail.
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go down the tubes »
To fail or degenerate rapidly.
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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.
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go downhill »
To worsen or degenerate.
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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.
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go out on the town »
To party all night long.
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go to town »
To proceed enthusiastically, vigorously, or expertly.
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good fences make good neighbors »
It is better to mind one's own business than get involved with other people's affairs.
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gulp down »
To eat very quickly without chewing the food properly.
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hack into »
To gain unauthorized entry to, particularly by exploiting little-known weaknesses.
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hand down »
To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor.
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hand down »
To forward to the proper officer .
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hands down »
Without much effort; easily.
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hands down »
Without question[2].
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have a flat »
To be the owner of an apartment.
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have a seat »
A polite directive to sit down.
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have a seat »
To sit down; to take a seat.
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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.
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head over heels »
Tumbling upside down.
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heads or tails »
A game to bet upon a which side of a coin lays face up after it is thrown.
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heaven helps those who help themselves »
A maxim encouraging people to get involved in their own problems.
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hit the big time »
To become successful and widely known.
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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".
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hold down »
To restrain; to check.
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hold down »
To continue, to hold and to manage well.
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hold one's own »
To stand up to; to give a respectable performance; to provide worthy competition.
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hold your fire »
Wait, don't retaliate, calm down, be quiet.
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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.
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horse around »
To play or fiddle; to clown; to do nothing of importance or consequence.
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household name »
A brand name that is well known to the great majority of households.
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household name »
A very well-known public figure.
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hunker down »
To take shelter; to prepare oneself for some eventuality; to focus on a task.
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hunker down »
To stubbornly hold to a position.
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if the mountain won't come to Muhammad »
"If one cannot get one's own way, one must bow to the inevitable.".
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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.
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in a league of one's own »
Far excelling even the closest contender; not having any worthy competition.
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it is what it is »
This thing has its own distinct nature; this thing is itself.
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jew down »
To bargain or haggle with a seller in order to obtain a lower price for a good or service.
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jump »
To cause oneself to leave an elevated location and fall downward.
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jump down »
To leave an elevated position to a lower position by one jump.
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keep down »
To repress.
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keep down »
To restrain or control.
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keep down »
To cause not to increase or rise.
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keep down »
Not to vomit.
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keep down »
To lie low. To stay concealed by not standing up.
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keep it down »
To be quiet.
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keep your shirt on »
An admonition to be more patient or to calm down.
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kick down »
To break or demolish something by physical bodily force.
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kick off »
To shut down or turn_off suddenly.
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kick someone when they are down »
To make it worse for someone who is going through a difficult time.
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kick the bucket »
Of a machine, to break down such that it cannot be repaired.
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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.
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knacker's yard »
That area of a slaughterhouse where carcasses unfit for human consumption are rendered down to produce useful materials such as glue.
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knock around »
To be in an unknown place.
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knock down »
To hit or knock (something), intentionally or accidentally, so that it falls.
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knock down »
To demolish.
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knock down »
Sold with a blow from the gavel.
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knock down »
To reduce the price of.
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knock down »
To drink fast.
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knuckle down »
To get to work; to focus on a task.
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larger-than-life »
Very imposing, renowned, or impressively influential.
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lay down »
To give up, surrender, or yield , usually by placing it on the ground.
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lay down »
To specify, institute, enact, assert firmly, state authoritatively, establish or formulate .
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lay down »
To stock, store for the future. See also lay by.
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lay down »
To sacrifice, especially in the phrase "to lay down one's life.".
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lay down »
To lie down; to place oneself in a reclined or horizontal position, on a bed or similar, for the purpose of resting.
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lay down the law »
To authoritatively or dogmatically assert what is permitted or not permitted.
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lay down the law »
To present the law that applies to a given case.
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lay down the law »
To promulgate law.
|
lead »
Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.
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lead down a garden path »
To mislead; to seduce.
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lead someone down the garden path »
To deceive, hoodwink.
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leave nothing to the imagination »
He stripped down to a pair of see-through briefs that left nothing to the imagination.
