We've found 2220 phrases for pe (0.116 seconds):

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

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

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

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

a cut above »    Superior to; of a higher quality than.

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

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

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

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

a gentleman and a scholar »    An admirable person.

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

a leopard cannot change its spots »    One cannot change one's own nature.1597, William Shakespeare, Richard II Act i, Scene 1 (First Folio):King. Lyons make Leopards tame.Mowbray. Yea but not change his ?pots.1611, King James Version of the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23:Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe Chapter 32:End now all unkindness. Let us put the Jew to ransom, since the leopard will not change his spots, and a Jew he will continue to be.1918, Johnston McCulley, Thubway Tham's Inthane Moment:The leopard cannot change his spots, old boy.

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

a man is known by the company he keeps »    People are similar in character to their friends.

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

a notch above »    Superior to; of a higher quality than.

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

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.

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

above and beyond »    More than is expected or required.

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

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

across the board »    Pertaining to all categories or things.

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

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

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

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

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

air out »    To expose to air; to leave open or spread out, as to allow odor or moisture to dissipate.

air out »    To discuss in the open.

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

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

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

all clear »    permission to proceed

all fur coat and no knickers »    Of superficial appearance and with no real substance beneath.

all hell broke loose »    A great disaster happened or chaos ensued.

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

all hollow »    Common misspelling of all hallow.

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

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

all over the place »    Everywhere, especially chaotically or in such a way as to make a mess.

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

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

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

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

answer back »    To reply impertinently; to talk back.

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

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.

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

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

arm's length »    Independent, but related.

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

as all get-out »    Extremely; to a superlative degree; very much.

as far as »    In the scope of.

as far as »    With respect to; as relates to.

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 »    While; for some period of time.

as luck would have it »    As it happened; how it turned out; by good fortune; fortunately or luckily.

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

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 around »    To enquire about something to different people.

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

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

ask round »    To enquire about something to different people.

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

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

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

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

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

at full tilt »    At full speed; very quickly.

at peace »    Dead.

at peace »    Free of worries; peaceful.

at peace with »    Not disturbed or upset by.

at peace with »    Not menacing or hostile toward.

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

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

autem dipper »    Anabaptist.

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

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

back up »    To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so.

back-of-the-envelope »    Approximate, rough, simplified.

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

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

bad penny »    A counterfeit or damaged penny.

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

bag of bones »    A skinny, malnourished person.

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

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 »    To rescue, especially financially.

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

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

bale out »    Alternative spelling of bail out.

ball up »    To crush into a ball shape.

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

ballpoint pen »    writing implement

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

bang about »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

bang around »    To make a lot of percussive noise while doing an activity.

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

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

bankers' hours »    The period between 10am and 3pm.

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

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

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

barrel of laughs »    A toy in the shape of a barrel that emits sounds of laughter.

base over apex »    Falling over in a jumbled heap.

bat a thousand »    To achieve perfection.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

beat up »    Repeatedly bomb a military target or targets.

beat up »    To verbally assault repeatedly.

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

beauty sleep »    Extra sleep or a special nap.

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 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.

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

believe you me »    An emphatic form of "believe me"; you [the subject] had better believe me [the speaker].

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

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

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

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

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.

big boy »    A large object or person.

big boys »    The people or bodies with the most influence and/or power.

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

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

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

big enchilada »    Some item of high value, especially a top prize or reward.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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 reference to interactions between black people .

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.

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

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

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

blink of an eye »    A very short period of time; quickly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

blow this popsicle stand »    To leave an establishment speedily.

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

blue-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.

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

bolt bucket »    A machine, especially an automobile. Implies that the machine is clunky or unreliable.

bomb around »    The drive around at speed for pleasure.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

bouncing off the walls »    Moving hyperactively.

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

bowl of cherries »    An enjoyable experience.

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.

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

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

brass monkey »    A kind of inexpensive liqueur.

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.

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 into »    To open or begin to use.

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

break out »    To escape, especially forcefully or defiantly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

bridge »    The upper bony ridge of the human nose.

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

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

bring out »    To make a shy person more confident.

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

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

broad church »    A wide scope of philosophies and ideas.

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.

bros before hos »    Alternative spelling of bros before hoes.

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

brown bread »    Bread with a brown colour as distinct from white bread, wholemeal, granary or other specific types of bread.

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

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

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

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

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

bump off »    To kill, especially to murder.

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

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

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

bundle of joy »    A pet.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

call out »    To specify, especially in detail.

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

calling card »    Excrement, especially of a domestic animal.

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

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

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.

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

carpe diem cras »    seize the day tomorrow, make the most of tomorrow

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

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

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

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

carry the message to Garcia »    To perform a requisite task despite obstacles.

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

carry water for »    To perform menial tasks for; to serve; to assist.

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

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

cast aspersions »    To make damaging or spiteful remarks.

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

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

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

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 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 cradle »    Any complicated structure which appears to be without purpose.

cat's meow »    A self-satisfied person.

catch big air »    Superlative of catch air; make a big jump high off the ground.

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

catch up »    To compensate for or make up a deficiency.

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

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.

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

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

champ at the bit »    To bite the bit, especially when restless.

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

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.

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.

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

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

cheaters never prosper »    One does not gain from cheating.

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

check out »    To examine or inspect; to espy.

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

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

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

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

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

children should be seen and not heard »    Children should behave well and be quiet, especially in the presence of adults.

chip in »    To make a contribution; help in a small way; especially, to pay for a part of something.

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.

chow down »    To eat, especially to eat vigorously.

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

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

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

cite chapter and verse »    To provide specific references from an authoritative book, as the Bible or a book of statutes or rules, to support a statement.

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

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

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

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 »    To make a large profit; to win by a large margin, or to win a large amount, especially in gambling. Also clean house.

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

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

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

close 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.

close up »    To move people closer together.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

cold shoulder »    A deliberate act of disrespect; a slight or snub.

cold snap »    A period of exceptionally cold weather.

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

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

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

come a cropper »    To fall headlong from a horse.

come a cropper »    To suffer some misfortune; to fail.

come about »    To come to pass; to develop; to occur; to take place; to happen.

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 about »    happen

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

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

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

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

come in handy »    To be useful or helpful, especially at some time in the future.

come of age »    To mature, or become fully developed.

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

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

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

come out with »    To say something unexpected.

come short »    Fail to meet (expectations or standards)

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

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

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

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

come to a head »    To suddenly make mature or perfected that which was inchoate or imperfectly formed.

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

come up »    To appear before a judge or court.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

cookie-cutter »    Of or pertaining to cookie cutters.

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

cool down »    To become cooler, to be reduced in temperature.

cool down »    To cause something temperature to lower.

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

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.

copper beech »    tree

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

copper-bottomed »    Thoroughly reliable.

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

cost a pretty penny »    To be expensive.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

crop up »    To occur, especially suddenly or unexpectedly.

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

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 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.

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 behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.

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

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

cut red tape »    To reduce bureaucracy.

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

cutie pie »    A cute person.

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

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

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

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

dark horse »    An unexpected success.

darn tootin' »    Absolutely correct; speaking the truth.

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

day and age »    A time period of years or more.

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

dead »    Broken or inoperable.

dead shot »    Perfect shooter

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.

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

deathblow »    A strike or blow that leads to death, especially a coup de grace.

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

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

deliver the message to Garcia »    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.

den of iniquity »    A place of immoral behavior, usually of a sexual type.

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.

desperate times require desperate measures »    Alternative form of desperate times call for desperate measures.

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.

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

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

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

dig deep »    Try especially hard.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

do justice »    To really allow to be apprehended in its full scope.

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 the hard yards »    To perform a difficult task or tasks.

do the honors »    Perform a duty.

do the honours »    Perform a duty.

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

dodge a bullet »    To have a narrow escape; to avoid injury or disaster.

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 it »    To underperform; to lag behind; to fail to exert effort.

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

dog's life »    A life of indolence where the individual may do as he or she pleases, just like a pampered dog.

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

drug of choice »    Substance that a suspect is addicted to.

duke it out »    To fight, especially with the fists.

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

dumb bunny »    A stupid person.

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.

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 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.

ear trumpet »    old hearing aid

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

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

eat out »    To perform cunnilingus.

eat pussy »    To perform cunnilingus.

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

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

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

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

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

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 up »    To conclude, turn out, sometimes unexpectedly.

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

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

estate agent »    property seller

esthetically challenged »    Of a person, ugly.

eureka moment »    The moment of a sudden unexpected discovery.

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

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

every silver lining has a cloud »    Every good situation has the potential to turn bad.2007, Diab A. Shetayh, Actuality : The Reality RequiemA great partnership isn't a self-maintaining entity. Perseverance and persistence make it thrive. For every silver lining has a cloud. Ignorance of this reality is not an option.

everybody and his cousin »    Everybody; a huge crowd; too many people.

everybody and their brother »    A large number of people; most people.

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

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

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

face to face »    In person; directly; in the physical presence of somebody.

factotum »    A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.

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.

fair game »    Actions permissible by the rules.

fall away »    To cease to support a person or cause.

fall behind »    To be progressively below average in performance.

fall in with »    To join a group of people.

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 on »    To experience; to suffer; to fall upon.

fall on one's face »    To fail, especially in a dramatic or particularly decisive manner.

fall on one's sword »    To resign from a job or other position of responsibility, especially when pressured to do so.

