a fool and his money are soon parted »
It is easy to get money from foolish people, especially rich ones.
|
a good beginning makes a good ending »
Good beginnings promise a good end; start off on a good note to reap the benefits at the end.
|
a little bird told me »
Of information which was gathered from a source not to be overtly exposed.
|
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!
|
above the law »
Exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else.
|
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.
|
act out »
To go through the process of a scene from a play, a charade or a pointless exercise.
|
against the grain »
Contrary to what is expected; especially, of behavior different from what society expects.
|
all eyes »
Having prominent eyes.
|
all roads lead to Rome »
different paths can take one to the same goal
|
all talk and no action »
Speaking, promising, or boasting much, but doing little
|
am I right or am I right »
Rhetorical question from somebody who has stated what they consider to be an unassailable truth.
|
an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with terms so attractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
|
an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with the results of failing to accept so unattractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
|
any way one slices it »
From any perspective; in every case.
|
apple does not fall far from the stem »
Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.
|
apple does not fall far from the tree »
A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, both in behavior and in physical characteristics.1842, E. A. Freidlaender (translator), Frederika Bremer (author), The Neighbours, ch. 10:It is impossible to look at Madam Rhen, without at once making the conclusion that she is pleasantness, hospitality, and loquacity itself; nor can one look upon her daughter Renetta without thinking, "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"1978, Dr. Isador Rosenfeld, "Doctor Asks Patient
|
apple does not fall far from the trunk »
Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.
|
apple never falls far from the tree »
Alternative form of apple does not fall far from the tree.
|
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.
|
as good as one's word »
Faithful to a promise one has made.
|
as of »
From, on or at a specified time.
|
at arm's length »
At a distance, away from one's body.
|
back off »
To move backwards away from something.
|
back office »
The IT and infrastructure support services for a company, separate from the public face of the business.
|
back onto »
To overlook something from the rear.
|
back out »
To withdraw from something one has promised to do.
|
back out »
To reverse a vehicle from a confined space.
|
back up »
To provide support or the promise of support.
|
badge bunny »
A woman who is romantically attracted to police officers and who seeks out their companionship.
|
bail out »
To remove water from a boat by scooping it out.
|
barrel »
A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is discharged.
|
be off »
To be away from.
|
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.
|
bear down »
To approach another vessel from windward.
|
beat up »
To get something done, derived from the idea of beating for game.
|
beauty sleep »
C. 1900, Ralph Connor, The Man From Glengarry, ch. 23.
|
bench jockey »
A baseball term for a player, coach or manager who is annoying and distracts opposition players and umpires from his team's dugout bench with verbal repartee.
|
bird's-eye view »
The view from directly or high above.
|
bite one's tongue »
To forcibly prevent oneself from uttering a word.
|
black magic »
Magic derived from evil forces, as distinct from good or benign forces; or magic performed with the intention of doing harm.
|
blame Canada »
A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a serious social issue by laying responsibility with Canada.
|
blind date »
A romantic meeting between two people who have never met before.
|
blow chunks »
To suffer from explosive diarrhea.
|
blow this pop stand »
To exit or remove oneself from a less than exciting location or environment.
|
board up »
To block doors or windows with boards, either to prevent access or as protection from storms, etc.
|
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »
Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.
|
bottle out »
To fail to perform a promised or planned action due to lack of courage.
|
bottoming the house »
The process by where someone cleans their house 'from top to bottom'. It is a very thorough clean indeed, even more so than 'spring cleaning'.
|
bounce back »
To recover from a negative without seemingly any damage.
|
box the compass »
To know, and be able to recite the 32 points and quarter points of the magnetic compass from North, both clockwise and anticlockwise.
|
brass ring »
Figuratively, a prize or goal. Often used with respect to employment goals e.g. promotion, better job, etc.
|
break off »
To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping.
|
break out »
To separate from a bundle.
|
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 »
The piece, on string instruments, that supports the strings from the sounding board.
|
bring back »
To cause someone to remember something from the past.
|
bring up »
To bring from a lower position to a higher position.
|
brown bread »
Bread with a brown colour as distinct from white bread, wholemeal, granary or other specific types of bread.
|
brown power »
The production of electricity made from conventional sources, such as coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power.
|
bulletproof »
Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.
|
bump up »
To promote a person to a higher grade.