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leave to one's own devices »
To leave alone, unsupervised, without assistance.
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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
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let down »
To disappoint; to betray or fail somebody.
|
let down »
lower
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let one's hair down »
To relax and enjoy oneself.
|
let somebody down »
To fail somebody; to disappoint or to fail to uphold a commitment.
|
let the cat out of the bag »
To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.
|
let-down »
A disappointment or anticlimax.
|
live down »
To get used to something shameful.
|
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.
|
look out for number one »
To act in one's own interests; to act in a manner advantageous primarily to oneself.
|
Loose cannon »
An uncontrolled or unpredictable person who causes damage to his own friends, faction, political party, etc.
|
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.
|
make for »
????, translator unknown, author Galileo Galilei, Two Chief World Systems.
|
make over »
To transfer ownership, especially by means of a legal document.
|
march to the beat of a different drum »
To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and expectations.
|
mark down »
To reduce the price of.
|
mark down »
To write a memorandum about.
|
mess with »
To diss; to put down.
|
mind one's own business »
To concern oneself only with what is of interest to oneself and not interfere in the affairs of others.
|
nail down »
To attach with nails.
|
nail down »
Firm or certain.
|
narrow down »
Make more specific.
|
nest egg »
A natural or artificial egg placed in a bird's nest, to encourage the bird to lay its own eggs there.
|
not a sausage »
John: Do you know how I get to the town center from here?.
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off one's own bat »
At one's own instigation.
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off the beaten path »
In a secluded location; in a place which is not frequently visited or not widely known.
|
old hat »
Something widely or long practiced, known, or accepted; something conventional.
|
on one's own »
Alone; by oneself; without the companionship or assistance of others.
|
on the ladder »
Figuratively a property ladder, owning property.
|
on the skids »
In decline; going downhill; in trouble.
|
on the tip of one's tongue »
Known but not quite remembered.
|
on the town »
Casually enjoying the nightlife of a town or city.
|
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-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.
|
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 on one's ear »
Fired, dismissed or thrown out, especially for some wrongdoing or otherwise with disgrace.
|
out on the tiles »
Out for a night on the town.
|
own up »
To acknowledge, confess, or admit guilt. Often used with to.
|
paint the town red »
To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.
|
pare down »
To reduce by paring or a similar gradual process.
|
party animal »
A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose partying behavior is exuberant or excessive.
|
peashooter »
A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.
|
pickle »
A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown.
|
pickle »
A rundown.
|
pig in a poke »
Something whose true value is concealed or unknown, especially something offered for sale.
|
pin down »
To attach or secure with pins.
|
pin down »
To corner somebody in order to get a firm answer.
|
pipe down »
To be quiet; to refrain from being noisy.
|
play down »
To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
|
plays down »
minimises
|
pull one's own weight »
To do the work that one is obligated to.
|
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 someone down a peg »
To lower someone's high self-opinion.
|
put back »
To drink fast; to knock down alcohol.
|
put down »
To set down, stop carrying, or place in a low location.
|
put down »
To insult, belittle, or demean.
|
put down »
To pay an initial amount of money on a large purchase.
|
put down »
To halt, eliminate, stop, or squelch, often by force.
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put down »
To administer euthanasia to, as an animal too old or ill to cure.
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put down »
To write something.
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put down »
To replace the telephone receiver and terminate a call. To hang up.
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put down »
To add a name to a list.
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put down »
To make prices, or taxes, lower.
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put down »
To place a baby somewhere to sleep.
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put down »
To land an aircraft.
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put down »
To drop someone off, or let them out of a vehicle.
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put down for »
To record that someone has offered to help, or contribute something.
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put down roots »
To do things which show that one wishes to stay put.
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put down roots »
To feel that one belong in a place.
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put down to »
To state the cause of a situation.
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put one's foot down »
To insist, demand, or refuse.
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put one's foot down »
To make a car go faster, accelerate.
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put somebody in his place »
To bring somebody down; to humble or insult.
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put someone down as »
To assume someone has a particular character from very little information.
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put the boot in »
To kick someone when they are down.
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put the hammer down »
To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.
