a miss is as good as a mile »
A failure remains a failure, regardless of how close to success one has actually come.
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abide by »
To remain faithful to something or someone; to stand to; to adhere.
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abide with »
To remain or live with someone.
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bits and bobs »
A random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and things.
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bitter end »
That part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains onboard when a ship is riding at anchor.
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boys will be boys »
It is hard, often fruitless, to attempt to curb the natural playfulness and tendency to mischief of most growing boys.1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule.Even grown men usually remain somewhat boyish in heart"Boys will be boys", grinned grandpa while he joined his adult son playing with the fancy train-set he gave his grandson for Christmas while the kid was in school.
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burn down »
To completely burn, so that nothing remains.
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collect dust »
To remain untouched and unused for a long period of time.
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dirty laundry »
Unflattering facts or questionable activities that one wants to remain secret, but which some other may use to blackmail with.
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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.
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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.
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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."
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have one's back to the wall »
To have no other options remaining.
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have one's wits about one »
To remain calm, composed, or aware.
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head scratcher »
July 2002, Fox News - Attorney: Williams' Kids Near Compromise About Father's Remains.
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hold with the hare and run with the hounds »
To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy.
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keep a weather eye open »
To maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.
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keep on »
To remain in an existing position.
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keep one's cool »
To remain composed, calm, and even-tempered, especially in a provocative situation.
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keep one's pecker up »
Remain cheerful; keep smiling.
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keep quiet »
Remain silent.
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keep up »
To ensure that one remains well-informed about something.
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keep up with »
To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.
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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.
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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.
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last resort »
The only remaining, unwanted, option or choice.
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lay low »
To remain hidden or to hide oneself.
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mind the store »
To remain present in a retail business, in order to maintain the security of the premises and to serve customers.
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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.
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nighthawk »
A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the night and the early morning hours.
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not long for this world »
Unlikely to remain for much time.
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on the clock »
In the official time remaining in a game or other sporting event.
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play possum »
To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.
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remains to be seen »
Is not yet known.
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rip to shreds »
To rip up, so that only shreds remain.
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sit on the fence »
To remain neutral on a certain topic, to not have a stance or opinion.
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sit still »
To remain motionless.
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sort out »
To separate from the remainder of a group; often construed with from.
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stand by »
To remain loyal or faithful.
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stand one's ground »
To maintain or stick by an opinion or position; to remain resolute in the face of opposition.
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stand the test of time »
To remain useful or valued over a long period of time; to last a long time.
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stay put »
To remain in one fixed place.
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stay up »
To remain awake, to not go to bed.
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stick around »
To stay; to linger; to remain.
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stick with »
To remain close by.
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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.
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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.
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window dressing »
These latest modifications are mere window dressing, the same problems remain.
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winter rat »
An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.
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