|
bump up »
To give a more prominent place to; to advance position in queue.
|
bunny hop »
A dance from the big band era, a variation of the conga.
|
burn rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
butt heads »
To argue uncompromisingly with someone.
|
buzz up »
To allow entrance into a building from a higher floor by triggering an electronic lock.
|
by oneself »
Alone; without assistance, accompaniment, or help from others.
|
cake crumbs »
Crumbs from a cake.
|
call in »
To withdraw something from sale or circulation.
|
call off the dogs »
During a one-sided sports contest, to remove the first-string unit of a team from the game after dominating the opponent.
|
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.
|
cash in »
To profit from; to use an opportunity to maximum advantage, especially financially.
|
cast off »
To finish the last row of knitted stitches and remove them securely from the needle.
|
catmeat »
Meat from a cat.
|
change one's mind »
To convince someone to make a decision differing from what a previous one.
|
chase after »
To pursue someone with romantic intentions; to woo.
|
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 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.
|
cheaters never prosper »
One does not gain from cheating.
|
check out »
To pay the bill, and record one's departure, as from a hotel.
|
check out »
To withdraw an item, as from a library, and have the withdrawal recorded.
|
check out »
To obtain computer source code from a repository.
|
cherry pick »
To select only the best from a range of options.
|
cherry picking »
Selecting only the best from a group or other range of choices.
|
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.
|
chicken out »
To shy away from a daring task; to decline, refuse, or avoid something due to fear or uncertainty.
|
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.
|
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.
|
clean out »
To empty completely; to remove all money or possessions from.
|
come a cropper »
To fall headlong from a horse.
|
come about »
To tack; to change tack; to maneuver the bow of a sailing vessel across the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other; to position a boat with respect to the wind after tacking.
|
come down »
To recover from drug-induced euphoria.
|
come through »
Not to let somebody down, keep one's promise.
|
company »
As he had worked for the CIA for over 30 years, he would soon take retirement from the company.
|
cordon off »
To protect from intrusion by enclosing in a rope barrier.
|
coug it »
To suddenly lose a contest through reversal of fortune, mistakes, or bad judgment. The phrase is analogous to "blow it", or "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory".
|
cough up »
To expel from the lungs, throat, etc. by coughing.
|
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.
|
creature feature »
A horror film in which one or more monsters plays a prominent role.
|
cross the aisle »
Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.
|
cross the floor »
Of a member of a parliament, to resign from one's political party and join another party, resulting in moving from one's currently assigned desk or seat in the legislative chamber to a new desk or seat physically located with the other members of one's new party.
|
cut it out »
To stop; refrain from; halt.
|
cut off »
To isolate or remove from contact.
|
dawn of a new day »
A new beginning; a fresh start; an important, promising turning point.
|
dead duck »
A project that is doomed to failure from the start.
|
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.
|
deep-six »
To throw something overboard from a ship.
|
deliver the goods »
To keep one's promises.
|
devil's advocate »
One who debates from a view which they may not actually hold, usually to determine its validity, or simply for the sake of argument.
|
die »
Followed by from. General use, though somewhat more common in medical or scientific contexts.
|
discretion is the better part of valour »
It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave speech or action.1597
|
dishpan hands »
Hands which are rough, reddish, and dry, as from irritation and chafing caused by immersion in hot water mixed with detergent.
|
do one »
To depart from a place, often with a sense of urgency.
|
don't give up your day job »
Implying that they could not earn a living from it without other regular employment.
|
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.
|
down the road, not across the street »
Along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.
|
draw back »
To retreat from a position.
|
draw back »
To withdraw from an undertaking.
|
draw out »
To physically extract, as blood from a vein.
|
drink from a firehose »
To take a small amount from an enormous, hard-to-manage quantity.
|
drop a bomb »
To release faeces from the bowels; to excrete.
|
drop back »
Of a quarterback or other player in the backfield, to take a number of steps back from the line of scrimmage immediately after the snap or hike of the ball, to avoid defenders.
|
dummy out »
From a video game in the process of localizing that game from a foreign country.
|
dust off »
To remove dust from something.
|
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.
|
early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise »
platitude from Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym Poor Richard.
|
easy street »
A carefree situation or lifestyle, especially as resulting from possession of wealth.
|
empty promise »
A promise that is either not going to be carried out, worthless or meaningless.