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quiet down »
To become quieter.
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quiet down »
To reduce intensity of an activity.
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quiet down »
To make someone or something become quieter.
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quieten down »
To become quieter.
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quieten down »
To reduce intensity of an activity.
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quieten down »
To make someone or something become quieter.
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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.
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rat run »
A small road that people venture down when they want to sneak off the motorway and take a short cut.
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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.
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remains to be seen »
Is not yet known.
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rock the house »
To jam at a concert, get down.
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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.
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rolling stone »
A person who moves around a lot and never settles down.
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round down »
To the greatest integer that is not greater than it, or to some other lower value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.
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rubber-chicken dinner »
A formal dinner or event thrown by politicians to raise funds.
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run down »
To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.
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run down »
To criticize someone or an organisation, often unfairly.
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run down »
To find something or someone after searching for a long time.
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run down »
To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device.
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run down »
To read quickly a list or other short text.
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run down »
To reduce the size or stock levels of a business, often with a view to closure.
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scarf down »
To eat something quickly.
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sell down the river »
To betray, especially in a manner which causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed.
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set down »
Simple sum of parts set + down, to place, especially on the ground or a surface; to cease carrying.
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set down »
To write.
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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.
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shanks' nag »
Transportation by foot. To "take a shanks' nag" means using one's own legs to walk.
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shoot down »
To shoot , so that the one shot goes down.
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shoot down »
To the point of preclusion.
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shoot oneself in the foot »
To act against one's own interests, e.g., by saying what one is really thinking.
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show off »
To exhibit; to demonstrate one's skill, talent, etc. for its own sake.
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shut down »
To close, terminate, or end.
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shut down »
To turn off or stop.
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silver spoon »
Wealth passed down or inherited.
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simmer down »
To decrease in intensity of anger, agitation, or excitement.
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sit out »
To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.
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skeleton crew »
The minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency or shut down, and at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.
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slippery as an eel »
So crafty, or cunning that they cannot be caught by the police, although it is known that they are acting illegally.
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slow down »
Decelerate.
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slow up »
To slow, slow down, decelerate.
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so-and-so »
A placeholder name, used when a name is not known; a generic name.
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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.
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sort oneself out »
To calm down emotionally.
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sour grapes »
A putting down or expression of disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.
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speak for oneself »
To provide an opinion only on one's own behalf.
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speak out »
To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known.
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speak up »
To make oneself or one's opinions known; to advocate or assert oneself.
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stand down »
To wait; to stop pursuing or fighting.
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stand from under »
To escape something falling or being thrown from above.
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stand on its own »
To be independent of others.
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stand on one's own two feet »
To be independent. To survive without any help.
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step down »
To resign from office.
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step down »
To gradually reduce something, a little at a time, as an electronic step down transformer.
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step in front of a moving train »
To sacrifice one's own life for a noble and loyal cause.
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stepped down »
resigned
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stew in one's juices »
To be alone and self-absorbed in an uncomfortable state of mind, especially while experiencing the unpleasant effects of one's own actions.
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stretch one's legs »
To walk about, especially after prolonged time sitting or lying down.
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strip down »
To remove all of one's clothing.
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strip down »
To remove inessentials from.
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take a seat »
To sit down; to become seated.
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take a tumble »
To fall off something, or down something.
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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,
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take down »
To remove something from a wall or similar vertical surface to which it is fixed.
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take down »
To remove something from a hanging position.
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take down »
To write a note. Usually to record something that is said.
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take down »
To remove a temporary structure such as scaffolding.
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take down »
To lower an item of clothing without removing it.
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take down a peg »
Alternative form of pull down a peg.
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take it easy »
Immediately calm yourself down; your state of panic does not help.
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take it to the bank »
Said to emphasize that something is known for sure.
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take lying down »
To endure without complaint or protest.
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take over »
To buy out the ownership of a business.
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take sitting down »
To tolerate, accept, or acquiesce; to take no action.
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take the liberty »
To act on one's own authority.
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take the red pill »
To understand the world in its previously unknown reality.