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

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

fall upon »    To fall on; to experience; to suffer.

familiarity breeds contempt »    The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person.1894, H. Rider Haggard, The People Of The Mist, ch. 25:This was the beginning of evil, for if no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, much less can he remain a god for long in the eyes of a curious woman. Here, as in other matters, familiarity breeds contempt.

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

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

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

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

fashion plate »    A person who dresses in especially stylish fashions.

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

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

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 the People's Republic of China.

feel around »    To grope.

feel up »    To grope someone in a sexual manner.

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

fend off »    Away; to turn away; to defend against; to repel with force or effort.

field day »    A great time or a great deal to do, at somebody else's expense.

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.

fifth wheel »    Anything superfluous or unnecessary.

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

fill somebody's shoes »    To do somebody's job; to perform or assume somebody's role.

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

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

find one's feet »    To grow in confidence in a new situation as one gains experience.

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

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

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

fire escape »    emergency exit

fire hose »    The human penis.

fire off »    To ask an unexpected question rapidly.

fire on all cylinders »    To operate as effectively as possible.

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

first come, first served »    People will be dealt with in the order they arrive.

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

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

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

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

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

flap one's gums »    To speak idly; to talk without effect.

flat chat »    At maximum capability or speed.

flat out »    At top speed.

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.

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.

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

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

flower »    Typically including sepals, petals, stamens, and ovaries; often conspicuously colourful.

flower »    The vulva, especially the labia majora.

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 on the wall »    A quiet, non-participating, or unseen observer; an eavesdropper or witness.

fly the coop »    To depart hastily or unannounced; to escape or flee.

fly the coop »    To escape from a pen or similar enclosure.

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.

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

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

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.

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

for all the world »    Entirely, to all appearances.

for crying out loud »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

for good »    Forever; permanently.

for good and all »    Permanently, forever.

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

for heaven's sake »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

for keeps »    Permanently.

for keeps »    To compete seriously, with a strong resolve to win or succeed, as in sports or business.

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

for Pete's sake »    Expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance.

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 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.

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

forewarned is forearmed »    Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.1863, Charles Reade, Hard Cash, ch. 4:[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.1885, G. A. Henty, Saint George for England, ch. 4:Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.circa 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind":"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."

fork over »    Hundreds of spectators forked over the 70 bucks for tickets.

fountain of youth »    Anything reputed to have the power to restore health and vitality or to restore a youthful appearance.

four score and seven years ago »    As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.

four-eyes »    A person who wears spectacles.

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

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 ride »    An opportunity or benefit which has no cost, especially one enjoyed or undertaken at the expense of others.

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.

frog in one's throat »    Any temporary physical difficulty in speaking.

from time to time »    C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 3, sc. 3.

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

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 of hot air »    Talking a lot, especially without saying anything of value or meaning.

full of it »    Speaking nonsense; lying, exaggerating, or boasting.

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

full of shit »    Characterized by speaking nonsense or falsehoods.

full speed ahead »    A command, especially on military vessels, to move forward at maximum speed.

full speed ahead »    Maximum effort without reservations or delay.

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.

gandy dancer »    A railway laborer, especially a member of a crew which carries rails and affixes them to ties.

gapers' block »    A traffic jam resulting from motorists slowing to look at a motor vehicle collision or other roadside distraction.

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

get 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 rise out of »    To obtain a reaction from someone, especially one of annoyance.

get away »    escape

get away »    make an escape

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

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

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

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

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 someone's wick »    To annoy or upset someone, usually by repeated disagreeable actions.

get one's butt somewhere »    Go somewhere, especially quickly.

get one's feet wet »    To begin gaining experience; To take a risk and try something new.

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

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

get something over with »    To do something quickly and hastily; without procrastination, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.

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.

gild the lily »    To embellish or improve something unnecessarily; to add superfluous attributes to something.

give 'em enough rope »    Allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.

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 chase »    To chase or pursue a person.

give face »    To honor; to pay respect.

give head »    To perform oral sex on another person.

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 of oneself »    To devote oneself unselfishly to a task, especially to give time and energy.

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 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 the slip »    To evade, escape, or get away from somebody.

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 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 apeshit »    To behave in an extreme manner; to act without restraint, especially by becoming explosively angry.

go belly-up »    To fail or fold; especially, to close or shut down a business; to go out of business.

go by the board »    To be superseded, rejected, or obliterated; to pass by with little consequence; to amount to nothing.

go down »    To perform oral sex.

go down »    To take place, happen.

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 »    share expenses equally

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

go for »    To do something, especially for leisure.

go for »    To endure, sustain or spend time.

go in for »    To enter a competition.

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 have the wind at such an angle to the sail that the vessel gains its highest speed.

go large »    To supersize.

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 on »    To happen.

go out »    To leave, especially a building.

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 round in circles »    To repeatedly do the same thing; without making any progress.

go through hell »    To have a miserable experience.

go through the mill »    To experience the suffering or discipline necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or to a certain mental state.

go to Canossa »    To submit to the pope.

go to seed »    To pass from flowering or ripening to the formation of seeds.

go to someone's head »    To strongly affect a person, especially to the detriment of their senses or mental faculties.

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

go to work »    To begin performing some task or work.

go too far »    To exceed an unstated limit, especially a limit of acceptable behaviour.

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...

golden handcuffs »    Any arrangement or agreement designed to provide extremely favorable benefits or pay, so as to discourage participant from wanting to leave, especially to retain a choice employee.

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

golden hello »    A payment offered to an employee as an inducement to join, especially if currently working for a competitor.

golden 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.

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 old boy »    A friendly, unambitious, relatively uneducated, sometimes racially biased white man who embodies the stereotype of the folksy culture of the rural southern USA.

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 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 »    A call said before taking a stiff drink, especially a shot of vodka.

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.

grace period »    A length of time during which rules or penalties do not take effect or are withheld.

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

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

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.

greatest thing since sliced bread »    A relatively recent invention likely to significantly improve people's lives.

green about the gills »    Having the appearance of being ill.

green 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.

grin like a Cheshire cat »    To smile broadly, especially in a self-satisfied way.

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 out of »    To become too physically large for something, especially clothes.

guilt trip »    A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.

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

gulp down »    To eat very quickly without chewing the food properly.

gun it »    To accelerate or speed up quickly or suddenly.

gunshy »    Fearing the consequences of repeating an act, especially after being reprimanded.

gut factor »    Feelings about what feels right or wrong, good or bad. An inner persuasion that one may feel convinced is the appropriate decision.

hack it »    To cope with, to be successful in.

hair-splitting »    The act of finding exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.

hair-splittingly »    With exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.

halcyon days »    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.

halfway decent »    Good - better than expected.

ham it up »    To act or emote, especially to overact or act badly.

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

hand down »    To forward to the proper officer .

hand in »    To give something to a responsible person.

hand in glove »    In very close cooperation.

hand over fist »    Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.

hand-in-glove »    Closely cooperative.

hang out »    To spend time doing nothing in particular.

hang out one's shingle »    To open an office or business, especially in a profession.

hang out with »    To spend time with friends, doing nothing in particular.

hang paper »    To write a bad check.

happy camper »    One who is thoroughly content or satisfied.

hard-nosed »    Guided by practical experience and observation rather than by theory.

hardball »    In baseball, a type of ball and baseball game, as opposed to softball.

hardwired »    Designed to perform a specific task.

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.

hash out »    To work through the details of something; especially to work through difficulties.

haul ass »    To hurry; to move quickly, especially to leave.

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

have a fit »    To experience an epileptic seizure.

have a green thumb »    A person with a green thumb, a natural skill for gardening.

have a word with »    To talk or speak with.

have been around »    To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive.

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 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 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.

he who smelt it dealt it »    (colloquial, originally) A person who calls attention to or complains about a fart is likely trying to pretend it wasn't his or her own.(colloquial, by extension) Used to suggest that a person calling attention to or complaining about a given problem may in fact be the source of the problem.

head 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 over heels »    At top speed; frantically.

head over heels »    Hopelessly smitten.

head start »    A factor conducive to superiority and success.

heads will roll »    Some people will be fired for incompetence.

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 through the grapevine »    To hear rumors; to learn through friends of friends.

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 to heart »    A sincere, serious, or personal conversation.

heat wave »    A period of exceptionally hot weather.

heat wave »    spell of hot weather

heaven helps those who help themselves »    A maxim encouraging people to get involved in their own problems.

hedge one's bets »    To reduce the risk of making a mistake, by keeping one's options open.

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.

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 horse »    An appearance or sense of smug superiority.

high road »    A course of action which is honorable, dignified, or respectable.

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.

history repeats itself »    Things that have happened in the past will happen again.

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

hit home »    To be especially memorable or meaningful; to be fully understood, believed or appreciated.

hit on »    To flirt with; to approach and speak to (someone), seeking romance, love, sex, etc.

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 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 books »    To study, especially with particular intensity.

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 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.

hoist by one's own petard »    To be hurt, or destroyed by one's own plot or device, of one's own doing which one intended for another; to be "blown up by one's own bomb".

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

hold back »    To delay, especially in school.

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

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 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 »    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..

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 »    A success; especially, a popular success.

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.

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

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

hopped up »    Drugged; intoxicated.

horse opera »    A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.

horse opera »    An equestrian show, as in a circus.

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.

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.

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

hot lunch »    A sexual act in which a pouch of clingfilm or similar material filled with faeces is placed in one of the participants' mouth and subsequently penetrated by the second participant.

hot 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 up »    To increase in temperature.