|
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 Jack has his Jill »
everybody will find someone to have a romantic relationship with at some point in their life
|
experience is the best teacher »
Lessons learned from experience are the most lasting.
|
factor space »
A space obtained from another by identification of points that are equivalent to one another in some equivalence relation.
|
fade out »
A type of transition used in movies usually at the end of a scene, in which the transition fades to black from the cut.
|
fail over »
To automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.
|
fall off »
To become detached or to drop from.
|
fall on one's sword »
To resign from a job or other position of responsibility, especially when pressured to do so.
|
fall over »
To fall from an upright or standing position to a horizontal or prone position.
|
far be it »
Pewtey in Marriage Guidance Counselor from And Now For Something Completely Different.
|
fat lip »
A swelling on the lip, especially one resulting from a punch or other blow.
|
feed out of »
To feed from.
|
field day »
A day of class taken away from school for a field trip.
|
film out »
To transfer images or animation from videotape or digital files to a traditional celluloid film print.
|
fire-breathing »
That emits flame from the mouth or nostrils.
|
flesh out »
To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.
|
fly the coop »
To escape from a pen or similar enclosure.
|
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.
|
from A to Z »
Covering a complete range; comprehensively.
|
from cover to cover »
All the way to the last page.
|
from here to Sunday »
Everywhere; all over the place.
|
from here to ya-ya »
A very long distance.
|
from my cold, dead hands »
A statement that something will not be taken away from you until the day you die.
|
from pillar to post »
To another; hither and thither, to and fro.
|
from scratch »
From the beginning; starting with no advantage or prior preparation; starting from raw ingredients.
|
from soup to nuts »
From beginning to end; throughout.
|
from soup to nuts »
From the first course of a meal to the last.
|
from the bottom of one's heart »
In earnest; sincerely; with one's full feeling.
|
from the Department of the Bleeding Obvious »
So obvious it was unnecessary to say.
|
from the get-go »
From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.
|
from the ground up »
From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals.
|
from the word go »
From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.
|
from time to time »
C. 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 3, sc. 3.
|
from time to time »
Occasionally; sometimes; once in a while.
|
fruit of the poisonous tree »
And which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.
|
fruit of the union »
A child, especially from a marriage or similar union.
|
gapers' block »
A traffic jam resulting from motorists slowing to look at a motor vehicle collision or other roadside distraction.
|
get a rise out of »
To obtain a reaction from someone, especially one of annoyance.
|
get better »
To recover from an illness.
|
get off »
To disembark from mass transportation, such as a bus or train.
|
get off »
To move from being on top of to not being on top of it.
|
get over »
To recover from something.
|
get the boot »
To be dismissed from employment.
|
get the chop »
To be dismissed from employment.
|
get the chop »
To be eliminated from a competition in a reality television program.
|
give and take »
A process of compromise or accommodation.
|
give somebody the slip »
To evade, escape, or get away from somebody.
|
go back on »
To fail to keep; to renege on; as, to go back on one's promises.
|
go back to the drawing board »
To start again; to scrap a previous idea or plan and try again from the beginning.
|
go down »
To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.
|
go down »
To decrease; to change from a greater value to a lesser one.
|
go from strength to strength »
To continue to get stronger[1].
|
go from zero to hero »
To become very popular after being unpopular.
|
go from zero to hero »
To change from negative outcome to positive outcome. To improve one's fortunes significantly.
|
go out with »
Date, be involved in a romantic relationship with.
|
go to seed »
To pass from flowering or ripening to the formation of seeds.
|
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.
|
gongoozle »
To leisurely watch the passage of boats, from the bank of a canal, lock or bridge.
|
great oaks from little acorns grow »
Alternative form of mighty oaks from little acorns grow.
|
hand down »
To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor.
|
hard hitting »
uncompromising
|
haul off »
To alter course so as to get farther away from an object.
|
head scratcher »
July 2002, Fox News - Attorney: Williams' Kids Near Compromise About Father's Remains.
|
head-on »
Of a collision, from the front or in the direction of motion.
|
heart of glass »
A very fragile romantic state.
|
here and there »
From time to time.
|
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.
|
hindsight is 20/20 »
(idiomatic) In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time of the choice.
|
his back is up »
He is offended or angry; an expression or idea taken from a cat; that animal, when angry, always raising its back. An allusion also sometimes used to jeer a crooked man.
