moment of truth »
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
|
oil burner »
A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.
|
on the face of it »
Apparently; as far as can be seen or determined.
|
out of wedlock »
Of parents not legally married.
|
rest his soul »
Used parenthetically to mark the referent as being deceased.
|
scrounge up »
To seek or find despite a lack of apparent resources or availability.
|
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".
|
smallpox blanket »
An apparently benevolent offering whose real intent is to disrupt, destabilize or weaken.
|
the apple doesn't fall far from the tree »
A child grows up to be very similar to its parents in the way they act and in their physical abilities.
|
under one's nose »
Obvious or apparent.
|
wear one's heart on one's sleeve »
To be extremely transparent, open, or forthright about one's emotions.
|
whack-a-mole »
The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.
|
yak shaving »
Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.
|
| Like Phrases.net? Why won't you tell a friend about us? |
[