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.

huckleberry above a persimmon »    Something better than something else.

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

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

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

in any way, shape, or form »    In any way at all; whatsoever.

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 clover »    In a condition of prosperity.

in focus »    Clearly perceived.

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 line »    Suitable or appropriate; keeping with expectations, norms, ideals, or rules.

in no way, shape, or form »    Not in any way at all; not at all, nohow.

in particular »    specially

in person »    actually present

in shape »    I guess I'd better get my room in shape if I have guests.

in shape »    I hope to get in shape for summer swimsuit season.

in shape »    In a good state of physical fitness or bodily appearance.

in shape »    In good condition, repair; in a good state.

in so far as »    With respect to.

in spite of »    Despite, irrespective of, notwithstanding.

in the black »    Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit.

in the cards »    Destined or fated to happen; predicted or foreseen.

in the clear »    Not guilty or not suspected of wrongdoing.

in the dock »    Under scrutiny; subject to critical inspection.

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

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king »    Among others with a disadvantage or disability, the one with the mildest disadvantage or disability is regarded as the greatest.Even someone without much talent or ability is considered special by those with no talent or ability at all.

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

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

in the twinkling of an eye »    Circa 1598, William Shakespeare, "The Merchant Of Venice".

in the wind »    Impending or in the offing; imminent.

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

in too deep »    In a situation where one can't cope.

in vain »    In a disrespectful manner, especially when concerning religion.

in vino veritas »    drunken folks speak truth, one tells the truth under the influence of alcohol

inner circle »    The closest of friends of a person.

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

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

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 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 about time »    Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.

it's all grist to the mill »    Everything referred to in the present context has some sort of use.1999, Simon Blackburn, Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press paperback, ISBN 0199690871), ch. 7 section 6: "Kant

it's 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 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

ivory tower »    A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.

jack it in »    An imperative to stop doing something that the speaker finds annoying.

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 person who has a competent grasp of many skills but who is not outstanding in any one.

jack-tar »    Alternative spelling of jacktar.

jet set »    A set of wealthy people who travel for pleasure.

jet-setter »    A member of the jet set, a rich person who travels for pleasure.

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.

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

jump rope »    A single jump in this game or activity, counted as a measure of achievement.

jump rope »    The activity, game or exercise in which a person must jump, bounce or skip repeatedly while a length of rope is swung over and under, both ends held in the hands of the jumper, or alternately, held by two other participants. Often used for athletic training and among schoolchildren. Variations involve speed, chants, varied rope and jumper movement patterns, multiple jumpers and/or multiple ropes.

jump rope »    The length of rope, sometimes with handles, casing or other additions, used in that activity.

jump through hoops »    To put forth effort for the sake of appearance or demonstration.

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.

just like that »    Unexpectedly, without warning.

kangaroo court »    A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.

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

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

keep an eye peeled »    To look out attentively.

keep at »    To persist in.

keep it real »    In the imperative, an exhortation used as a departing salutation.

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

keep on »    Persist or continue.

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

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 eyes peeled »    To watch closely; to look for.

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

keep up appearances »    To pretend to be all right or that everything is going well.

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.

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 up »    To function improperly.

kick up the arse »    A severe reprimand, especially one to motivate someone into doing something.

kids will be kids »    You cannot expect children to act like adults.

king »    A powerful or influential person.

kiss of death »    Something that may seem good and favourable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.

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.

knee high to a grasshopper »    Short; especially relating to when the subject was a small child.

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

knight in shining armor »    A person who will rescue a dangerous situation; a hero.

knock around »    To spend time with someone as a friend.

knock off »    An imitation, especially one of poorer quality.

knock out »    To exhaust a personal or animal.

knock out »    To complete, especially in haste; knock off.

knock up »    To impregnate, especially out of wedlock. See knocked up.

knock up »    In the morning as by knocking at the door; rouse; call; summon; also, to go door-to-door on election day to persuade a candidate's supporters to go to the polling station and vote. See also knocker up.

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.

knuckle dragger »    A large, strong, and rather dimwitted person.

knuckle sandwich »    A punch to the face, especially to the mouth.

knuckle under »    To yield or cooperate when pressured or forced to do so.

l'esprit de l'escalier »    The experience of thinking of a devastating rejoinder only after leaving the scene of the debate.

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

ladies man »    Alternative spelling of lady's man.

ladies' man »    Alternative spelling of lady's man.

lame joke »    An attempt at humor which is perceived to have been used previously to the point of being cliche, or was never funny to begin with.

landing strip »    A runway for aircraft, especially one which is auxiliary or temporary.

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 of the big spenders »    Someone who doesn't spend much money.

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

last-ditch »    Final, as a last resort; done in desperation.

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.

laughing stock »    C. 1598, William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act 3, sc. 1.

laundry list »    Hence, a long list of items, especially an exhaustive one.

lay down »    To specify, institute, enact, assert firmly, state authoritatively, establish or formulate .

lay down »    To sacrifice, especially in the phrase "to lay down one's life.".

lay down the law »    To authoritatively or dogmatically assert what is permitted or not permitted.

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

lay open »    to disclose

lay open »    reveal

lay out »    expend money

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

lead »    Used in pencils.

lean on »    To depend upon for support.

leap year »    Period of 366 days

leave nothing to the imagination »    He stripped down to a pair of see-through briefs that left nothing to the imagination.

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.

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

lemon law »    A law dealing with defective items, especially automobiles, and consumers' rights.

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

let sleeping dogs lie »    To leave things as they are; especially, to avoid restarting or rekindling an old argument; to leave disagreements in the past.

let slip »    allow to escape

letters after one's name »    A list of abbreviations, separated by commas, representing the academic qualifications and civil or military honours achieved by a person.

level up »    To progress to the next level of player character stats and abilities. Often used in role-playing games when the character has aquired enough experience points.

lick out »    To perform cunnilingus on.

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

life is like a box of chocolates »    Life is full of surprises, you never know what will happen next.

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.

light bucket »    Nickname for a reflecting telescope, especially one with a relatively large aperture and suitable for observing deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies.

light middleweight »    type of boxer

light up »    To light a cigarette, pipe, etc.

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

like hot cakes »    Quickly, especially by purchase or consumption.

like the new time »    Furiously or vigorously, repeatedly.

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.

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 »    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.

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

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

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.

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

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 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 run »    An extended period of time.

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 time »    Used as part of greeting of two people who have not been in contact for a long time.

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

look daggers »    To stare sharply at someone to indicate disapproval without actually speaking.

look forward »    To anticipate or expect; especially, to expect something to be pleasant.

look forward to »    To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure.

look like »    To be similar in appearance to; resemble.

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

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 chance to participate, compete, or succeed.

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

loose end »    The end of a rope that has not been fastened.

lose face »    To lose the respect of others, to be humiliated or experience public disgrace.

lose it »    To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.

lose one's cool »    To become upset or disconcerted; to lose one's temper.

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 have one's results decline severely in quality or suddenly fall below an acceptable standard, especially when compared to past excellence.

lost cause »    A cause, attempt, or effort that is hopeless or futile.

lot lizard »    A customer or salesperson at a used car lot.

lot lizard »    A low or stupid person.

love is blind »    A person who is in love can see no faults or imperfections in the person who is loved.

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

loved up »    Alternative spelling of loved-up.

lower the boom »    To use one's superior physical strength; clobber.

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.

luck out »    To experience great luck; to be extremely fortunate or lucky.

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

made in China »    Manufactured in the People's Republic of China.

magic bullet »    A simple remedy to a difficult or complex problem, especially a cure for a disease.

make a fool of oneself »    To appear foolish to others.

make a go of it »    To attempt; especially, to attempt to make a living.

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

make an honest woman »    Especially if she is having a sexual relationship.

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

make quick work of »    To accomplish a specified task easily and quickly.

make someone's teeth itch »    To bother or unsettle a person; to put someone on edge.

make up »    To compensate, fill in or catch up.

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 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.

manoeuvre the apostles »    To rob Peter to pay Paul; that is, to borrow money of one man to pay another.

many hands make light work »    A large number of people co-operating can perform tasks easily.

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

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 marriage that is likely to be happy and successful because the two people are very compatible with each other.

match made in heaven »    A very successful combination of two people or things.

match made in hell »    A marriage that is likely to be unhappy or abusive and unsuccessful because the two people are very incompatible with each other.

match made in hell »    A very unsuccessful or conflicting combination of two people or things.

matter of course »    An expected or customary outcome.

meal ticket »    Someone or something that provides income or livelihood, especially as an exploited source.

measure twice and cut once »    (literally, carpentry) One should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material.1872, "Dressmaking," Hall's Journal of Health, vol. 19, no. 12, p. 280:Look at Carpenters! . . . In old times it was a proverb "Measure twice, and cut once."(figuratively, by extension) Plan and prepare in a careful, thorough manner before taking action.2008, Hilary Johnson, "Mergers rattle bank relations," Financial Week, 9 Nov. (retrieved 9 Nov. 2008):Mr. Paz noted that since the onset of the credit crisis, eBay, like other companies, hasn

measure up »    To meet expectations; to be as good as.

meat rack »    A place where people can meet looking for sexual partners.

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

meaty »    Of a person or a body part, large and solid.

melt into »    To disappear into.

memory lane »    A set of recollections available to be reviewed, especially accompanied by a feeling of nostalgia.