|
hit on »
To flirt with; to approach and speak to (someone), seeking romance, love, sex, etc.
|
hit the headlines »
To appear prominently in the news, especially on the front page.
|
hold over »
Something left from an earlier time.
|
hold that thought »
Used to acknowledge that one's attention needs to be diverted from what an speaker was saying.
|
hold up one's end »
To hold up one's end of the bargain; to fulfill one's promise or obligation.
|
home away from home »
A place in which one is as comfortable as one's actual home.
|
hoover up »
Quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from the plate rather than using cutlery.
|
horse sense »
Common sense, especially with a connotation of folk wisdom independent from, and trumping, formal education.
|
hospital pass »
Exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital.
|
humble pie »
A pie made from the offal of deer or hog.
|
in fact »
Resulting from the actions of parties.
|
in for an inch, in for a mile »
Given that one is partly involved in or committed to a project, action, position, etc., there is no reason to refrain from becoming fully involved or fully committed.
|
in the light of »
In the illumination from.
|
in the limelight »
In the focus of attention, especially from the media.
|
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.
|
jack of all trades, master of none »
A master of integration, who knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring their disciplines together in a practical manner; a polymath; a renaissance man.
|
jet setting »
The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.
|
jet-setting »
The actions of the jet set; travelling from one fashionable location to another by jet.
|
jump »
To employ a move in certain board games where one game piece is moved from one legal position to another passing over the position of another piece.
|
jump about »
To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.
|
jump around »
To move from side to side, or fidget annoyingly. Usually as a result of being nervous.
|
jump off »
To move from an elevated place by one jump.
|
jump on the bandwagon »
To profit from a craze; to join a trend.
|
jump ship »
To part from a ship.
|
jump up »
To move from one position to a higher position by one jump.
|
keep away from »
To avoid.
|
keep away from »
To evade.
|
keep away from »
To deny access to.
|
keep from »
To prevent or restrain ; refrain or cause refrain.
|
keep from »
To protect or preserve from.
|
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 mouth shut »
To keep a secret; to refrain from speaking indiscreetly or carelessly.
|
keep oneself to oneself »
To be introverted; to stay away from others.
|
keep out »
To refrain from entering a place or condition.
|
keep out »
To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.
|
keep out of »
To stay away from a place or condition.
|
keep out of »
To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.
|
keep quiet »
To refrain from talking about something; to keep a secret.
|
keep the wolf from the door »
To delay sexual ejaculation.
|
keep the wolf from the door »
To ward off poverty or hunger.
|
keep up »
To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating.
|
keep up with »
To manage to remain beside or just behind that is moving away from one.
|
kettle of fish »
A situation which is recognized as different from or as an alternative to some other situation, and which is not necessarily unfavorable.
|
kick off the team »
In sports, to dismiss an athlete from a team, usually for misconduct, poor academic performance or other offenses.
|
kick the habit »
To recover from or quit an addiction or habit. For example, to quit smoking, drinking, burping, or drug addiction.
|
kill the rabbit »
To get a positive test result from an old-fashioned pregnancy test.
|
knock down »
Sold with a blow from the gavel.
|
lay down the law »
To promulgate law.
|
lay off »
From employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance package.
|
lay rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
lead a charmed life »
To always be lucky and safe from danger.
|
leather working »
The technology of making products from leather.
|
legal duty »
A duty prescribed by the law, to act or forbear from acting.
|
lemonize »
To damage something and then deny or be aloof from the damage.
|
let go »
To dismiss from employment.
|
lick one's chops »
To use one's tongue to remove moistness from the sides of one's mouth, as when salivating or at the conclusion of a meal.
|
lick one's wounds »
To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat.
|
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.
|
log off »
To depart from conversation; to say goodbye.
|
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 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 no hear »
I haven't heard from you for a long time.
|
long ways, long lies »
Someone who comes back from a far-off country can tell lies without fear of being contradicted.
|
look off »
To mislead by directing one's apparent attention away from one's true object of intent.
|
look out »
To look from within to the outside.
|
look to »
To seek inspiration or advice from someone.
|
look up »
To obtain information about something from a text source.
|
loom large »
be prominent
|
make a point »
To argue or promote an idea.
|
make the most of »
To profit as much as possible from.