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talk down »
To negotiate a lower price.
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talk down »
To speak condescendingly or as though the listener is inferior.
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talk of the town »
A subject discussed by many people.
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the bigger they are, the harder they fall »
The larger something is, the more disastrous and spectacular its downfall
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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."
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the grass is always greener on the other side »
Other circumstances seem more desirable than one's own but in reality are often not
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the man »
The man gets you down.
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the rabbit died »
A statement spoken to indicate one's own pregnancy, or that someone has found out they are pregnant.
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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.
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third hand »
Not new, having more than one previous owner.
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throw dirt enough, and some will stick »
If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at [1] on 14 Oct 06.I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics (1994), p. 10,Archbishop Whately used to say
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throw down »
To cause something one is holding to drop, often forcefully.
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throw down »
Admirably or forcefully.
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throw down »
To fight, incite to fight, or approach with the intent to fight; to make a stand.
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throw down »
To accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to "represent".
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throw down the gauntlet »
To issue a challenge.
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throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »
Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn
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throw under the bus »
To discard or disown.
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thumb a ride »
To secure a ride by flagging down a vehicle.
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tipping it down »
Raining heavily.
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tipsy turvy »
upside down
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to each his own »
Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.
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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
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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
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tone down »
To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.
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tone down »
To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.
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toot one's own horn »
To promote oneself; to boast or brag; to tout.
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topsy turvy »
upside down
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touch down »
To land an aircraft.
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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.
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track down »
To hunt for or locate; to search for; to find.
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tried and true »
Well-established and tested; known to work or succeed based on extensive experience.
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try out one's own chops »
To produce one's own records with one's own vocals.
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turn back »
To fold something back; to fold down.
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turn down »
To refuse, decline, or deny.
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turn down »
To reduce the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light.
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turn down »
To reposition by turning, flipping, etc. in a downward direction.
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turn off »
To power down; to stop a device by switching it off.
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turn upside down »
To flip over; to rotate top to bottom.
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turn upside down »
To thoroughly examine.
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up hill and down dale »
Here and there; everywhere.
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ups and downs »
Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.
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victory at sea »
Ocean conditions very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other water sports.
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vote down »
By a majority vote.
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warm down »
Gentle excercise at the end of a training session before cooling off.
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wash down »
To help to swallow by drinking a liquid, after eating something, or taking a pill.
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wash down »
To wash something completely from top to bottom.
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water down »
To dilute; to add water.
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water down »
To make weaker.
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water down »
To simplify or oversimplify; to make easier; to make less difficult.
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watered-down »
Diluted; containing extra water.
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watered-down »
Weakened or simplified.
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wear down »
To cause physical or mental fatigue.
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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.
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weigh down »
To act as a ballast for.
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weigh down »
To be too much for someone to cope with.
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when he's at home »
In reality; in fact; when it comes down to it.
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when it's at home »
Plainly; in plain English; when it comes down to it; at it's most basic level.
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when the chips are down »
When the pressure is on; when the situation is urgent or critical.
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willful ignorance »
A bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt. It may also be shown as for a person to have no clue in a decision but still goes ahead in their decision.
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wind down »
Lower by winding something.
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wind down »
To slow; to become calmer or less busy.
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wind down »
Relax; get rid of stress.
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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.
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wolf down »
Quickly and without regard for table manners.
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wrap in the flag »
To claim one's cause deserves support for patriotic reasons or that one's own motives are patriotic.
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write down »
Down in writing; to record something.
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write down »
In a simple or condescending style.
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write down »
To make a downward adjustment in the value of an asset.
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write one's own ticket »
To be empowered to choose whatever job, financial arrangement, or course of action one desires.
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you and whose army%3F »
You can't do all that on your own.
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you make the bed you lie in »
A person's circumstances are normally the result of his or her own actions.
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you pays your money and you takes your choice »
Each person should make their own decisions.
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yours sincerely »
A polite formula to end a letter, especially when the recipient’s name is known to the sender.
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zero in on »
To successfully narrow down a search.
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zoom down »
To move quickly along a particular route, list, etc.
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