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

mess of pottage »    Something of trivial value, especially of immediate value.

mess up »    To botch, bungle; to perform poorly on.

mess up »    To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.

middle of the road »    Having a centrist attitude or philosophy; not extreme, especially politically.

middle of the road »    Of a type of melodic popular music that has wide appeal.

mike up »    To fit a microphone and transmitter to a person. Usually for television performers, or for police informers.

mind one's P's and Q's »    Alternative spelling of mind one's p's and q's.

mind the store »    To take active responsibility for a group or process, especially within an organization.

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

miner's canary »    Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.

miners' canary »    Any thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.

miss out »    To miss an experience or lose an opportunity, etc. that should not be missed.

mix it up »    To compete vigorously, to quarrel, or to fight physically.

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

mocking is catching »    An admonishment to be careful of criticising others, lest the same happen to you.Mocking is Catching was the title of a 1726 song by Henry Carey.

money for old rope »    Money exchanged for goods of low value.

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.

mop up »    To clean with a mop; especially to clean up a spill or mess.

moral high ground »    A position or point of view which is ethically superior or more reputable, in comparison to others which are under consideration.

more haste, less speed »    When we are in a hurry, we often end up completing our task slower.

morning person »    A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.

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.

mouthful of marbles »    An indistinct, muffled or garbled manner of speaking.

move the goal posts »    To unilaterally change the rules, or terms of an agreement, especially in an unfair or underhand way.

move the goalposts »    To alter the agreed basis, scope, standards or target of a procedure or task during its course, especially to do so to someone's advantage.

muck about »    To do random unplanned work or spend time idly.

muckety muck »    A person in a position of power, authority, or status.

mug's game »    A foolish, profitless, or hopeless undertaking.

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.

myope comme une taupe »    Blind as a bat.

naked ape »    A human being.

naked as a jaybird »    Stark naked; nude; especially, naked in a public setting and without embarrassment.

narrow down »    Make more specific.

necessity is the mother of invention »    A person who is in great need of something will find a way to get it.

necker's knob »    A knob attached to the steering wheel of an automobile, especially before the widespread availability of power steering, helping the driver steer with one arm and leaving the other arm free to provide romantic attention to a companion.

necktie party »    An execution by hanging, especially a lynching.

neither here nor there »    Not important; having no significance or influence on the question at hand; not related; not relevant; not germane; not pertinent.

nickel and dime »    Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.

nickel-and-dime »    Alternative spelling of nickel and dime.

night person »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours, and who usually sleeps during part of the daytime.

nightcap »    A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas. Nightcaps were common in northern Europe before central heating was available, when homes were cold at night.

nighthawk »    A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.

no comment »    An "official" refusal to relay any further information, as a response to a newspaper reporter's question.

no great shakes »    Unexceptional; not special or noteworthy; not very effective.

no holds barred »    Without reserve; in an especially ruthless or vicious manner.

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 news is good news »    A lack of information about a situation suggests that nothing bad has happened.

no rest for the wicked »    (humorous) People who are wicked must work harder than normal people.

no screaming hell »    Something that is not particularly effective or impressive; something that is below expectations.

no slave to fashion »    A person whose style of clothing and appearance are unconventional, informal, or slovenly; a person who takes little interest in how he or she is dressed.

no spring chicken »    Said of a person who is no longer particularly young.

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.

non-starter »    Something that is not going to happen.

nose test »    An inspection of an object using the sense of smell, as for freshness of food.

nose test »    An inspection of the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.

nose-picking »    To insert a finger into one's nostril, especially to remove mucus.

not a pretty sight »    Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.

not all it's cracked up to be »    Not as good as claimed; falling short of expectations.

not on your tintype »    An answer indicating outright rejection or denial; no way; absolutely not.

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 win for losing »    To repeatedly fail in one's gambles or efforts.

nothing special »    Ordinary, run-of-the-mill.

nothing to write home about »    Not exceptional; not noteworthy or especially good.

noughts and crosses »    pen and paper game

nudge nudge wink wink »    A phrase added at the end of the sentence to hint that the speaker is referring to something else, euphemistically.

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.

odd and curious »    A way to designate special coins, namely coins that are both odd and imperfect or seriously damaged.

of all people »    Especially; more than other people.

off balance »    Surprised; perplexed.

off one's game »    Performing in any activity below one's usual level; behaving in an irregular, inept, or awkward manner; feeling unwell.

off one's game »    Playing or competing below one's usual level of performance.

off the chain »    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 hook »    Of a telephone, having an open connection; not hung up.

off the hook »    Performing extraordinarily well.

off the radar »    Unlikely to happen, or be important in the near future or tending to escape detection or attention.

off the rails »    In an abnormal manner, especially in a manner that causes damage or malfunctioning.

off the wagon »    No longer maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from an undesirable habit, especially drinking alcohol.

offer affordances »    To give elbow room or leeway for something to happen.

oh dark hundred »    Some unspecified hour in the early morning.

oh dark thirty »    Some unspecified hour in the early morning.

oil burner »    A device whose operation causes apparent combustion of lubricating oil.

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 with which one is very familiar, or in which one is experienced or skilled.

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.

on about »    Speaking about, talking of.

on at »    to pester; to irritate; to annoy

on board »    Is that new teammate properly on board yet?.

on ice »    Performed by ice skaters as an ice show.

on one's feet »    Being stable or capable, especially in a financial or emotional sense.

on one's high horse »    Self-righteous; proceeding on the belief one is more correct or proper than others.

on one's soapbox »    Stating or professing one's opinion; attempting to persuade others of something.

on one's watch »    During the period of time when one is in a position of authority or responsibility.

on pins and needles »    Feeling sharp anticipation or anxiety; in a state of suspense.

on 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 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 bubble »    Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors.

on the cheap »    Economically, especially if too economically.

on the clock »    Remunerated per unit of time.

on the dot »    Exactly; precisely, especially of a numerical quantity.

on the ladder »    Figuratively a property ladder, owning property.

on the line »    On a level with the eye of the spectator; said of a picture, as hung in an exhibition of pictures.

on the plus side »    Positively; from a favorable view or perspective.

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 square »    Honest and open.

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 wane »    In a period of decrease or decline.

on top of »    Fully informed about, and in control of something; up to speed with.

on track »    Proceeding as planned, as expected, or in a manner consistent with an established pattern.

once and for all »    Finally, permanently, conclusively.

once you go black, you never go back »    An expression assuming that once a person of another race gets in a sexual relationship with a black person they won't return to their own race.

one and the same »    The same person or thing. Used to emphasize the identity or equivalence of two things.

one another »    Used of a reciprocal relationship among a group of more than two people or things; compare each other.

one 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 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 days are numbered »    Some period of time, such as a term of employment or a lifetime, is coming to an end.

one-hit wonder »    A musical performer or musical group known for a single hit song, especially after failing at later attempts at success.

one-hit wonder »    A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.

one-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-trick pony »    A performing animal that knows only one trick.

one-trick pony »    A person or group noteworthy for only a single achievement, skill, or characteristic.

one-up »    To outdo, to do something slightly better than a competitor's prior effort.

one-upmanship »    A succession of instances of outdoing a competitor.

one-upmanship »    The art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.

only fools and horses work »    Philosophy of life that people who do not look for an easy way of earning a living are foolish.

ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »    (biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.

open a can of whoop ass »    A good-humored threat of physical harm.

open a can of whoop ass »    I'm gonna open up a can of whoop-ass on ya.

open ended »    without definite limits

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

opening time »    hour at which a pub can start serving

opposite number »    A person who holds a position in an organization that corresponds to that held by another person in an other organization; a counterpart.

opposites attract »    people who are completely different make ideal partners.

other days, other ways »    People of the past thought and acted differently.

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 character »    Not in character; not successfully performing within the mindset of a given character in a theatrical performance. See also break character, drop character.

out of house and home »    In a manner that deprives one of dwelling or some aspect thereof.

out of kilter »    Disturbed; out of order; not working or adjusted properly.

out of line »    Inappropriate or unsuitable, especially by reason of being unmannerly or indelicate.

out of luck »    Experiencing a temporary misfortune.

out of nowhere »    In an unexpected or inexplicable manner of arrival or occurrence.

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 sight »    Superb, excellent.

out of the blue »    Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.

out of the running »    No longer in competition.

out of the way »    Improper or offensive.

out of the woods »    Out of peril; likely to recover or prevail over trouble; finished with the worst or most threatening part of a problem or illness.

out of whack »    Not in proper alignment.

out of whack »    Not in proper balance; unbalanced.

out of whack »    Not working or operating properly.

out of whack »    Wrong, broken; specifically.

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 to lunch »    Away eating lunch or for a midday break; especially, away from work or a job.

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.

over and out »    Used to signal the end of a conversation, especially one conducted by CB radio or the like.

over and over »    Repeatedly; again and again; many times.

over one's head »    Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.

over the top »    Bold; beyond normal, expected, or reasonable limits; excessive; outrageous.

overkill »    A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.

pack away »    To store away, place out of the way, or stash, especially for the longer term.

packing heat »    Carrying one or more firearms on one's person, especially in a concealed manner.

paint the town red »    To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.

paint with a broad brush »    To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.

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 newspaper or anything used as such .

paper »    A sheet material used for writing on or printing on , usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.

paper »    A written document that reports scientific or academic research and is usually subjected to peer review before publication in a scientific journal or in the proceedings of a scientific or academic meeting .

paper »    A written document, generally shorter than a book , in particular one written for the Government.

paper »    Money.

paper »    Wallpaper.

paper »    Wrapping paper.