|
managerial inbreeding »
Bad management, caused by managers making poor selection choices in recruitment, rewards, and promotions of the staff that report to them, leading to another generation of managers who lack the necessary skill sets to reward and promote the most effective staff.
|
middle ground »
A compromise position between extremes.
|
mighty oaks from little acorns grow »
Something great can come from a modest beginning.Don't give up on the project - mighty oaks from little acorns grow!
|
money can't buy happiness »
Money can buy external things, but true happiness comes from inside.
|
muck out »
To clean the excrement and other rubbish from the area where an animal is kept, such as a horse stable or a dog kennel.
|
ne'er cast a clout til May be out »
Advice not to change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.
|
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.
|
nice guy »
An adult male who seeks sexual attraction and romantic intimacy, but only finds cordial friendship and platonic love.
|
nip and tuck »
So evenly matched that the advantage shifts from one to the other, and the outcome is uncertain.
|
nip in the bud »
To remove a bud from a plant to prevent flower and fruit from forming.
|
nose-pick »
To pick boogers from the nose.
|
not a pretty sight »
Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.
|
not a sausage »
John: Do you know how I get to the town center from here?.
|
object lesson »
Anything used an example or lesson which serves to warn others as to the outcomes that result from a particular action or behavior, as exemplified by the fates of those who followed that course.
|
off the back foot »
From a defensive position.
|
off the bat »
From the start; immediately; right away.
|
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 wagon »
No longer maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from an undesirable habit, especially drinking alcohol.
|
off-the-cuff »
Extemporaneous; without prior preparation; impromptu.
|
on the make »
Actively seeking a romantic encounter or relationship.
|
on the mend »
Healing or recovering, as from an injury or illness.
|
on the other hand »
From another point of view.
|
on the plus side »
Positively; from a favorable view or perspective.
|
on the right track »
Using the correct general approach to a particular task or problem; pursuing something in a promising way.
|
on the run »
Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.
|
on the wagon »
By extension, maintaining a program of self-improvement or abstinence from some other undesirable habit.
|
on the whole »
For the most part; apart from some insignificant details.
|
on track »
On a well-defined promotion path in an organisation, usually tenure.
|
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.
|
orange up »
To make more prominent by making orange or adding orange colour.
|
out of the box »
Immediately, without intervention from the customer.
|
out of the frying pan, into the fire »
From an already bad situation to a worse one.
|
out of the mouths of babes »
The greatest wisdom comes from children, who are not afraid or weary of the world and its pressures.
|
out of thin air »
From non-existent resources.
|
out to lunch »
Away eating lunch or for a midday break; especially, away from work or a job.
|
paper »
A sheet material used for writing on or printing on , usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.
|
parade of horribles »
A rhetorical device employing a series of progressively more terrible results following from an act.
|
pass the buck »
To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.
|
pass the hat »
To ask for money, especially from a group of people; to solicit donations or contributions.
|
patience of Job »
From the Bible, James Ch.5 V.11.
|
patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels »
The appeal to patriotism is often used to distract the public from real issues.
|
peace and quiet »
Tranquility; freedom from stress or interruptions.
|
peanut gallery »
Any source of heckling, unwelcome commentary or criticism, especially from a know-it-all or of an inexpert nature.
|
peel out »
To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.
|
pick somebody's brain »
To seek information from someone knowledgeable; to ask questions of someone.
|
pick up »
To meet and seduce somebody for romantic purposes, especially in a social situation, sometimes used with "on".
|
piffy on a rock bun »
A person ignored or sidelined from an activity.
|
pipe down »
To be quiet; to refrain from being noisy.
|
play hookey »
To be absent without permission, especially from school.
|
play it by ear »
To play a song according to how it sounds, rather than from a written score.
|
plead the fifth »
To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.
|
pop in »
To visit in an impromptu manner.
|
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.
|
pull oneself up by one's bootstraps »
To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only on one's own effort or abilities.
|
pull out »
To remove something from a container.
|
pull out »
To maneuver a vehicle from the side of a road onto the lane.
|
pull the plug »
To cease from production or publication.
|
punch bowl waterfall »
A plunging waterfall descending from a narrow stream into a pool.
|
put a damper on »
To stop people from enjoying an activity.
|
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 someone down as »
To assume someone has a particular character from very little information.
|
put the bee on »
To beg; to borrow money from.