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.

pardon me »    Polite expression to get someone to repeat.

parking lot »    An open area, generally paved, where automobiles may be left when not in use.

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 pooper »    Someone who unnecessarily dampens fun.

pass muster »    To adequately pass a formal or informal inspection.

pass off »    To happen.

pass the hat »    To ask for money, especially from a group of people; to solicit donations or contributions.

patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels »    The appeal to patriotism is often used to distract the public from real issues.

pay for »    To exchange for, especially money for goods or services.

pay off »    To bribe, especially to deter oversight.

pay one's dues »    To acquire status or to earn the right to enjoy certain benefits, especially through lengthy experience, hardship, or service to an organization.

pay out »    To slacken a rope by lengthening it; to allow a rope to run out.

pay 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: I will get revenge when you least expect it.

pea patch »    A baseball field.

pea patch »    A realm of endeavor.

pea patch »    A small farm.

pea patch »    A small piece of land planted with peas.

peace and quiet »    Tranquility; freedom from stress or interruptions.

peaches and cream »    A very enjoyable experience.

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.

peanut gallery »    Any source of heckling, unwelcome commentary or criticism, especially from a know-it-all or of an inexpert nature.

pearl of wisdom »    A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.

peashooter »    A toy gun, consisting of a tube through which peas or small objects are blown.

peashooter »    Any small or ineffective gun.

pee off »    Euphemistic variant of piss off.

peed off »    Simple past tense and past participle of pee off.

peel grapes »    To perform a menial task, eliminating trivial inconveniences.

peel out »    To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.

peg it »    To run away; to leg it; to scarper.

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.

penalty box »    The penalty area.

pencil pusher »    One who does routine office work; someone involved mainly in paperwork.

pencil skirt »    clothing item

pencil whip »    To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.

pencil-neck »    A person with a very thin neck.

pencil-neck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

pencil-necked »    Having a very thin neck.

pencil-necked »    Insubstantial; weak.

pencilneck »    A person with a very thin neck.

pencilneck »    An insubstantial person; a weakling.

pendre la cr%C3%A9maill%C3%A8re »    To have a housewarming party.

penguin suit »    A tuxedo.

penny black »    old stamp

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.

per se »    by or in itself

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

peter out »    To dwindle; to trail off; to diminish to nothing.

petits pois »    small peas

pick of the litter »    The best person or item in a group.

pick up »    To collect an object, especially in passing.

pick up »    To improve, increase, or speed up.

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 speed »    accelerate

pick up the tab »    To accept a charge and pay for it, especially at a bar or restaurant.

pickin' and grinnin' »    Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.

pickle »    A difficult situation, peril.

pickle »    A penis.

piece of ass »    An act of intercourse, especially a one night stand.

piece of work »    A product or manufactured article, especially an item of art or craft.

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.

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.

pipe down »    To be quiet; to refrain from being noisy.

pipe dream »    A plan, desire, or idea that will not likely work; a near impossibility.

pipe dream »    fanciful hope

pipe up »    To speak up.

piss and moan »    To complain, especially needlessly and loudly.

piss and vinegar »    Exuberance or enthusiasm, especially to an excessive degree; bravado; youthful energy.

piss away »    To spend wastefully.

piss up a rope »    To engage in futile or impossible activity.

pissing contest »    A boys' prankish competition to determine who can urinate the furthest up a wall.

plan on »    To expect; to prepare future actions based on.

play ball »    To work together; to cooperate.

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 ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits ones purpose.

play hardball »    To act rough and ruthless, especially in politics or business.

play hardball »    To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.

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 one against another »    To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.

play possum »    To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.

play the field »    To date more than one person at the same time.

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 to the gallery »    To appeal to the least sophisticated parts of an audience in order to obtain maximum approval.

play up »    To make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely or obvious; to showcase or highlight.

plead the fifth »    To refuse to answer a question, or refuse to speak, especially when the response would reflect badly on the speaker.

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.

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.

pony in the barn »    An exciting and real prospect, something to be legitimately excited about.

pop out »    To leave a room or building with the expectation of returning soon.

pop up »    To appear without warning.

pop up »    appear suddenly

pope's nose »    The tail end piece of a cooked chicken.

popped the question »    proposed

potter's clay »    A person or people created and shaped by God.

potter's field »    A public place where strangers, paupers, and criminals are buried.

potty mouth »    The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities; a person having this characteristic.

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 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.

prawn cocktail offensive »    A strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance.

pre-war »    Describing the period before a war.

pre-war »    Describing the period before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

preach to the choir »    Speaking as if to convince a person or group of something which that person or group already believes.

press the flesh »    To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.

pretty penny »    A considerable amount of money; a high price or a high income.

pretzel »    A toasted bread or cracker usually in the shape of a loose knot.

prevail upon »    To convince; to persuade.

price on one's head »    A compensation for capturing or killing a person, especially someone guilty of a crime.

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.

prime of life »    The period of one's mature life when one is at a peak of health and performance.

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.

prop up the bar »    To spend time drinking alcohol at the bar in a pub.

proverbs come in pairs »    Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs.1979, Irving Howe, John Hollander, David Bromwich, Literature as Experience: An Anthology, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, ISBN 0155511130, page 325:Sometimes proverbs come in pairs, the first one providing the context, the second, the revision.

puddle jumper »    A small passenger airplane, typically used for shorter connecting trips to smaller airports.

pull apart »    To open something by pulling on various parts of it.

pull my finger »    A phrase used when playing a prank regarding flatulence, in which a mark is asked to pull the finger of the person playing the prank, who simultaneously flatulates so as to suggest a causal relationship between the pulling of the finger and the resulting expulsion of gas.

pull oneself together »    To become mentally focused after a period of being unfocused.

pull out »    To withdraw; especially of military forces; to retreat.

pull someone down a peg »    To lower someone's high self-opinion.

pull strings »    To manipulate, especially by asking favours of.

pull teeth »    To do something that is especially difficult or effortful.

pull the other leg »    In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe what another has just said.

pull up »    Drive close to something, especially a curb.

pump up »    To excite a person or group to a frenzy.

purple prose »    Extravagant or flowery writing, especially in a literary work.

push one's luck »    To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.

push the boat out »    To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a celebration.

push the envelope »    To go beyond established limits; to pioneer.

put a damper on »    To stop people from enjoying an activity.

put across »    To perform a theatrical production.

put aside »    To ignore or intentionally forget something, temporarily or permanently, so that more important things can have one's attention.

put by »    To perform an action without attracting attention.

put hair on somebody's chest »    To make a person stronger or more masculine.

put one past somebody »    To deceive, trick, or fool, especially by concealing something.

put one's foot in one's mouth »    To misspeak; to say something embarrassing or wrong.

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 something into perspective »    To compare with something similar to give a clearer, more accurate idea.

put the pedal to the metal »    To exert maximum effort.

put the pedal to the metal »    To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent.

put to the test »    To test something or someone; to evaluate, scrutinize or explore by testing or experimentation.

put up »    To present, especially in "put up a fight".

queer fish »    An odd or eccentric person.

queer one's pitch »    To make a task more difficult for the speaker.

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.

rag-chewing »    A phrase used by morse code operators for a longer than usual conversation, generally a conversation extending about 30 minutes.

rain cheque »    Any postponement, especially of an offer.

rain cheque »    Any voucher or note issued by a store to allow a customer to get a special or sale price later if an item is out of stock.

rainy day »    A difficult period of need, when things do not go right.

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 »    The sloped edge of a roof at or adjacent to the first or last rafter.

ramp up »    Of a project or operation, to start up.

rat race »    An activity or situation which is congested with participants and which is hectic or tedious, especially in the context of a busy, modern urban lifestyle.

rat run »    A small road that people venture down when they want to sneak off the motorway and take a short cut.

re run »    repeat

reach for the stars »    To have high hopes, to be ambitious.

read out »    To read something and say the words to inform other people.

read out »    To read some data and inform the person using the device.

read somebody's lips »    To discern what somebody is saying by watching the shape of the mouth rather than by hearing the sounds of the words.

real deal »    A thing or person which is genuine, authentic, or worthy of serious regard.

real job »    A hobby that takes all of a person's free time.

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.

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 light »    A warning light, especially as a traffic signal indicating ‘stop’..

red tape »    A derisive term for regulations or bureaucratic procedures that are considered excessive or excessively time- and effort-consuming.

rely on »    To be dependent upon.

rev up »    To increase the speed of an engine, especially that of a stationary motor car.

rex-pat »    A repeat expatriate, one who becomes ex-patriated a second time.

ridden hard and put away wet »    Mistreated; not properly cared for.

ride herd on »    To supervise a group of people, such as workers, and/or their actions, i.e. their work.

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 back »    Used in several informal constructions to indicate return -- especially imminent return to a point of origin.

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 make another phone call to the same person.

ring round »    To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something.

rip off »    To copy, especially illegally.

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.

roadwarrior »    A person who carries a mobile device such as a laptop or PDA and uses wireless internet connections to work.

roadwarrior »    Alternative spelling of road warrior.

rob Peter to pay Paul »    To solve a problem in a way that makes another problem worse.

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 up »    To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.

rocket scientist »    One specializing in the science or study of rockets and their design.