|
put up or shut up »
Desist from saying something unless one is able to prove it.
|
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.
|
rags to riches »
In a biographical context, from poverty to exceptional wealth.
|
redolent »
Fragrant or aromatic; having a sweet scent.
|
ring out »
To make a phone call from an internal phone system to a general telephone network number.
|
rise from the ashes »
To make a comeback after a long hiatus. To come back into common use or practice. To come back into popularity. To come back to being a thing of today.
|
rob the cradle »
To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.
|
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.
|
Rome wasn't built in a day »
It takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive.
|
romper suit »
baby's outfit
|
rule out »
To reject an option from a list of possibilities.
|
rumor mill »
A group or network of persons who originate or promulgate gossip and other unsubstantiated claims.
|
run somebody ragged »
To exhaust; to demand excessive effort or work from somebody.
|
rush hour »
The times of the day when traffic jams are commonplace, due mainly to people commuting to or from work.
|
sack out »
To fall asleep, usually from implied exhaustion.
|
sacked out »
Sound asleep, usually from a healthy exhaustion.
|
say goodbye »
To separate from someone.
|
scrape together »
To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.
|
screen out »
To use a screen, grate, sieve or similar means to separate large from small objects or particles.
|
second childhood »
A childlike state in any adult, resulting from mental illness, trauma, or other conditions.
|
second-guess »
Presumably from trying to guess with second sight.
|
second-guess »
Presumably from trying to improve with a second stab.
|
see red »
To receive a red card, and be dismissed from the playing field.
|
see the forest for the trees »
To discern an overall pattern from a mass of detail; to see the bigger picture, or the broader, more general situation. Generally used in the negative.
|
sell »
To promote a particular viewpoint; to manipulate towards a desired end.
|
sell wolf tickets »
To make empty threats or promises; to bluff.
|
send away »
To dismiss from one's presence.
|
separate the wheat from the chaff »
To select only that which is of value.
|
set back »
To remove from or allow distance.
|
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.
|
shift gears »
To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.
|
shitstorm »
Considerable backlash from the public.
|
shotgun »
A gun which fires loads consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.
|
show somebody the door »
To escort someone to the exit of the premises; to expel someone from a room, gathering, etc.
|
shrouded »
Concealed or hidden from sight, as if by a shroud.
|
sigh of relief »
A reassurance or support, something that reduces stress from an arduous activity.
|
since when »
From what time.
|
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.
|
singing from the same hymnbook »
Present participle of sing from the same hymnbook.
|
skin and bones »
Said of one who is emaciated; very skinny, as from lack of nutrition.
|
sleeves from one's vest »
Something non-existent; something of no value or cost.
|
snappy comeback »
A prompt, clever retort.
|
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.
|
social death »
The alienation of certain people from society to the point of being forgotten, excluded, or ignored in society.
|
sort out »
To separate from the remainder of a group; often construed with from.
|
speak out »
To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known.
|
spell out »
From its component letters.
|
spill one's seed »
To masturbate or to ejaculate when the penis has been withdrawn from one's partner.
|
split up »
Cease to be together, break apart from the group.
|
stand back »
To maintain a safe distance from a hazard.
|
stand back »
To abstain from participation.
|
stand back »
To stand a long way behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a fast bowler.
|
stand from under »
To escape something falling or being thrown from above.
|
stand in someone's shoes »
To see from another's point of view; to feel what another feels.
|
stand off »
To prevent any would-be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture.
|
stand on end »
To stand erect, bristle, especially from fear.
|
stand up »
To rise from a lying or sitting position.
|
stand up »
To stand immediately behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a slow or spin bowler, and to attempt to stump the batsman.
|
stars in one's eyes »
The state of being overly or extremely impressed with something; enchanted with romance.
|
stave in »
To stave from the outside, to crush inward, to cause to collapse inward.
|
stave off »
To prevent something from happening; to obviate or avert.
|
steal somebody's thunder »
To detract from somebody's accomplishments or glory; to undermine.
|
step down »
To resign from office.
|
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 out »
To date, to be in a romantic relationship.
|
stick out »
To be prominent, noticeable, or obtrusive.
|
stop someone in his tracks »
To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.
|
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 from the horse's mouth »
Directly from the source; firsthand.
|
straight from the shoulder »
Done in a direct manner; blunt.