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.

rolling stone »    A person who moves around a lot and never settles down.

romper suit »    baby's outfit

ropable »    Alternative spelling of ropeable. Able to be roped.

rose-colored glasses »    An optimistic perception of something; a positive opinion; seeing something in a positive way, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.

rough sledding »    A difficult period of time.

round down »    To the greatest integer that is not greater than it, or to some other lower value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.

round of applause »    An outburst of clapping among a group or audience. Often asked for by the Master of Ceremonies at a concert or other performance.

round off »    To change the shape of an object to make it more circular.

round the clock »    Nonstop, 24 hours per day.

round up »    To the smallest integer that is not less than it, or to some other greater value, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.

rub 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.

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 with an iron fist »    To rule with absolute authority or to the detriment of the people. To rule tyrannically.

rules OK »    To be popularly accepted, or supported by the general majority of people.

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 mile »    To escape, flee or leave a situation or relationship, usually as a result of a shocking or sudden announcement or revelation.

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 »    escape

run away with »    To leave secretly with another person. Usually with the intention of getting married or of living together against the wishes of the family.

run by »    To repeat some information.

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 hard-fought competition or demanding challenge of any kind.

run in »    Alternative spelling of run-in.

run into the ground »    To wear out, especially through excessive use.

run off »    To operate by a particular energy source.

run off with »    To leave with someone with the intention of living with them or marrying them. Usually in secret because other people think it is wrong.

run on »    To 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 out »    Alternative spelling of runout.

run roughshod over »    To treat roughly or without care, respect, or moderation; to act without control; to damage.

run something up the flagpole »    To float an idea that one suspects might be controversial.

run through »    To repeat something.

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-of-the-mill »    Ordinary; not special.

runner up »    second-placed competitor

rush hour »    The times of the day when traffic jams are commonplace, due mainly to people commuting to or from work.

rush hour »    busy travel period

sacred cow »    Something which cannot be tampered with, or criticized, for fear of public outcry.

safe and sound »    Having come to no harm, especially after being exposed to danger.

salad years »    The inexperienced, youthful prime of an individual, group, organization or entity.

same old story »    What usually happens, a happening which is not surprising.

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.

scope out »    To examine; to scout; to investigate; to check out.

scrape off »    To remove something by a scraping action.

scrape the bottom of the barrel »    To use the least desirable parts of something.

scrape through »    To marginally manage to progress.

scrape together »    To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.

scream »    An entertaingly outrageous person.

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.

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 »    The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.

second fiddle »    A sidekick or subordinate, or the role of such a person.

second fiddle »    The person playing second fiddle.

second nature »    A mindset, skill, or type of behavior so ingrained through habit or practice that it seems natural, automatic, or without a basis in conscious thought.

see a man »    To take one's leave for some urgent purpose, especially to go to the bathroom.

see the light »    To gain an understanding of something previously not understood, especially in a sudden insight.

see you later »    A phrase used at parting, and not necessarily implying that the person being addressed will be seen later by the speaker.

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 ice to Eskimos »    To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

sell out »    To abandon one's supporters or principles to seek profit or other personal advantage.

sell-by date »    The final date on which a perishable product can be legally sold to the public.

send somebody packing »    To expel or eject somebody; to chase off or force out.

send up »    To make prices or temperatures etc. rise.

serpentine »    Having the shape or form of a snake.

serpentine »    Of, or having attributes associated with, the mythological serpent, such as craftiness or deceitfulness.

serpentine »    Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of snakes.

serpentine »    Sinuous; curving in alternate directions.

serve somebody right »    To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.

set aside »    To separate and reserve something for a specific purpose.

set down »    Simple sum of parts set + down, to place, especially on the ground or a surface; to cease carrying.

set for life »    Possessing sufficient resources, especially financial, to last a lifetime.

set in stone »    Permanent; certain; firm.

set of pipes »    A wind instrument incorporating multiple pipes, such as a panpipe or bagpipe.

set of pipes »    Voice for singing.

settle for »    To accept or allow something, especially something not entirely desirable.

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.

shack up »    To live together, especially of an unmarried couple.

shape up »    To improve; to correct one's bad habits or behavior.

shape up »    To take shape; to transform into or become.

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 happens »    Bad things happen, and there is nothing we can do about it.

shoot one's bolt »    To use up one's resources, especially a singular one or one not readily restored.

shoot oneself in the foot »    To deliberately sabotage an activity in order to avoid obligation, though it causes personal suffering. Origins in first world war trench warfare.

shoot the boots »    To kick swiftly and violently, especially in the groin.

shooting iron »    A firearm, especially a handgun.

short fuse »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

short of »    Insufficiently equipped with.

short strokes »    The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

short temper »    The personality trait of being quick to anger.

shotgun »    A 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.

show somebody the door »    To escort someone to the exit of the premises; to expel someone from a room, gathering, etc.

show the flag »    Of a naval vessel or military force, to identify itself by displaying the flag of its country of origin, especially in order to establish an authoritative presence and to exert diplomatic or political influence.

show the flag »    To display the flag of one's country, especially as an expression of patriotic pride.

show up »    To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically.

show up »    To outperform or one-up, often in an arrogant manner.

showstopper »    A performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive reaction strong enough to pause the production.

showstopper »    Any impediment that prevents all further progress.

shrinking violet »    A very shy person, who avoids contact with others if avoidable.

shroud »    A rope or cable serving to support the mast sideways.

shroud »    Especially, the dress for the dead; a winding sheet.

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.

shy bairns get noot »    (Geordie) Alternative spelling of shy bairns get nowt.

sick joke »    A joke which is in poor taste, especially one which depicts as amusing a situation which the listener considers to be tragic or disgusting.

silence is golden »    Peace and quiet have immense value.Often the best choice is to say nothing.

silver bullet »    Any straightforward solution perceived to have great effectiveness or bring miraculous results.

silver surfer »    An elderly person who regularly uses the Internet.

silver-tongue »    The trait of being clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.

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 soprano »    To perform vocal music in a higher pitch than alto.

sit out »    To escape a hold while face-down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.

sitting pretty »    In a favorable situation, especially a situation in which one possesses an advantage.

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 deep »    superficial

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.

slam dunk »    A task expected to present no difficulty.

sleep on »    To consider after a period of sleep, implying a decision will be made the next day.

sleep together »    To be intimate with another person in the same bed.

sleeping policeman »    A speed bump.

sleepy head »    A very tired person.

slip into something a little more comfortable »    To wear something suitable to be stripped off by a lover.

slip of the pen »    A mistake in handwriting.

slip of the tongue »    A mistake in speech.

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 crafty, or cunning that they cannot be caught by the police, although it is known that they are acting illegally.

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.

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 fry »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

small potatoes »    One or more persons or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

smart off »    To show disrespect verbally.

smell like a rose »    To be regarded as appealing, virtuous, or respectable; to be untainted or unharmed.

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 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 in the grass »    A treacherous person.

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.

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.

sniff out »    To find, especially to find something that cannot be seen.

snipe hunt »    A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.

snow job »    An attempt to persuade a person using flattery or deception.

snow on the mountaintop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

snow on the rooftop »    Gray or white hair on one's head, especially as an indication of aging.

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

so much as »    Even; suggests a minimum, especially regarding what might be expected.

soap opera »    TV series

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 mick »    An extravagant person.

soft shoe »    A kind of tap dancing performed in soft-soled shoes, popular in vaudeville.

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 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 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.

sort oneself out »    To organize or solve one's personal problems.

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 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 problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome.

spanner »    A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.

speak for »    To speak on somebody's behalf.

speak for »    To claim, reserve, or occupy.

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 of the devil and he appears »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

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 give evidence regarding something; to attest for.

speak to »    To address a particular topic.

speak to »    To resonate with, to strike a chord in.

speak up »    To talk more loudly or plainly.

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 »    A sporting activity which has a relatively high ratio of watchers to direct participants.

spectator sport »    An activity which consists of watching or observing.

spectator sport »    Something, especially a process or activity, which is a popular object of observation; an activity which a person prefers to watch rather than to participate in.

speed up »    To accelerate, to increase speed.

spell out »    From its component letters.

spend a penny »    To use the toilet.

spic and span »    Perfectly clean.

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.

spin a yarn »    To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.

spit it out »    To overcome reluctance to say something particular or to speak in general.

spit-and-polish »    Paying much attention to outward appearance.

spot check »    A cursory inspection or examination or the inspection or examination of a sample of something.

spring to mind »    To appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.

spruce up »    To refresh, revamp; to freshen or improve something, especially its appearance.

square meal »    A satisfying meal, especially suitable for one performing physical labor.

squaring the circle »    A hopeless or impossible task.

squeaky wheel gets the grease »    The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.

stand by »    To wait in expectation of some event; to make ready.

stand from under »    To escape something falling or being thrown from above.

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 the test of time »    To remain useful or valued over a long period of time; to last a long time.

start off on the wrong foot »    To begin badly; especially, to begin a relationship badly.

start up »    To begin to operate.

state of affairs »    A specific situation; a set of circumstances.

stave off »    To prevent something from happening; to obviate or avert.

stay the course »    To persist or continue.

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 up »    To increase speed or rate.

stepped down »    resigned

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.

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 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 it out »    To persist or continue.

stick out »    To persist. See stick it out.

stick with »    To continue or persist; to stick to.

stick-in-the-mud »    Alternative spelling of stick in the mud.