|
straight out of the chute »
Something done immediately, or "from the beginning". Taken from rodeo routine: the bucking bronco, or bull, or the calf for the calf-roping contest is kept in a narrow pen, a chute, until it is released and dashes out to its fate.
|
straighten out »
To eliminate confusion from or concerning.
|
strike while the iron is hot »
To act on an opportunity promptly; to avoid waiting.
|
strip down »
To remove inessentials from.
|
strip off »
To remove anything by stripping, e.g. items of clothing or paint from the side of a ship.
|
stuffed like a turkey »
Engorged from overeating.
|
suck hind tit »
To feed from an inferior source of food.
|
swear off »
To quit or cease completely, or to promise to quit, as of a bad habit.
|
swear on a stack of Bibles »
To make a promise or give one's assurance with great conviction.
|
sweat »
Fluid that exits the body through pores in the skin usually due to physical stress and/or high temperature for the purpose of regulating body temperature and removing certain compounds from the circulation.
|
sweep someone off their feet »
To seduce someone romantically.
|
take against »
He took against me when I was promoted over him.
|
take apart »
To move someone away from others to be able to talk to, or give them something in private.
|
take away »
To prevent, or limit, someone from being somewhere, or from doing something.
|
take away from »
To make something seem not so good or interesting.
|
take down »
To remove something from a wall or similar vertical surface to which it is fixed.
|
take down »
To remove something from a hanging position.
|
take five »
To take a five-minute break from some activity, take a short break from some activity.
|
take it from me »
Believe me, rest assured.
|
take off »
To absent oneself from work or other responsibility, especially with permission.
|
take out the trash »
To forcefully remove people from a place.
|
take out the trash »
To remove rubbish from a place.
|
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.
|
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.
|
the apple doesn't fall far from the tree »
A child grows up to be very similar to its parents in the way they act and in their physical abilities.
|
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."
|
then again »
From another point of view; on the other hand; on second thought.
|
there is nothing new under the sun »
There is nothing truly novel in existence. Every new idea has some sort of precedent or echo from the past.
|
throw a sickie »
To take a day off from work, supposedly because of ill health. The illness could be either real or feigned.
|
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 out »
To dismiss or expel someone from any longer performing duty or attending somewhere.
|
tickle the ivories »
I don't have as much time as I'd like, but I still enjoy tickling the ivories from time to time.
|
to go »
Served in a package or takeout container so as to be taken away from a restaurant rather than eaten on the premises.
|
toot one's own horn »
To promote oneself; to boast or brag; to tout.
|
touch with a barge pole »
Get romantically involved with.
|
trailer trash »
Deleted from the movie trailer. Not included in theatrical run.
|
trick of the trade »
A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.
|
trump up »
Heavily publicise, promote or market a product.
|
tune out »
To change the channel or frequency away from.
|
turn away »
To bend or turn from a fixed course.
|
two-second rule »
A rule of thumb for safe driving by which a driver must maintain a two-second distance from the vehicle in front.
|
under the weather »
Somewhat intoxicated or suffering from a hangover.
|
walk away from »
To abandon or leave; to shun.
|
walk the plank »
To be forced to resign from a position in an organization.
|
walk the talk »
To do what one said one could do, or would do, not just making empty promises. To walk one's talk is to be innocent of hypocrisy.
|
wash down »
To wash something completely from top to bottom.
|
washed out »
Of clothes. When they lose some of their original colour from being washed so often.
|
weed out »
To remove unwanted elements from a group.
|
what it says on the tin »
Exactly what is described or what one would expect from the name.
|
when in Rome »
Adjust to local customs.
|
when in Rome, do as the Romans »
Alternative form of when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
|
when in Rome, do as the Romans do »
behave as those around do
|
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.
|
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.
|
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.
|
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.
|
wooden spoon »
A spoon made from wood.
|
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.
|
worm's-eye view »
A view of an object from below, from the ground.
|
wrap up »
To wear more clothes as protection from the weather; to bundle up.
|
written all over someone's face »
Very obvious, from someone's facial expression.
|
year dot »
A very long time ago, from the beginning or as far back as one can remember.
|
yellowbelly »
Someone from Lincolnshire.
|
you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear »
It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.
|
you don't dip your pen in company ink »
One should avoid romantic relationships in the workplace.
|
| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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