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 »    A petty thief or petty thieves.

stiff upper lip »    The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, associated with stereotypical British people.

still life »    type of painting

still water runs deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect

still waters run deep »    A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect.

stock phrase »    A phrase frequently or habitually used by a person or group, and thus associated with them.

stone's throw »    A short distance, roughly equivalent to how far a person can throw a stone.

stop press »    The event or news article important enough to delay or interrupt the print, or require a reprint, of a publication, particularly of a newspaper edition.

stop the lights »    An interjection expressing exasperation or incredulity. or to illustrate the humour in a situation.

stop the presses »    An imperative form used to introduce especially new, important, surprising, or recent developments.

stop up »    To fill a hole or cavity, or block an opening or passage, as with a plug.

stop up »    To increase the aperture of a photographic lens, moving from an f/stop represented by a higher number to an f/stop represented by a lower number and causing more light to pass into the camera.

straight face »    A face that is expressionless, especially not laughing.

straight man »    A member of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in preparatory dialog with the principal comedian; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.

straight out of the chute »    Something done immediately, or "from the beginning". Taken from rodeo routine: the bucking bronco, or bull, or the calf for the calf-roping contest is kept in a narrow pen, a chute, until it is released and dashes out to its fate.

strap on a pair »    To be brave; to show some courage, especially in a situation where one has so far failed to do so.

stretch one's legs »    To walk about, especially after prolonged time sitting or lying down.

string up »    To kill by hanging, especially to lynch.

string up »    To suspend by means of rope, cord or similar material.

strut one's stuff »    To behave, or to perform in a showy or ostentatious manner, especially in a way to impress others; to show off.

stumbing-block »    A hindrance, obstacle or impediment.

stumbling block »    A hindrance, obstacle or impediment.

stupid is as stupid does »    A person's intelligence may be judged by the wisdom of his or her actions.

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.

suffer fools gladly »    To be tolerant of stupidity or incompetence in other people.

sugarcoated »    Made superficially more attractive. This often implies the reality has faults that are being hidden.

summer and winter »    To spend extended periods of time with; to test.

supposed to »    Permitted.

sure enough »    Just like one would expect.

surprise surprise »    An indication that the unsurprising happened, especially contrary to someone's hopes or assertions.

swan song »    A final performance or accomplishment, especially one before retirement.

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.

sweat bullets »    To sweat profusely; especially, to be very nervous or anxious.

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.

switch on »    To change one's expression or appearance as if by turning a switch.

sword and sandal »    Of or pertaining to a genre of books or films relating fantasy-adventure tales involving heroic exploits in ancient or biblical times.

sword and sorcery »    Of or pertaining to a genre of narratives—including short stories, novels, television shows, films, and computer games—which combines wizardry and other fantastical supernatural elements with violent combat using medieval weaponry..

tag team »    Two or more people or groups acting alternately to accomplish some task.

tail between one's legs »    A reaction to a confrontation, specifically one with excessive shame and hurt pride.

take a bow »    To accept applause at the end of a performance in a theatre. Often this includes actually bowing to the audience.

take a 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 spin »    To go for a ride; especially, to try riding or driving something.

take after »    In appearance or habit.

take away »    To remove something, either material or abstract, so that a person no longer has it.

take away »    To make someone leave a place and go somewhere else. Usually not with the person's consent.

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 a peg »    Alternative form of pull down a peg.

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 liberties »    To behave disrespectfully, especially to make unwanted sexual advances.

take off »    To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.

take on »    To attempt to fight or compete.

take out »    Alternative spelling of takeout.

take out the trash »    To forcefully remove people from a place.

take over »    To assume control of something, especially by force; to usurp.

take over »    To appropriate something without permission.

take sides »    To ally oneself with a given opinion, agenda or group; to support one side or viewpoint in a competition or confrontation.

take someone's point »    To agree with what a person says; to understand a person's argument and be persuaded by it.

take someone's point »    To grasp the essential meaning of what a person is saying.

take something in stride »    To cope with something without much effort; to accept or manage something well.

take the cake »    To be especially good or outstanding.

take the fifth »    To decline to comment, especially on grounds that it might be incriminating.

take the rap »    To be blamed or punished for something, especially for the actions of another.

take the shadow for the substance »    To be easily deceived, credulous, superficial.

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 the cleaners »    To take a significant quantity of a person's money or valuables, through gambling, unfavorable investing, fraud, litigation, etc.

take up »    That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.

take up the cudgel for »    To make a defense for in lieu of another person.

take upon »    To take charge of an item of business, or an obligation, as a personal initiative.

talk a mile a minute »    To speak quickly or excessively.

talk back »    To reply impertinently; to answer in a cheeky manner.

talk dirty »    To use profane language, especially sexual vulgarities for the purpose of arousal.

talk down »    To speak condescendingly or as though the listener is inferior.

talk like an apothecary »    To use hard or gallipot words: from the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language.

talk of the devil »    Alternative form of speak of the devil.

talk of the town »    A subject discussed by many people.

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 the talk »    Speak like an expert, claim to be knowledgeable about something.

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.

tape off »    To cordon.

taper off »    To diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.

tar with the same brush »    To characterize using the same undesirable attribute, especially unjustly.

task force »    A group of people working towards a particular task, project, or activity, especially assigned in a particular capacity.

teacher's pet »    A student who is perceived to be favored by the teacher.

teacher's pet »    favourite pupil

tear up the pea patch »    To put on a notable performance, especially in sports; to go on a rampage.

teething troubles »    Small problems such as are to be expected with some any new and untried system or product.

tell off »    To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.

tell the truth »    To speak frankly.

tempest in a teapot »    A major fuss over a trivial matter.

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.

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 the way life is »    That is the way things happenCertain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything [1], page 279:That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption [2], ISBN 0310511011, page 45:There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, ISBN 059524050X, page 337:Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.

that's the way the ball bounces »    That is the way things happen

that's the way the cookie crumbles »    That is the way things happen; that's life.

that's the way the mop flops »    That is the way things happen.

the beast with two backs »    Two people engaged in sexual intercourse.

the bigger they are, the harder they fall »    The larger something is, the more disastrous and spectacular its downfall

the calm before the storm »    A period of peace before a disturbance or crisis; an unnatural or false calm before a storm.

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 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 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 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 man in the street »    average person

the more the merrier »    It is more fun with more people.

the more things change, the more they stay the same »    A proverb making the observation that turbulent changes do not affect reality on a deeper level other than to cement the status quo.

the nose knows »    Despite the addressee's belief that the speaker was unaware of something, the speaker, in fact, was already aware.

the pen is mightier than the sword »    More influence and power can be usurped by writing than by fighting.

the 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 upper hand »    An advantage or lead.

the whole world and his dog »    Everybody; too many people; a huge crowd.

the world is one's oyster »    All opportunities are open to someone, the world is theirs.

them's the breaks »    (idiomatic) That is the way things happen; that's life.

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 you go »    Expressing exasperation.

there you have it »    Used to introduce a speaker's interpretation of what has just transpired or been described.

there's no accounting for taste »    When it comes to subjective matters of taste, people have wildly different opinions.Disagreements about matters of taste can't be objectively resolved.

there's nowt so queer as folk »    Nothing is as strange as people can be.

there, there »    Conveys comfort; used to calm somebody urge somebody to relax, especially when the person is crying.

thin edge of the wedge »    Beginning; opening; precedent.

think better of it »    To change one's mind; especially to decide against.

think one's shit doesn't stink »    To be arrogant or snobbish; to feel superior to others.

think tank »    A group of which performs research and develops reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporations, interest groups, or government.

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.

thorn in the flesh »    A persistent difficulty or something very annoying that will not go away.

three Rs »    The basic education any child can expect to receive, but not necessarily limited to reading, writing and arithmetic.

three-martini lunch »    A leisurely, expensive, midday meal associated with drinking, which is tax-deductible because business is discussed.

three-on-the-tree »    On an automobile, describing the gearshift lever of a steering column-mounted three-speed manual transmission.

throw a spanner in the works »    To be a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.

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 accomplish or produce something in a grand, respectable, or successful manner; to "represent".

throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at [1] on 02 Nov 06,In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at [2] on 02 Nov 06,I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at [3] on 02 Nov 06,Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.

throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick »    Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at [1] on 02 Nov 06,Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at [2] on 02 Nov 06,Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at [3] on 02 Nov 06,I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at [4] on 02 Nov 06,Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at [5] on 02 Nov 06,As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at [6] on 02 Nov 06,They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn

throw in at the deep end »    To introduce a person to a new situation without adequately preparing him or her.

throw 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 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 discard; to dispense with something; to throw away.

throw out »    To dismiss or expel someone from any longer performing duty or attending somewhere.

throw shapes »    To act tough or put up a front. For example, to threaten a person by making "karate chops" at them, without actually doing harm or knowing karate.

throw somebody a curve »    To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.

throw 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.

throw under the bus »    To betray or blame; to use as a scapegoat.

throwing money away »    The act of spending money foolishly; wasting money without regard of the consequences.

thumb a ride »    To flag or signal a passing vehicle in hopes of securing passage.

thumb 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 someone's fancy »    To amuse, entertain, or appeal to someone; to stimulate someone's imagination in a favorable manner.

tide over »    To support or sustain someone, especially financially, for a limited period.

tie up »    To secure with rope, string, etc.

tiger team »    A specialized group tasked with testing the effectiveness of an organization's ability to protect assets by attempting to circumvent, defeat or otherwise thwart that organization's internal and external security.

tiger team »    An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.

tight lipped »    taciturn

tight lips »    Of a person, silence or reticence.

tight-lipped »    Having the lips pressed together.

tight-lipped »    Unwilling to divulge information.

tilt at windmills »    To go on a wild goose chase; to persistently engage in a futile activity.

time after time »    Again and again; repeatedly; every time; always.

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 is money »    When a person's time is not used productively; time is valuable and should not be wasted.

time off »    A period of time where one is not required to work.

time out »    To call for a suspension of activity or conversation.

timeserver »    A person who conforms to current opinions, especially for reasons of personal advantage; an opportunist.

tin ear »    Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.

tin god »    An individual that abuses or exceeds his authority over others, frequently in petty ways; for example a low-level manager in situational comedies and other entertainment.

tip 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.

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 the cat's whiskers »    To perform better than was generally supposed possible.

to each his own »    Every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences and tastes.

to give a person line »    To allow a person more or less liberty until it is convenient to stop or check him/her, like a hooked fish that swims away with the line.

to the point »    Relevant or pertinent; succinct; specific.

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.

tongue-tied »    Unable to speak; at a loss for words.

too many cooks spoil the broth »    If too many people try to take charge at a task, the end product might be ruined.

top dog »    In a competition, the one expected to win.

top of the line »    The best, fanciest, or highest quality, especially among selections in a product line.

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 of the tar brush »    Of South Asian or Afro-Caribbean in their background and/or in their appearance.

touch off »    To start; to cause, especially used for unstable situations that may magnify if disturbed.

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.

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.

track record »    An organization's, product's, or person's past performance reviewed in its entirety, usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

trailer park trash »    Lower-class people who live in trailer parks.

trash out »    To criticize the person spoken to in a rant.

tread lightly »    To proceed carefully; especially, to seek to avoid causing offense.

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 »    Inclined to behave recklessly, especially with machinery.

trip balls »    Experiencing severe drug-induced hallucinatory trip.

truth be told »    Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.

tuck into »    To eat, especially with gusto.

tune up »    To make adjustments to an engine in order to improve its performance.

tuppence worth »    One's opinion or thoughts.

tuppence worth »    Two pennys' worth.

turn a blind eye »    To ignore or deliberately overlook, especially with respect to something unpleasant or improper.

turn a trick »    To perform a sexual service for a customer.

turn the air blue »    To speak a stream of bad language; to curse and swear.

turn up »    To show up; to appear suddenly or unexpectedly.

turn up for the book »    A very unexpected, usually pleasant, surprise.

turn up one's nose »    To refuse, especially as due to pride or status.

turn-on »    Something that attracts, gives pleasure, or encourages, especially sexually.

twenty-twenty hindsight »    Perfect understanding of events only after they have happened.

twist in the wind »    To wait for an uncomfortably long period of time.

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 for two »    In baseball, meeting two out of two attempts at-bat. Specifically, it means the batter has reached base safely two out of two times.

two heads are better than one »    Some problems may be solved more easily by two (or more) people working together than by one working alone.

two left feet »    Exhibiting particular clumsiness, especially at dancing or at soccer.

two penn%E2%80%99orth »    One's opinion or thoughts.

two penn%E2%80%99orth »    Two pennys' worth.

two pennies' worth »    One's opinion or thoughts.

under a cloud »    Under suspicion; subject to critical inspection.

under a spell »    Bewitched, held by the power of a magical spell.

under lock and key »    Imprisoned with little or no chance of escape.

under one's belt »    Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

under the gun »    Under great pressure to perform.

under the microscope »    Under close scrutiny or examination.

under the table »    Secretly or without reporting, especially of payments made or business transacted.

under the weather »    Experiencing adversity.

under way »    In operation, in progress, commenced.

unring a bell »    To perform the impossible.

until one is blue in the face »    Forever; for a hopelessly 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 without a paddle »    In a difficult situation, without any help. Superlative form of up a creek: most up a creek.

up front »    Open, honest; tending to disclose information; truthful.

up one's alley »    Matching a person's interests or abilities well.

up the walls »    Very busy, swamped.

up to here »    Overwhelmed, busy, buried or swamped.

up to speed »    Fully informed; current.

upper crust »    The social elite.

upper crust »    The topmost layer of a bread, pastry dish, or other item with a hardened coating.

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 »    Death; or a place or period where death is impending.

valley of the shadow of death »    Valleys on earth one must walk through, that is, part of the human experience.

variable tandem repeat locus »    Any DNA sequence that exists in multiple copies strung together in various tandem lengths.

vertically challenged »    Of a person, short.

virgin territory »    By extension, ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.

virgin territory »    Land that has never been explored or developed.

vote out »    To expel the holder of an office or other position through an act of voting.

wade through »    To do a boring, repetitive research task.

wail on »    To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

wait for the other shoe to drop »    To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.

walk a tightrope »    To undertake a precarious course of action.

walk in on »    To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.

walk in the park »    Something easy or pleasant, especially by comparison to something.

walk in the snow »    An occasion when a momentous career decision is made, especially a decision to resign or retire.

walk 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 »    To leave suddenly, especially as a form of protest.

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 walk »    Act competently, like an expert.

wall to wall carpets »    floor coverings

waltz Matilda »    To travel with a swag; that is, with one's belongings wrapped in a cloth.

wank off »    To sexually stimulate another's penis.

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 out »    To lose traction while going around a turn, especially in cycling, motorsports and skiing/snowboarding.

wash over »    Of open water. To surge over the banks, or other retaining structure.

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.

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 out »    To be aware or conscious; to look closely or carefully; to use caution. Often used in the imperative.

water over the dam »    An event or set of events which has already happened and cannot be changed.

way out of a paper bag »    A minimal level of competence or effectiveness, as used in phrases where one is unable to perform such.

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 off »    To disappear because of being abraded, over-polished, or abused.

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.

wee small hours »    He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.

wee small hours »    The very early morning, just after midnight, when most people are asleep.

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 begun is half done »    Much depends on the beginning of an endeavor.

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.

whack-a-mole »    The practice of trying to stop something that persistently occurs in an apparently random manner at the point where the occurrence is noticed, such as terminating spammers' e-mail accounts or closing pop-up advertisement windows.

whale on »    To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »    Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.

what for »    An unspecified punishment or rebuke.

what goes around comes around »    The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle.A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person.

what it says on the tin »    Exactly what is described or what one would expect from the name.

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.

when it rains, it pours »    If a person encounters bad luck, more bad luck will follow.

when the cat's away »    People are likely to take advantage of the absence of authority or enforcement of compliance.

when, as, and if »    Used to indicate the timing and contingency of some obligation in contracts, especially financial.

whip up »    To produce something quickly, especially of a meal.

whipped cream »    dessert topping

whisper campaign »    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

whistle in the dark »    To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.

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.

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 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'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.

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.

win over »    To persuade someone, gain someone's support, or make someone understand the truth or validity of something.

wind back »    To wind a tape, cassette, or film, etc towards the beginning; to rewind.

wind back the clock »    Figuratively to return in time to an earlier period of history.

window dressing »    A means of creating a deceptively favourable impression of something or someone; something for appearance only.

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.

wipe away »    To remove or erase with a wiping motion.

wipe out »    To physically erase something written.

wipe out »    To crash, fall over.

wipe somebody's eye »    To defeat; to humiliate.

wipe the slate clean »    To forget about previous differences and disagreements, and make a fresh start.

with open arms »    With enthusiasm, as if embracing.

wits' end »    Limit of one's sanity or mental capacity; point of desperation.

wolf in sheep's clothing »    Something harmful or problematic disguised as something peaceful or pleasant.

wooden spoon »    An ironic prize for finishing last in a competition.

work against the clock »    To work very quickly because you know you only have a very limited period of time to do something.

work around the clock »    To work all day and all night without a break, because it is imperative to finish something.

work at »    To make a physical or mental effort to progress some specified task.

work like a charm »    works great - exactly as expected

work one's fingers to the bone »    Work especially hard, usually for an extended period.

work out »    To habitually exercise rigorously, especially by lifting weights, in order to increase strength or muscle mass or maintain fitness.

work out »    To do exercises, especially physical.

work over »    To improve a prototype, or first draft.

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 with one's audience, taking queues from its reactions and adapting one's performance or words to elicit the audience's attention and enthusiasm.

world »    A planet,especially one which is inhabited or inhabitable.

world »    An individual or group perspective or social setting.

world-beater »    Someone or something superior to all others of its sort.

worth every penny »    Completely worthwhile.

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.

wouldn't you know it »    Expresses dismay or annoyance, especially at bad luck or misfortune.

write off »    To record an expenditure as an expense.

write off »    To record an notional expense such as amortization or depreciation.

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.

yellow-bellied »    Pertaining to an animal or reptile that has a yellow belly.

yes man »    A person who always agrees with his employer or superior.

yes-man »    A person of unquestioning obedience.

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'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 teach an old dog new tricks »    It is impossible, or almost impossible, to change people's habits or traits or mindset.

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 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 pays your money and you takes your choice »    Each person should make their own decisions.

you shouldn't have »    Used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity, especially when receiving a gift.

your mileage may vary »    It may work differently in your situation, or be different in your experience.

yours sincerely »    A polite formula to end a letter, especially when the recipient’s name is known to the sender.

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